Happenings Since the Last Update

Since the last update a lot has happened. He has skied, hiked, rode on ATVs and most recently went and conquered some of the hikes in Zion National Park that used to be nearly impossible.  He hiked 7 miles in one day! Crazy!

Hiking on the Canyon Overlook trail.

He made it! End of the Canyon Overlook trail.  Incredible view!

Walter's Wiggles.  These "wiggles" are on the way to Angel's Landing.

Incredible view of Zion National Park!

He also has started school and is working.  Both work and school keep him busy, but he is enjoying both.

The Last Six Months

A lot has changed for Elder Bahr.  He was born with a club foot that made serving a mission difficult. Walking from door to door was extremely painful because of his foot.  After serving in Washington for two months, he saw a doctor who determined that he needed surgery.  Elder Bahr returned home on September 3rd 2013 after being honorably released.  He saw many doctors here at home who also agreed that he needed surgery.  After numerous tests and visits, it was decided that amputation would be the best option for him.  In January of 2014, he had surgery to amputate his right foot.  In February, he was fit for a prosthetic.  He has been working weekly with a prosthetist (someone who fits prosthetics) and physical therapist to ensure that he recovers quickly and with ease.  He had the opportunity to share his story in stake conference, had a general authority visit him at home, and has also been able to share his story with various people here at home.  He is grateful for all of the support and love that everyone has shown him.  Just because Elder Bahr had to come home doesn't mean that his mission is over.  Heavenly Father has another plan for him.

His foot before surgery.  The anatomy of his ankle was a major cause of his pain.

His cast after surgery.  His recovery was quick.

Below the knee amputation.  He has healed very fast.

His current prosthetic.  He walks well, and with some more training, will be able to run and hike this summer.  :)

Lynnwood, Washington - 8/26/13

We received an e-mail  from Elder Bahr on Monday.  He wrote: 

The Church Tours are scheduled to start September 10th.  I have started printing out Pass-Along Cards in the Mission Office.  For each tour, I cut out 362 cards, 6 on each piece of card stock.  It takes a lot of time, but if it helps the work, it is worth it.

 

The wedding last week was a big success.  They had ten or so of their family members there and then a lot of the ward members came.  After the wedding, they had a potluck so that they could get to know members of the ward better.  The couple thanked everyone for coming and were grateful for everything.  They are a humble couple that just wanted to be married after a long time of being together.  They made the right decision.  Now, it is on to preparing for baptism next month.

 

Last night, I had the opportunity to attend the departing missionary dinner and testimony meeting at the Mission Home so that my companions could go out and work hard.  At the dinner, there were two missionaries who were finished with their service and one who was leaving for Brazil.  After dinner, the testimony meeting was very good.  From one of the Senior Couple Sisters who works in the Mission Office with me, I learned part of why I am here in Washington.  After I shared my testimony, she had the chance to share her testimony.  When she started sharing, she said, "Elder Bahr, if you are not here for anyone else, you are here to help me.  I have never heard you complain when you have been in the Mission Office and you are always laughing and smiling.  You have helped me to stay here in the mission." 

 

As she spoke, I had a warm feeling come over me.  I knew that working in the Mission Office had a purpose already besides helping President Bonham.  The Spirit is amazing how it testifies as you hear things. 

 

Love,

Elder Bahr

Sorry, it's blurry, but this is Elder Bahr's district.

The couple that got married and the missionaries that have been teaching them.

Lynnwood, Washington - 8/19/13

Elder Bahr wrote the following in his e-mail this week:

I acted as Elder Dr. Bahr with a sick missionary.  It was a missionary who had an emergency appendectomy.  I sat with him all Wednesday night after 4:00.  I studied until 8:00 that night and then went back to my Zone Leaders apartment.

 

At the Zone Leader's apartment, I did something crazy.  But, it was one of those things that you look back and will never forget.  The Zone Leaders have a little challenge going in the Zone for some fun.  They are having people eat a whole Habanero pepper.  So, the sick Elder's companion and I ate a whole Habanero pepper and are now champions in the zone.  My mouth didn't burn at first, but after about five minutes, I burned for a good thirty minutes.      

 

The apartment is fairly decent sized for three missionaries.  The bedroom is the squishy room.  But, we are only there to sleep at night.  In the morning, we have from 7:00-8:00 to get ready, so each one of us has 20 minutes in the bathroom to shave and shower.  Then, we get dressed in the bedroom.  After that, we eat breakfast and start studies for three hours.  

 

Transfers are next Tuesday.  It doesn't seem like I have already been here for five weeks, but I have.  I probably won't be transferred very far, it at all.  But, if I am, it will be to an apartment that is closer to the Mission Office.  Transfer calls are made on Monday before the transfer.  So, that means that you have only a few hours to pack everything up if you are moving the next day.

 

The Boeing plant was an interesting experience.  You have to understand a lot about airplanes to know what they are talking about.  But, it was cool to see how a plane comes together from all different pieces.  The building is huge.  As you drive next to it, you can see inside of it through the huge doors that they leave open during the day.  The building is not air conditioned or heated so they open the hangar doors to regulate the temperature inside.  

The Church Tours are progressing smoothly.  We are planning to have them started by the second week of September.  Last week, I mapped out all 24 chapels that we have in the mission and started creating a temporary schedule of when tours would occur.  President Bonham is going to test out market research to see where doing them and when will be best, morning, afternoon, etc.  I also started working on creating banners to have printed and pass-along cards.  Those will be finished and sent to the printers this week so we will have them by next week.  President said that I will be given a companion who will run the tours with me.  We will have 24 tours over the course of each transfer.  It should work well.

 

The couple we have been teaching are getting married on Wednesday.  Their baptism has been changed to sometime in September.  The bishop of our ward will get to marry them in our church on Wednesday.  After the wedding, they are going to have a reception with all of the ward members that can come so they can get to know as many people as they can.  They love the church atmosphere and want to get to know people as fast as they can.

 

We were able to find six new investigators last week.  I was able to be a part of talking with three of those.  We taught fifteen lessons last week.  Our numbers are slowly increasing, which is good.  But, numbers are not everything if souls are being saved.

 

On Saturday, I had my second baptism.  The baptism was a re-membership baptism of a person who was baptized in Pakistan but whose records were lost.  So, permission was given to interview her and re-baptize her.  That is because, "What is bound on Earth, is bound in Heaven."  So, if she had no record on Earth, she would have no record in Heaven.  Two baptisms in one transfer is amazing.  I did not get to baptize or confirm her, but I was still there to be a part of it.

 

On Saturday, I also had the opportunity to go out and teach with the Assistants.  They needed another male to teach with them.  The lesson was with an investigator and her mother.  It was a great experience to teach with experienced missionaries and to have the chance to evaluate after the lesson to see how we could have improved and what we thought of the lesson overall.

 

Yesterday in church, I had to speak for five minutes (like the youth speaker).  On Saturday at the baptism, the bishop asked me if I could speak for five minutes and share my testimony.  I shared a few quotes that I thought I could tie into my current experiences and then I shared my testimony.  I thought it went well. 

  

 

I love all of you.

 

Love,

Elder Bahr

Now Some Pictures...

Elder Bahr and his companions.

Second baptism.

 

Pictures!

Temple Day at the MTC

First Baptism

A local member took the missionaries to the Boeing Factory.