New Area, New Companion

Dear Family,

So I did get the package at transfer meetings. Today I'm writing later. (His email arrived much later than usual!) It's a long story but I'm glad I'm writing you.

Well I got moved just south of my old area. I'm in the Dallas 10th ward. Its a bilingual ward and so we do english/spanish work. My companion is Elder Peterson. He is from Colorado Springs, CO. He's been out for about 9 months. He is really neat because he is a convert. He got baptized about 1 1/2 years ago because he had to wait until he was 18 to get baptized. He is awesome because he has so much genuine enthusiasm for the Gospel. It is really cool. He had a friend in high school that invited him to talk to the missionaries because he had some questions about religion and so his friend invited him to learn. Pretty cool. Just think siblings... if you talk to your friends they could go on missions too.

The area is in the Dallas city limits but its called Pleasant Grove. It's only like 10 minutes south on the freeway buts it's different. It's a mostly black and hispanic neighborhood. Oh... It was a car area but now its a bike area!!! I'm going to get in shape!!! The first week here was pretty tough because the investigators are spread out since it was a car area. We did teach some really cool new people though. One new investigator is Roger. His is an older (like 60s) white man who works as a greeter at Walmart. He has a friend who is a member and he wanted to learn more. He really likes the Book of Mormon and is way interested. Its been neat to teach him.

So its strange moving to a new area, ward, and companion but I can already see it will be good. Elder Peterson and I are pretty young missionaries but we are going to work hard and really have some success. It was tough leaving the Casa Linda ward and it was wierd to go to sacrament meeting in English. Good but different.

It was nice to get the package and so awesome to here about Brent!!! Italy!!! Thats where President Smith went. Way cool. Tell Brent I'm super excited for him and I hope the best.

So Riley... that was pretty crazy; 3 staples. It reminded me of chicken little. The sky is falling, the sky is falling!!! pretty cool! Man, Andrea you look so big!! You're going to be all grown up when I get back. That's too bad to hear about California's economy. The times are tough here too. But it does open up some more hearts to listen to us.

Thanks for the prayers...

Love,
Elder Wagner

DOUBLED OUT!!

Elder Wagner & Elder Barney

Served together in the Casa Loma Ward

Dear Family,

Craziness! We got called Saturday night for transfer calls by President Smith and we are both getting transferred out!!! Elder Barney is going to be a zone leader. I'm going somewhere else as a normal missionary. Its crazy, we got transferred in together and now we're leaving together. And I didn't get the package saturday and we leave Tuesday morning early. I hope you sent it to the office, but don't worry if not, I'll get it at a zone conference or something.

Anyways, we are leaving the area really awesome. We have 3 set baptismal dates. One with Jose Torres and then Vicky and Zuriel Soria. Its crazy. I think I talked about Vicky and her son Zuriel last week. They want to get baptized before the end of this month because Vicky is moving to Utah of all places to live with her sister. Its crazy. I hope that I can come back for their baptisms. This last week went really well. I was really suprised when we got called and told we are both leaving.

Its been a fun 4-1/2 months (3 6-week transfers) with Elder Barney. He thinks I'm getting a companion that has even less time in the field than me, but tomorrow I'll find out and you'll find out next week. I've learned so much about how to do missionary work and how to find joy in the service of the Lord. Its strange I'm leaving this ward, but I'm so excited for the new opportunities and experiences that are coming. It seemed like we were just starting to really get the work rolling here in Casa Linda (wards name, Dallas East stake). And then, bam, we get the boot. But the Lord is in it and whatever will happen will be the best for us, the investigators and the ward.

You mention Justin and Lorena and how Justin doesn't really want to go to church. We've been working with a very similiar situation for like 3 or 4 months. Andres (the husband) is not a member and the wife, Erica has been inactive since high school. At first Andres was willing to listen but very set in being Catholic (even though he doesn't go). We kept visiting them and little by little he started recognizing the spirit. He has a hard time understanding the scriptures but one time without thinking I left an assignment from the January Liahona. That one talked all about Joseph Smith. He loved it. Fast forward to this last Friday, we talked about some questions he had. But afterwards, his wife tolds us (with out him knowing) that the other day he had said he wanted to get baptized. Keep in mind he has never been to church, for one reason or another. So Sunday he went finally!!!! It was awesome. He liked it I hope. The point of this little story is we though so many times to drop him and stop teaching him because he wasn't progressing or changing. But he needed to gain his own testimony first and we just had to be there to help him, invite him and be there to support them.

Anyways. I'm so happy for Marissa. BYU is awesome. So exciting! Thats cool JQ is pretty enough for the Ford Dimension thing. Keep up the good work!

I'll talk to you next week from where ever I am. Take care! Oh, Brett emailed me and I'll write him back next week to see if we can meet somewhere.

Love,

Elder Wagner

Happy Valentine's Day!

Elder Wagner making rice krispie treats! Yum! Yum!

Elder Wagner and Elder Luna

Dear Family,

Howdy ya'll.

I'm glad to hear the package got there quick, I mailed it Wednesday. Thats tough that you didn't get to go to nationals Marissa. Bummer. Back when I was a young whippersnapper we were robbed too. It looks like you had fun though. Honestly looking back I don't remember feeling so bad getting 3rd, what I remember is all the fun times and the friends I made.

Anyways. This week went pretty well. So Juana didn't have to go to Mexico. She is awesome, her comments in Gospel Principles are great. So she is doing well.

So we have some awesome families we are teaching. We found this lady, Vicky, knocking about a month ago. We've been visiting them and this week they came to church. Her husband said he was baptized when he was like 10 in Mexico, but he for whatever reason hadn't been to church after he got older. So we've been teaching them and their son who is like 10. The husband said, 'we'll do everything we can so she(Vicky) can get baptized'. We haven't taught or talked about baptism. Its cool to see the Lord use us to find the prepared.

Well, someone we've been working with for a few months, Jose Torres, committed to be baptized March 8th. He is 21 and his wife is a member. In January he told us he wanted to get baptized but he went to S.t Louis for a month to work. Now he is back and yesterday we talked to him about it. He wants to change and he has felt and recognized the spirit and now wants to get baptized. Its pretty exciting.

So this week is the last week of the transfer. Odds are that Elder Barney won't be my companion next transfer, since we haven't heard of anyone (except sisters and the chinese missionaries) who have been companions for 4 transfers (or 6 months). I've been trying harder to learn as much as I can from him while I still have a companion who is older. Since we both got here at the same time we have no idea who is staying or who is going. We'll find out saturday night who is staying or going. Who knows what will happen.

So its Elder Barnes' last week in the mission. Last week I went on an exchange with him, so his last exchange. The funny thing is his first exchange was with none other than Michael Shafer. Small world.

I'm glad you liked the pictures. Thanks for sending pictures in the emails. State looked fun. Thats cool about Wasco and La Rosa branches. I've decided that the Gospel is more true in spanish. Just kidding. But really, The Testaments is a lot better is spanish.

JQ. I'll pray for you to get a date. It'll happen, don't worry. Thats too bad your friends are making stupid choices. Follow the counsel of the prophets and you'll be happy. Happy because you know you're good with God and thats what matters the most.

Ya'lls keep having fun and stay out of trouble.

I know that God lives and is in the details of our lives.

Love,

Elder Wagner

P.S. life- vida

La vida es buena.

A little Snow in Texas!

Here is a beautiful drive with Elder Wagner and Elder Barney!

Groundhog Day!

Hello everybody!

So I got the package thanks so much!!! I've eaten a zillion cookies! tasty! And yes we do have a microwave (we'd starve if we didn't...).

Thats so exciting for state!!! (We the People- Marissa's competition starts on Thursday in Sacramento!!) I loved it. Just remember to relax! You've practiced a thousand times so you are more ready than you realize.

Thanks for the picture of the kitties. Speaking of pictures, I'll be sending a memory card and a cd with pictures from the last little while.

So the week was pretty crazy. All sorts of unusual stuff happened. So Monday night we baptized Juana for reals. It was different but the spirit was there and we knew it was done right.

So Monday was a little different... Then we got word of an ice storm coming through which meant some restrictions for Tuesday. So we could drive mission vehicles until 2pm tuesday. Then from 2 to 5pm we could go with members or walk and after 5pm we basicallly couldn't leave. But Elder Barney was pretty sick any ways, so we stayed in ALL DAY. I read like 100pgs of Jesus the Christ. And studied a lot. When we went to bed, it was starting to rain/ice a little bit harder. When I woke up Wednesday there was about 1/4 inch of ice over everything out side. As the sun came up it started melting and there were icicles everywhere. I have a few pictures and we still have an icicle in the freezer :) So wednesday Elder Barney was still feeling sick but wanted to go out and work anyways. So what happened is that all of the appointments canceled. Lesson: If you're sick stay in. Thursday we had interviews with President Smith. It was awesome as always. He hinted that I need to make sure I can do everything on my own because I won't always have an older missionary with me. Who knows what will happen next transfer.

On Friday I went on an exchange with Elder McGregor in their area. Its like just outside downtown and there are lots of hispanics. We had fun and a pretty good day. He has been out 9 months but his Spanish isn't too great. It was good for me because I got to practice lots. And I got to ride my bike (its fun). I'm glad the Lord has helped me learn so fast.

Well Sunday, Juana was confirmed. After church we went and talked to her. Sometime this week she is going to Mexico for a month to take care of her mom. She knows where the chapel is in Mexico. She is so solid though. She is such a great new member, she knows what she has to do and is so happy. Oh I found out that she had lived like 4 blocks away from the LA temple. She thought is was just a bunch of white people and didn't like hispanics. But she is so awesome. She was way prepared, we found her the week before Christmas and only really started teaching her the first week of January. Such a fast conversion, but only because she was really prepared.

In other news, Rudy won't be getting married for a bit because he has to get his birth certificate from Mexico and she has to get a dress... But we talked to just him and he really wants to baptized and has changed in the time we have been here. The other families we are teaching are great but Satan is putting obstacles up, like having to work on Sunday. But we'll get them baptized soon enough.

I love the work and see the miracles everyday. I have so much to improve on but the Lord helps make our best sufficient. Its neat to see the Gospel change peoples lives. I hope all is well with ya'll and thanks for the prayers.

Love,

Elder Wagner

P.S. I saw a chicken cross the road the other day...Oh and we had menudo the other day... not the best after fasting... but I got it down...