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Monday, July 20, 2015
July 20, 2015
Hello Family and Friends!!
This week was good here in the New Tampa ward. We have been able to teach a couple new people and are seeing quite a bit of success. This next week is transfers and Elder Dungan is getting transferred so we will no longer be in a tripanionship. Its sad to see him go I really enjoyed being able to serve with him. This next transfer is going to be crazy! There is 17 new missionaries coming in and a lot of change happening!
We have been teaching a lady named Rachel the past 2 weeks or so and she has been really improving. She has been soaking up the Book of Mormon and reading it every day. We taught the Word of Wisdom to her and she has an addiction to cigarettes so she has to quit that. She said she was going to go on the Ecigarettes which is supposedly to help. The next time we came back she said she is just going cold turkey. So far she hasnt smoked and it has been 5 days. She has a good heart and wants to change.
We have been working with a guy Ray Ray and her mother Phillis. We taught them about the restoration and Ray Ray wanted to get baptized but his mom wouldnt allow it. She has a Brother who is a pastor in a church and she wanted Ray Ray to get baptized in that church. Her and her husband talked about it and we were just praying that they would be willing to let us teach them. Yesterday we came back and Phillis the mom said that she talked with her husband about us and she said that we can keep teaching them. Phillis really trusts us and is now opening up to us teaching her as well. The restoration made sense to her and she felt the spirit for sure.
Phillis said something that is common. She said" all these years she has been running away from you guys so that I didnt have to talk to you guys, but we are just trying to help everyone." It is so true. That is why I am here in Florida. That is why I left my family for 2 years. That's why I am out in this heat knocking on doors all day.
I love you all!! Until next week! I cant believe I have been out 9 months...
Elder Gardner
July 13, 2015
This week was soooo quick!! I thought for sure it would be a long week and I would get trunky because I will think of my LPF having a grand time. I just put my head down and went to work. Last Monday night we met a lady through tracting that was really interested. Her name is Rachel. There is a Less Active member that lives in her same apartment complex that actually shared the gospel with her and got her interested. We came into her life right at the perfect time. She just got married to her husband that she was dating for 13 years... that would have been a struggle. More info about how she is coming along next week.
We had another investigator that we came in contact with and taught the restoration to and he wanted to get baptized in our church but his mom wouldnt let him because she wants him to get baptized in the church her brother is a pastor at... I thought I would have never had to deal with parents not allowing their kid to get baptized. It happened to us right when I came into the area as well. Sad but you cant take away peoples agency.
The past 2 weeks have been a little hectic in the office because at the end of the month we have a lot to do. We have to do a lot of computer work keeping up on the cars and making sure that they get the proper maintenance. We have still been tracting and finding the people who are prepared.
This week we got notice that some missionaries from our mission will be able to sing the national anthem at the Tampa Bay Rays Baseball game on the 24th of this month!! We will me some of the missionaries singing!!! So we will get tickets and go on the field and sing our hearts out! I dont believe they will be broadcasting the National Anthem but we will get it on video.
Last but certainly not least GUESS WHO IS AN UNCLE!!!!! YES!! I AM!!
Well it was hard for me to hold back the tears while looking at pictures of my Niece but I do hard things. I wish I could be there to hold her in my arms but I am here to bring peace and happiness to families here in Florida. How great is my calling. More like how great is OUR calling because as members of Christ's church we all promised to share the gospel with everyone when we entered into the waters of baptism.
Love you all!!! Thank you all for the prayers on my behalf!
Elder Gardner
July 6, 2015
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!
How blessed we all are to live in a country that is sooo great!
I bet you were all wondering what I did for the 4th... I did missionary work can you believe it!!!!! We talked to a lot of people even though a lot of them were drunk but even the drunks need the gospel right? We werent really able to see any fireworks but we saw some lightning! It got really stormy at night and so not a lot of fireworks happened while we were out. When we got home that is when we heard all the fireworks!
I forgot to tell you all but last week we met a lady on the street who we made a deal with that if we go to her church she will come to ours. So Saturday we went to the Seventh Day Adventice church and worshiped with them. It was really neat to see a different service. They had a lot of similar beliefs. They are one of the closest religions to us. They even had their primary sing LOVE AT HOME can you believe it?! The same song we sing.
This week we got news that me and Elder Holmes will be getting a new companion. On Tuesday we had Zone training meeting and we picked up Elder Dungan. He is from Lake Orion Michigan only a couple minutes North of Detroit!! He has only been out 3 weeks in the field and so Elder Holmes and I will be training him as well. It has been loads of fun! He crashed on his bike and fractured his growth plate in his shoulder and will be healing with us.
We had to do a lot of driving this past week delivering cars to areas and so forth, thats the blessing about being here in the office. We used to drive a chevy cruze but now that had to be taken to another area. Its all good though because we upgraded. We now ride around in a Minivan!! Classic mormons always driving minivans. Her name is Sheryl.
Blessing of the week. Yesterday we were tracting and didnt really have any set appointents until 8:30. We got a call and the appointment cancelled so we were pretty bummed. We werent getting a lot of success in the area but we decided to keep being diligent and keep going. The last door we knocked on was a nice lady that turned out to be really interested! Everything that we were sharing with her she was just eating up. The Lord always tests his missionaries to see if they will really be diligent and then he will bless them.
I hope you all have fun at Lake Powell but just remember to keep some of your clothes on! I am sad that I couldnt be going with the LPF but I know this is where I need to be. I know that God loves us so He sent His son. I know that Christ payed the price so that all of us dont have to go through anything alone. There are people here in Tampa Florida that need that and we are the only ones that can bring them that peace.
Now Mom wipe the tears away and go have some fun in the sun! I love you all thanks for all the love and support!
Elder Gardner
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