Just some Pics since I missed all of May!!!

Sorry May was a little crazy... I will be better at posting!! 

Transfer to Bloomington

Momda,

I cried when I left Winona it was pretty tough it was so awesome to meet so many cool people like the Reps and it was hard to say goodbye to everyone again!! But Im ok now just a little busy haha sorry you didnt get this until later in the day just busy. Im in Bloomington and we share the area with the Assistant to the President. They are the best missionaries in the mission and the spot I filled was the Assistants grave yard two really amazing missionaries died in my spot, and when I mean died they went home. They served their last transfer with Elder Meguro who is my companion now. He is Japanese and he just learned English and is still learning. Its hard sometimes to teach but oh well its fun. For language study once I made him sing soft kitty. It was hilarious. 

its weird being so close to Apple Valley too. We drove by before coming here brought back some memories. I get close to all the families, it's hard to leave them.

We went bowling today I bowled a 162 which i think is pretty good. Grandpa Bingham would have been proud. 

First lesson I taught was with Mary she is an African American who started coming to church a few weeks ago and  they were just never able to teach her and we committed her to be baptized so that's awesome! President Clements called us on Saturday and wanted to come joint teaching with us. Elder Meguro said he has never asked before. He seemed pretty persistent and we taught a recent convert about the law of chastity haha it was funny. I was so nervous but it was good I just decided to do it scared like you always say, and teach and testify and the whole nine yard and Prez said we are good teachers and everything. He is a good guy. I feel almost unqualified to be where Im at though. Serving the same area as the assistants being where two really good missionaries served. but we are super busy and i keep pushing forward and I love the pictures you sent and I love you so much!

  

I cant believe its been 5 months I still replay that day in my head and I miss you guys so much but I know Im suppose to be out here and we got the rest of our lives after 19 months haha which isnt that long anyway. I miss you though and cool story

First Exchange with Elder Johnson (assistant) Dinner was with Bro Mclain

lesson joint teacher was sister day.

First day back in Bloomington  joint teachers Bro Mclain and Sis Day it was super weird!! haha but awesome!

 I love being here but i miss you guys and I hope everything is going good Im glad grandpa is doing good!!  Im glad Aaron gave him a blessing. Um things to sent me idk anything you want:] I just want things from you!  Im glad working out is going good too Im going to start running around this pond while Elder Mugero stretches on this hill so he can see me haha he is like the karate kid. I love you so so much  I love you so much and hope you have a super good week!!!!

Elder Tanda

 TELL COURT HAPPY BDAY and I'm sorry for Aunt Brenda I cant believe she is gone! I am so sorry momda.

 I got all my packages! haha it was awesome during zone training the zone leaders walked in with 6 boxes and everyone got excited and Elder Mcdonugh said well half of these are Elder Walkers and it was awesome!

 I had an awesome Friday night I helped make some candy and we taught this girl named Kailey who is a 18 year old girl who goes to Apple Valley high school and she has been talking to Cortney one of her friends about the church and we taught her and she committed to baptism for May 11. We have taught her almost all the discussions. Me and Elder Walls were hoping we could of pushed her baptism up sooner but we cant. So I'm not going to be around for her baptism Im going to Winona MN on Wednesday its right at the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Its in the Rochester zone which is cool because that is where the Gudmundsons used to live. but I am kinda nervous. I have to pack up today and tomorrow and its a two hour drive so its going to be cool! 

Prez says its a beautiful city and its a branch so its very very small and very very spread out so I might get a car but idk.  I'm super excited but very sad because I grew so attached to this ward and the ward members and Caiti and Adolphous its almost like a small  version of leaving home again but oh well I know I'll make a new family in Winona. I guess my new companion has a sweet batman scar on his forehead so I guess it was only a matter of time until we became companions   Funny thing is, everyone in the ward in the zone thought Elder Walls was leaving so they all said goodbye to him hahaha but nope he is training again! 

General Conference was so cool but such a work out because 2 appointments dropped on us for watching it with them so we had to bust butt to the church to watch it and it was so awesome such amazing talks!! the last session i watched with the Pugmires were I met Ashleys mom and we talked about you and your amaizing testimony you shared and she took a pic of me and sent it to Ashley so I guess you got it hahah well I love you so much and I loved that pic you sent haha I love you so much!! 

I can't wait till Mother's Day!! I love you so much and will talk to you soon Momda

Love Always 

Elder Walker

April 1 2013

Ok You might get a lil mad but I haven't gotten any packages. I asked the Zone Leaders to look and see if the mission offices has them and they do. Elder Walls said it is because if you over night I don't think they can forward it to me. But its alright don't stress about it because I'm going to get them sometime this week because of a zone training and they give you all of you packages there so don't stress about it!! I love you so much!

My Easter just seemed like another day out here nothing to special really happened. Just me and Elder Walls working haha. I missed you guys aton though and all I could think about was the past easters, like the kites to the church clothes it was almost a smaller Christmas but it was always awesome!! I missed you guys like crazy!!

Adolf WAS BAPTIZED!!!!! It was so awesome he is the African American in the pics below. I have been working with him for the past 2 months and he finally got into the water! He is a 16 year old kid from Liberia he is the one who gave me the nickname Ustero (which means never stops) President Clements told Elder Walls that its not very common for 2 missionaries as young as us to have this much success. So we are humbled and grateful. Elder Walls has only been out for about 7 months.

This week has been a lil bit crazy we are biking like mad dogs and I have fallen more times on my bike than I ever have ever in my life haha but its alright I'm ok. We bike all over Apple Valley!! It has been busy but we need to find new investigators because all of our good ones have been baptized. K is doing awesome but it is crazy how Satan can work on these new members.

I love you mom so much and I'm so excited to see your face on Mother's Day which is right around the corner its a month and 12 days i think like 5 weeks or something.

Tell Court and Titan happy birthday!!!!!!!!!

It's kinda cold today haha it always seems like we are biking against the wind. But I have lost 10 pounds which is pretty cool.

I am so thankful Heavenly Father made you my mother and everything you have taught me and everything you have ever done for me Momda. I love you with all my heart and I don't think I can ever repay what you have done for me and I love you so much!!!

Love
Elder Walker

Birthday Pics March 24, 2013

Momda,
K's baptism was great!! She loves the Gospel so much and now she wants to help us teach. It is so cool to see how the Gospel changes their lives!
Thank you for the birthday presents but I havent gotten them yet....... haha its ok I will prob get them sometime this week but i made that cake you sent me and I decorated the apartement.
The members here were really cool with my Birthday like the people I went to for dinner made a birthday chair and gave me some presents. It was kinda weird but all I could think about the whole day was about my past birthdays and how much I have grown and I don't feel 19 I cant believe I'm 19. It's weird but guess what!? I only have one more birthday on my mission. I really miss and love you so much mom like crazy!!!!! But yeah I guess I wont get the presents until sometime this week. It is so crazy I've almost been gone for 3 months.
This week we biked for 60 miles like no joke we did the math and I'm exhausted. A (another investigator) he got interviewed by Prez and he is ready to get baptized this Saturday! crazy right! He is a 16 year kid who is from Africa I'm so excited for him and cant wait for him!!!! I've been working with him for the past 2 months weird to think I've been out that long huh?
oh yea the pics are me and elder walls getting couchs to out apartment and it barely fitting in the elevator and then taking a break after we got it out
Love you so much Momda!!
Trying to get a couch in our apartment.

Resting from trying to get a couch in our apartment

Happy Birthday to me!!

May all my wishes come true

Letter March 4, 2013

Dear Mom,

The mom gorrila in Tarzan doesn't die!......... But I really love that letter it really helped me out. I had a cold this week and me and Elder Walls were doing companion ship inventory and he says I'm doing really good. Well he asked me what would be holding me back to concentrate on my mission, and I said prob my family I always think about them and its hard because we always talk about families being together forever and yet we don't see ours. He said that I'm doing awesome so far and that if i just keep pushing on that I will get over it. Well i doubted him and then we went to go get mail and there was your letter. I read all of it and I prayed right away because  l knew it was the answer to my prayers gosh its so crazy how Heavenly Father works.

Well Momda I figured out that it takes about 4 or 5 days for my mail to get to you and 7 days for the mail to get to me. The post office here is pretty bad haha I see mail man out like at 5 or 6. I complain about it all the time to Elder Walls who is doing awesome by the way his stomach is doing great
. 

K (our investigator) is doing awesome! she is so golden its incredible. Her baptism is the 16 of March.  Her little 10 year old sister is coming to church with her every other Sunday so idk what is going to happen just pray for her.

Some people  think that a mission is going to be the easiest thing ever.... you just go to the mtc and then your in the baptismal font and then your home. Or at least that is what I thought. It really isn't like that at all. I mean people look at you different, they treat you different they talk to you different and then you are going around trying to find someone to teach all the time. It isn't the most smooth sailing thing in the world prob the hardest emotional, spritiaul, mental thing I have ever done in my life and I don't have any one to rely on but the Lord and my companion  but you know what makes it worth it? It is the feeling you get when you are changing someones life for the better. 


When you are touching their spirit and you know it and you love them and see that they are really your brother or sister. I would do anything for Kels, Brit, Seth, Court, Lilly and Ethan, You and Aaron and for a split second you see them like they are your brother and sister. Its amazing. you really are a representative of the lord when you are out here, the differences are that he was perfect, We have to repent daily, and we get to go home after the 2 years. He died for us that is amazing. Heavenly Father sacrificed his own son for us and Jesus was perfect and we aren't  its so crazy that he loves us that much.

Gosh I love you so much and I think about you all every single second I swear. 

So here is a bummer story so transfer calls were today, and what happens is every 6 weeks we have the chance to move or to switch companions or anything can happen. Well me and Elder Walls are still in Apple Valley but we are losing the car............ bummer right. oh well I'm getting kinda fat and need to lose calories. It snowed here today though like 6 inchs or something so i hope it melts by Wednesday.

Sacrifice brings the blessings of heaven.

Gosh i cant believe its been two months this week. and to answer your question Elder Walls puts it best when he says the days seem like weeks but the weeks seem like days. I look back and think wow I cant believe its been two months. It's so crazy to think Tyler has been out for 6 months! I love that pic of him burning his tie, I can't wait to do that.  I miss you all so much.  Tell the boys I think about what they taught me everyday, Inama, Kunz, Price, Murdock, Ken, Noble, they know who they are, .

I love you and pray for you everyday

Love, Elder Tanner Walker

February 18, 2013

This was last weeks letter:

Dear Momda,

Your letter you sent me really helped me out, I got it two days ago and I read it whenever I can. I know the church is true mom, I mean look what happened when we lost everything and our family hit rock bottom and look at us now! We are amazing.

The first week of the MTC and the first week of the mission are by far the hardest. Homesickness and Tandasickness are both hard, but we will be blessed for the sacrifice. I know Grandpa Bingham is watching over me, whenever I teach a lesson and have to role play I am always Bill Bingham.  I know he loves you so much mom.

Apple Valley is a lot like Idaho Falls, Not a lot to do in the winter when it's cold hardly anyone is outside except for the crazy runners. I am excited for the summer it will be beautiful!

You said you were curious about what I do, well here is the low down:

1. Study
2. Plan
3. Find
4. Teach
5. Pray like crazy

The culture is different here. Not a lot of members like in Idaho Falls that is for sure. Everyone here is mostly Lutheran weird huh?

I went on exchanges with the assistants to the Presidents and they were so cool and confident and so happy, I can't wait to be like that! I talked to one of them about our family and he said if you put everything on the altar of sacrifice and give your agency to him he will bless us more than we can imagine.

This week has been crazy, It seems like we are always at the right place at the right time. At first I was all scared to walk up and talk to people about mormons, but now I don't care haha! People can  be mean but the wicked take it harsh 1Nephi:18 haha and it's mostly old people. I don't mean to pick a specific group of people but they are the meanest haha.  A lot of appointments have fallen through this week but I am  working as hard as I can and I know I am going t meet the right person at the right door. I really love you with all my heart and I pray for our family everyday!

My stomach feels way better now.  I love you so much

Love
Elder Walker

This is this weeks letter:

Dear Momda,

I can't send pics this week since it is president's  day I got stuck with a really ancient computer in the church that somebody probably donated.  So I will send double pics next week.  I LOVED THE VALENTINES DAY PACKET!! Thank you so much for all the letters, I am going to try to write everybody back today.

So this week was a crazy one. My companion has had stomach pains and he went to the Dr. and hemight have to get his gall bladder taken out.but I am praying he can stay out here cuz he loves it so much.  We met this girl named K(name is changed for privacy) by tracting into her house by accident. We taught a short restoration lesson and got another appointment. She cancelled on us but rescheduled and that night our joint teachers fell through. We knew we had to get the rule of 3 so we called sister Pugmire (Ashley Monure's sister) and she was so awesome and brought her visiting teacher with her.  Well I was suppose to take the lead on this lesson which I thought pretty much teach the whole lesson.  I ended up interrupting Elder Walls like three times haha!But the lesson was super strong with the spirit and I committed her to be baptized and she said YES!!!

That NEVER happens!! She apparently was praying before we knocked on her house and was crying wondering if this was going to be another hard week.  She came to church with her 10 year old sister it is so crazy!!

I wish sometimes I could just come sit on your bed and tell you about all these amazing experiences like in the old days. Words cannot describe how much I really miss and love you.

The 3 things I miss the most:
1. All of my family
2. Music
3. and of course Working out.

Thank  you for the positive quote book too.

It's crazy how times of trials bring out who you really are but we already knew that huh?!
Weird thoughts go through your head on your mission, like one minute your thinking about Alma the the next your are thinking about Batman vs Goku, Batman would win of course. :)

Love,
Elder Walker

Dear Momda,

So I am so glad everything is turning out to be alright! I got in Minnesota and everything was coming at me a million miles an hour. My companion is a pretty cool guy. I'm in a car area so it inst so bad with the cold. I couldn't believe Ashly's sister is in my ward she got all excited when i told her where i was from. The members are so nice here. Everyone cant believe that I am 18. The airplane was a little freaky but I got over it when we landed. I miss you and everybody so so much. I pray for you all the time and hope everything is working out good.

It turns out that the mission home is the way to send packages because we do transfers about every 6 weeks and you never know where you are going to end up and the mission home can forward it to me no matter where I am at. I don't want to end up like elder Bunt who had people send stuff to his apartment and get transferred and not get his letters. The address for the mission office should be in the packet. 

So let me tell you about the last couple days the first appointment I got to was so weird because he was an atheist.  He went through a lot in his life with his kids so I think he is angry so he is looking for ways to disprove God. Funny thing my next appointment the same exact thing.  Its weird how in IF pretty much everyone in a neighbor hood are Mormon or like the Mormons not here. We went tracting next door next to a member s house and their neighborhood and no one prob cuz they were watching the Superbowl. 

Elder walls has been working with him for a while now so I'm excited. Kinda weird going to church too and not having everyone there or not being as big or as full as ours. I miss you all  so so so much and I'm so glad you got the BoM I was scared it wasn't going to make it to you. I'm excited to see what things lay for me ahead. 

I love you all.

Elder Walker