Best Week In My Mission So Far

The week of the 9th to the 16th was a hard week. But this last week was awesome! I had so many adventures!

Last Monday and Tuesday, I was still having a really hard time trying to connect with my companion. I just didn't like him. We didn't fight or anything like that, but I had a hard time wanting to even be around him. It was definitely a trial. For the past week I had been praying really hard to learn how to have charity toward him. I knew that I had been put with him for a reason, and I just needed to figure out what that reason was. Well, my prayer was answered. We had an argument Tuesday night, and we both knew that what we were arguing about wasn't why we were having an argument. I suggested that we say a prayer and figure out what this was about. After the prayer everything worked out. It was awesome. The real concerns were brought up, and we had an AWESOME discussion. From that point on, we are best friends. I've never had a best friend like Elder Walker. Life is awesome.

I'm not sure how quite to organize my emails, so I'm just going to put a lot of random little stories.

Tuesday I went on splits with the Zone Leaders, and we went out to eat at the prison cafe called Serving Time Cafe. It was delicous. The prisoners served us, and I have met very few people as humble as they are. They are very kind, especially to us Elders. Serving Time cafe is kind of a place that mocks prisoners, and it takes a lot of humility to serve people when they know that they are being judged. It was a great experience for me.

My zone leaders are awesome. They are hilarious too. There is a catholic school in our area, and the zone leaders take a short cut through the schools parking lot quite often. Everytime they drive through, they roll down the windows and sing "Praise to the Man". Its super funny.

I can't wait to go home and watch The Best Two Years. Its going to make so much sense to me now. I've had a lot of experiences exactly like the ones in the movie. There is a part in the movie where the missionaries hear that the Mission President is coming to their apartment, and they get into a frenzy to clean up before he comes. The mission president doesn't come to our apartment, but the zone leaders do. We have definitely ran around frantically cleaning up before they come.

One of my best friends Jeff Larsen helped me to decide to buy some military boots to use during landscaping. Well I have them here on my mission, and I can't even express how awesome they are. I do everything I can in them. In the morning while I work out, I wear them. They are super light, and quick to put on. I run in them. They are seriously one of the best purchases I have made. I do EVERYTHING I can to do service for people. I use my favorite tool quite often: the string edger. I've used many different ones, and I am so grateful that Jeff taught me how to use them. I am also grateful that Jeff taught me how to work. It has definitely been extremely useful to gain the trust of members. There have been some stupid missionaries in this area before, and a lot of members do not like missionaries. But as we have done service for them, they are really starting to open up.

I went to a farm the other day, and I got to see some turkish people skinning a cow. It was awesome. I also got to have a baby calf suck on my finger. It was really weird.

We get WAY too many treats from members. We got this one night after dinner.

BLEH.

I hold my sleeping hours very dearly to me. I am very strict about getting to bed on time. Unfortunately my companion likes to talk while we are in bed. Last night I chuckled because I realized that that might be how my wife will be one day. I just listen and say "uh huh", "yeah", stuff like that. But I do it in a kind way, not in an annoyed way. Its fun :)

I'm learning so much, and I just love being out on a mission. I'm excited to share more of my adventures next week!