A week in pictures....

10-27-14

Note from Mom: 

Last week Elder Park shared in his letter that the missionaries had decided they needed to be a little more healthy and eat a little better. This week Elder Wardell shared some pictures of how they are using the "sit up bar" to become healthier.  There are also pictures of the "funny Mail" that his "funny Mom" sent to him and Elder Park.  It is so great to see our "boys" having fun and enjoying the time they have to serve with each other. They are working very hard and they don't have much "down" time. Their schedule starts at 6:00 a.m. and ends at 10:00 p.m. every day. We are so happy for them and grateful for their service. 

 Elder Wardell --using the sit up bar

Elder Park -- happy that Elder Wardell  is using the "sit up " bar

 The Elders enjoyed their "funny mail"...

Mail from home....  "Walking where Jesus walked is less important than walking as Jesus walked... this counsel was given from President Monson at the October 2014 General Conference... 

(Did you know you can mail flip flops without a box?? )

Elder Wardell talks about the Book of Mormon...

10-27-14

well heres the scoop.

    Well, today I finished the book of mormon for the second time on my misison, and as i was reading in moroni 9 today, i had the most distinct impression that the book could not possibly be wrong. there is absolutely no possible way. the way it perfectly supports itself throughout, and testifies of the savior, and teaches his doctrine, and teaches nothing but charity and love for one another, makes me believe that it is God's true book. It also reminds me of another perfection i found. We recently had an exchange in the apartment, and one of the zone leaders came down for the day. he was showing us his planner that night, and there was a little blue card in there, called the 17 points of the true church. Elder Park told me the story of the 17 points.

so before ww2 there was a guy who wanted to find the true church because he was confused about all the contradicting churches. so he studied hard in the bible and found the 17 points of christs church when he (Christ) founded it in the bible. sadly, before he could search for the church that had those points. he had to go to war. but many of his friends did not. he gave them the seventeen points. when he came home from the war, he found his friends and found that they all had been baptised into a church that they had discovered had

 each and everyone of the points. he met with these two missionaries from that church and was shortly later baptised.

I left the points at home but will send them next week.

well, sadly the scoop is going to have to be short this week,

but our investigators are doing well! they are moving along, and next week, might very well have a picture of another "swim party" :) love you all!

Elder Wardell

Note from Mom:  We belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. You may know us as members of the "Mormon Church". We know that the Book of Mormon is a book of ancient scripture that provides a 2nd Witness of Jesus Christ. If you would like to know more about this book you can go here  . You can also obtain a free copy of this book if you are interested. To read this book online you can go here You can read for yourselves the writings of the Book of Mormon as well as read  the Testimony of those 11 witnesses who saw and handled the plates which contained the writings which make up the Book of Mormon.  I would like to add my testimony to that of Elder Wardell's. I know the Book of Mormon is a true Book which teaches us about Jesus Christ.  I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the World. I know that it is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that all men might be saved and that we might have eternal life.  Vicki Wardell 

Our Great President....PS we know how to cook!

10-20-14

Unplanned dinner with the other three missionaries...

Weeeeell, here's the scoop.

         So, this past week we had president's interviews, which are always fantastic!! I truly believe that we have the best mission president in the whole world! Just talking with him,  and looking at him, you can see the love he has for everyone, and you can just see the awesomeness. literally you can see the awesomeness! it is just, well, AWESOME! haha another really amazing thing that happened this week, happened on saturday. So we went to the ramos family's house, they're the large family, and we knocked on the door. the son who right now is the most solid for baptism was the one who opened the door, and he said, oh 2 seconds, and then the recent convert was the one who came back 5 seconds later and she said, did you not get my text? i pulled the phone out and didn't see any new text. (we have the problematic phone) Well she told us that she and robert were the only ones home. we said that that was ok, and that we could still share a little something with them there on the porch. so we started to talk a little about the importance of baptism, and my companion asked robert who jesus christ is to him. Roberts response was that he didn't know about Jesus Christ. So we explained to him about the life, ministry and sacriafice of the savior. after teaching him that Robert's response was, He did that for me? we of course told him yes. and then we explained that the savior told us that we come to him by baptism. and after we asked robert why he would want to be baptised, and his response was "to thank him, and live the life he wants me to live". It is so true that our heavenly father works through small and simple things, to bring great things to pass. who would have thought that an un-recieved text message, would have led to a miraculous lesson! i know that as robert becomes more solid, it will help us work with the rest of the family! they are awesome!

 

We also this week, had the chance to meet with another investigator, this girl named jessica from colorado. she met the missionaries over there, and wanted to get baptised, but they moved down here to florida before she could. We have forever been trying to get in contact with her, and finally were able to have a lesson with her and her dad! and we discovered, after teaching the restoration, that he seems to be very interested in the gospel! She right now, says that she wants to wait until she goes back to colorado, before she gets baptised, but i have no doubt that as she makes good friends here, and understands a little more, the importance of baptism, that she will be baptised soon.

 

well, another little fun thing that happened this week, happened i think thursday at lunchtime. so i ran down stairs and made pasta, the other guys followed behind a couple minutes later, and someone said. "i'm gonna cook a box of pasta." someone else said, "hey do you wanna cook a double batch?" and the third said, "how about a triple batch?" and then they added on a salad, then some garlic bread, then some cobler.

just the series of how it started from nothing and then turned into a little sit down home cooked meal was really funny!

well i love you all, till next week

Elder Wardell

 

Another week in Paradise....

"Lost and Found" 

 Photo by Greg Olsen 

October 14, 2014

weeell, here's the scoop

       so, first best thing this last week, AMY GOT CONFIRMED!!!!!!!

so now, her and danny will be working towards the temple! they are just amazing! they get cooler and cooler every time we meet with them! well, our mission, has a new thing we are implementing called the rescue.

the doctrine behind it, is the parable of the lost sheep from christ. as amazing as it is to bring more sheep to christ, there are those that stray from his fold. there are alot! and the call of a missionary is not to find not members. it is "to help others to come unto christ" it is not just non members but anyone who might have strayed from christ's fold. well, some miracles that Elder Park and I have found this week, is some really awesome less active members, who with a little bit of work, will verry soon be coming back to church. and there is a very true saying that says, where there's less actives rescued, there are more baptisms!

 

so for the first time in my life i tried sushi.

 not the greatest, but not horrible either though i'm not sure i would willingly eat it again. haha

 

 

well the scoops is gonna be a little short this week, but i really love you guys!

talk to you next week!

Elder Wardell

 

Photo

there's only one, but it's precious and self explanatory.

Note from Mom:   Elder Wardell refers to those that have "strayed from Christ's fold"... You can read the Savior's teaching on this principle as recorded in the Book of Luke Chapter 15: 4-6..... Luke records this Parable, and it is often referred to as the Parable of the Lost Sheep.....

 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

     

General Conference and the Monkey's

Grandma sent me an apron with my name on the front!! And and Awesome package!!! 

Monkeying around at the Zoo....

10-6-14

weeeeeell, here's the scoop.

   

            soo, this last week was general conference, and it was AWESOME!!!!!!! and even better, my little prediction came true! the seventy that spoke before Elder Holland, quien hablo espanol (who spoke Spanish ;) ) spoke about baptism. Even cooler was the fact that THAT WAS THE SESSION WHERE OUR INVESTIGATORS WERE!!!!!!!! I was sooo happy! This conference was amazing! I loved how one recurring thing was the importance to follow the prophet, and the modern prophets. It's something that I have come to a realization that truly answers some of the "why should I.." or just plain "why" questions. Literally, any concern, any doubt, or any hang-up with the church and with any doctrine or principle, past or present, can be answered with the fact that What the prophet reveals, is from god. understanding that, helps me understand that, there are reasons beyond comprehension, and that there is a greater reward in following God's will WITHOUT QUESTION. When we do this, then is Understanding Given to us. To those who know me well, probably know that this is a principle that I struggle with with trivial things. Oh to be perfect! ;) hahaha

but if I had to pick the most important thing to have a testimony of, it would be the restoration. understanding the principles of the restoration, leads to the truth of Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation, the commandments (especially), and all other things.

well, for some cool announcements,

So, the week before was transfer week, and in tranfers, new leaders are called. I'm happy to say that the best missionary in the FFLM, Elder Marshall, got called to be a zone leader! Whats really funny, is that Elder Gerhart, and Elder Thompson, the two other elders that I served my first transfer with, are also now Zone Leaders. The whole apartment I was born into are all zone leaders. its weird.

Well, yesterday, was officially 7 months since I reported to the mtc. I could've swore that I just got out of the mtc. it's funny how fast time moves! :)

one very exciting thing that's coming up this week, is that because we have a temple so close in our mission now, we are now able to start doing temple tours! more accurately temple ground tours. this Tuesday, Amy and Danny and their parents, and elder park and myself, will be going to the temple with them for a little grounds tour. We are PUMPED!! because they are now working on being able to be married in the temple! We are so excited.

Well I love yall, I believe that will be all for this week.

Elder Wardell

Note from mom:  Elder's were able to take a trip to the Zoo on Pday.....I love that they are able to have fun and still be the missionaries they are.  These are strong bonds they are building with each other.....

"Selfie" on the way to the Zoo

I just couldn't help myself....

Let me take off the "human mask" for just a minute....