Busy, Busy!

Hey Everyone, Well im not sure where to start with this email. I have lots of good news and lots of just crazy things that have happened to me lately. Ill start first with just saying that I love being ZL and all but its a whole lot easier to just be a normal missionary and not worry about babysitting 16 others. Sometimes litteraly babysitting. We really do have a good zone of missionaries though, it could be worse anyways. So this whole week we knew was gonna be super busy and that we would hardly have anytime to work in our area because of all the marriage papers we have to deal with for the Elderes in our zone. Ever since our marriage last month with the family that we completed and baptized, I had to learn the whole process on my own, and being the only one in the zone that knows how to marry someone here in the city, weve been doing all the run arounds trying to marry 4 different familes this month, and some for the next. In our own area, we hardly have anyone that were teaching cuz we never have time to be here in our own area working on our own people, just one family, who as a DL last change, I did the interview of the wife for the ZLs, but that day the husband, Emilio, decided that baptism wasnt for him. As I came into the area we reput the baptismal date with him and he just got baptized on Saturday. It was a very special baptism. Emilio isnt like any other Honduran, he is as tall as me and about 300 pounds, a very big guy and me and Elder Neilsen were both worried about who would baptize him, and how. Well after the interview, he asked me if I would baptize him. I was worried about not being able to get him up out of the water, but it went really well. It was hard, but we only had to do it once and he left the water just saying a prayer that the lord would accept his baptism and the spirit in the at freezing cold water in the baptismal font just really touched me as he turned and gave me a big hug and telling me that he really does want to change. It was definately a baptism that I will never forget. I never thought that such a big tough guy like him would turn at a 20 year old young missionary and say words like that. I just told him, you already have changed by making this decision, your a new man, born again. He just started telling me GRACIAS, GRACIAS! This was an experience that for me, even writing it to all of you right now was just unbelievable. With all the problems that he has had in his life, smoking, drinking, and abusive 24 year old son that just 2 days before his baptism he had to go get him out of jail, and all the stress that it caused for him and his recent convert wife, with only one leg and has to be taken in a wheel chair everywhere she goes. This is a family that I will never forget. The Family Molina!! This sunday.. was, and probably will be the only sunday where we did not have to worry about investigators. I dont think I told you guys last week but yesterday was the dedication of the temple in El Salvador and instead of having church, they were going have every chapel in central america be an extension of the temple in El Salvador and only members, worthy to enter the temple, could go. Because of this we had to baptize and confirm Emilio the same day yesterday so that he would be able to come. There was 3 different sessions of the dedication and us as missionaries got to go to each one, all being different but only by very little. President Eyring was there and dedicated the temple, because it was the Prophet Monsons birthday yesterday so he assigned President Eyring to do the dedication. It was an awesome experience for all of us, and especially for all the recent converts of the church. We left the dedication yesterday just saying ...how is this not the true church?? Theres now way it cant be, and if only the other people would just take the time to see, and get to know the church the way it is, we just cant seem to get the people to do so. If anything though, everything about this past week, and especially weekend was just a sureness and strengthening of my testimony that this church is true!! I have written way too much though, but I want you all to know how much I love you all sooooooo very much! Welcome Home Iggy!! I love you bro!! Love Elder Gardner