tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73366967572606898622024-02-20T12:25:13.742-07:00Missionary Letters from Puerto RicoA blog about E. Kimball Gardner's experiences in the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission. Good luck E. Gardner!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-3813544368238639222013-12-16T17:36:00.000-07:002013-12-16T17:43:35.725-07:00Week 105: Last Post<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well... that's it. The last week
came and went in the blink of an eye. (Sent on Dec 2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What a way to go out. We had a
mission leadership council on Monday with Elder Cornish in Arecibo. A great
meeting, and we learned a lot. That evening we had a sweet lesson with that
family we've been teaching, and we taught about tithing. The mom committed to
live it, which was the only thing holding her back from baptism, and so we set
the goal for this past Saturday. On Tuesday, we were in Ponce for their zone
conference, and then likewise Wednesday in Mayagüez, and Thursday in Caguas.
Finally, on Friday we could go back to work. We visited some less actives, but
our focus was on the mom of that family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She was baptized on Saturday,
November 30, 2013. In case you don't remember, that is exactly 2 years from the
day I set foot in the MTC and began my mission. That's pretty incredible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baptism!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was a sweet baptismal service,
and we all felt the spirit. It was wonderful. Not many missionaries have that
joy of being able to baptize their last week in the mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yesterday was also a wonderful
day. The confirmation was sweet. Saying goodbye to the members was sad, but
knowing we'll see them on Friday made it not so hard. They have no idea we're
coming, it'll be great. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I sold the Black Pearl</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yesterday this man just showed up
to church, looking for God. We set an appointment with him for the afternoon.
We taught him and he accepted a baptismal date for Dec. 21st. A different
man had called us on Saturday, and wanted us to visit him. So we went up to the
campo way up in the mountains and taught him. He accepted a baptismal date for
Dec. 28th. A good way to go out I think. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When I think about my mission,
it's impossible not to smile. It was incredible. It was a blessing. I saw
miracles before my eyes, and witnessed the hand of God working not only in my
life, but in the lives of those that I love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My testimony has strengthened.
I'm still not perfect; far from it, actually. However, I at least know where
the path is that I need to follow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus Christ lives. He is the
path. He is our Savior and our Redeemer. He atoned for our sins that we may
repent and be clean. He called Joseph Smith to be a prophet, and through him,
the Lord restored His church and His authority. The Book of Mormon is true.
President Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God, and those who deny it or say
otherwise will suffer the consequences that come from persecuting God's
prophets. This is the true church. I know it, and I love it. :) In the name of
Jesus Christ, amen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'll see you tomorrow. Get ready
for some big hugs. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b></div>
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvNdFszkXIZItUqGt9XDIE260hReA5hEiQ1n0qz9vv_sYuEUJo6uadEXjMTCCVkuQzAokWHM9mc-trIUcNyu4QsLvpat7D5XEFhbRUJGNIvUXi-3VK0etqOa6yGa2P_A5BfPN6i2H0HT1/s1600/2+in+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvNdFszkXIZItUqGt9XDIE260hReA5hEiQ1n0qz9vv_sYuEUJo6uadEXjMTCCVkuQzAokWHM9mc-trIUcNyu4QsLvpat7D5XEFhbRUJGNIvUXi-3VK0etqOa6yGa2P_A5BfPN6i2H0HT1/s320/2+in+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello little sister, Mom and Dad</td></tr>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><u style="font-weight: bold;">Note from the Editor:</u> We arrived in Puerto Rico on Monday 2 Dec, Elder Gardner took us all over the island and we visited with some of the most amazing people. We've seen how much they love our son. We are very thankful that they took care of him. We go through life with the hope of meeting some friends we got separated from when we crossed the veil: we met some of them during this trip. We won't forget them. Thank you again.</i></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-87768436558353061012013-11-25T17:03:00.001-07:002013-11-25T17:03:42.890-07:00Week 104: The Last Week is Here (or Happy Thanksgiving)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, it's unbelievable. It's
here. The last week. I honestly can't believe it's here.... wow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - My heart reaches out to
you, Mom. I am so sorry to hear about that... It's at these times where we see
how fragile life is here on the Earth. I know you know, but I just want to
share with you my testimony that death is not the end. Jesus Christ suffered
everything and will help you and all those affected by this to get through.
That's what He does. But how about I just give you a great big hug in a few
days, sound good? :) I love you, Mom. I look forward to seeing you next week!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - Well it's good to know I
have somewhere to live! It's a bit pricey but we'll make it work haha. I do not
know anything about when to meet on Tuesday... I'll probably find out on
Monday. We have zone conferences and stuff this week, so President's pretty
busy. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing you next week. :) I hope you have a
happy Thanksgiving!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, this week was pretty
good. We had transfers and 13 new missionaries came to the mission this week!
That was an adventure in and of itself. We had a fun time with that, and then
this Friday we had a sweet activity in the church! It was "Una noche de
peliculas y postres" and we had a great turnout! It was a lot of fun and
we watched Legacy with a bunch of the members and a few investigators who came.
It was great! You'll get to meet a lot of them because the Guaynabo Ward's
Christmas activity is on the 6th! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oh, I did give a talk this Sunday
in Sacrament Meeting. When the bishop found out that I was going to leave soon
he put me up on the program. It was great. Speaking of, do you know if I'm
speaking anytime soon in our ward? Just curious. Anyway, I spoke on my mission
experience and what I'm going to change or do different. I think it went well.
It's gonna be tough though... wow. Such a great ward. I'll miss them for sure!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, then Saturday we had our
first of 4 zone conferences with the San Juan East and West and Toa Baja zones.
Pretty good stuff. Today we had a Mission Leadership Council in Arecibo with
Elder Cornish, which was way good! We talked about a lot of great things on how
to increase baptisms here. Awesome meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But yeah, that's that. This week
has 3 more zone conferences, and Thanksgiving and we have like 3 dinner
appointments haha... going out with a bang! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5Vt8Zs3_rtd0Oxi1qfBVbazVFw_-fGPc2DxjMunfQie0G5xNxcWvE5fBjr8jzuyb7IVSAYyQTwp5E-eDFbDddzCsJrDWLOWUD9T5VX8Qz6FVzRxFu9PQglQiVvs-TDf7M8prAUlk9NhJ/s1600/With+Caguas+West+ZLs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5Vt8Zs3_rtd0Oxi1qfBVbazVFw_-fGPc2DxjMunfQie0G5xNxcWvE5fBjr8jzuyb7IVSAYyQTwp5E-eDFbDddzCsJrDWLOWUD9T5VX8Qz6FVzRxFu9PQglQiVvs-TDf7M8prAUlk9NhJ/s320/With+Caguas+West+ZLs.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With E. Turbovsky and Caguas West ZLs</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you my dear family. I
couldn't have done these last 2 years without you. It's been a great testimony
to me about the importance of the family. Thank you so much for all that you've
done, for all the letters, the words of encouragement and love. It's meant more
than you may ever know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I testify, as a servant and
representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He lives! He loves us. He wants
us to return to our Father in Heaven. He is our Advocate with the Father. Only
by obedience to His Gospel can we find peace in this life, and eternal life in
the world to come (D&C 59:23). He has overcome the bonds of death (1 Cor.
15:55), and has redeemed us from sin (Hel. 5:10-11). He called a prophet named
Joseph Smith, and I know that through him was restored the true Church of Jesus
Christ. I know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true, and that it
leads us to our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a
prophet, and that our greatest safety lies in following his words. This is the
true Church of Jesus Christ, I know it. Nowhere else can we find the authority
to validate the ordinances of salvation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">God lives. The Savior lives. They
love us. Of these things I testify to all who may read this words, in the
sacred name of Him who has redeemed us from the Fall, our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, amen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"The
hardest thing I've ever loved to do</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">was
getting on this plane and coming home to you.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a
million ways completely torn apart,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">as a land
so far away still owns my heart.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"<i>And in the most sincere
prayer I've ever prayed,</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I thank
my God for each and every day,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">for the
blessing of the man I've come to be,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">as I walk
up and kiss my momma's cheek."</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-31982056009281065812013-11-19T13:40:00.000-07:002013-11-25T17:30:33.401-07:00Week 103: 1 for the Little Bitty Baby Born in Bethlehem!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well family, it was a pretty good
week I think. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - Well I'm glad to hear that
things are going pretty well. People will be people, that's all I can say. Compassion
is, after all, a Christlike attribute.
But then again, it's not really possible to make people learn that either; it's
all personal and up to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - Just a preference of mine
for the housing - I would prefer a private room haha.. I don't mind sharing the
kitchen and the bathrooms or whatever, but after 2 years of sharing a room, and
before sharing a room for the eternities, it'd be nice to have my own room. Anyways,
just letting you know. :) I'm glad to hear that the Jazz finally got a win!
Every team goes through this, and they'll be fine in a few years. That's a
pretty hysterical story you shared... funny people. It's good to hear though
that BYU's doing really well! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, it was a good week.
:) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">First off, we had a baptism!! The
oldest son of the family we've been teaching was ready to get baptized, and so
we did! It was awesome. Before I share the next thing, let me share a bit of
how we found this family. We had been contacting for a couple of hours in this
caserio, and we got to a point where we didn't know if we wanted to keep
contacting or not, because we had been rejected all morning. However, we
decided to knock on a couple more doors. With that being said, here's a story
that Elder Frampton (the missionary who did the interview) was told by this kid
during his interview. So on that same day we were contacting, the whole family
got into a huge fight. Everybody was basically at each other's throats, and he
just walked out, went to his room, and knelt down and said a prayer. He asked God
to send help, because his family needed help. When he walked out of his room,
we were sitting there in their living room.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's interesting, these are the
kind of stories that you hear about all the time from missionary work, but to
actually be a part of it, is really a great blessing. I'm so thankful that we
were able to be a part of that, and it's truly been an incredible experience to
work with this family. They're golden, and he is really progressing well. His
mother and sister will also be baptized, but that will come with a bit more
time. We're hoping to get his sister baptized this weekend, so that's our goal
there.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciAV28VQ9-yExNFt8b76t2eXCnn4LHBpjTiaQYeJJJUcBDGSAT8Mxm5amHkHfm7s6WlMCW4pymQqtYxDNjeXW-9YCuAiFIVAdYf1kwEUpTmuARMIozasdwPvkYWNbZml8J7r9m7YyxD79/s1600/Jose-s+baptism.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciAV28VQ9-yExNFt8b76t2eXCnn4LHBpjTiaQYeJJJUcBDGSAT8Mxm5amHkHfm7s6WlMCW4pymQqtYxDNjeXW-9YCuAiFIVAdYf1kwEUpTmuARMIozasdwPvkYWNbZml8J7r9m7YyxD79/s320/Jose-s+baptism.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Besides that, we've been working
with this less-active for a while, and we took a leaf out of Ammon's book, and
just have been serving him. We've painted probably about half of his house for
him, and he's really been very grateful for that. He promised us that he'd come
to church, and he finally did this past Sunday!!! It was SO awesome, and he was
so happy to see all the members that know him and remember him, and they were
so good to him and greeted him and showed him love. I really hope and pray that
he'll remember how that felt, and that he'll come back consistently. He's a
really great guy, and I'm so thankful to have gotten to know and serve him and
his wife. They're awesome.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkkB_wOSzApi8K0_Cxkzr-DzEt-LP0_jEBNBwi6n2-Epzl9o0JWnHVDt07woRy0ti_fRXUfzWrPO2HB6kvdhPqCcbhQNn-H_LRbZLIajVLNZ9-Qz56za51PrkMY-Wm8lpiN4aWReb8vCT/s1600/with+inactive+&+wife.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkkB_wOSzApi8K0_Cxkzr-DzEt-LP0_jEBNBwi6n2-Epzl9o0JWnHVDt07woRy0ti_fRXUfzWrPO2HB6kvdhPqCcbhQNn-H_LRbZLIajVLNZ9-Qz56za51PrkMY-Wm8lpiN4aWReb8vCT/s320/with+inactive+&+wife.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Also, there were a couple of
jovenes that got their mission calls this week! One is a Dominican and he's
going to Des Moines, Iowa! CRAZY! Poor kid is going to freeze to death haha.
The other one is a sister and she's going to San Diego, California. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But yeah. :) Transfers this week,
and it looks like I'm staying in Guaynabo until the bitter end! It'll be a
blast. Transfers are bound to be crazy, they always are. Then we start zone
conferences this weekend with Elder Cornish in town. Fun stuff.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks for everything. :) I hope
you're all doing well. I love you all! Stay true to the gospel!!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">See you soon.</span></div>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: georgia, serif; text-align: center;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"The
hardest thing I've ever come to see</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">is a Man
down on His knees in agony.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A drop of
blood falls down on olive leaves,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And for a
moment, He suffers there for me . . ."</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-32022725937143630572013-11-12T11:32:00.000-07:002013-11-19T13:53:49.562-07:00Week 102: Time Is Flying at Me Like a Freight Train<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mom - Sounds like things are just great haha… hang in there mom,
you're doing great! Yeah. Everyone keeps telling me how many days left too, so
join the club! ;) It's pretty crazy... it's pretty close.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dad - Any news on housing yet...? Yeah, all that looks great!! It
looks like you had a fun time this year, and it looks like it was a big
success. I'll be sending a separate email with some stuff we can do, and it's
gonna be a blast!! At least, I hope. Anyway, let me know what you think and if
you have any ideas, I'll see where we can fit it in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">ANYWAY. A pretty decent week this week. We spent a day down in San
German with the ZLs there, and we had a pretty good time! We spent most the day
there painting a house of a recent convert of theirs, and then I went with
Elder Gasu and we rode our bikes up this HUGE hill... goodness. I got some pics
from up there though and I'll send 'em to you. It was crazy haha.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVefO8LDzdU5QYwgmBCF7pJf-9mpT3Awc1w7E3_cdyqJijow3nTIy-0kPnFVjh1UFz9m2iGza7oC-ExjqfitBXm23bTrXV9_kc1Ild21Rc9Eh_vM8MtNU7RSP7QAosS6jFkbJD4qLrv-B/s1600/From+Top+of+Hill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVefO8LDzdU5QYwgmBCF7pJf-9mpT3Awc1w7E3_cdyqJijow3nTIy-0kPnFVjh1UFz9m2iGza7oC-ExjqfitBXm23bTrXV9_kc1Ild21Rc9Eh_vM8MtNU7RSP7QAosS6jFkbJD4qLrv-B/s320/From+Top+of+Hill.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Top of Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ8vF9Gmh1f9etJ8UE48qczkziz1pLQGEgr0192MU3bjwQDCeKocnmpCw5ez8K3MIyWl3mIoC0-dz2Yt1sYgtmujEPLESmthdofZ5XQRHwipY91VTBVEtVttrW_fLLLFX9mxr_EMeTYOs/s1600/San+German+Sunset.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ8vF9Gmh1f9etJ8UE48qczkziz1pLQGEgr0192MU3bjwQDCeKocnmpCw5ez8K3MIyWl3mIoC0-dz2Yt1sYgtmujEPLESmthdofZ5XQRHwipY91VTBVEtVttrW_fLLLFX9mxr_EMeTYOs/s200/San+German+Sunset.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San German Sunset</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">However, we had some really sweet lessons with that family that
came to church last week, and they came again this week! We had a great lesson
with them last night, and they're pretty much committed to being baptized this
next weekend!! We have planned to visit them every day this week to make sure
they're ready. They're really wonderful, and I think they're going to do great.
It'll be a pretty intense week, but it'll be a good one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">In other news, our ward finally got a bishop! We had a sweet
meeting with him yesterday morning, and he's just gonna make this ward explode!
He's ready to work and he's willing to help us get referrals from the members.
Awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">But yeah, so a pretty good week, and things are going well. Time
is flying at me like a freight train right now... we'll just take this a day at
a time haha… Anyway, I love you lots, and I hope you're all doing great. We'll
be seeing each other pretty soon, so no worries there. Stay safe and true to
the gospel!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">I know that the commandments are here for a reason. I know that
they help us stay on the gospel path. They're not here to restrict us, but to
help us fly high. Just as a kite cannot fly without the string connecting it to
the earth, neither can we stay high above this world without the commandments,
the string. Many people think they hold us down, but in reality, they're what
keep us afloat. I know that if we obey them, we will find peace and happiness
in this life, and eternal life in the world to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">"The firmest hand I've ever loved to shake</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">was my trainer's with that big grin on his face.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">He grabbed my bag and put his arm 'round me</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">and whispered, 'I'm gonna work those Mr. Macs right off your
feet'.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">"And the hardest words I've ever anguished for</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">came just before some lady slammed the door.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">And my trainer left me hanging out to dry,</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">as a minute of painful silence rode right by.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">"But the hardest tears I've ever loved to cry</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">came as I opened up my mouth and testified.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Between the tiny walls of a stranger's living room,</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">the Spirit told their hearts my words were true.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">"And the most wonderful sound I've ever heard</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">is the sound of water running in the church.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">As the one I'd come to love got dressed in white,</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">my eyes caught that first glimpse of heaven's light..." </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Puerto Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-78443427244134702772013-11-05T13:57:00.001-07:002013-11-05T13:57:32.088-07:00Week 101: I Wish It Would Just Go On and On<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, the last month.
Unbelievable. November already. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - I think that's a FANTASTIC
idea! I really hope it works out, and I'm touched by what you told Marilee.
Thank you. :) Anyway, I'm glad you
survived another Halloween, and it's good to hear that you're doing alright. :)
Love you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - It sounds like it was a
success! Sounds like you had a good time. Thank you by the way for getting me
all registered and stuff! When I saw the schedule it hit me... I'm going to
BYU!! It'll be a blast haha… And that's too bad about the Jazz… hopefully
they'll start winning some games haha… in the meantime I've decided that
Brooklyn is going to be my number 2 team, mostly for Deron Williams. I hear
they're doing pretty good! Anyway, just let me know about housing. :) Love you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, a pretty good week,
although something crazy happened... So we were on our way down to Barranquitas
to do trade-offs with the ZLs there, and we're passing through Cayey, and there
are no speed limit signs or anything, and it's not a residential or business
area, and there's like 4 lanes of traffic, so I'm driving at a pretty good
speed, like 50 mph. I thought that on a major highway like that, that'd be a
good speed. Also, I was going the same speed as everyone around me. Anyway, we
get to the top of this hill and boom, there's a cop there, and he doesn't get
in his car and tell me to pull over, but he waves me over, so we stop and ...
long story short, I got a speeding ticket. :( Apparently the speed limit was
35, but we could not find any sign that said that. However, it's too big of a
pain here in PR to fight tickets, so I'm just going to pay it. So don't be
surprised if in the near future a large chunk of money is missing from my
account haha... Anyway, I figured I'd just tell you that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Besides that, we had a great
week. We had a blast in Barranquitas with the ZLs there, and had a good time
with their investigators and stuff. It was a lot of fun. :) We played this
sweet basketball game with their investigator family of 12! It was fun. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CcRNVq58OWtkx-qF6Cs2TBdfkOUN36OSqlq5qM3SB71IHfE730wWJScobDyRtFOhxCugxZHSYQ7fCAPgGu0yxQcP7Z7t7rjWQ3IAsk8LJaiQhucNeKFnc6DwwK7wtSoOLvnfuVzJZmQL/s1600/With+Caguas+West+ZLs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CcRNVq58OWtkx-qF6Cs2TBdfkOUN36OSqlq5qM3SB71IHfE730wWJScobDyRtFOhxCugxZHSYQ7fCAPgGu0yxQcP7Z7t7rjWQ3IAsk8LJaiQhucNeKFnc6DwwK7wtSoOLvnfuVzJZmQL/s320/With+Caguas+West+ZLs.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the ZLs from Caguas West</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Halloween wasn't all that great,
we had to stop work at 6:00, so we came to the church and just hung out until
9:00 and then went home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, we had a GREAT day on
Sunday!! We had 5 investigators in church!! We had a family of 4 (only 3 are
investigators because the 4th is a 4 year old little girl), and then another
man and then another investigator. It was SWEET! And they all have
baptismal dates. :) It's been a sweet week and we had a lot of really
spiritual lessons. It's been a real blessing from the Lord, to be sure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, that's about it for the
week I think. I know you're all just counting the days, and in about 2 weeks
and a half, after transfers, I may join in on that. But for right now,
¡pa'lante! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know that Jesus Christ taught
His Gospel the way He wants us to live it. He wants us to have faith in Him, to
repent of our sins, to be baptized, to receive the Holy Ghost, and then endure
to the end. That is His doctrine (2 Nephi 31) and there is no other doctrine of
salvation. He is the way, the truth, and the life; He's the only way back to
the Father (John 14:6). I know that He lives and loves us, and He died to make
us whole. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you family. :) The end is
near, just hang on a bit longer. Don't get too trunky either!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"The
hardest thing I ever loved to do</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Was
letting go of everything I ever knew.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">19 years
of dreams left in my room,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">as I
buttoned up the jacket of my suit.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"And
the hardest words I've ever loved to say</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">were
goodbye to my mom and walk away.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Choking
on my tie and on my tears,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">as I
walked down the hall into those years.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"But
the sweetest song I ever loved to sing</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">filled
the MTC on angel's wings.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And the
chorus filled my soul 5,000 strong,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and I
wished it would just go on and on..."</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-728213438042394062013-10-28T15:28:00.000-06:002013-10-28T15:28:30.835-06:00Week 100: Have a Good Time with Halloween<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well... it never stops! The
craziness doesn't stop!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - Well the sign looks great!
I like it a lot. It's gonna be weird going back to a Utah ward... but it'll be
fun. :) Sounds like Stake Conference went well! Did they talk about Hastening
the Work?? I bet... that seems to be a pretty overarching theme these days, as
it should be. Anyway, I hope you survive the week, Mom! Have a good time with
Halloween and everything, I know that it's pretty much your favorite holiday
ever. ;) Love you! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - Yes, please send pictures!!
I'd love to see how it's all going. And yes, I'd be happy to make a movie for
ya. YES, I'm so happy BYU beat Boise State!! That's awesome!! It'll be a blast
to have you here!! And don't get me wrong, I am excited to see you, but it's
just sad to know that it's all coming to a close here... but at some point it
has to happen and then it's time to move on in life, right? It'll be a fun time
here in PR, and I'm starting to think of how to get things all set up. :)
Anyway, have a good time with Halloween, and be safe!! Love you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So... yeah, another crazy week.
This week we had a great week in teaching people here in Guaynabo. We were
contacting in a caserio and we found this great, humble family! They let us in
right there and we taught them a little bit about how to have a more united
family. They were really receptive and they really enjoyed the lesson. We had a
great experience with them on Sunday. We left church during Sunday school and
went over to their apartment and invited them to come to Sacrament meeting at
11:00. They said they would! The mom and oldest son got ready and came with us
to church! We had a member meet us out front and he drove them to the church
and they seemed to really enjoy it. It was an awesome experience!! We're really
hoping that this family can progress and feel and experience the blessings of
the Gospel in their lives.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7Y0rEDjIBDS1A530aShD1LyUt9rToXqQvwWsE91vYWX5D1t3CJH3T-32PxM1XGbK2wZhU0UaDksvpFnmYvcSOoFaD62mtjfIb9uY648HwnUFhlrRQL3VrOPNTbA3zlQLgornkQD8gBGI/s1600/with+E.+Turbovski+and+investigators.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7Y0rEDjIBDS1A530aShD1LyUt9rToXqQvwWsE91vYWX5D1t3CJH3T-32PxM1XGbK2wZhU0UaDksvpFnmYvcSOoFaD62mtjfIb9uY648HwnUFhlrRQL3VrOPNTbA3zlQLgornkQD8gBGI/s320/with+E.+Turbovski+and+investigators.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">E. Gardner & E. Turbovsky with friends <br />at the ward Halloween party</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Besides that, we also had a
Halloween activity in our ward, and we had a few investigators come to that
also!! It was such a great blessing to see them enjoying themselves and having
a good time. They got to know a few of the members, which is awesome! That was
a good step for them I think. It was a fun activity, and made me think a lot
about activities back home haha... it was combined with the Metro (English
speaking) ward, so it was a big dinner and then a trunk-or-treat. We bought
candy and we gave it out to the kids. It was a blast. :)</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But yeah, things are going great.
Life's good. Puerto Rico is hot and humid. It rains a lot. But the work is
priceless. I know that God has prepared a Plan, and it is His Plan of
Salvation. He loves us and wants us to go back and live with Him. He's prepared
the way, and all we have to do is follow Him (because Jesus Christ is "the
way, the truth and the life". He lives and loves us.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thank you for everything, I love
you all!! Stay strong! :)</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-40057216717854692102013-10-21T12:27:00.003-06:002013-10-21T12:48:30.137-06:00Week 99: Speak Like a Puerto Rican<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well... that's probably the most
emails I've gotten my whole mission! Again, thanks to everyone who wrote me.
:) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - I just have to say that I
love you Mom! You and Dad pretty much just crack me up :) Anyway, it was
alright, kind of hot. No cake, but I don't really care anymore. :) I'm glad
that you're doing well Mom. Please try not to can any of my things... I'd really
appreciate that. Speaking of, I'll be sending home a package with some stuff
(for me) that won't fit in my luggage. So if you would be so kind as to place
that package in my room,that would be great. :) And don't can it! </span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Te amo
mamá, y será un gran día cuando nos reunimos de nuevo. Trato de no pensar mucho
en aquel día todavia, porque me falta mucho tiempo! </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pero el tiempo se está acabando.
Te amo mucho! :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - Well, I counted 17 emails...
but that's still a record high!! Thanks again :) I'm sorry the Halloween things
aren't going as well as planned haha... but I'm glad you're still having fun,
especially with Marilee. :) Your line about the socks made me laugh so hard!
That's pretty funny. Well… wow, I can't believe time is going by so fast...
October's almost over... :( WHERE did all the time go?? Anyway, I probably
won't know what time to come get me on the 3rd until probably December 2nd
haha... Anyway, I love you Dad. Thanks for everything you have taught me. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8sVb6tj9MEOU1tGglz37T4borS9petU4j1ah2vYFFvZM6z10NdbEB6GvVFyW2J_UzLacEAfv8sADfUpMq7x613FIsdrqxRxROhPzWPvbX146l2nbo6uYp0mFYR7tEu0ikb9yeWQIyFZSI/s200/IMG_0255%5B1%5D.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guacamayo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tEiXbYQj4jDqtkXCVAi8d1Gzf-KajzqHj_-DqBRAl9NXH153NTHblS2BFhkUBauYJxuGxibBOnNV6ANdiBwzO6sI5KW56PfzUao-bPpkuLzu7q_G6C0iKajZkiEq2qZBYM21kfoGK_I7/s1600/IMG_0262%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tEiXbYQj4jDqtkXCVAi8d1Gzf-KajzqHj_-DqBRAl9NXH153NTHblS2BFhkUBauYJxuGxibBOnNV6ANdiBwzO6sI5KW56PfzUao-bPpkuLzu7q_G6C0iKajZkiEq2qZBYM21kfoGK_I7/s320/IMG_0262%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ANYWAY so the highlight of
yesterday was getting told by this Puerto Rican lady we contacted that we
should come back when I had learned to speak in a Puerto Rican accent.
Charming, right? Little does she know that I can indeed speak in a Puerto Rican
accent, but she wouldn't be able to understand me if I spoke in it ;) Hehe no,
we did have a good lesson and dinner with this sweet member family yesterday,
and that was pretty cool. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was actually a pretty normal
week, even though we had a few meetings. We had two on Tuesday with the new missionaries
and trainers, and then one on Thursday morning with some of the zone and
district leaders. They were pretty sweet meetings, and we learned a lot! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, I just want to close with
my testimony that I know that this church is the only true church on the face
of the earth. It is the Kingdom of God which has been established in
preparation of Jesus Christ's Second Coming. It's true that other churches have
parts of the truth, but there is, as there was when Christ was on the earth,
only ONE church that has every last tiny piece of truth that there is, and it
is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is not a church formed
by man, and it's not a reformed church - it is Christ's church here on the
earth and it is lead and guided by Jesus Christ Himself through His prophet,
Thomas S. Monson. His authority is here. Revelation is here. A prophet and 12
Apostles, just like it says in Ephesians 2:19 and 4:11-14. It's all here just
like it was when Jesus walked the earth. I know it with great surety, and I
know that He lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, we'll just keep plugging
along. Thanks for everything you guys. :) I'll be seeing you pretty soon! I
love you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-81142551455634111122013-10-15T12:15:00.001-06:002013-10-15T12:15:10.899-06:00Week 98: Time Is FLYING By...<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well wow... another crazy week
gone by way too fast haha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - Honestly I'd rather be
released in person haha... and I'd like to stay a missionary for as long as I
can, so I think it can wait 'til we get home. I like the sign with the one M, I
think it's a cool idea. However, I would add something about donating the food
to the Utah Food Bank, just so people don't think that we take it and eat it
haha. In any case, I'm glad it's all worked out and you'll be able to spend
some time here in the sunny Caribbean! :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - Well I must say, that's a
pretty sweet addition to the Haunted Hollow! I'd like to go shoot zombies with
a paintball gun haha... that's pretty sweet. It sounds like you're having the
usual headaches that come with October... sorry. And all I have to say to
people who have that doubt about no proof is Alma 30:44. Basically just what
you said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So yeah, it was a crazy week. We
had transfers at the beginning of the week, and had to do that. There were 18
incoming missionaries, so … yeah, just think about that! We drove around the
whole island on Monday, picking up missionaries to take to the islands, and
then on Tuesday night after helping get all the new missionaries in, we had to
drive to Arecibo taking 2 missionaries there haha... so yeah, it was kind of
crazy. :) Besides that, we had a pretty good week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cool experience of the week: we
were contacting in a caserio here close to the church, and we talked to this
lady who said that she had been looking for a church for a long time. We talked
a bit about the Restoration, and then left her a pamphlet to read, and we set a
return appointment for the next day. Sadly, we weren't able to get a member to
come with us, so we couldn't teach her, but when we went back, the very first
question out of her mouth was "where can I get a copy of the Book of
Mormon?" We were ecstatic! We immediately gave her one and invited to read
and pray about it. She said she would do so and teach her 4 children from it.
Amazing! The Lord truly is preparing the hearts of people out here - we just
need to be able to find them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We've also been able to teach
other investigators, and to see progress in them. There is one man who is
progressing really well. While we teach, it appears as though he's not
understanding, but when we ask follow-up questions, we realize that he's
understood every word! He said he'd be baptized on the 9th of November, so our
goal with him is to get him to church this Sunday.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One thing we've felt impressed to
do in our area is to visit all the active member families and share the message
of the Restoration with them, and then talking a bit about Hastening the Work
of Salvation, and then inviting them to pray about somebody with whom they can
share the Gospel. This past week we had a couple of really great experiences in
teaching the member families, and the Spirit is always so strong with them,
because they add their testimonies, and they really realize how important this
message is to them. We have a few more appointments like that set up for this
coming week, so we're looking forward to that.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So yeah, it's been a good week,
good times. :) Something I want to ask you to do though; I was thinking that
it's about time to start recording piano music. I don't know what connections
you may have or anyone you or others might know who would be willing to record
music and sell it, but I have about 4 or 5 songs right now in my head that I
think would be ready to record once I got home. So just something to think
about. :)</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, I love you! Thanks for
everything. :) Look forward to hearing from you next week! </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">¡Echamo' pa'lante!</span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-11553085545938029572013-10-08T14:17:00.001-06:002013-10-08T14:17:25.938-06:00Week 97: Well I Absolutely LOVED General Conference!!<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mom -
well I don't really know how you did it, and it must have been the Lord, but
that's great that it all worked out! President hasn't said anything about it to
me, but it's kind of a busy week with transfers and everything going on. We'll
see what he says in the coming days. That's awesome though! It's really
interesting you mention working at the MTC, because that's been my plan for a
while. I would LOVE to work there and help out new missionaries and continue to
teach the gospel. I'm hoping that I'll be able to!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dad - If you could send me Matt's address, there's a couple things I want to
send to him. I was planning on giving them personally, but I can send them,
that's fine. The classes look good, so do whatever you need to now. And it's
crazy that Halloween is just around the corner... wow! And thank you for the
GREAT news that the Cougs threw down on Utah State!! YES! :)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LXTAFdw08KI-qgP1uf_6SAAV0honhX13qW1JPREU8C5KkoY_y8NXL0CwufJTTx5ZSvSKRp7g6EOCDL8jiKLVWwkyeNdjpJdROHjIWnJjtwlrG3tVp_a_yexD1_CGjQ_FG5XP25bhSPHG/s1600/1st+presidency+@+conference.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LXTAFdw08KI-qgP1uf_6SAAV0honhX13qW1JPREU8C5KkoY_y8NXL0CwufJTTx5ZSvSKRp7g6EOCDL8jiKLVWwkyeNdjpJdROHjIWnJjtwlrG3tVp_a_yexD1_CGjQ_FG5XP25bhSPHG/s320/1st+presidency+@+conference.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anyway,
like I said, I loved conference!! I can't write too much because we have to go
around the island today and bring in a couple missionaries for transfers, but
I'll just say this: we have to follow the words of the prophets. If there's
anything that I've learned on my mission, it's the importance of following
their words. It's INCREDIBLE to me how many talks were given about Hastening
the Work of Salvation! Absolutely incredible. There were also a lot of talks
about the dangerous times in which we live, and the importance of women and
their divine roles as mothers. I counted like 4 or 5 different times for each
of these topics. It was SO good. I don't know how much more animated I can be
about it haha, it was GREAT! :) I can't say I had a favorite, but if I did, I'd
probably say Elder Ballard's. Unite and Hasten the Work!! Look up, not down, go
forward, not backward! Up and forward, not down and backward! Awesome
conference indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">We also
had a pretty good week, but I can't really go into details because of time.
Also, to all who wrote me this week, I will write back next week when there is
time... sorry! But thank you so much for your letters and kind words, they do
mean a lot. :) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">I bear my
testimony of the importance of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve.
They are called of God, and though they may make mistakes as human beings,
their words are God's words, and as we follow them, we will not be lead astray.
It isn't really an option: we must follow their words. I know that they will
tell us what we should do. I know that God has always used prophets to guide
His children, since the days of Adam to right now, Thomas S. Monson. Jesus
Christ lives and directs His Church through these prophets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anyway, I love you all and thank you for everything!! I look
forward to hearing from you next week. :)<br />
<br />
Con mucho amor,<br clear="all" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Puerto Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-32070428754390974952013-09-30T14:37:00.000-06:002013-09-30T17:11:49.750-06:00Week 96: 2 for Alma and Amulek<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">M0m - It
sounds like you're having a fun time back home with all the drama and everything
haha... Marilee did write me; hey, it's better than nothing, so it's a step in
the right direction! :) Haha anyway, I hope you're doing okay Mom. Hang in
there! Hopefully soon you'll be able to get away a bit and enjoy some Caribbean
sunshine. :)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">
Dad - Well, I looked at the BYU website and I'll try and get it all organized.
THANK YOU so much for talking to a counselor haha.. they know better. Please
stay in contact so I can get this all figured out and stuff. Anyway... yeah! The Lord knows better than all
of us, so hopefully He'll help us out here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVs3UqGzySEFkdtsn2o6rUiZlAjWvwiNlZ9A-sUGhOjQESw8u91U13Wt29ce1dDY3okVKW8NBg_0fmL9BUdOo8RLnz-szrKzZx0yZMbc8IAfcJhNWKBUP3pR5UuHKgoW5zUNYDXTzEvH2Q/s1600/IMG_0234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVs3UqGzySEFkdtsn2o6rUiZlAjWvwiNlZ9A-sUGhOjQESw8u91U13Wt29ce1dDY3okVKW8NBg_0fmL9BUdOo8RLnz-szrKzZx0yZMbc8IAfcJhNWKBUP3pR5UuHKgoW5zUNYDXTzEvH2Q/s320/IMG_0234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anyway,
it was a pretty sweet week this week. We had a lot of cool lessons and stuff.
We spent a lot of time just out, talking with everyone, and we got a bunch of
new investigators as a result. The Lord really helped us out. We prayed to see
miracles and to be able to recognize them, and He really blessed us. We were
contacting in a caserio and we found this guy. We found him last week but went
back this week, and as we taught him and his wife, we discovered that she is a
member of the church, baptized years and years ago! He is a really cool guy and
he says that right now he doesn't have a religion, and that it is very possible
that he may decide to join our church. He's got great potential, and we're
hoping to visit him a few times this week and invite him to be baptized on
November 2.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
We also had a great lesson yesterday with an investigator we've had for a
while. We took a member with us, and we invited her to choose her own baptismal
date. We gave her a calendar and asked her which day she would like to be
baptized. She said November 2, and then we started to make plans so that she
will be ready by that day. It was a great lesson, and she now has a pretty solid
date for the 2nd! So that's awesome.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLPUIf3cjn6wkl3P_FYYf0qnAYvjqKfIOyI-0LgtEgAz_fB5WrwDnwItBcFWLxIvv7InwF59CXh6ZUyLM6oV4XJUfkc1m92JlXOF09zEfcDHDyK15l8giXPHCLl1KWSahrO9w3XZdyju1/s1600/funny+sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLPUIf3cjn6wkl3P_FYYf0qnAYvjqKfIOyI-0LgtEgAz_fB5WrwDnwItBcFWLxIvv7InwF59CXh6ZUyLM6oV4XJUfkc1m92JlXOF09zEfcDHDyK15l8giXPHCLl1KWSahrO9w3XZdyju1/s320/funny+sign.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign says: "It's our right to decide who we're accepting into our home. <br />
No to Jehova's Witnesses."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
We had a lot of other great lessons with some other investigators, but I want
to talk a bit about a less active that we are teaching. He's possibly one of
the nicest people I've ever met in my life. He went out of his way to get us
some ceviche this week. He's just... awesome. We taught him in the church one
evening, and we're hoping to bring him to General Conference this weekend.
Also, with respect to recent converts, Berto was interviewed and found worthy
to receive the Aaronic Priesthood!!! I was pretty ecstatic about that. It was
just a good week I think.<br />
<br />
We also had the wonderful opportunity of teaching the ward for the 5th Sunday,
and we talked about family home evenings, the Atonement, and then Hastening the
Work of Salvation. The Spirit was so strong and I wish we could have had more
time, but I think we got what needed to be said out, and the ward members
really enjoyed it. It was great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anyways, I love you lots, and I try not to think too much about
going home... the world is a scary scary place, and I don't know if I'm ready
to face it just yet. Still got time. :) Thank you for everything you do! Have a
great week. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">-- </span></span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Puerto Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-63180838687352142452013-09-24T10:47:00.000-06:002013-09-24T10:47:07.214-06:00Week 95: It's Because I'm Closer to the Bermuda Triangle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, the time just keeps on
flying here... I don't know if it's because I'm closer to the Bermuda triangle,
but man, time just is flying right now ;)<br />
<br />
Mom - I love you Mom! I got to spend some time with some Argentines this week
and I definitely thought about you. More
on that below. Love you!!<br />
Dad - Well darn it... I was hoping BYU would win. Oh well, life moves on like
it always does. :) I sent you an email about the classes and stuff, so if you
could just take a look at that. I tried to plan them out a bit better today and
stuff, so hopefully that looks better. Thanks!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxInZhdPXvzYStD4xlXq6wlZKtN49gbXBwO5HdbWSeXkOAvDLYkfAhnuW1rpw5FtOXhg-856ZKOJBumU5H6Zm-jR9rdHve2CFchzMVSrHLMIikjw6iZIWjSY-iFHs3cdKUfmfdL0TN1xG/s1600/E.+Gardner+with+weird+fruit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxInZhdPXvzYStD4xlXq6wlZKtN49gbXBwO5HdbWSeXkOAvDLYkfAhnuW1rpw5FtOXhg-856ZKOJBumU5H6Zm-jR9rdHve2CFchzMVSrHLMIikjw6iZIWjSY-iFHs3cdKUfmfdL0TN1xG/s320/E.+Gardner+with+weird+fruit.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holding weird fruit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">So it was a pretty good week this
week, and Elder Turbovsky and I had a lot of great lessons. We had a really
intense one last night. We took a member up to visit a less-active in Caimito,
and we basically dropped pure doctrine on this guy. He got defensive but then
the member, his friend, started talking and he was silenced. It was amazing! It
was a really powerful lesson, and I'm really enjoying teaching with Elder
Turbovsky. Some of my most powerful lessons are coming in this time we've been
together. It's been great!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I also had the great privilege
(for the first time on my mission) of going to an Evangelical church. This guy
we talked to said he would only come to church if we went to his, and Elder
Turbovsky said okay. So we went and it was definitely a different experience,
but it was a really great learning experience. The next day as a result I
studied the chapter in Preach my Gospel about recognizing the Spirit, and a
goal I have now is to help the Puerto Rican people truly understand how the Spirit
works and speaks, and how to feel it.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOc_bqyG03zRghzPsFzeSIqbhARN2p3-zcYqxbmw-SQnOwch2Auakqm1cJFZOa5Vmg0E4PTLKEsd-tuCxZv9FQpkdFKYAwP0yZ9K-0PTDrvaodtVYbADWv5cDiCsL_Bc7BMMw-T2nhN6-y/s1600/District+with+Ward+mission+leader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOc_bqyG03zRghzPsFzeSIqbhARN2p3-zcYqxbmw-SQnOwch2Auakqm1cJFZOa5Vmg0E4PTLKEsd-tuCxZv9FQpkdFKYAwP0yZ9K-0PTDrvaodtVYbADWv5cDiCsL_Bc7BMMw-T2nhN6-y/s320/District+with+Ward+mission+leader.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">District with Ward mission leader</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Friday evening we had a surprise
missionary come in from Argentina, and it just happened to be the day that we
were on companion exchanges with the ZLs in Toa Baja, and I was with one who
was Argentine! So there were 2 1/2 Argentines in the car that evening haha. But
yeah, so we got to pick him up from the airport and then we were told to take
him to dinner by the office staff, so we took him to Sizzler. The next morning
after we met back up with Elder Turbovsky, we went out and taught, and we
discovered that this new missionary is AMAZING! He's a fireball and he set a
baptismal date with one of our investigators. Awesome!! He's going to do great,
and it's been a blessing to be able to know all these great missionaries. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, I'd like to testify of
the Book of Mormon. I know that it is true. It testifies of Jesus Christ, and
it truly helps us come unto Him. I love some of the final verses in Moroni,
verses 32 and 33, where Moroni invites us to come unto Christ and to be
perfected in Him. He is our Savior, and wants us to succeed. He loves us. I am
so thankful for the Book of Mormon, and I echo the words of Joseph Smith,
"that a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by
any other book". I have drawn nearer to my Savior because of this book,
and I know that it can change lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you family! Don't get too
trunky! We've still got a little while, so just hang in there. :) I love you
very much and I'm thankful for everything you do.<br />
<br />
</span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Con mucho amor,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-46376012950653220962013-09-16T21:16:00.000-06:002013-09-16T21:16:50.075-06:00Week 94: Time Keeps Flying!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Well this week just kind of flew
by, and I don't really remember much haha…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - It sounds like you're
having success in your canning exploits! Besides injuring yourself, of course. I
bet Marilee just loves riding the horses. Anyway, I hope you are doing great!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - When you talk about rain
and it being mid 80's, you're describing what it's like here every day haha..
we got pretty soaked one day this last week. I mean, drenched. It was great.
Then the sun came out. Ugh. That's really cool though, about what you said in
Priesthood, and it's so true! And I will definitely look forward to letters
from Marilee! I'll finally get mail!!! ;) Anyway, just let me know about
everything with BYU and classes and stuff!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoaPVsbHs55tEiCVsrCYPMa7_ZT_7LWj8kGezfRomwLnsD4wHrxZvtEsk9a9OvYD-o4I5pLGQIGBWLZUppENb4fwV9AaHSjMcHEjrQCOPHW0BjPktLvwa-KcLANaNcFP6i1Y0X88Tpt2t/s1600/IMG_0017%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoaPVsbHs55tEiCVsrCYPMa7_ZT_7LWj8kGezfRomwLnsD4wHrxZvtEsk9a9OvYD-o4I5pLGQIGBWLZUppENb4fwV9AaHSjMcHEjrQCOPHW0BjPktLvwa-KcLANaNcFP6i1Y0X88Tpt2t/s320/IMG_0017%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Hato Rey members.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well... another fast week. Like I
said, one day we got drenched in a downpour. That was great. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We also moved
today, and are now living in Guaynabo instead of Bayamon. That helps a lot,
since now we are in our area. Other than that, we had some cool experiences
this week, and there was one kind of crazy one haha. We went to go visit this
less-active in an urb, and he lives in an apartment behind this house, and the
owners pretty much abhor Mormons, and so when we get there, this lady comes out
and we nicely ask if the less-active is there. She yells "NO!" and so
we're just a bit startled and so we ask again, and she just starts throwing a
fit and tells us to get off her property. So we get off her driveway and onto
the sidewalk, and say "this is public property, we can stand here."
She didn't like that at all, but there wasn't much she could do, so we call the
less-active and he's there and so he comes out, but while we're waiting, she
sprays my companion with a hose! She was watering her grass, but she made a
point to spray him a bit with the hose. I was standing a little bit behind him,
so I missed it, but he just turned to me and said "well that's a
first". I just laughed. :) It was a fun experience, and we had a great
time with the less-active, and he's showing signs of progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Besides that, we were able to
have a few good lessons with investigators and other less-actives, and had some
cool experiences in a caserio and also playing basketball. In all, it was a
pretty good week I think. :) Lots of fun, and being a missionary is a blast!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I do bear testimony of the Plan
of Salvation, and I know that God has a plan for us. He loves us and wants us
to have success in this life. He wants us to be happy, and in this life we're
supposed to be happy. I know that true joy and peace comes from living the
gospel of Jesus Christ and applying the Atonement. He lives and loves us. I
know that.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I hope you're all doing great! I love you so much and look forward to
hearing from you next week.<br />
<br />
Love,<br clear="all" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-29763412632201066732013-09-10T11:28:00.000-06:002013-09-10T11:28:27.296-06:00Week 93: Rise and SHOUT!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So for church we meet in the same
building as the metro ward (the English ward) and one of the members talked to
me at their linger-longer and asked me if I'd heard about the BYU game. I said
no, and then he told me that they SMOKED Texas!! Ranked 15th in the nation!
YES! Anyway, returning to normal Elder Gardner mode.<br />
<br />
Mom - Thanks for the pic :) Sounds like you're working hard with the canning!
I've been thinking about food and how fun it will be to cook you some real down
home arroz y habichuelas Puerto Rican style! And tostones and all that stuff.
It'll be great. That's pretty interesting that Matt and his friend Aryn leave
the same day. It's great though to hear about all the missionaries coming out
to join the ranks! I heard we'll be topping off around 100,000 in the field by
the end of the year!! Awesome. :) There's a kid here who just sent in his
papers, so we're all guessing where he's gonna go. :) I remember those days...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Marilee - Hey! Now I have your
email address so there's no excuse to not write me! ;) I'd love to hear from
you and how you're doing. Love you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - Oh man… the best time of
year: Halloween, football, and basketball seasons starting. That's really cool about
that missionary fireside! It sounds like you had a pretty good experience with
that.:)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLHcrxTnB3unAyl6MvDMpYo455LtObAA6btUE6vx01otQ7xvHxS7iPCVzN4BZWpXS6O3BsiGYnROS4SYAw7_TOfe-wFJGVIeHVQsKvxPfBsGgyhnoqxnX5iK3dfiAlaKn5PHBq_l2ODFI/s1600/ElderG_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLHcrxTnB3unAyl6MvDMpYo455LtObAA6btUE6vx01otQ7xvHxS7iPCVzN4BZWpXS6O3BsiGYnROS4SYAw7_TOfe-wFJGVIeHVQsKvxPfBsGgyhnoqxnX5iK3dfiAlaKn5PHBq_l2ODFI/s320/ElderG_002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Utah plate in Puerto Rico</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, it was a pretty sweet
week this week. We did a lot of contacting, and we had this great experience.
We were contacting in an urbanization in our area, and we saw this guy sitting
outside his house. We talked to him and found out that he was a less active of
a few years! We talked a bit more and he invited us over again later in the week.
Then, not 3 minutes later, we talked to his neighbor, who is not a member, and
he said he'd love to hear our message! Oh man that was really awesome. We were
both super happy, and we were able to teach that less-active again. His
neighbor was home but then had to leave for an emergency, so we'll hopefully be
seeing him again this week. We also talked to the less active's neighbor on the
other side, and she was really cool and so was the guy that was visiting her
there. Besides that, we had some really spiritual lessons where we just taught
pure doctrine and saw peoples' hearts start to change. We taught a less active
about covenants and repentance, and he just straight told us what was stopping
him from coming to church, as if it had been bothering him for a while and once
he understood the doctrine, he decided to move on. It was really great. We had
similar experiences with our investigators, too, and it's been great to be able
to find some new people to teach this week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's really fantastic to be a missionary.
:) I'm thankful that I have had this time to serve and that I have a little bit
of time left. It's been a great adventure, and this week I want to testify of
the Restoration. I know that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ. After
Christ's death and the death of His Apostles, the authority was lost, and for
the children of God to return to Him, there needed to be a restoration of the
authority. Without the authority, no ordinances can be done. I know and testify
with all my heart that in the spring of 1820, a young man's humble prayer was
answered, and Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus
Christ. They told him that none of the other churches were true, and so in
time, the priesthood was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, along with
the ability to receive general revelation for the children of God. 12 apostles
were also called, thus reestablishing the Church of Jesus Christ once more upon
the earth. I know that this is true. Joseph was a prophet. He translated the Book
of Mormon, which is the convincing evidence of the divinity of his calling and
this church. I know that Jesus is the Christ, and that He leads and guides His
church today through President Thomas S. Monson. He loves us. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thank you for everything! I enjoyed
the package, and I'm sure Elder Mello will love his once he gets it out there
on Dominica. It's here in the office for right now, but it'll get out there at
some point haha. Thank you, I love you all so much. Talk to you soon. :) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
-- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-73955633120310083792013-09-03T15:48:00.000-06:002013-09-03T15:48:21.212-06:00Week 92: 3 for the Tree in Lehi's Dream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well family, tomorrow marks the
official 3-month mark before my release date... :S It's come too fast. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - It looks like you're having
a fun time with the sewer stuff haha... looks lovely. I'm glad things seem to
be looking up. I think it would be super cool if you worked for JetBlue. We met
this lady that does that and she and her family get discounts or can fly free
or whatever, and she does that same thing, working at home for JetBlue. So
that's pretty cool! It's weird to think about home... it's going to be totally
different coming back. Wow. Anyway, I love you lots Mom!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Marilee - Hey you! Send me an
email or something so I can respond to ya! The email address I have for you is
your aol one, but it's not working because I get a message back saying that you
don't get it. :S <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - Well, I hope you had a good
Labor Day - I know here it was a pain because all the libraries were closed, so
we had to share a computer between 4 elders. Ugh. Oh well, it all worked out.
:) But I hope Halloween goes well! Oh and btw, keep me updated on BYU football...
I don't know how good they are this year, but let me know! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, a kind of crazy week. We
had transfers and I got a new companion, Elder Turbovsky. He's super cool and
he came to the island the same day I did, but wasn't in the MTC for as long, so
his release date is a bit later. Tuesday we helped out with the new
missionaries coming in, and that was awesome! Lots of work, but it was super
cool. In the evening we took a couple elders up to Santurce, and there was a
baptism there - of a lady that Elder Caballero and I had started teaching! So
that was a real nice surprise to see her, and she was super happy. :) That was
a good night. :)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOewqslDnbPLwKQlyQH7uHxQG0m8SJFvWCFGI9-YsuEwIF48k4AV_Zt_EDVQyLO6cWllWU2T1feBNhwI6FxzdnHRvY3bIRpPAaEqCBhrXGMHgrCkZE0fRbmELcTUhs817kRxZ7ucfMDiX/s1600/IMG_0216%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOewqslDnbPLwKQlyQH7uHxQG0m8SJFvWCFGI9-YsuEwIF48k4AV_Zt_EDVQyLO6cWllWU2T1feBNhwI6FxzdnHRvY3bIRpPAaEqCBhrXGMHgrCkZE0fRbmELcTUhs817kRxZ7ucfMDiX/s320/IMG_0216%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the baptism, Elder Gardner, Elder Caballero</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thursday and Friday were zone
conferences, so we were all over the place for those. Not to mention Elder
Andersen from the area presidency was there, so we were all a bit more on our
toes than usual haha. Then on Saturday we had a special Mission Leadership
Council, and that was awesome! I learned a lot this weekend from Elder Andersen
about leadership in the church and about ordinances and covenants. AWESOME
stuff. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But yeah, a pretty good week I
think. They're all going by so fast now... it's unbelievable. Lisa told me
Matt's off to North Carolina on December 4th. Hopefully I'll get to share a few
tips with him and see him before he leaves. Wow. :) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know that Jesus is the Christ.
I know that He has provided His gospel for us, and it is the only way back to
the Father. D&C 45:3-5 teaches us His role as our Advocate, and it is true.
He will only do this for us if we follow His example and follow His gospel like
it says in 3 Nephi 27:13-16. Faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the
Holy Ghost, along with enduring to the end is the ONLY way. I know that that is
true. I know that Christ sacrificed Himself so that He could be this
intercessor between us and the Father. He lives and loves us, and wants us all
to return to God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you all so much, and I
hope you have a great week. :) <br clear="all" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-75528987592749672942013-08-27T15:10:00.002-06:002013-08-27T15:10:44.286-06:00Week 91: Transfers!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mom - Well that is good news! I'm
glad Marilee is back! :) It sounds like you had a bit of a hectic
time getting everything ready and stuff, but its' good to hear that she's back.
I'm glad that you're going to be able to spend some time with her, and I hope
everything is going alright!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Marilee - Hey!! I'm so glad that you're back! I'm not yet, but I'm glad you
are! :) Just let me know if there's anything I can do for you!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - Today we were in Wal-Mart
and I saw a cardboard stand covered with jack-o-lanterns and filled with
Halloween candy and I thought "What? Already?" It's hard to think
that October's just around the corner! Time really just disappears lately... I
don't know what happens to it haha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well yeah, this week is
transfers, and the last couple of days we've been announcing to the mission all
the changes, and there's a lot. Elder Mello is being let go as AP and is going
to Dominica, and I'll be getting a new companion tomorrow, Elder Turbovsky.
He's a great missionary and we're going to have a good time this transfer I
think. :) Lots of other changes are happening in the mission, and it's gonna be
a fun next couple of days haha...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTf7qBp_RdCrkdRZws-VtQCnz9CCUinRyd0qoDWWO1i0_gAwzicV96HedOPH730ZcOsXhziqtl0G0VHNVgQcN44Q4hknf4UoRHZ1znCD3BMKcV4A1kpPV-R5w4wKFRzZJN-NTMSY0jp5RV/s1600/E.+Peacock,+E.+Mello,+E.+Gardner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTf7qBp_RdCrkdRZws-VtQCnz9CCUinRyd0qoDWWO1i0_gAwzicV96HedOPH730ZcOsXhziqtl0G0VHNVgQcN44Q4hknf4UoRHZ1znCD3BMKcV4A1kpPV-R5w4wKFRzZJN-NTMSY0jp5RV/s320/E.+Peacock,+E.+Mello,+E.+Gardner.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodbye Elder Peacock - with Elder Mello & Elder Gardner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But yeah, this past week was
pretty chill and normal. We taught our investigators, and they're doing great. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This week we've spent a lot of
time with member families, who have invited us to eat. We've been sharing
scriptures and stuff with them in hopes of rekindling that fire that they felt
at baptism (because most all of them are converts), thus increasing their
desire to share the gospel with their friends and family. It's been a pretty
great week for that reason.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Also, Elder Mello and I this week
spent a day in Lares with the ZLs over there. That was a blast! Lares is on the
eastern side of the island, and is really really mountainous. Well, the
mountains are more like hills, but you know what I mean. I tried some weird
fruit called guamá, which is this big black seed covered in white hairy fruit and
is found in a weird long green shell - pictures on the way. It was pretty good
though! But yeah, that was fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, just another week on the
mission. :) I said I'd bear testimony of something each week from here on out,
so here we go. I know that the scriptures are the word of God. Like it says in
2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all
good works." I know that the Book of Mormon is true, with all my heart.
It's changed my life and has made me a better person. I also know that the
Bible is the word of God, and I have been studying it more in-depth lately.
Both of these sacred books guide us to God, and help us to really come to know
our Savior Jesus Christ. I know that as we live the principles contained in
these books, we will find peace in the life and joy in the life to come.<br />
<br />
Thank you for everything that you do, and I truly hope that all is well with
you and that you have a fantastic week!<br />
<br />
</span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-52854262382708551362013-08-20T11:23:00.000-06:002013-08-20T11:23:20.647-06:00Week 90: I Love Puerto Rico, I Can Feel I'm Going to Miss It<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mom - Well... I'm sorry you had a
rough time at the thing. It'll all get better with time, though. I know that's
not much consolation, but... that's all I've got right now haha.. :S Anyway, I
love you Mom and I hope you have a better week.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Dad - Well it sounds like Utah has gotten pretty hot… wow. Knowing my luck
it'll be like 30 below this December. I'm resigned to the fact that I will be
basically crippled the first few days back home haha... It gets down into the
70's here and I get a little chilly, so... the 20's of winter may be the death
of me ;) Just kidding haha... I'll get used to it again.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3flY6Y2bmI9qBST_PqAG6WHWzvdZDr6U5EvFrGJuf5b9RCEWqEFGlL9nvxGR_HCa5p2W-DOhn9oE1EMBfbfUQAKkesB86xWp2hn6dJEKC_QUKbU5Qx7Q9xTkVbDcNQxLS43QJ9kHjEOX/s1600/IMG_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3flY6Y2bmI9qBST_PqAG6WHWzvdZDr6U5EvFrGJuf5b9RCEWqEFGlL9nvxGR_HCa5p2W-DOhn9oE1EMBfbfUQAKkesB86xWp2hn6dJEKC_QUKbU5Qx7Q9xTkVbDcNQxLS43QJ9kHjEOX/s320/IMG_0176.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elder Gardner, Pres. Smartt, Sis. Smartt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, a rather normal week. We
had a few really cool lessons, and there's this one investigator who is
preparing for baptism on the 31st! We had a cool lesson on the Word of Wisdom,
and we invited her to give us all her coffee to throw away, and she did! We
then fasted this weekend so that she would have the strength to overcome that
addiction. That was pretty cool. Other than that, we pretty much just need to
find new investigators. The next couple weeks will be interesting, and we'll
know the transfers this weekend, so I'll let you know those next week. I
probably won't be going anywhere, but Elder Mello's been AP and in Guaynabo for
a little while, so there might be changes there. Hopefully not though, he's awesome!
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don't really know what else to
say... it was a rather uneventful week haha. Oh, Elder Peacock is going home,
so you may run into him haha. But I think I'm going to try and end all my
letters from here on out with a short testimony of some gospel truth.<br />
<br />
I guess this week I'll testify of the power of the Holy Ghost in our learning.
I didn't take it seriously before, even though I did it, but scripture study
and prayer have become one of my favorite things. I love the morning hours to
study and search the scriptures. I learn so much, and it's all little by
little. "Line upon line and precept upon precept." The thing is, if
we don't show the Lord that we treasure that light that He gives us, we can't
continue to receive it - He won't provide it any more. I testify that the Holy
Ghost truly can teach us the truth of all things (John 16:13-NT, Moroni 10:5-BoM), and
that if we really try to listen to His voice, He can guide us and teach us. He
gives us light, and He keeps us safe from the darkness. I know that revelation
is true. There's nothing that separates us from the source of all truth, Our
Heavenly Father, and we can turn to Him always to help us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you all so much, and the
time here on the mission has gone by so fast. Too fast. I love Puerto Rico and
I can already feel that I'm going to miss it so much. It will always have a
piece of my heart (especially Guayanilla!), because this people have touched me
in a way that I can't explain. :) <br />
<br />
Anyway, thanks for everything, and know that my prayers are with you always.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<br clear="all" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">PS: I have a picture with Pres. & Sis. Smartt!</span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-21561163963953409982013-08-13T16:02:00.000-06:002013-08-14T08:01:36.233-06:00Week 89: Time Keeps Moving<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, a relatively normal week I
guess.<br />
<br />
Mom - Well now that I understand the situation better, I guess it wouldn't be
the worst thing not to go to the beach... I'd be pretty bummed but it's better
than not going at all haha. But just know that Dad would have to go everywhere
I go! I'd still be a missionary, so... yeah. Anyway, I'll let you guys talk to
President about that and see what he tells you. Whatever the Lord wants is what
will happen. I feel confident that He wants us to spend time here in Puerto Rico,
but it's the how that I'm not so sure about. He'll let us know though. :) Oh,
and still no emails from anyone - try and post it on my facebook and if nothing
happens then... it's been a year and 8 months and I'm used to it by now haha ;)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - Well I'm sure the Lord will
prepare a way for it to happen. Like I said, I feel like it's supposed to
happen, but I'm not sure how. I really hope that Marilee starts to improve though. And I did start looking through the BYU stuff,
and I'm a bit confused (…)but maybe if you could call them and talk to them
about that? Anyways, thanks!! :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So... before I say too much about
my week, I want to share with you guys some thoughts I've been having, and some
personal revelation I've received this week with respect to my future. For most
of my mission I've been thinking that I know myself pretty well, and I am going
to need a career that will help me keep studying and to keep on the path to
eternal life. I've also developed a great love of teaching the gospel here, and
to use the scriptures to unfold the doctrines of the kingdom. All that being
said, this past week it's occurred to me that a definite possibility for me
would be to find a career in the Church Educational System teaching either
Seminary or Institute (obviously institute would be the goal there). The great
thing about it is that they ask you to get a degree in whatever field, meaning
I can still pursue my English major, thus keeping other doors open. In any
case, I feel really optimistic about this, and I feel good about it. Elder
Tesch, a senior missionary out here was an institute teacher, and he once told
me that there wasn't a day of his life where he didn't wake up looking forward
to his job. That's the kind of job I want; and what better career to have than
to study the gospel every day, all day? I can still play the piano and maybe
record some music there too. I don't know, but I feel really good about it.
I'll definitely pray about it, and there's a lot of time, because I can't get
into that program without a degree in something, so that won't be for at least
a couple of years - but I think I'd really love it. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, this week was pretty
uneventful. We went down to Ponce one day to do a companion exchange with a
couple of elders down there (by President's invitation), and we had a blast! It
was great, and I enjoyed being back on the southern side of the island again.
We ate quinepas and everything, so that was good. :) It was pretty hot though. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
Other than that, we spent a lot of time this week trying to find people. We've
been working in the campo of Guaynabo this week, in an area called Caimito, and
it's been pretty fun. We have also been helping to teach our recent converts,
and it's great to see them keep growing and progressing in the gospel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6U_ZgMknEEwh3HmW-FrVeJ0SR2tLjVl8_80zzGTBVPxYrgOwLIuqLczdJ671Oo9l2sB7GGxo4p4YjDK8VAkIQq-nTUCYOZynHS9iT5zqzc_VUNX404qt9bXw4Bb4lRQ_2uQlA3zZuU7A/s1600/Car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6U_ZgMknEEwh3HmW-FrVeJ0SR2tLjVl8_80zzGTBVPxYrgOwLIuqLczdJ671Oo9l2sB7GGxo4p4YjDK8VAkIQq-nTUCYOZynHS9iT5zqzc_VUNX404qt9bXw4Bb4lRQ_2uQlA3zZuU7A/s320/Car.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Car</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">We switched out our Corolla for a
new 2014 Chevy Cruze - it's a pretty nice car. No, I still haven't had the
chance to get a picture with Pres. Smartt yet, but we have meetings together
all day on Thursday, so I'll be sure to get one then. :) Sorry!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, I love you all so much.
It's unreal how fast the time has gone - it's already almost halfway through August... and we just started!! Agh! But yeah, I love you all so much and look forward to
hearing from you next week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Con mucho amor<br clear="all" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-45258148882898170832013-08-05T14:47:00.000-06:002013-08-05T16:42:09.044-06:00Week 88: Two Baptisms, A Wedding and a Testimony<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A good week this week. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - Happy birthday!! I'm glad
you liked the card :) I hope you had a good day, and it looks like you had a
good time in Yellowstone! That's pretty cool that you got to see a bunch of elk
and stuff - I love Yellowstone. I remember still that 50 mile hike we did in
scouts - that was a blast! I'd like to do it again. :) Anyway, those
condominiums looked real nice! Oh, and I haven't been bombarded at all haha...
I guess a year and 8 months of not writing isn't much incentive to do so,
right? ;) Haha no worries though, life's good :)<br />
Dad - That is a pretty incredible experience, thanks for sharing it. She'll be
okay. I'm sure of it. :) In any case, I'm glad she had a good time at
Yellowstone and everything. :) It looks like you had fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, before I tell about the
week, in our weekly office staff meeting, Pres. Smartt actually talked about
parents coming to pick up missionaries, and here's basically what he said: that
it's highly discouraged by the Church, but that if you choose to do so, you
must plan the lodging and traveling and stuff. Also, on my part, I will need to
dress and do all things according to the missionary handbook still. To be
honest, I'd much rather be able to do normal things like go swimming at the
beach and stuff during your visit here - that's like half the benefit of coming
to Puerto Rico haha... but yeah, so just some food for thought.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7cGOcaGL02OpG5Dw7co2z2rANPCR0FJrMARDvOAgb2suG2FvrMN0rMlL8iRq5asOkA7u2S4I-0XsSgGBC4H9yor-JrhVnawcyqNi-BB6t2EIRdFbCVwWmUvpFDralRbwz1rUCxo5MrNN/s1600/ElderG_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7cGOcaGL02OpG5Dw7co2z2rANPCR0FJrMARDvOAgb2suG2FvrMN0rMlL8iRq5asOkA7u2S4I-0XsSgGBC4H9yor-JrhVnawcyqNi-BB6t2EIRdFbCVwWmUvpFDralRbwz1rUCxo5MrNN/s200/ElderG_003.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Kate and Berto's family</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjew_NtNYwEmvuetPppiUE2KnDslFS-3rsX1cjfXUkBFpk3TC8Ka6eM_B3A7fnO6vF8LoQQxD4D-jLGBJ00vuJt7arEYVGK42yjvZDDKW49KVHjs-Xlzn7z_KPMTBYY4wBAWzba61OnRQh9/s1600/Kate+&+Berto+wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjew_NtNYwEmvuetPppiUE2KnDslFS-3rsX1cjfXUkBFpk3TC8Ka6eM_B3A7fnO6vF8LoQQxD4D-jLGBJ00vuJt7arEYVGK42yjvZDDKW49KVHjs-Xlzn7z_KPMTBYY4wBAWzba61OnRQh9/s200/Kate+&+Berto+wedding.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate and Berto's wedding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anyway, we had a pretty great
week, even though </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">it was filled with trials. We had two baptisms this week
though, and there was a wedding so that one of them could do so!! It was great
:) I also was blessed with the opportunity to perform the baptism of our
convert yesterday, and I'll send pics of that. It was a good week, and we
really saw the hand of the Lord in the work. Oh, and I was able to play the
Wedding March at the wedding - it was a blast. :) Good times!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Other than that, life just keeps
on plugging along - really quickly, but it just keeps going! We don't have a
ton of investigators, so our goal is to find a bunch this week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GDIj_bwZpO_91NuAHTrmiv_VtWnr7vWSlpj5YMz2kBt0NG1Q7zJmW5HD1sBcKUUzcML8RQhvCjEGJHF0UMVTcUToZLCNPt146T_CSZMVrTGmAza4piPMvxo1BbR5oTqrQ1IK4jG8t-1H/s1600/Eridania-s+baptism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GDIj_bwZpO_91NuAHTrmiv_VtWnr7vWSlpj5YMz2kBt0NG1Q7zJmW5HD1sBcKUUzcML8RQhvCjEGJHF0UMVTcUToZLCNPt146T_CSZMVrTGmAza4piPMvxo1BbR5oTqrQ1IK4jG8t-1H/s200/Eridania-s+baptism.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eridania's baptism</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglP38ybEVMpbsv7cZU86EmfBeWPXpqD0kevdJ50vGOXVAEGHEs1o031Me_2xsFFipE4xCSscEy9ZJggLN9TREiuCh2ZerVqbaIbfcj_GKiWbPil56cG1n1mEOF_hZQBI-jO_DZUR0tjh-y/s1600/Berto-s+baptism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglP38ybEVMpbsv7cZU86EmfBeWPXpqD0kevdJ50vGOXVAEGHEs1o031Me_2xsFFipE4xCSscEy9ZJggLN9TREiuCh2ZerVqbaIbfcj_GKiWbPil56cG1n1mEOF_hZQBI-jO_DZUR0tjh-y/s200/Berto-s+baptism.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berto's baptism</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I don't really have much else to
say, so I guess I'll just share how grateful I am to be here on a mission. It's
been a humbling, learning experience to serve, and it's really helped me to
figure out who I am, and more importantly, who I want to be. My goal now in
these last four months is to figure out the "how": How do I become
who I want to be; and then it'll be up to me to put it into action when I get
home. I have ideas, and I know that the Lord will help me with that. I know the
Savior lives, and that through Him, all our sins, griefs, pains, afflictions,
and sorrows can be taken away. I love Him and thank Him every day for the
Atonement. Joseph Smith saw what he said he saw, I know it. And I know that the
Book of Mormon is true. It has changed my life. I know that Pres. Monson is a
prophet, and I can't wait to hear from him and the other apostles in a couple
of months. :) Anyway, I love you all so much, and I hope that you have a happy
anniversary this week. Thanks for everything you do, I love you!!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PS - Remember what you did for
Elder Caballero? If you are planning on sending a package, I know that Elder
Mello would be ecstatic to receive one. He's more of a sweet tooth, so I think
whatever will be fine. Maybe talk to Erik, since Elder Mello's from Peru, maybe
Erik can help out with stuff that he'd like, I don't know haha. Anyway, thanks
for everything! Love you!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Con mucho amor,<br clear="all" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-16981601266531471342013-08-01T14:07:00.000-06:002013-08-01T14:07:48.367-06:00Week 87: Another Week Gone. They Go By so Fast Nowadays :S<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well family, another week gone.
They go by so fast nowadays... :S<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - Well... it's been an
interesting first week as AP, but I'm sure it'll start to feel more normal soon
haha… Anyway, it's been fun, and Elder Mello is great. But I'm glad you have
been having fun in Yellowstone! It looks like it's a good time of the year to
go, so I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves up there. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - Well I'm glad the garden is
doing well! Honestly I didn't realize how great of a blessing that really is to
have a garden, and one of my goals for when I get home will be to help out with
that more, and then to have my own once I can. I need to stay busy though, with
whatever I can. That's pretty much the main goal for me I think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIvwlTzezqXUOv9JMW9jYzxRw4XN7h1Bu862GsrR2lBSK7AP9TvLzVVlltkx3vsmRJae2pFOpwKS99xQLNpXiDmhhXqGVcqhcMAAqi7LJaJTMBR_6MATJqtb-D8zz4lgKyo5jBd_HvtXZ/s1600/Party+@+E+Ortiz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIvwlTzezqXUOv9JMW9jYzxRw4XN7h1Bu862GsrR2lBSK7AP9TvLzVVlltkx3vsmRJae2pFOpwKS99xQLNpXiDmhhXqGVcqhcMAAqi7LJaJTMBR_6MATJqtb-D8zz4lgKyo5jBd_HvtXZ/s320/Party+@+E+Ortiz.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating E. Ortiz' 1 yr Mark<br />E. Caballero, E. Ortiz, E. Gardner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, before I write anything
else, I do want to clarify that the rules for email have changed, and it's a
lot more open now to family and friends, so pretty much anyone can email me now
if they want. :) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But yeah, so it was a pretty good
week. Kind of weird just because we had training meetings all over the island
on Wednesday and Thursday, and all the missionaries that I've known for a while
were all asking me what it's like and how it's been since I got the assignment
and stuff, and it was just kind of weird. But the meetings went really well and
I liked them a lot!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We're also having a great time
teaching our investigators. There's a guy getting baptized this weekend, and
he's really cool! There's also this other lady who is going to get baptized on
Sunday, and they're both progressing super well and they're pretty ready I
think. :) But one of the best pieces of news I heard came from Guayanilla.
Elder Hammer, my trainer, is finishing out his mission and training a new
missionary down there for his last transfer, and he told me about one of the
people that I had taught there... he's now the EQP!!! :) I was SO happy to hear
that. :) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But yeah, so other than that, not
too much going on in the life of Elder Gardner. Hopefully we'll be trading out
our Corolla this week for a new Chevy Cruze! (It's crazy how much things are
changing since the Hastening the Work of Salvation Broadcast.) All missions are
now going to use the Chevy Cruze. Also,
the iPads are going to be coming out soon. President has ours and is
configuring it right now, so we'll get it soon I think. Anyway, I love you all
so much, and it's always great to hear from you. :) No pics this week because
of the computer, but I'll try next week! :) Anyway, love you all so much!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-12838388074331005812013-07-23T08:19:00.000-06:002013-07-23T14:27:03.880-06:00Week 86: New (and Maybe Last?) Assignment! (Or Out of Left Field)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well fam, I survived; but just by
the hair of my chinny-chin chin! When I said that there were rough waters
ahead, I didn't think it would be like this... haha funny story to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - Yes I've had mofongo, but I
think only once in my entire mission. :( It's really really really good, and I
wish people would make it for us more often haha... however I have had mangú a
lot, which is a really good Dominican dish, and it's kind of similar. And yeah,
it's weird knowing that all this is happening like this, but I think it's all
going to work out just fine. In any case, I hope you all have a blast in
Yellowstone!! :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - It's been pretty hot here
too, so at least we're on the same page for this part of the year, right? And
are you serious, Elder Reed is done tomorrow???? Wow... that was quick. And
Elder Hill... holy cow that's unbelievable. That was fast. Then Elder Gillespie
and then Elder Harward and Elder Snow and then Elder Paxman and then.... me. :S
That. Is. Unbelievable. My goodness haha... wow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1OepiMj-5mfDcqAvNFgfzOsDBcXkmBZ6M-IEmkmVe3KaOnINXelEkY6wxfdTegnAjatnYj-gnN_Ma73RkuXug3WkgmE06Y9mGiHXWNWhdRstzZbNl_WI0mOB-jWSgvZAS8ZaqyqyEEEQ/s1600/E.+Gardner,+E.+Mello.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1OepiMj-5mfDcqAvNFgfzOsDBcXkmBZ6M-IEmkmVe3KaOnINXelEkY6wxfdTegnAjatnYj-gnN_Ma73RkuXug3WkgmE06Y9mGiHXWNWhdRstzZbNl_WI0mOB-jWSgvZAS8ZaqyqyEEEQ/s320/E.+Gardner,+E.+Mello.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">E. Gardner, E. Mello</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, so here's the funny story
for this transfer: last Monday night we get the info, and I'm told that I'm
going to Rio Grande to open the Rio Grande zone with Elder Patiño, a new zone
leader. I was sad to leave Santurce, but I was super excited to go to Rio
Grande! I had visited it before, and I had loved it, so I was looking forward
to that. However, on Tuesday, I get a call from a different elder who told me
that he was going to open a new zone in Rio Grande with Elder Patiño and he
needed some information. I was really confused and told him that that was what
I had been assigned to do, and he said "No, the APs just told me 4 minutes
ago."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Uh oh. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So I called Elder Peacock to ask what was going on, and he
said he'd call me back in a bit. 45 minutes later, he calls and says that he's
got my answer for me, and asks if I'm ready. I say yes, and then out of
nowhere, Pres. Smartt starts talking, and he asks where I'm serving and if I'd
like to go serve in Mayaguez. I say that's fine, and then he says he's joking.
He then asks those fateful words: "Elder, are you willing to accept the
assignment to serve as assistant to the president?" Um… what?? Was not
expecting that, nor did I ever want to hear those words. However, I did accept,
and so now Elder Peacock is happily training in Vega Baja, and I have been
assigned to work in Guaynabo with my new companion Elder Mello (from Perú), and
we are serving as assistants to the president. He's been AP for a while so he's
helping out, and he's pretty much the best. :) We developed a good friendship
while I was ZL when I'd call for stuff, so it's been a pretty easy transition
companion-wise. Crazy, eh? So yes, I survived the transfers, but just barely ;)
These will be some pretty interesting last 4 1/2 months, eh?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oh by the way, mile marker
moment: July 20 was the 2-year mark of receiving my mission call. Remember that
day? Wow. Remember how long the wait was? Yeah... not gonna be that long this
time I don't think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, we had a pretty cool
experience with an investigator this week. His name is Berto, and he's living
with a less-active member named Kate. He's had a smoking problem for a while,
and so when we got there, Elder Mello asked for the left over cigarette butts.
He brought them out, and Elder Mello asked if we could blend it all up. They
were pretty confused at first, but they let us do it. So we blended up the
cigarettes with a bit of ice and water, and made a cigarette shake! The goal with
this was to have him drink a little bit and create a bad reaction to the taste
so that whenever he smoked again he would just feel sick. We brought it out and
he just looked at it and said "I never want to smoke again". We then
had a sweet lesson talking about how Satan disguises harmful things and makes
them look good. We also talked about agency and how there's only 2 real
choices: liberty and eternal life, or captivity and death. So now they have a
wedding date for the 3rd and his baptism is set for the 4th. It'll be a
struggle, but I'm confident that it will all work out. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Needless to say, I'm excited to
teach with Elder Mello! He's a great guy, really humble, and we get along great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, like I said, it'll be an
adventure! It already has been haha... but know that I love you all so much,
and thank you for everything you do for me. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-6584976582338884102013-07-15T15:20:00.000-06:002013-07-16T10:50:59.875-06:00Week 85: Rough Waters Ahead<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well before I say anything, I
must say that I APPROVE of Marilee's jersey! YES she's a Jazz fan just like her
old brother! ;) Or else she at least wears the jersey haha... Anyway, you
traversed your dangerous waters, and this week will be one of rough waters for
me, but I'll get to that in a second haha ;)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom - I totally agree we should
all go rafting next summer! I remember going with the scouts down to Moab on
the Snake River and it was a BLAST. I loved it, and I think it would be a ton
of fun. Make the arrangements and we'll all go. :) We could do that and just
have a blast down in Moab. It would be great. In any case, congrats Mom, I
truly am proud of you for what you did! I'm glad you had a good time. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dad - You know, I haven't had
real noodles and sauce since I left either haha. I've had pasta and stuff, but
no real noodles and sauce. I'll see what I can do about BYU from here then,
hopefully it will all work out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuflquKr1PzCf6M9sVIXWFH2IKe11AgC0J4htYm1uEiCojC30HMF9tVadeiNFK6f8AgH5_Z-943Jzx-8AtQnUuLettn4eC6Z5gnDHDtHuvl7gx_KB8eovS7Gk5lcLmYbTdppY1ephnn8yT/s1600/E.+Gardner,+E.+Caballero,+Condado+in+background.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuflquKr1PzCf6M9sVIXWFH2IKe11AgC0J4htYm1uEiCojC30HMF9tVadeiNFK6f8AgH5_Z-943Jzx-8AtQnUuLettn4eC6Z5gnDHDtHuvl7gx_KB8eovS7Gk5lcLmYbTdppY1ephnn8yT/s320/E.+Gardner,+E.+Caballero,+Condado+in+background.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Elder Caballero</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, when I say rough waters
this week I mean... TRANSFERS!! Our first transfers with Pres. Smartt and Elder
Peacock says they're absolutely crazy haha... It will be fun to see what
happens. Maybe I'll be let go as a ZL and be able to go and focus on my own
area again! We'll see what happens though. I hope I stay in Santurce because we
FINALLY have an apartment in Santurce (we found one Saturday) and I'd love to
finally live in Santurce while working there, because for the past 8 months
I've been living in Caparra and working Santurce. Not ideal haha ... but
whatever. We'll see what happens and I'll let you know Monday!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Besides that, we had a pretty
good week this week, and found a bunch of new investigators. One of our
investigators, Cassandra, is doing great, and has a pretty firm baptismal date
for the 28th! We'll see who gets to stay and see it all happen. :) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's crazy to think how fast the
time has been flying. Elder Gillespie is either home or else coming home soon...
and Elders Hill and Reed finish next month. Holy cow. In 5 days I'll have had
my mission call for 2 years. It's unreal, to be honest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, I don't know what else to
say haha... it was a good week, but not much I can say in words. Pretty crazy
at the same time. But I'll send some pics so yeah. :) Anyway, I love you all so
very much, and thanks for everything you do!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Con mucho amor,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-71922620759142618342013-07-11T14:46:00.002-06:002013-07-11T14:46:53.814-06:00Week 84: 4th of July<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Well mother, I hate to say it, but... your hair looks a LOT more
gray now haha... wow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mom - Well it sounds like it was a pretty eventful week for you. I’m
glad that Marilee is reading the Bible. The Bible is a powerful book, and it's
interesting that this week I've decided to learn more about the New Testament,
so I can better teach about Christ's ministry and the ministry of His Twelve
Apostles. Oh, and also about the beginnings of the Great Apostasy. She'll feel
the Spirit as she reads it because it's true, and it will lead her to have
faith in Christ. It'll all work out, just you see. :) It'll be tough, but it'll
all work out in the end. Anyway, it looks like you had a normal 4th of July
haha... oh the fun, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dad - Well I would have loved to watch you all running around
trying to capture the flag. No videos Mom? ;) Haha no, I love capture the flag,
so that's cool you got to play it! It sounds like you had a good 4th of July
though, and don't worry, no fireworks on this end, either :( Anyway, that's a
really cool testimony, and I feel the same way. Thanks for sharing that. And
have fun with the noodles and sauce, that sounds really good right now haha. I
haven't eaten noodles and sauce since I left Guayanilla, so… it's been a
while! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzU-ca45HtAkQhObDLD8UDFVJ9N0YFXDP1XTlnubWwEcTl-gfJ2feWtt9XdbUFs45dxgMkl_U5qABHWlCt2h0IRhKWlBMmUUzEp6tKsZmnEIQJ7WdE5P8Gir-rtPpUQKGx-j0R9LXiRGG/s1600/American+Missionaries.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzU-ca45HtAkQhObDLD8UDFVJ9N0YFXDP1XTlnubWwEcTl-gfJ2feWtt9XdbUFs45dxgMkl_U5qABHWlCt2h0IRhKWlBMmUUzEp6tKsZmnEIQJ7WdE5P8Gir-rtPpUQKGx-j0R9LXiRGG/s320/American+Missionaries.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American missionaries in PR</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anyway, I never realized just how much I loved the 4th of July
before, but man, when I can't celebrate it, that's when I realize haha... I
felt very patriotic that day. That morning my two American compatriots and I
sang the Star Spangled Banner and wore red, white, and blue. :) However, there
was one part of the day where we rode through Ocean Park looking for an
investigator, and EVERYBODY was at the beach, and they all had their barbecues
and everything... AGH!! The smell was so good… and I just wanted to party haha.
Needless to say, we left that area in a heartbeat. However, a member family was
so kind as to cook up some hamburgers and hot dogs for us, so we went there,
and I at least had my traditional 4th of July hamburger. :) So that saved the
day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">However, I had been looking forward to seeing fireworks at night (because
we live in Caparra really close to Fort Buchanan - you'd think a military base
would do something on the 4th?), but I was sorely disappointed. I think there
was smoke in the air from the fireworks by the time we got home. Goodness. Haha
but it was a good day, and it will be good to party like a true American next
July 4th ;)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anyway, besides that, we had a good week teaching our
investigators, and there's this one lady, Cassandra, who's the mother of a
recent convert in Trujillo Alto, and she's golden!! She's a great person and
she's progressing so much. She loves the Book of Mormon and she’s enjoying the
lessons, and said she'd get baptized! There's also a few other investigators
that we're teaching that are doing really well right now too, so life is pretty
good. :) I'm kinda sick right now, but doing alright. It's crazy to think how
fast the time is going. It doesn't feel like it's been all that long, but when
I look at the pictures you send, especially of the cousins, it's easy to see
that it's been a while. Everyone looks so different. I don't know if I look
different at all, but everyone else sure does haha... older, that's for sure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">So yeah, I love you all so much, and thank you for everything. :)
Love you!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Con muchisimo amor,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Elder Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Puerto Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-5272054438250924402013-07-01T12:55:00.000-06:002013-07-01T12:55:18.437-06:00Week 83: 5 for Alma Who Came Back Alive! (Oh, and Welcome Pres. Smartt!!)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, what a week! It's been
pretty crazy and pretty emotional, but it's been a good one. :) The transition
week, and right now we have a new mission president, Pres. Smartt! </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: yellow; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">Mom</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> - Well I
hope that Marilee can get through whatever it is that is stopping her from
progressing. I know that through faith in Christ, everything will work out.
She'll get better, and she'll find her way home. If we just keep praying and doing
all that we can, she'll be alright. :) Anyway, on a lighter note, the new flag
pole looks great!! I love seeing that Utah flag there, and the retention pond
looks cool too haha (corner of 3200 W and Gordon).</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: yellow; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">Dad</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> - Well...
that is really HOT. Holy cow. 105 degrees?? Blech. At least it's not humid,
right? Haha but still… that's HOT. I think we're in the high 80's down here
right now, so it's still pretty nice. I hope the lawn is looking better and
stuff, hang in there Dad!! Oh, and have you had a chance to look at my stuff
for BYU?</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBqSoO7CLKY0ipbKUl-w8QYaecqzMlB8tMd6xuRA8LxYDuGQz1IR7ci0ZGjAJIRkQuZ1YDmnGofpYk76Pj2h3nKIHXvjX_E9RMsFXDRGFZyMGHp3_lXQLwkBhJ6tP3tqIHaw4lFPRVEcq/s1600/With+the+Alvarados+&+E+Stout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBqSoO7CLKY0ipbKUl-w8QYaecqzMlB8tMd6xuRA8LxYDuGQz1IR7ci0ZGjAJIRkQuZ1YDmnGofpYk76Pj2h3nKIHXvjX_E9RMsFXDRGFZyMGHp3_lXQLwkBhJ6tP3tqIHaw4lFPRVEcq/s320/With+the+Alvarados+&+E+Stout.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Sis. & Pres. Alvarado, E. Stout</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, like I said, a bit of a
crazy week. We had a meeting on Thursday with us and all the DLs, and that was
pretty intense. It was really good though, and an emotional goodbye from Pres.
and Sis. Alvarado at the end. I got a picture with them though, so that was
good. However, that wasn't the end! Elder Stout and I put together a bit of a
"private concert" for the Alvarado family, and on Saturday night we
went to their apartment in Guaynabo, and he sang a few songs while I played the
piano, and then I played a few solos also. It was a special night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, we didn't finish, and so
they invited us back after church. We actually did a special musical number in
the Guaynabo ward, and then we went back to their apartment and did a few more
songs, including Waterfall, a special one I made for them, and then of course,
God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again. Talk about emotional. It hadn't really sunk
in yet that they were leaving, but it was still touching. Last night it sunk in
more, but wow... very sad. But at the same time, I’m happy for them as they
move forward in their lives. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbM60C9UXIANeIS2NOp_Xw7PZX_Fp4J28olr5LtljYumqFZmQ6FSQm2DdFnSdERg3GNjW-M7cBBkLx5un7fL4UxnXA9TMkgsgd42Kk8gZbNbb_8S7L362ADI3w9Z4ygfXQ_zg37ymY76CL/s1600/El+Morro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbM60C9UXIANeIS2NOp_Xw7PZX_Fp4J28olr5LtljYumqFZmQ6FSQm2DdFnSdERg3GNjW-M7cBBkLx5un7fL4UxnXA9TMkgsgd42Kk8gZbNbb_8S7L362ADI3w9Z4ygfXQ_zg37ymY76CL/s320/El+Morro.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At El Morro</td></tr>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After that, Elder Caballero and I
went to the Stake Center because Pres. Alvarado had scheduled a meeting for
Pres. Smartt with Pres. Rosa, the Stake Pres. So we went there and met Pres.
Smartt! He's a young guy full of energy, and he's pretty intense also. It'll be
fun to get to know him and to work with him, and I'll let you know next week
how that all goes haha... we have a Mission Leaders' Council with him on Friday
I think, so that will be fun. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, so that was that, and it
was just a crazy week haha… Wow. Anyway, I hope this week is a bit more normal,
and I'll send you some pics from this last crazy week, and some from the fun
P-day last week. :) Anyway, I love you all so much, and thank you for
everything! I hope you are all doing great!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With much love from sunny/rainy
Puerto Rico,</span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
-- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kimball Ray Gardner</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puerto
Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-80192092059239851132013-06-25T16:10:00.000-06:002013-06-25T16:10:01.225-06:00Week 82: Farewell, President Alvarado!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Well,
this was an emotional week for the mission, but I'll get there in a second.<br />
<br />
Mom - Well it sounds like you had a pretty good week. :) I think it'd be cool
if you started working again, and I think you'd enjoy it. Hehe. Anyway, I hope that all works out okay.
And good luck with the white water rafting! It's really, really fun, but be
careful!<br />
Dad - Haha well it sounds like you had quite the experience there… I hope it
went okay! And it's great to hear that the garden is doing well. :) I wish I
would have helped more with that in the past rather than being a lazy bum… I'm
sorry. And sweet, a new flag pole! Is it stronger?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnpnl_OAQZWurkrW_-PrIWtEuuA70Prkjm50C81eOhbqHF88-5z-ecVrzvRjR2fyjApj0yy86xbJuYW-d0ebA-3-UaTkSow_ByjNq3np55Ttw5O43gOU9kJjuswEQdv1cI5p5fXuClTX8/s1600/Farewell+pic-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnpnl_OAQZWurkrW_-PrIWtEuuA70Prkjm50C81eOhbqHF88-5z-ecVrzvRjR2fyjApj0yy86xbJuYW-d0ebA-3-UaTkSow_ByjNq3np55Ttw5O43gOU9kJjuswEQdv1cI5p5fXuClTX8/s320/Farewell+pic-b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farewell to the Alvarado Family</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anyway, this week was pretty crazy. The Zone was really blessed
and we had some stellar results. It was fantastic. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
Also, on Saturday, Elder Caballero and I witnessed a very intense car crash.
This car was parked next to a freeway exit (I don't know why) and this drunk
guy just came up right behind her and slammed into the back of her car, sending
her flying OUT of her car and landing on the ground. Another car then came and
hit the drunk guy's car from behind. We pulled over and went to help, but we
couldn't do much. The medics got there pretty quick, and they got the lady out
of there. The drunk guy was just out of it, and they took care of him, and the
other guy was shaken up, but safe. it was intense. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">On
Sunday, we met as a mission and watched the Hastening the Work of Salvation
broadcast from the Marriott Center, and that was really cool! We learned a lot
of things from that, and it was all really missionary oriented. It was great.
:) Did you have the chance to watch it? If not, you should!</span></div>
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And then yesterday, we had a farewell P-day for the Alvarados, which is why I
didn't write yesterday (sorry!) But they gave us time to do that today. Anyway,
yesterday we went to El Morro, the number 1 tourist place in PR, and had a
blast! It was great. :) I'll send the pics next week 'cause I'm out of time,
but Sis. Alvarado sent us some that I'll forward. It was a lot of fun. :) And
then we ended with a very emotional farewell devotional. Very powerful.<br />
<br />
Anyway, P-day's about over (it's only until 4:00 for today) and so I need to
get going, but know that I love you, and thank you so much. I look forward to
next Monday to hear from you, and by then, President Smartt will be at the head
of our mission! Crazy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">I love you so so much. :)<br clear="all" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Elder Kimball Ray
Gardner</span></u></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Puerto Rico San Juan Mission</span></u></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7336696757260689862.post-33045164199984181542013-06-18T08:07:00.000-06:002013-07-16T12:02:34.550-06:00Week 81: Happy Father’s Day!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Well howdy there family!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mom - Well thank you so much for the packages, Elder Caballero was
ecstatic when he saw it. :) He was so happy, and he's still enjoying it, so
thank you. :) And good luck! And haha yeah, Elder Peacock is AP right now,
along with Elder Mello, a Peruvian. They're pretty cool. But yeah, sounds like
things are just the same old normal (besides the things that clearly aren't
normal haha), and I hope you're doing good. :)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dad - Well happy father's day yesterday! I hope it was a good day.
:) Haha well no, not AP (thank goodness), still trying to keep my head above
water as a zone leader haha... whew! But thank you for sending the password
stuff for BYU. As I read through the website and stuff, I discovered that it
would probably just be easier for you to take care of it and ask me questions
via email on what needs to be done. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITLTpsS1qPHqw85ECpx23Tzam3BaPjGV3_W7AkyCmZjHXqF6cpE-qEYX1-95uETmDE68wsUQfQR2OnDuzMlRiLe0AqRPCvXMIFaNL8DyS-wqInKiv6up2bGn0Tq31PZHdfH3PJS-jwnoy/s1600/IMG_1247%5B1%5D-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITLTpsS1qPHqw85ECpx23Tzam3BaPjGV3_W7AkyCmZjHXqF6cpE-qEYX1-95uETmDE68wsUQfQR2OnDuzMlRiLe0AqRPCvXMIFaNL8DyS-wqInKiv6up2bGn0Tq31PZHdfH3PJS-jwnoy/s320/IMG_1247%5B1%5D-b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">So… a pretty crazy week. We had the lovely privilege of driving
all over the San Juan Zone to mark all the missionary apartments and chapels in
the stake on Pres. Smartt's new GPS. Great. The AP's had done it before, but
the GPS got robbed from them haha… so… we were lucky enough to drive all over
the place this weekend and remark all the places haha… great, right?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Besides that, we got to do tradeoffs in Fajardo this week, and
that was pretty cool! Fajardo's really awesome and reminds me a lot of
Guayanilla, but a bit bigger. I really liked that day. :)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Other than that, we had a good week in our area, and taught some
good lessons. Nothing too out of the ordinary happened. We found some really
cool new investigators, and they're going to progress a lot!! Also, Francisco,
our recent convert, is going to get a calling!!!! He didn't know he wasn't
supposed to tell us, so he let it slip that he's going to be the 1st counselor
in the Young Men!!! I was sooo happy!! :) :) <-- see? :) Haha anyway, that
was great, and he's just progressing so much, going to institute and all the
activities and stuff. Good times. :)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">So yeah, that was the week. I did get a picture with a starfish
that some investigators caught, so I'll send that to ya. I need to take more
pictures I think. :S Sorry! But anyways, sorry for the short letter, but I hope
you're doing great! I love you all and look forward to hearing from you next
week. :)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Love,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
-- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Elder Kimball Ray
Gardner</span></u></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Puerto Rico San Juan
Mission</span></u></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02501163707916476763noreply@blogger.com0