June 11,2012

Well, if I had to give the whole family a grade on how faithful you all were at writing me for these two years, it would have to be an 8.  But man, it’s like you all gave up the last 3 months.  Shout out to Mom cause she got me each week. The most consistent award goes to Megan, and the dark horse award goes to  Becky (I’ve never seen her in person and she wrote me more than Andrew, Marc, Emily, and Annie).  Ok, I gave you your grade and awards, lets hear your end of the story.

Oh, boy.  We had a great week last week. We baptized Luz, Jesus, and Fani. They got confirmed this Sunday (minus Fani, she will get here next week)  This week we baptized Fani’s Mom and sister, Tiofi and Barbara.  It was awesome.  At the beginning of the week we put a meta to baptize Tiofi and Barbara, but when we put the meta we had not seen Barbara in two weeks. We thought that she didn’t want anything but we felt that we needed to put her down as a meta, and we did it in faith.  We went through the semana and prepared Tiofi for her interview on Friday, but we still had not seen Barbara.  Her mom (Tiofi) kept telling us that Barbara didn’t want to be baptized because of a couple of things that had happened with her pops.  We passed by for Tiofi on Friday and she told us she didn’t feel prepared. Her husband was super "boracho" and they had been fighting.  We talked with her and told her that she needs to just go to the interview and the elder will be the judge if she is ready or not. She agreed to go to the interview Saturday night.  We left their house pretty disappointed because we felt like everything had fallen apart. As we were walking home that night, I got the strongest impression that we needed to pass by for Barbara Saturday morning to prepare her for her interview with her mom that night.  We prayed that Tiofi would be prepared for her interview the next day and to know the exact time that we should go and visit Barbara.  Then, Saturday morning we go by at the time we felt we should.  Barbara and Fani and Omar were there.  We sat down but we had no clue what we needed to say to her to help her understand that she was ready for her baptism.  We asked Barbara what she had thought about her baptism.  She said, "I made my decision earlier in the week that I wasn’t going to be baptized, but last night I was talking with my mom and Fani. I now understand that I need to be baptized."  I was super shocked that we didn’t have to say anything, and she was ready.  Tiofi and Barbara had their interview that night and the next day they were baptized. They both are very happy.  God answers prayers, he loves us. If we can just have faith and not doubt, we will see miracles in our lives. I learned that first hand this week.  I love you all.  Thanks for everything you do for me.  Last week....gasp....sprint to the end!

Love

Elder Gardner 

May 28, 2012

Hola,
We had a great week, and a perfect ending.  We had 3 baptisms on Sunday.  We are teaching the family Fertile Plain Pineapple (or as we say it in español la Familia Vega Piña).  They are all progressing really well, it is a mom and dad and there three kids.  One of their girls, Fani, was baptized yesterday.  She set a great example for her parents, brother and sister. The rest of the familia should all get dunked this next Sunday.  The other two baptisms were Jesus y Luz.  They were married on Saturday and baptized Sunday.  We weren’t completely sure if Jesus was going to be baptized because he had to have a special interview with President Call.  Pres. came in the middle of our services to do the interview.  Jesus was super nervous, but their interview went really well.  President came out of the interview and told me, “Jesus is a great guy.”  It was awesome because Jesus told me that Pres helped him understand a lot of things. Before Pres. left, Jesus invited him to stay for the baptism.  It was awesome because Pres. and Sis. Call stayed to be there with Jesus.  It was one of the best baptisms I’ve been in.  This week we start up again looking for more families and helping everybody else come closer to Christ.  It’s awesome!  Sorry I can’t send pics. I had a virus on my card and I thought I was erasing a virus but I erased all my pics.... ooopps.
I love you guys, take care.  I’m defiantly ready to play with the old boys again, but I think I’ll try and persuade them to play Futbol,
¿mejor no? swing it easy, read the scripts, say your prayers, go to church.
Love
Elder Gardner

May 21, 2012

Hola

Can’t tell you how excited I was to see your email.  We got on the internet at 10 and I didn’t have a single email, that’s always a junky feeling.  We decided to try again.  Thanks for the write. It’s just not the same when I don’t hear from you. 

I’m not sure if I knew your aunt. When I hear about people dying and I don’t really know them,  I just get this excited feeling, but it’s not for the fact that they died, it’s because I know that they just advanced to the next part of the plan.  Your aunt has passed on, but just think of what it’s like for her right now. She can see the family that she hasn’t see in a long time.  Not sure exactly how its going to be, but if we do every thing right I know it will pretty sweet. 

Thanks for the prayers for Luz y Jesus.  They are so excited, they have everything ready for the wedding this Saturday. Then Sunday we are all getting wet in the baptismal water.  They are so amazing.  Yesterday in principles of the gospel, there was a debate about what was going to happen in the millennium.  There was an hermana that was trying to make the lesson really complicated. The tension was building in the class and then Jesus says,  "All I know is the Church is true, and what this Book says is right."   It quieted the class and I felt the Spirit.  Latter in the priesthood class the maestro gets up and says, "Ok, not going to lie, I didn’t prepare for the class, and I haven’t read the chapter." Then he asks who read the chapter.  It was quite and then Jesus busts into explaining what he got out of reading the chapter. It was really cool.  They are soooo ready for the water. We got the invite to the wedding so I’ll send pics next week.

So Elder Briggs and I got the chance to talk in sacrament meeting yesterday.  It was an awesome experience.  All week I was pondering about what to talk on, and little by little I understood what I was suppose to learn and share with the ward.  I talked about the Will of God.  Our responsibility in this life is to understand Gods will and then do it.  As I was studying the topic, I remembered what happened with Marcus when he was little, with the epilepsy.  I don’t even really know the story very well, but what I remember is that you and dad had the faith to pray and fast for a complete recovery for Marc.  How did you know to pray for a complete recovery?  I then remembered you saying that you and dad FELT you should pray for that specific blessing.  When we pray we are aligning our will with Gods. We have no power, nor right, nor understanding to change Gods will.  But when we understand what the will of God is, like you and dad did in this situation, we can have complete confidence that it will happen, if we have faith.  That’s what I shared with the ward…and a little more.  I can’t wait to talk to you and dad about all the details of that experience, and what you think about what I just shared. 

Three weeks.  That’s weird.  Have a great week, I hope all is happy in Happy Valley.  God bless.

Love,

Elder Gardner 

May 7, 2012

Ok, here is the skin dip,  I´m going to Skype you guys on Sunday at 5 Mexico time, which is 6 your time.  Is that fair?  As far as how we are going to do it, I have no idea.  I think we are going to use Luis` computer.  Hopefully he has skype, I will ask him to send you a friend invite this semana.  

We are still sluging here in la Colmena.  The ward  had a big mothers day party on Viernes and it was pretty suave.  We invited Luz Maria and Jesus, and Luis showed up too.  They’re all are awesome cause they are very friendly people so it wasn´t hard at all for them to get comfortable.  The ward hired a guy to setup  his taco stand in the church, so we all ate tacos.  Oh I love the pastor.  I don’t have a clue what I’m going to do when I get back and I get the urge for tacos.  I wonder if ill be able to find any good Mexican restaurants in Utah.  

Elder Briggs and I are learning a whole heap about following the spirit.  It’s just not something you learn over night.  But oh how important it is to continue trying and failing and trying again and learning.  

Can’t tell you how excited I am to talk to you all on Sunday.  Have a great week, keep on trek`n.  Mom, will you call Garrison’s mom and get an update on what all the boys are doing. Talk to you soon.

Love from Mexico,

Elder Gardner 

May 1, 2012

Hola,
¿Como le va en Utah?
Right before I left on the mission I asked Marc if he could give me a little advice to help me out as I was ready to enter the MTC.  This email has helped me out so very much in my mission.  At the end of the email he told me, "The field is white, Tyler, get ready to harvest as much as you can!"  I want you to know that it’s true. God is preparing people all around the world to receive the knowledge of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  One of these escogidos is Luis Nefi.  He was confirmed with the Holy Ghost on Sunday.  Luis is a very friendly person and introduced us to one of his conocidos, Luz Maria, Jesus, and Paulo.  We started to teach them this past week. I don’t think I’ve ever taught an entire family that was so excited about the Church.  The funnest thing on the mission is teaching people who have been prepared and are excited.  President told me I was sent here to the colmena to strengthen this ward.  The best way we can do that as missionaries is find the escogidos.  We started a new change in the mission, which will be my last.  I’ve never been so excited to start a change before and it’s because I know without a doubt there escogidos en our area, and i know how to find them.  Part of this excitement, I think, has come from my study of the Atonement. I know, now more than ever, that every good thing in this life comes from what our Savior did for us.  Without the Atonement, this life has no significance. But, because He did the will of God, this life means the chance at Salvation, never ending happiness with God and our families.  The church is true, God lives, the Atonement is complete, thanks to a Son that put all his trust in His father, and never failed.  I love you all.  I’m going to give it my all this last 6 weeks.
I think we are going to use Skype again, if that ok.  I’ll let you know the horario next week.
Elder Gardner

April 23, 2012

I continue to be reminded about how amazing my mom and dad are.  I love you both so much.  I want to let you know again how grateful I am for you both.  We as children could not ask for better parents. 

It was a good fought week.  We stepped up our game here in the colmena.  I feel like we are doing what we need to do to receive the miracles we and the people here need.  Luis Nephi had a great week, that's not to say it didn't come without difficulties.  We helped him through his jitters, and now Luis Nephi is the newest member of la colmena.  We asked him how it was going with the Book of Mormon.  He told us it was going great.  He said he was reading before one of his classes and all of his students started to come in and everyone was asking him if he was Mormon.  Very proudly he said "yes, I'm Mormon."  Then he explained a little about the church.  He gave us a great reference that we are going to visit today.  He is a great missionary.  His baptism was awesome.  When he came out of the water he went right up to the bishop and told him, “Obispo i just got baptized!”  Luis has taught us all a lot about how great a blessing it is to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. 

The Church is true, and everybody needs to know it.  I'm grateful to be a missionary.  It was a shocker for me last week to read that Kevin is home.  I think even more of a shocker because I know I'm next.  Not sure if I'm ready for my next mission to start.  I love you all.  Choose the right!

Elder Gardner

Just a shout out to my boy Vance that made it through his cancer!

April 16, 2012

O Phoenix, cant wait to get down there when i get back.  Evan promised me that he is going to take we to a Suns game and introduce me to Steve Nash, and then buy me an i pod.  At least that's what I understood when I was reading between the lines from the last letter he sent me.  Sounds like you had an awesome spring break. 

It was a good week, other than the fact that our family of investigators that we brought to church got up after sacrament meeting and literally ran out the door.  We were confused but I guess that is a pretty good sign that they don't want to learn about the church anymore.  The highlight of the week was Luis-Nephi.  The guy is a stud.  We taught him about the Plan of Salvation, and he loved it.  I have never taught anyone who really understood the importance of the Plan like Luis did.  Every part of the lesson he was on the edge of his seat. Throughout the lesson he would tell us that what we were talking about was very important.  He is right.  He taught me a lot about how important this plan is.  At the end of the lesson he kept telling us how very wise our words were, and then he asked us if he could offer the closing prayer.  In his word he kept giving thanks for what he learned and for sending Briggs and Gardner to him.  He prayed for the strength to be able to get to the Celestial Kingdom.  At the end of his prayer he looked up and with tears rocketing out of his eyes he said in his Mexican English,  "Its like Happiness".  It was awesome, LuisNefi is awesome.  He is going to be baptized on Sunday, I’ll send you some pics next week.  Elder Briggs and I are on our quest to find the escogidos that are in our area, because its the best way we can help La Colmena. 

I love you so much, have a splendid week.  thanks for sharing the script in sec. 6. 

: )

Elder Gardner