Mi querida familia,
Honestly it feels like I was just
here at this same computer typing an email to you last week. This past week has
just flown by. I don't know what's going on haha.
As always, just want to start off
with answering your emails.
Mom - That is really great news
about Abuelo, I'm glad he's doing better. Hopefully like you said, you'll be
able to find some cheaper tickets down there whenever the time comes. I will
keep praying for you and them and whatever is the Lord's will, will happen. I
hope everything works out well mi madre.
Dad - Thank you so so much for those
words of encouragement. I particularly loved when you said that "You can't
fall if you're always on your knees." Thank you so much Dad, I love you!
Thank you for your words of wisdom and support. I'm still getting used to the
mission life, but I think it's coming along okay. Just FYI, I haven't received
anything from anyone since Provo, except for a letter I got on Monday from Bro.
Peterson from the High Council. That was a really cool letter, and was
unexpected!
Marilee - I will respond separately
to your email :)
Well, here we go! After emailing
last P-day, we did a lot of shopping at COSTCO and Walmart, and bought probably
enough food to finish out this transfer. I also sent home some postcards to you
and a couple of teachers from CHS. I plan on sending one to Mema and Bapa, but
I forgot their house number, so if you could email that to me, that'd be great
:) Anyway, after P-day was over, we ate at the Sanabrias, who are an older
member couple. It was great! They fed us rice, beans, chicken, and potatoes
with some tostones, which if you remember Mom, are double fried plantains. VERY
good! Then we had a mission meeting with the ward mission leader, and then contacted
until bed.
Thursday morning was our Zone Conference. My first Zone Conference,
just barely a week in! And I got to play the piano, of course. :) It was really
great. We received a LOT of instruction from Pres. Alvarado, who is a very
passionate speaker. He is very spiritual, and VERY intense. He's a great man
and a great president. I admire him and respect him greatly. After the
conference, we did some contacting, taught a few lessons, and then went to bed.
Oh, and I also gave Elder Stecker my $500 for the bike, so that's why that
money isn't on my card anymore, if you were even worried about it. :)
Friday was another big contacting day. We walked up and down
streets and talked to a bunch of people. Elder Hammer and I have been working
hard to try and teach people. I'm still trying to get a hang of everything, but
I think it's coming along all right. It's pretty hot and humid here, but
thankfully we have a car, and we use it to get to where we need to be, and then
walk around as much as we can. It's pretty good. We taught a lesson to a less
active, which was cool, and then we were contacting in a place called Barriada
Morales, and a young man opened his door and let us in to his home. His name is
Luis Lopez. We taught him about the Book of Mormon, prayer, and left him with a
copy. He agreed to have us come back on Sunday. A fantastic guy, and I'll get
to him when I get to Sunday. :)
Saturday was once again, a big contacting day. We spent a lot of
time talking to people in the streets, in their houses, and just all over the
place. I have a picture from one of the urbanizaciones (neighborhoods) that
I'll send with another email that I think you'll like. :) But yeah, a lot of
contacting, and we taught some less actives. Our problem right now is that we
don't have a lot of investigators who are progressing. Hopefully that will
change, and we'll get some good investigators soon.
Now, Sunday was a pretty big day. It was the day for the
Caguas Stake Conference, and besides having Pres. Alvarado there to speak, the
Presiding Bishop, Bishop McMullin was there with his wife to speak. It was
GREAT! He is such a dynamic and powerful speaker, and he talked about how
blessed Puerto Rico would be if they paid their tithing. He talked about the
blessings of the temple and such. It was great. After the Conference, we were
able to pass by Luis again and teach him about baptism. We did, and testified
of its importance, and invited him to be baptized. He accepted, and accepted to
prepare for the 29th. :) Really great stuff! Now we just need to get him ready
for that and hopefully get his family involved. He seems really accepting, and
excited. I think we're passing by him again tonight, so that will be cool. :)
Monday morning was an interesting experience. ALL the missionaries
in our mission met here in Caguas at the Stake Center, and we were privileged
to hear from Bishop McMullin and his wife again. It was incredible! I learned
so much about how we should act as missionaries, and what we need to be doing.
He gave an inspired lesson about learning by the Spirit, and asking in faith.
It was so great. That was really the highlight of this last week. After that,
we had District Meeting, Weekly Planning, and then Lunch at Taco Bell. :) The
rest of the day we contacted, taught lessons, and had FHE with the Gonzalez
family. They're great!
And then yesterday was just a normal
day. We stopped at Luis' but he wasn't home, but we still got some lessons in.
Our area has been moved a bit, though. We're still in Caguas and all, but just
a different area. We did some contacting last night in our new area, so that
was pretty cool.
Anyway, that was pretty much my
week! I've been typing furiously to get it all down as fast as I could, so I
hope I didn't leave anything out. I know I forgot to send pictures from my trip
to Puerto Rico last week, so I'll add those to the one picture I took this week
haha. I will get better at taking pictures though, so I have more to send home
each week. :) Anyway, I love you all so much, and I would just encourage you to
make it a priority to read the Book of Mormon, and to also pray about it. One
of the biggest things I've learned since being here is that the Book of Mormon
and Prayer together are the KEY to knowing the truth of this Gospel. Without
one or the other, nothing works, and we don't know. So I would just encourage
you my family, and anybody who reads this to read the Book of Mormon, take
Moroni's challenge in Moroni 10:3-5 seriously, and have faith in his promise
that "by the power of the Spirit, ye may know the truth of all
things." All things.
I love you my family, and I miss you
and pray for you every day. I love you all very much and hope you are all doing
great. Thank you for your teachings and for all you have done for me in my
life. Thank you for your words of support and for your prayers and fasting. And
thanks again in advance for the package. :)
I love you all so very much. Until
next week mi familia! ¡Les amo mucho!
--
--
Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner
Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission
Alma 29:9
3 Nephi
5:13
1 Cor.
13:11
D&C 4
Joshua 1:9
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