Week 60: How Will I Send Thee...?

Well, another week comes and goes, so fast. I'm amazed at how fast the time goes by, and it's hard to think that January's almost over when it just barely started. 

Mom - It seems just like you to need some more air ;) Just kidding! Kind of! I know that the gospel holds the answers to many problems. If there's anything I've learned while I've been on my mission, it's how much the Atonement really offers us. Whatever the problem is, Christ has gone through it, and through faith in him, and faithful endurance, He blesses us with the way out, whatever it is. Just know that you have someone in Puerto Rico who loves you. :) ("Someone from smiling airplane loves me"... remember that shirt?) :) Thank you for being a great mom.
Dad - And you too! :) You are one of my greatest role models, and I'm thankful to have you as my dad. Anyway, I'm glad that your talk went well! I really loved that talk by Elder Bednar - in fact, it's along the same lines as the one he gave in Provo last Christmas, so I've kind of heard it twice. I love that talk so much, and there's so much we could discuss if we were in person. Lots to learn about it haha. :) And thank you for the info on the TMJ, I'll keep that in mind as I keep stretching my jaw - it's been helping, so I'll keep it up. :) Oh, and the Jazz beat the Heat?? What?? Anyway, love you much!!
Marilee - I'll write you separately. :)

Anyway, another crazy week. On Tuesday we had a leadership meeting with all the ZLs and DLs in the mission. It was really good, and we learned a lot of how missionary work is going to change in Puerto Rico. We're also going to be working a lot closer with the people with the keys (a.k.a. the Bishop and Elder's Quorum President) to help build the wards. It's a great plan, and it was a great meeting all about how to do it and stuff. But yeah, things are getting kind of crazy with Elder Andersen coming in a little less than 3 weeks! 

Besides that, we had a few really good lessons this week, including one with Luis and Vicelis, this couple we've been trying to get married for the past couple months. They're all ready to be baptized, they're just not ready to get married yet - so it's a bit frustrating. But we set some goals with them, and I think they'll start to progress. At least I hope so! 

At St Thomas during Choir trip in December 2012

But something that was really cool was that yesterday we had a special Stake Conference. We all went to Trujillo Alto, and the stake conference was transmitted in via satellite from Salt Lake City. It was for all the stakes in the Caribbean area, so that was way cool. Elder Russell M. Nelson presided, and Elder Craig Zwick conducted. Also present were Sis. Wixom from the general Primary Presidency, and Bro. Beck, the General Young Men President. It was a really great conference, and they all spoke to us. We were in the English room with the Metro Ward (the English speaking ward), and it was funny because both Bro. Beck and Elder Zwick spoke in Spanish, so for once we were having to listen to the translation! It was really great though, and they all talked about paying tithing and being faithful. They talked about the beautiful temple in the DR, how they needed to pay tithing, how their kids need to learn English and math, and how they need to spend their money on wise things. It was really great, and I just love listening to the prophets and apostles speak nowadays. 

Also, another interesting thing to mention, this weekend was the Fiesta de San Sebastian, and so a bunch of Puerto Ricans from the whole island came up to Old San Juan (which is in our area) to party. Luckily Old San Juan is way out on the western part of the area and we don't get there much anyway because I hear it was just nuts. The Tren Urbano only comes to where Santurce starts, so from there they had to take the busses, and HOLY COW was the train station full and the busses PACKED. Last night we were heading home and the station was so full and rocking with music and dancing and (I imagine) drugs and alcohol, there was no way we were going in there. So we rode 40 minutes from Santurce to Bayamon haha.. crazy. But it was fun, and not a bad ride at all. But yeah, we made it back to report numbers and get ready for today. :)

So yeah, that was the week. :) I'm glad I got to finally write a decent email! I hope you have a happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and that your week turns out to be better than the last. I love you all so very much, and I wish you the very best. I look forward to hearing from you in a week!!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner
Puerto Rico, San Juan Mission

Week 59: "Children, Go Where I Sent Thee"

Hey y'all, that's a lot of snow!! I'm just here enjoying life in San Juan where it is a balmy 80 degrees. :) Haha oh man, that is one thing I do not miss about home, the snow and ice. Yuck. Anyways...

Mom - You know, dad said you'd tell me a lot about a lot of stuff, and... you didn't. ;) Haha that's okay, it sounds like things are pretty crazy back there! That's way cool that they have a new Texas Roadhouse by the mall!! That's awesome. That's also cool that you saw Taylar. I thought he'd be out by now, but that's good that he's saving up and getting ready to go.

Dad - Well I can't believe that Rex is now overweight, after being skinny and underweight all his life! I guess he's just lost the spring in his step now and can't burn off all that food. :( Poor guy, I hope he is doing alright even though he's starting to get old. :( That's also sad to hear about Bro. Judkins, but I'm sure he's happy where he is now, enjoying a "rest from all his labors" in paradise. :)

Tortola - traveling with the choir for Christmas 2012

Anyway, I actually have a few minutes to write you today! Yay! Anyway, it's been a pretty crazy week, and having zone leader responsibilities on top of everything is a bit obnoxious, but it all works out. Oh, and by the way, I watched the CD from Thanksgiving, and it was great. :) Also, I did get a keychain from the Alvarados for Christmas, for the whole choir thing, so if you don't find any ornaments, I'll just use that as my ornament for last year. :) It's pretty cool, so I'd be fine with it.

But yeah, so this week was really good. We taught a lot of investigators, and I am really loving it with Elder Peacock. He's a great companion, and I honestly feel like we're having some fantastic lessons. I feel like I've had the best lessons with him, so it's pretty good! We have had to do some crazy stuff like picking missionaries up from the airport and stuff, but it's been good, and I've been learning more and more about my responsibilities as a zone leader. 

We have another leadership training meeting tomorrow, so that should be interesting haha. But yeah, besides that, we found this crazy less active guy over in Condado (the rich part of Santurce), and we finally had a return appointment, and he brought somebody to teach! so that was really cool. Her name is Cruz Mercedes, and it was really great. She is super receptive, and very prepared for the gospel. She still doesn't understand all the way, but she'll get there. :) We also had another cool experience where we went to teach an investigator, and she wasn't there, but her neighbor was out, and we were able to teach her and she definitely felt the Spirit. She was actually crying by the end of the lesson because the Spirit was so strong. :) It was great! Also, on a tradeoff with Elder Udall, we found another way cool lady to teach. So it's been a good week for teaching, I think, and I really enjoyed it. :) We don't have any baptismal dates, sadly, but we'll get those soon.

Oh, and I almost forgot, the reason I didn't have much time last week was because we as a choir went out to eat at P.F. Chang's at Plaza Las Americas. That was pretty cool. Mom and Marilee, you would LOVE Plaza Las Americas, and I plan on taking you there when you come to visit Puerto Rico. :) Dad, you'll still like it, but you'll have to guard your wallet ;) Haha. But yeah, anyway, that's most of the week, I think! I'll try and be more organized for next week with my thoughts, just right now I'm all over the place still figuring things out. But I love you all so very much, and I hope that you're all staying safe, healthy, and doing great. Thank you for everything, and I look forward to hearing from you next week!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

Week 58: Dia de Reyes (Sunday)

Sigh... I don't know when I'll ever have a normal Pday again. :( It's frustrating. I only have 10 minutes today to write you guys, so probably no pictures, unless I can swing some kind of miracle. Anyway, to respond firstly:

Mom - Thank you so much for sharing that post from the blog, that really touched me. Guayanilla is a great area, and it will probably end up being my favorite one. :) I can't wait to take you there when we can go exploring the island together. :) Anyway, besides that, the changes sound interesting, and I hope everything works out all right.

Dad - Well, I can say I do not miss the cold! Here it averages about 80 degrees right now, so it's pretty nice in balmy Santurce haha :) I hope you are doing great with all the changes going on. And yeah, a journal is pretty sweet, and I've been trying to keep mine going on since I started, and I've only missed like 3 days in all, so I'm doing pretty good I think. :) Anyway, I hope everything works out and things start looking up. :\

Anyway, my first week as a zone leader, and we had zone council (meeting with all the ZLs) on Thursday. It was really good, and I learned a lot, and it was a really spiritual meeting. We talked a lot about how things in the mission are changing with all the current leaders getting ready to go home, including President in 6 months, and how we have to get ready for what's coming. It was really intense, but it was really good. It helped me open my eyes up a bit as zone leader. I still have a lot to learn, but it's been a good learning experience so far, and we'll see what happens as things keep changing and moving forward. 

Besides that, Elder Peacock and I have been having a really good week, and we have had some really good lessons. Sadly, our investigators haven't really wanted to progress, and we've been having some problems with them.

Also, last night we had the closing devotional for the choir thing, and it was SO spiritual. I was seriously just left weak afterwards, and then had to come back to the office to do numbers for the week. But it was really great, and that's the reason I don't have much time today to write you, because we have to be in the mission home at 1 for an activity to close the whole choir things.  But yeah, I'm supposed to get off right now, but I may have a bit more time in the mission home, I don't know yet. But know that I love you very much and thank you for everything! Things will start looking up I'm sure, if we just trust in the Lord. 

Anyway, I love you very much, Happy 3 Kings Day, and I'll look forward to hearing from you next week. :) Love you!!!

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

Week 57: More Transfers & A Surprise

Well, the craziness doesn't stop coming. I'll just cut to the chase before I respond to your emails. A new zone opened in the mission today, the Metro Zone; and Elder Peacock and I have been assigned as Zone Leaders. Wow. So that's that haha... one month as DL and out of the blue, Zone Leader. Great… more responsibility. Anyway, I really LOVED seeing you all on skype on Christmas! It was great to talk to you all and I had a grand old time. :) I'm glad you had a decent Christmas and that the trip was at least somewhat enjoyable.

Mom - I really enjoyed Christmas and I had a great time talking to you all. :) It looks like you all had a good time in Vegas! I hope it all worked out all right and that you had a good time. :)

Dad - Those are some interesting changes that you told me about in the ward, and I hope it all worked out okay! Bro. Andreason is a great guy and a great fit there, that will be good. :) But we are still in the Evans Meadows Ward, right?

Marilee - Hey you! You're not sending any emails anymore, what's goin' on?? It was great talking to you on Christmas, and I hope you enjoyed/are enjoying your time off from school. :) Love you sis, and hope you're doing alright.

Anyway, this week has been crazy. I remember this time last year, I was in the DR! How crazy is that? Tomorrow is 2013 and thus begins the year in which I will be returning home, which is so weird to think about. I remember passing New Year's Eve in the DR and everything, and it's just odd to believe it's already been a year since then.

With President and Sister Alvarado

In any case, this week was really good, and I already told you what we were doing in the Mission Home for Christmas Eve and Christmas. On Wednesday we did a little more singing and stuff, and then finally went to our areas. I was able to work in Santurce for a couple days, and then we were back together to go to Cabo Rojo on Friday night for another presentation. That's when the transfer changes started happening, and President pulled people from the choir aside to talk to them. Saturday morning we sang at a baptism, and then in the afternoon went to Ponce and performed there, and then came back and did some more stuff. Sunday morning we went to a couple other wards, and then met back at the mission home, where President finally talked to me about this new assignment, and then announced all the transfers that affected the choir.

My old companion Elder Taylor, is gone to St. Kitts, West Indies. My new one is Elder Peacock, from Kaysville, Utah. He's great, and I'm super excited to work with him. Also, a couple other changes happened in the district, and now we're ZLs over a pretty small zone. So yeah, it's pretty crazy, and a lot of changes and stuff, but I'm excited and it will be good. I also feel slightly overwhelmed and quite underprepared, but I know if I just have a little faith, it will all work out.

But yeah, not much else to talk about, and it's a bit crazy here today trying to email since it's another holiday, and EVERYTHING closes on holidays here, so there are others waiting to write on this computer and I can't stay on too much longer. :S But there's not much else to say anyway besides... I love you! It was great to talk to you on Christmas, and we'll be talking again very soon on Mother's Day! But thank you so much for everything, and I hope you are all doing great. I love you all so much. :) And darn it, I just remembered that I left my SD card back at the house with all my pictures from the islands... :( but I have a few pictures I took this week on my new SD card, and I'll try and send them to you. But thank you again for everything and for the new socks and ties. :) They're great! Love you all so much!!

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

Week 56: ¡Feliz Navidad!

Hey family! Not much time today either, but a little more. I'm in the mission home today and I will be tomorrow, since the choir is singing for all the zones that come in for their meals. It's pretty cool, and I'll be skyping from the mission home!

I'll be opening the packages from you tonight at our dinner here in the mission home, so I'll be able to talk about them with you tomorrow! Also, be prepared for only 45 minutes of talking... President is really being tough about that rule this time around, so we won't have a ton of time like last time, but it will still be great to be able to talk and see you guys! 

Anyway, things have been CRAZY the past couple of weeks, and last week was so short because it was the mission conference and the whole mission had to email, and we only had 5 minutes each to do so, and I got stuck with the iPad, so ... yeah, it was rough haha. Anyway, the past couple of weeks the choir has been traveling the Islands of the Sea, so I've been on St. Thomas, Tortola, St. Kitts, and Antigua. It's been nuts!!

It's been really great though, and we've seen a ton of miracles and blessings and everything. Besides that, we have been traveling around PR, and it's been really great seeing all the things we've been able to do. Anyway, we'll talk more tomorrow, but it's been a really different Christmas, but a really great one. :) I miss you guys of course, and that part has been tough, but it's been wonderful really getting to know my Savior even more. I'll be mailing my gift to Jesus as soon as I can, so you can put it in the tin. :)

I don't really know what else to say haha.. but I love you all and look forward greatly for our talk tomorrow! Have a wonderful Noche Buena tonight, and a great Christmas  morning! Talk to you tomorrow! (Oh and by the way, our zone got lucky enough to get Christmas Eve dinner... just like back home!) Love you all!!

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

Week 54: Touring with the Choir

The craziness never stops for Elder Gardner! Haha it was a pretty adventurous week, I'll say. But it was good. I'll get to it in a second, though. 

Mom - Well I must say, the village setup is quite different from years past, but it looks good! That's sweet that Gage is headed to Colombia! It'll be a good experience for him down there. That's great that all these missionaries are heading out now from our ward!! ... I love you!

Dad - Just remember, we're supposed to come back to Puerto Rico and stuff in about a year from now! ;) That's cool about the choir, we're doing some pretty cool stuff here with the mission choir (details to come shortly), so that's cool!

Marilee - No email again?? Why you little..!!! Haha just kidding little sis, hope everything's going great and that you're enjoying life. :) Christmas break is coming soon!! 

Anyway, so it's been a bit of a crazy week, and this week should be even crazier. I'm supposed to be strengthening my area and stuff, but I have spent more time out of my area than in it. I don't feel like I've even worked there at all. I haven't even been to a sacrament meeting in my ward yet! Goodness. But it's all good, because I've been seeing a lot of cool things in the mission choir. This week we started Friday afternoon, and we sang in President's chiropractor's office in Plaza Las Americas. PLAZA LAS AMERICAS. That place is HUGE! It's this gigantic mall, and normally we're not allowed into malls unless there's a store (like JCPenney) with an outside entrance. But Friday we were allowed in and that place is enormous! Wow! So yeah, we sang there and I had my little electric keyboard to accompany the choir. Then we went to the Pontezuela ward and performed there, and then all slept together in the mission dorms, the Riverside apart.ments.

On Saturday, we woke up and after studies and stuff, went all together and all got in the urban train and started singing. Again, I had my keyboard, and we just rode the train to the end of the line and then back! Then we did a flash mob type thing with singing, in a food court in this other mall close by, and then we met up with the Alvarados in another mall and ate at that food court, and then sang again after. :) By the way, we got kicked out of both food courts for the singing haha, it was great. Then we went to a couple of hospitals and sang there, and then performed for the San Juan Stake Christmas Concert. That was a lot of fun. The songs are way a cool, and a couple of them we perform with a bell choir, and sounds awesome! Anyway, Sunday morning we drive over to the other side of the island (and by the way, I'm sick with a cold.. blech), and we sing in the San Sebastian and Aguadilla wards, and then do a quick concert for the Isabela ward, and then go sing in a Marriott hotel there in Aguadilla, and then finally drive back home. Wow. Long few days, but a ton of fun.

Also on Thursday, we had a leader.ship training meeting, which was not as intense as I had been dreading haha. It was actually way good, and I learned a lot. I'm still learning how to be a district leader, and every day brings new challenges and stuff, and I don't think I've ever been so tired in my life, but it's all good. :) It's good to learn and stuff and progress.

Anyway, I'm trying to think what I did teaching-wise. We did teach a few investigators, but they're all having some problems right now, and not wanting to be baptized. That's definitely going to be our focus for this week, to make sure that these people can progress toward baptism. I wish I knew more members and stuff, and I wish I knew the area better because I feel like I would be able to do more good and help out a bit more if I did.

 

Anyway, that's about it for the week. This week I'm going to the Islands of the Sea (some of the Virgin Islands) with the choir to perform there. The choir needs the piano player, so I get to go to all the islands to perform. :) It's pretty sweet, and I'm grateful for this talent that My Father in Heaven blessed me with. It'll be an adventure, because after that we have another weekend full of performing again haha.. wow. But at least this next Sunday we'll be in my assigned ward here in Hato Rey. But yeah, that's about it! Mom, just make sure to coordinate everything and send it by next week. I won't have a ton of time to write, but I'll be able to look and see when I'll be calling you guys. I love you all, and soon we'll be talking!! Love you!!

 

Con mucho amor, 

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission


NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: so sorry I had to cut some words in the letter, or change them in some way, because Google links them to something else. For example c-a-r gets linked to a site that's trying to sell you those items.

Week 53: ANOTHER Crazy Week. And One Year!

Well, here we go! On the downhill slide... wow. It's crazy to think that a year ago today I was sitting in the MTC. I can't even believe it. Craziness!  Anyway, to your emails:

 

Mom - The decorations look great! I must admit, I miss normal Christmas stuff, and it's cool to see our decorations up. :) They put lights up here and stuff, and it's cool, but there's no snow and it just feels different.  I love that cool nativity scene you've got there! It looks sweet! Also, that's great to hear about Tosh and Madison, it's good to know I won't be the only missionary out from our ward haha... so that's good. Tell Tosh to look for a kid named Vernon Yazzie who probably lives down in that area. He's a Navajo, and I gave him a Book of Mormon already, so there's a seed planted there! I'll keep praying for you like always.

Dad - I will definitely be watching for those shirts! I bought a couple already, but it'll be good to have a full new array of white shirts. :) Also, I appreciate the thought about the Hostess stuff! It'll be good to keep a piece of history haha... or eat it, rather. And the oil will be greatly appreciated, thank you. I don't know what's happening with the Skype yet, I'm not entirely sure what's going to happen there. We haven't yet found a place to do it, but we'll continue our frantic search! But I look forward to talking to you all also, and it will be a great experience. :)

Marilee - Still no email?? Haha I'll write you in a second :)

 

Anyway, I don't know if the mission lets the parents know or anything, but this week, if you don't already know, I was called as district leader of the Hato Rey district. Not anything I wanted, and it's been a bit of a challenge. But it's been a good learning experience, and it's been crazy. Last week I was at the office when President comes bursting out of the office, shakes my hand, and basically pulls me into the office haha. We had an interview and he called me to be the district leader. He told me that he wanted Hato Rey to shine, and that he wanted 2 wards there. Wow. He said the metro area would be a zone in March, and I had to strengthen it before then. He said a ton of other stuff too that was pretty intense, and I left that office feeling like I had a ton of bricks on my back. Needless to say, I prayed hard that night. Oh, and he gave us 72 hours to fix up our apartment. It's right by the office, and pretty big, so a lot of missionaries visit and stuff, and a lot finish their missions there. Thus, lots of junk and stuff. So we repainted it, cleaned out really good, reorganized everything, and now it looks fantastic. :) President still hasn't seen it, but the senior missionaries in charge came by today and inspected it. Anyway, that's basically what we did Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We also went out to work and stuff, and we had some good lessons with some cool people, but we spent some time cleaning and painting and stuff. It looks really good.
 

Also, we had a choir performance Friday night, in CAGUAS!! So I got to go back to my first area on my year mark. :) It was really cool to go back and see all the members again and to talk with them. It was a cool performance too, and it was just a fun time. On Sunday we drove down to Ponce and then to Adjuntas afterwards and sang in both of the sacrament meetings. Then we came home.

But yeah, other than that, I feel like I haven't had a ton of time in my area, and I also feel quite inadequate to be a district leader. But something that Elder Stout, a sweet missionary and another district leader in the area told me is that the Lord qualifies those He calls; so if I just have some faith and do all I need to, the Lord will qualify me, right? Anyway, lots of stuff going on, and December is quite the busy month haha... it'll be crazy. Anyway, I just hope I survive to see 2013, and keep serving the Lord! I really hope to see changes here in Hato Rey. I'm already seeing some in the missionaries here, so that's good. But I saw tons of miracles and lots of changes in Guayanilla, and I'm confident that they can happen here, too. The key this time is that it has to all happen much quicker. But yeah, that's about it for the week. I'm really really tired, but I'm happy. :) It rains a lot, and we get wet a lot here, but it's all good. It's a great time here, and I can't wait to show you around here. I'm visiting all the best areas basically, to get to know the whole island so that when we all come back after my mission, you'll get the best tour experience of Puerto Rico ever. :)  

Anyway, I love you all, and I hope you're all doing great! I pray for you always, and I hope you are all enjoying this wonderful Christmas season. :)

 

Con muchisimo amor,

 

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

Week 52: Metro Area - One Year Mark

Hey all, what a year it has been! It's been a pretty good one, full of crazy experiences and lots of growing. :) It's been great. Wow. I can't even believe it's been just about a year. It flew by, and the last half goes even faster they say. Wow. Anyway, so that's pretty crazy! 

Mom - Well it sounds like you guys had a fun Thanksgiving haha. I hope it all worked out well and that you were able to enjoy yourselves. The TSO concert sounded pretty sweet though, and I'm glad you all had a great time there! I did miss you a bit on Thanksgiving, but it was still a pretty good day- I'll get to that in a second.

Dad - The TSO night sounded like a blast! We did have something on common on Thursday - and it involved riding a train haha. It's a pretty intense new area, and I'll get to explaining it in a bit! But it sounds like you all had a good time in Salt Lake! :)

Marilee - I'll email you in a bit. :)

 

Well, I am now working in Santurce. I've officially been transferred from Guayanilla and now work in Santurce. It's a huge change. I moved from the most tranquilo pueblo on the island to the area of the island where a ton of killings happen each year. I'm now in the middle of San Juan haha... it includes Viejo San Juan (all the touristy area), and all the northern part of San Juan (excluding the airport). It's CRAZY! It's so much fun though haha, and a TON more people. In our area there are like 1.5 million people or something. It's intense. And on top of that, everybody is Dominican, so that's pretty interesting. It's a pretty sweet area, and I'm still really confused directions wise there, but it all works out. Oh, and we don't have a car. We live in Caparra, right by the office, and we catch the train every day for a half hour with our bikes and then we go bike around in Santurce! It's pretty sweet, and a lot easier to bike than in Guayanilla, as it's all flat and hardly any hills. It's pretty sweet. :)

Santurce

 

Anyway, on Thanksgiving, we had two meal citas. The first one was with a member in Rio Piedras, and we ate Sancocho with him, which is a Puerto Rican stew. A bit later we ate with a member family in Santurce, and we had lechon, mashed potatoes, salad, and some rice. A different Thanksgiving dinner, but still really good. :) It was a good time, and I enjoyed it. Besides that, this week we had some really good lessons, and we taught a bunch of people. Santurce's got a lot of investigators, and a lot that are ready for baptism, so that will be sweet.

Then on Saturday night, some elders came and picked me and another missionary up, and we slept in the Riverside apartmentos for Sunday, because we were in the choir. On Sunday we went to Toa Baja, and then Arecibo, and we performed in those two sacrament meetings. It was really good. We then practiced a bit after, and then came back to the metro area. At 6:00, we met up at the office again and went to a funeral and sang there. (For all the performances I played the piano.) For the funeral, the Alvarado family brought a keyboard which was definitely NOT like a real piano, but I made it work haha. :) It was a nice service, and we left a nice performance there, singing "Nearer my God to Thee" and "Be Still my Soul", both in Spanish. And Pres. said a few words, and it was all really nice. The Spirit was definitely there. I'm a bit bummed I won't be able to visit my new ward until January, but it's really cool being a part of the Christmas Choir. We have another performance on Friday in Caguas, and then others throughout the month. We might even be going to the Islands!! Like Tortola, Antigua, St. Croix, etc. It'll be fun.

Anyway, that's about all I've got for the week. Lots of craziness, but we'll see where we go. Almost Christmas! Send me my Skype information ASAP. We still don't have anywhere to Skype yet, but I'll find somewhere before Christmas comes around. :) I love you all and wish you all the best! I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving and that you're all doing great. :)

 

Con muchisimo amor,

 

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

 

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

Week 51: Transferred!

Well today has been quite the day, I'm here in Bayamon again haha.. but not for anything bad  but we had a choir practice and now I'm here emailing! I have like 10 minutes so I have to be quick. I won't respond to you separately since I don't have time, but I did get your emails and I hope you all have a wonderful time at the TSO concert and have a super happy Thanksgiving! Anyway, some interesting news before I go, I am being transferred from Guayanilla since I'm playing the piano for the choir, and I have to travel to the islands and everything, so that will be crazy. I'm moving to the Metro area which will be a big change from my beloved pueblito de Guayanilla. I'm sad, and it's not even sunk in yet. Guayanilla may end up to be my favorite area, so you better look forward to visit it and all its members. :) Bishop Nieves, Hno. Santiago, Hno. Caraballo, all of them. It's a great ward, with great members. Anyway, like I said, not much time, and I need to get going because I need to take an elder to the hospital and then get home to start packing up. Wow. It was a good week though, and we got 3 members of a family of 6 to accept a baptismal date. :) Changes happening, and it's going to be crazy.

I'm really sorry this email isn't longer, and I should have more time next week, but know that I love you very much! I can't believe it's already been a year!! WOW. ANyway, I love you all very much, and have a great Thanksgiving week. I'll miss you!

Love,

--

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

 

Week 50: Concierto Misional en Ponce

Hey there family, I hope you're all doing great! I'm going to respond to all your emails right now to save time, since I'm already over time. Whoops! But today Puerto Rico celebrated Veteran's Day, so everything was closed and we couldn't do email normally. Anyway, here we go!

Mom - I am also pretty upset with the election results... we found out Wednesday morning, and I was devastated. None of us missionaries were very happy. Also, here in Puerto Rico they elected the equivalent of the democratic party governor, and booted out the republican. Yet, they voted for statehood, which is the "progresante" or republican party stand. Interesting. But I wasn't happy with that change either, because I thought Fortuno would be better than Alejandro, but nothing. :( Oh well... life moves on, right? Anyway, I haven't been transferred yet! Haha I've been here in Guayanilla for over 6 months now, that's more than 1/4 of my mission by the time it's over. But it's been good. :) We'll see what happens on the 21st, the day of transfers! And that looks like it was a ton of snow! Anyway, I hope you're doing alright, and know that I love you!

Dad - Well, the Halloween pictures look sweet! I like the new hearse inflatable! Anyway, I'm glad the Jazz beat the Lakers and the Suns!! And that BYU finally won one, goodness. And the mission experiences sound great, and I'm glad you had a good time in Formosa! 4 baptisms is pretty sweet. And I honestly cannot believe that the year mark is just around the corner. Elder Paxman hit it this week, and mine is in a few days. Yikes!

Marilee - Well don't let the snow get you down too much! Go out and have some fun! It's still hot and sunny here, although it rains a bunch too. But anyway I'll just keep riding around in the hot tropical sunshine! ;) Haha anyway, have fun in the snow!!

 

Anyway, an interesting week. A lot of piano to be honest. The mission has put together a small choir to sing around the island (our first performance is the 25th in a Catholic church!) and I've been asked to be the pianist. So I spent half of Wednesday up in San Juan in a practice, and I am spending basically all of Thursday up in Guaynabo doing the same. There are some really cool songs, and one is a mix of Canon and the First Noel. In Spanish! Really pretty. :) Also, Friday we had a really cool thing that I wish you could have seen. We had a concierto misional en Ponce, and Elder and Hermana Tesch invited me to play for them, so I played for about half an hour. I played Fur Elise, Waterfall, the Pink Panther (and improvisation), a John Williams Medley, some song I made up, a Pirates of the Caribbean Medley, and then I asked for somebody's favorite hymn and improvised on it and tried to bear my testimony through it. After, all the missionaries there sang Called to Serve. It was really cool. I missed you guys a bit that night, but I still had a blast. :) I have a few pictures, but I left my memory card in the house. :( So… next week haha.

Besides that, we had a hard time with investigators this week, because there is this couple who said they'd be at the concert, but didn't show up. And then they said they'd come to church and didn't show up there either. :\ We'll keep working with them though, and I hope it all works out well.

This week though, we have a fun activity planned for here in Guayanilla, and we're going to do a Tree of Life activity. I'll try and take a bunch of pictures of that, because it will be super fun. :) Haha anyway, besides all that, not much to report, and I'm kind of short on time at that (I'm 20 minutes over... whoops). But yeah, thank you so much! Oh, and one more thing, my oil vial key chain that holds my consecrated oil broke, and I lost the part with the oil in it so... if you could send a new one, I would greatly appreciate it! I don't know, maybe it couldn't handle the encounter it had with the demon. Who knows. Either way, I do need a new one haha. :)  

Anyway, thank you so much for all that you do, and for all your support. :) I love you all so much, and can't believe that a year ago I was making those preparations to leave. Wow! I can't believe it. The time passes so fast. Pretty soon I'll be taking the next steps of life! Terrifying! Haha no, just kidding. Kind of. Anyway, thanks for everything, and have a great week! I love you all!!

 

Con muchisimo amor,

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission