Comayagua Week 18

Sweet week! Except it kind of all dampered just now because we got a call that they are closing our area.... :( tomorrow is changes and I kind of expected that I would go, but not Elder Dunn too! I guess we will just have to put our trust in the hermanas who are here.

Anyways on martes presidente fortuna came with his wife to inspect our house, it was good haha, they said our house was super clean. Also: remember that woman we baptized a couple of weeks ago? Well this week her children (she has 4) have really seen her change and have really been so amazing with a desire to change their lives as well. When we first started teaching jenny the kids did not want to do ANYTHING with us, we tried teachinga lesson, and they just laughed the entire time. But now, I have really seen the poder de la Expiacion. Like, the 18 year old son has really strived to change, and he has really strived to stop his drug addiction. And the daughters too are so awesome! The gospel has so much power, and it really has blessed and united this once broken and torn up family. They went to church too! They are so excited to get baptized next month, it just makes me sad to leave them. 

On miercoles we had interchanges and elder henderson came here, it was a super good learning opportunity and at the end of the night he was like 'you want ice cream? lets go get ice cream, so he dropped like 500 limps on a HUGE thing of ice cream and caramel and sprinkles it was so good! But the ice cream here just isn't the same haha. 

On jueves the highlights of the day was definitely teaching jenny and her family, they are so awesome. It really taught me a lot, especially about having faith in the investigators, and giving them a chance. People sure do need this message, and i just have this huge desire to help everyone, and to find others who are as prepared as this family. 

On viernes i gave the tema in district meeting, it was really cool to see how my spanish has improved, but i still have a lot to go. Also, as we were walking home, i just had the subtle prompting to walk down a different street to get home, and we found these really two positive contacts! I know the Lord was preparing them, and that He guided us there. These little miracles happen like everyday, and I cannot even tell a hundredth part of how The Lord is truly with us in this world.

ON saturday we went to the place which is 2 hours walking, and 4 of them came to church on sunday!! They told us they had to wake up at 4:30 to get to church . The faith of these people is nuts!! The end goal is to eventually form a branch up there. 

But yeah sunday was sweet and we had 8 investigators! Really good prospects for the work in july! Just the only bummer salad is theyre closing our area! I guess its cause 15 elders are leaving this change and only 2 news are coming, so they had to close a bunch of areas. And we will see what happens with the new president coming next week! A lot of guys are excited to see the changes to the mission specific rules. But yes, I had an awesome week, and a SUPER fast transfer here in comayagua with Elder Dunn. Tomorrow we will go to Teguc to see where we are going, so next week I will be in a new area with a new companion, it is sad to leave comayaygua, but I cant wait to apply what Ive learned here with Elder Dunn in other areas. The church is true!

Say hi to Grandma and Grandpa for me! I love them and i am so grateful for their example! The mission is awesome! 

Love, Elder Wagner

Comayagua Week 17

Crazy week we really hussled this week it was awesome!!!

Primero, lunes we played golf!!!! It was 500 limps cada uno, but we got golf carts!!! And no one golfs here so it was just us 10 elders, it was crazy fun. It was also a really nice course. I had some pretty sweet drives, it was like the funnest pday ever! 

Martes holy crap the rain!! Dude this whole week it rained and rained! And Elder Dunn left his sombrilla in a bus so we had to share my little one. When it starts raining the streets become rivers. It kinda sucks though cause my scriptures got a little wet, and your shoes get soaked haha. So a fruit of working with the members came to be when we found a really positive menos activo family with a 10 year old daughter who isn't baptized so that is  a really solid fecha, and it is good because we are reactivating them. 

ON miercoles we had intercambios, and this really new Elder Richins came to my area, he hardly knew Spanish, so it was basically me doing all of the talking and understanding, it really bolstered my confidence in the Spanish language. 

On Thursday it was a really cool day I really saw the Lord with us throughout the day. At 2 in the afternoon we just weren't feeling it so Elder Dunn decided to pray and we were filled with huge desire to find someone, and we did! The lady was super super super sick crazy high fever with chikungunia and we gave her a blessing (the next day she was back to full health, crazy, and she was super receptive as well. So awesome with seeing the Lord work miracles here in Comayagua. Plus later that night we had an appointment with this guy Jose and it was at the church and it was dumping rain, and the church key that we obtained did not work!! We had no idea what to do, thinking of going to a members house (but it was way too far) and I had this huge prompting to pray. So, in the street in the rain I prayed for guidance with Elder Dunn, And Elder Dunn immediately after the prayer said lets call bishop,  (which we didn't consider an option bec he never answers his phone), but bishop answered and he came on right over! And we had a really amazing lesson about baptism, now we just have to worry about the firma with jose´s mom (he is 17). 

On Friday we went in 5 in the morning to go and milk cows! The milk was so warm! I drank two bottles of it, it was super frothy and hot and good haha. At the end we were just squirting the milk straight into our mouths! But it was actually pretty hard to milk the cow, there is a technique to it, i think i got it down. 

On Saturday we went to las anonas, the place which is 2 hours walking, we got a bunch of news. The only problem is that its so far! And on Sunday it was kinda disappointing because we only got 3 investigators to church, but then, after like 4 weeks of asking, we finally had a consejo de barrio!! Now we are really getting the members rolling, and it is sweet to see everyone starting to work here! They are finally organainzing visiting teaching and home teaching! I really want to stay here next change, but I doubt it, I just know that when I get to a new area I am going to focus on the members a bunch. The members are key to missionary work, we have just been working solely off of references, which is really sweet. 

We also finally got the conference liahonas!!! So dope!! 

Really awesome to see the miracles happening here, its awesome! I am so grateful for elder Dunn and for the Lord really teaching us and helping us to become better missionaries. The Church really is true.

Love, Elder Wagner

p.s. Really sad about Noel, I loved the video Kevin sent. She was an awesome cat. 

p.s. Also about Grandma. Tell her I hope she gets better! Thank you Grandma  and Grandpa for your example of steadfastness in the church! Because of that, I am here in Comayagua, learning so much! The Gospel really is amazing. 

golf!

farmer skills right there

straight up leche

milk drinker

Comayagua Week 16

Awesome week! it just flew by!! 

Today we are writing early because we are going to go and play golf, i am super excited haha, although its super expensive like 500 limps, but its gonna be a blast. Also, I cant believe Emily´s call is so close! Crazy! haha! I am glad yall had a good time in Newport. 

This week was crazy, on lunes we had a great noche de hogar. We watched finding faith in Christ and then we bore testimony and stuff, it was really powerful. And as we left the home, the Spirit just left us as we entered the world, ya know? Like there was blasting music and people everywhere, and it just testified to me how important family home evening and family scrip study and prayer is. Because if we do that, our homes will be an extension of church and it is where we can learn and grow, in a nice and safe spiritual environment. 

ON martes we met with this lady yenni, we baptized her this Saturday. She has a crazy story, the 2nd night we were here with Elder Dunn i had an impression to go visit an old investigator, and we ended up talking to her, and She told us how she was praying for guidance right before we showed up. We talked and read a couple of scriptures (and in her testimony on Sunday, she talked about how like the elders knew exactly what her problems were, and gave her the strength she needed. These past 3 weeks she has read the Book of Mormon every day, and she has such a strong testimony. The sad thing is that none of her kids want anything to do with us, it is such a broken home, but we hope that she can be a light and an example to her kids. Such a cool experience. 

on miercoles I gave a blessing to a sick hermana, it was cool to do it in spanish. This entire change we have really been using preach my gospel and really working with the members, and this entire past week we have been working straight off of references, we have gotten so many references it is sweet that we do not have to contact, largely because we have gained the confidence of the members, I really want to stay here another change, but it is awesome to see our numbers grow. Good things are happening here in comayagua. 

Oh and on Saturday we went in the morning and hiked to las anonas, which is a 2 hour hike. There are like 14 members there, and one of them comes faithfully every week to church. Insane faith. Anyways, on Sunday we had to do divisions because we had so many appointments, which was cool because me and Elder Dunn were like in two places at once, just with other return missionaries from the ward!

Sick week! I really have seen the Lord´s hand helping us and guiding us this week! The church is true!!

Love, Elder Wagner

Comayagua Week 15

Wow it was good to hear from y'all this week! Congrats on Andrea on finishing high school! And I am glad Grandma Wagner is doing okay! And Noel! This week was a little more chill then last week, but still lots haha. 

On martes we did intercambios and an Elder Henderson came here to my area. He is almost done with his mission, and I learned a lot! Intercambios are really great places to learn and to see more effective ways of teaching and finding. We taught a family who got baptized a year ago about the temple, it is really cool to see how close the temple is, and how it can really make families eternal.

On Wednesday we talked with this CRAZY dude who tells us crazy stuff in his dreams haha, but I really think he is a fijo bautismo. 

On jueves we had another intercambios with the ZLs I went to their area, and a elder who was here a year ago came to our area and showed us a crapton of MAs and old investigators, so we have a lot of work to do this next week, we really want to do more divisions, so me and Elder Dunn can be in two places at once (so like we both go out with members) . 

On viernes we taught this guy named Cristian, and I really really felt the Spirit testifying through me, and words that I have never thought of were put in my mouth, it was a really powerful lesson, he is just scared about a fecha bautismal. 

On Saturday we had stake conference, and we found out L Tom Perry passed away! So sad! But the stake conference session on Saturday compared to Sunday was crazy! President Fortuna was there and the temple president, and the ENTIRE building was filled! Like we had to set up charirs in the hallways to accommodate all of the members. The conference testified to me how strong the church is here. A thing that I learned this week was how my testimony of the Book of Mormon was strengthened. The Book of Mormon is amazing; it solves all problems, it brings the Spirit and gives you peace,settles doubts and teaches you something new daily. My challenge to all of you is to make an effort to read from the BoM every day. I know of its power, because all of the investigators that we have are progressing are the ones who read the BoM daily. We shall never fall into temptation if we make this effort diariamente. 

Love you all! Thanks for all the emails! This cambio is going by WAY too fast! Elder Dunn and I are having a blast here!

love, Elder Wagner

Elder Wagner and Elder Dunn

Comayagua Week 14

Wow this week was absolutely nuts! Lets begin with Tuesday, shall we? We got to go to the temple! Holy crap, it was so awesome! The grounds and the temple were so beautiful, and it was so cool to see how strong the church is here in Honduras. Plus it was amazing how quite and peaceful it was, just at the grounds, and you can see the whole city of Teguc, it sure was amazing. And inside was even more awesome, it was a little interesting in Spanish, but i realized that I kindof know quite a bit of Spanish now. Such a great experience that gave us so much animo for the upcoming week.

Thursday began the insanity of this week, we had to go to Flores for an entrevista because elder dunn is DL, and then we had to hustle back to Comayagua and do interviews for Familila Hernandez! It was stressful because we got there late and then the zone leaders got there even later, but this family is just so golden, it didn't even matter. And we had a leccion con Jose, and we put a fecha with him for the 6th of June while the interviews were going on. It sure was insane haha. 

But then on Friday, we had zone conference! And last second they moved it to our building, so we had to get all the keys and stuff, and then at President and the assistants had told us to bring investigators and recent converts to the meeting for an activity, but then they told us to cancel 10 minutes before... anyways it was a little hairy but Fma hernandez came, and President interviewed them in front of the two zones. It went pretty good actually. But then, we had the wedding at 1, so we had to leave zone conference at 12 with our family to get to ajuterique. So missionaries were mad at us for leaving, but we had planned this thing way way back, before the conference. (this was presidents last conference before he goes home next month). Anyways, at 5 we had the baptism!!! It was so awesome, and after the ordinance and after we changed, we sang families can be together forever, it was so powerful, and they already know the words! They are so excited to go to the temple next year to be sealed, I love them so much, their faith in this message was so big. I sure do hope they can persevere in the church, I really think they will, they have already made so many friends at church. I was so filled with so much joy as we talked about the temple, and how excited they were. We saw so many little tender mercies of the Lord throughout those crazy two days, I cannot even write a hundredth part. I am so grateful everything went out awesome, it sure was stressful, but looking back, it was so worth it. This family is so amazing.

Also: I got the package!!!!! I LOVE THE GOLDFISH! haha and the little games are fun haha.

 

Elder Dunn and I are having a blast! I really feel like this transfer is already going way way too fast, it has been so great these past two weeks. I have learned a bunch, and I can really see how the Lord has prepared these people, and how He has blessed us in this work. I am so thankful for that, and for you guys.

Love y'all!

Elder Wagner

Comayagua Week 13: New Companion

On martes I didn't go to teguc I stayed here in comayagua and did service, while pretty much all the rest of the zone had cambios. 

At lunch I met my new companion, Elder Dunn!! He is so awesome! He has like 7 months on the mission, and he went to BYU summer term! Haha we dont know each other, but we know a lot of the same people, which is really really cool and fun. Plus he is a really hard worker, we had a really excellent week this week, I have learned so much from Elder Dunn. He was made the district leader as well, so he is always on the phone at night too. A really cool thing we did this week was make an effort to go out with all the 18 year old guys in the ward. We went out twith this menos activo named darwin, it was so fun! And we had a really powerful lesson on the Book of Mormon, it was great. 

On Friday it was really cool, we were contacting, and I thought that we could go visit an antiguo investigador, but it ended up we taught like his aunt who was there! She was really receptive, and we taught the Restauracion. We really built up the lesson to the 1st vision, and I recited it, and The Spirit was so strong as I spoke. She and her daughter both felt the Spirit, and they accepted a fecha bautismal for the 6th of June. There is so much power in Joseph Smith´s story, I am so grateful for that. And for the Book of Mormon. Famailia Hernandez, the family we are marrying this next Friday and baptizing, have been so receptive, and have quit coffee this past week, largely because I believe their faith has been increased by their daily reading of the Book of Mormon. They are such a great family, I am so grateful for them. Plus, they have given us a boatload of references to us of their family. 

Sunday we had 8 investigators!!! And their was a bunch of menos activos that came to church too that we taught! This week has been amazing, and I really have lost like all feeling of homesickness. Tomorrow, we get to go to the Temple!!! I am so excited! 

Also: our old ward mission leader, Alex mejia, went to Costa Rica on his mission, he knows Jake Smoot, and then he showed me a pic of jake´s wedding from facebook, haha so that was cool. Small world, eh? 

Anyways I had a fantastic week! We have worked really hard, but I also had a lot of fun too. 

We basically have a new zone and a new district, so it is really cool. I am excited to get back to work this week, and I am ever grateful for all of your prayers for me in my behalf. 

Love, Elder Wagner