November 30, 2015

Why oh why does the mission have to go by so fast? The last day of November I don't get it. But I am so excited for Christmas!!! Christmas is the best for many reasons! The most important is because we get to celebrate Christ's birth. There is a new Christmas video out and we are spreading the word about that and the cards about it here in Florida! 

Well this week was really exciting! We had Transfers this last week on Wednesday afternoon. I got my new companion, Elder Bowden, and then we were assigned to the University Park area in Sarasota Florida. We are actually white washing the area. Elder Bowden is from Salem, UT. He has only been out for about 5 months but you can't tell. He is a hard worker and is fun to be around we get along well.

The missionaries here were not the most obedient and the teaching wasn't the fastest so they pulled them out. It was a neat experience white washing an area. 

We got to the area and there was no food, we had no idea where anything was, and we didn't have any investigators to teach. That night we got some groceries and just went to the Wal Mart parking and talked to as many people as we could. We were able to get some investigators to start us off. 

Thursday was Thanksgiving so it was pretty slow. We had a feast with the 2nd councilor and his wife. It made me miss my Grandparents cooking thats for sure. We called as many members as we could to go over asap and meet them. There seems to be some great members in this area. 

On Sunday we had no investigators show up to church unfortunately but we were able to bare our testimonies to the ward and introduce ourselves. It was powerful standing up and baring my testimony to the ward on how much the mission has changed my life. I love sharing what I know to be true. There was 11 Ward Missionaries called this past week in sacrament meeting! We got an army!! If everyone was perfect we would have 16 million+ Members as the army but its alright. 

This past week from being diligent and obedient we have seen so many miracles. We met so many people and have set 18 baptismal dates. The likelihood of them all getting baptized are pretty slim but they all know our purpose, they know we are here to find, teach and baptize. I am excited to be here in the new area and am most excited to serve the Lord! I know this Gospel is true, I know that God is there. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. We got in a bash with a guy and he wanted evidence that the Book of Mormon is true. If there was all the evidence that the Book of Mormon is true and that God is real then what is the point of Faith. Reach out, He is there. He will tell you what is true through the Holy Ghost. 

I love you all.

Elder Gardner