I can't believe Elder Paxman is
already out in the field. It's incredible how fast time flies.
Dad! It's so cool that you got to go
to a Jazz game!! How are they doing? What's their record look like? Have you
heard much about Jimmer and the Kings? How's the league doing? Sorry for all
the questions, but a little news about the NBA would be great :) Anyway, I'm
glad they won! That's always good news. And I'm glad that you had a good time
there. Also, that's so cool that Jon Schmidt played for that and you got to
talk to him! I actually played Waterfall here a couple days ago, so that's
pretty cool that you'd bring that up. That's a bit sad that my car is now sold,
but I'm glad that there's a bit more money for my mission! It was a good car
for me. But I hope it serves that gentleman well! I also hope that home
teaching goes well.
And Marilee, I will just keep
responding to your email, because it doesn't take too long. :)
Now, getting to what has happened
this week . . . a LOT! Last Thursday, after I emailed, we went to what's called
the Colonial Area of Santo Domingo. It was really cool. It talked a lot about
the history of the country and the city, and how Columbus visited here after
visiting the Bahamas and Cuba during his first voyage. Apparently the entire
Spanish conquest was based here in Santo Domingo, so that was cool! But we got
to walk through some old houses, and we visited the oldest Cathedral in all of
the Americas or the Caribbean. It was interesting!
On Friday, we went back out to do
some contacting! That had some highs and some lows. We had a couple of guys who
were really interested, and we gave them some pamphlets and they said they
would call the mission numbers we gave them. We also gave a kid (about 12 years
old) a Book of Mormon to read, and he seemed really interested. However, Elder
Dowell and I encountered an American atheist, and we were having a pretty nice
conversation until we started talking religion with him. We did our best and
tried to give him a pamphlet on the Plan of Salvation, but he wasn't having any
of it. So he stormed off, and we just went on our way. I felt awful just
because I couldn't understand how anyone could live their life thinking it had
no purpose. It was truly depressing. But right after that we talked to a
younger Dominican guy and asked "¿Cree Ud. en Dios?"(Do you believe in God?) and his reply
was "¡Claro!"(Of course!)
So that was nice. :)
On Sunday night we were blessed to
have a guy speak to us about preaching to "the isles of the sea" like
it says in the Book of Mormon. It was so cool! He taught us about Columbus and
how he was an inspired man. Apparently Columbus said that the Holy Ghost
inspired him. Isn't that so amazing?? Because in 1 Nephi, Nephi has that vision
of Columbus coming across the seas. So amazing. It was really a cool lesson.
Monday night was really cool. We had
a nice closing meeting for the Haitian missionaries leaving, which was kind of
sad, but really nice because they were so excited to get out into the field. We
sang "God be With You 'Til We Meet Again" which was really cool, and
I was able to play the piano for them. Also, that night Elder Kerr (my old
companion) came into our room with his companion, asking if one of us would be
willing to help with a blessing. Being his old companion, I volunteered, and I
performed the anointing. It was really cool! It was a really good experience,
and then after that, all of us in the room participated in the sealing and the
blessing. It was really nice.
Tuesday morning, the Haitian
missionaries left. :( I'll be sending another email with a few pictures of us
with them as well as pictures of other stuff. But they left that morning, and I
gave one of them, Elder Excellent (that's his real name!) my temple tie bar. He
had seen my Captain Moroni one and said that he wished he had one, so the day
he left I just gave him my Salt Lake Temple one. I think he liked it. :) I'll
also send a picture of me and him so you can see who he is. Anyway, after they
had left (with Pres. Glazier; it was odd not having him there), we went to the
Supermercado. That was a strange experience. It was like a really big D.I., but
full of new stuff. It was weird. But really cool! I bought a few things I
needed, like index cards, floss, some Shout, and a camera case. Oh, and I
bought a really cool black and white tie. :)
I also found.... MERENGUE!! You will
have to tell Bro. Muirbrook that I found it so he will know that I did. :) I
also took a picture of that which I will send in the picture email, which you
can maybe show him. It was really good! Anyway, after that I felt sickish, and
I think it's because of Elder Kerr the night before, but for whatever reason,
my stomach wasn't doing so well and I was having some... problems. But I took
some medicine, and after a GREAT night's rest, I felt much better yesterday.
Which brings me to today! We went to
the temple again this morning (probably for the last time for my mission,
because the temple will be closed until we leave) and we started off doing
baptisms and confirmations. There was a bit of a twist though, as it was in
Spanish! But it was really nice. For the baptizing part, Elder Dowell baptized
me, and then I baptized him, so that was really cool. After, we did another
endowment session which was really good. I'm going to miss going to the temple
for a couple years, so just be ready to go when I get back, because I'm going
to want to really badly!! It was sad leaving the Celestial Room, knowing that I
wouldn't see it again. I mean, I might because we may go and clean the temple,
but it won't be after a session. But it was a really great morning, and I'm so
glad I was able to go to the temple one more time. It always reminds me of you!
Anyway, that's my week. It was a
pretty busy one, but a good one. The DR is a great place, but I'm really
looking forward to Puerto Rico. I've heard so much about it, and I'm excited to
experience it myself in just 19 days! I'm excited to meet my Mission President,
and get back into a country where the mail is reliable. I don't know if anybody's
sent anything (probably not, since I said not to), but I haven't received
anything. It's just funny to watch some of the elders really suffer because
they were used to daily letters and packages back in Provo. But such is life. I
look forward to writing again next week, and I hope you are all doing well! I
pray for you every night and every time I'm in the temple. Tell the dogs I say
hi :) and know that I love you all very much. I hope you're handling the cold
well (we have Windows 7 here with the weather gadgets, so I check on you every
morning), and just know that it is always very warm and humid here! It will be
interesting walking around and riding a bike in this, especially in the summer!
But I pray for you, and think of you
always. I pray that the Lord may continue to bless you in all things. I love
you and miss you!
Love, Elder Gardner
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