July, 25 2011

Wow, that is AWESOME.  How crazy is that, where are the shaes living.   You have to send me some pics or some more about the shaes cause that is THE coolest story.   It makes me think a lot about those times when people would ask us if we knew any one who might be interested in listening to the missionaries and we would always say maybe the Shaes, but then we never did anything about it.  Or did we?  I can’t remember.  Anyway, how important is this obra.  I think about what i was doing before the mission in terms of being a testigo de Jesucristo, and i don't really think I was doing anything.   We've got to get animated(not sure if that works in English) about sharing this message with people.  This is on my mind because this week we are going to hit our ward with a Missionary Wave.   Our ward right now is not even close to doing their part.  I hope we can get them excited, and act.  I'm excited to get off the mission and put my action where my mouth is.  We are always asking people to share the gospel with friends.  I know it’s not easy, but it’s not hard either. 

Quien es Pres. Perry.  anyways i Love the script. that you shared with me, i applies a lot to what i need right now.  I was listening to one of Elder Baez´s songs and it hit me like a 100 kg de frijoles.   The song is “Be Still My Soul”.  Listen to the words of this song.  Mom, I've been praying  for a lot of patience right now too, and when i head the song it was definitely a answer to those prayers.  Mom i love you and I pray that you and dad  will receive the patience and tranquilidad that you need.  Cuidate mucho

Love

Elder Gardner  

July 18, 2011

Hola Mother Goose,

dang, I'm a little disappointed to hear that marc sold his bocho.  they have been growing on me down here in bocholandia.  i was looking forward to testing it out when i got back, but i guess that ill just have to buy my self one when i get back.  about Vance getting that job, i cant tell you how pumped i was when i heard that he got it and that Andrew is moving up there too.  how awesome will that be!!!  not sure where Evan and meg think there going, they are headed in the wrong direction right, north not south.  i was actually hoping they would get the job over there in Oregon, but Arizona is "chill".  what part of Arizona are they heading for, hopefully its close to Tucson, i cant wait to get back on the bike and prep for the tour again.  by the way how's that trek doing?   So, Jake is home from the mission huh, that is crazy!!  have you guys seen him yet,   tell him hi for me when you do.  just look at all of us growing up, its weird cause i don't feel that old. 

alright, so let me tell you a little bit about Parados.  its way different then my last area but i like it.  the people here are crazy, its a side effect from being so close to DF.  i forgot what it was like to ride in a combi, reminds me of the days when i got robbed.  there is definitely a lot of action down here with crazies, so the night time is a little more exciting.  we had a rough Sunday, but we learned a lot, and there is no doubt that this week will be different, let me tell you why.  this last Saturday our whole zone got together and headed out to a brand new colonial that's called Santa Inés.  this brand new area is not technically in anybody's area, so its just free game.  the stake president did that on purpose, cause he wants everybody to work over there so that they can build a Rama.   so the whole zone went over there Saturday mourning and put up two tables full of  folletos and videos, and then the rest of the 14 missionaries went and knocked doors and contacted.  In two hours we got 109 referencias, and about 22 are so called families de oro.  so the crazy thing about this is that our area is the closest to this area, so all the references went to us, and now this week we have to turn those numbers into salvation.  A pretty large task and a lot of pressure not only from the leaders, but also the stake president.  I think its every missionaries dream to receive references like that.   We have a lot of work to do, but i feel like i have just the companion to turn Santa Inés into a gold mind.  Elder Baez is a master with the people, I've learned a lot from him this past week, and my Spanish is getting better with having to speak all the time.  I’ll let you know how the battle up in Santa Inés goes this next week. 

I’m sending the pics from Anayelli and Luis’s baptism, I love those two and I have to be here when they get sealed, that will probably be like 2 months after i get back, so if anybody wants to come that’s the plan. I hope.

mom you are good to tell people that I'm doing awesome.  I've learned a lot these past couple months and feel different.  i love you so much, and will remember everybody in my prayers. 

Love

Elder Gardner 

July 11, 2011

Wait a sec.  when did Andrew get engaged?????  what is going on up there, nah that awesome, when is the date for the wedding? 

So i don't know what happened with that hurricane or massive storm.  that much of rain is unusual for Queretaro, but its all past and every thing is back to normal, the only thing that is not normal is that i got changed today.  I left my lil´Boy and all those people i love up there, it wasn't easy, but that's the mission.  so i went from the farthest north of the mission to the farthest south.   actually our area boarders a two of the other missions, northwest and the west missions.  the west missionaries are famous here because there has been a couple of occasions that the west missionaries have been poaching into our mission.   I've heard those missionaries have bikes, sunglasses, and iPod touches.  this is just what my comp said, so who knows if its true.  i was wondering if marc ever served in this part of his mission in tultapec.  my area is called parados, and my comp is Elder Baez,  its crazy to have a Mexican for a comp, cause I'm so used to the Americans.  it should be really good, and it will help speaking in Spanish all the time. 

 

Mom i got the package, thank so much i enjoy the laffy taffy.  i was super excited to see the doctrine y convenions dvd, but i forgot to tell you to send it in Spanish.  because i don't have a lot of opportunities to watch it in English.  but its all good.  yeah I've been struggling with the money, because we took a trip two trips to tequisciac to marry anayeli and Luis.  the mission doesn't help us with that, so we pained for it.  but I'm sure that the card with come soon, and all will work out.  anayeli and Luis were baptized were baptized yesterday and it was one of the coolest baptisms I've had.  i send pics next week.  this family is easy the coolest hear in Mexico.  I'm really excited for them, but a little disappointed that i had to change and could be there for their confirmations.  but its all good.  I will adjust.  i{m excited for a new area and for the opportunity we have to find more families.   I love you.  the church is true, and god is in control. 

 

Love

Elder Gardner

06/27/11

Hola Familia,

We had some awesome things happen this week.  last week we contacted a lady by the name of Anayelli, we set up a appointment with her and went by last Sunday.  so last Sunday we taught her and her esposo Luis.  Both are the gold of the gold.  We had a lesson with them on Friday and she told us that they had read the book of Mormon all the way to chapter 4.  we asked is she had any questions and she told us no, but that she had a lot of things she wanted to talk about.  she then gave us a in-depth overview of the story of Nephi,  and understood every little detail. while she read she took 2 pages of notes and was just analyzing the heck out of it.  she a great story tell or something, cause the whole time she was telling us this story i just kept think to my self this is an awesome story, it made me want to reread the start of the bomb.  anyways Anayelli and Luis are not married so we have been working hard on finding a way to help them out with that.  they have such a strong desire to get married, but the cool thing is they want to get married because they know its a commandment and that its a requisite for baptism.  they have their eyes set on there fechta for the 10 de Julio.  the only thing that stands in there way is the matrimony.  after Anayelli gave us the down low on  chap 1-4 she said she wanted to talk about one of the verses that llama su atencion.  she starts to read off 1nefi 3:7 and pretty much bore her testimony on how she new god would prepare a way for them to complete with all his commandments.   elder Fulton and i were blown off our shoes, Anayelli and Luis are one of those people that god has prepared.  its awesome to teach people when they understand so well.

 

here are some pics from yesterday, one minute we were walking with blue skies, the next min. the streets had turned in to rivers, pretty crazy.  o yeah and we had fish on Sunday.  the fish was a live on sec. and then in the pan for 2 sec, then on our plates, was really good.

 

i love you all,

Elder Gardner 

June 13, 2011

Mom,

¡Felizidades! that’s awesome mom, that you passed and have made it through all of the steps to get certified. how awesome it is to have a goal like that and then to look back and see that you did it, and now your going to see the fruits from that work. We experienced a little bit of that this past week (not exactly the same but kind of). So we had this goal at the beginning of this transfer to contact 100 people every week. It’s something that we hadn't been doing last change. So our first week we contacted our heads off and reached 101 contacts, but the thing was that we really hadn't seen any difference in our numbers, but this past week we reaped the fruit from that work. We found 4 different families that are buenisimo. Each family isn't directly from those contacts but it started the revelation to find the family's. We pasted by one contact and they weren't´t there, but we decided to knock the door across the street. and found Gabi and Fabian and their two kids. Fabian has a lot of health problems, and cant work. Their kind of in a bind. We taught them and left them with the Book of Mormon challenge. We came back and Gabi told us that she read and then had this dream, it was super crazy and super long. But the climax in the dream was when her mom that past away last year, told her , "Gabi Stop doubting, all of this is true." This family has already seen so many blessing from just this week. One thing that came out in one of lesson was that before we got there they were thinking of getting a divorcement, but know feel that this message is going to help them. All i can say is that when we are obedient and complete with our goals, weather its getting certified or contacting a 100 people, we will receive blessing, and maybe they don't come right a way, but I know that they come. I love you so much, and hope all is great with the family. Until next week, take love.

Quidate Mucho

Elder Gardner

June 6, 2011

Hola Familia

well there goes the first week of this transfer, i can tell you it was ugly.  but i have not had a more fulfilling week.  Elder Fulton and I are a different companionship this week.  lets just say we both feel good about what is to come.  Life is good.  sorry its short.  I love you all so much.  Year 2 is a go!!

Elder Gardner

From Father to Son

¿como estas?

well i heard that you killed your talk this last Sunday, which is no surprise, i wish i was there to hear it. dad, i have an investigator right now who is struggling with the cigarettes. we have tried a lot of things and nothing has really worked. we decided to fast this past week, and as we were teaching him about principle of a fast i realized something that scared me. I don't really have a very good testimony of the fast. its always been something that has been difficult for me. i was wondering if you could send we some of your thoughts on fasting, your experiences, and your testimony of the fast. thanks for every thing, dad. i hope all is going well.

I love you dad

Elder Gardner

 

Tyler,

I always enjoy your emails. The principle of the Fast has caused in me one of the greatest desires for gospel research. I'll send a few articles from the Brethren that I think will help you in your search for knowledge and enlightenment -- The Law of the Fast by Elder Worthlin; Fasting with Power by Elder Bowen; The Blessing of a Proper Fast by Elder Pratt; and one by Bishop Brown. There are several others but these will get you started.

But perhaps the best source, and my favorite, is the 58th chapter of Isaiah, specifically verses 2 through 12. As you read these verses the doctrine of the fast will distill upon your soul. Elder Pratt does a good job of helping explain some of the key verses. But the Spirit will show you the full meaning of the verses as you study them over time.

Here are my thoughts.

You'll remember that the Savior fasted for 40 days in the wilderness when he wanted to draw close to Heavenly Father just before his temptations by Lucifer. Because he was half immortal he could do that without serious injury to his body. It gave him great spiritual focus. He later fasted as he went up on Mount transfiguration. We know this because when he can down with Peter, James, and John he met the other apostles who had not been able to cast out a particularly difficult spirit. Matthew 17:21 says, "This [kind] goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Fasting provides spiritual power to accomplish things that require a powerful spirit.

When I fast properly, I am drawn closer to the Spirit. I can always tell when I am having a good fast because I don't have much trouble with hunger. It makes me feel as though Heavenly Father is listening to me when I pray. It gives me greater strength and focus to do the right thing, whatever that may be. It is a chance for me to demonstrate to Heavenly Father that communicating with Him and doing His will is more important to me than meeting my physical needs. Isaiah says, "Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am." (58:9.) I want Him to always be willing to answer me when I need Him, especially in my most earnest and difficult situations.

When Marc was 3 years old, just as you were born and right after we had moved to Albuquerque, I fasted for four days because I needed Heavenly Father's help to prepare me to give him a blessing. The Lord healed Marc from his seizures. Not because of my fast, but because it was His will and many people united their faith in Marc's behalf. But because of my fasting I felt that I could ask the Lord for this blessing for my poor suffering son, and He would hear me, and I could live with the result what ever it might be.

We don't need to fast for an extended time for the Lord to hear our cries. We can't hold Heavenly Father hostage by fasting for more than two meals. Two meals, 24 hours is really all we generally need.

The other side of Fasting is our giving an offering to the church for the benefit of the poor and needy. We should give the value of the food not eaten as a minimum. But we ought to be generous in our offerings if we can. I've heard the brethren say that if we want to increase our spirituality and devotion to God, we can increase our offerings. I know of some people who give more than 10 or 20 times or more the amount of food they did not eat during their fast. This principle of giving generously is also contained in Isaiah 58, in verse 7.

Read verse 6. "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heaven burdens and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?" This may have direct application to your investigator. And to everything that binds you and me down.

The fast is a way to draw closer to Heaven and gather the strength and clarity to do the right thing. I can't say that I have an effective fast every month. But when I put my heart into it, I am always blessed.

I'll send those articles over through Dear missionary in case you can't print them from the attachments.

All my love,

Dad

 

 

Dad,

I’m so blessed to have a dad who knows so much that he can give me the exact type of help when i need it.  thank you dad for living your life the way that god intended, you bless us as your family, more then you know. 

I want to study all this information first, then put it into practice.  i will write you a letter when i have found my testimony of the fast, and share my thoughts with you.

thanks again dad, i love you so much

your son,

Elder Gardner