Elder Wagner Arequipa, Peru : May 2015

Monday, May 25, 2015

Week 41

Happy birthday Tyler!! (This was his birthday photo)

(This is Tanner's pension Jenny, a family that he taught got him this cake for his birthday, he says they are a great family!! Jenny is the Sweetest lady, she is his mom away from home!)

well yesterday in our sunday meetings i started thinking about something....Why are we here? Why would Heavenly Father have us come to the earth?? You know why??? Cause we need to be tried and tested, we are here to feel pain and happiness, heartache and rejoice, peace and stress, and to progress; but even better we are here to CREATE ETERNAL FAMILIES! isn't that a statement? Create eternal families, man that makes me just tingle! but what does that mean? it means

1. we need to help other people understand the gospel of Christ

2. help others go to the temple

-baptisms for the dead

- sealed together as families

with these things we are making eternal families!! We do this not only for us, but for people that have passed on, so they have the chance to accept the gospel that we have here! what are we waiting for? help them out! haha its our responsibility to do this work! and when we do it, God promises us blessings! i love this work with all my heart, and i testify that when we help other people that have passed on, God blesses us! Just do it!

(Tanners "district" smash birthday cake. Get this they still ate the cake!)

this week has been a party! we had lots of work and blessings!! the work here is going super good!! the thing that we need to fix is our balance in how we work with the people we teach and how we help them! we will be working on that a lot this week and i know by doing this we will see more miracles! the work will progress even more here in 15 De Agosto!

(City lights of Arequipa)

we had 2 baptisms this week! Araceli and Maryori! it was so awesome! we worked with them a lot and the young women of the ward just flocked to them and they have felt right at home! its been super great!

we are hoping for 1 more this next saturday! his name is Oliver and he loves this gospel! he has a strong testimony! we are so blessed to have Oliver and see him grow and mature in this gospel! he is 23 and ready to change his life for the better!

(Such a special day!)

Our weeks are work, work and more work! I love it!! And have a good time doing it!

MOMMAS Qs

1. week was Awesome!!!

2. Did you get your birthday packages?

2. ya i got all of the packages!! thank you to all that sent me one!! i am so grateful for it!!

3. What is the weather like now?

3. ya it is getting colder! It's perfect, hot during the day and freezing cold at night! but i bought a llama sweater today so I won't be cold at night!! its sick!

4. Your pension sent me a pic of you on your birthday.... It was so sweet of her and it really made my day!

4. ya she is the greatest! i love that lady!!

5. What are your plans today??

5. today we went on a 4 hour tour of Arequipa and we had a blast! playing and taking tons of pictures!!

Love you all,

Elder Wagner

(Today's tour of Arequipa)

(Isn't it just beautiful here!)

Monday, May 18, 2015

Week 40

Well my friends and family, i know you have all heard the story of David and Goliath. if you havent, it is in 1 Samuel 16 &17 it is sooo awesome!!! you should all read it!

this week i read that story with my comp and it was soooo intense! the bravery david had to stand up against the huge warrior and the faith he had in God that he would prevail! with these two things can we defeat our personal Goliath? with faith can we defeat this huge warrior thats trying to defeat us? I KNOW WE CAN! when David saw Goliath get up and run towards him,he didn't run in fear, he didnt throw his brother in front of him, he RAN right to the line of battle with his sling and pebble! Could you imagine being David in this situation? Would you run without fear? Or fall because it looks too hard? If we have the faith that David had we CAN run right in to the giant, we CAN defeat the enemy! Have faith in the Lord always and Run forward with your little pebble and sling and you will see miracles happen right before your eyes! the impossible becomes possible!

that was my study with my comp one day, it is truly amazing how we can read a story like this and apply it to our own life!! face your Goliath, have faith and RUN right to the line of battle!!

(Someone needs a hair cut)

this week has been awesome! we have have a few days of meetings and fun! lots of work and lots of happy people!!!

we taught a ton of good people but we really focused on Araceli, Marjory, and john! because they were going to have their baptism this week! but Marjory was in cusco so she couldn't and if she cant her sister Araceli wont do it, so they will be having thier baptism this saturday! it was kindof sad at first, but all in the Lords time, we will work hard with them again this week..! We also worked with john a ton, we saw him every day! he is an amazing kid with 11 years. he is super smart and he loves the gospel! i got to baptize him and when we were changing after he told me, "i feel different" and i said "how" and he said "i feel relieved!" that was the best feeling ever! he had all his sins washed away because of his baptism and he understood that! it was an amazing day!

(It was a great day!!!)

this week really has been really good! we will be doing our best to help Araceli and Marjory make this covenant with God this saturday too! with lots of faith its all possible!!

Crazy duck

Mommas Qs

1. Did you get your birthday package?

1. got the bday package from gma but not yours.... it was awesome! I loved the tillamook beef jerky!

2. Are you really going move into the 3rd floor room? Are they going to finish the room, i worry about you getting cold!

2. the room is closed in with wood! it is all good we love it! :)

3. What are your plans today?

3. today we are going to make tacos, play games, and maybe watch a movie and play soccer!

i love you all!

Fight your Goliath!

con amor

Elder Wagner

Monday, May 11, 2015

Week 39 happy week :)

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Love you mama!!!

Made breakfast in bed for mama Jenny!

Love my pension and her wonderful family! Can't thank her enough for all the hard work she does for us!!!!

This week has just been full of happiness! miracles! we have seen the hand of God working in the hearts of the people, working in us! we have found ways to get better and to help the people more!! one day when i was writing in my journal, i turned to Sookhoo and told him, " ya know, we dont do much" and he said "what?!" and i told him "God does everything, He touches their hearts, He puts the words in our mouth, its all Him! we just gotta work and love the people!!!" haha its the best feeling ever! i really have come to realize that this week! we need to trust him, love him, and listen to him!! its the key to this life! the key is trust, love and listen and then with all that FOLLOW!!!!!! i love this work so much!

we have found a new Investigator, he was a reference to us. He asked us, "what can i do to be baptized?!" we were shocked at first, then we were super happy!!! we told him we will teach him and baptize him the 23! he is sooo excited! we are helping him grow his testimony and faith so that he will be ready to make this covenant!

the work here has been amazing!! we have also been having a ton of fun! we had a talent night and we acted out a super funny sketch! i was a Peruvian woman that had a child and i lived with my son (elder sookhoo) and raised him, worked with him, helped him, yelled at him and then sent him off on a mission!! it was super super funny!! the people liked it so thats good!!

Sookhoo being cray cray!

Mama Jenny! She beautiful!!!

we also had interviews with the Pres this week, which was good, he is a man called of God, that is called to help us and guide us!! i love that man!

i testify that this is the true church and that there is no other true church on the face of the earth!! check it out for your self! i can tell you all day its true but YOU need to pray YOU need to read and YOU will find the truth:) i promise you with all my heart and with out doubt! look up lds.org! it will change your life! read the Book Of Mormon and you will find the reality in all this! God lives and He love YOU too! His son died for us! and now WE can go back and live with him IF we live his commandments! find the missionaries, listen and feel the love of God in your heart! it is amazing! This gospel has changed me, when will you let Him change YOU?

I was blessed with the time to talk to my family yesterday and i cant thank my Father in Heaven enough for that wonderful blessing!! it really was flipping awesome!! my family is the best!! haha i know that for sure!! it was a real booster for me!! thank you soooo much for the examples that everysingle one of you are to me!! i love you guys a ton!!!

food of the week!!!

Aji de Gallina!! oh man thats good!! we made it this week with mama jenny!!:) it was fun!!

thank you for all the support you all give me!! i love each and everyone of you! have a great week!!

con mucho amor!

Elder wagner!

Trip to the waterfalls today!!!

Painting our new room!!!!

I'll save you!!!

Awesome right!!!

Our new sweatshirts!!!

Monday, May 4, 2015

Week 38

I gotta say friends, that i love love love arequipa!!!! this place is the best place on earth!!! we are going in to winter now so it is a bit colder, but not terrible! it is soo beautiful here!!! So this week elder Sookhoo and i have been kicking some booty with some rockin lessons and fun times!! we are trying to have a funner time while we teach with actions and examples and acting it out, its a blast!! our saying is "there is not a rule that says you have to be boring, so why do we do it?!" its so much more fun! the people understand better and they love listening to us now!!! the work is taking off!!!

(Matias baptism!)

this week we had the baptism of a boy named Matias! he is super smart and has a testimony that is super strong!!! we worked super hard with him and his brother, his brother didn't want to yet, but with time we will see!:) now we have 3 other dates that we are focusing on!!! the work is beautiful here! the people are ready to change their lives to the right path!! i am soo grateful for this time that i have to teach these people and watch the growth in them spiritually!! this work is amazing!! it makes me so happy to be here!!!

(Birthday party with my zone on the roof)

we had a birthday party this week for elder sharpp and he got his face SMASHED hard in the cake!! it was soooo funny!!!!!!!!! then Sookhoo and i are planning our act for the talent show that we have coming up. Its going to be funny!! i am going to be a Peruvian lady and he's my son!!! then we are going to end it with a spiritual song!!! we got a lot to do this week and a lot to practice!!! haha this morning we missed the bus so we went sprinting down the hill and we caught it!!!! what a miracle!!!! it was awesome!!

(Lucho the awesome monkey)

we also got to play with a monkey thats named lucho!! he is a less active members pet, he is so cute and is super entertaining.... we fed it and played with it and held it!!! it really was a party!!!

(Traditional dance team, we challenged them and we passed)