This week, it was transfer calls. I've been in this area for 6 months so obviously....I'M STAYING! and so is my companion! Funny thing is... Sister Hopwood will go home at the end of this transfer (6 weeks) and then I will be here...which means...I am locked into Jasper Indiana for another 12 weeks, pretty much guaranteed! And so if you are keeping up with all of this..that is 3 months...which means.. if you add 3 months to the 6 I've already been here.. we're looking at 9 months for me here in Jasper! "But sister Wagner, that is half your mission!" YUP! it is! How ridiculous right?! It is completely insane. And it isnt something you hear about very often. It will now become more common but as of right now...the fact that I only have had 2 areas.. is very foreign to other missionaries. I'm at 2 and others I came out with are at 4 or 5 haha. Honestly I feel it to be a HUGE blessing :) I am able to make really really amazing friendships with those that I serve with and those I serve around. And that is something that i treasure!
Now you might be asking if I am getting discouraged or bored in the area that I'm serving in. NOPE. Jasper is certainly different from the first part of my mission. But it is full of new chances to grow! and learn! because I'm faced with different challenges. When I found out that I was staying in this area. I had a renewed sense of commitment and dedication to the area and the people and my purpose as a missionary. I have a very small time to serve the Lord and I'm ready to go out and hit the pavement. I know that Heavenly Father has a purpose for me here and people for me to work with and touch in just the way that he needs me to do that. I'm so grateful that I am able to be an instrument in the hands the Lord.
This week we got to go and meet with Elder Zwick of the 70! It was such an amazing chance to sit and listen to what he was brought from the first Presidency. His message was astounding. I wish I could have bottled the whole thing up so I could show it to everyone. What he stressed the most was the role of members in missionary work. And how we as missionaries need to work with the members because the role of members is to find those who will "replace them" in their callings. They know those who are at a point in their life that they could really be an asset to the church. That is how we grow the Kingdom of God. And he talked about having the faith to establish it. It is WORK. He stressed that. It is going to be hard. But the Lord promises blessings of success as we put ourselves out there. His wife is also amazing. She is so filled with the Spirit when she speaks it is so inspiring. She shared so many messages with us and it was amazing to hear her.
Also Zwick and I connected. He asked me where I was from, so I told him! And he was like oh! I was Area 70 over that stake when President Hosell (spelling!) was Stake President! Then he joked and said "were you even baptized at that point?" It was pretty funny. We had a good laugh about it. You can pretty much say we are really good friends.
Sister Hopwood and I have really been determined to get people to church. Because apparently that is hard for some people. This week we had a lesson with an investigator who pulled the classic "I cant promise I will come to church, but I will try." Something we have also been focusing a lot on is testifying. So we told her: "Christ will be so happy if you came to church." She looked right up at us and said "I promise I will come to church tomorrow, I promise you and I promise Christ" The spirit was so strong. I know that because of the spirit that she felt when we testified, she was able to make that commitment to come to church.
This week also! One of our Investigators got married! She was learning about the church from the Elders, but her and her husband moved into our area! SO we are now teaching her, Sara. She is amazing! So much fun too. So down to earth. Her husband is a less active member, he is starting to come back and she is starting to learn. It was such a cool experience to be there to support them as they wanted to keep the commandments of God.
So this week, Sister Hopwood and I were doing some work in this trailer park #humblepeople And I see this person coming up behind the car so naturally I reach to lock the door. And then I turn and I'm like "WOAH! I did not see that coming" because the person walked by didn't have an arm. And Sister Hopwood wasn't really paying attention and I'm going on and I said "What do you think he did" and then she was like "uh, I think he just walked past the car." and I'm like.."well yeah" and then she goes. "WOAH HE DOESN'T HAVE AN ARM!" It was pretty hilarious. #dysfuntionallytired
Shout outs:
THANKS TO MY AWESOME MUM FOR SENDING ME MY CONTACTS AND SOME BONUS CANDY!
Quotes:
"If I had to die for the gospel....I'm going to go down with my testimony..and possibly my body...burning bright." -Our ward mission leader
"That's not a helmet..that's like a really good swim cap"
When a member made an extra strawberry short cake "..well..uh...this one is for Jesus."
I hope that you all have the most amazing week ever! School has started here, and it will be starting there too! That is great! :) Gotta get that education! Treasure things from all the best books. Work hard. and have fun while doing that. Life is to be enjoyed! LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL!
--Sister Wagner
*Names have been changed for the privacy of the investigators*
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