Happy Birthday MOM!

(Written December 16, 2013)

I am a blessed Missionary. This week was one of those you wish you could share with everyone. 

First off, I don't know if anyone in the Robinson family reads this blog. But I want you to know that I am praying for you. I love you. God Loves You. 1 Nephi 11:17 I don't know why things happen, I would never pretend to understand all of it. But I do know that God loves all of his Children.

If someone paraphrases this for them, please let them know that there are prayers said, far away as Ghana, for them. Mom I hope you share that email I sent you with them. Could anyone provide me with their address?

This week is another of many parts that has built my testimony of God's love for each person. I saw it on both sides of the work this week, those who entered the fold and one who wouldn't, hopefully just for now.

Elder Jones had to travel to Accra for Zone Leader Council. So I was in a triple combination with Elder Hancock and Johnson for a few days. One night we went to meet a lady named Gina. She has been investigating for a while, I have heard her name since I came to Ho. Both the Elders have worked hard for her, even their families spoke to her over facebook.

She was doing good and even had a baptismal date. Then she didn't show up to church for three weeks and slowly got farther away. The Elders had come to a point where they had to 'drop' her. 

Dropping is the worst part of missionary work. Seeing her was taking away from others who would listen. So they had to tell her that they wouldn't be coming to teach her anymore. I had to be there for it though.

As we talked with her, and tried with everything we could to help her feel loved and feel a desire to come to Christ, she was pretty unaffected by it, at least that I could see. It came to a point where there wasn't anything left to say, we had done all. But I could feel the weight in the air. In all seriousness the Heavens were saddened. This was a daughter, who wouldn't come home. Hopefully just for now.

For missionaries we can't be here with people forever, but members can. Home and visiting teaching is so important. It is not going to teach a lesson! It is going to love a family and be their friend, it is bringing them the love of God. The Spirit will teach them what they really need. The greatest home teachers are not scolding for not coming back to church. They are a bridge for them to feel the love of God. It is not 'finished' or 'done' each month. It is either 'current' or 'not current'. Home and visiting teaching is a work, love, and friendship never finished.

I invite anyone who reads to consider how we can magnify our callings. There are people who need you right now.

As for the week, Saturday was one of the most incredible days I have ever known.

The morning started off disappointing. The baptism was cancelled since we couldn't get a key to get the robes. Ceaser was really down, he had been walking to the church. Freda, or Esinam, were also down. 

That night we went to see her. She looked, sad, broken, ready to give up. As we talked with her there was a lot of silence where there is usually laughter from her. 'Elders, next week then, not this week for baptism.' She left to grab something. As she came back outside, and sat down again we had a conversation completely from the Spirit. There is no way I could have found those words. The Spirit confirmed that she had been hurt by someone close, but that she also wanted to be baptized, truly from her own heart. So I expressed this impression to her. She paused and said 'O it was nothing.' We waited, Elder Jones and I expressed our love and concern for her. 

I saw the Scriptures sitting on the table. I knew if I opened them the words would be there. They landed in the Doctrine and Covenants. Maybe section 59? One where the Lord councils a man who has seen sorrow to repent and be baptized. I put her name in instead of 'James'. 

I knew God was pleading for her to come to him.

She began to speak of how the members she was staying with had gotten angry at her for a joke she said. She is usually light hearted and very humorous. We talked about how we knew she still wanted to be baptized. That she knew this was right. Esinam agreed she did. Suddenly another prompting found Elder Jones. 'If you come to the Broadcast tonight (the CES one) you will hear the words you need.' 

I saw a light catch in her, a fire revived. Like hope was still there. The Spirit confirmed that tonight would be far greater than I had expected.

We quickly left since it was about 5:45, and we picked up Ceaser as well. The ride was quite and the walk to the Chapel, both looked worn out. As the four of us sat down to watch the talk even mentioned 'think of all the troubles that disturb you or weigh you down.' The fireside had points were video clips were shown. Many spoke of Relying on God. As it went on they both turned and said 'Can we be baptized tonight?'. The key was here now and Elder Cosgrave was there. We organized a program and ran to grab the baptismal clothes for Elder Jones. 

We returned to everyone preparing and took pictures out in the dark night. The service was so sweet, the spirit was so strong. It may have been dark, but there was a light amongst us. There was more than short lived excitement within them. They were very determined and certain of the choice. That meant much more to me. 

As they came out of the water, they truly seemed to be different people. It was the most incredible service I have seen. The next day I was blessed to confirm Esinam and be in the Circle for Ceaser. Esinam had stitched a dress and was very serious about the confirmation, she glowed with it. She invited her sister to attend and she did. Ceaser's father came too. I feel that these two are true converts.

I made myself remember the details of that night. The clouds, the full moon and stars. The old baptismal font, to be replaced this week, used one last time. I wish I had more time to express all of this but my time is up.

I love you all and so does God.

Mom happy Birthday!!!

I love you from Ghana and back and to Eternity

Love,

 Elder Van Wagoner

It's the Holiday Season!

Just bein Logan! 

Look Mom! I cut my own hair!

? Gotta love him!

(Written December 9, 2013)

Okay so this week I did not do well at time management so this email will be brief. The computer shuts down at exactly 2 hours so I have about 14 minutes left... hoping my computer skills are still around. Nope not really, they are dying off haha.

This week went by way fast, I thought it was Monday like yesterday. But Transfers are this Wednesday. Look at that, a whole transfer older. That is three of them. 

On Tuesday and Wednesday I was in a triple combination with Elder Johnson and Elder Hancock. My companion traveled to Odamasi to do some work and check on the Elders there. He traveled with the Cosgraves. It was great getting to work with some of their people. I see them at church but never get to know the whole story as much and some of them are just awesome. Really working to overcome addictions and everything.

Wednesday was somehow humbling. We went half in their area and half on my side that day. We met with Corney and he is still working with his mom. But that guy is great. Every missionary he meets he always asks 'what inspired you to go on a mission.' That brings some very sweet moments. Some time to think about you. It definitely takes you back a moment. Well after that pretty much every lesson I had planned fell through. The back ups did too. We did contact some cool people though. I just try to do more than knocking on doors since that very rarely brings a serious investigator.

On the way back I was feeling pretty tired, and a little discouraged. But we went to mutual and the kids there can't really leave me unhappy haha. This girl, Mintaa, is about 4 or 5. Her parents were baptized the past two weeks by the other Elders. She wanted to draw on my planner and then grab my arm and have me pick her up. For some reason that is just the funniest thing to her. :) Guess the Lord really doesn't ever leave us comfortless longer than we can stand. :) I hope everyone feels and knows that, Sav I hope you keep going to the temple, like Elise told me you did. 

Their is the peace of the World and the peace of the Lord. They will not come in the same place, in fact they are most often opposed to each other. It is a lot easier to be living the gospel as much as you can, giving 100 percent, than giving 98. Promise you that one.

I did buy a guitar the other day! It is sweet and it was way cheap, o bless Ghana! But it is nice to have, even though I don't have a lot of time to play since.. well I am a missionary.. so kinda self explanatory.  haha

One funny story is that elder Hancock and Jones were doing this thing were you back flip over each others backs with arms locked. they got it to work a couple of times and then Elder Johnson came. It didn't work and he landed on his head and we had to call Elder Cosgrave to clean up the cut at like 1020 the other night, but he is fine now.

WE had 8 at church and it was wonderful! Phillipa came too! so a great week!

Love you all,

Elder Van Wagoner

Logan's Companion...ouch!

Logan's Drinking Water!

Merry Thanksgiving!

*Mom Note-- When Logan left I asked him to relay a few events from every day of his week, and list the names of the people he is teaching so we could pray for them! You can download the pictures and use windows photo viewer.  If not I will fix them and send them along shortly. I am going to send a package to him this week for Christmas.  He has very limited time on the computer on pday. If you would like to jot him a quick note and e mail it to me so I could print it and send it to him for Christmas that would be awesome. He says his favorite thing is regular letters because he actually has time to read and re read them. Thanks for all the support to him! Love, Myrna

(Written December 2, 2013) 

So I guess November is done! That was a quick month. Surprised to find myself in December. That also means that I have been a missionary for about 4 months now... what do you know... 4 months. 

Well Tuesday was a pretty normal work day. We had coordination meeting. After the meeting, Corney brought us some baguettes back form Togo! The best part is I was the only one who liked them in our apartment haha That night we met with a less active girl named Abigail. She sells shoes from Togo at the road side. (everyone sells something at roadside). She introduced us to her friend who serves killy whilly (deep fried plantain with plenty ginger). Her name is Phillipa. Every night since we pack her stuff, which she stows in our compound. I took up the habit of carrying the huge bowls on my head, which is something only Ghanaian's do. So everyone gets a good laugh from the yeavuo who is carrying. I love it though! We meet a lot of people this way. Phillipa is really grateful to and she is so sincere. Her spirit is true.

Wednesday was a bit slower but in the evening we got to be in charge of mutual. So we made this sweet scripture chase game and everyone loved it! If you answered right you got a chance to shoot a bean bag (a sock we filled with rice) into one of our washing buckets. Dina hit one from the 2 point line and everyone was so excited! I may have jumped up too... haha But Bernard (This small boy who was baptized two weeks ago) hit from the three! He is so shy that he ran when everyone cheered! haha.

We sat with Esinam that night and she is preparing to be baptized in two weeks! She is really sweet too us and is helping to stitch some of the gifts I am sending home.

Thursday was funny because I found out I was going on exchanges with a french speaking elder from cote divore. His name is Elder Grissignon. That was funny. We met Faith, a recent convert in the morning. Then we went to get Kente from a man named Holy. Kente is the traditional fabric, native to Ghana. I can't even explain how they weave it because I don't even understand how it is possible.. but they do. So I got some sweet Kente for everyone! I think you will like it? Hopefully haha but I think it is sweet!

Well the exchanges ended and that night we went up to a somehow hotel called 'Bob Coffie'. We heard they had burgers so we went to get some, for thanksgiving, with the other elders in our apartment. We sat enjoying the place and talking about Ghana. They brought the burgers and they had no meat. We asked them and they said 'you ordered the cheese burger.' So we had cheese, and no meat haha! We finally convinced them that a burger should have meat, but we still had to pay an extra four cedis. I noticed we weren't being overly grateful so I suggested we go in a circle and each take turns saying what we were grateful for. We said we would go maybe two times. But we went again, and again, and again. As the Thanksgiving went I felt the Love of Christ. I am grateful for my family, for the Book of Mormon, for the Savior. We talked about many things and why. I am grateful for my mission, it is something I won't ever be able to bring others to understand, because everyone has their own mission, and some things are just for us to experience. I feel like for every one door I open five more are beyond.

But that was a night I will never forget, a true Thanksgiving in Ghana.

Friday was crazy. We had five lessons before we even left Housing (our neighborhood)! That was around 2.  We got to sit with Corney and talk about making the choice. Pray for him everyone, and for his mom to come around. We taught Phillipa too. She has an honesty within her, it is wonderful. But she told us she will be moving soon. Not going to lie. I am heart broken. I pray she will be able to have this gospel. She is ready and deserves it.

Later that night we had a dinner with the district and the couple missionaries. They cooked up some chicken and vegetables and I thought I would pop! It was sooo good! Then the packages came from you all!! So I could only eat like one thing and that was it! Eating the processed food is funny for us. So we haven't made to big of a dent because it fills you like automatically. haha.

Saturday was a good busy day and we got to pack Phillipa's stuff again. Man I am really going to miss her. She deserves the best of whatever is waiting beyond.

Sunday we showed 'the testament' and everyone really enjoyed it. All right next week everyone! Love you all but my time is up in 10 seconds!!

Elder Van Wagoner

CONTINUALLY Hold To The Rod

Written November 18, 2013
 Monday again everyone! Sorry this week will be shorter, I only have like 30 minutes left and I had to do a survey since we are having a GA come to the mission in January!! whoo! I am stoked for that. But I would like to give a shout out to Elder Jensen who provided the advice that made this week a good one and also to Elder Anding! Man congratulations! I am excited to see the hard work is paying off and the work is marching on. Elder Larsen keep baptizing Africans, helps me out :) Elder Wells, man I am so pumped for you to get out here. Advice for you and for everyone is 1 nephi 8:30.

Here is a difference in verbs, you look back several verses and you will see people 'clinging' to the iron rod. So they seem solid, yet they 'fall away into forbidden paths and are lost'. I am not sure if there is a more disappointing verse for the master. The Less active or inactive of the Church, are in a difficult situation and I can only imagine the concern Heavenly Father has for them. It would be very difficult to come back, they are in a 'midst of darkness'. Many want to, but just don't know how, to come back. As a missionary I meet the Less and Inactive. I see those that others must have worked hard to bring to the truth only to see them fall away. I invite everyone to leave the 90 and 9, and find the one. They are out there, they are just as important as the new member. Please help us, help our Heavenly Father.

These people need someone who has followed the example of verse 30. 'Continually holding fast to the rod of Iron.'

You can either cling, or you can hold fast; and not just hold fast the once, but 'continually'. Clinging means you are just holding on, yet opposition can take those. Holding fast means you go constantly to the word of God for the answers. That you make that your anchor and none other.

Another thought, If you are feeling discouraged, alone, forgotten. Maybe you feel the call you have been given or the burden you bare is more than you can carry. It is. By your self it can't be done, but that is exactly the point. I will never claim to understand your challenges, your trials. Everyone faces whatever mountain will take them to the high heights. But I do know the challenges or trials don't matter. For the Savior has 'overcome the world, are [we] greater than he'

Paul teaches us in the wonderful book of Romans chapter 1, That we are not called by our works. We are called by the Grace and plan of God. 

We are saved by Grace, but have you been changed by Grace? Paul also teaches us in Timothy 1. I would look at those three scriptures and find what is in it for you. Sometimes in being taught what the scriptures say we forget that that is only one way to apply it to your life.

But the message I want you to find is that Grace is the strengthening power of the Atonement. As a missionary you learn to do many new things. Grace is the only way. The enabling power given to us by the nature of being born, a child of God.

A quote my mission president shared this week helped to emphasize this:As we have discussed earlier, learn to lose your "self" in the service of others.

I may have shared this with you before from one of my favorite Christian writers, C. S. Lewis, the most oft quoted non-general authority in General Conference:

"Our real selves are all waiting for us in Him. The more I resist Him and try to live on my own, the more I become dominated by my own heredity and upbringing and surroundings and natural desires. . . . It is when I turn to Christ, when I give myself up to His Personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own."

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” 
(C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1960, 189)

This week has been a good one. Deciding to let him into my house, even the parts I didn't want to have changed, is showing me something more about the plan Heavenly Father has for us.

Some of the people:

I have had the opportunity to meet with Corney this week, he is a great kid, 19 coming from Accra and then Lome, Togo. Now he is here is Ho, as we taught him I felt the spirit tangibly enter the room. He said, there is something different here. Ghana has thousands of Churches, most claim the Bible. They have good intentions for the most part. WE also claim the Book of Mormon. To Corney and all the people we meet, it is true, whether they see it now or later, their is something different here.

The Spirit of God, like a fire is burning. Take the light of the fire to another, even and especially those whose fire is dimmed or may be dying. There is work to do, and the coming Lord is nigh, sooner I think and feel than we expect.

President says the church is in each nation, even in the land of Jerusalem. People go to school at the Jerusalem extension, and then come to America to continue, and then become members and return. 

I know fear gets us very commonly, fear to speak the truth to the people. That won't matter in the end, the very best thing you can do is invite others to follow Christ. Not in word alone, but in action as well.

I love you all and I am praying for you, each and every day.

Hey family, make sure you re-read 3 nephi. Discuss what the 'most correct of any book on earth' has in regards to direct words from Christ. Those chapters are incredible.

Good luck this week :) I love you all

Elder Van Wagoner

Stand In 'HO'ly places

(Written: November 4, 2013)

Looks like another week is over. 'The wheels just keep on turning'. If you want them to or not.

Monday night was sweet. We went out to work, after our pday, and as we passed a group of guys I had the impression to go back. I get those a lot, at first I would be like "ahh, dang it. why didn't you say stop? My companion doesn't like going back, haha, but after seeing the blessings of going back I am super grateful when they come. So we headed back and they had left, but we did talk to another guy there. The timing of the rest of the night went perfectly because of it though! As we kept going past Flagstaff, headed to mobile force, we contacted an entire basketball team haha. It was so sweet talking about ball and the gospel, only like 5 were serious but it was great. That is the only players for a basketball team I have met in Ghana, everyone loves football! Which I liked before I came here but now it just grows on you! :)

So we kept on going and ran into a little family. Cynthia, Eugene, and Esperanza. Pretty fancy names but everyone has a 'christian' or 'English' name. They were real sweet and we did a good job of contacting them, so they were excited for a return appointment. Then we met with Jonathan and had a solid Book of Mormon discussion. We applied scripture from 1 Nephi 2 to his life and he loved what it taught him. After the lesson we contacted an entire family from Volta region... that comes into play later. Well we did a great job contacting them and we were able to leave a Book of Mormon with them that they were reading when we passed the house to go home that night! All of this happened because we went back, we would have just missed these people if we had gone later or earlier. What a blessing that night was.

Tuesday morning was district meeting. In district meeting they do announcements, including transfer information. All morning everyone was trying to psych me out. They knew where I was going because they are office elder's and Ap's. So we finally got to the meeting and they said I would go last... at that moment I had a flashback to Christmas time, waiting for Uncle Dan to come to the door, for the pictures to be taken and to finally go downstairs after what felt like eternities as a kid :). So they brought more elders into Jamestown and Elder Nelson is staying there as a full time elder! Which is perfect, Jamestown is going to be a ward in no time! :) Elder Ballard left the zone and finally after everyone had been announced they said "Elder Van Wagoner, where do you think?" well secretly I was thinking a small place up north in the Volta region, Elder Bongomin had dropped some hints as we had looked at a map about me going to a place called.... Ho. 

hmmmm

Soooo I said "I have no idea." I didn't want to jinx myself, same as when I got my call for Ghana and I would say Idaho.(which by the way would be sweet, serving in your home nation has a lot of blessings. Send me a big mac! haha Kidding though, every mission has specially designed challenges) Then elder Ballard finally said two letters "HO!" and so it was.

Yet that wasn't the best moment of the day.

We went out to teach. came to Auntie Gina's spot and met with her, she was sad to see me go, and that is when it hit me: I would be sad to say goodbye. 

We did though, we left, the lesson ended and we said goodbye, honestly I don't think we will met again in this life, but I hope we do.

The day took a turn at that point, it taught me a lot.

As we worked a few lessons fell through but we were able to met Jonathan that night. WE went and fetched water with him. Then We had another really solid lesson and as the sun began to set around 5:30 as usual it lit up mobile force in the most incredible way. This time of day is usually incredible, the sun and sky and all things combine for beauty. The temperature is finally lowering and it is my favorite time each day. Now it was an orange sky, with Ghana, below. It is the light that comes before a good rain storm, but it meant more to me today.

Our lesson ended and I let him know I was leaving, he and his friend, Milicent, were sad to see it. Milicent would never sit with us but she had become our friend. We took a picture together and talked for a while, the kind of talk to laugh and not worry about what is coming, to say goodbye. We did leave though. Said goodbye, again for who knows how long.

We went to see Matilda. My first lesson, first baptism, first friend and person I cared for in Ghana. we fetched water with her and I let her know that we were coming to say goodbye. so she bagged some banku for us and got us some stew for it. I can see the moment perfectly, as we left I tried to take it in, make it so I wouldn't forget it. We talked but our ward mission leader kept calling for our next appointment, so we left.

As we biked to Bismark for one last appointment I looked back and had a thought, not sure if it is good or bad, just a thought. "it was all worth it." I had worked as hard as I knew how for these people. I had pushed through doubt and fear to talk to them. I had overcome for them.

I probably don't mean much to most of those I worked for, I will be forgotten by most, those I was fortunate enough to see baptized will remember but others won't. All of this came in one moment and I still said "it was worth it".

We made it to Bismark as the rain was pouring on us (first rain in a month) and had to walk back down the way to find our ward mission leader. We went in, soaking wet, and talked with them. the lesson was mostly in Twi, but it was good for Akua (Bismarks soon to be wife) to hear. That lesson ended, unfortunately. and before I knew it I was standing up to go. I asked if we could take a picture since I was leaving. They said they would love to, so we did. As I took my leave to go, I looked back into the room, trying to engrave it in my mind. and again outside trying to capture every detail of the night sky, the small home in the middle of more homes with the rain coming down. I wish you could all see what I see right now. Every detail is in there. As we said goodbye, I didn't want to go. How could I leave in the middle of the story. all part of missionary work. But always pray for Bismark, for Akua, for Matilda, Desmond, Linda and Laticia and so many more.

We said good bye to bro Ebenezar our ward mission leader and left for home. As we passed Miraim, she was pretty unhappy about me leaving, I wish we could have spent the night. I am so grateful for a lady who would dash us oranges and try to help on hard days, I don't have words enough for what these people deserve. 

as we got back and began packing I wished that I would have felt that way the whole time. The concern and love and realizing that it did in fact one day end.

I had a lot of challenges in cantonments, but I loved what it taught me. and I loved those people, even though it was hard.

Elder Nelson and I talked that night in the apartment. As we talked it came to us leaving. How the priorities change, the moments you cherish are not what you think, how this is everything you could never expect, because you just wouldn't know without it.

It wasn't the baptismal days, though they are incredible, but the moments of "it was worth it." The days when you could look back, knowing you had done all. There is a lot more I wish I could explain, many of the people older than me have probably already realized these things but those who will follow this may surprise you. The 'best days' on mission come and go,those baptismal dates, the success, even the struggle everyone hears about. However, The precious moments are more valuable than gold (1 peter 1:7). They make the struggle worth it. they are the days that will mean more than any other to you. I hope that everyone can have that. I do know that I am hoping you will have to work for it, but I am hoping you learn from it. That you get done knowing you have done all. and have the precious moments. The came after the fire.

The next morning we finished packing and got ready to go. I saw a lot of my mission buddies at the mission home as many of us got ready to go somewhere new. I said goodbye to Elder Nelson and Elder Lloyd, Elder Chaffetz and Elder Bongomin. Pretty tough saying goodbye to Elder Nelson. He helped me more than I can give him credit. He is more like a brother to me. But he will be a hero in Jamestown.

We headed to the area offices and got ready for the tro tro ride north. Elder Udofia is training so I met him and his new son/ my brother, as they call it in the field. But we said goodbye. I am very grateful for my time with Elder Udofia, he was a great companion, willing to help and work as hard as I wanted. He is a great missionary and I am lucky I had time with him.

The Kpong zone (my zone) got on a tro tro by Jamestown and started to head out, took us an hour to get out of Accra/ my area so i took a nice slow trip down memory lane, crammed in the back left corner of a burning hot tro tro. The ride began at about 5 and we didn't make it till about 11. traffic was insane and the roads are not highways here. I thought I was going to die. But finally we made it. I remember laughing at 9:34 exactly, because I looked at the watch Jordan gave me and thought "hmm, i bet Landon just got back home and is maybe relaxing on a couch, he has no idea where I am.... wait... I don't either" haha it was somehow funny in that moment, but a lot funnier now.

We got back and just crashed. The next morning we went out to work. My new comp is elder Jones, the Kpong (you say it like pong) zone leader. He is a cool guy from Alaska.

As we went out I realized I was the furthest away area I could be from cantonments, literally as far as possible from it. Then I realized how different it was too. like a different country. This area is the place that looks like the African jungle you all imagine i am in. Huge trees, bridges over small rivers, just crazy. It is super green and it rains more here. but it is sweet! there is a mountain range here (not really mountains, more like hills) and one mountain that stands out like a green pride rock in the distance that we are going to climb in a week or two.

The place is way more quiet and peaceful, the language is ewe, and if you come to Ghana, go to HO!

As we sat in church, watching a session of conference(which was awesome to finally see!) I had the thought I was standing in HOly places haha. so here i am... living in Ho. Washing my clothes in a bucket and such. it is not just straight up bush though, we have a shopping area and the city part of ho, our proselyting area is just the more outskirts area.

Well it has been a big change but a cool one. We saw elder Vinson speak in conference, he was in my old ward and we talked each Sunday, that man has scriptural knowledge like you can't believe!

I want to leave you with an invitation, yes you, whoever you are, wherever you are, reading this. Be a member missionary. The only difference between me and you is I wear a name tag and do this 24/7. You have the same gospel message. as you become truly converted to it you will desire to share it more and more. Talk to people, referrer people to the missionaries, ask people if they want to learn more. teach them about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It doesn't have to be big and perfect. Just be you, talk a bit about it, share just small and invite them to learn more, or come to church. Really if you want to make a difference in this world, this is where it starts. don't let moments become what if moments. at very worst they are I tried moments and Heavenly Father is so incredibly grateful you are trying to bring back another one of his children to him.

I love you family, more than words. I pray each and everyday for you, hard. I am doing well :)

love you from Ghana and back and to eternity

Elder Logan Gerret Van Wagoner

Rock of Our Redeemer

(Written: October 28, 2013)

Well hello world!

Month 3.. is over.. weird how time does funny stuff. But hey, so first things first. I bruised my foot playing spoons haha so word to the wise, spoons in flip flops is a dangerous game.

Well, Tuesday we had district meeting in our apartment and the office elders got us ice cream bars! No idea where they found them, but man that was awesome :) We were teaching auntie Gina and as her daughters were cooking (she owns a spot, which is a bar in Ghana, but lots of people work at a place like that and she is such a good lady) and as the ash rose up from the fire it looked like snow painted against the darker area that was underneath the tin roof covering. it felt like home, just really hot and sunny and humid.

We also taught Peter and Martin that day, it was a good lesson on the restoration and I was talking about how Joseph was in an area under the trees like we are here today. As I said that there was a kind of silence that entered. the cars around us were quite and the world hushed (which never happens in Ghana, usually when we teach restoration is gets very loud) yet we had this moment of great peace and profound spirit. there are some moments that are very literally irreplaceable.

On Wednesday, we contacted a lady named Grace who was wondering why God made her face so many challenges, oh I wish she would have been able to feel the power of her name. We tried to express the love he had, the greatness that is the fall of Adam and Eve and the blessings that will flow eternally, but it is interesting, people don't respond to these the way you feel they would, you imagine that as you provide the love and answer they need that they will love it. Many times they do, but she was missing the grace in her own life. but if like nephi says in 1 nephi 4:15 if they don't know they how can they change, so we must teach all those who will hear. Pause and think though, who around you can you bring closer to Christ, all over the world the push for missionary work is happening. the hastening and gathering are very real and very literally occurring now. Take your chance, the work is not as hard as we make it seem, it is simply turning too and talking to people. then after asking inspired questions you teach restored doctrines and bear testimony. you can simply say i know this is true or i know it can help you. member and nonmember need this, the world needs this, not just those in Accra, Ghana. But your family, your friends and neighbors need this and we need to bring it to them. We need them and they need us.

Well that night my companion got a call from president, he is training. which means I am getting transferred! So next week i have no idea where I will be or who I will be with but president said it was a solid companionship he was setting up. so I am stoked!

Thursday we went out with Chinnydoo who is a member in the picture standing next to me. The guy is a stud and it is like teaching with a third missionary since he is an rm.. who even served in Ghana several years ago, but he is from Nigeria. so we taught a couple lessons and came back to the apartment to go on exchanges. We had some adom rice (Grace rice) which is this awesome fried rice and chicken for 3-5 cedi and it fills you up! 

Elder Lloyd and I went to teach in Jamestown area. We met their investigator Samuel. he is this 13 year old who is just solid. Most small boys and girls just start yelling obruni when i come but he comes up to me and says "Elder Van, how are you brother?" he is quiet but in a very humble and cheerful way, I want to be more like Samuel. We talked about temples, it was awesome. Later we went to the Jamestown branch for institute but the teacher didn't show up. We did get to go to the roof and see Accra from there, it was beautiful. The roof isn't finished and the last flight of steps was ill measured so it was more like a bridge than stairs haha. but we went on to teach Nyomia, a less active lady who lived close by. As we talked we asked why she hadn't been to church and she was kinda laughing it off saying 'o i will come'. But as we slowed down and looked to God for our questions we started asking about the sacrament, what it was and when had she last taken it and why do we take it, it opened into a discussion on the atonement and again the spirit brought peace to her, the testimony we bore is something I would like you to know. I know that my redeemer lives, that he came to earth to live for us, and eventually to suffer, sacrifice, and nevertheless, carry on to death for us. This is not all, he then went on to rise, for us.

Do the people you meet know this, the single most important occurrence in the history of the universe? Not everyone is prepared to hear, but would you rather be asking what if, or saying i have done the work, thou gavest me.

Elder Lloyd and I went home, our topic of funny stuff with friends at home became the atonement, and why we were serving missions. the atonement and the grace of it is the changing solution of the universe. The world wants peace and prosperity and for some reason we look else where. yet we haven't built on Christ our foundation. Helaman 5:12 is our mission scripture.

Friday was trainers council for my companion so i went on exchanges with Elder Francis. that was really a great time, getting to catch up with my mtc mate. He is doing well and both of us have learned to love banku and fufu.  We taught a lesson that was pretty halting, kinda funny the first time you teach with someone, there is a couple moments of figuring it out.

Well we biked back and i got a phone call and had a pretty funny front flip over my handle bars. I even kept the call going and answered the elders question haha. good fun! Don't worry I didn't get hurt mom :) The back pack actually took the fall. haha

Well that night we got to meet with Bismark again and we talked about 1 nephi 4. It was all by the spirit, because the lesson  we had was just not what he needed. it isn't all my stuff to talk about but as we talked the spirit unfolded the scriptures I had read that morning to me. We talked about how the lord often provides answers we don't expect, like a drunken Laban. in verse 9 that sword he uses is also used in 2 Nephi 5 to fortify an entire nation. that like Nephi we may shrink but the Lord will guide us and strengthen us and we will conquer our Labans. Many other things did we teach him which are contained in that chapter. I hope you go and find some of them. they are countless :)

Saturday was stake conference day and we saw Elder Strong! my mtc mate! He is doing well and the talks were all on missionary work and that was great. Elder Vinson talked about the good Samaritan being Christ. Also, how Jerusalem to Jericho is a steep decline from a mountain to the dead sea, just like the doctrine of the fall. and how Christ takes us and binds our wounds. I wish you could have heard all that I heard.

Sunday was the final session of stake conference and we had four investigators show up! it was really solid and they all expressed great love for it. Bismark noted that somethings we taught him were taught again and it really built his testimony up. Later that day we were able to have a dinner at the Robinsons which was pancakes and peanut butter! Man that was soo good!

Well life is going well, transfers are coming.

i am praying daily for each of you and I love you so very much!

Hey if anyone wants to send me uno cards.. preferably sponge bob ones.. that would be okay... just saying haha

But I love you and hope you can each find a new way to build another and yourself on Christ.

The church is true and I love you

Elder Van Wagoner

Praise To The Man

(Written: October 21, 2013)

You ever read your journal and realize.. huh.. lots has happened in only about 3 months? I had that today. I read my journal of the time I was in the mtc. For everyone that plans on serving a mission, just expect that it won't be what you are expecting. Working with the people will be different, the schedule will feel different. Spoiler Alert: being a missionary is just not what you expect.

Is life ever really what you expected it to be though, do things ever go the way you imagined. There isn't a person in the world whose life is exactly what they thought it would be.

Nevertheless (my new favorite scripture word) Heavenly Father has things planned out a little better than we do.

When I was small boy I dreamed of basketball and fame, not as much about mission. I was thinking about what playing for thousands of fans would be like, not what working all day just to find one person would be like. And for all that, I am grateful that Heavenly Father did. That he saw in me something more than I did.

We often think that our imagination of ourselves is the best way it could go. More and more I see that the plan Heavenly Father has is so infinitely better, so beyond our capacity to create or believe that what we imagine is often the very best we can yet conceive of. Yet we have a Father who sees nothing short of eternity, and captures all the details held within.

I want to thank everyone for the prayers and support that has been given me. I am humbled to think that people who have much more difficult times and bigger issues to deal with than just being hot and working hard, have prayed and thought about me. I pray for each of you, I didn't really know how prayers could be different, then Heavenly Father sent me on a mission. You start to pray more earnestly, quoting the bible. So know that you have the prayers of missionaries with you, with all the new missionaries in the world, that is a lot of more earnest prayers, I hope you see and look for the blessings that come, you WILL have to search but they are there.

monday my week started out with us biking in from an appointment and seeing the words "keep the faith" on this taxi. in ghana all the tro tros and the taxis have little quotes or bible sayings on them, nyame adom is pretty popular. but it is nice to have these little pep talks that sometimes come, sometimes I think they are not as coincidental as they look to me.

Tuesday in our district meeting, Elder Nelson gave instruction on becoming a consecrated missionary. that is a term that is getting thrown out more and more in our mission. the difference in those that murmur, manage and prosper. I'll talk more about that soon.

But we went to work on tuesday and contacted several people in the morning, I even saw an obruni from lebanon and decided "hey I should try and teach at least one obruni on my mission haha" so we went to talk and he politely said he was a muslim, I said he is still a Child of God and our message is for him. He said that religion is a choice for anyone and any religion will do. A surprisingly ghanaian answer. Still I am glad I tried to talk to an obruni, it is different trying to talk with them then with the people of ghana. with ghanaians you use such a different approach to talk with people. I don't know how to explain it but if you see me in 21 months and I can't say anything normal to you just smile and nod :)

a lot of lessons fell through that morning. we did contact a lot of people though which is good, we need to find more people that are ready to be serious, and plant more seeds, you just never know who is ready for this and whose time is not yet. We did teach a lesson down by Perpetual's place to a lady named Juliana. We have been trying to meet her for some time and finally got the chance, it went great! As our lesson finished Ghana's match against Egypt began. We heard a cheer as we walked away from her area towards Perpetual's. Ghana scored. We ate there some nigerian food called eba which I got some pictures of because it is hard to describe..basically it is a dough of stuff called gaurry and you cook it and stew and you put the eba in the stew with bare hands and eat.. maybe ill bring home gaurry at the end of my mission and cook it. will see how many people like it, i didn't at first but now I love it! good thing I have a nigerian comp who can make it. so as we ate we heard people screaming and cheering about five more times, just loud enough to hear through all the area and we couldn't believe that they were cheering for goals. we finished and then a drunk old guy ran in cheering about ghana winning 6-1! he kept saying "o ghana we know football, we are small but we know how to really play, best in africa!!" haha o ghana :) the eba was a sweet deal too! only 2.5 gh cedi for a huge plate!  so after the lesson we headed to Bismarks house. On the way we met Lawson who said he went for a stroll trying to find the truth. I felt prompted to leave a copy of the Book of Mormon so we did. still havent met with him but there was this feeling of being exactly where I should be in the universe.

On wednesday we had what I call "deep sea fishing" as we tried to get out to the far end of the area and see who we could find. Now cantonments area is huge. Like to bike to one end of the area and back could take a couple hours. So we biked halfway and walked towards Spintex road. that isn't the far reaches of our area but on the other side of the airport is just these big houses that aren't finished (and won't ever be finished, not in this generation atleast) with sqauters living there. so spintex and the accra mall is about as far as people are. 

We walked out there and talked to about 30 people that day. Some were cool lessons and others it was obvious they didn't care haha but we kept trying and were able to meet a lot of people. We sent most of them out as referrals to other areas but that is just helping the other laborers in the vineyard :) We were starving so we got some small food that wasn't enough. so as we walked back we were pretty exhausted. as we taught a lesson to Desomds friend we left hungry. I was praying to be a better missionary, and be able to still teach well even though I was hungry, I guess Heavenly Father knew that wasn't happening haha because just then we bumped into a lady who said "hey i know you! you are the elders! i stay with one who fellowships in your church. You are doing good work" then she dashed us a meat pie! The best part was the meat pie actually had way good meat in it. if you come to ghana don't buy the meat pie from the fanice guy, it doesn't have meat in it. but this great lady gave us these awesome meat pies! she stays far from us so we can't meet again but hopefully she will listen to the missionaries we are sending to her :) That night we were able to teach sadat and bismark again which were both good lessons. I was feeling pretty exhausted though and frustrated with how many people we talked to who just kinda shrugged of the seriousness of the message. You would speak of the restoration and as you talked about joseph smith they would just kinda nod there heads and move on. sometimes you just wish they could feel it, that your words would mean something to them, and often they do. but it's sad seeing people brush it off. The blessings that can come and the hope they need is right here, and I pray that more people will feel that, but everyone has there agency.

The next day my morning study helped to refocus me though, and I sent a letter to mom and elise and one for ryan.. I still don't have an address for him sorry! We talked to a lady named auntie gina, who lives in mobile force and had a great lesson with her, she is pretty insightful and as we talked about the book of mormon and lehi leading his family from jerusalem she stopped and said "o, lehi is like somehow noah, leading people out!" I was like... ummm yaa wow hadn't thought of that but ya great example! there is a letter that could be written about that little thought there but maybe another time. Later that day as we got dinner at the apartment we listented to some talks. I have jon bytheway on my ipod and we listen to him out here a lot and any other talks we can get. I actually use stuff I learn from them and I would encourage all of you to find some time to listen to things like that instead of the radio. I have to work to apply it to my investigators but it is crazy how i learn something and then a few hours later I will use it. which was the case that day as I taught a lesson about something we learn in the war chapters of the book of mormon. it really helped Perpetual.

friday morning we went out to teshie for my companion to get his patriarchal blessing. I had to wait outside but it was great to see ghana in the morning, not inside the apartment :). we got to take the tro tro back which was pretty funny haha something america totally needs is tro tro's. they are like small buses or huge vans that are just everywhere! Well later that day we talked to Abena, who we meet earlier that week. as we talked to her about the restoration it is such a sweet moment to feel the strength of my words. I felt the song praise to the man in my heart. I felt the peace of knowing I was where I should be. Sharing the greatest words I could at that moment. and I want you all to know that I do know Joseph smith was and is a prophet of God. He did see our maker and our savior face to face. I died a martyr for the same reason the savior did, the eternal salvation of man.

Praise to the man.

each time I think of this I am reminded of when landon and I sang this song as small boys. I am so grateful that I was raised with these songs, with my family. I am grateful I had the chance to sing that song with Landon. one day he will be 'singing' it out here in the field. I hope you share that message with all those that you can, the restoration needs to happen on a personal level just as much as it had to happen on the world level. 

As that day continued I had that strong with me and it will continue to be, I pray forever.

We met with bismark that night and expalined to him the some of the commandments. his determination to keep them impressed me.

saturday morning I ran into an old email from the President about not murmuring. it was regarding missionaries who complain, survive, and thrive or as the scriptures would say murmur, manage, and prosper. I then read in 1 nephi 3:5-8 some great stuff. Nehpi doesn't murmur, Lehi says he is blessed for it. In verse 7 he bears his testimony that he has gained because he didn't murmur and because he prayed ( 1nephi 2:16) for faith. in verse 8 lehi is excited and glad. He says nehpi is blessed. yet why is he blessed? he is still over 15 1/2 chapters from his 'promised land'. how are we blessed when we haven't reached the end? 

because he didn't murmur. because nephi trusted in the Lord and did all he could to find things to be grateful for. 

It can be hard to not murmur, to be consecrated to the Lord. A talk I heard later that day from neal a. maxwell talks about how in the church we say things like "trials and challenges make you stronger, and God loves you". he says they are true and yet have become trite sayings. that we forget the implications of a loving Heavenly Father, or the grace of Jesus Christ. That we don't realize how hard those challenges are. how they make us stretch. how easy it is to talk about them and how so hard it is to do them. because we have a loving Heavenly Father we will have to face challenges, that if we could pray them away all the work we had done until then would be for nothing. How those who would feel happy in Heaven would be those who had pressed on. another talk that day was about Grace and how because of grace Jesus can ask us to do things. Not to pay him back, the debt is paid in full. yet to feel worthy to be there. Those who will be in Heaven will be those who want to be. It will be the savior, not people, pleading for us to stay there. we won't beg to be let in, but he will beg for us to not want out because we feel unworthy. 

on sunday sister robinson from america talked about her little daughters getting shots to come to ghana. how they cried and she had to comfort them saying "it will only be a moment and it will make you stronger". she talked about how the same words are coming from heaven.

Another line that I found in the talks that day was "i have been saved by grace, but have you been changed by grace?" grace has the power to change us to raise us up over any challenge. you have never sunk bellow his love or his help, your mistakes do NOT take you from his grace. in fact the repitition and the trials you have faced make you the person the grace is for. it is to change you, you can never repay the savior. you pay him by coming to him. (3 nephi 12:3)

I wish i could say more but i have got to go to work :) me ko yuma.

I love you all and  hope you invite the missionaries over, that you offer to be a member present lesson for them. that you refer people to them. we are all enlisted. Landon try and go out with the missionaries sometime.

hey dad I heard new kid in town on friday haha!

love you all sorry this letter is rushed and unfinished but i hope this week is great! see you soon!

Elder Van Wagoner