1-30-12

Hey fam!

I got the package. Well one of them lol. The one with the sweater, powder, peanut butter, and sd card reader. Thank you so much for that. I´m hoping the one with the sweater vests has the USB drives? I haven´t gotten that one yet. I just sent an email with some pictures. I´m doing another picture email as well. 

I feel a lot better :) there is still a little soreness, and blue bruises still, but I feel better. I really wasn´t hurt that bad at all. The bike is already fixed! 200 pesos later... lol. But it´s fine. 

That´s too bad about Grandpa Bob. I pray for the best for him, whatever that is. And I already have two pairs of thermal garments. I bought them when I bought my first round in Vernal.  We´ll see how they go, and how cold it is. I heard it´s... breath taking cold. And it´s even worse because there are no heaters, and all the homes are cement, so it´s just freezing. We´ll see! I might need some plain thermal underwears, but we´ll see. I don´t want you to send them and then me not use them. 

I´m glad you found a place for the elk :) I keep the picture of the elk with all the ones I show families we visit and they love it too. 

As of three days ago I completed my 6 month mark. I also got a new companion today! Elder  Reynolds from Layton. He is great, I´m excited to work with him. 

I miss the family a lot! But I´m getting taken care of here. This last week I got two asados. They are realllly big and expensive barbecues. They just cook like tons and tons of meat, and we just eat as much as possible lol. We had chorizo, prime rib, ribs, chicken and more. they just cook it all over an open fire. It{s sooooo good. We had one with a nice non-member family this last weekfor lunch (they gave us dinner two other times that week as well) and then two recent converts wanted to have one with Elder Hill before he left so we got one last night. Plus they cooked us steak friday night, and sunday afternoon before we went to their asado for us, Francisco our ward missionary cooked us our usual sunday steak as well. We eat well here. lol. Lots of meat :)

We have one investigator  we´re working hard with. He seems interested, but he keeps fodging us because he has a hectic schedule. We´ll see how it goes this week. We´ve started up the english class again and are teaching every friday night. Missions are busy!   But you know me, I love busy. It´s dead summer here, so everyone is out vacationing in the coast. 

Today at transfer meeting I saw an American family get out of a shuttle and they looked very lost. I went and talked to them. They are parents to an elder going home today and they came to pick him up. I talked to them a lot about what they´re doing and stuff. They are staying at The Hilton in capitál and just take taxis everywhere. They seem to be doing it all just fine. They are also planning a day trip to the Iguazu falls :) So I´m thinking it´s a lot easier than the leaders make it sound. And it got me excited for whatever we´re able to work out. 

Well I love you guys! Hope you like the pictures. Talk to you next week. 

Chaocita

Elder Gardner

1-23-12

Fam,

Well this week was crazy! And instead of telling you all individually the same thing, I´m just going to write one email to all of you. Tuesday was such a crazy day. We had district meeting two train stations away, so we had to travel for the morning and such. There are also two elders in our zone that are going home this coming Monday so we took lots of pictures and what not. We got back to Glew and picked up a to-go lunch from a member and ate it and headed out to work. We had to make a stop to drop off some keys to our first councilor to the bishop that he let us borrow the day before and we were already a little late getting to our appointment. I had some crazy feelings like we needed to go straight to the appointment instead of dropping off the keys, and my bike has been acting up so I felt like we need to go take my bike in right then but I didn´t listen.

Now I´m going to start this next part off with I´m okay :) no harm done. But it was crazy. A bus decided to pass me on my bike at the same time a bus from the other direction was coming so there wasn´t enough room, but the bus tried to keep going anyway and ended up sandwiching me against a parked car. It was nuts. I remember three things from when it happened. Number one, when the bus first knocked me and I lost my balance between the two vehicles, number two I remember a flash of metal (my bike) in front of my face as I hit the pavement and skidded, and then I remember after it all happened when the chofer ran off the bus towards me. I felt fine. I was so weirded out because I felt fine. I was speechless because of what just happened so my comp talked to the chofer as I just sat there. I stood up and That was that! We exchanged information with the bus driver and he was on his way, and us on ours. I had to gather all my things from off the street, my planner, pens, plaque, and stuff in my pockets were all over the road. My bike, was a squished piece of metal, and my clothes were all ripped with my garments hanging out hahaha. I just picked up my bike and carried it to the nearest bike shop and told him to fix it and walked off lol. We went and called our appointment people and told them we can´t make it, and then I called president and his wife to report the accident. They told me I needed to go visit the area doctor to make sure I was okay.

When I got back to the apartment, all I had were some cuts, bumps, and bruises. And I was really sore. But nothing else! I´m soooo lucky. But I called and got an appointment with the doctor for the next day at 1130. Well I misunderstood the doctor and went to the wrong offices. I though he said the mission offices in Adrogue, but he said AREA offices which are in capitál. So I changed the time and we headed off to capitál on wednesday. That was fun! I loved the city. It was really pretty, and busy. When I got out of the subway entrance I felt like I was in times square. Good thing I took lots of subways in London because the subway system was the same and I already knew how it all worked. Or else we would have been super lost. But we got the appointment and he checked me over and said I´m fine! He just gave me some antibiotic ointment for my cuts, and told me to keep taking ibuprofen for the soreness.

I´ll send pictures of everything when I get the little device in the package. I don´t feel safe carrying my camera all around town. But yeah, so My bike is still getting repaired, I´ve picked it up two other times before, but it keeps falling apart, and so I keep having to take it in. BUt I´m not even sore anymore, and my cuts are on the heal. So all is well :) I´m just all green and blue now from the bruises trying to heal.

This week has been a crazy one, with the accident, going to capitál, and then my comp already had some doctors appointments we did friday and dealt with the money saturday at the mission offices so it´s been a little nuts.

So, that said we have had little time to actually work this week. But we had two amazing appointments. These investigators are amazing and I hope for the best for them.

I´ve learned a lot this week about a lot of things; and I´ve had some great spiritual experiences. I guess it takes getting hit by a bus for me to notice the hand of the Lord in my life. I don´t know what it is but I guess something crazy has to happen every area I have. First the worm, then the bus. I hope I don´t get transferred often, sheesh! haha. I´m doing well though. We´re working hard and hoping for results soon.

This is the last week of transfers. And my comp has been here for 7.5 months and this is his first area. So, more than likely he is leaving this next week and I´ll be getting a new companion. Or who knows, I could leave as well! But more than likely, I´m going to be here for at least a transfer or two more.

I did get a little scolded by President Stapley because I wasn´t wearing a helmet. One got robbed before I got to the area and the other one is broken. So we need to buy new helmets asap. But that´s okay. After that, I kind of want one.

Well I love you all! :) Thanks for your love and support. I missed you all lots this week.

Chao chao

Elder Gardner

1-16-12

Hey fam!

The members are awesome here. We were struggling finding lunches this week so we just went to relief society and asked in front of everyone, and then we got over'loaded with people taht wanted to and so we´re set for the next two weeks! Even with a couple dinners here and there. THe food here is amazing. I love it. The Iguazu falls sound amazing. I talked to a member this week about them, they just visited them last year. and there is a tour group that takes them to falls from the brazil side as well. and then they take you to a place called the triple frontier which is where brazil, argentina, and paraguay all come together. That´d be fun!

There is a member here who has a dog that looks and acts just like jazzy. The dog breathes hard like jazzy did, and looks like jazzy and everything it´s sooo funny. I´ll have to take a picture of it. the tri-leeler ride sounds fun! Have you guys put in the bench yet?

The days do go by super fast for me too! WE have a zone activity in our chapel today at one, that´s why we´re writing earlier. I´m getting another hair cut today. My hair is practically blonde now, so much sun! I have some awesome tan lines from my collar and watch. I look like I´m from California. Nice tan, and blonde hair. I started bringing around the picture of you dad with your elk. Everyone loves it. There is a temple close, like 20 minutes by train. But it´s closed right now. They closed it last year to make it bigger, they´re adding two new wings off the back side. Supposedly it should be done this year in April. I´m hoping that they include the missionaries in the dedication or open house or something like that. That would be super fun. I´m hoping that when it´s open that we get to go every so often. I haven´t been since the MTC. Awe that´s nice that you guys get to extend with the singles ward. You guys sure love it, I think it´s good for you guys. And the book of mormon is awesome. I love being able to share it with the people in Buenos Aires. We get an hour every morning to study the scriptures. I made a goal at the beginning of my mission to read all of the scriptures. I´ve already finished the triple, now I´m in the old testament almost out of Dueteronomy. Only about 1200 more pages of the bible :) I heard a story from my first councilor in the mtc that on his mission he was preaching the book of mormon on someones door step and the guy asked if he had ready the bible. the guy in my bishopric said he had read the new testament, and the guy they were contacting yelled at them and said how can you preach to me that you know the word of God when you havne´t even read the word of God. So, that´s why I want to make sure I´ve read all the scriptures. The ol´ acura is gone eh? That´s too bad she wrecked it.

We had two baptisms hoping for this Sunday, but they didn´t come to church yesterday. So we have to push it back another week. They have to go to church twice before they are baptised and they haven´t come yet. The members are great! We have a great ward mission leader, and a ward missionary. They´re very involved in the work. The members are great as well with lunches, laundry, and such. The priesthood works the same here in Glew most leaders are active. The x stake president is in our ward, and we eat at his house a lot, and his son in law is our bishop. His wife is relief society president and comes with us to appointments with investigators. There are x-priesthood leaders that are inactive. It´s really hard down here with work, because everyone works on Sundays, it´s not really an option. It´s either live or die. So a lot of people are inactive because they have to work.

This past week went well though. We are working really hard with some investigators.  They are sisters and are very poor. Together, they have 11 children and they don´t work. they said if they receive an answer they will get baptized. So we´re just working with them now to receive an answer to their prayers. and take time to read the book of mormon and to go to church and stuff. But yeah. THey listen intently and understand the doctrine. so that´s good.

love you guys! talk to you next week.

chao

elder gardner

1-9-12

that´s too bad about grandpa. i´ll keep him in my prayers. he´s in the lord´s hands, so whatever happens, happens. send him my love. that´s nice jade stopped by. i´m glad katlyn sprouse is going on a mission as well. that will be fun and really good for her. amber gets to turn in her papers next month. she´s sooo excited. and ali gets to start hers in june or july. time is just flying by! this is my fourth week of being in glew already. whoa. gracy is sooo funny. all the things she says. i love it.

i wrote a lot of people letters yesterday, i had a lot of time. peggy, connie, morrisons, and grandma and grandpa gardner. let them know in about a month, they should get one from me.

so for my next package, i don´t think i´ll need garments. i´m pretty good for a while. plus the distribution center is pretty close, and our ward mission leader goes often so i can have him pick me up some if i need to. i have 34 envelopes left, and about 15 stamps left i think. i could use some more stamps soon as well. the jump drives if possible, the gold bond triple relief powder (not food powder), sweaters when possible. there´s one more thing i´m going to email tiff about to help you look for it because it´s hard to explain. but i was also wondering what aunt ranee´s address is. i wanted to write her a letter.

i think that´s all for rthis week! it was a pretty boring week. lol. things just seem normal to me, so i don´t know what to say or what not to say. i love the members here. they are amazing. and so kind and loving. we have lunches every day. a recent convert loves cupcakes. she made three batches of cupcakes and then invited us over. it was sooo good. she had strawberry ones, vanilla-walnut ones, and then mint ones. they were sooo good. tasted american.

i love you guys! thanks for everything. i´ll talk to you next week :)

elder gardner

1-2-12

Hey ya´ll!

Too bad about grandpa! send my regards to him. Let him know i´m thinking of him. I´m glad you got to talk to Dallin a little bit. And if you see Melinda again, tell her I sent her one, it just takes a month to get there through the mail. Did I hear correctly that Catlin is going to Germany?  spring is getting an early start I guess! EVeryone is twitterpated.

This last week was great. We´re working hard and found some new prospective converts. We have a cita with them tonight, and they´ve already agreed to be baptized for this month... if they receive an answer that the book of mormon is true. So, that´s what we´re working on with them. But with some revalation on our part, we should get the job done. We also have inter-changes with my district leader tomorrow. So he´ll come here to work with me for a day and my comp will go tohis area. I´m excited. We´ll see how well I know the area lol. My feet are finally STarting to heal. The bikes are helping I think. And I was able to set up lunch appointments every day this week. So, we should be eating realllllly well. I cooked for our whole district last week. Raviolis and red pasta sauce with ground beef. yummmm. We had steaks for lunch yesterday with Francisco, the ward missionary you guys saw on skype. He is so funny, and cooks a dang good steak. He said he´s going to make us fish next week. lol. sorry, i´m starving, i have food on the mind. WE´re going to eat lunch with our district leader in a different city today.

I think that´s all! Nothing really big, just the same ol´. I´m learning a lot about missionary work. I´m getting the hang of things I think.

I love you guys! it was so nice to talk to you. can´t wait to hear how this week is going!

Chao,

Elder Jardinero