Elder Walker Will Be Missed

Hey everyone!!

Unfortunately, this week i'm at a different internet cafe.. so no pictures this week.. but things should be back to normal by next week...

But as i'm sure a lot of you know.. this week was terribly sad and crazy. :(

Like i mentioned last week, we had a zone p-day in spanish town on monday. After we were done playing football, we got in the missionary bus with the kingston elders and got off at the bus stop. After they dropped us off, they started heading back to Kingston, and just on the outskirts of Spanish town, they were caught in some pretty slow traffic, and they heard some gunshots go off nearby... The missionary driving started to swerve the van to try and get out of traffic and get moving cuz the gunshots sounded pretty close, but they were pretty boxed in i guess.. Then a couple guys ran past the missionary van holding an uzi and next thing they knew, they were in the middle of a big war between some heavily armed gunman, and the police. Gunshots were going off like mad, and bullets flying everywhere. One went through the rear windshield of the missionary van and hit Elder Walker in the head. Two Elders checked his pulse and found that he was dead on the spot. They rushed to the hospital anyway and he was declared dead. :( One next elder had to have bits of glass and bullet shards extracted from his eye, but other than that, everyone else was unhurt.

It was a really tough week. As you know, he served in May Pen in the same house as me before he was transferred to Kingston, and we were pretty close. We talked a lot, and he had some really great things lined up in his future...I feel the worst for his Sister though..She is 14, and just had to go to her moms funeral a couple weeks ago.. and now her only brother gone too... Everyone please keep her in your prayers.

We spent a lot of the week talking with people and comforting them (he was really close to a lot of people here).. It was really hard to talk to people and comfort them, when I was having a hard time not breaking down myself. We all went to his memorial today in Spanish Town, and it was really neat. Elder Coleman of the seventy was there, and there were some really good talks that really brought peace and comfort to everyone there. We all (all the missionaries), sang a really really cool version of called to serve, and there was a really good spirit in the chapel. It is really hard to lose a close friend, but its very comforting to know the plan of salvation and be able to know exactly where he is and what he is doing. I am so grateful for that.

I know that Elder Walker wouldn't want any of us to slow down our missionary efforts at all in his behalf, especially as he is working so hard on the other side, so we are trying really hard right now to get things back to normal and keep our minds focused on the work. The feelings of sadness and depression that we've all been going through are slowly going away, and we will continue with the work here as valiantly as ever..

I know this church is true, and I am so grateful for it, and the comfort that it brings at times like this... One thing that really helped me a lot, is something that President Hendricks said. He said that the reason we mourn death is because of our loss... and it truly is only our loss.. Elder Walker has gone to a better place, and is finishing up his last 3 weeks and more of his mission in the Spirit World. He is with his mom, and is happy.

Everyone please keep all the missionaries here in your prayers, and especially Elder Walkers sister.

Thanks..

Elder Kraus