General Conference

Written: November 3, 2014

Hey everybody, hope that life is going on and things are sweet. Hope everything is bokoo, as the Twi people say haha :)

Lot seems to happen and I seem to always struggle to remember it all until after I leave the cafe.

WE had a couple great things happen though this week. Showed me again that God has everything in control, everything planned out. One day we didn't have a lot going on, we decided to do finding in a part of the area we usually don't go to. For the first few hours we were pretty sure we had made a mistake since we just got rejected at every place. We were pretty exhausted and I knew we had been out for a while that day since the sun burn was coming along nicely.

A while later as we were looking to have some food we passed one storied building, I just felt like we missed something and went back to check. As we came to the area we decided to try one more place before we ate. No answer on the doors until we came to one of the upper stories. There we met with Barbara! a sweet lady whose husband lives in the U.S. and her Mother comes to stay there. She had a child about a year ago and gave us a seat with out asking. She had some great questions and seemed okay with the message. We planned to meet again on Saturday, but we were too tired to recognize the seriousness in her. Saturdaywe called and she was already and had read the pamphlet and was praying! She accepted a date for the 6 of December and came on Sunday and saw part of General Conference too! She invited us to come and eat with her family, the ones who stay there, and so we got to pound fufu with them on Sunday. I am not too bad at pounding now haha :)

The other sweet moment was when we took brother Stanly, the one we baptized a couple weeks ago, to meet a man named Eric with us. Eric has been struggling to get answers to his prayers and the lesson we had was pretty sweet. Stanly had such a strong testimony and shared it wonderfully. Then on Sunday he came! He seemed to not be paying too much attention, but as we talked after we realized that he was. He told us that Elder Gaverret had answered his question (the man who spoke spanish), about how the Spirit talks with us. Pretty sweet day. Mission has a thousand ups and downs, but it always ends up being more ups.

Something crazy that happened was I met with Corny again. Anyone remember that guy? Elder Jones and I contacted him in Ho like almost exactly a year ago. He had to go to Togo and we lost him for a long time. He moved in to Accra and the Cosgraves called me to tell me. Sent me his number, he was living in the other Kwabenya elder's side. Then some problems in the house forced them to a new place... right on our side! So sweet to be teaching him again, hoping that this time things work out a little differently than last.

Well I am out of time, but thank you all so much for the love and prayers. I love all of you and I am always praying for you, especially Matt and Elise. You are angles.

love you forever, from Ghana and back and to Eternity

Elder Van Wagoner

p.s. sorry about no pics, i even had a nice halloween tie and some fake hipster classes on that day. love you!

Elder Van Wagoner

No Letter But a Pic

Picture Sent: October 27, 2014

Logan didn't get to send a letter today as he was pulling together some required health information for the missions president. I did get one picture of his baptism last week. Pictures always make me smile so this is good.

Love you all. Myrna

Yip

Mom Note: I have had a several of you far away ask about Elise and Savanah. and since Logan failed me on pictures this week (sniff) I will take this opportunity to send a couple of Elise and Savanah. How Elise pulls off looking so beautiful while she is pregnant is beyond me. Sure love these ladies a lot. Myrna

Written: October 13, 2014

So family, and friends. Your emails this week were super awesome and I love hearing from all of you, so so so sorry if I did not reply to everyone. We have light off in Kwabenya and so we traveled to Achimota looking for a cafe. All of them were full except this little one we are currently sitting/sweating in hahah :) Mission life is a great thing. In mission and in life there is always something to be positive about, you just have to look in the right places (Read Pres Uchtdorf's talk about gratitude for more).

Well since I have like no time I will only get to talk about a few things, it's somehow like the Book of Mormon, you only put in those things that are critical for salvation. But I am not a prophet, so that is why it's only somehow haha

We had a funeral in our ward. Frank 'Stone' Eshon, our ward mission leader, had his father pass away. A lot of the ward members went up to support, which was great. We didn't have them around to teach with us, but they were where they should have been. Stone is a great man, he came to church the next day, in Kwabenya! He came so he could fulfill his calling. This man has really shown me something about dedication. I love working with the members here! Stone is a real man of God. :) One of my great friends too.

Despite those things going on, we still had an okay week with things. We have been able to really build up a solid investigator pool right now and I feel very blessed. I'm praying that in the coming weeks we will see some of these people progressing.

Sunday was a bit disappointing at first, we had a bunch of people lined up to come. Just before the meeting I got calls from most of them saying they had something going. So Stanly was the only one who still came. This is sweet though, because Stanley is going to be baptized this week!!!!!!!! He has made some major changes in his life, they completely got rid of all substances and any thing that would keep them from keeping the Word of Wisdom; they had to toss the small business that they had just to do it! Just as important, he is reading from the Book of Mormon everyday and he is praying daily!! They met with the bishop to arrange some work, next week more should happen. Stanly is so sweet, I love this guy, he has had such a strong desire for baptism for so long. Remember his father, Huebert? The missionaries in Togo called me to inform me that they are teaching him and preparing him for baptism!! I love that guy and I am so happy :):)

We were able to teach that sweet couple, Ephraim and Ester again. These two are awesome, we met them a few days after their wedding and we had some sweet lessons this week. We fetched water for them during the light off and they were opposed to it at first, by the end they were so happy though and loved it. That really softened their hearts. They want to move back to Belgium, but Ephraim is getting an I.T. Degree first. Ester makes the coolest beads, not traditional but like legit jewelry, so if anyone wants anything, let me know (Christmas is coming). Saturday when we met again we had such a cool lesson on eternal families. Please pray for them so they can have all these blessings!

Well a lot more happened this week, but that is about all I have time for. Dad and grandpa: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope it is awesome and that you know how much i love you both!!

love you from Ghana and back and to eternity!

elder van wagoner

p.s. 

dad you are everything God wanted you to be for me

Gratitude

Written: October 6, 2014

Last week I sent an email, but the computer was having some difficulties, sounds like it didn't reach anyone. Yes I am alive.. guess that means I have a week full of stories you will have never heard about when I come home hahaha

Promise it was a good week though, not sure of any specifics I need to mention, so if anything you can ask and I will tell.

This week had a lot happen though! Elder Peterson got transferred to Batsonaa, so we saw him off on Wednesday. Sweet to be with him, we only had 4 weeks as companions, but we lived together for about 3 months and talked a lot. Had some really sweet moments with that guy and I am excited for whatever is ahead for him.

Brother Gator (Eric) came to replace him! Eric is from branch 2 of HO!!

.....

woops... accidentally hit send! Sorry for the interruption, please enjoy a few more photos as a compensation for that haha

anyways, brother Gator comes from HO! I knew him and was good friends with him when I was there. Wednesday we found out the Elder Henrie's trainee hadn't figured out english enough yet and so he went back to the mtc for another 4 weeks. To replace him they brought Brother Gator! He will be a ward missionary for 4 weeks and it is sweet to have him here!

So sweet to hear about all the blessings with Savanah and Elise this week. I have been praying everyday for these things and am so excited!! We had a lot of blessings all around this week and here to we had many. Some of the other blessings is that yesterday we had four at sacrament! Stanley, Ebenezar, Henry and Nana Yao. Stanley is looking to make one big push for baptism. He is now at a point of reading the Book of Mormon daily and is really trying. He got rid of all the alcohol and cigarettes that they used to sell. He is always asking when he can be baptized  and comes to most of the ward activities. He is really changing his life. We plan on working hard with him for the next few weeks. 

Ebenezar actually showed up to church by him self a couple of weeks ago and is still progressing forward towards baptism. He rarely has a concern with doctrine, so we are going to start with the commandments and see if there is any concern now. Sweet guy though and he wants his family to come with him. We are trying to work with the wife, but they are never around at the same time.

Nana Yao and Henry were two guys who work together. We met them after reading the President Uchtdorf talk he gave to mission presidents about having no fear. The two of them are much bigger and much much older than we are. We remembered the talk and went up to them thinking 'no fear'. On Sunday, we were not sure if they would come, they totally surprised us! The best part is, they seemed to love it! We got a member to come and sit with them, Brother Sowa. They connected well and were active participants in the second hour class. We are praying that the Spirit will continue to soften their hearts.

We have been very blessed to meet more and more couples and families. There is something extremely significant that happens when you teach families, it is hard to describe, but it is a different thing and I love it. Missionary work is not easy but it is wonderful!

There was a baptism on Saturday for the other elders! Her name is Anita and it was a sweet baptism! Her interview was awesome and she is really trying to repent and dedicate herself. I think we may have some baptisms coming up in the next few weeks with Ebenezar and Stanley! :)

Well this email is all over the place. But I hope you know I love you and that I am praying for all of you. Thank you so much for the emails and the support. 

mom: I had two sweet fm (free meals with members) on Monday and then again tonight we are going to the sowa's! ooooo and also sister Heid took us out to lunch with another companionship that has an elder learning English, I ate pizza!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) so awesome :) so yes I am alive and well. Mission life is great and I can feel the Savior's love.

I would just like everyone to consider something that you can read in Matt 14. Look at how the Savior took care of Peter. Look at 2 Nephi 25 :23. I know you will get to learn some new things as you do, but I am out of time and can't really go into detail right now.

I love you all forever, from Ghana and back and to eternity!

Elder Van Wagoner

On Mon, Oct 6, 2014 at 5:05 PM, Logan Van Wagoner <logan.van.wagoner@myldsmail.net> wrote: