Houston Here Comes Your Problem

         ON THE ROOF OF THE THOMAS S. MONSON BUILDING 

with all the girls from the zone. Beautiful view!  

Gym time with the zone... quite the experience... 

I usually try to do some kind of Zumba class that Minds and I went to. 

The girls usually yell random objects while they are on the elliptical and then I have to make a dance move out of it... surprisingly a great workout. I just don't do that other kinda workout.

Tennis is getting really heated here in MEXICO 

Estabon and the cake he made!!!

 I never liked carrot cake but I ate it for him because he's the MAN!

HOUSTON- I'M COMIN UP SO YOU BETTER GET THIS PARTY STARTED... IM COMIN UP!

Minds and Kels might be the only ones who get that because that was our song when they lived in Provo!!! Wow, so many mixed emotions! The time went soooo fast here in the C.C.M. I am so excited, nervous, and every other emotion you can name! I DON'T WANNA LEAVE THOUGH!! I love it here so much!! It's beautiful and fun and I've made so many friends! But I'm excited for Houston! Well I really missed you mother on St. Pattys day... Mexico doesn't even know what it is... there was one on there making green waffles with a green hat and jacket and waving pom poms in my face to wake me up... BUTTTT dont worry I used my Irish accent that you  LOOOVVVVEEE mother! 

So this week was kinda hard to focus since it was the last week and everything so me and the other girls in my house decided to bring it back to high school and have.... SPIRIT WEEK!! WOOT WOOT! It was a BLAST! All the guys were trying to participate with there ties and what not and our zone just looked awesome! We had grandma day (wear your ugliest clothes you brought), 80's day, polka dot day, funeral Friday, and let me just say everyone wanted to be part of our zone. Our district is really weird though like we are always together. No other district sticks together but ours. During lunch and movie night we always sit together. Everyone thinks we are weird because we walk into the movie and Elder Love will be like, "I wanna sit by mom" and I'm like, "ok guys be quiet. Elder Reyes do you need a buster seat?" I also always pack the snacks for us. Yesterday I started packing some things up and I opened one of my suitcases and I had TREATS COMING OUT MY SHOES literally COMING OUT MY RAINBOATS. Who did it??? Who stuffed my rainboats full of treats? Mom, Abby, Addie?? haha it was great my teachers and district love how many packages and treats I always have! so thank you mother and everyone! 

Other things that happened this week were... Estabon made our district delicious carrot cake, my teachers think its hilarious to scary me and i hate it! Our teacher Hermana Silva took us on the roof of the TSM building and it was sooo beautiful but reminded me of Ronnies mission friend! Mexico was lame and freezing again this week, I got to act as an investigator for the new incoming people and it was such a fun experience. Lastly in TRC, it's basically speed dating but speed baptism. We teach volunteers that are either less actives, or new members. We taught this lady that was the Wags grandma Nada's TWIN! I literally thought nada turned Mexican and came to the C.C.M. IT WAS CREEPY!! BUT SO FUN!! 

SOOOO i decided to make a list of the things I've learned here in the C.C.M since I'm leaving this week... (p.s. I don't know what's going to happen because all my district leaves Monday and I leave Tuesday?? My comp flies to Houston on Monday... WEIRD I KNOW!) ANYWHO HERES THE LIST OF THINGS IVE LEARNED IN THE CCM-

+I was never in a choir for a reason

+i was given the talent of getting ready in 10 mins specifically for a mission

+i got over my fears of public restrooms in 6 weeks

+shaving your legs is overrated

+momma wagstaff is the best mission mom there ever was. my teachers LOVE HER. also if we had all the wagstaff aunts cooking here no one would ever wanna leave. 

+mexico knows how to party

+some missionaries form gangs... they are dang scary

+everyday is a saints day in mexico

+mexico has no idea what breakfast is. "Oh we have left over chicken, chili, and mayo. Sure just serve it all together." I'm sure thats what they say every morning 

+tie trades are BAD. Our elders got in trouble... I should have organized a skirt trade

+most guys here look like soccer dads 

+the CCM is so small right now because no missionary so you are literally friends with everyone

+nothing seems to be cleaned properly?

+All sharp alarm clocks will be smashed by me when I get home. They must go out of business. They are terrible sounding things.

+doing a jazz square every morning will always brighten my day 

+I wanna see mexico sooo bad... cue little mermaid "I wanna be where the people are, dancing around on those what do you call them... taco stands"

+NEFI JORGE KEVIN ALERIS IS MY BOOOYYY 

+packages make friends you thought you'd never have. Post office lady and me are buds. Thanks to you mom... everyday she's like in this cute little Spanish voice, "I was waiting for you!"

+i HATE running! I'd rather rub mayonnaise in my eyeballs. 

+there are some dang cheesy mormon movies out there 

+people are always fighting about Christopher Columbus here.. hate to say it but I barely know who he is

+cue my best friends wedding, "WHAT THE WORLD NEED NOW IS THE GOSPEL, THE SWEET GOSPEL. (I translated that to Spanish and always sing it to my teachers.. they think I'm so weird)

+The girls in my room say that I remind them of Junie B. Jones or Eloise... I guess I'm a kid.

+yes I am a kid! I swear I'm an escapee from the beehives still... Shelly Moss should still be teaching me.

+My bed time stories are getting better every night. So far they think I have a daughter named Sophilia, my dad founded St. Patty's day, my trip to Africa when I got stranded, and my experience in prison. 

+a mission is 102,394,108 times better than junior high

+ the stale chips here are surprisingly delicious

+insteed of counting sheep i count the cannons that go off all night.

+I HATE MUSH!! ALL I SEE IS MUSH! 

+It's a rare day if you don't pray 12 times

+the line I say most often in my head... Padre celestial, bendice me con don del languas por favor!! 

+it's much more important to be a listener. There is a difference between listening and hearing.

+i thought people would have me on a leash or shock collar but it's all up to ME if I wanna be a good missionary. 

+i will never receive answers unless I'm ready to act on it.

+MOST IMPORTANTLY, I've gained the most amazing relationship with my Savior. I love him so much and I've learned more in these 6 weeks then I ever have in my life!!! I have had to completely rely on my savior here. Everyday I feel like I'm coming closer and closer to jumping off this cliff. IT'S SCARY. It's scary trying to bare my testimony in a different language. It's scary telling people to repent. but I know once I jump off the Savior makes me fly. He puts words into my mouth. I absolutely could not do this without my Savior. People always told me the Savior will be teaching through you and I thought I would just be like those times up at the pulpit when I'd feel the spirit. but NOO this is the most INCREDIBLE thing I've ever done or experienced. I pray my little tiny heart out before every lesson and I can actually feel my savior telling me what to say, what these people need to hear. I´ve been very caught up and worrying about the language but after one of our last lessons with our investigator Kevin he told me, "Hermana Wagstaff, you bring a very sweet spirit with you when you speak." I had never been happier to hear that. My Spanish is horrible, most the time my sentences don't make sense, but somehow someway the Lord ALWAYS finds a way to let others feel of His sweet spirit! So if that's the one thing I leave the CCM with is the spirit, I feel like I've accomplished enough for now. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO HOUSTON ON TUESDAY! I'm so excited to preach this gospel! This gospel is love. This gospel is hope and this gospel is for EVERYONE!!! I love being a missionary!!! What an incredible experience it is to learn of my Savior more each and every day!!! I love all of you so much!! 

Have the best week ever! I think I can call you on Tuesday at the airport! Which phone should I call... they are all kinda risky! but my flight is at 9:50 so I'll probs be at the airport around 6 or something! let me know! 

SO MUCH LOVE! 

HERMANA WAGSTAFF

SPIRIT WEEK

80's Day

Polka Dot Day

I'm going to miss my teaching room! Kev and Rach.... It was an emergency 

Experiencing Mexico

Crazy storm! We had to take our shoes off to walk home.

HELLO FAMILY! ITS NATURAL NATALIE COMIN IN LIVE FROM THE ONE AND ONLY MEEEXXXIIICCCCOOOO CCCIIITTTYYY! (ONLY ONE MORE WEEK I CAN SAY THAT) But I'd like to report things are running smoothly here. Last night we had winds of 80 miles an hour coming in from the east and rain like I've never seen since my days in Genovia. The streets were flooded with about four inches of rain water. I guess its great since we here are in a drought! (ok that was fun. I've always wanted to report something. (I don't think Mexico is actually in a drought) BUT WOW craziest storm last night like I was sooo scared.. lightning, rain, craziest hail. All the latinos were like ahhh snow! Anyway, I went from being the mom to the baby sooo fast. Our district is all in class last night... its about 8:30 and the power goes out...  I'm screaming, plugging my ears, and on my companions lap in a matter of seconds. It was quite embarrassing when the lights came back on. 

It made me homesick for the ranch though because man the ranch has THEE BEST storms. ahhh man what I'd do for a Wyoming storm. (I met this girl here from big piney- NEW BEST FRIEND HERE) and Elder Dawda lost his voice so it sounded similar to Ross's voice when he just wakes up. ahhh man the ranch just knows the way to my heart I'll tell you what! 

Sundays are my JAMMMMMM! They are the best days ever!! We just go from devotional to devotional all day long and they are always amazing!! The starting line up this week was, Holland then Bednar then President Tenorio. Such a solid Sunday. The president of the CCM is HILARIOUS. He's from Mexico and just the best guy around. His talk had us all rolling on Sunday. Him and his wife are so in love its darling. The story of how he asked her to marry him is so good... I'll tell it another time. But the guys in our district saw him and his wife makin' out the other day... hahaha best humans here!! ANYWHO, these emails are so hard to write there are so many things i wanna say! But sunday night is MOVIE NIGHT! EVERY MISSIONARY IS PUMPED OUT OF THERE MIND FOR THIS! So everyone walkin into the auditorium like we walkin in front row to some Fergie Concert. We take our seats and they throw up STONECUTTER!! I'm like heeeccckkkkk yyaaaaaa!!! (fist pump the heavens) stonecutter! This movies been wrapped in plastic in the movie drawer for YYYEEEARRRRSS. and all the missionaries laugh at the stupidest things but somehow we all and all leave together in tears... the stonecutter is just beautiful. OH MY OH MY have you guys seen "How Rare a Possession" FRANCHESCA (dont know how to spell his name) is my new role model. My heart goes out to him in that beautiful 80's film! 

So our district had a tennis tournament... lets just say Coach Mikes and Sasha did well... they really played their part and pulled through. They taught me well- "on and off the court." That's what Hermana Saunders told me. But it was so much fun!!! Then for service I don't know how people don't like service here. It's the best day of my life! I GOT TO RIDE IN THE BACK OF A MEXICAN TRUCK AND DELIEVER WATER TO THE CLASSROOMS!!! So many dreams come true here.

Last story I promise.... so the other night I'm in bed in my pjs and it's 10:20 and this girl knocks on the door and is like, "um Hermana Wagstaff there is a man for you at the door." I was like ummmmm what kinda man? like does he want to kill me? So i throw on my raincoat and there is this worker man on his bike at the door. (soo many thoughts running through my head. Did someone get hurt in my family? I laid in the grass I know... am I going home???) and he just simply hands me a letter from my mission president that he would pick me up at the airport on March 24th and that we would have din din at his house. SUCH A SCARE!! 

Mom, me and the hermana johnson were already friends. She's so cute!!! I love her and she left today!! Anyways, I love you guys so much!! I'm learning so much everyday!!

Have the best week ever! love, Tony

Yeah times have changed... I'm really musical and I play the violin.

Good times with the district

Week Three

The girls in my district

Describes our personalities way too well. 

We plan all lessons outside....it's too pretty not to!

The Whole Zone

A lot of these girls left yesterday... so sad.

My first friends in the C.C.M

WOW, I really cant figure out the time here... the days are slow but the weeks are going fast! It's already been three week with my companion... man that's like a whole junior high relationship! crazy crazy stuff! It's always awkward starting these emails off. I never know what to say... um how are all you guys doing?? hahaha that was lame I'll work on that! 

So mom once again thank you soooo dang much for the package. They are the best things ever. Just to know that you are thinking of me during the week. You are a sweetheart. I gave this Mexican lady worker thats working here a donut and then the next day she comes running after me with some crazy Mexican candy she made for me.... kinda too scared to eat it but way sweet of her to make me that ya know! So this week I've been pretty sick to the stupid. I think I got food poisoning. I think it was from the fried chicken or cat or who even knows what I was eating but just let Jer Spice know he could make millions down here in Mexico because that fried crap was awful! and I've been sick ever since! 

I've fallen in love in the C.C.M. I hate to say it but I can't deny it because it has happened here. His name is Choki... He lifts me up when I'm down. He's just the sweetest thing in the world. and He just crumbles right before my eyes. I might send him home to you guys if he makes it over the border..... I know you guys will fall head over hills for him too! 

So my teachers are now doing only Spanish in class which is great because I need to learn it but awful because some times I'm like what the crap? We are doing what?? For example all the buildings here are named after prophets. so my teacher all in Spanish was like ok you guys are going to teach your investigators in the Thomas S. Monson Building tonight ... and I just yell "Wait, what? We are teaching Thomas S. Monson. Is this some kinda SICK JOKE!" Turns out we were just going to the building.... I'm learning slowly! ha My teachers are hilarious. Hermano Alveris (he teaches us three hours every night) He is literally such a little kid. Everyday he's like do you have treats for me? and just sings all the time. I am bffs with our morning teacher Hermana Silva since I asked her about Tanner. She always is giving me some sort of drama with all her boyfriends which are teachers here.  We always go do a "walk by." 

Everyday we have gym time for an hour. Our district always does something together which is super fun! We played kickball with our whole zone who left yesterday... so sad! I loved them so much and it's weird being the oldest ones here now. but anyway kick ball was a very humbling experience and I now remember why I was always picked last in elementary... I made my very first three pointer here yeah you heard right. I made a three pointer! James Hardin FEAR THE BEARD. I guess you could call me!  I also made my companion play tennis with me. She doesn't love to play and I'm always just joking around with her. So when we returned the rackets to the worker I was like, "Man her racket is so broken. She couldn't hit one ball it was horrible!" He grabs it from me and was like where is it broken? I'm like ohhh im just kidding sir its a perfectly great racket... he didn't seem to get it. haha but ALL SIBLING PLEASE PLEASE READ HERE! I don't care if your kids play sports in high school or whatever but please please please teach all your boys to at least know how to catch, throw, kick, or do anything to a ball. Now everyone reading this put your hands in the middle and say, "CONQUER!" beautifully done! that's what I like to hear!!! Ok, also all the boys in the fam can you send me some facts about the sports in Houston?? All I know is James Hardin and I want to be able to act like I know my stuff ya know! Thanks that would be awesome! 

Oh mom Estabon asked me if you would send me your Snickerdoodle recipe so he could make some good ones?? That would be awesome! Thank you so much! 

This week was kinda a hard week for me. Not sure hard but I  was getting down on myself. I feel like I progressed so much my first weeks here and now my Spanish is getting harder and harder to progress in but I'm trying so hard.  When I was closing my eyes one night I had the BEST BEST BEST picture come into my head. You better get ready, its amazing!! Grandma Lee and Evie AND Grandpa Stan were in cheer uniforms on the sidelines yelling, "YOU CAN DO THIS HERMANA WAGSTAFF YOU'RE AT THE FIFTY YARD LINE! NEVER GIVE UP! YOU PROMISED THE LORD YOUR BEST!" It was the greatest pump up ever! 

Well Familia, I love you sooo much!!! Thank you for being the best family ever!!!! Love you all and have a great week! 

Hermana Wagstaff! 

p.s. Chokis are like chips a hoy only 100000 times better!!!

Chokis my love!

Modeling for mormongirl30000....we are locked in here!

                                                        Wittchie from the kitchen staff