June 6th, 2016

Greetings Family and Friends,

There is a tropical storm that is coming into Florida today so we have to stay indoors for the rest of the day. We have to cancel all the appointments we have set. This should be exciting! 

I hate that it is already June! Not really though because this month should be good with baptisms! We started the month out right with Bill's baptism! It was a great experience. He asked me to baptize him and then a member of the church that fellow shipped him well was able to confirm him. 

Alex has been doing great as well. We have been meeting with him quite frequently to teach him everything. He is not sure if he wants to have the baptism this weekend or next but we could have another one this weekend and then Cheryl's baptism on the 18th as well. The Lord has been blessing us a lot and I am really grateful for that. 

This week I learned a valuable lesson. We had Bill's baptism on Saturday and that was fantastic but then after the baptism the appointments that we had set all canceled out. We parked the car and then got on our bikes to try and visit people and talk to everyone on the way. Everyone was rejecting us and it was hot and sweaty and I was wearing a shirt and tie and a goofy helmet that no one wears except missionaries. I just got to the point that in my head I complained to God and said "really God?! Come on!" I had forgotten that we had a baptism earlier that day. I had to repent of my ungratefulness. 

Its sad to say but how often does that happen to all of us? How often do we all have something so great happen to us which is a blessing from God and then right when something bad happens to us we are already complaining to the very Creator that gave us those blessings? We need to always examine our thoughts and make sure we are not falling into being ungrateful for the things we have. God is great to all of us we just need to open our eyes and realize it. 

I love being a missionary! 

Elder Gardner