Week 68

Well you always have something cool happening in the mission!! Nicholls and i have been working really hard and haven't had very many people progressing... but we just kept working!!

this week i was kinda discouraged cause just hearing about all the baptisms of other missionaries and how i dont have many, i just felt really low, sad, and not very worth much.... but i decided to kneel down and pray and ask for help from my Savior.  After my prayer, i sat down and started to read preach my gospel, and the first thing I read when opened the book was, "Invite others to come unto Christ." this penetrated my heart deeply, i am not here to just baptize, i am here to INVITE!! in that moment i came to understand that the things that happen here are because God wants them happen, he knows what i need to grow,  the baptisms that we have had are special to me, i grew so much in my testimony about the power of prayer that day! i am so greatful for this gospel.  from then on i have had a different vision about this work, life and the gospel! i feel more confident in myself and my Father in Heaven!!

So on thursday this week we went and took some pictures after an appointment.   as we were sitting there taking pictures we got a call from a member and he tells us, "elders, after a long time of discussing with my wife (who isn't a member) and after this long time my daughter can get baptized!!!"" we were like..... AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH  it was a huge blessing that fell from the sky! she is 9 years old and is amazing!! really smart and super sweet!! so we have a baptism this week and we will see what happens with her mom!! she will change!!:) it was an amazing expereince!! 

Thanksgiving with the zone! 

mommas Qs

1. i am doing really good!! and getting better each day!! 

2.  What did you guys do for thanksgiving? 

2. we ate pollo a la brasa or basically rotisserie chicken but better!! 

3.  How is the zone? 

3.the zone is the coolest!! they are all hard workers and really cool people!!! and nicholls is the best!! its gonna be a sad transfer/change! he's the best.

4.  How are your investigators?  We would like to pray for them by name. 

4.they are doing good! we are teaching again Jessica and jose, and Ana Maria, luis and katy, and yasira!:) they are all wonderful people, who are amazing!! 

5. It seems like since you combined zones you haven't gotten together as much. 

5. its hard to get everyone together, but we want to take them to Chivay! so we will see if we get permission! 

6.  What are your plans today? 

6.we are going to eat at Chilis and play frisbee!! I'm starting to really like playing frisbee!! It's a fun sport 

My scenery on our tracting each day. 

The people you meet in the car ride around town... Everyone just jumps in, had to get a pic with these two ladies! 

love you all soo much!! thank you for your support!! have a great week!!

Elder Wagner

Week 67

well this week was super awesome!! we were running around looking for rooms for people, helping people move into their rooms and with emergency changes of elder matheson, that was crazy! then translating for american dentists in a service clinic! it was a packed week of fun and hard work!! 

this week i would like to tell you guys a funny story!  

well there is this lady that is named Donata that we rescued and she is the coolest lady ever!! she is our favorite here in Independencia!! she is really funny and always teases us!! anyway she sells Picarrones, which is like a scone in donut shape almost..it's really good!! she has a little stand and every time she is out we  stop by and talk with her and have a good time!! she always make jokes about Nicholls being really skinny! she teases him about it!! so this time when she did it he went in front of her stand and just started doing push ups!!!! Like look at me... hahaha we died laughing!! everyone looked at us sooo weird but it was so worth the laugh!! 

this week we decided to work on being more positive and it has helped!! we are not really that negative, but we complained to ourselves abit and that was what brought us down.  with this positivity,  we have had soooo much more fun and more success!! its amazing how it works!! dont let anything get you down!! YOU decide to be happy or not,  no one else chooses this for you!! 

We got to do service yesterday for denists from America performing dental procedures!   It was a fun experince!  

Pic with the dental staff.

Super sad Matheson is leaving too maquegua (my first area) as zone leader! 

LOve you all!!!!!!!! HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND BE HAPPY!!!

Elder Wagner

Week 66

This week was another good one for the books!  we worked super hard and found some awesome people!! I wanted to testify that the Spirit of the Lord can make the most prideful person quiet.  This week we taught a prideful man that wouldn't let us talk, everything was only about him and he was the best in the world. We tried hard to get him to tell us why he fell away from the church, andhe didn't give us anything...  he played his guitar for us, sang a song for us, told us stories, and showed pictures, but never told us why!!   Eventually he started to tell us that we are some super smart preachers and that we went on a mission cause our parents said we had too.  After he said that, we testified with everything we had, that we never were told we had to leave, we are not the smartest kids on the block at all, we don't know everything but one thing did happen in our lives, WE FELT, we felt the happiness, we felt the power, the burning desire, the over powering love of our Father in Heaven, we felt the Holy Spirit testify to us that this IS the truth, and that is why we are here, because we FELT it.  After we shared our testimonies and had a good pause, he said, "thats what i needed, to feel." and he felt it in that moment, that this gospel of Jesus Christ is true.  His eyes were opened and his heart was softened, we saw his change in that very moment! the spirit really made a prideful man quiet.  the power of the Spirit is real, you can feel it like we felt it in that home with that man, as we kneeled to pray after the lesson the spirit testified to me that this is the true church and the mission that i am doing is real! I know that people change through this gospel! i have seen it in my own life and in others too!! i love this gospel!!! 

that is just one of the experiences that we have had this week!! It was a great week! 

The zone!!! 

mommas Qs

How are your investigators? 

2. the investigators are alright.... not many progressing right now but they will be! 

Did you get your shoes?

3. ya i got them and they are great!! thank you momma!! 

Who got transfered? 

5. Meidell-mollendo, trinidad-ilo, iquise-paukarpata, and thats all the changes!! 

Food of the week!!! Cuy

(The head) yummy!! Seriously soo good!

love you guys!! have a great week!!! bye!! 

Elder Wagner

Week 65

This week I studied I think my new favorite chapter of the Book of Mormon.  It is Alma 24, and I learned a lot!  It’s about the Anti-Nephi-Lehites, who were firm and faithful in their testimonies that they received in earlier chapters.  In their faith they buried their weapons as covenant to the Lord that they would never shed human blood again.  It says, “19 And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.”  They would suffer rather than sin! That was a something so big for me, and what was bigger was that they did suffer! They died, suffered and died, in the hands of the Lamanites, but they were taken to a better place because of their faith and diligence! It is an amazing example that I need in my life!! It is important to be strong and trust in the Lord and He will help you!! 

I invite all of you to read Alma 24 and apply it to your life! It is truly an amazing experience to see how the Book of Mormon is specifically for us!! I know it is true and every time I read it the testimony that I have grows stronger! 

Mommas Qs

1. How was your week?    1 My week was a full week of meetings like almost every day and not very many lessons… but its was still a good one!! Learned a lot in the training so that was cool! And we confirmed Franco so that was awesome!! 

4.  How's all your clothes, sheets and everything holding up? Do you need any replacements?   4My clothes and stuff are doing great!! Honestly no problems!

5.  What are your plans for today?    5We went to yura today!:) it was great! 

Yura fun!

(It was stickin cold today so the waterfall was especially freezing!)

(Snacks we bought for the month... Hopefully they will last :) 

6.  What's next week look like? 6.  well tomorrow we have a conference that my comp and i are giving to the zone and then this week we are just gonna try and work even harder and find people that are chosen in this time!  We have transfers and find out Saturday who is staying, going, and coming.  

love you guys sooo much!!! have a great week!! 

Love Elder Wagner

(Lunch made to raise money for their very sick daughter) 

(Just walking and walking) 

Week 64

Ponderize this week. 

Jacob 5:50

For Whom He Loved, 

In an ancient city that is far away physically but spiritually close, there was a man who walked the streets lifting small clouds of dust with every step he carefully made. Some followed Him and some stayed back and watched, watched patiently to find His faults; but with His tender smile and soft voice saying, “I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall… have the light of this life.” (John 8:12) They were unable to deny His outstanding glory that penetrated their hearts, but due to pride that was so great that they failed to submit to Him.

This was not an obstacle for Him, He understood His purpose, He comprehended His journey and for whom he was to do it. He walked to the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples, out of pure love for His beloved brotheren. He separated Himself from them, striding slowly, pondering as the long grass bristles by His legs. He fell to his knees in fervent prayer imploring to the father for whom he loved. “Father, If thou be willing, remove this cup from me: Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42)  He dripped in his own blood, the blood of not only a man, but a perfect son, example and loving creator. He suffered for whom he loved.   

 For whom He loved He took upon Him the cross and walked the excruciating walk to the Hill on Calvary even still lifting the clouds of dust with every agonizing step, pestered with vain language and spits of saliva flying by his blood soaked face, from those whom he loved. They nailed Him, they stabbed His side and they rose him, the Savior of the world, they rose Him so that every person could see. His mother wept along with all His faithful followers. As he hung there in agony He spoke with all energy in His heart saying, “It is finished.”(John 19:30)  His spirit rose to the heavens and the earth trembled in testimony that yes, he was the Son Of God. The will of the father was complete by a faithful son who had a pure love.

And for whom he loved, he was resurrected and said, “Be not afraid.” (Matthew 28:10) We are whom He loved, and all this was done humbly for us. I love Him, he is my Savior and he knows me. He is the Christ, the Only Begotten son, He is, JESUS CHRIST. 

by: Elder Wagner

i wanted to share this will you all so that you can know how important the love of Christ is to all of us! i know this is the true church! and it is the church of Christ! i love my Savior! He lives and loves us all! 

Mommas Qs

1.  Sooo how was your week?1.my week was amazing! worked really hard and it went by super super fast!! we walked a ton and found a few awesome new people!! it is cool finding! i love it! then Emerson got confirmed and he is doing soooo great!! no the zone is awesome! we live in kindof a suburb, its nice it has food and houses, but to do fun stuff and shop we gotta go into the town to get stuff! its nice though i like it! Our area is massive!!! big big area!! and on one big hill! hahahah getting ripped legs!!

2.  Did you get our package? I sent your old puma shoes last Monday, so you should get them in two more weeks. I stuffed them full of protein powder. 2.yes i got it! thank you mom:):) i love you soo much!! you are the BESTEST!!!

3.  Who have you been teaching this week? 3.we taught emerson and eloi who is a less active coming back to church, ana maria who is the owner of the gym we go too and she is super awesome! ( not a member) and also yolanda who is a lady who is really really sick recovering from cemo therapy. those are some of the people we are teaching! 

4.  How are your two new converts doing? 4.they are doing good! franco will need some more help but is still doing great! 

5.  What are your plans today?  5. we are going shopping today for snacks for the month to try and use our money smarter! then we are going to watch a movie! we have it apporved to watch Disney movies. 

love you all soo much! have a great week thank you for all your love and prayers!! 

Elder Wagner

Food of the week 

caigua Rellena!!! My favorite! Yummy