Song

hi Shay, could you maybe put this on my blog? if not thats ok, hope it makes you giggle! hehehe

Mom and Dad, I wanted to forward you this song. I dont know if Dad's mission did this but here we have geneology of missionaries. Trainer is your Mom, 1st DL is your Dad. Trainers trainer is grandma, ZL is grandpa.... My Great Grandma here was one of my teachers at the MTC! Pretty cool. and she is famos in this mission for singing the chorus of this song after every appointment she and her companion made. Sister Faerber and I carry on the family tradition and sing it too! "Our god is an awesome god, he reighns from heaven above!" I wanted to share it because I never ehard the actuall song till today and it made me laugh.

if you could, could you add it to a music CD and send it to me? thanks. Yes the music for CDs, we have a CD player. I would also like to request "I, Nephi" (2 copies of that please) and then my music needs will be satisfied :]

Hello From Bremerhaven!‏

Hello Family! 

Mom and Dad, it was very fun to "chat" with you again. I kind of feel like it's cheating but I think since it's not a planned thing I will count it as a tender mercy rather than cheating. I am always inspired to try harder after reading what you write, thank you. 

How fun that Alyssa and Jared and Paige and Taylee were able to be there for that long! Hopefully next time they come down, Paige will not have a cast on and can go swimming! Jared, I'm sorry about your Grandpa passing away, but he's doing better now that he was. I know that the Plan of Happiness is true. You'll see him again and he will not be sick any more, ever again! How wonderful! 

Families are wonderful and a blessing. How great is it that because of the blessings of the Temple we can be with them forever? Let me tell you, it's pretty great. I'm so greatful for parents who were worthy to be married in the Temple and I am excited to follow in their footsteps some day. This week Ssiter Faerber and I have been learning more about Family History. We have been learning how to use Family Search and then inviting people on the street to learn more about their family history. We have heard a lot of cool stories on the street about where families came from and what people reamember about their famliy history. 

I learned something while on Family Search, we have ansestors who went all the way back in America from before the Revolutionary war! I never knew that. I wonder if they fought in the war. Do you know any stories parents? Also I saw that Great Grandpa Walker's first name was Bernard. Guess who I talked to this week? Bernard Walker! The picture is before his door. He was very nice but not interested in the Church, at least not today. Maybe tomorrow :] Sister Faerber and I decided for a creative finding idea we would look up in the phone book all the Walkers and Faerbers and klingle their streets. It's been pretty fun. Next ont he list is Hildegard Walker. I'm excited. 

I wanted to tell you about this week's ray of sunshine! We have been praying to know which streets we should go to and find those who are prepared to hear the Gospel and it has been going pretty well. Then Sister Faerber suggested that we ask members to pray for streets for us to knock doors on. So we chose a family, went to their house and prayed with them and then knocked on the street they said. It was just a little street but we made three appointments on it! Nearly every Klingle we rang was answered and we were able to teach two doorstep lessons. Miracles! And one ray from this sunshine street was we made an appointment with a Frau Färber! :] We have been trying to help our Branch get more involved and more excited in missionary work and I think this story will help give them the boost of confidence they need to step up. 

In my Personal Study I have been putting aside a little time to study the last words President Monson and others gave to us in April's Conference. We were preparing to teach a lesson which included following the Prophet and I couldn't remember the last council we heard from our living Prophet. How could I tell an investigator and expect them to follow the Prophet if I don't even remember what he said last. Sure I know what the Prophets of old have said, but what a blessing we have a living Prophet! While reading the April conference talk, the messages that have been sticking out to me are about the fight that we are in now. Each talk and each scripture I read are another strength to me in the battle in Bremerhaven. 

One entry from my Study Journal was based off this Quote from Pres. Uchtdorf "Guided by the Holy Spirit we will learn from our mistakes. If we stumble, we will rise. If we falter, we will go on. We will never waver, we will never give up." ("The Why of Priesthood Service") I felt lifted when I read this because there are many times I stumble and falter. But I do rise, and though my knees are bruised from stumbling, on my knees I can gain strength. Side note: Priesthood Session is wonderful. I've never read the whole session before because I'm not a Priesthood holder, but I will start reading it now! Every talk is wonderful. Boys, read the talks this summer. You'll learn a lot! I know each of you is wonderful and when I picture the Stripling Warriors I picture you. Live up to that picture. Be examples to your friends who are not members and to those who are. Cole, you don't have the Ptriesthood yet, but you will. Look to your brothers for an example on how to be. Cameron, how brave of you to give a talk in Sacrament meeting and about the Priesthood too! Did you learn a lot? Kaden, I'm very impressed with you being excited to read the Isaiah chapters. Keep studying them! Trey, you are terrific and a great example to the younger boys (note I did not say little anymore boys) and also to me. Keep up the good work all of you. 

I have needed this strength this week. Our investigator Andreas told us that he didn't want to meet with us any more. We did all we thought of to help him and still pray to know what we can do. But it is sad to see a brother bear his testimony of Joseph Smith one day and then tell us he can't go on the next. But this battle is not over. Andreas still needs the Gospel, now more than ever really, as do our other investigators. I am continually preparing to fight in this battle and with Sister Faerber and the Holy Ghost by my side, we will not lose. 

I love you all! Have a wonderful week at camping, EFY, Girls Camp and home! If you want to write me a letter, I would love it! Emails on Monday are great and letters in the mailbox after a hard day are a blessing. I'll write you back too! 

Love you! 
- Sister Walker

PS- HAPPY BIRTHDAY TREY!! I love you! 

PPS- the requests I made for music would be in CD form, yes. We have a CD player. Some Disney songs (including please "God Help The Outcasts" and "Stand Out" and "Reflection") also two copies of the I, Nephi CD please. Maybe a selection of Saturdays warriors and My Turn on Earth with the song "our god is an awesome god" too. Thanks! You can send the CDs to my Bremerhaven address.

Pictures

 my bike broke... not fun to have a broken bike. the pedal fell off while Iwas riding!! scary. but all is fixed and better now!! 

 my district!! from left to right top row- Primas, Netthercott, Davis Jones (all senior comps) bottom (Dospil, Faerber, me, Marybo)

me and spaghetti eis!! yummy they need this in America.

(I think she meant spagetti ice cream, ice cream strung out into spagetti like noodles)

Pictures From Letter

Creative Lunch

back of creative lunch picture

Kalyn and companion on bikes

back of bike picture

Favorite investigator, Margaritte, age 92

church building, built in 1912 for a sea captain

In entry way

Sister Faerber on her bike. Kalyn almost fell over taking this pic

Kalyn loves mail

Kalyn and Sister Faerber

Zone P Day

Hola Familia!

I thought I would try a new language today. :] Also, there is a new blog being made by Sister Kosak it is:http://germanyberlinmission2012-15.blogspot.de

First, I will answer all of your questions from your emails-

Meeting the new President and his wife was wonderful! At Zone Conference we went two hours over time because we were getting to know them and then listen to them teach us. Both are wonderful teachers and I am super excited to work with them! Last Friday Sister Faerber and I were wanting to call and say good bye to Sister Pimitel but their phones already switched over so we said hello to Sister Kosak! It was her first hour here and it was so fun! And then to meet her in perosn on Wednesday was great. They will help move this work along.

Yes I got your letter and both of Elder Zylstra's. Thank you very much for sending them! We had a little of a disappointing day and then I got them at lunch time! It was the perfect little tender mercy to get them at that time. It was the pick me up that I needed. Thank you for sending them and tell Cole and Kaden I loved thier little notes as well. (Cole, I hope you had a fun sleep over with Cole C.! and Kaden what kind of mission story did you want me to tell? the funniest one was the feet kisisng one or the weird rap/prayer one I already wrote about) Feel free to keep writting and sending letters :] Dad, from your email last week you asked if the flag was green screened or real, it was a real giant flag which is why we took the picture there. Kaden, no I have not had to play the piano yet because Sister Faerber plays. she was a piano performance major so is pretty much amazing. and she loves jon schmit!

Mom I agree with Alyssa, you are different! But as long as you are safe and it makes you and Dad happy keep up the wonderful wild biker chick! Be careful with your new guns parents.

This week was a busy one with lots of train times. We had 4 days that most of the day were on trains but the 3 days in Bremerhaven were great! Monday- We went to Cuxhaven which is the city where most of our memebers live and visted with them for our Pday. then Wednesday was Zone Conference that was spectacular and then also something and maybe the highlight of the week was on Saturday with a family being baptised! Not in our city but in Cele, sister Faerber's old city. It was a family that she taught before she was transfered. It was wonderful to see our Missionary purpose being fulfilled and made me want our investigators to make those sacred covenants even more! We slept over with the Celle Sisters too and that was so fun! After the mission was a Musical Fireside that I sang in again. I stil get scared singing in front of others but it was a Primary song (as i have loved you, in english and german. the family is part english and part german) and priamry songs dont make me as nervous to sing.

Today is Zone Pday so don't have much time to email but know that I love you, and I love the Gospel. I know it is true. I will try to forget you all Dad but I'll keep you in my heart and do the work even more urgently.

-Sister Walker

I will send pictures in the mail.

pps- why did no one tell me how wonderful the Ensign is?!?!?! It's amazing!!

Trey and Cam, Hope you two enjoyed the Temple! Tell me about it!

Love you! I will write more next week!

4th P Day In Germany

Hello Family! 

So I have to tell you Mom and Dad, when I first signed into my email there were no new emails in my inbox. My first thought was to be sad that you forgot about me then second thought was that something bad happened to you guys and you couldn't email. There is only one computer at the church so we can only email one at a time and this week it was Sister F�er's turn to go first. Whoever is going second prints out their emails first and reads them while the other is writting theirs and then after the first person's 2 hours are up we switch. Since I was second to write, first to print but your emails hadn't come in yet I spent 2 hours coming up with horrible things that might have prevented you from writing to me or forgetting about me. Each one just kept getting more and more terrible so what a relief when I saw your emails when I logged on again! (The scenario I thought of that was most likely was that Disneyland's Jungle Cruise decided to add real animals and make a mini Animal Kingdom like in Florida and you all went on it to try it out but the animals revolted so you were all climbing up the pole with the Rhino under it and were the new subjects to the "I think they get the point" joke. ;] ) 

But it did make me realize how much I look forward to your emails each week. Missionary work is hard, just like I expected and everyone said, but I never thought I would miss you all so much. I've never been homesick before so I don't really know why I have gotten homesick here, it's a strange feeling. Not sure I like it. Mom, this first picture made me think of you and when we were in Denmark together. Do you remember all the little elves? Here is a very large one in my city! You can walk under the legs it is so tall. 

And Dad the second picture is of Innenstadt, kind of like main street, and it was just decorated for tourist season with flags from around the world and the Paraguay flag is there! (at least I think it's there... I thought I saw it) And seeing that made me think of you and wish I could call to get some mission advice. 

And then Trey, Italy beat Germany in the European Cup on Friday so there were a lot of Italian flags and celebrations all over the city which made me think of you. Kaden, I saw someone that had a shirt that said "That's Right, I'm Awesome" on it and it reminded me of you. Cameron, I saw a huge metal shield for sale that would match your sword and wanted to buy it for you but I couldn't think of a way to send it home and it was expensive. And Cole, before I came to be a missionary here, there were Elders in the city of Bremerhaven. One of those Elders was named Nicholas Walker. Everyone in the Branch here asks me if I have a brother named Nicholas all the time! It's kind of funny :] We have a family in the ward who has little girls the same ages as Paige and Taylee and it's fun to see them and then think about the Miller Family. 
Now I'm done being homesick. I refuse to be homesick any more. I still look forward to your emails though. And just saying but a surprise letter in the mail would be fun too... I got my first (and only) Post last P-Day! It was from one of the Sisters in my MTC District! She is serving in Japan right now, I sent you pictures of her, Sister Julander. So if mail from Japan can get to Germany, I'm pretty sure mail from America can too... Just saying... ;]

This week has been full of surprizes, mostly good though. Last P-Day was fun at the Zoo to answer your question Mom. I did feel bad for the animals though because it was so cold and it is an open air Zoo. Some of the animals just looked so depressed. But the Polar Bears were just great! After free time we had a lesson with a Turkish man named Halil. He is so funny. Sister F�er and her companion before me found him and we've been teaching him. We went over the 1st vision on Monday and he was reading the Turkish pamphlet and understood it and was translating it into German for us (in case we didn't know it...) and then acted it out! It was so cute! He is about 50 years old and it was so fun seeing him excited! My favorite part was when he knelt on the floor and said "He saw two people, TWO not one!!; above him in the air, ABOVE! Not on the ground!" He said yes to baptism but didn't set a date becasue he wants his wife to join too and she's never met with the missionaries. (She lives in Bremen, he only comes to Bremerhaven to work then goes back home. We're trying to get her address to refer her to the Elders in Bremen)

We had three different people come up to us this week and all said "Hey, I didn't know there were female Elders too!" It was very funny. One of these people, we set up an appointment with and it was actually the perfect example of the worst appointment ever. He had met with the Elders a little before and lives on our street. When we got there we wanted to find out how far the Elders had taught him since they didn't make a teaching record so we didn't know before. Turns out they didn't teach him anything. Not for lack of trying I'm sure, but he refuses to learn. We gave him a Book of Mormon and tried to explain it and read from it but he only wanted to talk about where exactly Mormons believe Christ's Second coming will be. Like exact street, exact. He just had the vibe of argument all around him and the Spirit was no where in a 5 block radius pretty much. So not good. Then when we realized it was pointless trying to change the topic from Jesus' address we asked him to say the closing prayer and he turned on some super scary chanting rap prayer CD so we just left and he just laughed. Eww. 

Most of the Branch members live in a town called Cuxhaven which is an hour away by train, they are wonderful and come to Church and other meetings but it is hard to go visit them. But we did plan to go up after District Meeting on Wednesday. And Dad, we do have District Meeting every Wednesday except when we have Zone Conference. I love District meeting too! We meet in Oldenburg for DMs, where one set of Elders (Zone Leaders) serve. It is kind of in the middle of our District but still takes 2+ hours to get there with bus changes and trains. But this week it was fun because on the last bus transfer, we got on the same bus as the other Elders! We were all excited to be on the bus and to talk to eachother that we missed the bus stop for the Church where we meet. Not by one stop, but by 5! It was funny. The 3rd picture is Elders Primus (nicknames Optimus Primus) and Myrabo at the stop 5 stops late. Next time we'll pay better attention :]

 Every DM we all bring food to share. This past week was a baking competition with the recipe "Chubby Sisters Brownies." I think our DL Elder Jones is trying out the warning that if you eat too many you'll turn into a Chubby Sister. So far no transformation. But we'll wait and see a bit longer. hehe. 

On Thursday we volunteer at a place called "Die Tafeln" which is like a grocery store soup kitchen. Grocery Stores donate almost expired food and those on welfare can come get it. It is really neat I think. Our job is to sort the fruits and veggies to make sure they are still good. All the people that work there are super nice and a lot have started discussions about the Church with us! It's so cool. When we were leaving this past week, they gave us roses and insisted on giving us some food too to say thank you for the help. Between their food and then shopping with Schwester Burde ( I told you about her last week right?) we do not need to go shopping for ourselves this week and have more food than our fridge can hold. It's pretty funny but nice since we have to buy lots of train tickets this week. 

On Saturday we had a Street stand in Inninstadt and two of the YSAs came with us to help. In German the translation of YSA is JAE which is Junge Allin Ert. which litterally translates into young alone adults. I think that is worse than single! We want to get more of the YSAs to our next one in two weeks but this one was a success with just us 4! We gave away 6 Books of Mormon in a half hour! It was wonderful! And also tons of the little business cards that have the website and church address on them. One miracle, someone came to the Musical Fireside that night after being invited at the street stand! The Musical Fireside went very well. We had 3 non members come and they all enjoyed it! My song went well, I messed up a little and sang one line in English (oops) but other than that it was good. This coming Saturday I'll be singing in one again in the city Celle. I made cookies for the Musical Fireside and the Branch here had never had a chocolate chip coookie before! (Cam you should come make some for them!) They dont even sell chocolate chips in regular super markets here so I broke up candy bars and used chocolate sprinkeles. Still tasted good though! Germans also have strange brown sugar, it's in grains like white sugar not moist like ours so the cookies were a little different but not bad. 

The baptisms on Sunday didn't go through. But both Thomas and Andreas are still wanting it and meeting with us so soon! Just not yet. I need to be patient... But they both have a testimony so now they just have to choose when to act on it. And need the courage to act on it. But they will. :] 

I Hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you! And next email I'll tell you about my new Mission President! Dad, your song insight made me cry, I need to go see if that song is in the German Hymn book. and Cam, if you want a not so scary Agatha Christie book, she has a little series called Hercule Paroit (sp?) and also Miss Marple and those aren't as scary as "And Then there were None." The ones I have are in my box in the Garage too. 

Love you all! 
-Sister Walker