Week Ninety: Transfers

One more change with Elder Hogge! i cant believe i only have 2 more transfers left! I'm pretty sure I'll finish in this area and have one more companion for my last 6 weeks here. its super crazy knowing almost exactly what is going to happen for the rest of my mission!!

This week wasnt too special or exciting.. we didnt find any new animals or anything but we did get to see a mini musical from the young women in the ward. they lip synced almost all the songs from the disney movie frozen (in spanish) and it was like a mini play! the activity was for a day called day of the child. it was actually pretty good for only 5 actors haha.

More adventures to come with Elder Wagner and Elder Hogge. So keep reading the weekly letters and hopefully youll find something cool haha.

At the activity this week, there was a young mother who went with her toddler son who is less active in the church. They arrived and everyone was so excited to see the program they kind of forgot to say hi and chat with the sister who had come with her son. So we had to work a little magic and get some sisters to realize she was there and be her friend.

Challenge, find someone who needs a friend and be their friend without being asked. They dont have to be members of your church, just find someone who needs a friend to talk to and then be that friend!

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Elder Wagner

Week Eighty-nine: More crazy critters from Lazaro Cardenas!

This week we had a few more encounters with animals here in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan. First we found a bee hive in a tree next to the front door of the church and helped the members take it down. These hornets were literally one inch long! they were like super bees. They didnt have bug spray in the chapel, so my companion got a spray bottle and put some gasoline in it... yeah hes from Kansas so gasoline is like a multi-use solution haha. it worked and i killed one and took some pictures for you guys! Also, this morning Elder Hogge was cleaning up the overgrown garden thing we have and he found a giant toad haha we got pictures, dont worry. Also we caught a gecko that lives in our house. more pics. 

Elder Hogge and i have been working a lot this week with new investigators! I love seeing peoples faces when they hear the gospel for the first time. I cant imagine what my life would be like if i had never learned about the plan of salvation and the importance it has in my life. I cant express how grateful i am for this plan that our father in heaven has make for us. While ive been in the mission i have learned so much about this plan and above all i have learned the importance of the atonement of Jesus Christ and how it is the central part of the plan that we are all in. 

For the challenge this week I invite you to read Alma 7:10-12.

I love you all, thank you all your love and support.

Elder Wagner

Weeks Eighty-seven & Eighty-eight: Last weeks email & Lots of traveling

Here are the pictures from when we ate iguana last week!

Week Eighty-seven: Last weeks email

I had some tech difficulties last week and couldnt send the email, so here it is. ill send this weeks letter in a little bit.

First off, i apologize for not sending any pictures. The computer doesnt seem to want to accept my memory card :( next week ill send a lot.
Editors Note: The above photos were sent the following week, along with this email.

So other than general conference, we also had our zone conference! It went really well and we learned a lot. 

We went on divisions to a place called Pantla which is about 1.5 hours away so i had to travel a lot. and im pretty worn out from that. And guess what, this week i get to go to Guadalajara and thats a 8ish hour bus ride one way... YIPEEE!

Funny story. On our way back from Pantla after picking up elder Castillo, a teenage girl started talking to us in the bus station and then on the bus. We started talking about he church and she had a lot of questions about the church and what we do as missionaries. We spoke for about an hour and taught her about the restorration. After explaining all that and also that some sister missionaries would visit her soon, we got off the bus and she asked what day we had off (we had previously explained that we have one day to relax and do somewhat normal people stuff) we told her that it was Monday and she asked if we wanted to hang out and do something the following Monday. In less words, she asked us to go on a date with her hahahahaha we can now say weve been asked out on a date in the mission hahaha.

Sorry this email is so short, but we had a bunch of stuff to do today and i dont have much time to write.

Challenge: Pick a conference talk and study it! Pick a theme or a talk you liked or maybe want to know more about and study it on paper. Ive found that when i study things on paper i get a lot more out of what im studying. 

Ps. i ate iguana this week! Ill send you pictures next week!
Have a great week! i love you all!

Week Eighty-eight: Lots of traveling

This week we went to Guadalajara and came back. thats a 8ish hour trip on a nonstop bus both ways. Lets just say it was a rough couple of traveling days. But we learned a lot from the meeting we went to and it was totally worth going to.

Im kind of blanking on all the stuff that has happened this week, but everything is going well! 

 A baby parrot that a family in the ward just got.

 A nice view of our area

Challenge: Smile! We learned a lot this week about how a simple smile can change everything, so try to smile more and youll see a big difference in our life!

My scripture to ponderize this week is D&C 58:26-29

Have a good week! i love you all!

Special Edition: Photos from Sis. Moe Egginton during training sessions at Zone Conference in Lazaro Cardenas

President Egginton,
 Whom Elder Wagner helped train on procedures,
when he arrived to serve as President in July.

Elder Hogge, from Kansas
 Elder Wagner's first American companion

Yes, some of these photos are ones that
 "only a mother could love", lol

Once again :)
 "Only a mother could love" lol

Lazaro Cardenas Zone
Working Hard, Playing Hard 

Week Eighty-six: HE IS RISEN!

I found this photo of Elder Wagner on Facebook :) 

This week we had a ton of opportunities to teach about the atonement and the true meaning of Easter. We also started to sing hymns in our lessons and i have been learning a lot through singing them. Elder Hogge is my first companion who is a good singer so its really nice to have someone sing over me instead of me trying to set the tone and messing up haha. But honestly it was a really powerful week full of the spirit and lessons about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This week we also baptized Eloisa!

This week we also baptized Eloisa! She is the daughter of a recent convert. Her mom was baptized a little over a week ago and is now the relief society president!! The baptism was great and a lot of members went. Almost all the ward went. The ward is pretty small, but it was still impressive! I got to confirm her on sunday. She got to church pretty late, so we confirmed her after all the talks had ended. but its okay because she got there late because she was trying to get her husband to come and he did! hes not a member.... yet. Were working on that haha.

We went on splits with some elders in our zone who are in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero. Their area is really touristy and also has the city "IXTAPA" in it. its a super popular tourist attraction. it was absolutely beautiful. ill attach a picture of the sunrise.

My scripture to ponderize this week is Moroni 7:46

Challenge: Get ready for general conference!!! In less than one week we will be able to listen to prophets seers and revelators. Prepare some questions so you can find the answer during the conference!!!

Feliz semana!!!

Elder Wagner

Week Eighty-five: One week in the hot land

We found an iguana in our back patio

This has been the funnest/most interesting week of my mission by far. We found an iguana in our back patio, a stick bug, tried new fruits (the fruit in the picture is called noni. it actually tastes horrible but is supposedly really good for you), and its been really fun. Oh and today we went to the beach with elder Zurita and his companion Elder Maas.

a stick bug

The fruit in the picture is called noni

Today we went to the beach with Elder Zurita and his companion Elder Maas.

Things are going really well to be honest. Tuesday we are going to have a baptism! The church here in lazaro cardenas is in a different phase in its growth, so i have to adjust a lot my style to work with the ward and its members. The people here are a lot more humble, but very kind. In Guadalajara there a bunch of white people, but here in lazaro, Elder Hogge and I are pretty much the only ones haha. Actually, in the entire stake (22 missionaries) there are only 2 other americans and one of them is Elder Zurita who looks like a mexican haha.

My scripture this week is Doctrine and Covenants 81:5-6

Challenge: Share this video on your facebook page to share the good news that Christ has risen and because he has risen we can return to live with our Heavenly Father one day! You should also watch the video and explore the website, its really amazing.https://www.mormon.org/easter

Thanks for your love and support! Have a good week!

Elder Wagner

Week Eighty-four: Goodbye Guadalajara, Hello Lázaro Cárdenas!

Well, after 18ish months in the city I have been transferred to the furthest zone of the mission!!! It is super hot and humid here. In the city, the climate is very mild and nice, but here its hot and sweaty! Its going to take some time to get adjusted, but im excited! The ward im in is named Palmas (if you want to look it up..... mom).

Pam's note: I looked up the area, and added the above photo and map :)

We finished my last few days in my old area with a baptism!
Livier and her daughter Valeria were baptized and confirmed Saturday and Sunday.
 It was a really spiritual experience and we felt the spirit really strong :D
Her parents (members) gave the opening and closing prayers and couldnt hold back
 the tears of joy they had. it was a really touching experience.

Luis Mendoza and I!
This is a young recent convert from the Reforma ward who went with us to teach lessons 2-4 times every week in preparation for his mission.
 Im gonna miss this guy!

My new companion is Elder Hogge! 
 A while back when i was still with Elder Martinez, we visited Lake Chapala and Elder Hogge, who was there at the time, gave us a tour and is now my new companion.  (Zach re-sent these photos from Week 77) Its the first time ive had an american companion and is really weird speaking English haha but its good because now ill be able to speak a little better when i get home!

My scripture to ponderize this week is John 16:33

Challenge: Find a new way to apply the atonement in your life. Sometimes we think that its just to forgive us of our sins, but thats not true. Read John 16:33 and think of how Jesus Christ and his atonement can help you in your life.

Have a great week!