1st Email from the MTC - 8/27/19

Hello Friends and Family!

What a crazy ride it has already been! The MTC is honestly heaven. It is crazy, busy, exciting, and unpredictable. The days are so long but are filled with learning so much about teaching and building our testimonies of Jesus Christ. I can't even express how much my testimony has already grown. The spirit here is indescribable. You really can't help but feel it in every lesson, workshop, and just walking the grounds. 

My companion is Sister Wright and she is just AMAZING. We get along so well. She is from Pocatello, Idaho and is going to be serving in Edmonton, Canada! It's crazy how our district is set up. All six Elders are serving in Seattle, 4 sisters are in Detroit, 3 of us are heading to Tempe, and Sister Wright to Canada. But today after our temple visit we found 6 more sisters serving with her so she knows who she'll be heading into the mission field with. So far I have met 6 other sisters serving in Tempe (four out of six are from Idaho in Middleton, Boise, and Nampa, CRAZY we're all called to the same mission the same day! 

I wish I could type out all the amazing experiences that have happened but this email would be WAY too long. So I'll stick to how Sister Wright and my teaching is going. We are currently teaching Anna, a mother of five whose oldest son that is deployed in Kuwait just emailed her saying he "joined the Mormon church and he had never felt more peace or happiness". She has a ton of questions and is so excited to hear the gospel. Our first lesson we talked about God's love for her and how the spirit talks to each one of us. In the middle of the lesson she stopped us to say that she had never felt so much peace and could feel something from us, I was able to testify of the spirit talking to her and we left with an invitation for her to pray to feel God's love for her and her family. 

I cannot express enough how amazing this gospel is. I have already grown so much in these few days and I can't wait to see how much more I'll learn. I am so grateful to have the privilege to teach the wonderful people of Arizona. I know God is preparing people around the world to be ready to hear the message of the restored gospel. I have already felt the love that God has for the people of Tempe. The past few days have been exhausting, long, busy, draining, and yet the most rewarding and uplifting experience I have ever had. I am so grateful for all the prayers because I can promise I have felt them. 

I love you all so much! Have the best week!

PS: I would love to hear from any and all of you! I can read emails at any point in the week but I can only respond on P days! 

Hello family!!

I miss you all so much and I hope you are all doing so amazing! 

This week has been crazy. I think I talked about it pretty much to the extent in my weekly email but I'll go into more detail. :) 

I have cried so much. But, that isn't because of my crazy Walker genes. The spirit is SO strong here. I have never felt it this strong in my entire life. I have grown to know my Savior Jesus Christ in a way that I don't think I would have been able to outside of here. I have felt his presence in our quiet moments teaching investigators, I have felt Him when we sang "If the Savior stood beside me" as Sister missionaries. I have felt the literal presence of angels with my roommates as we kneeled in prayer asking our Heavenly Father to keep our families safe after some hard moments together. I have felt the most literal and real burning in my chest and warmth around my body when I prayed out loud my fears to my Heavenly Father. These are just the start of the experiences I have been having. I know, without any inch of doubt, that God lives. I know and I feel every prayer that is said for me specifically and missionaries around the world. I have been lifted up in some of the hardest moments this week. 

I love you all so much. I know and recognize how blessed I am with the family I have. I miss you all like crazy but there is no other place I would rather be. 

My scripture for this week that I would like you all to read is Alma 26:36-37. In this chapter Ammon begins talking about the joy he feels of the gospel and of God and Aaron for a moment rebukes him saying he fears his joy has made Ammon boastful. The rest of the chapter goes on to essentially Ammon saying he will ALWAYS glorify in his God and if that is boasting then so be it. I love this scripture. God is real. He loves us and is mindful of each and every one of us. He loves you so much, I have felt that and I know He will be with you in every moment if you remember Him. Do NOT forget to say your morning prayers. This is a small act of faith each morning that allows God to be with you throughout your day. 

Okay I will stop but I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!