siswag: HELLO DEAR

Hello dears,

I'M IN LOVE, I'M IN LOVE, AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT... WITH PRESIDENT RUSSELL M. NELSON! I thought Ezra Taft Benson was my love because we really bonded that week my comp had pneumonia. President Nelson arrived here on Friday and everything changed. I personally have been pretending that he's been here all week. I made my companion do weekly planning outside this week cuz can I get a weather man up in here? I am so confused! hot, cold, hot, humid, slightly freezing... it changes everyday! But I have officially called weekly planning to weekly planning/tanning and we had the most beautiful planning session on our balcony out in the sun! (except for the sunburn that I got on only the right side of my neck. terrible.) And I kept saying, "Hey there goes President Nelson!" "Oh president Nelson, that sneaky guy just circling around our complex." "Oh President Nelson. yep he's coming to join us for our weekly planning today." My companion was sick of the President Nelson is coming jokes but I was just SOOO EXCITED!

So let me just take you all to Tuesday... we had interviews with president and the APs were like, "Hey do you want to be an usher for the Tri-mission conference?" SAY WHAT?? HECK YA I DO! I asked the APs if I could camp outside the church since we had to be there so early but they said no... So they drew me out a map you could call it. Looked very similar to a high school football touchdown plan. Lots of X's and O's. I was to stand at the back of the chapel and hail mary the Senior couples up to the front rows or if they were elders- pick 6 to the back rows. So I painted my fingernails and everything because I knew this was my one chance, my one opportunity to show them what I was made of as an usher and i just knew President Nelson would come through my door! So there was me and this other sister, Sister Lynn (she is a perfect mix of addie and abby. we had so much fun together) I had code words for everything. If someone we didn't know was coming towards us my code word was : The bird has perched. A missionary from our mission: Scotch tape (just like old times mom) if it was PRESIDENT NELSON: THE EAGLE HAS LANDED! But what the APs didn't do was show me all the curve balls that were thrown. The deaf elders that showed up looked at me for their seat and I probably signed baby goat milk to them and pointed to the front of the chapel. (Abby where were you with your sign language skills when I needed you??) They also didn't tell me that there would be 10,394 Senior couples that I would have no idea where to sit them! Traffic jams up in the front row. MY BAD! But I look to my right AND THE EAGLE HAD LANDED!!! PRESIDENT NELSON! His body guards really got me. One of them comes up to me and I was so nervous. I mean what's a girl to do when she's President Nelson's usher?? So the body guards says, "I'm looking for the usher to seat me." (I think he could tell I was so excited to be there) and my mind went blank. I start frantically looking around. Who is the usher that is suppose to seat them?? The APs didn't tell me this! I'm like, "ummm one sec let me find them." He starts laughing, "No. No, I was just teasing you! I wanted to see what you'd say!" ruuuddddeee man. hahaha love him to!

I got to shake President Nelson's hand and he looked me straight in the eyes and just simply said, "Hello Dear." like we had been best friends since sixth grade field day. It was nothing to him but everything to me! Hello Dear will forever be my favorite line! He is the most humble, hilarious man. I LOVE HIM!

He told us this story that was so amazing! He said I haven't shared yet. So in his last conference talk he shared that story about the two little girls he wasn't able to save through heart surgery and he bawled on the floor until his wife came to his rescue. Well he said that in September those two little girls came to him in a dream 58 years since the surgery and said, "President Nelson we aren't sealed to anyone. Can you help us?" So their father is still alive but has a lot of resentment towards President Nelson and refused to meet with him. But finally they met and he told him what happened. He was able to seal their family and said it was the most beautiful experience! It just made me realize how close our Prophet and Apostles are to heaven! They are amazing men and I look up to them and their counsel so much! One other quote i loved was, "God loves the Unlikely to accomplish the Impossible!" It was such a wonderful day! i learned so much from him.

Dad I was thinking about you all day Sunday. It was ironic I had to speak in my ward about the same time you guys were speaking. i felt your and moms support and i hope you felt mine!

Diana is amazing! Unfortunately she can't get baptized this sunday and she want's to so bad! She even tried to move in with one of our less actives but the less active wouldn't let her. (i know i was mad too) but her "boyfriend" has to get divorced before they can get married. WE HAVE 5 INVESTIGATORS WHO WILL BE BAPTIZED TOMORROW IF THEY WOULD GET DIVORCED!

WELL I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

LOVE YOUR LITTLE HOUSTON GIRL!

HERMANA WAGSTAFF