9 months

darling companions!

HELLO FAMILY!

Wow! What a week it's been. Jack-o-lanterned full of craziness. We have been seeing so many miracles... We found families, I only fell off the bunk bed once, and I found a white velvet nightgown at Goodwill today that I just had to get. $4.99 folks. $4.99! best buy I've had all year!

First off, they literally don't believe in halloween here. So lame. I'm like people seriously have you ever been to a Wagstaff Family party or had one of my dads hot dogs? They would be hip hopping so fast to the monster mash if they only knew how great the holidays could be... so we dressed up as missionaries... knocked lots of doors but no one gave us candy. All my back-up plans for the day were so fun though. When one of our plans didn't work out, Hna. Palmer would say, "What was our back-up plan?" me- "ohhh looks like I've got cake walk or donut eating contest. You pick..." love me some halloween spirit! We had to be in by seven because you never know what houston will do on a halloween night! I tried to make my companions carmel popcorn but didn't have the recipe so it literally tasted like little popcorns in a flooded sandbox! soooo gritty and so disgusting! This is what i put in it mom. Tell me how close I was. 1 stick of butter, 2 cups of brown sugar, 1 cup milk and 1 bag of popcorn..... SOOOO TERRIBLE!

carmel popcorn soup YO!

I also made my companions sing christmas hymns over a candle because there are no halloween hymns that i know of. It was a good time. I was thinking of making some halloweeners for the neighbors but never got around to it! I kept forgetting it was halloween and just imagine how creepy it is to see a joker painted face following you on the streets on a normal saturday evening in houston. SOOOO SKETCHY! This lady actually did follow me for a second and i got so scared! All the niece and nephew costumes were sooooo cute. I loved them all! thanks for all the pics!

We have the cutest little nine year old getting baptized this Sunday! Her name is Alondra. I have visited her family every single Monday since June! I have been trying to get her baptized for a very long time and this week she's going to do it!!!! whoooo hoooo hoooo! Her mom has been very less active and she has had a boyfriend living with her who is ten years younger. Love is love (teaching the law of chastity to her daughter was awko taco!) Anywho the only thing that was holding Alondra back was her mom. She was like, "No, she has to be perfect and she's not. She's not obeying me and getting 70 on her tests in school." I wanted to say, "Well are you living the commandments? she's only nine years old" but i didn't. (I get soooo scared sometimes at their house) LONG STORY SHORT... boyfriend moved out and now her mom is SOOOO happy and has been coming to church the last four weeks! I have the strongest testimony of the law of chastity because it really was making it so hard for the whole entire family but now they are all progressing happily and rapidly! 

On Thursdays at 5 we eat dinner with the Hernandez family. They are less active but now just love us for some reason. The mom is in our english class and now we have a great relationship with her. She feed us pasta the size of bobby's head and right after we had an appointment with Carol and Alondra and she's like, "Hermanas i made.... PASTA." I jump up and i'm like YESSSS WE ARE SOOO EXCITED! (i literally could not fit one more NOODLE in my body.. I really hate that I'm getting fat but i love these people A THOUSAND TIMES MORE THAN MY BODY!) So I've figured out what systems work best for me.... The feed it to the dog under the table, shove it in your bag, or give it to your comp sitting next to ya. This is how i get my food gone quick..... 

So when you've already been swirling forks for hours and you feel like your back in junior high trying to open your locker because you've just been turning your wrist so many times follow these simple steps...

1. keep telling her how delicious and wonderful it is. Keep asking what ingredients she but in it so she has to salvage through the pantry.

2. set decoys.. (didn't actually do this one myself but the kids happened to spill cranberry juice on the carpet! so nice of them!)

3. find a Styrofoam cup nearby that you can simply shovel all of your noodles into. 

4. cover your cup with your napkins and then throw it in the trash.

5. When she comes over your shoulder and says, "wow hermana do you want more???" casually act like you can't breathe you're so full. 

6. Then tell her that your comps want more AND some to take home. just for kicks and giggles. While they are trying to figure out how you did that so sneakily! 

7. Take out the trash so she can't find the evidence. Great way to serve the people and get it out of the house. 

haha so many great times you have on a mission! I AM SO HAPPY. I LOVE SERVING THE LORD! I could not be any happier. It is so hard some days but it makes the great days even more enjoyable! Elder Corbridge came to our mission this week and he was incredible! He started out by saying, "If you can say you're an IDIOT, and imperfect you are on the right path. If you are feeling inadequate, GOOD you are inadequate. Welcome to the club."  I know that the atonement is real and it works. I'm so grateful for the atonement and that not only the people that are getting baptized can receive a remission for their sins but so can I and you every single day! 

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS I COULD SHARE.....

roses are red

houston is crazy

I've been out nine months 

and I'm not having a baby! 

I have some news 

if you're reading, don't hit snooze

Johanna and Tal might just be having one 

DAUGHTER OR SON 

that's a question quite fun 

All I know is NUMBER 3 IS IN THE BUN!  

GUYS JOHANNA IS PREGNANT!!! CAN I GET A WHHOOOTTT WHOOOTT! WHAT A FUN TIME! She's due May 18th 2016! babies babies babies! i can't wait!!!!! 

love you all! 

Hermana Wagstaff

p.s. sorry about the poem... made it up on the spot! but just know I'm so excited for you Johanna! so so excited!

when your little darling companion is scared of bed-bugs and asks you to duct tape socks to her hands and feet... hahahaha poor dear!