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
Monday, June 6, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
AND THE LORD CONTINUES BLESSING US DAY BY DAY...
Hola a todos...
This week has been another amazing week of miracles and blessings! We found another 9 new investigators this week and are planning for a lot of baptisms in June. We announced the baptism of Sonya and Agustin yesterday in church for the 11th of June (we had to announce it two weeks in advance because she works in a hospital where they make her work every other weekend and she wasn`t able to get off 2 weekends in a row). they are really excited and even brought a friend of Agustin to church with them. Sonya has a challenge ahead of her that she needs to stop smoking before friday of this week or she won`t be able to be have her baptismal interview this friday for her baptism on the 11th. We are also trying to help Gustavo to stop smoking because he also wants to get baptized on the 11th, and Louisa(a 72 year old lady who is nearly deaf told us that she was finally feeling ready to get baptized) who we have been teaching for almost 2 months with having to write out half of what we teach so she can understand it. We found a family of 5 Gabriela Nuñez(the mom), David Louis(the dad, he`s from Nebraska USA), Kevin(17, getting out of drugs), Angie(22, getting out of drugs), and Cristian(12, goes to a catholic school) this week who are interested in getting to know the church. They didn`t go to church, but we are excited to help them get to church next week. We also found several other great people who can get baptized in June as well.
The Lord is blessing us in ways that I didn`t know existed and is continuing to help us in our trials and difficulties. We are serving with all of our heart, might, mind and strength and then we are allowing the Lord and the Spirit to do the rest. Please keep the following investigators in your prayers so that they can find the strength and will to stop smoking in this week... Sonya Viberti, Gustavo Perez, Claudia Irisiti, Gabriela Nuñez, Angie, Kevin and please pray that all of our investigators can overcome the opposition that there is every sunday to get up early and go to church.
Thank you so much and I want to let you all know that I love you and am learning every day how to love more like the Savior who loves us all perfectly and fully. May we follow His example so that we can become instruments in the Lord`s hands to bring others unto Christ. My new favorite scripture is D&C 1:38 (Colin you should memorize this one because it`s scripture mastery...).
Hey if you want me to make you a scripture case for your scriptures I need the pictures that you want on them (one for the front and another for the back) I can get some done for each of us in the family. I`m going to make one for my quadruple for when I come home. Thanks for everything you do.
Love,
Elder Gardner
This week has been another amazing week of miracles and blessings! We found another 9 new investigators this week and are planning for a lot of baptisms in June. We announced the baptism of Sonya and Agustin yesterday in church for the 11th of June (we had to announce it two weeks in advance because she works in a hospital where they make her work every other weekend and she wasn`t able to get off 2 weekends in a row). they are really excited and even brought a friend of Agustin to church with them. Sonya has a challenge ahead of her that she needs to stop smoking before friday of this week or she won`t be able to be have her baptismal interview this friday for her baptism on the 11th. We are also trying to help Gustavo to stop smoking because he also wants to get baptized on the 11th, and Louisa(a 72 year old lady who is nearly deaf told us that she was finally feeling ready to get baptized) who we have been teaching for almost 2 months with having to write out half of what we teach so she can understand it. We found a family of 5 Gabriela Nuñez(the mom), David Louis(the dad, he`s from Nebraska USA), Kevin(17, getting out of drugs), Angie(22, getting out of drugs), and Cristian(12, goes to a catholic school) this week who are interested in getting to know the church. They didn`t go to church, but we are excited to help them get to church next week. We also found several other great people who can get baptized in June as well.
The Lord is blessing us in ways that I didn`t know existed and is continuing to help us in our trials and difficulties. We are serving with all of our heart, might, mind and strength and then we are allowing the Lord and the Spirit to do the rest. Please keep the following investigators in your prayers so that they can find the strength and will to stop smoking in this week... Sonya Viberti, Gustavo Perez, Claudia Irisiti, Gabriela Nuñez, Angie, Kevin and please pray that all of our investigators can overcome the opposition that there is every sunday to get up early and go to church.
Thank you so much and I want to let you all know that I love you and am learning every day how to love more like the Savior who loves us all perfectly and fully. May we follow His example so that we can become instruments in the Lord`s hands to bring others unto Christ. My new favorite scripture is D&C 1:38 (Colin you should memorize this one because it`s scripture mastery...).
Hey if you want me to make you a scripture case for your scriptures I need the pictures that you want on them (one for the front and another for the back) I can get some done for each of us in the family. I`m going to make one for my quadruple for when I come home. Thanks for everything you do.
Love,
Elder Gardner
Monday, May 23, 2011
A MIGHTY CHANGE OF HEART
Hola a todos...
This week was the best week of my whole mission!!! I feel absolutely fantastic!!! We saw so many miracles these past few days. First of all before I forget... I have not gotten Elder William`s letter yet. If you can it would be nice if you could get my drivers liscence replaced, and in order to get my temple recommend renewed I have to have an interview with President Da Silva. But I`m not worried about anything that happened with that little mishap.
This week we saw miracle after miracle as God literally placed one prepared person after another in our path as we searched for more people to teach. We found 9 new investigators and are way excited for the month of June here in Camino Carrasco. Gustavo came to church and loved it and is now fighting to free himself from his addiction to cigarettes. He is going strong for his baptismal date on the 4th. Then Sonya and now her grandson Agustin are preparing to be baptized on the 11th along with 3 friends of our recent convert, Sebastian Machado (their names are Daniela, Luiz, and Juan), and then Claudia is having trouble stopping smoking so she is now going to be working for a baptismal date for the 18th of June. We had 6 investigators in church yesterday, and are now starting to help two children of a member (their names are Ignacio and Guillermo) to get baptized in June.
There was a lot of talk about this one radio preacher who was telling all the people that the world was going to end on May 21st... it was posted all over the buses and buildings and we got asked a lot what we thought about it. The best part was that the 21st had some of the greatest weather that we have had in a really long time, and another false prophet was discovered...
But the best part of the week was a leadership meeting we had where we got to watch a video of a talk that Elder Holland gave to the missionaries in the MTC in Provo in January that talked about the importance of studying Preach my Gospel and in Serving and loving the Lord. I felt the spirit so strong and after applying what I learned have felt the spirit constantly in my life stronger than I have ever felt it before. The next day in the apartment Elder Ferguson and I were talking about how we want to be 100% obedient to every commandment and mission rule and then we got on the subject of what many missionaries call the ¨little rules¨ and we felt the spirit so strongly testify to us about the importance of following every counsel of the Lord. I really felt a mighty change in my heart in which I have a great desire to magnify and obey each commandment instead of minimizing and fulfilling each commandment and that has led us to the success and spirit that we have had together in this week and will continue to grow with us for the rest of our mission.
That`s great to hear that both Colin and Mason have leadership positions in the priesthood now, that`s so great. The Lord is preparing you now for future callings that he will give you in the mission and afterwards. Thanks for sending the money. I`ll make sure that it gets to Elder Jimenez in time. Until next week.
Love,
Elder Gardner
This week was the best week of my whole mission!!! I feel absolutely fantastic!!! We saw so many miracles these past few days. First of all before I forget... I have not gotten Elder William`s letter yet. If you can it would be nice if you could get my drivers liscence replaced, and in order to get my temple recommend renewed I have to have an interview with President Da Silva. But I`m not worried about anything that happened with that little mishap.
This week we saw miracle after miracle as God literally placed one prepared person after another in our path as we searched for more people to teach. We found 9 new investigators and are way excited for the month of June here in Camino Carrasco. Gustavo came to church and loved it and is now fighting to free himself from his addiction to cigarettes. He is going strong for his baptismal date on the 4th. Then Sonya and now her grandson Agustin are preparing to be baptized on the 11th along with 3 friends of our recent convert, Sebastian Machado (their names are Daniela, Luiz, and Juan), and then Claudia is having trouble stopping smoking so she is now going to be working for a baptismal date for the 18th of June. We had 6 investigators in church yesterday, and are now starting to help two children of a member (their names are Ignacio and Guillermo) to get baptized in June.
There was a lot of talk about this one radio preacher who was telling all the people that the world was going to end on May 21st... it was posted all over the buses and buildings and we got asked a lot what we thought about it. The best part was that the 21st had some of the greatest weather that we have had in a really long time, and another false prophet was discovered...
But the best part of the week was a leadership meeting we had where we got to watch a video of a talk that Elder Holland gave to the missionaries in the MTC in Provo in January that talked about the importance of studying Preach my Gospel and in Serving and loving the Lord. I felt the spirit so strong and after applying what I learned have felt the spirit constantly in my life stronger than I have ever felt it before. The next day in the apartment Elder Ferguson and I were talking about how we want to be 100% obedient to every commandment and mission rule and then we got on the subject of what many missionaries call the ¨little rules¨ and we felt the spirit so strongly testify to us about the importance of following every counsel of the Lord. I really felt a mighty change in my heart in which I have a great desire to magnify and obey each commandment instead of minimizing and fulfilling each commandment and that has led us to the success and spirit that we have had together in this week and will continue to grow with us for the rest of our mission.
That`s great to hear that both Colin and Mason have leadership positions in the priesthood now, that`s so great. The Lord is preparing you now for future callings that he will give you in the mission and afterwards. Thanks for sending the money. I`ll make sure that it gets to Elder Jimenez in time. Until next week.
Love,
Elder Gardner
Monday, May 16, 2011
EZEQUIEL MACHADO WAS BAPTIZED!!!
Hola a todos...
Ezequiel Machado was baptized and confirmed the newest member of the Camino Carrasco ward!!! We have been seeing so many miracles here in Camino Carrasco. In this week we have been working with 3 main investigators... Sonya (who went to church and loved it yesterday and has a baptismal date for June 4th), Claudia (who didn`t go to church because her daughter came and suprise kidnapped her for Mother's Day... yes Mother`s Day got moved to this weekend here in Uruguay... for commercial reasons). She also is fighting against her addiction of smoking and drinking coffee. And finally Gustavo (a newspaper writer who investigated the church in Paraguay and wants to get baptized now). He didn`t go to church because he had a bad fever and was sick in bed Sunday morning. Please keep them in your prayers and also the grandchildren of Sonya... Agustìn and Camila. All of these people have a baptismal date for the 4th of June.
We are excited for the many miracles that we are seeing here in our area and are very grateful that the Lord is blessing us so much! I love missionary work!!! I`m still happy, healthy and doing great! The stake president has even given me the nickname Elder Smiley :) We have a great ward that supports us and the missionary work a lot here and we are doing our best to share the joy of missionary work with all of the members.
On Thursday we are going to have another leadership meeting with President Da Silva. It should be really good. It`s good to hear that all is going well back home. Colin, I think you should wait till I get home before you start beating up anyone else. Sounds like Dad has a fun trip this week. Good luck.
In this week I`ve really learned a lot about agency and how really important it is for each of us to not only learn from the trial and temptations that we are faced with but also to be able to withstand and choose not to give into them. I`m glad that we are given moral agency to learn and grow in this life and I hope to keep learning how to better use it as I grow in life.
On Saturday right before the baptism... we were making programs for the baptism in the Cyber cafe and someone stole my wallet without me knowing it... so I lost about 400 pesos($20), my insurance cards, my license, my temple recomend, and my Eagle Scout card. Luckily I didn`t have my debit card in there so I still have that and about 4000 pesos that I had hidden up as an emergency fund so that was a bummer, but I`m alright and am going to be just fine. Elder Jimenez talked to me again the other day and wanted to know if you could send me the money to help him buy his suit through my debit card and then I could send it directly to him through the bank system here in Uruguay. So if you want to send it to me and then in your next email let me know how much you sent we can help him buy a suit.
Love you all,
Elder Gardner
Ezequiel Machado was baptized and confirmed the newest member of the Camino Carrasco ward!!! We have been seeing so many miracles here in Camino Carrasco. In this week we have been working with 3 main investigators... Sonya (who went to church and loved it yesterday and has a baptismal date for June 4th), Claudia (who didn`t go to church because her daughter came and suprise kidnapped her for Mother's Day... yes Mother`s Day got moved to this weekend here in Uruguay... for commercial reasons). She also is fighting against her addiction of smoking and drinking coffee. And finally Gustavo (a newspaper writer who investigated the church in Paraguay and wants to get baptized now). He didn`t go to church because he had a bad fever and was sick in bed Sunday morning. Please keep them in your prayers and also the grandchildren of Sonya... Agustìn and Camila. All of these people have a baptismal date for the 4th of June.
We are excited for the many miracles that we are seeing here in our area and are very grateful that the Lord is blessing us so much! I love missionary work!!! I`m still happy, healthy and doing great! The stake president has even given me the nickname Elder Smiley :) We have a great ward that supports us and the missionary work a lot here and we are doing our best to share the joy of missionary work with all of the members.
On Thursday we are going to have another leadership meeting with President Da Silva. It should be really good. It`s good to hear that all is going well back home. Colin, I think you should wait till I get home before you start beating up anyone else. Sounds like Dad has a fun trip this week. Good luck.
In this week I`ve really learned a lot about agency and how really important it is for each of us to not only learn from the trial and temptations that we are faced with but also to be able to withstand and choose not to give into them. I`m glad that we are given moral agency to learn and grow in this life and I hope to keep learning how to better use it as I grow in life.
On Saturday right before the baptism... we were making programs for the baptism in the Cyber cafe and someone stole my wallet without me knowing it... so I lost about 400 pesos($20), my insurance cards, my license, my temple recomend, and my Eagle Scout card. Luckily I didn`t have my debit card in there so I still have that and about 4000 pesos that I had hidden up as an emergency fund so that was a bummer, but I`m alright and am going to be just fine. Elder Jimenez talked to me again the other day and wanted to know if you could send me the money to help him buy his suit through my debit card and then I could send it directly to him through the bank system here in Uruguay. So if you want to send it to me and then in your next email let me know how much you sent we can help him buy a suit.
Love you all,
Elder Gardner
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
PICTURES FROM THE LAST 4 MONTHS...
 |
| Maldanado Zone |
 |
| Groundbreaking Ceremony in Pan de Azucar Elder Gardner & Elder Thompson |
 |
| Alvaro's baptism in Pan de Azucar |
 |
| Elder Gardner & Elder Thompson Picture of what new chapel will look like |
 |
| Last day in Pan de Azucar with members that fed me |
 |
| The beach close to Pan de Azucar called Piriapolis |
 |
| The last I saw of Pan de Azucar |
 |
| Pondering with Elder Butler... |
 |
| The view from our apartment window in Camino Carrasco |
 |
| View from the roof of our apartment in Camino Carrasco ... You can see the ocean in the distance |
 |
| Baptism of Araceli and Giuliana (the Bishop's daughter) Elder Butler, Brother Noble (Ward Mission Leader), Giuliana, Araceli, Elder Gardner, and Elder and Sister Goates (temple missionaries) |
 |
| Araceli's baptism |
 |
| Me and my Uruguayan moola |
Monday, May 9, 2011
NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED OVERNIGHT...
We had a great phone call with Jeremy yesterday where he shared a lot about his new area, new companion and responsibilities as a Zone Leader. He sounds great and has a Spanish accent now to his English. The hardest part of the phone call is always saying goodbye... The good news is we only have one more phone call before he returns. He loves being in the city and the fact that it allows him to see so many more new people to share the gospel with. He continues to love being a missionary and serving in Uruguay.
Hola a todos...
It was great talking to you on the phone. I love you all and am very grateful for all the support and love that you have given me. It sounds like you are all doing well back home as well. Well I don`t have much more to report, except that we are excited for the baptism of Ezequiel Machado this Saturday at 5:00. We have found a bunch of great investigators here in this past week and we are excited for this next week.
We received instructions from President Da Silva to study as if we were just starting the mission in Preach my Gospel and follow a 12 week study plan to study the whole thing well and thoroughly. We are way excited to do this and are sure that it will help the whole mission out a lot. We are helping our two district leaders this transfer who are being District leaders for the first time in the mission and are learning a lot and learning how to love and serve the missionaries in their districts. Please pray for Elder Gurr and Elder Peña so they can continue to help their districts to have success.
I know that this church is true and that there is no other way that the work and the priesthood could be organized and run but by the authority of God and by revelation. I know that Christ lives and that he payed for every one of my sins. Keep striving with all your heart, might, mind and strength to make and keep the sacred covenants that we have made when we were baptized and when we went to the temple and if you haven`t been baptized or gone to the temple, DO IT NOW and prepare so that you can live worthily of these sacred promises between you and God.
Love you all,
Elder Gardner
Hola a todos...
It was great talking to you on the phone. I love you all and am very grateful for all the support and love that you have given me. It sounds like you are all doing well back home as well. Well I don`t have much more to report, except that we are excited for the baptism of Ezequiel Machado this Saturday at 5:00. We have found a bunch of great investigators here in this past week and we are excited for this next week.
We received instructions from President Da Silva to study as if we were just starting the mission in Preach my Gospel and follow a 12 week study plan to study the whole thing well and thoroughly. We are way excited to do this and are sure that it will help the whole mission out a lot. We are helping our two district leaders this transfer who are being District leaders for the first time in the mission and are learning a lot and learning how to love and serve the missionaries in their districts. Please pray for Elder Gurr and Elder Peña so they can continue to help their districts to have success.
I know that this church is true and that there is no other way that the work and the priesthood could be organized and run but by the authority of God and by revelation. I know that Christ lives and that he payed for every one of my sins. Keep striving with all your heart, might, mind and strength to make and keep the sacred covenants that we have made when we were baptized and when we went to the temple and if you haven`t been baptized or gone to the temple, DO IT NOW and prepare so that you can live worthily of these sacred promises between you and God.
Love you all,
Elder Gardner
Monday, May 2, 2011
I'M STAYING IN CAMINO CARRASCO!!!
Hola a todos.......
I`m staying here in Camino Carrasco for at least 6 more weeks! But sadly Elder Butler is being transferred to a different zone... It was great working with him and we had a great time and great success, and my new companion happens to be Elder Butler's last companion that he had before we were companions. My new companion`s name is Elder Ferguson. I haven`t got to know him yet since we change companions tomorrow but Elder Butler told me he was one of his best companions. I did get the Easter package, thanks very much.
Now for the most exciting part of the email... You can call me at 6:15 PM (Uruguay time, I thinks that is 3:15 Arizona time but you`ll have to confirm that by internet). I don`t know what church schedule that you are on now but I hope that time doesn`t interrupt something important on sunday. I`m excited to be able to hear from you and have a great 40 minutes of fun listening to your voices again! I love you and will be waiting by the phone at 6:15 (Uruguay time) sharp.
We had a great week. Sebastian was baptized and confirmed the newest member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints here in Camino Carrasco. I had the privelage and blessing to be the one to baptize him and his family came to his baptismal service. They felt good and we are going to start trying to teach his mom, sister and grandma this week. We are already teaching his brother Ezequiel and his two kids, Valentino and Guadalupe who are all working towards their baptisms on the 14th of May (still we are waiting on permission from the mom of Valentino and Guadalupe). And another miracle is that on Sunday it was raining and really stormy and in walked Sebastian with a friend named Daniela who really liked church and started listening to the lessons and has a baptismal date for the 21st of May (all those miracles all is just 24 hours.) We are way excited to keep working with Sebastian`s family and friends and are hoping to have many baptisms in May thanks to the missionary efforts of Sebastian Machado.
Congratulations on the job offer dad, I hope you adjust well and enjoy your new position. Please continue praying for Sebastian`s friends and family so that they can accept his invitations to learn about the gospel and what changed his life. I love you all and will tell you more on Sunday.
TALK to you later,
Elder Gardner
I`m staying here in Camino Carrasco for at least 6 more weeks! But sadly Elder Butler is being transferred to a different zone... It was great working with him and we had a great time and great success, and my new companion happens to be Elder Butler's last companion that he had before we were companions. My new companion`s name is Elder Ferguson. I haven`t got to know him yet since we change companions tomorrow but Elder Butler told me he was one of his best companions. I did get the Easter package, thanks very much.
Now for the most exciting part of the email... You can call me at 6:15 PM (Uruguay time, I thinks that is 3:15 Arizona time but you`ll have to confirm that by internet). I don`t know what church schedule that you are on now but I hope that time doesn`t interrupt something important on sunday. I`m excited to be able to hear from you and have a great 40 minutes of fun listening to your voices again! I love you and will be waiting by the phone at 6:15 (Uruguay time) sharp.
We had a great week. Sebastian was baptized and confirmed the newest member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints here in Camino Carrasco. I had the privelage and blessing to be the one to baptize him and his family came to his baptismal service. They felt good and we are going to start trying to teach his mom, sister and grandma this week. We are already teaching his brother Ezequiel and his two kids, Valentino and Guadalupe who are all working towards their baptisms on the 14th of May (still we are waiting on permission from the mom of Valentino and Guadalupe). And another miracle is that on Sunday it was raining and really stormy and in walked Sebastian with a friend named Daniela who really liked church and started listening to the lessons and has a baptismal date for the 21st of May (all those miracles all is just 24 hours.) We are way excited to keep working with Sebastian`s family and friends and are hoping to have many baptisms in May thanks to the missionary efforts of Sebastian Machado.
Congratulations on the job offer dad, I hope you adjust well and enjoy your new position. Please continue praying for Sebastian`s friends and family so that they can accept his invitations to learn about the gospel and what changed his life. I love you all and will tell you more on Sunday.
TALK to you later,
Elder Gardner
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
