April 25, 2016

Hello Family and Friends! 

We had a great week this past week. We have been able to see a lot of things really start moving forward and progress.

 

Last week we contacted a man from Africa as we were biking to an appointment and we didn't think much of the original contact but we got a return appointment and we went by and taught his kids as well. His kids are really progressing well. His eldest son Godtime (yes that is his real name) , who is 16, is really solid. He has 2 other younger kids Angel (14) and Faith (12) that are really progressing well as well. We gave them a tour of the church after since it was stake conference and they met a lot of people and they loved it. 

We had another lesson with Cheryl the lady that randomly showed up to church and is insanely prepared. She doesn't have a car and Cheryl's room mates don't want us to go to her house so a member picked her up and we had a lesson in their home. We left her with a restoration pamphlet to read on Sunday and that day she went home and studied it and wrote 4 pages of notes on what she learned from it. I don't think that she will have a hard time preparing for baptism. 

We had stake conference this past week as well and had Elder Worthen of the Seventy come and speak. He is the President of BYU and Wow was that good! He gave excellent talks both on the Saturday adult session and the Sunday session. He explained how life is like a constant battle with satan always trying to tear us down and battles are always easier fought when you have the higher ground. When we go to church, read the scriptures daily, and pray daily that is how we get the higher ground. It wont stop the battles that satan will bring but it will give us the advantage to fight them on higher ground and to a better advantage with a lot more of a chance to win. That is my testimony as well. I couldn't put it any better. I am grateful for the essential principles I get to practice every single day here on my mission to prepare me for the rest of my life. I am grateful for A Father in Heaven who loves me. I am grateful for loving parents who taught these simple truths to me throughout my life. 

Much love,

Elder Gardner

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He had to get a picture by, St George

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Dirty Font

Where we had our baptisms that day.

April 17, 2016

Family and Friends you will have to buckle down for this weeks email!

So this week has been awesome! We have been having a lot of success and we have been teaching a lot of people. Everything was just a normal week until Saturday. We were planning on having 3 baptisms at the church so we went early to start filling up the font. When the time came around to turn off the font we looked and the water was 100% brown. Rust must have gotten in the pipes or something but the water was brown and it was completely full. I had to get in a jumpsuit and pull the plug for it to drain. Meanwhile we were thinking about what to do for the baptisms. There was a member at the baptism that had a pool so we decided to start the service at the church and then carpool to their house and hold the baptisms and the rest of the service there! The rest of the service was fine and they all 3 got baptized.

All 3 baptisms we had were part member families. The members got baptized when they were young and then fell away and then they humbled themselves and realized they needed God and then the missionaries got in their lives. 2 of the baptisms were of Tikal and Benicio who got baptized by their father. The father got the priesthood the week before and then baptized them. When everyone was changing we had a testimony meeting and the father bore his testimony. That was probably the most powerful testimony I have heard. He looks like a rough and tough guy but he broke out in tears thanking the missionaries and the whole experience. He is really solid now. How grateful I am to be able to witness that.

Also Scott got baptized this past weekend as well! I wasnt there but Elder Bowden sent me pictures.

We had a miracle happen yesterday as well. At church a member told us there is a lady that wants the discussions and to be baptized. We talked with her more and she was saying that she had been studying about the church for a while. She went to the library and checked out books about the church and made a whole notebook full of notes. She said she wants the 5 lessons and to be baptized. We had a lesson with her after church and set her baptismal date! We will keep you posted on that.

I am so glad I am a missionary and I am so glad I am a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

Elder Gardner

April 11. 2016

Family and Friends! 

Well I made it safe and sound to my new area! I am now in the Hudson area with my new companion Elder Farr. Elder Farr is from Washington state and this is his last transfer on his mission. I am really excited to work hard with him because he wants to end his mission with a bang! 

I got in the area on Wednesday and we have been working hard ever since. There are 3 baptisms that are going to be this weekend so that is exciting! 2 of which are a part member family. The father was baptized when he was 9 but then fell away and then recently got reactivated. He looks like a rough guy but he has such a great heart. He got the priesthood yesterday and he will be baptizing his 2 sons Tikal and Benicio. The other is another Part Member Family. The wife is a member and somewhat of the same situation. The husbands name is Rainer and he is a 60 year old man from Germany. He is really looking forward to being baptized as well. The work of the Lord is hastening! 

This past week was somewhat hard on me. I had to leave one of my favorite areas and didnt really have time to say any goodbye's. It is always difficult to change but this area seems like it has a lot of potential. We have been able to teach a lot of people. The ward is really supportive as well and members are willing to help us out. The key is obedience though. I really love being obedient because you get to see the fruits of your labors. I read just this morning in Enos 1:12. If we labor diligently God will grant us according to our desires. I love being a missionary! 

Sorry for no pictures! next week!

Elder Gardner

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P, B & J on the beach

April 4, 2016

Hello Family and Friends! Another exciting week here and really all around the world! I love General conference! 

Well I got some news today that I am getting transferred. I will be finding out where I am going tomorrow and then Wednesday we transfer to the new area. Its exciting but I am really sad that I am leaving. This area has been a great one and I have loved being with Elder Bowden. I have never been so sad to leave an area my whole mission but its ok because I will go where the Lord wants me to go! 

Scott has been doing really good. He went on a vacation to the other coast this week so he didn't really watch any conference but he is really looking forward to his baptism. I am going to try and come to watch his baptism, hopefully I won't be too far. 

We have been contacting in local parks lately and have been teaching  lot of people there. Who would have known that parks are great places to go and listen to the missionaries teach the Gospel. We had Caleb, a recent convert, out with us for 6 1/2 hours. He loved being with us and preaching the Gospel. We were at one park and we talked with one guy that was pondering about life and he was really prepared for the Gospel. We taught him about baptism and what it means and he asked when he can be baptized! We set up to meet him at the church for a tour of the church just yesterday and he showed up. He didn't have any contact information other than email and he showed up so that is a miracle! Gordon was with us and we showed Jesse the baptismal font. The spirit was so strong when Gordon explained how his baptism changed the rest of his life. 

I am really sad to leave but excited to see what the Lord has in store for me! 

One of my favorite talks in conference was by sister Oscarson. She talked about the difference between knowledge and Belief. She explained how we have been taught all of the principles of the Gospel and know them but do we actually believe them? My answer is YES! I don't only know that Joseph Smith restored Christ's Church but I also Believe it with  all my heart! I don't only know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God but I also Believe it with all my heart! I am glad that I don't only have the knowledge but also have the belief. Since being a missionary the knowledge I had in my head all my life went to my heart and has changed my life. 

God is good! Thank you all for your prayers!

Elder Gardner

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Teaching on the Beach

Happy Easter

Brycen's baptism

Cool Camper

Tadd's favorite picture of Christ

March 28, 2016

Happy Easter to one and to all!!! 

I really do love Easter soooooo much, it has to be one of my favorite holidays. Not so much for the candy but for gathering together as family and friends to celebrate the Risen Christ. 

This week was not very eventful honestly. Scott is still doing very well. He is going out of town this weekend to celebrate a late easter. Yesterday for priesthood meeting he told everyone he is getting baptized on the 16th and invited everyone to that! I really hope I am here for that baptism. Transfers are coming up quick this next week, I should know if I am getting transferred by next Monday. I hope I stay honestly, me and Elder Bowden get along really well and we have been having a lot of success and enjoying the work of the Lord. 

The most interesting part of the week was going to the jail. One of the Recent Converts got put in jail this past week and so we went and visited him Yesterday. That was a first for sure. Jails terrify me… We talked with him on a phone and through a cpu monitor that had a camera so we could see him. He was glad we came by and we shared a couple scriptures to comfort him and we left a Book of Mormon and a Bible so they could give it to him. A miracle happened when we were there though! We didnt know what to do when we walked in and so we were standing around looking like lost puppies and then a lady behind the visitation glass was waving us over and she said "Hey Elders I am Sister Smith" She hasn't been to church in a while and so we gave her our phone number so hopefully she will call us! Gods timing is perfect. 

This past week I was reading a talk that was given a while ago about Jesus Christ of course. It gave a story about a guy that was watching a beetle and all the sudden it looked like it died and then cracked and out popped a beautiful butterfly. That is what Christ really does to us. Once we realize His true sacrifice He gave for us we can have new life. We can turn from something so bad into something so good! We have to let Him. My invitation to all of you is to let Him in. Let Him help you. Let Him heal you. Take His yoke upon you. Matthew 11:28-30 #hallelujah!!!!

I love you all and hope you enjoy General Conference as much as I will.

Elder Gardner

March 21, 2016

Well Family and friends if I was a sister I would be finishing my sister mission in 1 month. Tomorrow I will hit my 17 month mark and it blows my mind. It is exciting but also not so exciting because one day this will  come to an end. 

This week was a success! We had a baptism of Brycen this past Saturday! It was a extra special experience though because Caleb, the father who got baptized 3 weeks ago, was able to baptize him. We gave him the priesthood before the baptismal service and then he baptized him. Surprisingly he got it the first time! He was practicing the baptismal prayer the whole week and then we broke the news to him that the prayer is printed in the baptismal font haha! Then just yesterday Caleb was able to give Brycen the priesthood and ordain him to be a teacher. That will be cool to see them passing the sacrament soon! God is good!! 

You never know who is prepared to receive the Gospel. We found them by yelling out to them and asking if they want to say a prayer as we were driving by in our car and now another family is members of the church. 

Scott came to the baptism as well and watched it. The spanish branch actually had a baptism as well the same night and he watched that one as well through the whole program haha he didnt understand it at all but he loved it. We had a lesson with him over dinner at the Bishops house this past week. He loves the Gospel. His baptism is scheduled for the 16th of April. 

We are working with a lot more people but not many are progressing. We don't teach anyone who doesn't read the pamphlets and keep the commitments we extend. We find a lot of people that way and don't waste our time with the non elect. We find the elect and skip the rest! I love seeing the miracles that God has for us when we are Obedient. This mission is very obedient and it has made an impact on the rest of my life. When we are obedient the Lord is literally bound to bless us. D&C 82:10. 

I hope and pray you all have a good Easter and reflect on the true reason why we celebrate it. He is Risen! #Hallelujah 

Elder Gardner

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March 14, 2016

Hello!

Well family and friends another week gone! 

Florida is the state for baseball I came to realize this past week. In our area there is a spring training field for the Baltimore Orioles and so we were able to get tickets from a senior missionary couple and we went on Preparation day. Oh how much I love watching baseball! I sure wish we would have brought sun glasses and a little sun screen though. 

This week was pretty good. We had quite a bit of good days but a couple bad days as well but who cares about the bad ones. We have been teaching a lot of people but none that are progressing super well other than Brycen who should be baptized this weekend by Caleb who got baptized a couple weeks ago! That will be a great day! We are excited for that. Brycen is excited and Caleb has been practicing the baptismal prayer for the past couple days. 

Scott is doing great as well. We have appointments with him 2 times a week and usually we teach him in members homes over dinner. We have a great ward mission leader that is always fired up to have him taught in his home. We are truly blessed by seeing so many miracles. Scott will be getting baptized next month because his brother wants to fly in who is a member in Chicago and his family and friends that are members. 

The new Hallelujah video came out and we are really excited to share it! There is nothing more exciting than sharing the Gospel at this time in my life! It is easy and just a normal way of life for me now. I can not have a normal conversation without bringing up the Gospel and missionary work. In all reality it is easy though. It is nothing more than home teaching to people that are not members of the church. Obedient members do their home teaching to members so why not share a quick message with non members too! Every invite is a success. 

God is good! 

Elder Gardner