Are you guys going to cook me?

FAMILY, 

Hello fam clam bam! how is everyone doing?? ok news flash real quick BLUEBELL is BACCCKKKK on the shelves and ready to rooollll TEXAS! It's been gone since March can you believe that? How have i even been surviving you might ask? i have absolutely no idea. One day i ate raisins and you all know my feelings about raisins. NOT GOOD ONES! 

So we are just having the greatest times here in the Houston 1 ward! This ward is incredible! In ward council one of the other missionaries was like "Hermana Wagstaff how old are you, 5?" I'm like what? I guess people haven't really seen 19 year old girls bring bags of waffle crisp to church. But it's the only way to get through meetings at 8am.

But anyway the ward is doing this program where all the leaders go once a week to visit a family that is less active. It's so cute to see all the relief society, primary presidency and bishopric out visiting people. It literally feels like we are playing a good old game of Fugitive at the ranch though. Sister Palmer and i will just be walking and a car pulls up next to us... Relief Society Presidency- "Hey sisters we are searching for the Sanchez Family. We went up on the porch and we KNOW for a fact they are inside but they wont answer." Thats when the games begin. It's a really cool program though because we have some amazing really strong members in the ward but so many less actives! So a good game of fugitive will always do the trick! 

Marco wanted to see a baptism before his which is planned for next weekend. So we heard there is a eight year old getting baptized in the English ward so we are like alright we will go, he wont understand anything but at least he will see what it's like. WORST DECISION I'VE EVER MADE! So picture yourself going to a carnival for the first time thats all in a different language. We get there and they are explaining the spirit and putting blankets all around her, a full on armor suit, pull out a mega phone and start telling her to bare her testimony in it. Then they are telling her she will put on all the characteristics of Christ after her baptism and start taping paper all over her... I look over at Marco, already feeling uncomfortable myself. i forgot he couldn't understand anything and he just looks so stressed! Im like don't worry your baptism wont be anything like this! worst part was he couldn't even see the baptism! they open the doors to the font and it's just steaming everywhere. they forgot to add cold water so the little girl like screams because it's so hot. He's like, "Are you guys going to cook me?" I'm like "yes would you like carrots or zucchini with you in there??" ohhh man quite the experience it was. blessed to be in a spanish ward! love it so much! 

sorry not much time to write! but i love you all so much and hey guess what? i like bubblegum and i LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! lifes a beach! and you all are the bestest people ever!

love you tons,

natsy 

when you still are trying to figure out the area... just looking like Jer Spice reading the news paper

beginning of weekly planning

End of weekly planning.... we didn't even get the warning for the tornado

Major change would you say

                                                      summers almost over! wooowwwwhhhooooooo

Hello Warriors, 

(yes that is what a man said to Hermana Palmer and I as we walked past him on the street) There are some FUN people here in Houston. You never know what they are going to tell ya as you walk by.

So we got to do more service at the homeless church! ohh man it is seriously so much fun! i love it! They always make us link arms and pray with them. can i get a HALLELUJAH!? This week was quite the experience though... This black lady named Scoobie would throw me a watermelon that were slick as a babys bottom and I'd have to throw it in their gift bags. I love Scoobie (remind me to invite her to my wedding) We had each other rolling all day. Especially when the people yell at us for more food. We put pineapples in everyones bag but then had to take them all out because they were rotten and man everyone was going NUTS!  People were running away with whole boxes of peaches... But all of the people are darling! i love them so much! ohhhh but also dad i don't know how your carrots are in the garden but these carrots were the size of my thigh! they were amazing!

Soooo let me tell you about a little miracle I'd call it! You can imagine how hots it's been. I mean you wake up at 6:30 to work out -100 HOT, go out contacting all day -110 HOT, come in for dinner -100 HOT, go back out till 9:30 -100 HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT allllllll dayyyyyy long! It never cools down. (BUT ONLY ONE MORE WEEK OF AUGUST!!!) ANYWAY we are both just dripping one day sooo sweaty. looking like a small jungle animal. And this darling white girl jumps out onto the sidewalk and yells SISTER! COME IN! (I'm like what? someone knows who we are?) She reminded me of Tiffany Varner. Just as darling as a bag of bagel bits! And they tell us they are living here for the summer and her husband is a geologist. They travel the world for his job. They sail, she takes a cooking class every other night just to keep herself busy and find friends. I fell in love with them. THE BULLS they call themselves. They asked me what i was planning on doing after the mission... i was like, "No joke I'm changing my major." so family i'm here to tell you- your daughter, friend, sister, neighbor, whatever i am to you is now officially a... drop roll please... GEOLOGIST! i know nothing about rocks and i guess you could say i don't really even like rocks but I've heard of metamorphic once and i know im scared of earthquakes sooo im stocked! She was so cute she's like "Let me make you lunch really quick. It's just a really casual thing but here." PULLS OUT A CAFE RIO SALAD IM LIKE NOOOO YOU ARE GOD SENT! Later this week i've been trying to be like the Bulls making "casual salads" with the toppings in stripes... (don't worry i'll include a picture) she also gave us the dressing! ohhhh guys it was the great miracle on such a hot day! Bless the Bulls!

 one more story! so one day we were just simply knocking the door of this less actives door (back with hermana johnson) ... of course didn't answer but Heavenly Father sent us to that area for a reason because as we were walking back we ran into these guys named Marco Antonio and Daniel. Such cool guys!!! They contacted us! they were like we have seen you around here please come visit us! They came here from Mexico and they were telling us their story of coming here... it was AMAZING! It took them 9 days of walking, swimming, and running. One of the guys that came with them didn't have shoes and his feet were getting so blistered he was going to just go to the border and turn himself in because he had had it. But Marco Antonio gave him his shoes and he was able to continue. They made it here and they were telling us, "We didn't really know why we were suppose to come here. But now we do because you guys brought us this happiness." We were telling them that life is alot like their little journey here. It probably seemed long and never ending but compared to the eternities, life is short and there will be a lot of challenges. It's been so cool to see them grow to be better friends and roommates through the gospel. They have come to church together for 3 weeks straight now and they are loving it!

Well Family i love ya'll. I hope everyone had a FANTASTIC SUMMER!!! love you so much! I'm a geologist! Ya know there really is sunshine in my soul... and it's fabulous!

Hermana wagstaff

"casual salad" always toppings in stripes

Baptism

Before the baptism....

And after... LOOK HOW HAPPY HE LOOKS!

August 17th

Dear Family, 

I mean it would be safe to say that this was one of the longer weeks of my life but one of the BEST EVER! It was the highest emotional roller coaster I've been on yet! pure happiness, sadness, and love!

Baptism planner episode 2: (I'm making a TV show because they are always HECTIC times!)

So Tuesday we went over to Fernando's house and he's like Hermana's I'm moving to Alabama on Saturday... we are like but WHAT ABOUT YOUR BAPTISM?? He's like can we do it tonight?? I start like frantically calling every leader i can think of. He's like Hermana Wagstaff please sit down I was just kidding but i thought it was a great idea... so we take him to the church and get his interview and plan the baptism for friday. 

Friday rolls around... it's just your normal morning... birds are chirping, Hermana Palmers got a Migraine, the old women downstairs is yelling for her ugly black kitty, scalding hot shower, granola and yogurt, and then the day really begins... 

We head to Fernando's with a white shirt and tie all wrapped up. (limited supplies. Luckily i had tissue paper from an old package) His aunt says he's gone to work... so we call him and he ACTS like he forgot that is was friday and says he won't be home in time for the baptism... Even the most elect investigators are hard. Satan works so hard on these people who make the decision to be baptized. We find out that he's actually just at home so he agrees to let us come over and talk to him on the porch. (Jose Acosta the member that was going to drive him to the baptism at 5 was just waiting outside his house) We go up and we talked to him for AN HOUR AND A HALF! He's like Hermana's, "I'm not ready, I'm so confused, i feel so alone, can't you guys just come to Alabama and baptize me next sunday?" He was so sweet he said, "You guys opened my eyes to the most beautiful life but I'm so scared." while we are there on his porch he said probably 20 times, "Que haga Hermanas?" which means "what do i do?" And every time he said that you could tell the spirit testified to him that THIS IS WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO. We kept testifying and testifying and sharing personal experience after personal experience but the thing that got him was when he said, "I'll just be baptized next sunday i promise." and we said, "Fernando do you really want to live 8 more days without the spirit?" We said a prayer with him and he stood up, went inside and walked out looking sharp as a pinecone. We got down to the car and i was like, "oh do you have a towel?" and he's like, "hermana i can't go back inside. If i do i don't believe i will come back out!" AND THEN IT HAPPENED AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL! He made me speak at his baptism because he loves to embarrass me.  But we really did because we are best friends! ahhh he is so amazing!

But Family i just want you to know that this man changed my life! We were all crying sitting on his porch and it made the baptism even sweeter. The spirit was stronger than anything i had ever felt and i knew that he could feel it! uhhhhhh but seriously if one more convert leaves me to another state i'm going to lose it! It's always like the happiest moment and then they just up and leave. It's so bitter sweet!  But it was an amazing baptism and i know the ward sent you some pictures! It's crazy to see how much he changed.The spirit brings a light into our eyes and he had it! He couldn't stop saying how happy he was and i just couldn't stop thinking HOW MUCH I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! I've never loved something so much! I've seen a small glimpse of how God sees and loves us because i have never loved people so much! i just wanna eat everyone up! 

I'm so sad he left to Alabama. I'm going to eat ben and jerry's today. That's what it's come to... hate to say it! 

But ya know there really is sunshine in my soul... and it's fabulous!

love you 

Nats!

p.s. need advice with Elders who act like we are in KINDERGARTEN... SEND HELP TO HOUSTON ASAP 

baby shower? am i right?? nope not a rattle just a darling shirt and tie we picked out for FERNANDO

Of course move the beds together! we have so much fun

taco truck night!

my companion makes fun of all the things i have in my bag... just my sin detector supplies from chick fil a kids meal.. whats a better thing to pack along. I really have the weirdest things in my bag!

Doc says I got the Brocs

City Traffic

I've always dreamed of having an inhaler.

HOUSTON TO HOLLADAY,

August 10th

Holy did this week go fast or what??? ok so I have to tell you a miracle that happened to Hermana Palmer and I.... the very very first day we were together... so Wednesday July 29th we get a call from the Hermanas serving in Arizona. They are a ipad mission and are so high tech! They are like, "hey want us to send you a screenshot 3000 of his teaching record?" I'm like, "we can get on our typewriters and snail mail it back to you!" ohhh technology.  They had an investigator Fernando move here 3 weeks ago so we are like that's cool that they call us on our first day together. But God wanted ME and HERMANA PALMER to teach him! He knew what he needs and what we needed. We meet him last week and I've never met someone so prepared! He was really nervous moving here and meeting new members but we brought him to english class and honestly we have the most amazing ward. I never want to leave this area ever. It's incredible!!! So we tell a few members Fernando likes playing volleyball and seconds after english class is over, the whole ward is there to play volleyball with Fernando! The next morning we go to see him and he's just like shining! He's like, "I'm so happy. I met new friends, I played volleyball, AND I got to talk to my son ALL in the same night! Did I do something good??" OF COURSE YOU DID! He has an eight year old son in Mexico. Fernando is here working so that he can get enough money so his son can come over. This area is crazy. Almost everyone you meet is here working and all the rest of there families are in their country. But we had an amazing lesson with him and we invited him to be baptized next sunday and he's like, "You think I'm ready?" We look at each other and we're like "OHHHH HEAVENS YEAH!" and he's like, "Have you guys ever met anyone as ready as I am?"  (a little cocky I'd say, but hey lets not get crazy, it's true!) So we are excited for him to be baptized next sunday! He is so funny. We are like, "who do you want to baptize you?" and he's like "Hermana Wagstaff." 

Also I went to the doctor this week cause ya know, I wasn't sure if I was just sick with the meat the hispanics give me because that wouldn't surprise me at all. The other day these members had us over for din din and she's walking over with an appetizer and I'm all excited. It looked like fruit cocktail... I dip my spoon and BOOM meat. All I eat is meat! and seriously if they tell me to eat more after I eat a cow leg, a whole rice field, and a small BABY horse, THAT WILL BE THE LAST STRAW! Anywho, we go to the doctor and he's from the middle east. I already can't understand him. (I'm thinking where are the mitch petersons i know that live in houston?) He asked me so many questions. I had no idea... I'm the worst doctor goer and I just kept saying, "I've asked my mom about it so its ok" and he got so frustated he's like "its good to have a relationship with your mom but i don't know if she knows what you need." "Hey no, you don't say notin' about my mom. She knows her stuff!" Anyway, he's like giving me all these tests and I'm like, "Sir sir should I be scared?" he like goes all preacher wacky and he's like "TONGUE OUT TONGUE OUT! you are a SISTER! Fear is an agent of the Devil! You may not be scared." I was like wo wo wo so sorry man I'm not scared a bit. You shove what you need to down my throat." Needless to say, I just walked away with a case of Bronchitis. Whatever that is... but poor guy was asking me so many questions and I could not understand him. At one point I thought he was talking about a sandbox. It was a worse experience than talking to Thair about cats.

Also, I Naired my arms this week because Houston is HOT and any winter coat you can get off is worth doing. BUT I had a small malfunction on one arm and literally looked like a small confetti party or one of HR's eyebrows. It was terrible! Also could someone please explain to me why every church building in Houston requires a snow suit but outside is 13407097 degrees?? So questionable. Also the driving here oh the driving... we will discuss that another day! 

The gospel is amazing! We have blessings and guidance that people didn't have for 2000 years!!!!  I love teaching the restoration because it means everything to me! Before my mission I knew it was important but it honestly just seemed like a thing that happened in history that was important for the church. BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO ME! And it's finally become real to me!  I wouldn't have any of you and I wouldn't be able to return to my Heavenly Father. 

You know there really is Sunshine in my soul... and it's fabulous!

Hermana Wagstaff

Kels's friend... forgot her name but she's about ready to pop that's for sure.

why HELLLOOO Familia!!!

AUGUST 3RD

why HELLLOOO Familia!!!

What a crazy, long, exciting, fun, joyful week it has been!!! There really are so many emotions on the mission that I didn't even know I could feel. Also, I didn't know I could sweat so much! HOUSTON! When I wipe my upper lip and it feels like a slippery slide, you know it's been a success day teaching!

So first off- to start the week, Marta had us over for dinner and she invited all her favorite men from the ward... she's such a hoot! She planned this whole night lesson, movie, and dinner and she got all dressed up and had her lip stick on and everyone loved it! She made us this soup with... don don don... PIG FOOT!! When I first looked in my soup I thought she had put human nose in there because man it just looked so nummy nummy nummy if ya know what I mean! So right when she turned around I dumped all of mine into Wilvers soup who was sitting next to me. Marta was like, "wow, I didn't realize I didn't give you very much. Let me get you some more".... NOOOOOOO! oh the hispanics are so very generous..

We went back to visit Marta and there was a random lady in her house that said Marta moved to Mexico for a sec... Who knows what happened to my little gummy bear! I'll find her!

But then Wednesday I just got the CUTEST LITTLE pocket of sunshine thrown my way from Kemah. Her name is Hermana Palmer and I LOVE HER SOOOOO MUCH! I've already learned so much! She is 21 and from a small town in Idaho called Weezer. She started her mission in Honduras and got really sick so was home for a year and now is serving here with me! She's been in Houston since February and she's just absolutely darling! She reminds me of Johanna. She's really good with her words, can fix any problem someone has, so fun to talk too, funny, and we are already best friends! We are just ya know two blondes trying to take on the city life... Poor thing has seen so many crazy things since she's been here and I sound like that little penguin on toy story. I have such a terrible cough and I keep us up all night. I feel terrible for her! Any suggestions?? Mitch? I feel totally fine it's just this stupid cough!

We have been having so much fun together! I mean whats a girl to do when she's teaching the happiest message out there, living in Houston amongst the craziest peeps with the cutest companion! I've lucked out on companions. I've loved them all so much! We have had quite the adventures so far! We met these two Guatemalans so we of course teach them because Guatemalans are my favorite! Most the people in our area are from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, and Cuba. Anyway, we teach them the restoration and it was an awesome lesson. Then they text us and are like, "what are the rules of your church?" I'm like YASSSSSSS, they are so cool THEY ARE GETTING IT!!! woooo hooo hoooo then they say, "knowing you two is the most beautiful thing that has ever happen to us. To love is the most beautiful that exist. We are falling in love with you both." like can I get a DRAMA! I'm like come on this isn't junior high drama class we've known you for 25.7 minutes. ohhh man we were bummed because they were cool but we'll send the elders! We also found this man and his wife and they are GYPSIES! like what?? say what?? what even is a gypsy. I don't know but i think something really cool! Also there are always men riding down the streets on horses bare back! heck ya! I thought UVU was diverse.... boy oh boy I had never seen nothing!

Anyway not much time but i love you all so much!! i found this scripture this morning during studies and i love it. It's in 2 Timonthy and it says i will ENDURE ANYTHING FOR THE ELECT SAKE! Missions are really hard and sometimes i wanna faint because Houston likes to play trickster tricksters all day and night and never turn down the sun but I would endure anything to let every single person know about the gospel! I will endure being away from my favorite people, i will endure the heat, I will endure being rejected, i will endure satan, i will endure anything i have to to find these people that need Christ!  I love it here so much! I'm as happy as bubble gum!

You know there really in sun shine in my soul and its FABULOUS!!!

I LOVE YOU GUYS SOOO MUCH!! Eat some slurpees and snow cones for me! it's HOTTER THAN A BAD PLACE!

HERMANA NATALIE BRYNN

PLEASE ZOOM IN ON SOUP... LOOKS LIKE NOSES NO JOKE BUT NOPE JUST A COUPLE OF PIG FEET DONT WORRY!

Hermana palmer and our member kiko. Thursday night tradition