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