Feliz Navidad!

Dear Family,

Thanks for all the mail everybody! I got the package last tuesday at zone conference, the cookies were good and thanks for the CDs!

So it sounds like a lot has been going on back home! Thats great you got to see everyone at Ellen's wedding. So in the 4 months I've been gone 2 cousins have gotten married. At this rate by the time I get back ten more will get married (I'm guessing more like 4...). Sí, Kreg, recibí su email, hace dos semanas, y tu español era buena.

I'd have to agree with Marissa that all the traditions are going to change because I'm gone. But thats alright. I guess. Okay.

Well last week at Zone Conference, we got cell phones!!! But we can't use them to call home and they cut our landline. So, we are going to use a members landline but he doesn't have long distance so I'll call you all and give you the number and you call back on a cell phone so it doesn't charge him. Oh and I'll be calling at 10am texas time which is 8am california time on Christmas Morning. How exciting!!!

Like I said, we had Zone Conference last week. it was shorter than usual because it was snowy/icy and it started later. It was in Oak Cliff, so we rode the light rail (DART) through downtown to get there. It was cool to ride through and see all the big buildings. But it was also freezing!!! That was tuesday. By friday it was 70 degrees again. And now today it is like 30 again. Crazy.

Zone Conference was mostly about helping members do missionary work. As members we're told again and again to do missionary work, but never taught how. You don't have to go on a mission to become a missionary. Some of the wards are having missionaries go in and teach auxillaries how to be effective finders and missionaries. The best thing to do to invite others to learn is to invite them into our houses so they can feel the spirit and how the gospel can benefit their families.

Thats too bad to hear about little Ian. The Van Dykes are in my prayers. This morning we actually went to a funeral for an older man in Elder Barney's old area. They had like a viewing first then a service. I played some prelude music during the viewing. It was a interesting funeral since I didn't know him. But it was neat to see how the Gospel and principles that it teaches us bring us comfort and knowledge of what happens after this life.

Last week we met a few people by just being in the right place at the right time. One lady had recieved a Finding Faith in Christ dvd in California and had just moved here. We've taught her once and she is really receptive. People are ready all around us, we just have to open our mouths and share what makes us happy.

We've been focusing on the Book of Mormon as a companionship and trying to help our investigators become converted to the book, not to us. If someone reads from the Book of Mormon daily and applies it to their lives, they'll become converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If they don't, the won't be 'converted'. Yeah they might get baptized and even come to church for a long time, but they won't become 'converted'.

Well I'm excited to talk to ya'll. Merry Christmas!

Love,
Elder Wagner

PS. The December Ensign is really good. A recommended read for everyone!