Week 92: 3 for the Tree in Lehi's Dream

Well family, tomorrow marks the official 3-month mark before my release date... :S It's come too fast.

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!

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

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!

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. :)

At the baptism, Elder Gardner, Elder Caballero

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.

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. :)

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.

I love you all so much, and I hope you have a great week. :)

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

Week 63: Elder Andersen’s Visit

Mom - Let me just tell you though that I admire you so much for your resilience. You're a great example to me, and I thank you for it! I love you, Mom! 

Dad - And wow, that does look like a lot of snow back home! Hope it doesn't spoil too many Easter plans haha ... (it's crazy to think it's already Easter again. Wow!). Anyway, I love you Dad :)

We had an interesting week, with a really fantastic weekend. :)  We had some really sweet lessons this week, and actually one of them committed to live the Law of Chastity and is going to get married this week!! At least, we hope. :) But yeah, that was really sweet, and he's progressing really well. Also, this other lady we're teaching is just so prepared, and actually defends us against the people around her when they start talking bad about us. Like last night the fact that we don't drink coffee was brought up, and her friends and stuff started bashing on us, but she just was like "you don't know anything about it, let them explain!" and stuff like that. It was really pretty hysterical haha.

This week I've been dealing with some nasal congestion and stuff, and for the past few days haven't been able to hear very well because I've been all plugged up and stuff haha. But it's been good. :) 

Anyway, the event of greatest importance this week was the visit that we got as a mission from Elder Neil L. Andersen. :) That was AMAZING!! So Saturday morning we all meet in Trujillo Alto, and I played the prelude (for an Apostle!!!), as we waited for him to come. He then arrived, and the Spirit was so strong. The whole mission shook his hand, and then we began. I also sang in an octet, singing "Ye Elders of Israel" which was really powerful, and the Alvarados were crying as they spoke together to begin the meeting. After, the Rasbands (Elder Ronald A. Rasband and his wife) spoke to us, as well as the Zivics (from the area presidency), and then Sis. Andersen did for a bit. Then for an hour, Elder Andersen spoke and gave a presentation about the difference between temporal and spiritual things, and that we don't speak or teach about temporal things, but we teach eternal things, or the things that can't be seen; like faith, repentance, miracles, the power of prayer, etc. It was a fantastic talk, and then after they all left. The next day, Sunday, was the San Juan Stake Conference, and he spoke there as well. It was a really great experience, and I am so grateful to have been a part of it. :) There are a couple of pictures from the Alvarados that they sent to the mission that I will send to you too. 

And then last night we get the information about transfers. Uh-oh. Elder Peacock has been transferred to Aguadilla, on the other side of the island! This moves me from ZL2 to ZL1. Yikes. But I get a companion that I have worked with before, and that I think will help us both out a lot: Elder Durfee! They moved him up from Yauco to here in Santurce with me. :) So that was a crazy change, along with a few other ones in the zone. It promises to be an interesting transfer, but I think it will be a good one. I'm excited to see what happens. :) 

But yeah, I can't really think of much else to say. It was a good week, and we're really hoping that with the visit of Elder Andersen, we'll be able to see some miracles here in Puerto Rico. We're close to baptizing some of our investigators, so I'm really excited for that. :) 

I love you all so very very much, and pray for you daily. You're all very important to me, and I know that the Gospel is what gives us happiness. :) Thank you all for all that you do, and I look forward to hearing from you again next week. :) 

Much love,

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

Week 62: 10 for the 10 Commandments

This wasn't the very best week over here. Nobody is accepting the invitation to be baptized, and we didn't have anybody in church either. We have some really great investigators, but nobody who's willing to take that next step. 

However, we did have a really cool experience yesterday I want to share. We were out in Old San Juan on Saturday morning, doing a plaza cleaning with the church group (a bunch of groups were invited), and we even got a picture with Carmen Yulin, the San Juan city mayor! Big whoop. Haha anyway, after it was over, this guy called me over and introduced to me as Hno. Feliz, a less active we had been searching for for a very long time. We talked a bit, and he told us we could go by his house Sunday morning. We went yesterday with the EQP, and we taught about coming to church. He said he was going through a really hard time, losing his wife and kids (divorce) and stuff, and he just didn't want to go to church. But we were persistent, and at the end, he took a quick shower, got all dressed (suit and all!) and came to church! Afterwards, we talked, and he told me that he felt great, that he was going to buy a new triple combination, and that he would be going next week to the special Stake Conference in Trujillo. It was a really great experience, and a testimony that miracles do happen for less active members.
Besides that, we had our zone council on Friday, and a bunch of the DLs were invited. No changes, but it was interesting to see which district leaders were invited, because a lot of the ZLs now are going home soon, so some changes are on their way. Elder Durfee was there, which was cool, as well as Elder Duclos. They're both pretty great. :) Oh, and one really cool thing, remember C... and R..., from Guayanilla? They got married and baptized on Saturday!! I wasn't able to go, but I was just so happy that they came unto Christ. It was marvelous to hear about that. :)
Elder Andersen will be coming this weekend on Saturday, so that will be amazing!! He'll also be in the Stake Conference in San Juan on Sunday, so I get a nice double dose of Elder Neil L. Andersen. It will be great.
My prayers are with you. I know the Lord is mindful of you. Just know that I love you all so very much. You too stay strong and true!

With much much love and care from Puerto Rico,

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission