Week 83: 5 for Alma Who Came Back Alive! (Oh, and Welcome Pres. Smartt!!)

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!

Mom - 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).

Dad - 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?

 

With Sis. & Pres. Alvarado, E. Stout

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.

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. :)

 

At El Morro

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.

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!

With much love from sunny/rainy Puerto Rico,
--

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

Week 82: Farewell, President Alvarado!

Well, this was an emotional week for the mission, but I'll get there in a second.

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!
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?

Farewell to the Alvarado Family

Anyway, this week was pretty crazy. The Zone was really blessed and we had some stellar results. It was fantastic. 

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. 

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!

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.

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. 

I love you so so much. :)

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 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.