Week 88: Two Baptisms, A Wedding and a Testimony

A good week this week. :)

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 :)
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!

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.

With Kate and Berto's family

Kate and Berto's wedding

               
                                                                                          

Anyway, we had a pretty great week, even though 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!

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.

Eridania's baptism

Berto's baptism

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!!

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!!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

Week 86: New (and Maybe Last?) Assignment! (Or Out of Left Field)

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. 

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!! :)

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.

 

E. Gardner, E. Mello

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."

Uh oh. 

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?

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.

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. :)

Needless to say, I'm excited to teach with Elder Mello! He's a great guy, really humble, and we get along great.

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. :)

Elder Kimball Ray Gardner

Puerto Rico San Juan Mission

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