Elder Adam Walker:

Hey family!
I am doing laundry right now. This is the first week we have had to pay for it. Ha. $2.00 just to wash your cloths. And then like another dollar to Dry - Oh well I guess it could be worse right?
This week has been really interesting. Jerry Oldaker, the guy I told you about living the middle of no where, he is an alcoholic, so I guess that is why he never remembers much of what we say. Ha We are working with him though. Our biggest problem is that he thinks his kidneys are shutting down when he doesn't drink. So in his mind he is completely brain washed and we figure since he is addicted, the kidney syndrome is really just him going through withdrawals. He says he can't drink water because it tastes like chlorine (ukey water) I told him to buy bottled water instead of beer. He told me he couldn't afford it so I made a deal with him. I bought him a case of water and Told him how much it was. (It was $2.50 for 12 bottles) compared the price of the beer. The Beer he likes to drink costs about 18.00 for 30 cans (which lasts him 4 days might I add) If you do the math, water costs about .20 a bottle and a can of beer is about .60-.65 a can. so we took him the water and we will have to see what happens now. This guy gets better and better every time we see him.
The other great experience we had this week was with a guy named Jack Chandler. He is a Native American. We were tracting one day and we knocked on this guys door. The first thing he said was come on in and we can just talk BUT there is no way you are going to convert me. Well we talked to him about random stuff for about 2 hours and then we pretty much just said good-Bye. Well about a week later (last Saturday) we decided to go back to this guy and see how he was doing because everyone we had appointments with that day cancelled for 'some reason' so we knocked on Jacks door, he lets us in and we talk about random stuff for about 2 hours again. But then King Lamoni's story in Alma pops into a couple missionaries heads! Jack was talking about how he believes in the great spirit and everything so here was our chance. We tell him a little bit about that story and then pretty much tell him that this book (The Book of Mormon) is a record of his ancestors. Then he asked how the book came about. We told him. and well needless to say his is now an investigator in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We got him a little interested and we invited him to read the book. He of course said he would. As we were walking out, he told us he doesn't know why he let us in the door that day that we knocked on his door. He said he had turned down many missionaries of every faith (including ours) multiple amounts of times. But he said he was glad he let us in. He told us there were no guarantees right then if he would believe it and be baptised, but he said he would give it a shot. We went back again to his house yesterday to see how he was doing and everything. And when we asked him how much he had read, he was done with first Nephi and he loves it. He was in a hurry to go pick up his wife from work but told us to come back anytime. That we are welcome at his home any day of the week. The stories are just a few of the many things that have been happening. But it just goes to show how God works. Those appointments that cancelled, were people who were not yet ready to hear what we had to say. But as for Jack, he was ready and God knew it. They were cancelled so we could make it to Jack. Small little miracles happen every day here. We started teaching a lady today who has cancer, shes catholic, but wanted us to come and talk to her about our beliefs. And pretty much, why should I join your church? leading up to our appointment with her, we were teaching someone else and we went over our time by about 20 minutes so we were going to be pretty late to this lady's house. Well right when we pulled into her house we don't see a car. So we thought she might not be home. But right when we were getting out of our car to go see if she was there, she pulled in. She had been up in Morgan town (about an hour away) and she didn't get on the road fast enough. Satin is working hard and he doesn't want us to teach anything we have to say. But the best part is that Gods hand is on this work and it will continue onward. It has been awesome to be here. Who every doesn't go on a mission is foolish and they are shooting themselves in the foot. I have grown quite a bit in the last 3 weeks. But the greatest part about being out here other than spreading the gospel is having my testimony grow each day. We really do take what we know for granted. I know, I did, these experiences have already opened my eyes to see how many people are missing this block in their life. I'm doing awesome and don't worry one ounce about me because I am doing better then ever. Sure I miss home, there's no doubt about that. But I love where I'm at and I know this is where I'm supposed to be. Love you all, Elder Adam Layne Walker

August 12, 2008
Well I am staying here in Elkins, West Virginia and I am getting a new companion and you will never guess where he is from! yup, you guessed it, Rexburg Idaho! his name is Elder Dallas Smith and I knew him in high school, he is an awesome kid so that will be really fun to serve with him, I am going to Charleston tomorrow for transfer meeting and I will pick him up there. So that will be awesome. This week has gone really fast, and the reason I am writing you today is because of transfers tomorrow. We won't have time so we are supposed to write today I guess and even today we don't have much time. My address is staying the same and I'm getting a new companion so that's really the news this week. I sent my story of the week in a letter home to Tenisha, that was a really neat experience with that guy named Mike. As for Jerry, well we had to drop him because he was not willing to work with us and he never kept commitments that we gave him. But we do have a baptism next week, her name is Justine Shaffer and she has 4 kids (1 on the way) I think I told you about her, but yeah she is getting baptised and then the week after that we have another baptism her name is Cassie Polland and she is 9 years old. Both awesome people and they will be my first baptisms. I'm pretty lucky to have 2 already, most people don't get that many over their whole mission so hopefully many more will come. Don't have much time, but love you all and hope all is well there in Idaho, cause it's awesome here! minus the fact that I can't go water skiing. haha. Love you all, Elder Walker