New companion Elder Wasdon from Rexburg, Idaho

May has come and gone

Hey Fam and Friends,

Another week come and gone. Lots of changes are goin on in the mission right now so its been crazy lately. The entire mission has been experiencing changes as we are preparing for the new mission president to come. Were now within 30 days before president and 8 leaders of the mission are all going home.

As for me and my Idahoan comp... we are doing really good. Were getting along really well and working really hard. We hardly had any investigators when I first came in so we are still doing the best we can to find new ones. We have a baptism planned for this saturday and 2 maybe 3 for this next week. It usually takes a week or two to get the tires spinnin and people getting in the water but I just love this ward so much. They bring friends to church, they leave to go visit with us all the time and all the newly arrived elders are always giving us tips and things that we can do better. I have loved EVERYTHING about being in this area. The only challenge lately is the RAIN... ugh! Weve had to turn back to the mindset of the Rainy season that every minute that we are out there in the rain working is only making our future wives more and more beautiful. Supposidly some apostle at one point when he came to this mission he promised that to all the missionaries so I guess you could consider it guaranteed. The lord helped me realize that just fighting through when the rain falls is when the lord throws those little miracles in our way. Many things happened to us this past week. On thursday I beleive in the rain we were rushing, nearly running, to get to an appointment that was pretty far away and as I passed a lady on the street, somthing made me take a double look and as I looked back and I saw lots of worry on her face, I was forced to stop and talk to her, as we talked to her she said she was awaiting an ambulance to go get her son because he was in really bad condition from some drugs he had taken and so we explained about the preistood and that we can give blessings and we insisted that she showed us the way to her house, as we showed up, the ladys VERY catholic grandma was there and did not want to let us in, and I dont know why but I told her that we really care about her grandson, we are servants of the lord and he has send us, therefore we CANNOT leave until we had given him a blessing and she just kind of shut her mouth and let us right in. We gave a short really simple blessing and he was immedietely calmed from a shaking problem that he had from a side effect of the drug and the grandma just put her hands over her mouth and got teary eyed. It wasnt 15 seconds after we had finished the prayer that the ambulance was honking out front to get him, they carried him off along with the grandma and we were left all alone and that was it. Me and a missionary from Costa Rica that I was with that day just looked at each other in pure astonishment as if we had just seen the hand of the lord... the truth is we just had. It gave me a very strong assurance once again, of the hand of the lord that is with us in this work. Even when its in times of hurry and when we least expect it, when the lord sends these tender mercies. The sad thing is we have not yet found that family so were not sure yet if it was for my wellbeing and to testify and teach something to me but we will have to see this week.

I know it was the lords hand that stopped me and told me to talk to that worried mom, it makes me want to be even more obedient with the little things so that we can see his had each and every day with things like that! Im trying to be the best missionary I can, its hard, but there are many great examples in my life of people I want to be more like! This is the true church, the lord lets me know that each and every day!!!

I love you all, im now out of time!!

I hope you all have felt that if we just put our intentions in the little promptings of the spirit, he will begin to throw people and his tender mercies right at us!

Love your Missionary

Elder Gardner

ps heres a couple random pics of me and my comp (From Rexburg ID), my hand after doing laundry, and my little princess... Mileydy... dont anybody steal that name, its the name of my first daughter, I love that name

IN THE BIG CITY

Hey Fam,

Well youve been waiting im sure to find out where Im headed. I got the call tuesday night when I was already packed up and ready to do, they told me I am going to the Capital City of Tegucigalpa... My new comp is named Elder Wasden from ID, He is actually in the mission office right now getting his Honduran Residency taken out and I dont remember what city hes from and we never did take a picture of us both.. for next week though. I was excited to leave but at the same time really sad cuz loved my last area and the people soooo much. I just didnt wanna leave the south yet becaus the south.. is just a different world and the people are so much different. Just in my first couple days here in the City... its been 15 times harder to get into the houses of these people. The last missionary that was here was sick of the area and was not a very good missionary im having to put Elder Wasden back to work and were having to really look for new people. Its super hard to get into these houses. In the south we never had to climb hills or anything like that, its all flat and not that im in the city, this whole city is just hills and climbing all over the place but its really good exercize I guess. For the first time in my mission though I am in a WARD wooooohh! We have a beautiful chapel too, ill work on getting some pictures this next week, I just try not to take it with me every day cuz were in kinda of a dangerous area where missionaries have had problems before. I cant even explain to you guys how huge of a blessing it is to be in a ward.. ah its like heaven. We have an incredible bishop that actually goes out and works, and visits with us and theres 8 x-missionaries in the ward, including one that went and served in the Boise ID mission, he speaks perfect enlish.. they are all part of team of ward missionaries too that help us a ton, every friday we visit with them, its awesome. For the first time on a sunday we didnt have to do anything to get the church or sacrament ready, the members actually did it. All we had to do was get the couple investigators that we found to church and the members were already there and had everything ready. My comp thought I was crazy when I was just super excited to see members working and helping us cuz thats all hes seen, and he seems to thing they dont do much but its huge for me. I love this new area. Its called La Reforma (The reform) or something like that. The members have their specific nights where they give us food and its all free, i was like an 18 year old girl with $1000 when I heard that the members gave us food, and for free.

I dont have much time right now cuz I gotta go get my comp from the office and buy some stuff today too but just know that I am super super stoked about being in this new area and house. Its a whole lot colder here though, I already have kind of a cold, runny nose, and sore throught cuz of our freezing water showers but I love it!!!

I love you all and want you to know that im super happy!!

Happy birthday Dani, your letter is on its way!ç

Love Elder Gardner