Merry Christmas

Well it sounds like you guys are having a lot of fun this year at christmas. And mom said that kenzi and brooke want to act out the nativity thing that will be fun. Also, thats crazy that there isn´t a lot of snow there this year but im sure it will be coming quick. Well for you that dont know we had a baptism on satuday, we baptized a guy named cuchito and it was really cool because now him and his wife are baptized and are active members in the ward right now so we are super stoked about that. Also we are working with some more people and they are progressing really well so life is good right here in the DR. Also, my new comp is from washington and his name is elder king, and we get a long really well and I know that the work will just continue here in bayona and that we will be able to bring many more souls unto the fold christ. And this is what we are going to be working for. Well I hope christmas goes really well this year and New years too. I love you all and merry Christmas
Elder wadman
oh and here are some photos of the baptism 

and cleaning out the font

Pics

here are some pictures some of our baseball zone activity

 one of this guy we found walking on the street with a byu shirt and I was like hermano! and we tracked him down and got pictures with him.

a picture of our ward christmas dinner with a pig

White Christmas

Well last week we had a christmas conference with our entire mission so that was really cool. And that was the reason I didn´t write, i thought we would have time to write but we didn´t back home til late. Anways, it sounds like you are all getting ready for christmas and it sounds like south dakota was pretty cool like always. That is awesome that tyler and meg moved into their new house now and the pictures are sick. Well this week has been pretty sweet and pretty crazy at the same time. We are going to have a white christmas here in the DR, well that is what we are calling it. We are going to have a baptism christmas eve and we are baptising the husband of a lady we baptized a month ago and it is so cool to see the changes that they have made in their lives. And now we have been teaching their daughter and her husband too so we will see with them but it is really cool and this family is really cool. We also have started teaching this lady and her husband and they are from peru. And when we taught them about the Book of Mormon it just seemed to click with them and they have been reading and have been learning a ton so we are excited to continue teaching them. Also tomorrow is transfers and my comp elder peterson is leaving to san jaun which is way out in the campo, which means like really close to haiti so he is excited for that and my new comps name is elder king and I will meet him tomorrow but it has been good with peterson here we have gotten a lot done here in bayona and me and my new comp are going to continue to keep the work and going the way it has been here. So I am excited for that and I told mom but I am going to call probably in the afternoon on sunday, so I am excited to talk to you all I love ya and I will talk to you on sunday.
Love elder wadman

So that is crazy about the windstorms in bountiful and the trees being uprooted and all the tipped semis. Must have been pretty sketchy driving down to st. george like that. That is awesome that meg and tyler about to move into there house, that is crazy that it is already built by now. Also, that´s wierd that heathers car got broken into you got to be careful up there in Logan you never know whats going to happen ha anyways this week has been sweet down here, me and my comp made some goals to try and talk to as many people as we could and to share the gospel as many as we can. it has been sweet we have been talking to everything and sharing a little bit about the gospel and ask if they want us to come back and share. we have ment so many more people this week and have started teaching a whole lot more too. So, a couple weeks ago we baptized a woman named elvira and I sent a picture of her home she is probably like 40 and she´s got a family. Well we have been teaching her husband and her daughter now, and the other day in one of our lessons we were talking about the steps of the gospel and we got to baptism and we have asked him before if he would be willing to get baptized and this time when we asked he said "I already made up my decision, I am getting baptized." Him and his wife have been going to church together for the last couple weeks and they just seem so much happier and there whole family seems so much happier too. Elvira´s daughter is really smart and  we are hoping she will accept the gospel too, but they have been really cool to be teaching. But yeah the DR is getting all ready for Christmas right now, you should see some of their decorations! the put up all these homemade decorations hanging from the buildings over the streets of like CD´s and all sorts of cheap stuff but it actually looks really cool I will send some pictures home of it. Other than that we are just looking to find more people that we can bring to the knowledge of the gospel and to the happiness that comes from it. Just remember Coca-Cola DISFRUTALO!
Love Elder Wadman

Well this week has been awesome. We have started teaching a lot of new investigators and they are amazing. Usually to get people to read here is really hard and our new investigadors have been reading more than we even ask them too and are starting to develop such strong testimonies of the gospel. It is so cool to see the changes in these people lives when they accept the gospel and start living the gospel. Also we moved this week, our little apartment that we were living in was really small for 4 missionaries and nothing really worked, and i guess we have been in the process of moving for like 6 months and we finally moved to a different apartment and it is bigger we have 2 bathrooms 2 showers! oh it is something else! ha Anyways today was really cool! There are baseball feilds everywhere here in the DR but today we went as 2 zones and played a big baseball game. And it was a feild in the middle of our are and it is basically a huge staduim, it was really cool, one of my favorite zone activities. I was showing them the Albert Pujols in me ha but it was really cool. here they call the baseball fields "el play". Baseball is life for most of the young guys because they are trying to make it to the big leagues. Kids with talent wont go to school they will go to the play all day and practice. It is crazy sometimes when we walk past the play we see american scouts from the big teams, scouting the kids. It is wierd to see americans here, if you are american then you are usually a missionary. So when we see a gringo here scouting you can pick them out really easy. It isreally cool to see, but yeah they love their baseball I am pretty sure that tyler would like to see this. They are crazy good too. Anyways, I am glad to hear that everything we well with the funerals and that you had a good thanksgiving. For our thanksgiving dinner we had something really special! Beans and Rice Ha, it doesn´t get much better than that. anyways, the work is coming a long really well and we are doing our best to take this message to as many people as we can here in Bayona. I love you all and hope all is going well back home.
Elder Wadman

Oh and here are some photos of the DR the first we were up contacting and i found this hammer thing on the roof and I wanted to get a picture of it and the other is our thanksgiving food and some other stuff.

To start out I want to say that I love you all. And I shared this in my email to mom and dad but as I was reading through the book of mormon this morning I came across a phrase that is in the scriptures so many times. But it says if ye keep my commadments ye will prosper in the land. It is that simple if we keep the commadments of the Lord we have no reasons to worry. everything in life is a choice we are never forced to do anything, no matter what happens around us we have the choice. We have the choice to be happy, we have the choice to follow Christ and follow in the path that leads to ultimate happiness. As we stay true to who we are, and continue to read the scriptures, pray and always continue to develop our relationship with Christ we will be blessed. Through Christ there is nothing that is impossible, we can overcome all challenges. As it says in Alma chapter 7 Christ has came and sufferend all of our afllictions, temptations and enfermities, as we come to Christ we can be made whole through Him. I want to say that I know that Christ lives and that He loves each and everyone of us and that Christ is coming again. like the song says yo se que vive mi señor, or I know that my redeemer lives. he wants us to come unto him and be happy and we can and will take our pain away. The work here is going good, we are finding a lot of people that need to know this same thing, and know that we can be together forever. And we can be an eternal family as we continue to be obdient to the commandments of the Lord. Know that I will be praying for you and keep praying for me too. I love you all the gospel is true, I promise that as we read the book of mormon it brings comfort and answers that we are look for. The DR is great and the work is coming forth down here. Love Elder Wadman

Wow that is crazy that you have some snow now and that mom went how skiing and that tasha went sledding that is awesome. It´s starting to become winter back there! Well, wow this past week has been awesome and saturday was the capper. We had 3 baptisms on saturday, Yuleni, Daylin, and Elvira. and it was crazy there was 55 people there which is insane for a baptism here. the room wasn´t big enough to fit everybody in it so us and the bishop stood outside during the talks and stuff. And then I ended up baptizing Yuleni and Elder peterson baptized Daylin and Elvira. It was cool to get pictures of us both in our white baptismal clothes I sent a bunch of pictures to Teri of the baptisms, so she can get them to you. 

Well we are still just doing are best here trying to find more people to teach. We have found one family and they are really awesome and really interested in the gospel we just need to get them married before they can get baptized and we had a way spiritual lesson with them. We taught them the importance of families and how we can be with our families forever through gospel of Jesus Christ and we asked them if they wanted that and they were like we would love that, and then we committed them to get baptized and married all at the same time and they accepted and it was so cool very spiritual. Well the work is coming forth down here a lot and it is cool to be able to be a part of it, and see how the lord has prepared these people how are job as missionaries is to go out and find these people and bring them into the field. Well I hope everything keeps going good back home, I love you all
Love Elder Wadman

First transfer

The trip down to st. george looked like it was fun and the hiking and stuff, its always fun going down there. The house and grass look good brad and teri, also that is crazy that you are getting some snow up there now and that it is cooling down a lot.Well I have completed 1 transfer now and it has been a great transfer we got a lot done here. This week we had the baptism of Carmela she is the haitian lady that was addicted to smoking and now she hasn´t smoked for two weeks! She bore her testimony at the baptism and it was so powerful, and it is crazy how much smarter she has became. When we first contacted her she didn´t understand us a ton but the spirit worked on her and she gained that testimony and the faith to give up smoking and to be baptized. It was a really cool baptism and here are some pictures of it. 

And also there was another baptism and his name is jeffrey and he grew up in the states and now he lives here so he knows english and he is a really cool kid. He is about 20 with a really strong testimony and he has got a big desire to be a missionary. So, it is really cool the recent converts are really strong down here and they are doing alot. We are going to have 3 more baptisms this next week. One of them is this kid and he is 9 years old and his family went inactive for like a year and now they have started coming back to church and they really want him to get baptized. We have had them help us with teaching him. We have them read over the material with him before we come and then we come and teach it more. It has seemed to strengthen that family so much and has helped them realize once again the testimonies that they truly have. We also went and helped them repaint there house and it was pretty fun, I have became really close to this family and I am excited for his baptism next week. But he is even more excited, him and his family came to the baptism of carmela and when he saw the water he got really excited, so we are getting ready for that this next week. Anyways this week has been awesome I hope everything keeps going good back home and that you all don´t get too cold Ha I love you all
Elder Wadman

Q&A

I know you eat rice and beans every day. What do you eat for breakfast?
For breakfeast i either have ramen or peanut butter and jellies and some special mornings cereal. 


You say you walk to everywhere. How far would you say you walk in a day?
And I say we probably walk like 8 or 9 miles a day, we walk quite a bit, hopefully the shoes will hold up ha. 


Are you close to the mission home right now. There are 3 missions in Dominican Republic. So are there 3 different mission homes too. Where is the MTC?  
yep three different mission homes and the mtc is right next to the temple and both of them are in my mission. Also, a lot of people from my ward work at the mtc, its not very far away from where I am at right now. 


How warm is it? Is there much variation in the temperatures during the year?
It´s always the same temperature either really warm or hot. 


I was impressed that you made a cake. Did you use a mix or make it totally by scratch. I have heard that some of the missionaries have had maids. Do you have a maid?
we do not have a maid they took maids out of our missions like close to 10 years ago because they want us to learn how to cook and wash and all that junk, so no we don´t have any maids, but that would be nice ha.

View of Ryan from his Companion Elder Peterson

First week of training done. I realized I lied to everyone. My trainee´s name is Wadman, not Wagman. Its hard when you hear a Dominican´s interpretation of English names. It was a great week too!. Our house of missionaries is incredible. We are all obedient and hard working and our area is incredible right now.
Elder Wadman is great. He wants to be a good, obedient missionary. He is the kind of missionary that his family should be proud. He is from little Liberty, UT. I think we are going to have a blast together. And if we don´t, at least we will have success. 


My companion is doing great. He has great Spanish for his time in the mission. Loves the people. Doesn´t complain about the food (or about anything for that matter). And he is learning super fast. He makes it easy to be a trainer. 

3 months

Well it sounds like the deer hunt up black canyon wasn´t way successful for deer but it sounds like it was a good ride and it is always a good time up there. Also I saw the pictures of mom on the walker... thats a little scary. HA, I hope those lines are still staying straight. It is crazy that is it is starting become fall and cool down there. It is weird I don´t know how the people tell time here because it is the same temperature and the same weather everyday all year round. Besides hurricane season i guess. But that is good that all is going well and that halloween has been good. Halloween is not that big of a deal down here. The only thing I have seen of halloween was last night, This big lady had a witch hat and a broomstick between her legs and she was chuckling and stumbling down the street, really drunk, it was pretty funny. But basically the only holiday that they are worried about is Christmas. Its funny people started putting up christmas lights like 3 weeks ago, and this week in church we started singing christmas hymns, so now we will probably be singing christmas hymns for two months so that will be a good time! Also this week was super cool we have been teaching this lady that is about 55 and she has really been struggling with smoking. We have been telling her to keep praying for God´s help to quit and she just hasn´t had a lot of faith that she could overcome it. So the other day we asked her if she would fast for help and if she wanted a blessing, and she said yes. So she started her fast and then we went home and started our fast and we went back the next day after both of us had fasted and we gave her a blessing, and the spirit was felt very strongly, my comp blessed her to have the power to overcome this addiction. we have been visiting her almost everyday since the blessing and everytime we ask her how she is doing she says estoy luchando, I am fighting. But now she has gone 5 days without smoking and she says that she is done for good and she is getting baptized this saturday. So it was so cool to see how the Lord will work miracles if we have the faith necessary, he can do all things. It also strengthened my testimony of fasting, prayer, and the priesthood power. They are real and when we use them we can overcome the difficulties in our lives just like Carmela overcame smoking. So we are really excited for her baptism this next week. Also this week, there was a baptism in our district of this man that has been investigating the church for almost 20 years! He has one of the strongest testimonies I have heard and is going to be such a strong member of the church. Well The DR is still here and rocking (literally, lots of music, everywhere). Anyways I love you all and everything is going great down here. 
Love Elder Wadman

Colmado

Well this week has been a really good week. This sunday it was stake conference and it was crazy. The stake center was packed with people lots of people, mucha gente. Our President, president rodriguez, and his wife talked at conference at they gave way good talks. Also the stake misson leader talked and he told the members down here how they need to work harder at bringing in all the new converts, and it was really cool, because that is what the members down here need to do. So it was a great stake conference. Also  it was cool this week we found a new place in our area that we didn't think was part of our area but it ended up being a part of it. And it is out on this dirt road, and as we got out there a ways we started to see fields and the thick jungle so that was pretty cool to see this week. The people out there were pretty chill too. Really chill, like sit on a lawn chair all day chill Ha. but we talked to them and they are really funny because a lot of them sit out on a lawn chair and then we contact them and ask them if we can come back and share with them, and they are nice and don't want to say no so they say that they don't live there. That they are just visiting for the day. And we say oh yeah where do you live, and they say oh over there, pointing a far ways away and we say oh ok. But everyday we go back they are still just sitting on that same lawn chair. HA. Also on last monday we ate pizza! Which is crazy,  because we usually eat rice and beans but we passed like the only pizza place here and got some pizza and it was really good, we were loving it. But this week has gone really good and this next week we have a baptism in our district coming up with a really cool guy that has been investigating the church for like 20 years and now he is getting baptized, and has such a strong testimony. So we are all pretty excited for that.

Well it sounds like everything at home has been going good. That you have been getting a lot of canning done and that the hunts are going good. That is crazy that the weather has been changing up there and that it is starting to get cold. Well everything here is good and I love you all. The work is going forth right now down here and it is really cool to see. anyways I love you all and hope everything keeps going good up there!

Elder Wadman

Scroll Down to Later Posts for more pictures of Ryan in the DR.

 District

 Elder Buswell, Elder Beutler, Elder Wadman

Elder Hansen, Elder Montgomery, Elder Wadman

Boda

Well this week has been a pretty awesome week. On saturday Yuan and emperatriz got married and then emperatriz got baptized that night. The baptism was really cool we had a ton of people from the ward there and a lot of investigators too. During the time after the baptism when they are getting changed, we showed the restoration and it was really spiritual. It was really cool for our investigators because they saw kind what happened and it clicked a little bit more to them. We have got a lot of progressing investigators that are coming a long really well this one lady that we are teaching has a really strong testimony of the gosple and she wants to get baptized so bad. She addicted to smoking though right now but she is working and praying really hard to stop it. Our last lesson we taught her about fasting and how we can fast for more help from the Lord. So we keep praying for her and I know she will brake the habit, we set a goal for her and I know she will brake it if she has faith that the lord can help her. 

To answer some questions we walk everywhere to get around. when we go somewhere we walk, it is our mode of transportation. Also we eat rice and bean everyday. They have want they call "the bandera" which is like their main meal that they have at least once a day and it is rice and beans. They always ask us what is the bandera in america? and we tell them that we don´t have one, we eat whatever food we want to eat anyday, and it is crazy to them. For them it is basically not a meal if you don´t have rice. Like you can have a ton of other food but if there isn´t rice then its not a meal it´s pretty funny. But it is good because I really do like rice and I like the bandera too it tastes good.

That picture is taking at a place we were contacted one day, which is pretty close to my apartment.

Also, for the wedding we baked a cake! HA we gave it to them at the baptism and like had them cut it and stuff. It was really funny because the cake cutting tradition doesn´t exist down here so we had them do it and then we gave cake to everyone at the baptism. They went crazy over it, they thought we bought it. But that is probably just because people don´t think you can bake for yourself down here. Most people that have ovens use it as a storage area because they think that that is what it is for, its pretty funny.

Anyways all is good here and we are just going to keep being gringos and of course we are going to keep eating our rice! I´ve notice that the mission and Mcdonalds have a lot in common because Im loving it! HA anyways I love you all


Elder Wadman

Alright well this week has been Awesome! We have been getting a lot of good work done. We have been finding a lot of new people that want to hear about the gospel and it is so awesome, how some people genuinely want to make a change in their lives when they hear the message and start gaining a testimony, and a relationship with God and their savior. They are willing to give up everything to pull away from the world and it is super cool to see the changes in they make in their lives. Also there is this really solid investigator and she has been ready to get baptized for a long time now but she hasnt been married to her husband. So today we went and got all the papers ready and they are going to get married on saturday morning and then she is going to get baptized that night, so we are really excited for them because she is so ready for it. A lot of people don't get married here because it is really expensive and they don't have the money for it, but she is awesome and is really excited to get baptized on saturday. And im pretty sure he will get baptized sometime soon too, he tries to act like he isn't way interested but then she talks to us and tells us that she will walk in and catch him reading the book of mormon, which is really cool to hear. We have some other investigators that are progressing a lot to and church was awesome yesterday, we had a bunch of people show up and they really loved it. I think they can feel the difference and the spirit when they come to church. A lot of churchs down here have big drums and stuff and ours is just peaceful and they like it because they can feel the spirit.

That is so awesome that the groundbreaking of the payson temple happened and you got to hear Elder Oaks i Bet that was awesome. Also that is crazy that it snowed back there. Here it stays the same temperature all day every day, it cools off a little a night but usually just really warm and humid. The people here are funny though they think if the rain hits the top of your head that you will get sick. And when it drops below 80 degrees it is freezing for them. And yes right now I am in the capital, so I am in the city of Santo Domingo right now. Well I hope everything is going well at home and that the hunts are going well too, hopefully dad and eric dont shoot them all, and there will be an elk 2 years bigger and older when I get home. HA! Anyways I love you all the gospel is true, and makes such a big difference in the lives of all those who accept it and their savior Jesus Christ, it is really cool to see the change in people's lives down here. All is going well down here and im lovin it en la RD.

Love Elder Wadman

santo baca

Well everybody I made it down to the DR. It is a place that I haven´t ever experienced before. Anyways so I met my trainer and my mission president on tuesday. My trainers name is Elder Peterson he is a good missionary and a cool kid from Idaho. 

Our area is Bayona, it is in the capital, which means its in the city of Santo Domingo. Elder Peterson was here the transfer before and he has got the area on Fire! We are teaching so many people right now and we have lots of people with baptismal dates. We had 2 baptisms on saturday and I got to baptize one of them. The one that I baptized, her name is Yuelli and she is an awesome haitain lady, and then the other one that was baptized is named Caroline and she is a 12 yr old little girl with a great testimony. So this week has been Crazy! I watched conference in spanish and it was great. I saw the very first of Carl´s talk and then we had to go check the font. It ended up filling up with dirty water, you couldn´t even see the bottum, I will send pictures. So we were trying to think of what to do and then the stake president just told us to go and do it in the water so we did. It all turned out well, and was a really cool baptismal service. It got the ward here pretty pumped which is the best and our ward is really cool too. I was super blessed to be able to come into this area.

A little bit on living conditions, we usually don´t have power and bucket showers are the Bomb.Com! They really do feel good and cool, very nice. Well I am loving it here and we are going to get some great work done in this area. The Lord has prepared these people and they are so ready hear the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our investigators really liked President Monson, and his stories. They also really liked Elder Tad Calister´s talk about the book of mormon and the bible, it was so perfect for them! Anyways the work is coming forth down here and it is so awesome the gospel is true and the book of mormon is the word of god. I love you all!  Nos Vemos or in dominican spanish No Vemo 
Elder Wadman

Surprise Airport Visit

Travel Plans for la Republica Dominicana

Well I got my travel plans last thursday. And i am leaving on monday, I have to report at the travel office at 4 am and then I will get bussed to the airport. My flight out of SLC will be departing at 715 and then I will be flying to Chicago, and then to Miami and then to Santo Domingo. So I will arrive in the Dom Reps at 830 their time about 630 our time! Which is  so awesome! I have a little layover in Miami and it is my biggest one, like a little less than two hours, so I am thinking of calling from there. Which would be anywhere from 230 pm to 400 pm our time here at home. Entonces, I am way excited to go down there and see the DR and start talking to them about the Gospel and how important it is. People I talk to keep telling me that there are some big ole spiders down there "tarantulas' and it made me think of dad. So I will have to see if the rumors are true and if they are then I will take a picture of some and send them back because i know how you love spiders!

 

Also this week in the MTC has been awesome too. We have been getting a whole bunch of apostles this week Elder Nelson came and talked to us. And it was really cool because we got the october ensign like 2 weeks ago and were told to study it for the devotional, and so we did. It is an awesome ensign it is all about the Book of Mormon and how important and how true of a record it is. Elder Nelson then expanded more on it and told us the significance of the Book of the Mormon in conversion. It is the biggest part. Once they come to know of the truth of the Book of Mormon then they know that is of God and that Joseph Smith truly translated it through the power of God and he so God the father and Jesus Christ in the grove, and has set up Christ restored church on the earth today. So it was so awesome to hear and study so much more about the history of the Book of Mormom and it's amazing power to change hearts and its testament of Jesus Christ.

 

Well we are on the countdown we have about 3 and a half days left here in the MTC and it's crazy to think that we have been here for 2 months already. We are all super excited to get to go to work now and see all of this preparation here pay off. So yeah, remember to answer the phone somewhere between 230 and 4 and I might get to call you sometime before I leave the mtc too but I'm not sure. Also mom if you could dear elder me and send me my mission address that would be awesome! like maybe today or tomorrow sometime so i can give it to people in my district? Anyways I love you all, the Gospel is so true and Jesus Christ lives and loves us.

 

Elder Wadman 

Once dias mas

Well this week has been an awesome week. We got blessed again on tuesday night, and we got to hear from Elder M. Russell Ballard and his wife. It was so awesome! there always is a certain spirit in the air here and expecailly when an apostle of the Lord is here. He talked about setting realistic goals, that make you stretch and then going out and getting them. He said, without setting goals you will never know if you have arrived, or if you have accomplished all that you really could. It was so great, he also talked about making a commitment to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and then go and follow Him for the rest of our lives, so I really enjoyed it.

 

We have got about a week and half left and everybody is getting pretty excited. We have been speaking alot of spanish and i have been feeling pretty good about it. The other day I talked to an Elder from the DR and he doesn't speak any english. it was Supér deficil to understand what he was saying. The Dominicans don't say there s's so when someone would say como esta usted? which means how are you, it sounds like como eta uted which is pretty cool but kind of hard to pick out words. Me and my companion walked away after talking to him and I was like did you understand anything he just said? and he was like not really, good luck! So I am really excited to start hearing what their spanish sounds like and to be immersed in it. Other than that experience the spanish feels pretty good.

 

Also thanks for the package and the peanut butter it is going to come in super handy when i am done there. It also is good to hear that all the hay is done this year and that the lawn is getting cut. Well I have really enjoyed my experience here a lot and it really doesn't feel like we have been here for almost 2 months. I felt like i have learned a ton. And i was blessed to stay here another week because i got to hear Elder Ballard and his testimony of Jesus Christ. I have gained a much greater testimony of Jesus Christ while being here and I know it will only increase while im out in the field, He truly is our savior and our redeemer, and He loves and suffered for each and everyone of us so that we can repent and be happy. I love it! I love the Gospel! I am so thankful for it. I hope everything is going well at home, I love you all

Elder Wadman

What a Week!

Well yesterday was quite an exciting day. I had a great personally study and then we were starting class and they told me to come down to the travel office. I got down there and they said, Elder Wadman you are leaving today. And was like are you serious? When? and they said my flight would leave at 1140 from SLC and then go to JFK and then to the DR and that I would need to be ready to go by 830 that night. So me and my comp went and washed all my clothes got everything all packed and I was ready to go. By this time it was about 4 oclock in the afternoon and I was about to take pictures with my district and kind of say bye to people. Luckily though, I didn't have to go through the effort of saying bye to people because they called me back down and told me that I was not going anymore. So it was pretty effective day yesterday Ha, but I did get to talk to mom so that was great. Entonces, the plan now is the same i am leaving in about 2 and a half weeks so I get to be here somemore which is really cool.

 

This week one of our teachers has committed us to speaking all spanish 24/7 which our district is working hard at. And it is pretty tough but cool to see how much we have progressed in these last six weeks. Next week we will probably get to start hosting, which, if you remeber when you dropped me off all of those elders standing out there to help. Well yeah we will probably get to do that so it will be pretty cool. Also, It is kind of crazy but I was talking to Parker ( elder Hansen) and he is leaving the same day as me from here which is pretty cool. He has been here for a pretty long time so that is kind of crazy for him. I haven't seen Elder Musgrave yet but I am keeping an eye out. I seem to always run into Roger and Karen Bailey which it has been cool talking to them.

 

So in the mtc we teach our teachers as if they are a real progressing investigator. and on saturday our investigator that we have been teaching this whole time is getting baptized, and for our last lesson we taught her about faith and hope. We read 2 nephi 31:20 which says, Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and all men. Wherefore if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold thus saith the Father, Ye shall have eternal life. And I really liked sharing that scripture because it states so simply what we need to do, and how we need to press forward steadfastly in Christ with hope and always be feasting on His words because that is how we can come to know Him and how we can come to feel the Spirit so much more in our lifes. I love the Gospel and my Savior Jesus Christ, who made it possible for me to be where I am and feel what I feel each day here and it is so powerful I love it. I love you all.

Elder Wadman

Cinco Semanas Bebe!

Well just to start out, we have devotionals every sunday and tuesday night. So we have had a couple guys from the seventy come and after five weeks of people telling me someone from the quorum was going to come and no one did, i didnt believe they would. Anyways, they never tell you who is coming to speak either it is always kind of a suprise. So on tuesday night, before the devotional they came out and told us if someone from the quorum of the twelve were to walk in then we would all need to stand up, so we were like oh no way! And then in walked Elder Holland! And he spoke to us. It was such a great talk, he went 30 minutes over and I didnt even notice. When he finished we had a special music number and the spirit was felt so strong throughout the whole entire assembly hall. I have never heard that place so quiet, everyone there was just soaking it all in. I thought to myself how cool it was that everybody in this room of 2000 people were feeling the spirit that much. It was one of the coolest experiences that I have had in the MTC.

 

At the end of Elder Holland's talk he answered questions and one of the questions was, what is the best way to invite the spirit into our lives? Elder Holland gave us 3 things, he said first is to "dive into the scriptures, pouring your whole heart into feasting upon the words of God. The scriptures are not of man but of God and we literally are hearing the word of God, it is in the scriptures." 2nd he said to pray completely and sincerly and really talk to your heavenly father, he talked about enos and how he Wrestled with God and his soul Hungered, and he cried all day and all night to God. So he told us to really think about our prayers. 3rd he said once you have the spirit do not lose it. Don't go anywhere the spirit can't go, dont say or do anything where the spirit will have to say, Im sorry but  have to go. So that was really cool, and I have been working on that.

 

Also everything is going good hear the spanish is still coming along. In one of my lessons i said Podemos empezar con una oracion? which means can we start with a prayer. But we were outside and it was kind of noisy. and my teacher, which is a girl, and she thought i said Podemos Besar? which means can we kiss... she broke character and started laughing, so did my companion so it was a great way to start our lesson. Other than that things are rolling, and it feels like time is flying bye right now. Thats good to hear that the 2nd crop is finished or almost finished. And hopefully the empty nest isn't too bad without meagan and tyler there now. Anyways the gospel is so awesome! and so true, Christ lives and He loves us. I love you all.

Love Elder Wadman

North Fork Missionaries

Elder Hansen (Parker), Elder Montgomery (JD), Elder Wadman, Elder Gunter (Brett)

With Brett Gunter

entonces, pues

Hola familia!

 

First off, I hope everything went well in Lake Powell and you guys had a fun time. Mom it was good to hear about your bike ride it sounds like you dominated the road all the way to the elementary, next year you guys should do the 100 miler for the MS bike ride thing! Anyways its great to hear that everything is going good back at home. Here at the MTC the days are starting to fly by pretty fast. We stay pretty busy and have a lot more to learn but it is awesome here, the spirit is way strong. On monday our district set a goal to talk the whole day in español and it was pretty cool. My brain was feeling it by the end of the day because you have to think about everything you say and you cant just rattle stuff off, it was cool to see that we could do it. Also a hermana from the DR is in my zone and I have talked to her a little bit, she only speaks spanish so it makes it a little more difficult to understand but she seems way nice and she says all the people down there are very nice and humble, espicially the Haitains, so I can't wait to go and talk to those people down there.

 

Well Elder Beutler and Elder Buswell left on monday so I got to say bye to those boys. Then Elder Mckay came in yesterday and his classroom is right next to mine so i talk to him quite a bit. On Sunday we got a new Branch President, which is basically like getting a new mission president for your zone in the MTC. His name is presidente Tyler and he knows so much about scriptures. He will always walk past our class and just start talking to us and everytime he hears a word he relates it to scriptures. Seriously though, we gave him a handshake and he said do you know what a handshake signifies and he went off for 30 minutes about handshakes. It was interesting and really cool.

 

In the tuesday night devo Elder Claudio Zivic came and talked to us and I really liked what he said. The first thing he said was that we need to let the Savior be our best friend and love Him with all of our heart because the Savior knows everything that we go through and will go through. Also the quote that I really liked was "happiness depends on circumstances, joy depends on God." And it is so true, we can be happy because of circumstances and not have joy but if we give rely on the Lord and trust in Him then we can happiness and endless joy.

 

Well again everything is going great here we are basically half way done with our stay here at the CCM and the foods pretty good I think ive put on like 4 pounds. The waffles are no where close to as good as the Oat and Griddle but what is?? I love the Gospel it is so True and can bring us true joy and happiness, I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I am so thankful for all that he has done for me. Im so thankful for the Book of Mormon and for the spirit it brings into my life and for all the truth that is in it. I love you all.

Love Elder Wadman

Hola

Hey Everybody!

 

Thanks for all the birthday stuff it was great to recieve it all and hear from all of you. Although I am not through the whole tape yet but someday I will get there. Well my birthday was pretty sweet! Best birthday that i have ever had in the MTC! It was cool my district kept singing Feliz Cumpleanos like the whole day. And then the would call me a bebe because I told them that I was only turning 19, it was a fun day. I hope you guys have fun in Lake Powell, I dont know if that will be possible without me there but please do your best Ha. Um for some reason the Dear Elders got sent to my email so I will talk to them and see what is going on with that too.

 

Elder Montgomery left on Monday and I said bye to him again for two years but we got a lot of pics together. Also me, jdizz, parkson, and Elder Gunter all got a picture together that we will  be sending home and back to the ward. Its crazy a lot of the people that we came in with have left this week. All of the native speakers and the poeple going to other MTC's and its kind of crazy. Also Elder Beutler and Buswell leave next week its cool talking to them in espanol and just being goof balls.

 

The spanish is still coming right a long. It is so cool because 3 weeks ago i couldnt speak at all and now I can teach a lesson pretty easily and kind of carry on a conversation.. A little. And Tyler Dom Rep in espanol is la republica dominicana, which is probably the sickest name ever right? Ha I liked hearing you and Brian talk to me in espanol because I actually understood it now. There is still a lot of learning that I need to do and I am glad Ive got the Lords help to help me with the languange and with all the awesome points of the Gospel.

 

On Sunday we had a really good fireside it was Brother Heaton, he is like the missionary director of something.. I dont know, but he gave an awesome talk. And he asked all of us missionaries to say what we think would define being a successful missionary. And a bunch of missionaries got up and gave some really good answers. Then Brother Heaton said that being a successful missionary is determined on how pleasing your mission is to the lord. He said what we need to do is have faith, work hard, and be obedient and to put our trust in the lord. And perhaps if the people decide to accept our message and be baptized how great will be our joy! And if not that is ok because we have planted a seed, and we have done what is pleasing in the Lords eyes. So it was a really great message. We also watched a talk by Elder Holland and he said the most important part of being a missionary is to help others develop faith in Christ. That is our number one goal, and I think that should be our goal for life too. To always be developing more faith in Christ and helping others to as well.

 

One of the Elders from my district is from Texas. And he has got that Texan pride thing and I love it. He came in and hung a big ole texas flag up in our room the first day. But he said that if is 100 degrees one more day in texas than it will break the World Record for Texas for how hot is ever been. I guess if you beat the Texas Record, then you have basically beaten the World Record, cuz no where else really matter, right Bradley? HA

 

Anyways I love you all, have fun in Powell

 

Elder Wadman

Segunda Semana

Hey everybody!

 

Well this week has been such an awesome week, I cant believe it is already Pday again. The days go by really fast in here because there is so much to do and so much to learn. Sounds like Jackson was sweet I hope you guys got the boat out and did a little extra wakeboarding for me. The spanish is really starting to come a long. I have figured out, to just go with what you know and the words seem to come out right. As companionships, we teach our instructors almost everyday, so that has really boosted my spanish. Today I met a missionary from the DR and he could only speak spanish and he was talking so fast and slurring his words, but I still understood most of it. He was reallly excited when I told him the I was going to the West mission and he told me that his sister lives there and that he is going to write her and tell her to look out for Elder Wadman, so that was an awesome experience!

 

On Tuesday we had a Devotional and it was Elder Cecil O Samuelson. He talked about getting rid of all worldly distractions and givning all of these two years to the Lord. I was talking to my district afterwards and I told them how cool I think that was that he said that. And about how we all need to do it because really these two years are the only time that we can give everything and have no worldly distractions. Also the travel offices keeps calling me down to talk about when they are sending me to the DR or if they are going to send me to the MTC down there. And this last time I went down there they told me that I am staying here all 9 weeks just like we were told. It was funny though because this chinese lady was the person that was telling me that I am staying here. And after she told me she said, would you like a water pops and i said, no im fine. And she said, are you sure its really good. And I said, ok Ill have a water bottle and she said, no water pops... I finally figured out that she was meaning an otter pop. So Im not going to the DR any earlier but me and my companion did get some water pops! Ha

 

Anyways, I hope everything is going well at home. And I just want to let you guys know about dear elder. It is some program if you get on the internet and sign up its free. That way if you want to right a letter you just get on that, type in the elder that you want it to go to and send it. And I will get it that same day, so thats just a fun fact of the day for you. Anyways I love you all.

 

Love Elder Wadman

First Week

Hola Everybody!

 

That is so exciting that Meg had the baby, and I am glad to hear that everything is going well with that now, send me a picture of him or something ok? Well, this first week  in the Mtc has been so Awesome! I have seen all of my buddies and I live right by Elder Montgomery and we have the same gym time, so it has been fun ballin him up. My companero is a gringo from cali, he is a tall skinny, cross country runner. Today me and him went running and I thought i was in shape but he kind of kicked my butt, not too bad though of course Ha!

 

Our district is way cool and we have a lot of fun together. We are all trying to learn the languange and it is coming a long pretty well. There is such an incredible spirit here in the mtc, it is filled with a bunch of missionaries that just want to learn and be the best missionaries that we can be. We have devotionals every sunday and tuesday nights and they are very spiritual and we learn a lot from them. On Tuesday Elder Gerald Lund came and talked to us. He is the guy that wrote the work and the glory. He talked to us about faith and said that Faith is hoping and acting on something without having evidence on what will happen. He said to Act without seeing and we will see; act without knowing and we will know. So I really liked that and have been trying to do that. At the Devo me and my district sang in the choir and that was really cool and very spiritual especially when there are 1800 elders and hermanas singing at the same time!

 

Our branch presidency is really great too. They have all been mission presidents so they have a lot of knowledge about the missions. On sunday President Craig talked about the atonement and how Jesus Christ went through all of that for each one of us personally and the spirit was so strong when he was talking.

 

We have started teaching in investigator named Hugo ( aka our teacher Hermano Sparks) its pretty tough because i dont know any spanish so I just memorize everything and when he asks me a question i just shake my head and say Si ha but really the spanish is coming a long pretty good and it is way fun teaching him. I just cant wait until it is real people out in the dominican republic, I cant wait to go and share the gospel with them because it is so true and using the atonement of Jesus Christ is the only way to return to our father in heaven. I love you all and the Gospel is True!

 

Love Elder Wadman

Ps thanks for the letters and packages it was great to finally get something and know that yall still love me!

Endowments

The Call