April 27, 2009
I am serving with Elder Peterson (3 months left) and Elder Bigelow (13 months left). They are both great missionaries. They work hard and are very excited to be here in Chapel Hill!
Pauline Lamb will be baptized on Friday, May 1st! We are so excited for her! She is as well. She has had a lot of good questions along the way and is doing this all for the right reasons. She is already singing with the ward choir, which will be singing “My Shepherd Will Supply my Need” at her baptism. The song is one of her favorites...mine too!
After a couple of years of contacting at the pit, both Christie (who Elder Milovich contacted) and now Pauline (who Elder Farrell contacted) are or will be fully active members of the Church. They both even sing in the choir! They are more active than I am!!!
I feel blessed to have been here at this time.
Love, Elder Walters
Monday, April 27, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Transfers!
April 20, 2009
Elder Wright has been called as a Zone Leader in Kinston and Elder Farrell has been called as a District Leader in Wilson. Elder Wright has been here in the Durham Third YSA Ward for 6 weeks, which has been great. He served nearby in the Chapel Hill First Ward several months ago. Our ward will miss his big smile and kindness. Elder Farrell has served here for four and a half months, and will be missed by everyone.
Perhaps they will be most missed by two current investigators, Pauline and Greg. Pauline was sitting next to Elder Farrell at a “Pit Sit”, where different clubs give out information about their group and upcoming activities. In this case the tables for the dance group “Misconceptions” and the Latter-Day Saint Student Association were near each other.
Elder Farrell taught Pauline a little bit and she seemed interested. As we continued to meet with her, we extended a commitment to be baptized. She accepted, but was soon pretty worried that the date, May 2nd, was so soon.
She heard some rumors about the Church and was kind of confused. She said that it didn’t seem consistent with the message that we taught or the way that the missionaries or members conducted themselves. She asked us about these falsehoods and has since spoken to her friends about the concerns they brought up. Her friends changed their minds, are supportive and are planning on coming to her baptism now on May 1st!
Greg came to church! This is a huge step for him and he said he enjoyed everything. He wants to be baptized, which is wonderful. When we first started meeting with him, he didn’t know if Christianity was true. He now believes that Jesus Christ is his Savior and that His Church was lost, and then restored in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Greg prayed for the first time out loud with us in our last meeting. It was so incredible. He sincerely said, “I thank thee for sending these men, thy missionaries to teach me the truth.”
I can’t imagine a better group of people to be working with at the end of my mission. I was worried I would end on a lull in the work as summer approaches, but Pauline, Greg and others will need our help in the coming months. I have enjoyed being a district leader, especially the opportunity that gave me to interview baptismal candidates.
I love my mission and am grateful for the opportunities the Lord is giving me right now.
Love, Elder Walters
Elder Wright has been called as a Zone Leader in Kinston and Elder Farrell has been called as a District Leader in Wilson. Elder Wright has been here in the Durham Third YSA Ward for 6 weeks, which has been great. He served nearby in the Chapel Hill First Ward several months ago. Our ward will miss his big smile and kindness. Elder Farrell has served here for four and a half months, and will be missed by everyone.
Perhaps they will be most missed by two current investigators, Pauline and Greg. Pauline was sitting next to Elder Farrell at a “Pit Sit”, where different clubs give out information about their group and upcoming activities. In this case the tables for the dance group “Misconceptions” and the Latter-Day Saint Student Association were near each other.
Elder Farrell taught Pauline a little bit and she seemed interested. As we continued to meet with her, we extended a commitment to be baptized. She accepted, but was soon pretty worried that the date, May 2nd, was so soon.
She heard some rumors about the Church and was kind of confused. She said that it didn’t seem consistent with the message that we taught or the way that the missionaries or members conducted themselves. She asked us about these falsehoods and has since spoken to her friends about the concerns they brought up. Her friends changed their minds, are supportive and are planning on coming to her baptism now on May 1st!
Greg came to church! This is a huge step for him and he said he enjoyed everything. He wants to be baptized, which is wonderful. When we first started meeting with him, he didn’t know if Christianity was true. He now believes that Jesus Christ is his Savior and that His Church was lost, and then restored in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Greg prayed for the first time out loud with us in our last meeting. It was so incredible. He sincerely said, “I thank thee for sending these men, thy missionaries to teach me the truth.”
I can’t imagine a better group of people to be working with at the end of my mission. I was worried I would end on a lull in the work as summer approaches, but Pauline, Greg and others will need our help in the coming months. I have enjoyed being a district leader, especially the opportunity that gave me to interview baptismal candidates.
I love my mission and am grateful for the opportunities the Lord is giving me right now.
Love, Elder Walters
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
A Visit from Cousin Ani
Elder Walters' cousin, Ani Gneiting, is living in the Washington DC area with another cousin, Amber Jensen. Ani has a friend, Daniel, she visits who goes to medical school at Duke. Daniel is also in the Durham Third Ward so Elder Walters gets to see him often. Elder Walters loves seeing Ani and recently said, "She is really pretty, Mom, and so poised." It's true she is a beautiful, talented young woman!
Dear Walters Family,
It was fun to talk to Ryan and see how he's doing this last weekend.
I realized I'd never taken a picture so we took advantage of the good weather and Daniel having his camera on hand.
Ryan is so well lovedby the ward there and is always introducing me to a recent convert or a new missionary.
This time he even shared his treats!
Just thought I'd share.
Love, Ani
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Member Missionary Work is Wonderful!
We just finished a wonderful lesson with Pauline about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! She was at a table at ‘The Pit’ for her Hip-Hop dance group when Elder Farrell contacted her. She has been interested and very friendly, but this lesson was particularly great. She had a lot of honest, sincere questions and concerns. She talked about what her friends might think if she got baptized. She said they were watching TV and something came up about members of the Church in a negative way. Her friends were surprised that Pauline would want to meet with us after seeing this portrayal by the media. She told us about what had happened and said that instead of just not meeting with us, she had wanted to ask us in person about it.
We explained, as did an Apostle in General Conference this weekend, that most people know little or nothing about the Church, and that she made the right decision in asking us about her concern. We felt prompted to tell her that her answers won’t come through the media, friends, or even us, the missionaries. We told her that her answers would come from the Holy Ghost and ultimately, her Heavenly Father. At the end of the lesson, she said, ‘Oh, before you go, could we schedule another time to meet? I would really like to meet with you again.”
We are also teaching a great young lady named Leigh. She met some members in Alaska, then Utah who really impressed her. She is very excited about the Church, came to General Conference, and is very, very positive and fun to be around. She is getting to know our amazing ward and we love teaching her the Gospel.
Member missionary work is wonderful-thanks for your missionary work, letters and love!
Elder Walters
We explained, as did an Apostle in General Conference this weekend, that most people know little or nothing about the Church, and that she made the right decision in asking us about her concern. We felt prompted to tell her that her answers won’t come through the media, friends, or even us, the missionaries. We told her that her answers would come from the Holy Ghost and ultimately, her Heavenly Father. At the end of the lesson, she said, ‘Oh, before you go, could we schedule another time to meet? I would really like to meet with you again.”
We are also teaching a great young lady named Leigh. She met some members in Alaska, then Utah who really impressed her. She is very excited about the Church, came to General Conference, and is very, very positive and fun to be around. She is getting to know our amazing ward and we love teaching her the Gospel.
Member missionary work is wonderful-thanks for your missionary work, letters and love!
Elder Walters
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Things are Going Great!
I have been with Elder Farrell for three transfers now. We've been working with Elder Wright who has been out as long as Elder Farrell. They are great!
Elder Wright always has the biggest smile and is always happy and laughing and so friendly with members and non-members. Elder Farrell and I love him!
The three of us have been on our missions for a while...almost 5 years combined! That's more than any companionship other than President and Sister Wallis, the Mission President and his wife.
We are still meeting with Greg. It's been going well. He still feels like we were guided to meet with him. He seems to understand and agree with what we say. We're just trying to help him have a spiritual confirmation. He is still unsure about being baptized soon. He said it is definitely something he wants to do some day. We will continue to be hopeful and prayerful with Him!
I truly appreciate your prayers and letters and all that you do!
Love, Elder Walters
Elder Wright always has the biggest smile and is always happy and laughing and so friendly with members and non-members. Elder Farrell and I love him!
The three of us have been on our missions for a while...almost 5 years combined! That's more than any companionship other than President and Sister Wallis, the Mission President and his wife.
We are still meeting with Greg. It's been going well. He still feels like we were guided to meet with him. He seems to understand and agree with what we say. We're just trying to help him have a spiritual confirmation. He is still unsure about being baptized soon. He said it is definitely something he wants to do some day. We will continue to be hopeful and prayerful with Him!
I truly appreciate your prayers and letters and all that you do!
Love, Elder Walters
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