meeting Elder Wedemeyer and his mom Elise

Putting Angel Moroni on the temple

My new companion, Elder Cac from Guatemala

Buenos Dias Familia

Buenos Dias,

Well this week was kinda crazy, I still cant believe that all the changes were this week too. Nielsen is now in his house and it was a crazy last couple days for him. The ward did a big goodbye activity for him and it made me super baggy of course but the members let me know that they love me as well... so thats a good thing at least.

We got a lot of Latinos in our zone this change... its a total of 18 misionaries that we have now and 2 of them are sisters that are opening up one of the areas. My old comp Elder Martinson is in our zone now too.. opening an area and training a new missionary from Canada that speaks 3 languages.. spanish, english and french. Really good missionary.

Oh duh... and my new comp is Elder Cac from Guatemala. With this area, we have 3 areas that we have shared, or that we have both been in. So we talk a lot about the stuggles that we both had in our areas. We get along super well. We have the exact same time in the mission so thats better then being with someone who is getting ready to finish the mission.

We had a super cool experience on friday when we had the Zone Leader council with the Mission President and the Asistants. Its a council that we have every month to talk about baptism goals and all that good stuff. Well we had kind of a surprise that morning when they ended early, gave us subway sandwhiches and told us to get into a little bus cuz we were gonna go see the crowning of the Angel Moroni on the temple. Unluckly they had already put it on at noon on friday and we got there about 2 but there were a TON of members and people there. We were the only missionaries though. Supposidly people started getting there about 9 and just sang hymns. All the members testified in fast and testimony meeting of how spiritual it was there on top of the hill on the side of the temple. In fact that morning there was a Rainbow that came out and many members talked about it that was just incredible. The most defined rainbow they had ever seen in their lives. The bishops wife, one of my favorite members ever, just balled as she told about how the Rainbow surely was a sign of such a long awaited event in the history of the church here in Honduras and how the lord puts these beautiful things for everyone to see. It was a really emotional meeting for everyone there.

The bad news is that Hosman who just got baptized, and Jasmin his wife had some problems in their marriage that caused lots of stress for me. We went to go get them both for church at 8 yesterday morning and Hosman and left, he didnt even come home satuday night and that there was no way she was gonna go to church as she told us in tears. I didnt know what to do. We just told her we would pass by later that day. We were really worried cuz she has only been to church once and had the baptismal date for the 19th. We were really bummed that whole morning that we werent able to fulfil with what we awaited all week but when we went and saw her last night she said she still wants to get baptized but has no idea what to do about Hosman... they dont want to try to make it work.. too many economic problems and they have the poor little daughter not even 2 years old. We tried to do out best to comfort her but we will have to see if she read 2 Nefi 2 tonight. Keep her and Hosman in your prayers... there gonna need it.

Its been a week of lots of trials but a week of lots of lessons learned. We werent able to find any new investigators and we want to fulfil our goal of 2 this month we gotta find someone this week.

Despite all of that... I know for sure, maybe even more then ever that this is the true church. I love my family sooo much... you have no idea!!

I miss you all and always pray for you!! Thanks for everything!

Love Elder Gardner