It is Tough!

Hey Everyone,

This week was a tough one. I never told you guys last week but iv been recovering from a really bad rolled ankle thanks to these rocky roads that I walk down every day. We just never find time to take time off so that I can rest it and ice it so its been taking me a long time to recover. Im to the point where I can walk fun its just certain movements that it just shoots pain up my whole leg. On top of that... this marriage that we have been working so hard on to get to go though is not looking good anymore. The Husband of this family, the most positive and receptive one who we have been teaching for nearly 2 and a half months, he lost his job, which was preventing him from going to church, and so he got another one where they told him he could have every other off. When we were visiting with him this past week he seemed like he avoided us, and we just payed almost all the money for the marriage and when we went to see them friday... they wouldnt talk to us! I noticed a bunch of new things in the house and they told us they were being kicked out of their house and had to move in with his dad about 45 minutes outside of Buena Vista. However.. he told us he was gonna try to go to church on Sunday. Me and Elder Lopez got up early sunday morning to get as many people we could to church and he was one of the last ones so that we could literally walk with us to the church, but they just had their kids sit in front of the house and lie to us that they werent there when I had seen him from a distance around the back of the house. I am still really confused at why we couldnt get this to work but were still fighting to just meet with them one more time cuz as it is, the marriage is still set for this thursday. I just want one more chance to ask them what it is thats holding them back, but at the same time I dont want to force anyone to do anything. Id rather just say I waisted 400 limps (20 bucks) then to force them into something.

The other hardest thing about this area that has been really difficult for us to fix is trying to get the members to work with us!! I teach sunday school every sunday and when I do I try to tie everything into the importance that the members are in this area. They have no idea what visiting teaching is and weve been working hard to organize everyone into companionships because not even my companion, let alone the leaders that we have even understood what Home Teaching is. Ive had to teach them and were still fighting to get the people to just leave once a week to go visit a less active family but they just cant seem to do it. I wish I could tell you that there was something amazing and good that happened to us this week but this one was tough! Ive promised the lord and my companion though that this week, which could be my last because of changes, Im gonna work super hard so that we can get NEW investigators. Im sorry i dont have anything good or exciting for you guys this week!

I cant believe General Conference is here again!! I have never been so excited for it then how excited I get for it here in the mission. Im just hoping that we can see it in english here in the south, in Teguc there wouldnt be a problem but here there may be. We still dont even know if there is gonna be room to fit everyone in this one chapel where were planned to go. Its gonna be interesting. This week is gonna be a lot of visiting with members, Active and not just reminding them of this most exciting time of the year in the church.

You should all know that just because my area is hard, we dont have baptisms, and the members dont help, its not bringing me down, im still happy and I have a smile on my face! Every area has its ups and its downs and I just have to accept the fact that the lord is trying to teach me something and I just need to endure!! Ive learned a lot about humility and the need of bringing myself closer to the lord. Ive been studying every now and then about the Teaching of Joseph Smith and I just wanna testify to you that he really was a prophet, there are so many people here that are super Judgemental and hard-hearted against the Mormons... I dont think you would understand because I sure as heck had never heard of some of the things they say about the Mormons. I know he was a prophet and I have learned a ton about the revelations and things he taught from what ive read!!

I love you all soo much and I no longer have time but I hope you enjoy the photos of the kid were teaching that some how got a Idaho Falls shirt, of me and our zone when Elder Martino from the 70 came to speak to us, and the pic of the zone when we went to the beach for p-day!!

Muuuaaahhhh!!! XOXO

Love Elder Gardner