And the rains came down....and the Baptisms go up.....

9-30-14

weeeeell here's the scoop

so this week is transfers, and I stayed! and thankfully so did elder park! we are pumped because now, all of the AWESOME people that we are teaching, we will baptize them together! we were both a little bit worried that one of us was going to leave without being able to see the other baptized. And speaking of, The Ramos family, (the family we are working with)

all came to church! and not only that, but they want to be baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we are so excited as are them. they just get more and more awesome everytime we go over there. today we are going to visit them and tell them all about conference, and the week after conference you should get a photo of them dressed in white!

 

well my super amazing grandma, sent me a package this last week, and guess what it had in it.

AN APRON!!!! it was the coolest thing ever! with my own name on it. now when i'm Chef-ing it up over a pot of macaroni and cheese, I can do it with my new improved handy dandy apron haha

 

ok so yesterday, when we were biking home, we got a little rained on. and by a little I mean it was pouring buckets!!!!! haha it was coming down hard we were soaked in seconds and I LOVED IT!! it's strange, once you get caught in a couple of forida showers you instantly love rain. I prefer working in the rain now haha.

 

well, sadly, I don't have photos to send home this week, because my camera got left at the house, but I will send those ones next week! love you all!

Elder Wardell

Note from the Mom:  Elder Wardell and his companion Elder Park have several investigators they are working with. It is humbling to see the love our son's have for the people they find. They  love being able to teach them about Jesus Christ.  They do celebrate when they have individuals and  families  that want to become part of  Christ's church, and are able to be baptized. The joy they feel at their baptisms, is because they know that these people now have a knowledge of Jesus Christ and the opportunity to learn more about Him and  become more like Him. To learn more about Jesus Christ go to www.jesuschrist.lds.org  to ask questions go to mormon.org

 This is a small part of the letter Elder Wardell's companion sent home this week. In his letter he expresses his joy and happiness for the work they are doing...  He is just so excited I wanted to share his words and feelings as they so closely echo those of Elder Wardell's.... We are so grateful for Elder Park.  He is an amazing young man.

Elder Park says: ........" Well this week was great! ..... We found another family that we are teaching.... I don't know if  you remember this but October (2013)  was the month I had my first baptism, October is special for me and we are going to celebrate it by baptizing a small nation down here. We are VERY EXCITED FOR THIS. I was worried that I would be leaving and missing all these AWESOME people that are so close to baptism."  

 (Elder Park has been in this area for quite a while, he thought that he would be getting transferred this week, but he is staying in Homestead with Elder Wardell for at least another transfer (6 weeks). They are happy to be together. 

 I don't know if you remember this but October was the month I had my first baptism, October is special for me and we are going to celebrate it by baptizing a small nation down here. We are VERY EXCITED FOR THIS. I was worried that I would be leaving and missing all these AWESOME people that are SO CLOSE to baptism!

A week of blessings in Homestead.....

9-22-14

Amy's Baptism....

Weeeell, here's the scoop.

this week was FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1st, Amy got baptized!!!! they are so amazing! they literally get cooler and cooler every time we see them! and in the coming week, she too will be baptized.! as well the reason the week was more fantastic than a baptism week usually is, is because of all of the new people we have! so the recent convert that moved into the ward, introduced to her family: her uncle is a member, just inactive for most of his life, and his daughters and wife and one son, haven't been baptized. but with Iris,(the recent convert) getting baptized, it kind of re kindled his testimony a little bit. anyway we met with all of them, and they all want to get baptized! it's lookin like it will be sometime within these next couple of weeks! also some old investigators that Elder park had before I got here, were just in salt lake, and toured temple square, then texted us and picked us back up. they too will be getting baptized soon! This next month is going to be amazing! we have transfers coming up soon, and I really hope I stay! so many miracles. One huge miracle that we saw this week, was how Elder Park was sick this week, a little at first and then it grew, but he worked right through it, and now is feeling better! it's a miracle! Well, that's our week! love you guys!

Elder Wardell

This is Dice....he loves to cuddle.....

Key Largo in the rain....

9-15-14....

 Note from Mom:
This was a week for a lot of pictures....Elder Wardell is a history buff and he Loves everything about America...I am sure it is just another piece of happiness for him to see the cool parts of Florida...He loves everything about his Mission including the people and land of Florida....

 So we get to the library today and Elder Park finds this in his pocket....ha ha ha

 The Gulf of Mexico

The Atlantic Ocean 

Driving south down to Key Largo  The Atlantic Ocean is on our Left the Gulf of Mexico on our right

 Good vs Evil.....

New investigators, more rain and Chocolate dipped Key Lime Pie.....

On our way to Key Largo 

Past the end of civilization

Approaching storm 

Here come the rains....

9-15-14

Weeeeeeeeell, heres the scoop.

So this last week was pretty good!

So the amazingator (amazing investigator haha im so funny) Amy, and her husband came to stake conference this past Sunday (yesterday) and one awesome thing that was repeatedly talked about, was the temple!!! Which is perfect because being sealed in the temple is what her and her husband truly want right now. afterward, she met with president richardson who spoke, he told us to bring her to him to talk to her, and then after that, she met a sister from the releif society and they hit it off! Oh, as conference was ending, after the temple president spoke, she asked me how soon she would be able to go to the temple. We told her a year for her sealing, but that she can go for baptisms after she is confirmed! She was STOKED about that! she is amazing. Another cool thing, is that a recent convert from El Portal moved to Homestead. I had no idea, we were shaking hands at the door last sunday, and her and her daughter just came walking up!. I was like, "Hey, i know you! she was super excited to see someone she knows" She was baptised by the other area, but i was there the whole time she was taught so we got to be friends. anyway, so last night, we were at the end of the night, trying to find someone to go visit, because all of our plans had fallen through. and so i was like, hey, we could visit her and see how she is. so we call her, turns out we cant but we set an appointment, and guess what she tells us? She's living with her uncle, who has two daughters who have not been baptised! even better, they want to be baptised!!!! we were pumped.

She is the greatest ever, she has been such an awesome help to missionary work since she was baptised. it's awesome.

Well, we got to go to key largo to work! it was awesome! though sadly, the rain made everything a little difficult. wait did i say rain? no i mean the tidal wave that was falling from the sky!!! haha we had alot of rain there so it made working a little bit difficult.

But! whenever something bad theres always something good! even if its as small as Chocolate dipped keylime pie on a stick! It is the greatest thing i had eaten in i dont know how long! and completely unique!

well i love yall, can't wait to update you on the work next week!

Elder Wardell

This is the worst storm I have been in so far...

Chocolate dipped key lime pie after a bit or 2 or 7 yum yum!! 

Baptisms and Witches Brew...

Another Great Week in Homestead......

 Cruzmaria Baptism.....

 Happy on the Spoil of War...ha ha!
Elder Wardell....Elder Unstrom

Missionary life.....

Elder Park..... Elder Anderson

Look Ma, I'm sewing.....

9-8-14

Weeeeeell here's the scoop

So this week guess what happened? BAPTISM!

;) her name is Cruzmaria Perez. she is nine years old, and has never been baptised, and her grandma, Cruzmaria, is a member, and asked us to baptise her. (this was before i got here)

after i got here, we met with them again a few times, she had already been taught everything, and was baptised this sunday! Also a really cool recent convert who was baptised when i was in El Portal (she was baptised by the other area) just moved down here to Homestead. Last sunday we were out front shaking hands and she came walking up with her daughter. I was like Hey, I know you!!! and she got a big smile and laughed it was cool. AAAAAAND, :D!!!!! We have another baptism coming not this next week because it is stake conference(what a disappointment haha jk) but next. Her name is Amy she isnt a member, and her husband danny was less active for a long time. They are SOOO cool. She is a professional Chef, tied someone to make it onto the show masterchef, but they picked the other person, but she was INVITED back for this season. He is a professional MMA fighter, just one league down from the UFC, is 6' 9" (he makes me look like a Hobbit), and also walked onto the marlin tryouts and made it as a pitcher. he hurt his arm though so he wasn't able to stay. Here's an even cooler story with these two. We are in the car one day, we got a text from the referrals center with a referral, and called it up. She introduces herself after we introduced ourselves and she said, quote, "..so yeah, i want to get baptized as soon as possible so we can get sealed in the temple."

Elder Park just about dropped the phone. It was just the perfect miracle we were looking for! They came to church this past week, and LOVED it! and she will be baptised in 2 weeks!

So funny little fun thing that happend this week, On exchange, Elder Urmston and I found a couch! this guy was getting rid of it, (he just bought a new set and it wasnt in bad shape) and he asked the guy if we could have it and he said that's fine, so we called up this kid jon from the ward, and he helped us get it back to the house! yes, we were cautious: we steam cleaned it like crazy! and because my mother decided to teach me about the witches brew ;),  ( the doterra oils)

it was cleaned with Lemon oil to clean, and cederwood oil to keep the bugs away.

Well i love you guys I will talk to you next week!

Elder Wardell

Note from mom...Funny thing about the mail.... after 2 1/2 months Elder Wardell's new waterproof bag finally arrived in Florida...He is wet and getting rained on almost everyday...a water proof bag was much needed....

The old waterproof case can finally be put away.....

Because my awesome new bag came......!!!! 

First Baptism in Homestead!!

9-2-14

well here's the scoop. soo best thing this week, MYRA GOT BAPTISED!!!!

she is SO awesome! we finished up some lessons with her, and she had her interview and was baptised. she loved it it was so lovely. this week she will be confirmed! :) well fun thing that happened this week was that i had to speak in sacrament! in spanish! it was really cool because we have a bi lingual ward, so when i was writing my talk (first time i full wrote my talk) their were certain things i had to mark for the translator. and i also had to speak a little slow with a bunch of pauses so that he wouldnt be trying to figure out my horrible spanish! haha :) it's different but amazing serving in a bi lingual ward. well the work continues to be awesome here! we are building our teaching pool bit by bit, and are also working with an amazing idea on how to be better missionaries. it's difficult but very rewarding. well i'm sorry that this scoop's a little short but i love ya guys! till next week.

Elder Wardell

 

sorry only one photo from this week.

Myra's baptism