Here is Elder Wood proudly declaring "His Street" claimed.
Introducing Preston Wagner!
Once upon a fateful day, Elder LaMont is called to be a trainer to a missionary named Elder Wood. Elder LaMont is 'voluntold' (like volunteered, but in reality told to do something while declaring we still have agency) to take Elder Wood tracting for his very first day to 'break him in'. While knocking doors, we meet a woman named Amanda Wagner. Upon knocking the door, Amanda answers the door and says, "Not today. You can come over again, just not today," and closes the door. Elder Wood is undaunted. He says to Elder LaMont, "She said we can come back! Success!" In the following days Amanda's fourteen year-old son, Preston, shows real interest in the gospel. Upon contacting the first day, Elders Wood and LaMont assign Preston to read the eleventh chapter in the third book of Nephi. To their enormous surprise, when asking if the chapter was a priority in Preston's life the very next day, Preston says, "Yeah! In fact, I was reading a lot about baptism... How do I get baptized?" Shock and awe are upon the young missionaries' faces. Quickly, the Elders explain how it is done, and when the next baptismal service will be taking place. In the coming week, the baptism has been scheduled for October the first right after General Conference. Preston will be confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the sacrament meeting of October ninth.
What a beautiful work this is! Preston has a little brother just two years younger than him named Asher. Asher Wagner will be baptized when he can start attending church with their five-year old brother Julius rather than babysitting him at home. Amanda Wagner too, has warmed to the idea of being baptized.
The ward has been wonderful in helping Preston acclimate to a ward family. Preston has attended sacrament, mutual, church tours, Sunday-school, priesthood meetings, etc. The ward council has even planned for Preston to attend the ward temple trip in late October.
One family in particular, the Winterhalter's, have been especially helpful to Preston. Providing rides to all activities and meetings and such. One evening, the family invited Preston and Asher to dinner.
This is the beautiful cake served at our 'Fellowship and Feed' with Preston and Asher. It was delicious!
The gospel of Jesus Christ is very real. It is changing lives every moment in the beautiful land of Kansas. Including my own!
I grew up in Kansas!
We pranked the Sisters bad this week. That is, if the prank were not so glorious, I would feel very bad. The sisters are in a trio because a missionary left for home early, but more on that later. One Wednesday evening, before a correlation meeting with the ward mission leader, I found a huge wolf spider! I caught it, and doused the arachnid with Windex in an effort to kill it. I placed the drenched spider on a napkin and contained it in a pancake griddle. Sister Sinclair, the ward mission leader's wife, was present. She asks me, "Just what do you intend to do with that dead spider?" I respond honestly, because my mother taught me to be honest, "I'm gonna scare the sisters with it!" I smile big and wide, but Sister Sinclair says to me, "Don't you dare!"
I kept the pancake griddle close to me the entire meeting. When the correlation was finished, I gift the sisters with the griddle saying, "We have a surprise for you!" Sister Pedersen grabs the handle of the pancake griddle and lifts. Now this is glorious! Our wolf spider friend went eight-legged Jesus and came back to life! Upon the Sisters lifting the lid to the pancake griddle, the creepy-crawly nearly escaped! The scream of terror that escaped the lips of the three Sister missionaries echoed through the building (good thing nobody else was in the building)! Sister Pedersen moves so fast to close the lid and book it out of the room, it was as if she teleported. Sister Wall retreated to the corner of the room, and Sister Fountain nearly fell backwards out of her chair! Well, I am just dying of laughter, rolling on the floor. I had expected the sisters to find a very dead spider that would make them go, "Eew!" Ne'er in a million years had I expected something so wondrous! Miracle!
The best part: Sister Sinclair comes charging into the room. Well-knowing exactly what I had just done and gives me a look straight out of hell. This just makes me laugh harder.
In the end, everyone still loves each other. Everybody, including Sister Sinclair, has forgiven me. We all look back at this moment proud of the experience.
Here is the enormous wolf spider!
IOS 10 has come, and the mission is abuzz! We can finally do things like this to sleeping missionaries and airdrop it to all of the mission:
IOS 10 is awesome! Haha!
Goodbye Sister Tims!
Sister Tims went home a little early. Sad. So we now have three sisters. Sister Fountain is the newest addition to our district. There will be a district picture to come next week!
Wichita zone of the KWM before the departure of Sister Tims! The muscle of the mission!
I am in love with Kansas! This is so much fun, and the best thing I've ever done. I am so grateful for Preston and his rapid, spiritual progression. Miracles are everywhere in the heartland, and more inbound!
Thank you all for your gift of love and support. I love my cheer squad! Have a great week everyone!!
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