Loving Blue Lagoon

2-17-15

Weeeell Here's the scoop.

Area Update: Well, we were very blessed this last week to be able to see a miracle in finding alot of people! there is one person we are working with right now, that has accepted a baptismal date, and is prepping to be baptised! she's the daughter of a really cool recent convert named margarita. haha you could say that we picked up a new investigator in margaritaville. ahahaha yes i thought it was funny. we also have this guy named robert that we will be working with, who said he was atheist, but after elder pukahi and hansen prayed with him ( we were on exchange) he said that he didn't feel anything, but that answers don't always come instantly, so we have a return appointment, and we will be meeting with him soon! it's looking to be really good here in blue lagoon west!

Fun Times of the week: so, for a spanish greenie, one of the first phrases they learn, is the phrase, "como no?" literally translated it is "how not?" correctly translated it is, "why not?" the way they learn it though is because they think it means something else haha. So, latins are kinda notorious for feeding the missionaries alot of food. and so, we taught the new missionaries, that if their stomachs are just packed and they can't eat alot of food all they need to say, when the sister asks, "quiere mas?"(do you want more?) all they need to say is "i eat not" so we (Elder Pukahi and I) were like, how do you say, I eat, they said, como, and we said how do you say not? and they said no, and we were like, exactly, so it's... and they said como no? yep. and we just waited for forever! and we were at this member's house, and we had baleadas (the BEST)!!!! and we were just so full elder pukahi ate 10 and i put down 8, and elder kiser and elder hansen were just like, uuuuh cuz their stomachs were so full. and then sister rojas asks them, quieren mas? (do you two want more?) and they both at the same time said, oh, como no. and sister rojas got really excited and said, si? queiren mas? and then elder hansen and kiser were like, uuuh and then elder pukahi and i just lost it, we just started laughing so hard!!!!!! it was so funny. it was then that we told them, como no means why not. haha

well i love yall, but i've gotta run.!

till next week. 

Elder Wardell.

These are pictures sent to us from Sister Rojas. 

 Elder Kiser, Elder Hansen, Elder Pukahi, Elder Wardell 

  Dinner with the Rojas family...yummy Baleadas

 Elders in church...

Kindness does Matter....

 Monday 2-9-15

Welcome to Blue Lagoon Ward... Elder Hansen and Elder Wardell    Thanks Sister Zeron

Lunch in Miami with Sister Sanders and Family

 L to R:  Elder Pukahi, Elder Kiser, Elder Hansen, Elder Wardell 

Elder Hansen and Elder Wardell 

We received a text on Saturday with pictures of our son and his new companion Elder Hansen! This was so fun to get an unexpected picture from the mission field.  Not only that, with the way transfers work in the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission, our Elder told us last week he would be transferring, but he didn't know where he was going until Wednesday a day AFTER P-day and email day! That means we have to wait until the next Monday to find out where he moved to and who his new companion is.   On Saturday when my text went off, I sure was not expecting to see Pictures of my son, his new companion, and the other two Elders they live with and who all share the same ward.  As if that wasn't blessing enough, on Sunday I got home from church to find a photo on my email from a kind Sister in their new Ward, telling us they were so excited to welcome our Sons to the Blue Lagoon Ward.  Thank you Thank you ! This mom's heart was full with joy from the kindness of others!  It was fun to know a couple of days early that our Elder is back in Miami... Yay! he loves it there and gets to use his Spanish there. He is in a different part of the city than before but he was so excited! The adventures continue. We are so grateful!  Happy Monday!!!

It's a picture thing

Monday 2-9-15 

Elder Rubio and I are our final day together

Last time locking the Jupiter Apartment

Saying goodbye to the Dee's and their dog Serenity

I asked Elder Hayward, how many pieces of gum he could fit in his mouth???

Final count?? 30 

 Remember this goofball??  Elder Marhsal and I together again... (well for a minute anyway)!

The three amigos, Elder Tenney, Elder Wardell, Elder Swensen --comps from the CCM,  Elder Tenney had to go home for a transfer (surgery) and Elder Marshall lied to me and said he wouldn't be back for another transfer, I shouted out loud when I saw Elder Tenney walk into transfer meeting!!!

Meet my son....training in Blue Lagoon West

Monday 2-9-15

 Posterity Photo: (LtoR)  Elder Hansen(the son)  Elder Wardell (the father)  Elder Marshall (Elder W's father and Elder Hansen's grandfather)! 

 Papanwa and Hijo

Elder Hansen and Elder Wardell -- first day of work!!

Note from mom: They have their own family structure in the mission field. Who ever is your trainer becomes your father, and when you train a new missionary he is still your father and now a grandfather, and your new missionary becomes your son.  This is the simple version, it spreads through the family tree so much I can't keep up!   Love that these Elders can have so much fun and make such lasting friendships, all while focusing on the work they are there to do!

Weeeell Here's the scoop.

Area Update: So, big news first i guess, BACK IN MIAMI BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm in a ward called the blue lagoon ward! Just up the road is La Tierra Prometida! (the promised land) Yes, i am right now in an area just around the corner from the place of my nacimiento(birth). and most importantly i get to speah EH-spanish again! haha i was so happy when i realized this. funny little miracle that happened, so before, in all of my areas before, i (as i have been told) apparently speak really good spanish, but the problem i had was i couldn't understand it very well, but ya know? prays are answered. i've been praying for help in understanding spanish and ya know? since i've been here in miami again, i've understood just about everything that's been said! it's truly miraculous. 

Fun Times of the week: well, i had to say goodbye to jupiter south this last week. :( i was really sad to go becuase i really loved that area, especially Elder Rubio. but it's all good i'm back in miami

Big News: So, just as I said last week I am training now, and in the mission field, when you train, your trainee is referred to as your child, so I HAVE A SON!!!!!! He's just about awesome in every way except for one: HE'S FROM UTAH!!!!!!! haha it's ok though the atonement is real. He's totally great though! His name is Elder Hansen, and he's completely tranquilo, but funny but smart and completely eager for the work! No training required! it's like the toy you get on christmas day that doesn't need anything but to just be opened up and played with it's amazing!

Well, that's gonna be all for this week

Love you all! :) Elder Wardell

New Investigators and Saying Goodbye...

I am SO GOING TO MISS THIS GUY!!

ha ha, so have you ever had laundry in the dryer and you discover its time to go and you need to put socks on, and you don't have any extra cause they're in the dryer? There's a simple solution for that. 

The ultimate win against Sister Salmond

2-3-15

Weeeell Here's the scoop.

Area Update: So, through a wonderful tool called, Teach Where You Find, and Find Where You Teach, Elder Rubio and I were able to find these two AWESOME guys named Anthony and tony. We have already taught them about the plan of salvation, the gospel, and the restoration, they believe, love it, wanto be baptised, and are working towards baptism!!!!!! We'll stop there though and the news section will explain why

Fun Times of the week: so, one of the sisters in my district and i, had this running game going, of "tag" with this really funny magnetic christmas tree. well, because transfers is coming up this week, we all of us in the district passed around the journals to sign. I left the "winning" signature. we also had to prepare to teach a lesson in creole, which is rather interesting. I'm actually learning creole now, along with espanol, because it can literally be learned through the book, it's cool.

Big News: Well, I guess it's time for the big news. as always the adventure of the mission continues. and sad to say, though it has been awesome these past three months, with a FANTASTIC little imported companion, ;) (Elder Rubio that's you!) sadly this chapter of the adventure is now closing. Tomorrow, I will be in a different area, with a different companion. And i should say that the next chapter of the advetnure has already been broken wide open!!! : the way that we find out if we transfer, is our zone leaders have a conference call witht the whole zone to say who stays who transfers, and if someone is training. well, they read my name, and it read, "Elder Wardell transfers.....AND TRAINS!!!!!!!" Yep, as of tomorrow I will be a proud poppa of a greenie! We're gonna need all the prayers we can get! haha well that's about all, next week will definitely have some more info!

I love you all!

Elder Wardell

brushin up on the Creole, Kolipoki style with Restoration Pamphlets

 The only FFLM missionary that's more goofy than I am...

How to save some miles....

3/4 pound of bacon in one sitting is NOT a good idea....

20 sided paper die...ultimate way to settle things....

1-26-15



weeell here's the scoop!

          

Well, one of the most exciting things in the mission, is when you get to have a car. What puts some rain on the parade, is when you're limited on miles. and you have to share the car with another set of elders. but it's ok. so, we decide it's time this month to actually budget some miles, and not go over at the end of the month. so what we do, is we bike always, and use the car only when we need to. and we get to about the last week of the month, and we realize, "hey we have 500 miles to drive with for one week!" and then it hits us: it was because of all of our diligence, and determination in biking this WHOLE month, that now, there are enough miles that THE OTHER ELDERS get to drive for the rest of the month!!!!!!! hahaha thus is the mission life. 

Well one of the most beautiful things is the power of prayer, becasue of specific prayers, and diligence, and not complaining when we thought prayers weren't answered, we were able to see some awesome miracles this last week.

Elder Rubio prayed at the beginning of our session of knocking (Elder Zwick threw down, we no longer call it Harvesting) that we would find someone who has heard of the church and the BOM 

who would really have a sincere desire to learn more about it.

as we were wallking back to the car, we find this guy, that asks us who we are, and then asks us why are we called mormons, so we happily explained those things, taught him some of the restoration, and left him with a BOM, a return appointment, and his sincere promise to read it.

we also prayed last night before a session of knocking that we would find someone who would be soft hearted to let the gospel into their life, and who would TRULY recognize us as the representatives of Jesus Christ. though we didn't find them in that session of knocking, we didn't complain didn't murmer,  just kept our faith. we went to visit a less active, and lo and behold, his neighbor is there. and we ended up teaching him about the gospel, and about baptism and commited him to be baptised, which he accepted. the beautiful part was that this at the same time was helping the lessa active brother re kindle his fire for church.

Literal Miracles come from prayer. and not EVER losing faith in the answer. quite simply, if you pray sincerely, the lord will answer. nuff said.

Well, i lvoe you all.

can't wait to talk to you again!

Elder Wardell

 Emergency kidney removal

 Or chicken marinade...take your pick...

redneck grillin...didn't quite "pan"out...ha ha, yeah didn't work...

Focused?? What does that mean....

My Mother is the greatest person in the world.....

(birthday package finally got here...)

1-20-15

Weeeeell here's the scoop.

So, some exciting news, our mission, just recently doubled in geographic size. we just took on this HUUUGE stake to the west of us, called the fort meyers stake, so now our mission goes from the gulf coast to the atlantic. If you draw a line from sebastion florida, to ft meyers florida, everything south of that is now in my mission! pretty cool huh? we also swiped thirty of the missionaries that were once in the Tampa mission. 

In other exciting news, i learned a valuable lesson the other day. one of the most important things in the mission is staying focused. first on the mission yes, but just as importantly as you're biking. becasue as nice as a corvette looks at a dealership, it's not as nice looking when you look back in front of you and see a support cable for a telephone pole. by the grace of the lord, i hit the cable straight on my tire, and came off without too much damage. the photos will tell all. 

i was lucky, my bike just had a loose spoke, one slightly bent sprocket and a misallinged derailer. the derailer was just an adjustment, the sprocket only needed a pair of channel locks and some muscle, and luckily, the guy at the bike shop was cool. all is well, it's a happy day ;) *hoping you all get the reference there.

Another happy lesson that we learned was the value of patience.

so this past week for me and elder rubio, we had kind of a dry spell. 

meaning, not alot of people found, and not alot of people taught. but we were working our butts off. knocking for hours every day! (which is highly inefficient lemme tell ya, member referrals are the BEST!) butt we kept wondering what was going wrong. We were/are obedient, we work hard, we are praying, but just couldn't figure it out. and then it came to my mind, alma 34 41, (paraphrasing) Bear all afflictions with patience. (mom please put the actual scripture here.) but after that, we realized that sometimes we get a test of faith, no matter what happens we need to just always do our part, keep to the rules, and all will be well. We just kept on truckin after that. and the best part, was this last sunday, we got a DOPE member referral for a lady who's married to a member, wants to learn about the gospel, and wants to be baptised! :) miracles happen after the tough times. the tough times just strengthen our faith and patience, and help us to become who our heavenly father wants us to be. Love yall, tlak to you next week.

Elder Wardell.

 Ahhh battle scars...the sign of manhood....

 close up of battle scars...

The knee wasn't spared...

Getting Healthy...

1-12-15

Weeeell, here's the scoop.

     So, as of recently, Elder Rubio, and Elder Wardell took a look in the mirror. and we didn't exactly like what we saw. elder rubio saw a rather rotund belly that wasn't there 9 months ago, and elder wardell, felt some flab that didn't used to exist. so elder rubio and elder wardell have made some changes. Elder Rubio is back on to back home cookin, (rice) elder wardell dropped the soda, and the both of us are running every morning. it's nice!

Well, this last week has been a bit tougher than usual. We ended up having to drop ALOT of the people we have been working with. it's tough to do, but sadly if people aren't going to progress, and if people are just going to close their hearts to the blissings of the true and everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ then we have to move on, because there are others who are ready and willing to let the light of the gospel into their life. And if there is one thing that i have learned on my mission, it's that members, are the key. Gordon B Hinkley actually agrees with that. in preach my gospel there are a couple of quotes from President hinkley, where he basically says that the members of the ward, are the key to missionary work. and he finishes by saying that a missionary will have the most succes when the members are the scource from which new investigators are found. So as we are working now to improve our work with the members, i would encourage all of you to really help the missionaries as much as you can, don't be scared to share the gospel, because there's nothing but blessings which come from it. Missions, are tough, and it's even tougher when the members are cold in the ward you serve in, so please always help the missionaries by teaching with them, and always helping them find someone to teach.

well, i love you all, sadly i wont be able to send photos this week being as i don't have any new ones, but i promise that i will next week!

i love you all!

Elder Wardell