Elder Talon Walz: My first area...Talagante!

Elder Walz was able to write a hand written letter in the midst of transfers..I have typed it out..

Hello!

I am officially out of the MTC! We just got to our Mission President's house and took pictures and got to know them a little. Now we get to write letters to you while waiting to be interviewed. It is already so cool here. Their house is huge and super nice. They are also pretty young. They have four kids ranging from 16-8. Another cool thing about them is that they have traveled a lot. President grew up in LA and his wife grew up in San Francisco. But after they got married, they have lived in Provo, Miami, DC, Canada, Holland, Argentina, and China. Each one of their kids was born in a different country.

So as of now, I don't know who my trainer is. We found out our P-day will be on Mondays. I am very excited to hear where I will go. My teacher in the MTC said there will be new missionaries in his ward. The President's assistants said some of us will go to the coast. I am so excited to be on a mission. Everyday I feel a stronger feeling telling me I am where I'm supposed to be. I'm so grateful I was able to be raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I finished reading the Book of Mormon this week. I loved reading it. I don't know why it was so hard to read back home. Well, I have to go. I sure love you guys. I wouldn't be here without ya! Have a great week and I will see your emails Monday!

<3 Elder Walz

The following is a very special and sacred letter we received today from the mission president. I am so grateful for his prayerful support of Talon. When Talon was set apart as a missionary, his good Stake President taught us how not only is Talon called to serve in a place, he is called to serve with and learn from a specific mission president and his wife. I can already feel confirmation of that.

24 August 2016

Dear Brother and Sister Walz,

Sister Woodward and I were pleased to welcome your son, Elder Walz, to one of the finest missions in the world, the Chile Santiago West Mission. He is well and happy, and we are impressed with his enthusiasm for the work. After departing from the MTC, he arrived at our mission home and I interviewed your son. He is a wonderful worthy person. We had lunch together and afterward, we went to the mission office which is the Stake Center of Maipú. My Assistants and office missionaries then gave him a brief orientation of the mission. He met his new companion, and they departed for his first area!

Elder Walz has been assigned to work with Elder Agostinelli, who will serve as his training companion. Trainers are chosen for their competence, patience and dedication, and are selected after prayerful consideration. With this letter we are including a photograph taken of your son and his new companion with Sister Woodward and myself.

Please accept our deep appreciation for raising such a fine son. We feel a genuine fellowship with you in supporting and providing him this opportunity to grow spiritually as he labors to bring souls unto Christ. It is my prayer that the Lord will inspire us all to sustain him in this challenging assignment. He will experience some of the most difficult as well as the most rewarding moments of his life here. Please write him frequently, weekly if possible. Express your love, support, and confidence in him. You will witness miraculous changes in his life as he engages fully in the service of others.

If you have any questions or if we can assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to write.

Sincerely,

President Christopher G. Woodward

Chile Santiago West Mission