7-12-13

Hey family!!!!!

Today was a crazy day, we had our capital trip. haha It was basically like the one I did the other day. BUT It was in a bus, so a lot better than walking. I got some cool pictures, and some new ideas to take you guys to cool places.
I had my exit interview today! That was weird.... especially because it was with my new president! This is what he said about marriage.... Now elder, when someone has been fasting for a long time, even a tuna sandwich looks good. DON`T EAT THE TUNA SANDWICH.  HAHAHAHAAH I laughed sooo hard. It was awesome.
Which Smuin is going to Bahia Blanca? That is the mission right beneath me. It`s a lot colder there. Hopefully it all works out for him and his visa...
Awe man I have soooo many crazy feelings about ending! I am sooooo excited to see you guys, but thinking about not being apart of all of THIS is something I don`t like. But it doesn`t end here :) That`s the good thing.
I can`t wait to get home and show you guys pictures and stuff. It`s be awesome. Ihave no idea how it`s going to be when I see you guys in the airport. It`s going to be super weird. I look totally different haha. And I`m sure you guys have changed a lot too!
Tomorrow I go to the temple! I`m going to say hi to the Rusts ;) I`m excited for the temple. It`ll be good for me. It`ll rejuvinate me!!!!
I got suuuuper sick again this week. Fevers... squitters.... migrains.... the works. Monday tuesday and wednesday I was out almost completely. It was terrible. But thank goodness for tylenol! And that I brought a lot... ahha. It helped a lot. And yes mom I drank lots of fluids. But no one brought me my iced seven up like I like and my toast with hot jello.
Last night I was tlaking to Elder _______, who is in my district. He is from Altamont and we just talked about the indians for like 10 minutes haha it was awesome to talk to someone who understands the uintah basin.
Well I better go, I`ve got to get back to my area real quick! WE`re still on divisions for the day and I have to get back to my comp :) I love you guys soooooo much! And I will call you when I get to Dallas, or to Denver or something. If not, Iwill see you at 3:54 at the vernal airport on tuesday :)

Elder Gardner

6-17-13

Hey family!!!!

 

Things are going pretty well. All about the same. This week we got robbed haha. But nothing happened, they just ran up, reached in our pockets are grabbed everything, and then ran away. I yelled at them when they ran away and told them to at least give me my travel card back. And they did! Haha. Plus after they took out all of my comps money they gave him back his wallet. So at least they were courteous robbers! All they took from me was my wallet, with two pesos (about 30 cents USD) and the mission phone. One of them told the other one to give me back my wallet to me, but I think he liked it because he didn`t want to give it back lol. It did have a copy of my passport info, but I doubt they are smart enough to do anything with that. I want to go to the temple super bad... it`s been since january i think was the last time. And before that, it was the mtc!!! crazy... yeah i will be exhausted with my travel info... but I will be excited too. I think I`m traveling alone because everyone else told me that they are flying into georgia first. so that will be weird. I`ve never flown alone. I am excited for summer! More than anything, I`m excited to wear summer clothes. Shorts, t shirts, and flip flops... lol. Although I am used to church clothes 24/7, it will feel super good. is it hot out there? That`s good cadin is starting in on the singles ward stuff. Is he going to nauvoo? How many people are going?? I`m getting excited for that as well. That will be fun. I`m excited to see everyone! It`s been a long time... 2 years!! I`m thinking about jobs and everything now. Trying to figure stuff out. I want to be able to use spanish! What jobs do you think there are in vernal to use spanish. I`m sure there are several. 

 

Well love you guys! Just know I`m okay, and Im being taken care of. :)

 

Elder GArdner

6-10-13

Hey family!!!! The funeral was weird. I wasn`t sad at all! I was shocked by the situation, but I`m glad I have the gospel, and I already know what is going to happen to us after. So it`s all good! The bishop ended up doing the blessing, but I did speak. The mom is awesome, I hope one day she can receive the gospel.
Brittani who and Tyson Bourne? I don`t think I know either of them... haha. Smoked pork sounds soooooo good right now!! I can`t wait to have cafe rio...
Moving churches will be good. The other one is super small!!! Haha well Argentine churches are even smaller. And no one has cars so that makes parking not an issue :)
That`s exciting about the capital theater production, I`ve always wanted to go! Guess I`ll have to wait another year lol. Maybe next year they`ll have like wicked or something awesome. It is getting cold here.... and rainy! That`s the good thing abut winter... MUD!!!!

This last week was a little rough with a lot of things going on. But ya gotta remember good ol´ 1 Nephi 3:7. When the Lord puts new things in front of me, Í know there is a way to do it; and I don`t have any other choice but to do it! It`ll be good for me. I`ll end up tougher than a boiled owl. New challenges are good, because that means the Lord is trusting me more, and is giving me oppurtunities to grow in other ways. So I`m not mad! I love to talk to the Lord!!! :)

President Stapley is leaving on the 27 of June, and the new mission president, President Thurgood gets here that day as well. The word on the street is that we all will get to go together to the temple before president goes home, and then I will get to go again the week before I leave! So that would be cool if we get to go twice this transfer. I think I bought my last souvenirs this week! Woot! Then I`m all done. Just got to start giving some clothes away and start getting stuff sorted out. Good thing I have organized parents that taught me to be prepared before hand :)
I love you guys lots, and hope you have a good week!!!!

Elder GArdner

6-3-13

HEy family!!!!

Along with the fresh fruits and veggies, I want some steak... a good steak! And mexican food. PLEASE!"!!! haha. So ready for the news??? I got my new companion today! His name is elder Herrera, and is from Mexico City. He is awesome, and has 5 months in the mission. He is a newbie. I didn`t `know him before, but he seems like a cool kid. He will be my last comp! 

Send Jake birthday wishes for me. 

I`m glad you had a fun time on my birthday :) We spent it doing the best thing in the world; preaching the gospel :) That evening we received terrible news, that the one member who helped us so much, and worked with us every day, had passed away. He was the one the got shot like a year ago and he only had one lung. Well he had used to much strength, and he just fell dead. It has been really hard on the whole ward, he was one of the best people in the ward. For us it was weird too because he literally worked with us every single day, and helped us find so many investigators. But luckily we believe in the plan of salvation and everything, and we know what he is doing and where. But it was a crazy weekend. Today is his viewing, and tomorrow is the funeral. His mom isn`t a member, but she asked me to bless his grave tomorrow at his funeral. 

Today at trasnfer meeting, 28 missionaries went home! two more including president and the hermana stapley! so 30 this transfer, and 20 next trasnfer. So 50 people in 3 months! That`s 1/4 of the mission. And in the states there are 50 people waiting for visas... so yeah. The mission is really lacking people. 

My new comp is cool, I`m excited to start working with him today. He seems really chill, and willing to work. 

Not too much to tell you! This week was really layed back with all the stuff that happened. I love you guys a lot, and am excited to seey ou guys soon. 

 

Love ya

5-27-13

Hey family! How is everything going? All is well here on this side of the hemisphere. It´s actually a really nice day today! GLOBAL WARMING!!!! Haha jk. Tell grandma and grandpa thank you so much, and that they really need to stop!!!!! 

I got a surpirse this week! My comp is going to the temple on friday so I am going back to my old area with the office elders to work while he is in the temple. So they are going to take me to my old converts house for my birthday :) That is going to be the best birthday present ever!!! I´m so excited to see them. 

So yesterday our stake that we are in had a special conference with Elder Cook. It was amazing! And on wednesday he is having a special one with all the missionaries in the buenos aires area. It´s going to be an awesome week! I can´t wait. My comp is getting really excited to see his family. 

Sooooo many weddings! Who is dallin marshall getting married to? 

A tip for food... I want a lot of veggies and fruits... that is something I have missed a lot here. PWEEEESE!!!!!

Wow the new bishopric sounds awesome :) That´s so amazing for them both. They are both super awesome, and will do wonders for the ward. What is biship Vernon´s new calling? Does he have a new one? Who is all in the stake presidency? I knew about pres mcclellan, but who are his counselors? 

Not too much to say. I love you guys! and I am doing well :) I am being taken care of, and I´m not hungry!!! Too much cookies and chocolate milk..... :) 

 

Love you guys.

 

Elder Gardner

5-13-13

Hey family! So we just talked last night.. lol but it was nice to see you guys. I can`t wait to be with you guys in person. But you`re going to have to wait, I still have some work to do here. :) 8 more weeks. You all looked so good. Even Barkley. He looked good too :) The kids are all super huge! I can`t believe it. Gracy was talking so much, and so well! Sheesh. Baileywas so cute, super shy but she said the funniest things. Ryder was devouring the cheetos while tiff was talking to me, she said he was taking advantage of her not watching him. haha. 

This week we had a lot of mircles happen! It was awesome. They`re always little things, but the Lord blesses us right when we need it. It`s amazing. 

Todaywehave a zone activity, we`re going to watchf inding nemo :) Can`t wait!!! It`s been a long time since I`ve seena movie. I`m excited to have two years of movies to catch up on :)

That is crazy about the weddings... Especially Jordan Evans!!! Lol. Hannah Haslem  is the one that had cancer when she was younger right?

Tell gammy and papa that I love them, and it was good to see them. 

 

Well, not too much has happened since lastn ight :) Love youguys!

 

Elder GArdner

4-29-13

HEy family!

 

Things are going well. Time is already flying by super quickly... With helping my comp prepare for him going home, it´s crazy to think that that will be me in several weeks. But I still have time :) So I will use it to my advantage and work as hard as possible. We are still going strong with lessons and investigators. If everything works out perfectly this week we should have 3 baptisms on Sunday. Pray for them! Their interviews are on thursday. 

President had to close a lot of areas this last week because of the lack of missionaries.... stupid visa problems. Us gringos are a dying breed! Soon it will be a mission only filled with latins. Which is fine! It´s better to serve in your own country anyway. I think I lost 6-8 months of my mission trying to learn the language where if I were serving in the US I could have jumped straight into the work. But I am grateful for my experiences, and wouldn´t trade them for anything. It was EXACTLY what i needed. and that´s whythe Lord put me here. 

 

THat´ll be a nice break for Dad to be able to have another day off. Give you guys some more time together. 

Good news! They finally got the paperwork to start my visa papers to leave legally! So we shouldn´t have any problems to come back :) I was super happy. Everything should work out perfectly. 

And in only 2 weeks we´ll be talking on skype :) WE´ve already got a family lined up to use their computer. It should go perfectly! Lov eyou guys and we´ll talk soon.

 

Elder GArdner