Dear Family,
Well Elder Dytrt and I are staying together for at least one more transfer or 6 weeks. I'm really excited to be staying here and staying with him. I probably drive him crazy sometimes but we get along well.
Honestly I'm feeling better than I have in a couple months which is good. There are still lots of challenges but I'm dealing with them better. We have some good people we are teaching and several less-actives who seem receptive and willing to come back. For my entire mission I've heard about how dysfunctional the Sunbeck Branch is, but I don't believe it. We have our work cut out for us but I think we can really make a difference to build our area.
I know the Gospel was restored through Joseph Smith. I love the purity and philosophical soundness of the Gospel. Its definitely not an interpretation of the truth but light and knowledge straight from the source, God the Father and Jesus Christ. Pray and seek answers to life's problems and the joy of the Gospel will come into your live. I know it because I've felt it. Take care!
Love,
Elder Wagner
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Ice, Ice Baby
Dear Family,
I'm doing good here. I'm feeling better recently. We had a good week. We had stake conference here too!!!
I've got a couple of cool stories but before I forget, I'd really like to go to the temple that week that I get back with the whole family and do baptisms for the dead. We could go Friday or Saturday, whenever, but I'd really like to go to the temple with the whole family.
Here is a funny story. So in Farmers Branch (a city in the area) there is a high school called RL Turner High. Turns out that the one hit wonder pop artist 'vanilla ice' went to high school there. We heard it from the Sisters here, who heard it from someone else. So yesterday we were like a block from the High School and we talk to this guy. Turns out he's lived there for 40+ years. He went to that high school so I asked him if he knew 'vanilla ice'. He said that he knew him and that he would race him in his 68 camaro in high school. He said 'vanilla's' real name is Robert. We gave the guy a 'libro de mormon' since he speaks english and spanish. Ice, ice baby.
I went on Exchanges with Elder Gunnell in the english wards last week. We taught the dad of an awesome family. The mom and teenagers are members, and the dad got baptized saturday. Like 100 people went, including the stake presidency in between conference sessions. It was very cool to see how much the members of the wards had fellowshipped the family back into activity. They were all less active and the teenage daughter started going to church because someone picked her up each week. Eventually her brothers got baptized and her mom came back. Now the whole family is strong and excited. It was a blessing just to see their excitement and feel the love of the ward for that family.
So this is the last week of the transfer. Elder Dytrt is convinced that he is leaving here and I'll get a new companion. We'll see. I love the gospel and the scriptures. I hope all goes well. Be examples of the believers!
Love,
Elder Wagner
I'm doing good here. I'm feeling better recently. We had a good week. We had stake conference here too!!!
I've got a couple of cool stories but before I forget, I'd really like to go to the temple that week that I get back with the whole family and do baptisms for the dead. We could go Friday or Saturday, whenever, but I'd really like to go to the temple with the whole family.
Here is a funny story. So in Farmers Branch (a city in the area) there is a high school called RL Turner High. Turns out that the one hit wonder pop artist 'vanilla ice' went to high school there. We heard it from the Sisters here, who heard it from someone else. So yesterday we were like a block from the High School and we talk to this guy. Turns out he's lived there for 40+ years. He went to that high school so I asked him if he knew 'vanilla ice'. He said that he knew him and that he would race him in his 68 camaro in high school. He said 'vanilla's' real name is Robert. We gave the guy a 'libro de mormon' since he speaks english and spanish. Ice, ice baby.
I went on Exchanges with Elder Gunnell in the english wards last week. We taught the dad of an awesome family. The mom and teenagers are members, and the dad got baptized saturday. Like 100 people went, including the stake presidency in between conference sessions. It was very cool to see how much the members of the wards had fellowshipped the family back into activity. They were all less active and the teenage daughter started going to church because someone picked her up each week. Eventually her brothers got baptized and her mom came back. Now the whole family is strong and excited. It was a blessing just to see their excitement and feel the love of the ward for that family.
So this is the last week of the transfer. Elder Dytrt is convinced that he is leaving here and I'll get a new companion. We'll see. I love the gospel and the scriptures. I hope all goes well. Be examples of the believers!
Love,
Elder Wagner
Monday, May 10, 2010
Happy Mother's Day!
Dear Family,
May 10th is the day they celebrate mothers' day in Mexico. So its mothers day again!!!
It was fun to talk to you all and to hear your voices. I guess we talked about a lot yesterday but there was one thing I wanted to run by ya'll. I think that maybe the week I get back we should run down to the temple in LA and go do baptisms as a big family!! It'd be fun and we could eat In-n-out afterwards. It'd be cool because now everyone is old enough to go do baptisms.
Thats crazy Jeff will get back sooner. I figured something like that would happen though, so he can get right back into school. It'll be fun to see him again and hear his australian accent.
I'm going to start writing out all the mexican 'dichos' (sayings) that I've learned. Its fun to learn them and to learn all the mexican league soccer teams and mexican states. Its an easy way to build trust with people and show them we really care and respect their culture. Someday I really want to go to Mexico to visit. I'd like to go to the southern parts like Cancun or Acapulco or Veracruz. There are supposed to be some beautiful beaches there.
Its amazing the appreciation I've gained for the simple truths of the gospel. I love finding new scriptures that teach principles I already know. It strengthens my testimony when I can find scriptures in the Bible and Book of Mormon that teach truths. My spanish scriptures are near and dear to my heart. I know the Gospel is true and that Christ's church was restored some 180 years ago. We are greatly blessed to be members of the only ture and living church of God on the face of the earth.
Love,
Elder Wagner
May 10th is the day they celebrate mothers' day in Mexico. So its mothers day again!!!
It was fun to talk to you all and to hear your voices. I guess we talked about a lot yesterday but there was one thing I wanted to run by ya'll. I think that maybe the week I get back we should run down to the temple in LA and go do baptisms as a big family!! It'd be fun and we could eat In-n-out afterwards. It'd be cool because now everyone is old enough to go do baptisms.
Thats crazy Jeff will get back sooner. I figured something like that would happen though, so he can get right back into school. It'll be fun to see him again and hear his australian accent.
I'm going to start writing out all the mexican 'dichos' (sayings) that I've learned. Its fun to learn them and to learn all the mexican league soccer teams and mexican states. Its an easy way to build trust with people and show them we really care and respect their culture. Someday I really want to go to Mexico to visit. I'd like to go to the southern parts like Cancun or Acapulco or Veracruz. There are supposed to be some beautiful beaches there.
Its amazing the appreciation I've gained for the simple truths of the gospel. I love finding new scriptures that teach principles I already know. It strengthens my testimony when I can find scriptures in the Bible and Book of Mormon that teach truths. My spanish scriptures are near and dear to my heart. I know the Gospel is true and that Christ's church was restored some 180 years ago. We are greatly blessed to be members of the only ture and living church of God on the face of the earth.
Love,
Elder Wagner
Monday, May 3, 2010
New Area, New Comp
Dear Family,
So I'm in a new area. Its pretty fun and kind of big for us to be on bikes, but its cool. My companion, Elder Dytrt, is from Mesa, Arizona. He's been out on the mission for 6 weeks less than me. So we are in the Sunbeck Branch. Its a cool branch and the work seems to be going well here and we were able to teach a lot.
One cool experience was teaching a referral from some english elders. Turns out that this lady's brother and family lives in Garland and I even ate at their house one time. It was a 'small world' moment. She already loves the church's emphasis on the family and she is very open. As we taught she understood the need for the 12 apostles and the apostasy very well and had lots of questions. It was a neat lesson and I'm excited to teach her and her sons (she just got divorced.. .like a month ago) I don't think its coincidence that we are teaching her right now.
My new address is
4015 Vitruvian Way #302
Addison, TX 75001
Our area covers part of 5 different cities, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Farmers Branch and Irving. Its pretty crazy. Lots of hispanics and a lot of work.
I realized this last week how much I love spanish and working with the hispanic people. Their culture is different in good ways and bad ways but its really rewarding to be able to serve them. I feel like spanish will be something I'll keep and use the rest of my life. I can't speak english as well now and I probably sound like a Texan but its fun.
I'm excited to talk to all ya'll next Sunday. We should be calling around 5pm texas time or about 3pm california time. We don't have firm plans but we're going to shoot for that time.
We have Zone conference this week which is always fun.
Well, have a great week
Love
Elder Wagner
So I'm in a new area. Its pretty fun and kind of big for us to be on bikes, but its cool. My companion, Elder Dytrt, is from Mesa, Arizona. He's been out on the mission for 6 weeks less than me. So we are in the Sunbeck Branch. Its a cool branch and the work seems to be going well here and we were able to teach a lot.
One cool experience was teaching a referral from some english elders. Turns out that this lady's brother and family lives in Garland and I even ate at their house one time. It was a 'small world' moment. She already loves the church's emphasis on the family and she is very open. As we taught she understood the need for the 12 apostles and the apostasy very well and had lots of questions. It was a neat lesson and I'm excited to teach her and her sons (she just got divorced.. .like a month ago) I don't think its coincidence that we are teaching her right now.
My new address is
4015 Vitruvian Way #302
Addison, TX 75001
Our area covers part of 5 different cities, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Farmers Branch and Irving. Its pretty crazy. Lots of hispanics and a lot of work.
I realized this last week how much I love spanish and working with the hispanic people. Their culture is different in good ways and bad ways but its really rewarding to be able to serve them. I feel like spanish will be something I'll keep and use the rest of my life. I can't speak english as well now and I probably sound like a Texan but its fun.
I'm excited to talk to all ya'll next Sunday. We should be calling around 5pm texas time or about 3pm california time. We don't have firm plans but we're going to shoot for that time.
We have Zone conference this week which is always fun.
Well, have a great week
Love
Elder Wagner
Monday, April 26, 2010
Goodbye Grand Prairie
Dear Family,
So I'm getting transferred today. Its sudden but its the Lord's work and he knows best. We had a good week too. Daniela and Luis Mercado came to church again with their mom who had been less-active. They are going to get baptized in a couple of weeks which is exciting. They are sixteen and fifteen years old and really have a lot of desire to do the right. Very cool. They were sad to hear that I have to leave. I'm going close enough that I should be able to come to their baptism.Its sad to have to leave when it was really starting to pick up.
Elder Bice is the man and we had fun together. He is really fun to be around and made me laugh a lot. His spanish has improved leaps and bounds and he has grow a lot. Friday and Saturday I was in Irving on exchanges. I got to interview someone on Friday and seee their baptism Saturday morning. It was a great spiritual booster. He was taught be the sisters there. One of them, a brand new sister, gave a talk and the baptism. I couldn't help but think about how awesome it is that Jennifer is serving a mission. She'll help lots of people. In our zone there are lots of new missionaries and it makes me excited for Zach and Trevor and everyone else from the ward who are going on missions. Our missions are special to use because the are consecrated time to serve the Lord. It refines us and helps us become who the Lord needs us to be. We serve others and by so doing, we become intruments in the hands of God.
I'm glad the trek went well and that you had a spiritual experience. Riley looks so big!! He's going to be taller that me for sure. I'm seending a package with some winter clothes I don't need since its starting to get hot. I haven't got you package yet but it'll get to me eventually. I'll get you the new address this next week.
Love,
Elder Wagner
Happy Birthday Dad!!! on friday :)
So I'm getting transferred today. Its sudden but its the Lord's work and he knows best. We had a good week too. Daniela and Luis Mercado came to church again with their mom who had been less-active. They are going to get baptized in a couple of weeks which is exciting. They are sixteen and fifteen years old and really have a lot of desire to do the right. Very cool. They were sad to hear that I have to leave. I'm going close enough that I should be able to come to their baptism.Its sad to have to leave when it was really starting to pick up.
Elder Bice is the man and we had fun together. He is really fun to be around and made me laugh a lot. His spanish has improved leaps and bounds and he has grow a lot. Friday and Saturday I was in Irving on exchanges. I got to interview someone on Friday and seee their baptism Saturday morning. It was a great spiritual booster. He was taught be the sisters there. One of them, a brand new sister, gave a talk and the baptism. I couldn't help but think about how awesome it is that Jennifer is serving a mission. She'll help lots of people. In our zone there are lots of new missionaries and it makes me excited for Zach and Trevor and everyone else from the ward who are going on missions. Our missions are special to use because the are consecrated time to serve the Lord. It refines us and helps us become who the Lord needs us to be. We serve others and by so doing, we become intruments in the hands of God.
I'm glad the trek went well and that you had a spiritual experience. Riley looks so big!! He's going to be taller that me for sure. I'm seending a package with some winter clothes I don't need since its starting to get hot. I haven't got you package yet but it'll get to me eventually. I'll get you the new address this next week.
Love,
Elder Wagner
Happy Birthday Dad!!! on friday :)
Monday, April 19, 2010
Oldest in the district!
Dear Family,
Hello, hello.
Sounds like an exciting week. Thats crazy you have a broken foot!!! Who would have thought? I remembered Grandpa Wagner's birthday was last week and I hope they got the letter I wrote them.
So I'm a little crunched on time today but things are going well. The transfer brought some changes because they made our zone an all spanish zone. So I'm district leader for 4 other companionships including the zone leaders, which now include Elder Haslam!!! Its fun to get to serve around him again, now that he's been out a year now.
The other scary thing is that I'm the oldest missionary in the zone!!! Meaning I'm the next one to go home. Its pretty sobering. The date I think it will be is the 18th of August. The transfer ends the weekend before and usually missionaries go home on the wednesday after. I think there is flexibility in that date though.
So that part member family that come to church is awesome. The kids want to get baptized and we'll be setting a date this week. I love ya'll and hope all goes well.
Love
Elder Wagner
ps. if you could send one of the older camel backs w/ the bladder.. .it'd be good
Hello, hello.
Sounds like an exciting week. Thats crazy you have a broken foot!!! Who would have thought? I remembered Grandpa Wagner's birthday was last week and I hope they got the letter I wrote them.
So I'm a little crunched on time today but things are going well. The transfer brought some changes because they made our zone an all spanish zone. So I'm district leader for 4 other companionships including the zone leaders, which now include Elder Haslam!!! Its fun to get to serve around him again, now that he's been out a year now.
The other scary thing is that I'm the oldest missionary in the zone!!! Meaning I'm the next one to go home. Its pretty sobering. The date I think it will be is the 18th of August. The transfer ends the weekend before and usually missionaries go home on the wednesday after. I think there is flexibility in that date though.
So that part member family that come to church is awesome. The kids want to get baptized and we'll be setting a date this week. I love ya'll and hope all goes well.
Love
Elder Wagner
ps. if you could send one of the older camel backs w/ the bladder.. .it'd be good
Monday, April 12, 2010
District Leader!
Dear Family,
So we are staying here in Grand Prairie! I did get a call though on Saturday, I'm district leader for the Grand Prairie district. Both of the other companionships in the district are changing though.
We had a break-through week last week! Things finally started happening. We had a great lesson with Ricardo's brother, Alexander and he came to church. So on Tuesday we taught a lady in our apartment complex for the first time. The lesson didn't go that well but a retired member of the branch presidency came with us to that appointment. The next day he calls us and tell us he called a less-active sister in our area and set-up and appointment to teach the family on friday. He came with us on Friday and we taught the non member father and the two nonmember teenagers.
They all came except the dad to church yesterday! It was a miracle. The lesson on Friday with the family was sweet. He committed the family to listened to the lessons and said that at the end of the lessons that they could decide to be baptized or not. It was perfect!
Saturday, we had a blitz in our area with our district and a zone leader and assistant. We tracked down families that had been taught over the last two years by the sisters but that never got baptized. It was pretty neat. The Lord seems to be pouring out his spirit here in Grand Prairie.
Honestly it really is strange that I only have 3 transfers left. I'm really excited for this area though. After a couple weeks of struggling we've started to figure things out and are on the path to success. The whole mission is "on fire" and has a record number of baptismal date already set for April and May. This week we should be setting a couple in our area!
So many good things are happening. I wish I could tell you all of them. Thanks for the support and prayers. Good luck with finals, Marissa. I liked the epic mountain experience that dad and Uncle mike had though, pretty cool. I love ya'll so much!!
Love,
Elder Wagner
So we are staying here in Grand Prairie! I did get a call though on Saturday, I'm district leader for the Grand Prairie district. Both of the other companionships in the district are changing though.
We had a break-through week last week! Things finally started happening. We had a great lesson with Ricardo's brother, Alexander and he came to church. So on Tuesday we taught a lady in our apartment complex for the first time. The lesson didn't go that well but a retired member of the branch presidency came with us to that appointment. The next day he calls us and tell us he called a less-active sister in our area and set-up and appointment to teach the family on friday. He came with us on Friday and we taught the non member father and the two nonmember teenagers.
They all came except the dad to church yesterday! It was a miracle. The lesson on Friday with the family was sweet. He committed the family to listened to the lessons and said that at the end of the lessons that they could decide to be baptized or not. It was perfect!
Saturday, we had a blitz in our area with our district and a zone leader and assistant. We tracked down families that had been taught over the last two years by the sisters but that never got baptized. It was pretty neat. The Lord seems to be pouring out his spirit here in Grand Prairie.
Honestly it really is strange that I only have 3 transfers left. I'm really excited for this area though. After a couple weeks of struggling we've started to figure things out and are on the path to success. The whole mission is "on fire" and has a record number of baptismal date already set for April and May. This week we should be setting a couple in our area!
So many good things are happening. I wish I could tell you all of them. Thanks for the support and prayers. Good luck with finals, Marissa. I liked the epic mountain experience that dad and Uncle mike had though, pretty cool. I love ya'll so much!!
Love,
Elder Wagner
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