One of the Most Eventful Weeks

So much has happened this week. It was probably one of the most eventful week of my whole mission. Crazy right? A lot of it I will not talk about because it involves other people, but something that did happen is I got news from my former companion that a excommunicated person that I was teaching and loved very much in my last area just died. (I was at his funeral this morning that is why I am emailing so late.) That was really sad. Question that I have been pondering and one I can't find. What happens to those who die and who are excommunicated? I heard that you can't do baptisms for the dead for them so what happens? 

I can't believe that Sean is back! Every one that left for their mission before me is almost back. That is strange to think about. 

I have had so many meetings my last week I have been to a total of 27 hours of them this week including church. Crazy right? Every day of the week I have had something. I like meetings a lot more then I did before my mission. I think it is because I know that I can learn so much more and I realize how much I do not know. 

We found a new investigator this week. That was fun. His wife is a recent convert to the church with a really strong testimony of the gospel and every lesson she cries and tells him how much she wants him to be baptized and then sealed in the temple. He is on date to be baptized on December 7 and he is working really hard to get there. 

We are finally finding work in this stake. It is difficult to get work started in a stake when missionaries have both got pulled out of the area. We had to start from scratch. I believe that the rewards are greater when you have greater struggles. That is why I am thankful for my mission. I have grown so much and am growing so much more then I ever have. (and no Mom I am not taller than Ben) unless Ben shrunk. Haha. I love my mission.

Two more things I need for my mission. First I would love a shoulder bag. All the missions have been required to get one instead of backpacks. My companion got one that has a wast strap so when you are riding a bike it does not go in front of you. I would love one like that. I need the shoulder bag no later than the new year. 

Also tell Robert that Elder Kolpakov bought me a present and it was a chess game. I have played it once. I won, but it was close. That is our p-day game. 

I would love to be in a class with Ben and Sean teaching it. That would be so cool. 

Have I told you all the service opportunities I have had? I have fixed a tiller, made a fence, put in sod for many people, I have put in dry wall and have done mudding for them as well, mowed hundreds of lawns and hundreds more of leaves raked up. OK probably not a hundred, but too much to count, I have put in insulation for a house (fiberglass), fixed someone's electricity in their house, have dug lots of holes for miscellaneous things. I have put stucco on a house, painted a whole garage (that one hurt my neck because I did the ceiling). Fixed a sprinkler system. (kinda put in a new one actually) I have tried to fix a printer and a weed wacker unsuccessfully, but worked hard on it. Have fixed a table and made it look really nice. The holes where the screws were stripped so it would not stand and there were missing pieces. We made new holes and made it look way nicer then it had been. I have picked up apples and also peaches (sound familiar) from the ground. I love those opportunities to do this. I have learned so much from all of it. I was able to do a lot of it because of Dad and the things we did together like putting up the light above the fireplace or fixing the sprinkler system. There were more then one baptism that came because of these things that we did. 

Love Elder Walker. Have a great week everyone!