Hello!
We started teaching Chris this week! A member of the Chapel Hill 2nd Ward was roommates with Chris, and started telling him about the Church. Chris was and is very interested in investigating. He was really eager to learn about the history of the Church, like how the succession from Joseph Smith to Brigham Young took place.
He had been attending the Chapel Hill 2nd Ward for about a month with Elder King and Elder Cardinet, and noticed how noisy sacrament meetings can get with all of the children. Someone said there’s about sixty infants 18 months and younger! Chris even asked us why they don’t have a separate sacrament room for them.
He came with us to the Singles Ward yesterday and really enjoyed it. The ward was very, very friendly with him and a lot of people came up and introduced themselves to him. He kept telling Elder King and Cardinet how much he liked the Singles Ward. It doesn’t hurt that most of the members are girls his age.
President Yates is a counselor to President Wallis, our Mission President. He had a fireside at his home last night for recent converts and missionaries. Cayce, Kristen and Maria came and all three of them bore their testimonies. It was so powerful! The three of them have all felt a lot of family pressure in their decisions to be baptized. Kristen was baptized about two years ago, Cayce was baptized about 2 months ago, and Maria has a very sincere desire to be baptized. There was a lady at the fireside who is investigating with her LDS fiancée. She really enjoyed Kristen, Cayce and Maria’s testimonies. It is so amazing to see the three of them together, supporting each other and others with their faithful examples.
Thanks for your prayers and letters!
I will try to respond sooner!
Elder Walters
Monday, April 21, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
HELLO FROM CHAPEL HILL!
Things are going well. Elder Roseman went to Fayetteville as zone leader and Elder McCann came from the Durham fourth ward to join us in the Durham 3rd singles ward. He’s a lot of fun! He’s from California and is great at contacting people. He is also serving as district leader for the first time in our district, the Chapel Hill District.
The Tar Heels made it to the Final Four, but were beaten by Kansas…I think. It’s very strange to be serving at UNC and at Duke University and having almost no idea what is going on in the basketball world. The UNC and Duke rivalry is supposed to be the biggest rivalry ever in sports, and our ward consists of almost entirely UNC and Duke students and graduates!
We ran a 5K race yesterday in support of the early detection of breast cancer. It was all around Chapel Hill and started and finished at UNC’s famous ‘old well’. Elder King and I had set a goal to run the race in 28 minutes. He and Elder Cardinet would help me up the steep hills with one hand each, then I’d fly down the other side. Then on the next hill I’d push until they caught up. My arms felt like jello afterwards, but they said they’re whole bodies felt like jello.
We’re going to try and catch a turtle today! Elder King and Cardinet and I saw some in a pond the other day, so we’re going to make a net out of some big bamboo that Elder Skidmore and Olsen found. The turtles look pretty big, like a foot long.
My sister Whitney’s kids have been taking really good care of my lizard, Joanna, since I left for BYU. She’s been getting crickets and mealworms and plenty of attention and people to crawl on. However, I found out last week that Joanna got some sand caught in her digestive tract. Whitney took her to a lizard doctor who put water in Joanna’s mouth, but Joanna just spit it back up. Callum and Issy and Tate sent me a letter the other day reading, “Somebody died. Joanna did. We tried to take really good care of Joanna. Love, Callum, Issy and Tate.” I sure do miss those little three!
Elder Cardinet and King met Elder Bednar from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles yesterday. He was in town to help bless his son’s twin babies.
We are handing off Javier to the Spanish Ward Elders, he is still in High School, so that ward will be the best for him. He said the other night that the white kids at his school have been wanting to fight him and his friends. He was wondering if he needed to repent for being mad at some kids who hit him at school. He is such a kind, sincere young man. We’ve been teaching him in Spanish, and I’ve been trying to keep up in Spanish.
He asked the other night ‘why don’t all white people treat me like you do?’ I said the difference between the missionaries and members of the church and others who aren’t members is that we have the true gospel, and that affects our actions and behavior more than anything else. Javier is so sincere about wanting to learn about Christ’s Gospel!
Thank you for all of your prayers and letters!
I really do appreciate them!
Love, Elder Walters
The Tar Heels made it to the Final Four, but were beaten by Kansas…I think. It’s very strange to be serving at UNC and at Duke University and having almost no idea what is going on in the basketball world. The UNC and Duke rivalry is supposed to be the biggest rivalry ever in sports, and our ward consists of almost entirely UNC and Duke students and graduates!
We ran a 5K race yesterday in support of the early detection of breast cancer. It was all around Chapel Hill and started and finished at UNC’s famous ‘old well’. Elder King and I had set a goal to run the race in 28 minutes. He and Elder Cardinet would help me up the steep hills with one hand each, then I’d fly down the other side. Then on the next hill I’d push until they caught up. My arms felt like jello afterwards, but they said they’re whole bodies felt like jello.
We’re going to try and catch a turtle today! Elder King and Cardinet and I saw some in a pond the other day, so we’re going to make a net out of some big bamboo that Elder Skidmore and Olsen found. The turtles look pretty big, like a foot long.
My sister Whitney’s kids have been taking really good care of my lizard, Joanna, since I left for BYU. She’s been getting crickets and mealworms and plenty of attention and people to crawl on. However, I found out last week that Joanna got some sand caught in her digestive tract. Whitney took her to a lizard doctor who put water in Joanna’s mouth, but Joanna just spit it back up. Callum and Issy and Tate sent me a letter the other day reading, “Somebody died. Joanna did. We tried to take really good care of Joanna. Love, Callum, Issy and Tate.” I sure do miss those little three!
Elder Cardinet and King met Elder Bednar from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles yesterday. He was in town to help bless his son’s twin babies.
We are handing off Javier to the Spanish Ward Elders, he is still in High School, so that ward will be the best for him. He said the other night that the white kids at his school have been wanting to fight him and his friends. He was wondering if he needed to repent for being mad at some kids who hit him at school. He is such a kind, sincere young man. We’ve been teaching him in Spanish, and I’ve been trying to keep up in Spanish.
He asked the other night ‘why don’t all white people treat me like you do?’ I said the difference between the missionaries and members of the church and others who aren’t members is that we have the true gospel, and that affects our actions and behavior more than anything else. Javier is so sincere about wanting to learn about Christ’s Gospel!
Thank you for all of your prayers and letters!
I really do appreciate them!
Love, Elder Walters
Monday, April 07, 2008
TRANSFERS!
Elder Roseman is saying goodbye to Chapel Hill as District Leader and is headed to Fayetteville as a Zone Leader. He’s been in Chapel Hill for 6 months now and is having a tough time saying goodbye to the ward. Elder Christman and I will find out tomorrow who our new companion is!
I think that General Conference for a missionary is a lot like Christmas for a five-year-old. I love General Conference! What an increase in testimony, energy and gratitude we are blessed with every six months!
Elder Roseman and I realized soon after President Hinckley’s passing that we would have the opportunity soon to watch the Prophet’s mantle pass to another while we were serving as missionaries. How amazing this weekend has been for me, to see that the work continues to roll forth, as President Hinckley said, ‘like a stone cut from the mountain.’
It is so wonderful to hear a Prophets’ voice. I think they said Conference was being broadcast to 92 countries in 96 different languages. How amazing is that! So many people have the opportunity to watch/listen to/attend conference. Then we have the opportunity to read/watch/hear conference again and remember the witnesses we had from the Holy Ghost! I really liked President Monson’s advice, “Let’s incorporate this into our lives.”
It’s like Heavenly Father gives us the energy, direction and inspiration to improve our lives and come closer to Him then gives us a time period to act on it. Then, when we’ve tried our best for six months, we have the opportunity to come back and be inspired and instructed again by continuing revelation.
I love General Conference!!!
Thanks for all of your prayers, love, support and letters!
Elder Walters
I think that General Conference for a missionary is a lot like Christmas for a five-year-old. I love General Conference! What an increase in testimony, energy and gratitude we are blessed with every six months!
Elder Roseman and I realized soon after President Hinckley’s passing that we would have the opportunity soon to watch the Prophet’s mantle pass to another while we were serving as missionaries. How amazing this weekend has been for me, to see that the work continues to roll forth, as President Hinckley said, ‘like a stone cut from the mountain.’
It is so wonderful to hear a Prophets’ voice. I think they said Conference was being broadcast to 92 countries in 96 different languages. How amazing is that! So many people have the opportunity to watch/listen to/attend conference. Then we have the opportunity to read/watch/hear conference again and remember the witnesses we had from the Holy Ghost! I really liked President Monson’s advice, “Let’s incorporate this into our lives.”
It’s like Heavenly Father gives us the energy, direction and inspiration to improve our lives and come closer to Him then gives us a time period to act on it. Then, when we’ve tried our best for six months, we have the opportunity to come back and be inspired and instructed again by continuing revelation.
I love General Conference!!!
Thanks for all of your prayers, love, support and letters!
Elder Walters
Thursday, April 03, 2008
I love you!!!!! even when I don't write, and I will try to write every week.
April 3, 2008
Elder Roseman and I had a neat experience while we were stopping by some less active members in Durham a few weeks ago. Elder Roseman went up to the second floor of the apartment complex while I waited on the sidewalk below, keeping an eye on him.
The young man we were looking for, Juan, had apparently moved out some time ago, however Elder Roseman began to teach Javier, the young man who answered the door. We pray to find people that have been prepared by the Lord, the elect, and Javier is a perfect example of someone that was prepared beforehand! He has simply soaked up the Gospel, and has been very touched by the Holy Ghost as he learned.
The Raleigh Sidewinders got to play in the United States Quad Rugby Association’s Atlantic Sectional Playoffs! The best 8 teams in the Atlantic area were invited, and the Sidewinders squeaked in the 8th place spot by scoring the game-winning goal in the last few seconds of a tournament a month ago. So we came into sectionals seeded last, but came out in 7th place after beating the Carolina Crash. We had a great weekend and learned a lot as a team. We also got to play with some of the best players and teams in the world. I love playing Wheelchair Rugby! There is such a bond between the players, regardless of whose team you are on. It is so easy to just start talking to other players. We’ve all been through similar challenges so there is a brotherhood in this sport that I have never seen in any other sport! It is also great exercise!
On Saint Patrick’s Day, we met Daniel as we were shopping for the week. He had glasses, a mustache, and longer hair and was very friendly and scatterbrained. He just walked up and asked me, “So what happened to you?” It was fun as we talked about the Gospel and his past experiences with religion, and his belief in God and how He helps us through our trials. He hadn’t realized I was a missionary, since I was shopping in jeans, and was really excited to meet with us, so excited he called me several times later that day to see if our schedule changed so we could meet earlier. It was really a neat experience, because I had prayed specifically that I could find someone that p-day to talk with about the Gospel. We have since met with him a few times, and had some great lessons and spiritual experiences. He really feels the Spirit as we pray.
Thank you for all of your letters and prayers! I will try to write more consistently!
Elder Walters
Elder Roseman and I had a neat experience while we were stopping by some less active members in Durham a few weeks ago. Elder Roseman went up to the second floor of the apartment complex while I waited on the sidewalk below, keeping an eye on him.
The young man we were looking for, Juan, had apparently moved out some time ago, however Elder Roseman began to teach Javier, the young man who answered the door. We pray to find people that have been prepared by the Lord, the elect, and Javier is a perfect example of someone that was prepared beforehand! He has simply soaked up the Gospel, and has been very touched by the Holy Ghost as he learned.
The Raleigh Sidewinders got to play in the United States Quad Rugby Association’s Atlantic Sectional Playoffs! The best 8 teams in the Atlantic area were invited, and the Sidewinders squeaked in the 8th place spot by scoring the game-winning goal in the last few seconds of a tournament a month ago. So we came into sectionals seeded last, but came out in 7th place after beating the Carolina Crash. We had a great weekend and learned a lot as a team. We also got to play with some of the best players and teams in the world. I love playing Wheelchair Rugby! There is such a bond between the players, regardless of whose team you are on. It is so easy to just start talking to other players. We’ve all been through similar challenges so there is a brotherhood in this sport that I have never seen in any other sport! It is also great exercise!
On Saint Patrick’s Day, we met Daniel as we were shopping for the week. He had glasses, a mustache, and longer hair and was very friendly and scatterbrained. He just walked up and asked me, “So what happened to you?” It was fun as we talked about the Gospel and his past experiences with religion, and his belief in God and how He helps us through our trials. He hadn’t realized I was a missionary, since I was shopping in jeans, and was really excited to meet with us, so excited he called me several times later that day to see if our schedule changed so we could meet earlier. It was really a neat experience, because I had prayed specifically that I could find someone that p-day to talk with about the Gospel. We have since met with him a few times, and had some great lessons and spiritual experiences. He really feels the Spirit as we pray.
Thank you for all of your letters and prayers! I will try to write more consistently!
Elder Walters
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