Oh Està, Todo Bien!!!

Hola todos...


How is everyone doing?  Things are going great here in Sarandi Grande and we are still seeing many miracles and receiving many blessings.  At this moment I am currently in Montevideo because we had to travel here this morning to sign some papers for my immigration, so officially I`m a legal resident of Uruguay for the rest of my mission!!!  It has been a fun morning because I got to see all my friends from the MTC (both from this mission and the Montevideo West mission).  I also saw Elder Jimenez here because he had to come talk with President because President Da Silva wanted to do a special transfer with him.  He received the call from the offices that he was to stay in Bella Italia, but they called him back and said that he was to be reassigned to Durazno the next day.

I`m doing great and am healthy, safe, and happy.  To answer Dad`s question, all my clothes are doing just fine for right now and if for some reason I have to buy new ones, I can do it in Florida or in 3 Cruces (the bus station where all the missionaries pass through when they change companions or areas). 

This week has been really great and the excitement in Sarandi Grande has spread for piano lessons.  I now have 6 students and all are youth and very excited to learn.  We are using this opportunity to help both the youth members and investigators look at coming to the church as a fun thing not only for the meetings on Sunday but with piano lessons, soccer games, and activities to try and keep the youth more engaged in such a small branch with very few youth.  Also, the members and nonmembers are becoming friends which is very helpful to have a support system to encourage the youth to keep learning about the gospel of Christ.

We had a branch conference this Sunday and Elder Bermudez, the youth of the branch, and I did a special musical number of ¨Oh mi Padre¨ or Oh my Father.  It was a really great conference and we had a lot of people come to church.  With the visitors from the Stake leadership and the members here we had about 30 members and 4 investigators come to church.  We were expecting more investigators, but it was a very cold Sunday morning and when we stopped by the house of a family we are teaching to walk to church together, they were all still asleep.  We are hoping that they will make the effort to wake up a little earlier next week. 

We have two investigators with baptismal dates, one... Candelaria for the 11th of September and the other Aaron for the 18th of September.  Please keep them in your prayers and also the other investigators that we are teaching.

We have seen many miracles and have felt and seen the power of the Adversary working full time against us, but we know that both occurrences mean that great changes are being made and that great things are to come, because we are receiving much help and blessings and there is a greater reason for Satan to work harder to try and discourage us and our investigators.  I have been studying a lot from the scriptures and finished the book of Mateo and Genesis this week.  It`s been really great to read the Old Testament and the New Testament at the same time along with the Book of Mormon.  It helps me connect all of them better and see how they compliment each other in bearing testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I love you all very much and hope that all goes well with you this week.  Thanks for the line of authority chart Dad. Love you Mom, Dad, Colin, Mason... (and Buddy). Gracias, hasta lunes.

Love,
Elder Gardner