last email!

This last week has been crazy.... So first off big bummer... Kristin's
Baptism was on Friday, but that s when the big storm hit so no one
would give us a ride down. Then her baptism got moved to Sunday and we
found a ride! Then it got canceled again because the Bishop could not
make it. I will have the chance to say goodbye on Tuesday as some of
our last hours in the mssion is spent street contacting in Downtown
Richmond on the VCU campus. Which will bring back awesome memories of
when that was my area with Elder Neuman. I will get say goodbye to a
lot of great friends down there.

Earlier in the week Julie was on date for Sunday evening well it turns
out that her family though accepting of her joining the church wanted
her to wait a couple of weeks.. Her Dad wanted to have a sit down Q
and A with us. So we met at the church and talked. We quickly found
out during our disscussion that he was Athiest. Now this could have
gone a couple different ways. When it comes to Athiests I have found
that there 2 are different attributes that they all have. I guess this
could apply to everyone, but here it is. They are 1.) Either Really
intellignt or really dumb 2.) Either adamant about destroying religion
or indifferent. Thankfully he was the intelligent and an indifferent
kind of athiest. It was a really great meeting and though I am bummed
that we won't be there for her baptism she will have some more time to
prepare which I am not opposed to.

So once the snow hit the whole week changed. People here are very
paranoid about snow, almost annoyingly so. We could not leave our
apartment complex for about 2 days and we live about 3 miles away from
our area. So we spent those days shoveling snow and helping people get
their cars unstuck. People were very grateful and offered us money and
doughnuts... We took the doughnuts haha.

On Sunday I decided to check my snow driving skills. While helping
people get unstuck I tried to my very hardest to pay attention to what
worked and what didn't work. This is what I learned 1.) it's all about
momentum. 2.) if you start to drift, let off the gas, break and then
slam on the gas to straighten out. 3.) when you get stuck ( which will
most definitely happen ) don't just sit there and spin the wheels. It
will turn the stuff that your car is on into an Ice skating rink.

When I came on my mission I felt like a little boy, probably because I
was haha. But I have learned so much about solving problems and taking
control of situations that sometimes I can't help but feel that
missionaries in a lot of different occasions have their heads on more
straight than the adults that they come in contact with. Maybe I am
wrong haha.

This is my last day in the field... The fields of Virginia that is ;)
I know it will be sad leaving but hopefully the only thing I am
leaving behind is a place and people. As far as who I have become, the
lessons that I have learned and the testimony I have strengthened, I
am taking it all with me. The calling as a missionary? I will only
miss it as much as I don't use it and I am not going to give that up
without kicking and screaming.

I am so grateful for all the prayers and letters and support that came
from everyone. I know I have not been forgotten.

I will see you all very soon!!!!

I hate to end with this quote, because it does not accurately display
my feelings, but It fits.

"I'm gettin pretty tired... I think I'll go home now."

Love -Elder Wagner