HE MAKES THE PLANS

HEY Y'ALL

So I am officially in the great state of Kentucky! I live in the town of Corbin..at the most southern point of the whole mission! Pretty much the boonies. Well actually.. definitely the boonies. But I love it! the town part of Corbin is actually kind of like Bangor! Which is nice to have somewhere the looks familiar! This place is definitely the souths version of Maine. Small town, some thick accents(I UNDERSTAND IT) and lots of trees! I am for sure blessed not to live in a place that is just insanely dry or huge..

My Trainer is Jillian Michaels. Not really...but pretty much. Sister Goodrich is seriously the most amazing trainer I could have ever asked for. I couldn't have hand picked someone any better if I tried. She is from Kaysville Utah! And she is a beast. both spiritually and physically. Hence why I called her Jillian Michaels. She eats super healthy...and she is trying to get me to the dark side.. but it hasn't happened yet. I like my carbs way to much! But she is like super strong and competed in fitness competitions before her mission! WHO DOES THAT? Haha Needless to say..when we bike... I die. and she is way out ahead of me, but I will get there! I love her! She keeps me sane and helps me to continually improve on everything I do. And is so patient with everything! THANK GOODNESS. OH! And get this. I knew she would be my trainer! Like...before my mission! I was looking on the Old mission presidents blog, and I was looking at past missionaries when they first got to the mission, and I saw her picture and thought to myself, "I hope she is my trainer!" And she is! The Lord knew way back then that she would be my trainer, HE MAKES THE PLANS. And I know that he knows the beginning from the end. He knew I needed her. Seriously she is amazing. I could rave and rave about how lucky I am!

The people here are amazing! The members are so kind and funny! And they are more than willing to feed you. And they give you a hard time about things which is amazing! The other people around are REALLY religious, and almost everyone has some kind of belief in God. Which makes talking to them not that bad..

 CONTACTING STRANGERS ON THE STREET IS HORRIFYING. And speaking of that I almost got hit by a car. That was cool. We at a stop sign and Sis. Goodrich was like "GET OUT AND CONTACT THOSE PEOPLE" Who were across the street. So I hop out and start running and I looked and there was a car! It was super awkward because it slowed down and I tried to run around it and then it stopped and it was just a bad situation haha but it really wasn't even that close. And I contacted these two people. Which is sweet! and we are going to visit them later this week! My contacting skills have improved BIG TIME though..and they are still really bad, but they could be much much worse. Tracking (door knocking) is a whole-nother story. I pretty much want to dive behind a bush when I knock on a door. the first door I ever knocked ever..this grumpy man came to the door looked up and was like " no no no I'm busy I don't have time for this" then shut the door. Oops. So that was pretty fun! Makes me want to laugh!

This week Sister Goodrich and I got caught on our bikes in the pouring rain. We left our apartment on our bikes with a member, E.... (Whos is a sweet guy and spoils us sisters!), and it was raining a little, Sister Goodrich insisted that it would stop before we got there...it didn't! It was pouring for a good two mile bike ride. There was not a dry spot on us! We were soaked! And when we got to our investigators house, she wasn't there! Sister Goodrich made an excellent point when she said, "I feel that it was important for those people on the street to see us biking in the rain." I completely agree! Those people saw the lengths that we are willing to go for this work, and that isn't even the extent of it! I am just so blessed for that little chance we had to show those people who knew who we were, or not, the extent of which we would go.

Before I forget! LETTERS AND PACKAGES!!

Sister Wagner
509 west 4th street
Corbin, Kentucky
40701

SEND ME MAIL. please :)

ONLY IN KENTUCKY DO YOU HEAR:
"how was your day today"..."oh it was pretty good, ate some cookies that tasted like watermelon"
"the younger generation, they just go places we just don't tread...bromance."
"You can't shut the door on God, he will just kick it off it's hinges"
"I'm surprised people pray anymore you'd think with all this technology He(God) would just call it God-el" (like google..but God)
"I cant wait to talk with God, 'why'd you make man? It's like the most dysfunctional thing you made'"

Love these crazy people!

On a more spiritual note. Jacob 4:4 "For, this is the intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his Glory..."
I have come to know Christ more than I ever thought I could in the past few weeks, and I have a hope in his glory. We study the atonement of Jesus Christ A LOT as missionaries. I know that through Jesus Christ that we can become strengthened in our weaknesses and be strengthened in our pains, and sicknesses, our fears, our sorrows. Every bad feeling that we can ever experience can be taken away and relieved as we rely on Jesus Christ. He suffered so we don't have to. It is as simple as that. As we pray, and lay all of our worries on him, we can find a happiness that we never thought was possible. THAT is why I am here in Kentucky. and THAT is why this gospel means absolutely everything to me. I wouldn't be who I am without it.  I know that what I am doing right now is because I know with every fiber of my being that this is the Lord's work, and I am bringing these people into his glory and goodness. (Mosiah 27:29) My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched and my soul is pained no more." LET HIM SNATCHED YOU. Let the light of God come into your life. He wants to lift you.

I love you all so so much! thank you for all of your support and your love!

Sister Wagner