I WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hola a todos...

Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year!!! Thanks for the Christmas and Birthday packages and letters!!! It was fun talking with you over skype last saturday... You have all changed so much and Colin and Mason have definitely grown a bit! These fiestas... parties... have been fun but not very good for my weight loss goal... I need to work harder on that so that I can work off all the snacks and goodies from my packages and the members. Thanks for all.

For Christmas my companion got me a ¨mate¨ that says Uruguay. We had our own Christmas morning party where we decorated a small tree put our Christmas presents under the tree and While Elder Wilkey from England read the story of Christ`s birth from the bible, the rest of us sang background Christmas songs to accompany him, it was fun and I got a lot of it on video, haha. We have only one baptism planned for this friday, because the other person didn`t show up to church to announce her baptism, so she will have to wait another week.

I love you all and hope that you have a great week together. Let me know if you have any requests for something that I can bring back from Uruguay... What size shirt does Colin and Mason wear now? If I were to get a shirt for mom or dad... what size shirt should I get? We`ll see how expensive it is going to be...

I know that this church is true and that there are many more miracles that the Lord has planned for all of His children in what is left of this year and many more to come in the new year. Always remember who you are and how important each one of you is to our Heavenly Father. We are His children and he created all things for our benefit and out of love for us. I know that He loves us and that Christ lives. Let us always remember the miracle of Christ`s birth, life, death, and resurrection all year long. Love you all!

Love,

Elder Gardner

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS!

Hola a todos...

I received the Christmas packages of you and Grandma and Grandpa. Thanks! The Christmas conference was really great and our musical number turned out really well! We are going to have to do skype on Saturday the 24th instead of Christmas itself. The member that was going to let us borrow their computer will be going out of town for Christmas so President Da Silva has given us permission to go to a cyber on Saturday to use skype so we don`t spend money on sunday. We aren`t going to be able to try it out before saturday but we did reserve 2 computers to use Saturday at 6:00 pm Uruguay time so that we can skype our families and with the information that you gave me about your skype account I should be able to find you if you are logged on at that time which I think would be 1:00 pm. But just in case... as a back up plan, if skype doesn`t work for some reason, please call on sunday at 4:00 urugauay time.  I`m excited to be able to see you and talk with you this weekend!

Christmas as a missionary isn`t much of a different day... We work like normal and work to find people to be baptized but the Bishop did invite us over to eat lunch with him and his family, that will be fun! If any plans change, I`ll let you know through another email before Saturday at 6:00 urugauy time. I love you so much.
    
This week has been great and we are looking for a lot of success here in Hospital ward starting with new years eve. We have 3, possibly 4 baptisms planned for the last weekend of 2011 and already 3 baptisms planned for the first week of 2012! We have a goal to find at least 4 people who want to get baptized each week so that for whatever problems or set backs that can ocurr, we will always have at least one baptism planned each week January and February. So far we are on a good track to meet that goal but it won`t be easy to maintain that kind of hard work and find that many miracles each week, but I know that the Lord will provide the way so that we can help at least one soul each week come unto Christ through baptism.

We had a fun Christmas activity this last saturday and we had 7 nonmembers come and participate. I love my new ward here in Durazno and I know that the Lord is blessing His children every day and loves us unconditionally.
   
That is so great that you are looking for service to give for Christmas to others who need it. I know that the Lord appreciates your love and service to His children and that these types of gifts more than any other gift that we can give. Love you. Talk to you this weekend!

Love,
Elder Gardner

ANOTHER PEACHY WEEK IN DURAZNO!

Hola a todos...
   
We had an amazing week here in Hospital, Durazno this week!!! We found 12 new investigators and now have 4 baptisms planned for the 30th of December. We are working hard and trusting in the Lord and following the promptings of the Spirit and we have been led to a bunch of great new investigators. We talked to a member in the ward who told us that we are going to be able to use their computer and skype for Christmas, but I´ll let you know next week how and when we are going to do it (what time do you have church at right now or what time would be better to be able to do our skype call?). Elder Clarke is a really good singer so he will be singing ¨What Child is this¨ while I play the piano and we will be accompanied by Elder Aguirre on the Violin for our musical number this wednesday in the Christmas Conference. The zone is doing well now and I know that if we keep working this hard that the Lord will bless us with at least 13 baptisms this month in Durazno.
    

We had a little adventure this morning when our Toilet broke and started spraying water all over the place but we fixed it all for less than a dollar! It was a little crazy but I think that we handled it really well and fixed it fairly quickly. Well, now after I finish writing you We are going to go to the stake center to play soccer and practice our musical number for the Christmas conference this Wednesday. That will make for a fun and exciting Pday.
    

I´m excited for this Christmas conference on wednesday and for our ward christmas party this saturday. The members are really gaining a lot of trust in us and have now already given us 3 really good referrals that will be getting baptized in the next few weeks! I love this ward and am so greatful to be able to be serving here now with Elder Clarke. We are now teaching a family or 11 (only 4 are listening to us for now) named the Silveira family, A 19 year old girl who moved in with some members because her family kicked her out named Katy, Fabiana and Mariana who live with the Cicao Family (pronounced ¨Seacow¨), a mother of a member who will be leaving for his mission on Feb. 29th to Columbia who wants to get baptized now. And a father of a family named Mauricio who had listened to missionaries before but never got baptized.

I love missionary work and I know that the Lord is directing it because it is His work. I know that He loves each and every one of His children and that He wants them to get to know Him and come unto Him through baptism and becoming a member of His church. I know that this is the true and only Church that Christ himself has authorized on the earth. The Book of Mormon is true and will change the lives and hearts of every person that will take the time to consistantly read it. Now is a perfect time to share our message of Christ with all those who have not yet heard it during this Christmas season, Keep serving those in need and also look for opprotunites to share your testimony and invite those around you to come and follow Christ through listening to the missionaries and getting to know His Chruch. I love you all so much and thanks for all that you do for God´s Children.  Have a GREAT WEEK!!!

Love,
Elder Gardner

P.S. Hey Colin... Don´t be chub and get a job and go on some dates. I keep hearing that you are so tough and strong so I don´t think that those kind of things would scare you, haha. Love you and Mason and keep up the good work, you are both going to be great missionaries! The mission is the best! Are you reading the Book of Mormon and Preach my Gospel?

DURAZNO IS JUST PEACHY!

Hola a todos...

Thank you so much for the new shoes, they feel so much better than my old beat up ones that I`ll show you when I get home. I also got Grandma Linda`s package with the scar cream. Thanks for all your love and letters and packages!

Durazno is great I love the city here.  I`m in the city of Durazno which is in the middle of nowhere but it is really nice with a lot of trees for shade to keep me cool during the summer and the people are definitely more receptive than in Montevideo. Everyone says hi to you and everyone knows each other. There is even a small zoo here in Durazno and our ward in Durazno is called Hospital... So it looks like President Da Silva put me in the ``Hospital`` to finish my mission. The ward is great and strong but there is some lack of trust between the missionaries and the leaders of the ward because of past missionaries that have been here in this ward.  I love being with Elder Clarke, he is from California and has about a year and 5 months in the mission. He is a really good singer and loves music so we are now preparing a Christmas special musical number to sing for Christmas in our ward.

I`m very excited to be here in Durazno but I know it will be a little bit of a challenge as a zone leader because they only had 5 baptisms in all of november between 18 missionaries and it is a big change that I need to help the zone have like we did in Maroñas. I know that the Lord will help me know how to help the zone and the ward so that we can be united and work with faith to see similar miracles here in Durazno.

In our first week we have been inviting literally everyone to be baptized that we talk to and we have found 7 news and have placed 3 new baptismal dates for December this past week. We are excited and are trying to transfer this excitement to all the other companionships so that we can all work with a new fire in our hearts. We already talked with one of the members about borrowing their computer to use skype to talk with our families for Christmas but I`ll let you know about the details later in the next couple of emails before Christmas. I`m excited to see how much you have all changed since I last saw you all.

The new apartment is very nice, I live in the house with 3 other missionaries again and I like it, the apartment has a bathroom, back patio, kitchen, study room, and a bedroom upstairs (yes, there are two stories in our apartment), and the best part of it all... We have air conditioning in this house!!! It is a tender mercy of the Lord for my last summer in Uruguay! the other two missionaries that live there with us are, Elder Mejìa (from Mexico) and Elder Wilkey (from England). They are all great missionaries and I know that we will have a great month of December together.

I know that the Lord will guide me to those who are being prepared to receive the gospel and to help the ward improve its trust in us the missionaries and in helping the zone progress and have more baptisms each month so that we can reach our goals. We have a goal for December of 13 baptisms that we are working very hard to reach and to keep helping even more people in 2012 to come unto Christ and receive the saving ordinances of Baptism and confirmation, so that they can be candidates of the Celestial Kingdom.

We are going to have a mission Christmas conference on the 14th of December and it will be a great experience!!! We are also working hard to have a ``Navidad Blanca`` or in english a white christmas (not of snow but of people dressed in white ready to be baptized.)

I love you all and I know that the Lord loves you and appreciates all that you do to serve in this great work, think about what you will give to your Heavenly Father and Christ this Christmas. I`m starting to think about it too.

Love,

Elder Gardner

I'M GOING TO DURAZNO!!!

Hola a todos...

I´m going to be transferred to Durazno (in english that means Peach, so it will be a peachy area). It is a city in the center of Uruguay, which also means that I´ll be farther away from the ocean and it will be even hotter! I will be with Elder Clarke, he is a great, fun missionary that I know we will get along and work great together. I heard also that Elder Thompson (the missionary I trained) was called to be a zone leader in one of the zones in Montevideo!

There have been a lot of miracles in the entire mission this month. We set a record of 150 baptisms in the month of November (that is about 50 baptisms more than the average for the past year). In Maroñas, we reached exactly our goal of 21 baptisms in November reaching our goal. We had a great baptismal service here in Belloni with the baptism of Brian and Luis from our area and a family of 4 in the other missionaries´ area. Our example from last month was seen and followed this month because not only us, but about 4 other zones also reached their goals for november, it definitely was great to see that other zones are also progressing like Maroñas is. I think I know why The Lord and Pres. Da Silva is sending me to be a zone leader in Durazno... They only had 5 baptisms in all of November between the 18 missionaries that are in that zone. I feel that the Lord is sending me their to help Durazno like Elder Sasselli and I did here in Maroñas.

I´m excited for my new assignment and I know that it will be a great last area and will be a great opportunity for me and other missionaries there to learn and grow in the service of the Lord. I know that miracles are a common thing amoung those who have faith and work diligently to reach inspired goals. I am very grateful for the time that I have left to serve in the Work of the Lord here in Uruguay. 

I haven´t received the packages yet, but I suppose that tomorrow when we go to meet up with our new companions that my box with new shoes will be waiting for me there. Thank you so much for all that you do and for the prayers and support that you always send my way. I always keep you in my prayers as well and hope that you can always have spiritual experiences to help your testimonies continue to grow. I have felt my heart soften and change by serving diligently and studying the Book of Mormon daily I know that it is true and that it has the power to help us change our lives and have a greater disposition to follow Christ. This is the true and only church of Jesus Christ and we are so very blessed to be members of it. Have fun, be safe, enjoy every day and always look and search for opportunities to share the gospel and serve others. I love you so very much and hope you have an excelent week.

Love,
Elder Gardner

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK!!!

Hola a todos...
   

This week was Great!!! in the zone we had 4 baptisms and we have 12 baptisms planned for this weekend in the zone, 2 of those baptisms will be from our area and 5 from the other missionaries in Belloni. So we will be having a ward baptismal service with 7 baptisms this friday!!! Luis (31 years old) and Brian (11 years old) will be baptized from our area, they are both excited and ready to be baptized this next week. Luis has changed so much that I can`t believe it, he was so confused by having studied so many different religions before but now he told us... ¨don`t call me Lucho anymore, that`s the old me and now I`m a new man, call me Luis¨ (Lucho was his nickname anyways) ¨It`s like Saul to Paul¨ (only he wasn`t trying to destroy the apostles before his conversion, haha.)  A family that I found in my last area just got married and baptized and are going strong in the church. I also heard that in December, the family that I baptized in Sarandi Grande (my second area) are going to the temple to be sealed and I think that President will give me permission to go to their sealing! That will be exciting!
    

I`m doing great and happy as ever, it is very stressful to be in charge of the zone and try to sort out all of the little or sometimes not so little problems that go on with some of the missionaries and be always worried about how the investigators are doing not only in my area but in 8 other areas in the zone. But I never have felt more excited to work in the work of the Lord and as a result the time is rushing by even faster!!! I calculated that exactly 3 months from today... I will be making the trip back to Arizona and I know that these next few months will only go by faster than the last! I have felt my faith grow a lot as I have seen so many miracles in my area and in the zone!!! I know that this is the Lord`s work and that this is His Church.
     

Changes are coming up this next tuesday and It is very likely that I will be changed to a different and my last area. I`ll let you know next week if I stay or if I go but I wouldn`t mind staying in the zone of Maroñas, and keep seeing the miracles that we are seeing, but I`ll go where the Lord wants me to go. I am guessing that I will be my packages when we go to changes, but thanks for sending my shoes, one of my pairs completely died this week and the other pair is on it`s last few miles. I love you all and hope that you are enjoying studying Preach my Gospel and are looking for opportunities to share the gospel with your friends and neighbors. I love you all and am praying for you!

 Love,
Elder Gardner

LIFE IS GREAT!!!

Hola a todos...
   
    This week has been another great week in the work of the Lord!!! Our zone has 6 baptisms this month so far and we have planned 3 baptisms this weekend with a potential 16 more baptisms for the last weekend of November, 25 planned baptisms which would put us over our month`s goal of 21 baptisms. All the missionaries are excited and working hard, while sadly almost half of the other baptisms planned in the mission are falling... for example in the mission, we had 47 baptisms planned for last weekend but only 23 were baptized, there is much opposition and many missionaries are falling under the pressure and opposition... but the missionaries of Maroñas still stand strong, we haven`t had a baptism fall through for over 2 months!
    

Good news!!! President Da Silva gave us permission to use SKYPE for our christmas phone call this year, so I`ll be giving more details about how and when we will be ¨seeing each other¨ in december, but that will be exciting! Make sure that your skype is working without problems before Christmas. Time is just flying by, it is already nearly Thanksgiving and I feel like November just started.
    

Thanks for checking up on the BYU info, and we`ll just take care of that when I get home.

We saw a miracle here in the other missionaries area in our ward... They are teaching a family of 4 who have a baptismal date for the 25th of November who needed to get married in order to get baptized. so last thursday they planned to go to the offices to take out a wedding date (usually you have to wait about 3 weeks to 3 months between taking out the date and the actual wedding) and the Lord provided a miracle!!! the other two elders and us went to the office with the couple to be there witnesses for their wedding and there happened to be an opening for the 24th of november (just 2 weeks from the day!!!) and so they are going to be married the 24th and baptized the 25th of November as a family!

I love you all and hope that you are receiving as many blessings as I am here in Uruguay. It`s even starting to heat up now so that`s good! Love you.

Love,
Elder Gardner

SURPRISE TRIP TO THE TEMPLE!

Hola a todos...

President Da Silva was so pleased with the success of our zone that he moved up our temple date so that he could talk with the zone before all the other zones, so we were blessed to have gone to the temple last thursday at 7:00 am. It was a great experience and I felt the same peace and Spirit that Dad had mentioned from the stake temple day. We are so excited and are now working with great faith and all of our heart to reach our baptismal goal for November: 21 baptisms! I know that we can reach it but it will be really challenging and will cause me much stress between now and the end of the month. We have found some new families to teach in this last week and are excited to help them make it to the waters of baptism.
     

I forgot to tell you last week, but you have permission to start looking into BYU stuff and it won`t bother me, and it is a good idea not to procrastinate it, haha. I`m doing great and don`t worry about my finger it will be just fine, I the missionaries in the house to give me a blessing and it is healing just fine, I already played the piano last sunday in church, and the scar it will leave won`t be too big, but like mom said... it will be a great memory! It looks like my fingernail broke a little and the left half might die and fall off, but it will grow back without problems. I didn`t even have to go to the doctors, thank goodness.

The medical system here is horrible... although it may be cheaper, I`ll give you an example... last week, in the zone, one of the people (Hugo Mendez, 72 years old) who got baptized slipped on the wet bathroom floor while changing clothes after the baptism and hit his head on the tile floor. He started to bleed quite a bit but luckily there were a few members there that new how to treat the situation and had medical training, but after the situation was stabalized, we called an ambulance to come take him to the hospital to make sure that he was alright, and then we waited... one hour... we called again and they said that they had already talked with the emergency room so that an ambulance could come by... then we waited again... another hour, we called again and they said, ¨oh, the ambulance will be coming by sometime this afternoon just be patient.¨ at that point it was already 2pm and that meant it could have taken another 3-4 hours more?! So he ended up going with the missionaries from his ward and another family to Pando (40 min. away by bus) and walking straight into the hospital so that they would attend him faster. He is doing alright now and has about 5 more days of bedrest. So luckily I didn`t have to go to the doctor for my finger, who knows if I would still be there, hahah.
    

I am happy, healthy and smiling like always and am just glad that I don`t have to go through what the missionaries of the bible and book of Mormon had to go through in their missions. Nobody stoning me or throwing me into prison or trying to kill me or poison me, etc. I had a dog tooth try to go through my finger, not nearly as bad as having nails hammered through my hands, wrists and feet like Christ did for us. I know that He lives and that He can heal us of any wound (physical or spiritual). I love him and will serve him all my days and for all eternity, for he has called me and I must respond. This is the work of the Lord and it will go on with or without me, but it will be much better for my sake if it continues on with me, so that I can continue to grow and progress and become like Christ and the man that He wants me to be.

Love,
Elder Gardner

6 MIRACLE BAPTISMS THIS WEEK!!!

Hola a todos...

I had an amazing week in which we saw so many miracles here in the zone of Maroñas!!! We had no baptisms planned this weekend when the week started and we were worried about reaching the zone goal of 18 baptisms. But we trusted in the Lord and worked with all the faith and diligence that we could muster, and the miracles began to appear... last sunday, the other missionaries in our house, Elder Burnett and Elder Dominguez, talked with a member that recently moved into the ward and who had a 9 year old son who hadn`t been baptized and he came to church and was baptized yesterday after stake conference. Monday, Elder Avalos and Elder Jimenez found a girl who wanted to be baptized and had come to church last sunday as well. Tuesday, We had a zone fast and that afternoon Elder Sasselli and I found a 9 year old son of an active member, Leandro Correa, who recently turned 9 and wanted to be baptized. Wednesday, Elder Saavedra and Elder Albujar found an old investigator and a friend of a family of members who wanted to get baptized, and finally Elder Maluff and Elder Chavez on Thursday talked with one of their investigators about being baptized with this group of investigators and he joined in and so we went from having no baptisms planned to having 6 miracle baptisms this weekend. Which put us up to 20 baptisms for the month of October and over our goal of 18. We were the only zone in the mission to reach their monthly goal that we set.

The Lord definitely showed us many miracles for all that we did in faith and I know that this is His work and that He can do anything to make it continue progressing if we are obedient and act in faith.

I also had a crazy experience with ringing a doorbell the other day... I went to ring a doorbell and some how the dog that was on the other side of the fence fit his head through a very small gap in the fence and was able to twist his head enough to reach and bite my right hand ring finger. I`m doing great and there is now problem but it is going to leave a pretty good scar. If you could please keep the healing and recovery of my finger in your prayers that would be great, I love you all and am so happy to be serving the Lord here in Uruguay! The mission in the best!

Love,
Elder Gardner

I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!!!

Hola a todos...

I love missionary work and I`m enjoying and treasuring up every experience, blessing and miracle that I have experienced in the mission.   Juan Rodriguez was baptized and confirmed the newest member of the Belloni ward.  It was a great baptism and a 23 year old recent convert of the other 2 missionaries, named Mauricio, baptized him.  It was a great experience especially because it was the first time that Mauricio has baptized (He got baptized about 4 months ago) and now He is going to receive the Melquisedec Priesthood next Sunday in Stake Conference!  He is preparing to serve a mission when he hits a year of being a member. Speaking of Baptism...

Colin, now that you are a priest, you can now baptize. So start looking for your friends that you can help get to know the gospel and then you can personally baptize them! That`s so great that you are now a priest!!! I`m so proud of you! Keep those spiritual and priesthood muscles moving!!!
    
In Maroñas now we have 14 baptisms and we need 4 more, we only have 2 planned but I know that the Lord will provide miracles that it is still possible if all 18 of us in Maroñas work with all the determination and faith to be able to find 2 more people to baptize by next monday.

Elder Sasselli is a great companion and has a great testimony.  He is the first missionary in his family(his dad is a convert and his twin brothers are not wanting to serve a mission quite yet).  He and his family were inactive for several years when he was a teenager, but one day he felt the need to come back to church so he started to go alone to church every Sunday and later his mom and sister started going with him, now his whole family is active and his parents both have church callings.  He was the engine of his family train to get them back into the activity of the church.  Elder Kleinau was changed out (he had been here for 6 months already) and now we have a Paraguayan elder named Elder Dominguez in the house with us.  He is a great missionary and has a lot of faith and is always very excited to work in the work of the Lord.  Today for Pday, we are going up to another area, Toledo, and we are going to play soccer as a district at the church there.

Our investigators are doing good.  We didn`t have that many people to teach last week but we have found some good families that we are starting to teach so we will see how they progress and hopefully have some family baptisms in November.  We are planning an activity to get the recent converts excited about going to the temple to do baptisms for the dead!  It`s getting me excited to go on November 17th as a zone as well.  I haven`t gotten my garments package yet and I am going to make a Christmas request that would be greatly appreciated if it was sent a little earlier than Christmas... My shoes are wearing out and I will need some new church shoes soon. Other than that I can wait till I get home for other things.

Gracias for everything, I love you all so much and I know that we are all being blessed for the service that I am giving to the Lord.  Sorry I haven`t sent pictures yet, I almost lost about 96 photos when Elder Sasselli was copying a few over to his memory card and we were able to save them all but now they are on a USB that I cannot send in a letter, but I am waiting to send them in a package with your scripture cases that I just got last week. They turned out great, I hope you will enjoy and take good
care of them.

Love,
Elder Gardner

6 MORE WEEKS IN BELLONI!!!

Hola a todos...

I get to stay 6 more weeks in Belloni!!! Elder Sasselli will be staying together for 6 more weeks and we are excited to see the great progress and success that the zone of Maroñas will have by the end of these next 6 weeks! We could tell that President Da Silva and the Lord are very well pleased with how Maroñas is doing because only 2 of the 18 missionaries were changed (and it`s because they had already been in their areas for 6 months.). 

All 4 of the baptisms came through and we have 2 more baptisms scheduled for this week, so please keep Maroñas in your prayers so that these 2 baptisms and the 7 planned for next week can come through!!!  Elder Sasselli and I will be having a baptism this Saturday. His name is Juan Rodriguez and he is definitely a miracle baptism.... We were just standing in front of the grocery store waiting to take out our monthly money from the atm machine when Juan came up to us and said... Hi Elders, my name is Juan Rodriguez, and I have been investigating the church for 2 years in Salto (a city in the other Uruguay mission) and I want to get baptized. Where is the church here?... Those were the best words that I had heard in my mission yet! He came to church yesterday and will be getting baptized on the 22nd, this Saturday at 7:00. It was a great miracle that we really needed in our area to help us in a hard time of not being able to find investigators to go on searching with more faith.

I also was in Bella Italia (my first area in the mission) the other day doing a baptismal interview for a 65 yearold lady and there was a member that accompanied us to the interview who I recognized as an oldest son of the Zamora family (who in the time that I was in Bella Italia, I taught but he didn`t have the desire to get baptized).  He got baptized 4 months ago and is now preparing to go on a mission. This week was just filled with great miracles!

We will be going to the temple on November 17th as the zone of Maroñas, I`m so excited!!!

That`s great that you have started to study Preach My Gospel as a family I know that you will all learn so much for it and if you keep up the study that Colin and Mason will become even greater missionaries than I am when they are called to serve. Keep working hard and studying hard so that you can build those spiritual muscles so that Satan, just like the football team that Colin beat last week, can be as scared of you as they were of Colin.

I`m so very proud of you all and the great things that you are accomplishing, Keep up the great work and share the gospel. Love you all so much.

Love,
Elder Gardner

CONFERENCE WAS GREAT!

Hola a todos...

I`m doing great and happier than ever!!! Conference was great and I sure learned a lot. We had 3 investigators come to conference and they enjoyed it a lot. Now I am reviewing my notes and making specific plans to apply and put in to practice what I learned and felt that I must do. The zone is doing great as well, we have 11 baptisms planned in the zone this weekend!!! The zone is excited and we are definitely seeing improvement here in the zone of Moroñas.
   
Happy Birthday on Sunday Colin!!! Please don`t kill Moby with your new driving abilities... no I know you`ll do great! I love you so much and I`m so proud to hear that both you and Mason watched all 5 sessions of General Conference. What is something that you learned from conference? I did not get the conference snacks in time but it was probably for the better, because I lost 2 more pounds this week! (Those conference snacks probably would have undone that, haha.). But I will probably be receiving it tomorrow. Grandpa Bruce and Grandma Rosie wrote me a letter and I want to write them back but I don`t have their address, can you send me their address in next weeks email? Some of my garments are also starting to wear out... They don`t have my favorite material here in Uruguay... Drylux... can you send me 4 pairs of garments (shorts - mediums and shirts - XL). They would be well appreciated! Thanks, I love you so much.

I loved this conference and learned so much!!! I really liked all the talks about missionary work and one of the talks really stood out ot me that I wasn`t expecting... the one about ¨how to raise a daughter¨, I felt like that was definitely directed right at me for when I start my own family in the future (patriarchal blessing). I was really suprised to hear that they are going to build a second temple in Provo, wow. It is needed though, especially with BYU right there next to the first one! Did you get the chance to invite someone else to watch general conference with you?

I really loved the message about the Book of Mormon and the Name of the Church, those would have been great talks for nonmembers. Conference was great but now comes the most important part of conference.... Applying all that we learned and felt from the Spirit. We must not wait a day or especially we must not wait until the Ensign comes out to start applying what we learned... Review the notes that you took and start making plans and goals to get what the Lord wants us to get out of General Conference by applying what we learned. I`m already feeling betters and receiving the blessings for the things I have changed and am already changing. I invite all to do the same. Coming from one who was once a very big procrastinator... I testify that the best and only way to have a change of heart is to act immediately upon the promptings and instructions that we receive. If we wait... It will be too late and then repentence will be necessary and it will be even harder to apply the teaching and counsel of the prophets and apostles. Take some time out of your day today, maybe for FHE or as part of your personal study of the scriptures to make and carry out the plans necessary to make these changes today and in this week that we have felt we need to do during conference.
  
Christ lives and gave His life so that we could make these changes through repentance and through His Atonement. As we do these things, we will grow closer to Him  and understand a little more of the love that He has for us. We will have a change of heart and we will become the instruments and servants that He needs to work miracles in the lives of those around us. I love my Savior and am forever dedicated to this great cause... as Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said... We are at war! Christ is our captain and leader, unless we are under His ranks and command, we will fall and lose the battle. But if we are with him... We cannot lose. We are all enlisted!

Love,
Elder Gardner 

ONE WEEK TIL GENERAL CONFERENCE!

Hola a todos...

Happy Birthday Mason!!! (¡Feliz cumpleaños!). Wow, you are going to officially be a teenager, that`s cool and scary all at the same time. You`ve grown up so much since I`ve been here in the mission. Thanks for the packages! I have received the peanut butter and chocolate chip (which arrived as a chocolate rock) package and also the pictures that you sent, but I still haven`t received the Conference Snacks package (but it is still possible that it can arrive tomorrow morning).  Thank you so much.  I can`t believe that Conference is this upcoming weekend!!! I`m so excited to hear what the prophet and apostles have to say and to here the great faith building talks that we will hear this weekend.

This last week has been a more trying and difficult week with it being spring break here and everyone going out of town for the week made it a little difficult to teach our investigators and led to there not being a single investigator in church yesterday. We worked hard and did our best so I don`t feel discouraged or sad but it was a little disappointing to see that none of our investigators made it to church. I felt a great peace and comfort from the spirit which made me feel a lot better and excited to keep working to get these investigators to General Conference this next week. It will be a challenge becasue the ward wasn`t able to rent a bus to take the ward there, so everyone has to go a little farther this weekend to see conference and there are very few people here in Uruguay who receive BYU tv  with their cable. So please pray for our investigators so that they can come to at least one of the sessions of General Conference this next weekend.

I have been reading the talks from the past conferences and have learned and remembered a whole lot of what they talked about. Because of the time difference from Utah to Uruguay the Saturday sessions are at 1pm, 5pm, and Priesthood starts at 9pm (morning sessions don`t exist here and Priesthood session will end at 11pm). Then I will have to take a bus back home, so I`ll be getting to bed around 12 midnight. And to make things even better... Uruguay changes the hour the night in between conference and I`ll end up losing another hour of sleep because when midnight comes around... the hour gets changed to 1am, so it will be like getting to bed at 1am sunday morning and having to get up at 6:30 like usual. so I`ll be a little tired during conference on sunday, the sunday sessions are at 2pm and 6pm.but that`s my conference schedule.

Now that it is starting to heat up a little, we have started to go running in the morning to help with our house`s Biggest Loser competition. So far I am winning with having lost 4 pounds in the first week. It`s hard to lose weight in a ward where all the members love us. They are always making goodies when we visit them and they always try to cook a lot for the missionaries. But I`m determined and fighting the small temptations to eat sweets when it is possible to avoid it. I feel a lot better when I go running in the mornings it just makes the day seem a little less stressful.
 
We are excited to see the zone doing a lot better now, we had 10 baptisms in the month of september with 3 more baptisms for this friday and 10 baptisms planned for the week after conference. I`m so very grateful that the Lord has helped us to help the zone here and that we are all a little more excited to be missionaries here in the Maroñas zone. Thanks for your prayers and words.

This is the true and only church of Jesus Christ. and He will be sending us His personal words of counsel this weekend through his special witnesses, the prophet and apostles. I hope that we will all give the attention and listen with the desire to make the words spoken a part of our lives by applying everything that the spirit tells us to do as we listen to conference. Read the talks from the last conference in this week to better prepare yourself for the new counsel and instruction that the Lord wants to convey to us having fresh in mind the last words He spoke to us. I love this work and hope that we all search for opportunites to share the gospel in this week. Invite your friends and family to watch conference along with you. When you do it you will be blessed and will receive more out of conference than any other way.

Love,
Elder Gardner

THE SUN FINALLY CAME OUT TODAY...

Hola a todos...

this week has been another cold and rainy week, but finally the sun came out today and it feels great. Sadly it was rainy yesterday morning and none of the investigators that we were expecting showed up at church. We are worried about the Pintos because they started expressing doubts about getting baptized last week and now the wife doesn`t have a great desire to go to church on sundays. So they won`t be getting baptized this weekend...

But on the bright side, we had a miracle happen at church. We got to church and saw that none of our investigators had come so we were a little bummed, but in the Gospel principles class I sat by a lady who I thought must have been an inactive member (because she was dressed like a member and there are a lot of inactive members in the ward boundaries). She told me that she lived on the corner right in front of the church (about 6 houses down from where we live). And I thought there are no members that live that close to us... and I asked her how long ago it was that she was baptized in the church, and she said... ¨I`m not baptized in your church this is the first time that I`ve come¨. We had never talked to her before and she just showed up looking like a member. She loved church and said that she felt a special peace and that she is going to come next sunday. It was a miracle and tomorrow we are going to visit her and share ou message with her.

We also found 2 families in the ward that want us to pass by them and help them as they start to get active again. So we are seeing some great blessings after going through a lot of opposition and frustration with investigators that aren`t progressing as well.

Thanks for the new debit card, it works fine and so far no problems. Sounds like you have all had a fun and great week. That`s awesome that Colin and Mason are doing great in football and that Colin got his eagle now. Congratulations (Felicitaciones)!!! It sounds like dad is going gangster at work and that mom is trying to fight a losing battle with the sunbeams...

I have really felt a great love for the temple this week. This past week I went through the past few ensigns and cut out a bunch of temple pictures to put up around the house and on my study desk. We have definitely felt a special spirit in our house here as we have thought more about the temple with a little help from temple pictures all over the house. I love the temple and am very excited to go there in November. When is the next time that you are going to go to the temple as a family again?

General Conference is coming up and it is a great way to share the gospel without having to take people church. I invite you to all invite a friend to watch general conference either with you in our house or at the their own houses. This is a twice in  a year opportunity to hear a living prophet speak, it definitely is something important to share with our friends and neighbors. If you do so I promise you that you will get more out of conference than if you were just listening for yourself. The church is true, what more can I say...

Love,

Elder Gardner

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY IN URUGUAY!

Hola a todos...

Thanks for telling me all about your week.  It`s always great to hear about the fun and great things that you are all doing.  Congratulations on finishing the Book of Mormon and on continuing to read in the Pearl of Great Price and to start studying Preach my Gospel as a family.  I know that you will learn a lot of great things in Preach my Gospel that will help strengthen your testimonies and prepare you to more effectively share the gospel with friends and neighbors.

There were 2 baptisms in the zone this week, an older man named Osvaldo who was baptized from the other Belloni missionaries` area and an older lady from Bella Italia(my first area).  And we are excited to see a family of 4 get baptized in another area of the zone this upcoming Saturday. The zone is getting excited and we are all starting to share in the success. I feel a lot better about the zone and we are working hard to be able to manage our time between helping out the zone and staying focused in keeping the success going in our own area. Please keep the Pintos family in your prayers as they go almost a week without smoking and are still working towards getting baptized on the 24th of September.

I am way excited for General Conference coming up soon and even more excited for the chance that the mission is going to have to go to the temple in November. President just announced that in November, all the missionaries will have a chance to go to the temple. I`m starting to go on a diet so that I can lose a little bit of wait before I have to come home from the mission so General Conference snacks will be very welcome because that will probably be the only chance that I will have to just enjoy snacking on something sweet and not care so much about eating healthier.  So feel free to send whatever you think will be tasty and yummy to eat in between sessions. 

The man finished your scripture cases last week but sadly he had written the names on them all incorrectly, it said ¨Gadner¨ instead of ¨Gardner¨, so he took them back to make the corrections and will be sending them back to me now. So when I get them, I`ll be sending a package home to you with your scripture cases and some more photos and some other Uruguayan surprise. Love you all and thanks for all your prayers and support.

I know that this is the one and only path to eternal life and that we are so blessed to know that the gospel has been restored to the earth in its fulness and to be able to enjoy the blessings as a family. The Book of Mormon is true and is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. He lives and loves us more than can possibly be imagined and always invites us to repent and come unto him. I`m so very grateful for the commandments and covenants which he has provided for us in order to help us stay on the path and make it back to live with him. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet in these days and that he receives revelation and instructions from Heavenly Father in order to lead and guide the Church in these latterdays.

I love the Lord and am grateful for the time that He has called me to serve him full time. I will always be a missionary in my life. I will always serve in His work and share the gospel with those around me. He has called me to His work not only for 2 years, but rather for my whole life and for all eternity. I know that He loves me and will guide me well in my life as I am obedient to his laws and counsels.

Love,
Elder Gardner

HAPPY SEPTEMBER!

Hola a todos...

Wow... August just flew by way too fast!!! Tranfers came last night and we were blessed that all 4 of us in Belloni are staying together. I received my card today, thanks.  Like dad said, I`m not using much money from my personal account. That`s because I really don`t need to buy a lot of things outside of the necessities and that`s all covered in my mission money. I will end up buying more things as I get closer to the end of my mission to take back home with me, but as for now. I`m learning how to manage my money better.

There were a lot of changes in the zone and I really hope that this helps turn around the zone from the hard times with baptisms here in the zone. the zone was supposed to have had 5 baptisms this change but 3 of the 5 either left town unexpectedly or decided to get back together with an old boyfriend and now are living together without being married. We were blessed to have the baptisms of Vanessa and Alison last saturday and it was great. They are very excited and they are looking forward to gonig to the temple in a year to be sealed together as a family. I love missionary work and the many blessings that these people are receiving for their decision to follow Christ and be baptized. Seeing the many changes in the lives of these people has changed my life and helped me become more converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We are excited for the future of Belloni with many members starting to help their friends and neighbors get to know the church more and becoming their friends in the gospel. We are expecting the baptisms of Mariel and Manuel Pintos on the last saturday of the month of september. They have started to stop smoking and told us that they want to get baptized before October so that was good news this week. sadly they did not come to church because it was raining and they have kind of a far walk to church from their house. It`s still freezing cold and rainy here in Uruguay and it looks like it will be that way for a few more days. It rained pretty hard yesterday and we were grateful for raincoats and umbrellas.

I have not only been cooking more, but I have also felt a great need to clean and organize the house lately... I don`t know what happened to the old me who wasn`t up to cooking nor cleaning. But I really enjoy doing it now and I love helping and serving others. Thanks for the pictures of your summer adventures and for sending the package that is on it`s way... don`t worry, if it left Arizona all melty it will definitely firm back up from the cold that is awaiting it here. I just might have to crush it back into chocolate chips. I love you all and am so glad to hear of all the great things that you are doing back home. Congrats on working hard on your eagle Colin. It is something that will help you and bless you on your mission and for your whole life.

I know that the church is true and that the work of the Lord is progressing. I`m excited to see the work explode as all the members in the world begin to participate as well. We are taking one giant step closer to what the Lord expects from missionary work of the world. The second coming is near and we are part of the preparation for that great day. Read the Book of Mormon daily and study preach my gospel often and the Lord will bless you with opportunities to share the gospel with others around you. The gospel is the greatest gift that we can give to our friends and family. Let us share our light with the world.

Love,
Elder Gardner

THE COLD AND RAIN STILL CONTINUES...

Hola a todos...

The rain and wind continues here in Uruguay.... Luckily it was nothing like what hit the east coast. We have seen a lot of miracles in this week with members that are helping their freinds and neighbors to get to know the church and even bringing them to church with their families. A couple (Manuel and Mariel) that we have been teaching for about 3 weeks now came to church for the first time with their 3 year old son (Santiago) and they loved it! They walked to church with their neighbors that are members. They even invited a less active member to come with them and now she is being reactivated. Missionary work is going great here in Belloni. We are going to have 3 baptisms in the ward this saturday... Vanessa and Alison and a 35 year old lady from the other missionaries` area. Between the 4 missionaries we share the ward boundaries. They are all really excited and we are excited to see other investigators progressing with the help and support of the members that live nearby.

The ward is getting excited and we are going to be having a bunch of activities and baptisms coming up in the month of September. Every week we are seeing more and more people in church and more and more members are starting to share the gospel with their freinds and neighbors. The Zone is starting to pick up as well, with 5 expected baptisms this first saturday and more in the future. I have really been able to feel a sincere love and charity towards the people, members and missionaries that I am serving right now. And changes are coming up next week. we`ll find out what will happen sunday night so I`ll let you know on Monday. I hope and don`t expect that Elder Sasselli or I will be changed but the Lord does work in mysterious ways.

Please keep Manuel, Mariel, Vanessa, Alison and the Rubino Benitez family in your prayers. They are our investigators closest to the waters of baptism. Especially for Manuel and Mariel who have to stop smoking and for Vanessa and Alison who have already stopped smoking.

I am out of peanut butter and chocolate chips now. A member just taught me how to make some really good rice pudding that I`m excited to try to make today and I`ll be cutting Elder Sasselli`s hair. Things are going great as usual and I am just enjoying and getting the most out of every second of my mission. I`m also getting really excited for General Conference which is just around the corner in october. 

I have really enjoyed the cute little comments that the little kids in the families that we are teaching make when we watch church movies with them... like, ¨what`s the name of that cow or that horse?¨ or ¨It`s jesus!¨ their was even a 5 year old kid who said ¨It`s Jesus when he was a kid¨ when it showed christ in the temple teaching the men all around him. It`s amazing how much little kids know and can teach us. I know that the church is true and that the Lord loves and cares for us. I love you all.

Love,

Elder Gardner

6 MORE MONTHS LEFT...

Hola a todos...

Thanks for the great emails.  I always love hearing how the family is doing and that`s great that Colin and Mason have their own preach my gospel books now.  Study it and you will truly become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the duty to share it with those around us.

The weather here in Uruguay is really cold... yesterday it was -10 degrees celsius (14 degrees farenheit). and it`s been raining a lot. But yet miraculously, I`m still as happy and healthy as ever.  It should start warming up by the end of this week. On P-days... I write you, do laundry (now a lot easier because our neighbor lets us use her washing machine:), today I cut Elder Burnnett`s hair, I cook lunch and clean the house and write letters. There aren`t many fun things that we can do here in the area because we can`t look like tourists here, and especially here in my area where it is a dangerous place to be robbed.  But we have fun all together (the 4 of us in the house).  They Pronounce elder Sasselli`s name (Saw-sell-E), it doesn`t get changed to ¨sh¨ because it`s an italian name.

Time is just flying by and I can`t beleive that it is already almost september.  Jaqueline Turco was baptized and confirmed.  She is doing well  and it was a great baptismal service, we had a great miracle happen this week.  We talked to an incomplete family that came to the activity last week and started teaching the oldest daughter and her husband last sunday... They told us that we were the 20th pair of missionaries to pass by them and teach them the lessons, and that she (Vanessa) had never gotten baptized because she couldn`t stop smoking... (she also hadn`t prayed to know that the book of mormon is true), but when we went back on wednesday, they told us how it went when they read and prayed and with a big smile on her face they said, ok... When can I get baptized, she has gone 4 days without smoking and came to church yesterday and are already telling everyone that they are going to get baptized on September 3rd. Vanessa and Alison(yes Alison is the name of her husband) are going to be baptized on September 3rd.
  
We are also seeing many miracles with the Level 3 missionary work here in Belloni.  We are in the process of helping the members share the gospel with their friends and family and we are also starting what I call the ¨adopt a family¨ program... where we talk with members to get in touch with our investigators and call them up and invite them to have the next lesson in the home of the members.  We are trying to get to the point where all of our lessons will take place in the home of a member who lives nearby the investigator.  We are really excited to see how it works out this week.
   
Sadly, the zone isn`t doing very well.... out of 9 companionships here in the zone, our companionship was the only one to have a baptism in the month of August. That is really low for the zone here. We are doing everything possible in order to turn that around this week. Please pray for the zone of Maroñas so that we can have more baptisms.
   
I love you and I know that this is the work of the Lord, oh yeah I also was asked by the bishop to speak in sacrament meeting last sunday and it went really well, I used the opportunity to share my testimony of missionary work and explain a little about this great change that we are making in missionary work now.  I challenge you to invite someone over for FHE this week and to help befriend them so that they can have a better chance of getting to know the church.  Christ loves us all and our Heavenly Father loves us enough to allow us to assist him in this great work.  He could do it all himself if he really wanted to, but becuase he wants to share his love with us and he wants to share the joy of missionary work, he allows us, as imperfect as we are, to participate in this great work.  He lives!

Love,
Elder Gardner

LEVEL 3 MISSIONARY WORK!!!

Hola a todos...

I had a great week this week and Elder Sasselli and I are having a great time here together. We had a really great zone conference with President and Hermana Da Silva in which we learned a lot about faith and about taking missionary work here in Uruguay to Level 3... Level 1 = missionaries working on their own... Level 2 = members helping missioaries with the work and ... Level 3 = missionaries helping the members to have missionary experiences and invite their friends to church. We have already seen many miracles here in Belloni and have seen many members here bringing friends to church or inviting them to the ward activity that we set up and had last saturday. It turned out well and we had about 40 members there, a good turn out for what our ward missionary leader told us is the usual attendence. Jaqueline Turco is going to be baptized this saturday at 6:00 and both she and we are excited for that. 

Yes, here in Uruguay (and in parts of Argentina) the ¨ll¨ is pronounced as if it were ¨sh¨. That`s just how they talk down here in Uruguay. They don`t really speak spanish, they speak what is called Castellano. which is pretty much exactly the same but with a little different pronunciation.

Thanks for everything and I want to let you know that I love you all so very much and am enjoying every second of my mission and learning more than I ever expected to learn. Today for lunch I made the four of us that live together sloppy joes and everyone said that they were really good. I guess my cooking skills are improving a little bit. Keep being a light to the world, love you. Study Preach my Gospel as a family, I know that you will be very blessed if you do and that the Lord will bless you with more opportunities to share the gospel with others.

Love,

 Elder Gardner

ANOTHER WEEK IN BELLONI...

Hola a todos...

Thanks for the great emails and letters.  I`m glad to hear about all the amazing miracles and blessings that you are all receiving in your lives.  I did get the last package that you sent and thanks for the photos and peanut butter!!  That is great to hear that story about the family that got baptized with the help of Dayton`s video.  I know that the Lord works miracles to bring his children unto him so that they can enjoy the blessings of the gospel and the first great step in that is baptism.  We are way excited for the baptism of Jaqueline Turco on the 20th of August.  She is really excited and we are now teaching her uncle who is interested but a little scared to commit himself to a baptismal date.  That`s also really great that Brad and Robert Graham went through the temple together last week.  I love the temple and am hoping that sometime before the end of my mission that I can go back through here in Uruguay.
   
Our zone is still struggling with baptisms but we have seen a little bit of progress.  We saw an amazing miracle this last week!!!  Elder Sasselli and I were doing contacts talking to the people and trying to find more people to teach and all of a sudden a dog runs up to us with a Book of Mormon in its mouth and drops it right in front of us and then runs off.  I picked up the book and we thought well what are we going to do with a dog-damaged copy of the Book of Mormon?  Then an inactive member came to mind that we hadn`t had time to go by when we told him earlier in the week.  His name is Gaston and he had fallen away from the church a while ago because he had fallen back into drugs.  He came out and told us that he had been praying that day that someone would pass by and invite him to church because he wanted to put his life back in line.  He had just recently separated himself from his wife and his 2 kids due to his drug problem and he had lost his Book of Mormon a while back.  I told him the story of how the dog had brought us the Book of Mormon just 15 minutes ago and he got really excited and was greatful that God had sent us to him in as an answer to his prayers and that God also brought him a Book of Mormon to help him put his life back in order.  The Lord works miracle in the lives of others in mysterious ways (sometimes through a couple of missionaries and a dog...).

We are going to have an activity here in Belloni (Bay-shony that`s the pronunciation) on Saturday and we are excited to see how the members react and if they bring any nonmember friends to the activity.  The mission as a whole is in the process of changing missionary work here in Uruguay... Elder Foster of the seventy challenged us to change missionary work from ¨members helping missionaries in missionary work¨ to ¨missionaries helping members in missionary work¨ . We are now trying to give the members the spotlight and opportunities to share the gospel so that missionary work becomes the missionary work of the ward and the missionaries... not just the work of the full-time missionaries and the members help out with lessons sometimes.  I`m really excited to see this change here in Belloni and in the whole mission and I know that we are going to see many miracles by making this important change here in the work. We are going to start seeing a lot more baptisms and a lot better retention.
   
I know that this is the work of the Lord. Jesus in the Savior of the world and He does Love us perfectly and fully. I am so grateful to be here now in Uruguay in His service 24/7 and I have seen the many changes in myself and in those who I have come to know here in the service of the Lord. The Book of Mormon in true and it testifies of Christ on every page. Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration and today the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is led by Jesus Christ himself and directed through His chosen prophet in these days, Thomas S. Monson. The Church is true and all can receive the fullness of it`s blessings and joy though obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel and by enduring to the end. I love the Lord and I know that He has called me to his service forever. After these two years, I will continue in the service of the Lord for all eternity! I love all and am so very grateful for your efforts to follow Christ and to help others come unto him. Until next week...

Love,
Elder Gardner

WEEK 1 IN BELLONI...

Hola a todos...

This first week here in Belloni has been great and has been a lot better than many of my other whitewashes... Elder Sasselli and I are zone leaders (this is Elder Sasselli`s first time being a zone leader) and we have gotten to know just a small part of our area because it is the biggest area that I have had yet. The ward is really big and we only cover half of the ward boundaries and we share the rest of the ward and the house with two other missionaries.This is my first 4 elder house and I`m really enjoying it, except for it`s really hard to manage our time with one bathroom for 4 elders and one phone for 4 elders to get ready and plan with the members. It is a ward of about 130 active members... but there are over 1,200 members on the ward list, so retention and inactivity seem to be a big problem here.

I heard from Elder Ferguson last night that Daniela Otero was baptized last saturday and we had a present surprise and we had a baptism here in Belloni last saturday as well. Her name is Maria Dupazo and she asked me to baptize and confirm her. Our ward mission leader is a great help here in the ward and accompanies  us to a lot of lessons.

We have another baptism set for the 20th(Jaqueline Turco) and are teaching a family(Flabia, Joaquin, Constanza and Eloisa) that could get baptized on the 27th of August. We have been really blessed in our area and are gainnig the trust of the members here in the ward. What is a little stressful is that the rest of the zone is not doing so good. There are now currently 18 missionaries in my zone and we were the only companionship of the 9 that had a baptism this last week. and it looks like the zone as a whole doesn`t have very many investigators.  I`m now in the same zone as I was when I started the mission in Bella Italia, and I even remember having come here to Belloni one day about a year ago  in an  exchange. I never thought  that it would one day be my area.

I`m excited for this time here with Elder Sasselli. He is from Fresno, California and has been in the mission for about 9 months. He is a great missionary and I know that we are going to have a lot of success together. The other 2 missionaries that live in our house with us are Elder Burnett(from Springfield Utah) and Elder Kleinau(from Florida) We have a lot of fun together but they make me feel so old in the mission becuase they all have only been in the mission for 9 months or less... and I`m coming up on a year and a half.  I`ve already learned a whole lot from them and from my area and am sure that I will learn a lot about following the Spirit in my calling as a zone leader to help my zone get back on top of things and start having baptisms again.  Tomorrow Elder Sasselli and I are going to the mission home for a zone leader meeting and it will be fun to see all my zone leader friends their.

Thanks for all that you are doing... Keep up the work and always remember that the Lord loves you and gave his life for you and me. I love my Savior and I know that He lives and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is his true and restored church upon the earth today. The Spirit will guide us when we search for his guidance and are living worthily. The book of Mormon is true, READ IT EVERYDAY and it will change your life!!!

Love,

Elder Gardner

I'M OFF TO BELLONI...

Hola a todos...

Changes came and  I am now leaving Camino Carrasco and am going to Belloni (which is really close to my first area, Bella Italia).  And not to my suprise... I`ll be starting off in Belloni as a zone leader in a WHITEWASH!!!  This will now be my 4th whitewash in the mission (that`s 4/5 areas).  A whitewash is when the two missionaries were taken out and two new missionaries come in to start from not knowing any of the members nor the area nor the investigators. But I`m used to starting out in a new area that way, hahaha. You might as well call me elder Whitewash now. My new companion is named Elder Sasseli, he is American and has about 1 year in the mission, but I don`t know much more about him because I`ll meet him tomorrow. 

Elder Ferguson will be staying here with Elder Bush and will be having the baptismal service of Daniela Otero this Saturday.  She was ready to get baptized last Saturday but the bishopric didn`t want to rush the preparations like we would have had to do, so she will be getting baptized on the 30th of July! She is very excited and her mom is doing about the same.

It`s sad to leave Camino Carrasco with all the great people that I`ve met. but it wasn`t as hard as I expected it to be.  Today we went to Gustavo Perez`s house and we made pancakes, eggs and bacon for breakfast and it was really fun.  I`m so greatful for the mission and for all the things that it has taught me and blessed me with.  I have learned something very important from each and everyone of the people whom I have and helped come unto Christ.  They have strengthened my faith and helped me realize how really blessed I have been in my life.
  
Yesterday, Uruguay won the American Cup of Soccer and we saw and heard enough fireworks here in Uruguay during Pioneer Day, haha.  It was also Elder Ferguson`s birthday and we ate cake and tried to share the gospel while the whole world was glued to their tv screens watching the soccer match.  It was also Father`s Day here in Uruguay... yeah that`s right... here in Uruguay their holidays are so commercialized that they move back days such as Father`s day so as not to have them be coordinated with Big soccer games and other commercial events.  It`s interesting so see what people will do to try and make more money.

I`m excited to go to Belloni and to start finding and baptizing the people that the Lord has prepared over in that area.  Thanks for everything.  I haven`t received the package yet but I bet I`ll get it tomorow with transfers.  THANKS, I LOVE YOU.

Love,
Elder Gardner

A MIRACLE REFERENCE...

Hola a todos...

This week was amazing!!!  We helped Daniela Otero overcome her fears to get baptized and now she wants to get baptized this Saturday but the obstacle now is that her mother was rushed to the hospital saturday afternoon and she is at the hospital taking care of her and depending on how well her mother recovers will depend if she gets baptized this saturday or not. Please pray for her mother named Rosa who is in the hospital and for Daniela Otero, so that she can get baptized this saturday.  We are so happy that she has overcome her fears and doubts and now we hope that she can overcome the time obstacle of being able to meet with us this week and get baptized on Saturday.

I`m still safe and happy.  We are getting nervous now with only one more week in this transfer and then come changes on tuesday the 26th.  It`s Elder Ferguson`s birthday this Sunday!!!  He`ll be turning 21.  It`s strange to think that he only has less than 2 months left in the mission now.  Time flies!

We received a miracle reference this week.  It was a reference from President Heaton (the mission president of the other mission in Uruguay).  His name is Carlos Quintero and he is a single man who has had a rough past (his wife was killed 2 years ago and 3 of his 5 kids are in jail for drugs, but he really wants to turn his life around and has a lot of faith in God).  He is about 40 years old.  He was working (refilling water dispensors) and he went to the mission home to change out the water and President Heaton started talking with him and asked him for his address and phone number so that the missionaries could pass by and share a message of Jesus Christ with him.  He lied to the mission president and told him that he didn`t have a phone and wrote down an incorrect address.  Then as he shook the mission president`s hand to leave he felt something strange inside.  He told his family about what he had felt and couldn`t sleep all night. 

He got up first thing in the morning, took a bus to the mission home and found President Heaton and apologized for giving a wrong address and explained how he had felt and what had happened during the night.  He then gave the mission president the right address and his phone number and told him to send his servants.  Then we received a call right after lunch from the mission offices and we received the reference of Carlos Quintero.  We called him instantly and set up a time to meet him at 8:00 that same night.  He was waiting for us outside of his house in the freezing cold with his Sister and Brother in law to receive us so that we didn`t get lost and told us all that had happened and how he knew that the Lord`s ways are not coincidences.  He is great and now we are teaching his and his family.  He came to church yesterday and loved it.

 A family of investigators came to church for the first time yesterday and had a great experience.  They need to get married in order to get baptized and the judges are on stirke so that no one can get married for now.  Please pray that the judges will soften their hearts and allow people to get married again here in Montevideo, Uruguay.

We are doing great and are as healthy and happy as ever. A few less active members decided to come back to church yesterday as well and we had a great meeting.  Thanks for your high councilman talk dad, I really appreciate reading them and always learn something great for a missionary. 

I love you all and hope that you are all being as blessed as I am as a missionary and I`m glad that the missionaries made it to dinner this time, haha.

Love,
Elder Gardner

WHILE ITS HOT THERE IT IS COLD HERE...

Hola a todos...

It`s been pretty cold here these past few weeks but yesterday and today have been great days. Everyone is telling us that it will be raining for the next 3 days straight, so we`ll enjoy the sun while it`s still out and shining.

It`s been another great week here in Camino Carrasco. Elder Ferguson and I got to help some missionaries in our zone move houses (it reminded me of the many times that Dad and I would go help people move all the time when he was Elder`s Quorum President).  It felt good to help them because 2 of the missionaries moving weren`t able to help move anything for their back and knees.  There are now 6 elders (the 6 office elders: APs, Financers, and secretaries) all living together in the same house right next to the beach.  That will be an interesting place to live when summer gets here with tourists and everything...

Our investigators are doing well.  Not many are coming to church on Sundays but we are planning a baptism on the 23rd of July.  It`s a mother of 3 kids, and two of them sometimes go to church with her, named Daniela Otero.  She surprised us yesterday in church when she told us that she stopped smoking Saturday night.  But then didn`t like the idea of Tithing that we taught her that night.  We would really appreciate your prayers that she can get over her doubts about paying a full tithe.  We are doing our best to follow the spirit and bring members to the lessons with her to testify of tithing.  She needs to accept it before Saturday so that she can have her baptismal interveiw and so that we can announce her baptism in church next week.  My testimony of each principle is reconfirmed and strengthened each time I find myself testifying of a commandment or principle of the gospel to someone who has doubts about it.   I`m  very greatful for these experiences that only full-time missionaries can receive to help me in the future for me and my family.

We also are teaching a really great family.  The parents names are Josè and Magalî and they have two kids named Valentina and Facundo.  They are a little nervous about coming to church but have testimonies of prayer and the Book of Mormon.  They need to get married before they can be baptized and talking about opposition... the judges who do the civil marriages are on strike right now so no one can get married until they lift the strike.  Please pray that the strike ends and that people can repent and get married to follow the law of chastity here in Uruguay.

Well... That`s all the time I have today.  I`m glad that Colin enjoyed EFY... They had a mini EFY here in Argentina for the youth members of Uruguay last week too.  I thought that that was really cool that EFY made it all the way down here to Argentina.  I love you all, Thanks. Just suprise me with what`s in the package.  I don`t have any specific requests except the new EFY CD if possible.

Love,
Elder Gardner

Hola a todos...

Carlos Bobadilla was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I had the privilege of performing the ordinance and his family came to support him.  It was a beautiful but very cold day.  He is such a great young man and already wants to be a missionary.  He is really excited to keep learning about the gospel and is very intelligent.  I also renewed my temple recommend, but I`m missing my membership ID number to put on my recommend.  Could you check with the secretary of the ward to see if they have the number in their records somewhere, because I don`t have access to it, Thanks.

We are excited for the upcoming weeks here in Camino Carrasco because we have a lot of great families that we are teaching that could get baptized soon, but they all have one hurtle of another to jump over first.  Please keep... Daniela Otero, Geranimo, Camilo, Natalia Cardozo, Rodrigo Reufelo, Josè and Magalì in your prayers so that they can make it to the waters of baptism in the month of July. Thank you very much.

On P-Days, Elder Ferguson and I are trying out new things to cook and eat.  We wanted to know if you had any fun quick recipes that we could cook on P-Day.  Also... could you send us the recipes for apricot chicken and sweet pork.  Elder Ferguson thought that they sounded good.

Sounds like you had a great time in Utah and that everything is going great up there.  I`m so glad for the spirit in my life and for the privilege that I have to serve as a full-time missionary in the work of the Lord.  I`m so very grateful for the health and well functioning body that I have.  In my zone there have been a lot of injuries that are keeping missionaries from being able to go out and proselyte.  Elder Peña is on 24-hour bedrest for his knees (he had an MRI taken and is waiting the results), Elder Gold (Elder Peña`s companion) is also on 24-hour bed rest for his back (mom will know how that feels), and Elder Soto was on bed rest for 3 days this week because he hurt his shoulder in a bus when it turned abruptly and unexpectedly.  It really made me feel very blessed for the little things that I can do that others can`t do and for being able to serve FULL-TIME thus far in my mission.  I haven`t had to stay home at all in my mission for sickness or injury or anything.  I know that it has much to do with the prayers and care of you all.

Thanks for following our Lord Jesus Christ.  He Lives and really did atone for all sins of all men who are willing to have faith in him, repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure faithfully to the end to each commandment and covenant that our Heavenly Father has given us.

Love,
Elder Gardner

GUSTAVO WAS BAPTIZED!!!

Hola a todos...

Gustavo was baptized and confirmed the newest member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!!!  It rained all weekend, but luckily Gustavo has a little green slug bug that he can drive to church.  It reminds me of mom`s first car (luckily, his didn`t catch on fire when he drove to his baptism.).  And his whole family came to see his baptism... His two daughters, his grandson and his ex-wife even came.  We also had two investigators there in his baptismal service even though it was raining.  It was a great baptism and he is already such a great member, we are planning on helping him receive the Aaronic preisthood in about 2 weeks.  He came to church yesterday in a tie and suit and everything.  He even bore his testimony in his baptismal service. 

Sunday morning was a great and windy/rainy morning again but a few more people came because it was the confirmation of Gustavo Perez.  It`s supposed to get down to 0 degrees celcius or less in this week so we are planning on walking a little faster to generate a little more heat while we are walking in the streets.  Yes, they do have umbrellas here but it`s really hard to find a rainy day that it will actually help you, because the wind is so strong that it destroys almost any umbrella that they use. so Umbrellas don`t really help on stormy days unless there isn`t any wind.  Luckily my rain jacket works perfect for those windy, rainy days... I love you all so much and I hope that you all have a great time on your Utah adventure.

I joined in on the fast yesterday and I`m praying that Ashley makes it through her surgery alright and that they can help her.  It`s hard to be going through such trials at such a young age.

Our bishop here in Camino Carrasco was too sick to go to church today and the 2nd counselor`s father passed away so poor 1st counselor had to run everything with the baptism and confirmation and the meetings on Sunday.  Carlos Bobadilla is going to be baptized this Saturday at 5:00 and we are planning on having the baptism of Guillermo and Ignacio Cabrera the following Saturday.  Sadly, Natalia Lain was offended by a member during the baptismal service so she now doesn`t want to go to church, but Natalia Cardozo is going strong for the last week of July for her baptism.  We are also helping out Daniela Otero and her two kids, Geranimo and Camilo to get baptized in July.  We are being so blessed and working so hard.

On Tuesday we are having our interviews with president and I can finally get my temple recomend renewed again, Yay!!! I love you all and am very grateful for what you are doing and accomplishing in your lives right now, both I and the Lord are well pleased.

Love,
Elder Gardner

P.S. here is a photo of Gustavo and his family and us in his baptismal service.

BIG THUNDERSTORM!

Hola a todos...

Happy Fathers Day!!!  I`m glad to hear that you had a great father`s day.  Here in Uruguay it was Grandparents day, fathers day comes later in July.  I love you so much and I`m so grateful for your wonderful example for me and my brothers.  Some things that I`m going to do in my family that I learned from you is sacred date night, daily family scripture study and prayer, Family home evening, interviews with my kids monthly, and give them tweekies :)  Thank you so much for your great example and great love.  I also have really appreciated that you have sent my your high councilman talks in your emails. Thanks, I love you!!!

I`m doing pretty good... I`m recovering from being sick for the first time in my mission.  I woke up at 3:00 this morning and threw up, but I`m feeling much better now and I don`t think that it will interfer with any proselyting time.  Thanks for the great emails.  I sent in the order for your new scripture cases and they will be done in 3 months, then I`ll mail them home to you.  Elder Ferguson and I had a great week in which we have seen some great progress with many of our investigators but only one came to church becuase #1) it was a holiday similar to the 4th of July this sunday and #2) There was a huge thunderstorm that started up saturday night and lasted until Sunday morning just about when church started, so many people stayed home in bed.  It was interesting though becuase we started sacrament meeting off singing the Uruguay national anthem. 

Elder Ferguson has one more transfer after this one so he will be going home early september... he doesn`t like to talk about it. In a package I really don`t have any big requests... peanut butter, an ensign in spanish of the last conference(there is a shortage here in Uruguay due to the volcano/plane problem), and stamps is all that I can think of. Thanks!!!

Our investigator, Gustavo Perez, stopped smoking this week and has now gone a whole week without smoking!!!  He is getting baptized this Saturday at 5pm and we are helping a 14 year old young man, named Carlos Bobadilla, get baptized the following Saturday 2nd of July.  Please also keep Natalia Lain in your prayers so that she can go to church for the first time this next sunday, the same with Natalia Cardozo. 

Thanks! I love you all so much and will ever be greatful for your examples, love and support.

Until next week,
Elder Gardner

I'M STAYING IN CAMINO CARRASCO!!!

Hola a todos...


I`m staying in Camino Carrasco, and so is Elder Ferguson!!!  We are so excited to be together here in Camino Carrasco for another 6 weeks!!!  We had a great baptism of Sonia and her grandson, Agustin!  They are such great people and now the newest members of the Camino Carrasco ward!  Sadly, Luisa did not get baptized because two days before her baptism a close family friend died, and then her husband convinced her that she didn`t have to pay tithing, so she wasn`t prepared to get baptized last Saturday.  She said she wants us to keep visiting her and that later on when she feels better and has accepted Tithing that she would get baptized, so we`ll see how it goes.  We are now planning another baptism for Gustavo Perez on the 25th.  He still needs to stop smoking, so please keep him in your prayers!!!  We saw some really cool miracles in this week, one being a family that we found of a mom, and her 2 kids(Geranimo, age 13 and Camilo, age 8).  A member accompanied us to a lesson with them and then offered to swing by and walk to church with her and her family, and she and her 2 kids came to church and loved it!  She cried because she felt the spirit so strong in one of the classes and in Sacrament meeting!  They are wonderful people.

The Zone Conference was great and Elder Foster of the Seventy came and spoke with his wife!  It was a really cool conference and I sure learned a lot about the importance of prayer and learning to hand missionary work over to the members and support them in sharing the gospel with their friends and neighbors.  We also received a challenge to read the Book of Mormon and mark everytime that it says the word ¨faith¨.  I`m really grateful for the opportunity and privilege that I have of being a missionary now in my life and to be able to help others come unto Christ.

It`s not very visible but you can feel and see on the parked cars, the ashes that were blown over here from Chile.  Elder Ferguson got sick from it, but I am just fine!  At the end of each day our shoes would be covered in white powder from the falling ash.  That is a bummer for all the missionaries that are supposed to go home this week from their missions like Taylor.  I hope they can get back to their families soon!

I love you very much and am grateful for all that you are doing.  Thanks for everything.

Love,
Elder Gardner

I'M SO GLAD TO BE A MISSIONARY!!!

Hola a todos...


Thanks for the emails and love.  Elder Ferguson and I are just having the greatest time together here in Camino Carrasco!!!  This Saturday we are going to have 3 baptisms: Sonia Viberti, Agustin Viberti and Luisa Jaradillo!!!  We are very excited and I can`t wait to see the three of them dressed in white this Saturday at 5pm.  This could also be the last week that Elder Ferguson and I will be together because changes are next Tuesday and we find out on Sunday.  I really don`t want to leave Camino Carrasco and I don`t want to have to change companions if the Lord`s alright with that... I love missionary work and I love the challenges that we face every day and week because they have helped me to grow so much.  I have been able to humble myself a little bit more each week as I see the Lord not give me everything that I ask for so that I can learn to depend on Him a little more.

We also are going to have a Zone Conference this week on Wednesday!  A General Authority will be coming to our zone conference (one of the seventy I think).  So I`m way excited for that and to be able to see some of the other missionaries again because it will be a 5 zone zone conference with all the missionaries serving within Montevideo!  Our investigators are doing great and we are anticipating another at least 4 baptisms before the end of June.  Claudia Irisiti stopped smoking, Gustavo Perez is still fighting against the cigarrettes and we currently have 14 investigators who are preparing themselves to be baptized right now with a baptismal date: Sonia Viberti, Agustin Viberti, Luisa Jaradillo, Gustavo Perez, Daniela, Juan, Natalia Lians, Carlos Bobadilla, Ignacio Cabrera, Guillermo Cabrera, Leonardo Gomez, Laura Cabrera, Romina Cabrera and Claudia Irisiti.  Please keep them in your prayers (good luck with the pronunciation on some of those names, haha.).

Well, I love you so very much and I know that this church is true and that NOTHING can stop this work from progressing, Joseph Smith was a prophet, and Thomas S. Monson is the Lord`s living and true prophet today.  I have been studying the Ensign from the last General Conference and marking all of the commandments and invitations that the speakers make with red and all the blessings and promises that they make with blue, it has really helped me learn a lot from what was said and is preparing me to be able to receive more from the next conference!  I invite you all to do a similar study to start preparing yourselves now to receive the blessings that the Lord has promised us through his chosen servants and to prepare yourselves to receive even more counsel in the upcoming conference.

I love you all.

Elder Gardner