Thursday, October 29, 2009
A Thought From Chelsee 10-29-2009
It's Time for a Sister Walker Update!
Okie Dokie - let's get an update on Chelsee:
I have never felt so exhausted in my life. I have also never felt the spirit so strong in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't even know where to begin. The Book of Mormon challenge was life changing! It was hard but it was SO worth it! It was a lot like running a race. I started off strong on Monday morning and finished off even stronger. Of course I could only sit for about 20 minutesat a time so I did a lot of standing and walking around as I read. By the time 3 am hit, I was pooped. I am pretty sure I actually fell asleep while standing up and I almost fell over a couple of times. I decided to take a quick shower to wake up and that helped a ton. Then around 5 I decided I needed a quick 30 minute nap then it was back to reading. Luckily it was pretty windy outside so I went out on our balcony and the wind blowing in my face kept me awake while I read and read. I hadn't quite finished by the time we needed to go out on Tuesday evening so I decided to save the last chapter for when we were at the church on Wednesday morning. I was able to go into the chapel to finish reading and when I was finished I went into a corner and prayed. I didn't have to pray to ask if the book was true because I had already had that witnessed to me. I just thanked Heavenly Father for the incredible testimony that he has allowed me to have! I KNOW IT IS TRUE!!!!!!!!! I had never done something that took so much out of me but every inch of energy that I used to read was replaced 100 fold by the spirit! I am so filled with the spirit right now that I could just.... well, I don't know....We were at the church for a zone meeting and that is where the spirit hit me like a ton of bricks. Each of us took some time to share our testimonies of the Book of Mormon. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye in the room by the time we finished. Being in a room with 21 stalwart young men and an incredible companion, while listening to testimonies of the Book of Mormon, would change even the stoniest of hearts. I wish you could have all experienced what I had yesterday morning. I always thought that I had experienced a burning in my bosom before but it was nothing like what I felt yesterday. It changed my mission and it changed my life.
We have 4 baptisms this weekend! I am SO SO SO Excited for all of them! They have been the most prepared for baptism of all the people I have taught!!! So amazing! We are still receiving
Blessings like CRAZY! Heavenly Father is leading us right to his elect! I am constantly amazed!
I'm a Proud Mama!!! I LOVE SISTER JOHNSON!!!!!!!! Oh man, I am so blessed to be serving with such an incredible missionary. She is making this whole training thing a piece of cake! She has an amazing testimony and she is constantly happy! I couldn’t have asked for a better baby! We are having such a great time together and we are working our batooties off!
Holy Moly, it is finally cooling down. It has been right around 100 degrees the past couple of days and it has been so nice! Yes, I know, I am crazy and the heat has gotten to me! I never thought I would think that 100 degrees was nice weather... but it is! In fact, this morning at 6:30 it was only 75 and it was CHILLY! I had to put on a sweater to go outside and I considered turning on the heater as we drove to the diner for breakfast... but, don't worry, I didn't.
During Sunday school on Sunday my mind started wandering like it usually does when I am in a confined space for more than a half hour. Don’t worry, it was wandering to good places. I started thinking about one of our investigators, Craig, and his ex-communicated wife, Donna. They have been doing so wonderful the past couple of weeks. Craig had been sober for 11 days and Donna is just plain ready to get back into the church. As I was thinking about them, baptism popped its way right into my head and I couldn’t help but start thinking of different baptismal dates for Craig. November 21st kept coming to mind so then I said a silent prayer and asked Heavenly Father if that was the date for Craig to be baptized. He said yes, yes, YES! As soon as Sunday school was over, I turned to Sister Johnson and said, we need to go set Craig for baptism right now. She looked at me and laughed a little and then said, okay, lets do it! So we ran out to the car, drove to Donna and Craig’s, jumped out of the car, knocked on the door and… no one was home. I said another little prayer asking Heavenly Father to provide some sort of way because I had felt so prompted to set them right then. About 30 seconds later, they pulled into their driveway. I was ecstatic! When they got out of their car, I told them that we had something we needed to talk to them about. They were a little hesitant but said ok and we went into their house. We said a prayer and then I just blurted, out, “we feel impressed to set you for baptism on November 21st.” I wish I could have had a video recording of their faces at that exact moment. We talked it over a bit and then Craig said Yes and Donna said that she would like to talk to the bishop and make plans to be baptized on that date as well!!!! WAAAAAAAHHOOOO!!!!!
Mom, it has been FREEZING here the past couple of days. Like in the mid 50's. Now, I know that that isn't that cold BUT, I have become a desert wimp and I AM SO COLD! Luckily I have my coat... I just need to crack out the gloves and such. I guess I've just been here long enough that my blood has thinned out and when it gets down to 65 I freeze my batootie off. I cant even imagine snow right now. I heard that you are getting hit pretty hard today. I get my weather updates from the old guys at the diner on Thursday mornings! They are excited for the snow to hit the Rockies because that means that we will have water here next summer! Wahoo! I like snow for that reason but otherthan that snow is BLAH!
