HOLA HOLA

Hola 

Not much has happened since I last talked to you guys.  The other day some hooligans egged our front door... that wasnt very nice.  We have cambios this wednesday so will see if I stay or they send me to some other part of Chile.  This area is really frustrating because the members get into little arguments all the time.  Its like junior high.  The Elders Qorum president has gone inactive and hasnt come to church for 3 weeks now.  There are some really strong members here though and there are a couple really awesome families.  Theres a huge golden retriever hanging out next to me.  Weve been staying in the house of the other sector because its bigger and the ting to download the pictures is in mine so Ill send you a bunch of pictures next week I promise.  I gave my Drago a beard. Thats about all thes happened this week.  Christmas was fun but the Christmas spirit was lacking cause were in a small town,  Everyone is in summer vacations so there are fewer people here but most of our converts and investigaors are here which is sweet.

   

Can you please send me my family tree cause were going to start helping the fmaily Cornejo start theirs. Weve been doing a ton of service recently at least 2 times a week we have a project to do. its been painting recently.  WEve painted like 5 houses and the other day I built a door and made a roof.  Im like Bob the Builder.  

   

Chileans also love giving menew names.  The most recent one is peluche which means stuffed animal. I dont know why but apparently I look like a stuffed animal.  

  

I love you guys and miss you guys.  Thanks for everything and next time I talk to you it will be 2015! Wooohooo!!! HAPPY NEW YEARS

Elder Gardner

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Hello,

This week flew by.  We had intercambios con the zone leaders Tuesday.  I stayed here in Los Vilos with Elder Enright. It was really fun. Then Friday we had the meeting with President which was crazy.  They are making so many changes for 2015.  This year we are no longer counting the number of lessons, books, and all those numbers.  We only have 2 numbers that we count. Bautismos and the overall attendance at church for the ward or branch.  

We also got a bunch of gifts.  The first was a thing of cookies and the second was a sweet pendrive with all the videos from the lessons, the Mormon messages and all the forms and stuff.  Everyone here has smart TVs.  They may have a dirt floor but they got a big flat screen.  So its now a lot easier to share all the videos.  

We ate some empanadas and the assistants to the president really like me so they gave me an extra empanada.  We talked about a bunch of things but my 3 favorite parts were when we did this one Christmas thing where we would sing some verses from a hymn and then read some verses out of the bible and t was about Christmas it was cool.  Then when we watched the El es la Dadiva video,  but the best part was when we watched the gracias a el video. or because of  him (for those of you who don't know the Spanish)  Its like a spiritual atomic bomb.  

It was really fun.  I got to hangout with the other Elder Gardner and were best friends now and enjoy sitting next to each other to confuse people. We arrived at the church at 830 and didn't leave until after 6 it was a very long conference.  

I love the 12 days of Christmas.  Thanks its the best!  I finally got the Thanksgiving package but I haven't got the other one yet.  Does it say that it has arrived yet or not. And when did you send it?   

We are going to spend Christmas eve night with the Family Cornejo.  Its going to be awesome Ill make sure to take a bunch of pictures and send them to you Don't worry mom.  

Ill Skype you guys Christmas at around 4:00 (Chile time)  

I also was wondering if you could email me some workouts or something, so I have something more exciting to do in the morning for exercises.  

Thanks I love you guys and I hope you have a great Christmas.  Ill talk to you guys later this week...over Skype!!!! Love you guys!!  Remember the true meaning of Christmas!

Love

Elder Gardner

HEY

This week flew by super and the next 2 weeks will go by faster cause we have so many things happening.  Everyone in Los Vilos is out of town or at the beach so it was really hard to find people to teach.  We have one investigator that is progressing named Nicolas.  Hes 16 and wants to be baptized but were still trying to get permission from his dad.  He studies in Illapel which is an hour a way and comes to church here so we only see him sundays.  We have an investigator named Jimena.  Shes has changed a lot.  She was very depressed when e found her and almost took her life a couple times but she is really happy now.  She reads and prays everydays but she has only come to church 1 these last 10 weeks weve been teaching her because she gets really nervous around people and work also.  Wve been doing a lot service here.  Everyone wants us to pain there house and were really not the good of painters but we do have fun painting all the cats that walk by us.  For some reason every missionary in Chile cant help ut try to annoy and mess with every cat that they see.  Its how we entertain ourselves.

    

We have the conference with President this friday and i might get the packages then Im not sure.  I realy hope they come. But ive only gotten the big package so far. Not the other two.  i liked the twinkies and the poster.  I have it hanging up in our study room. 

     

Everything is going well.  My companion and I get along well and we work well together.  We havent really had too much success with the card yet but were giving them out to people.  I dont have much information about skype yet but I will get it friday and tell you monday but can you sendme the skype username that I should call. 

    

Thats cool that Mason got a job and he should learn to speak cambodian.  I am super excited for Christmas and skyping you guys. 

    

I am super tired right...   I need a nap. 

  

 I love you guys and I miss you guys.  Yo se que Dios nos ama "porque de tal manera Dios amo al mundo, que ha dado su hijo unigenito para que a todo aquello en el cree no se pierda mas tanga vida eterna"  I love you guys and I hope you guys all have a great week.

Love

Elder Gardner

HEY

Its starting to get hard to write stuff because the same thing happens every week.  Last monday we had a noche de hogar with the family cornejo and we put up their christmas tree and decorated it with them.  For Christmas here in Chile they stay up late christmas eve and open presents at midnight.  There are a few house with a few lights in their window or a christmas tree so thats fun.  They also bought some nutella when they were in viña and it was so awesome.  Ive missed nutella.

Today is a holiday in Chile kind of like labor day so a bunch of people have work off so at 1 were going to go play soccer at the church with some members inactive members and investigators.  Drago is going to bring the pain. 

Next week we should be having the conference with preidente kahnlein which is always awesome because that means a lot of food and hes going to give us a christmas present. 

Last monday the internet was down in the western union place and its closed today so Ill get the money tomorrow and it should work.  La U won the championship here and sop it got a little crazy and they partied all night long and it was hard to sleep. 

I had an awesome expierince saturday.  I lost my credit card last monday (and just for the record thats the only thing that Ive lost so far)  and ive been looking for it all week.  Saturday after lunch we went across the street to the church to start our fast and on of the things I was fasting for was to find my card.  We left the church and starting walking to our house and 2 minutes later this lady stops us and tells me that they found my credit card at their store and I can come by and pick it up whenever. I was like wooowww.  It was awesome and I thoguht to myself "Wow Heavenly Father loves me" and my face probably looked the face spongebob makes in that one episode when he gets squidward to eat the krabby patties and says "you like krabby patties dont you. haha

And yeah we are passing out cards this minth that say el es la dadiva.  Or he is the gift.  I know that Christ was a gift to us and we need to use his atonement in our lives more.  And I know that he loves us all. 

Wow its getting hard to write in english

I love you guys and miss you guys and I hope you are all doing well!!!

Love

Elder Gardner

HOLA HOLA

sup

    

I don't know what happened all I know was that I got miraculously healed.  I remember being really sick and the remembering feeling perfectly fine and I don't know what happened but its awesome and all your prayers for me were answered.  

    

This week nothing too exciting happened.  Nicolas wasn't baptized cause his dad wants him to wait a little bit longer so were going to baptize him the end of December but he's still coming to church so we just have to wait a couple more weeks.  I get hit on a lot during lessons and I really don't like it.  They all call me the Rubio now.  

    

During intercambios with Elder Haws we found some Scottish dude and we taught him in English and it was kind of hard.  He was about 70 years old and was born in Chile, his parents were from Scotland and he went to Scotland and served in the army over there, moved to new mexico and then back to Chile and he had a slight Scottish accent.  It was pretty cool.  

   

I got my package this week and hid it under my bed so I don't open it.  Thanks for sending me the money.  I'll go and try to get it today or next pday whenever I have time.  For thanksgiving we went and ate a completo and that's about it. pretty boring.  Yeah well get to skype on Christmas in a members house so that'll be awesome and I'll prepare myself for your tears mom.  Everything is going good.  This week were getting special Christmas cards to give to people about the new Mormon message video. El es la Dádiva.  in English its he is the gift or something like that.  I dont have much exciting stuff to say and i dont have any pictures so sorry but thanks I love you guys!  yo se que vive Jesucristo!  Cuidense y les quiero

Chao Chao

love

Elder Gardner

ps sit on mason some more for me   

CHILE IS TRYING TO KILL ME!

This week was rough to say the least.  I got really sick last Monday and I'm still sick.  Lets just say bad things are happening inside my digestive track and I have an infection in my intestines.  I have a hard time eating and sleeping and I've lost a lot weight.  I've tried to keep on working buts its been really hard.  I'm starting an antibiotic now so hopefully by the end of this week I'll start feeling better.  I'm really good friends with the misión nurse now, Hermana Cluff from Mesa Arizona.  And at least the fleas stopped eating me.

   

I'm still in Los Vilos with Elder Recinos,  but Elder Morales left and our new district leader is Elder Haws from Utah. Hes really cool and this is his last transfer in the misión. I don't like Los Vilos anymore because it likes to get me sick. 

     

We should be having another baptism this weekend a 16 year old named Nicolas.  Hes awesome.  We just need to get permisión from his parents and hes ready to go.  He already wants to serve a misión and everything.  We've also been helping out this 20 year old in our Ward who was baptized a year ago.  Before a}he got baptized he was smoking 120 cigarettes a day!!! He started smoking a few months after his baptism but hes quitting for good now.  His name is Juon and hes a funny guy.

      

Nothing really exciting or interesting happened this week.  I didn't feel an earthquake or maybe I did and just thought hat it was my stomach I don't know.  I'm pretty far away from Viña.  Christmas is coming up son and the stores are full of Christmas things and next week were going to help the family Cornejo put up Christmas lights.  Everyone still thinks I look like Drago.  I have picture of me and the other Elder Gardner and the 2 Elder Morales.  We thought it was kind of funny

    

I'm pretty sure the Western Unión will work and I know where it is so we can try that.  For Christmas we go to a members house and Skype from there so that will be fun. 

   

Yeah that's about all that happened this week.  I love you guys and miss you guys!!

Chao Chao

Elder Gardner

2 Elder Gardner's and 2 Elder Morales'

I'VE GOT THE FLEAS!

Hola Hola

Yeah the fleas finally got me here in Chile and my legs are really itchy but its getting better and Ill live.  This week we had another baptism and honestly I dont how but it happened.  There has been this one lady thats been going to church and investigating the chirch for 2 years named Milena.  But she couldnt be baptized because she was coliving with her boyfriend. But they broke up a month ago and finally told us llast sunday and she was able to get baptized yesterday.  Pretty crazy

   

We had a zone conference and i finally got the letter from Grandma Chaunie.  That's all I've gotten so far. Is there more or no?  There is another Elder Gardner in my zone and we like to sit right next to each other to confuse people.  Saturday was the last day with one of the Hermanas in my district because shes finishing here mission and heading back to Argentina.  We ate ice cream as a district and with our ward mission leader Diego.  Who is super funny and likes to try to speak English with me.  He has a guitar and I got to play it.  

    

This Wednesday we have cambios and there's a chance I could go or stay you never know.  But Im pretty sure Elder Morales will leave cause hes been here for 6 months.  Hes my little Peruvian friend.  He really wants to learn English and tries to peak it with me and its really funny sometimes.  

    

Now here are some weird things about Chile.  They only drink the evaporated powder milk stuff here.  I haven't had really milk in months and its sad.  There are tons of stores here that claim to sell "american clothes"...there not american clothes.   All the flites here (which is what they call the stoner type people here)  think its hilarious when we walk by to yell "ELDER ELDER ELDER" and when we look they yell "Elder de a lado!"  They think its hilarious...but its not.  Also we found this place really close to our house that sells soft served swirl cones for 400 pesos.  Its awesome.  

    

This week flew by and its almost Christmas. Wow.  I love you guys and I miss you and I know that the church is true.

   

Ciao Ciao

Elder Gardner

HOLA

Hola

Como le ha ido?  

This week we had 3 baptismal services and it was crazy.  Wednesday we baptized Hector and he was like a little kid all smiling afterwards.  Then Saturday the family Cornejo.  I baptized the daughter Catalina and Sunday during sacrament meeting I confirmed her and gave her the holy ghost that was really awesome.  They were a ton of people that came and brought food and Hma and Elder Schramm (a couple that used to be in our district before they left for viña) came and brought a bunch of food.  They are the probably the greatest family in Chile and I love their little 2 year old Maxi.  Hes really funny.  They are the first full family to be baptized in this Branch in I don't know how long.  At least 2 or 3 years.  They are planning on going to the temple in a year and the only time President gives permission to go to the temple is with our converts for the first time, so I hope I am able to go with them in a year.  

   

Marcos is really funny (especially is laugh which is more like a giggle)  and hes kinda shy and gets super nervous when he has to give the prayer at church.  They love to feed us completos so that's awesome.

  

And Sunday after church we baptized Oscar and Diogo.  I baptized Oscar and Sunday I will confirm him.  Their families came to support them and it was really nice.  Its very very rare to have this many baptisms so we are really grateful.  Most people have this many in a year and we had 6 in a week.  It was crazy.    I'll attach a bunch of pictures to this email.

    

I had intercambios with the other Elder in our ward Elder Duran who is from Santiago.  At night we stopped by some hamburger spot and got this super good hamburgers.  

    

My health is a lot better and yeah they do use sunscreen here and I have been using it and it does help a little bit.  The weird thing is that my face turns really red whenever I eat and then 30 min after lunch it goes back to normal.  We've been trying to figure out what it is but we have no idea.

   

I tried to pull money out of account the other day and it didn't work.  So can you please get that figured out with the bank please.  Yes I am able to see all the pictures that you send me.  I have another suggestion for Christmas so I hope its not too late, and the package just needs to arrive here a little bit before the 10th of December.  So if it gets here by the first couple days of December that's perfect.  I would like a little MP3 player stuffed with music.  We are allowed to listen to all church hymns, church music, and anything that would be appropriate for sacrament meeting and also Classical music.  Plus a speaker thing for it.  I really miss music and I would love a bunch of classical music especially classical guitar music, and stuff like that.  I hope that's not too much to ask for.  And when I say stuff it, I mean stuff it! You can use your judgement (i think Jeremy could be of some use hear haha) for what is good I trust you guys but some requests are this one guy I forget his name I think its yirum or something like that.  I also heard there is a version of in dreams from lord of the rings by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir  I don't know if that's true or not but BUSQUELO!

   

And Reeses.... a lot of Reeses.

Chileans all wish they were American so they have a bunch of stuff from america here so i can find pretty much anything here.  And to celebrate next pday were going to get a ton of ice cream and cookies. eat it get fat and then sleep.  

   

Thank you guys so much I love you guys and miss you guys.  I know the church is true and i know that families can be together forever.  I love you guys

Ciao Ciao

here is me with that burger in the elders pension wearing one of his colo colo jerseys and i took the picture of the beach from the front door of the member wih whom we have lunch with evey wednesday. Pretty diabolical

Elder Gardner

    

SUP?

This week I got sick again... Los Vilos doesn't like me.  I had a fever of about 102 on Saturday but I got a blessing and was able to work all day.  Aint no rest for the righteous.  I still have a sinus affection but im doing a lot better.  I honestly dont even remember what happened this week.  

   

They celebrate Halloween here and all the kids dress up and go trick or treating.  We had an activity in the church with the branch that was pretty fun. I've been able to find a couple guitars here and play them which has been pretty awesome.  

   

Were baptizing a ton of people this week.  First off Wednesday were baptizing a 22 year old named Hector.  He has a slight mental problem but hes really good and his grandma was baptized a few months ago.  Saturday were baptizing the Family Cornejo. I found out that the mom has a cousin who's in Provo right now cause she married a return missionary.   and Sunday were baptizing two 10 year old boys who named Diogo and Oscar.  Its gonna be an insane week.  

    

Christmas suggestions are some reeses because they dont exist down here.... which is quite a lugubrious quandary.  And candy and whatever else you want to send me.  Im fine with anything!

   

Sounds like the Hawks struggled at the end of their season without their tight end.  I can only imagine Coach Wahlheims speeches.  I'm sure they great.    

  

I'm also glad to hear I'm missed at the YMCA.  I feel so appreciated now.  

   

I live in a house and its 2 stories but its really small and kinda crappy.  From what Ive heard so far ive gotten 2 of the worst pensions so far. but from the  room where we study I can look out the window and see the ocean.  Also the sunsets here are pretty awesome Ill attach a picture.  Today I got a haircut and we're going to go eat at the Mayfer where they have hamburgers that are absolutely bomb diggity. 

   

They eat a lot of seafood here in Vilos and it is good but slightly strange looking sometimes.  Like yesterday I had a fried fish and it still had the ail but it was really good.  Also ive had a squid an other sea tingy empananda called marasco or something like that.  Im doing good and Im hoping that i wont get sick anymore.  

    

I got a haircut this morning and my hair is turning more blonde here.  The sun here is really strong, its not hot but you get destroyed if you don't wear sunscreen.  or at least i do cause I'm white...

I love you guys and I miss you guys.  Stay awesome.  I know that what I am doing is the work of the lord and where I am is exactly where the lord wants me to be.  Love you guys

CiaoCiao 

Elder Gardner

HOLA

Hola todos!

   

This week flew by.  The family didn't get baptized because they were really busy with work and school and they want their baptism to be a peaceful happy day so we moved it to Nov. 8.  They were able to assist sacrament meeting though and they are still going strong.  This week i had intercambios con Elder Morales again and it was awesome.  Tomorrow I have intercambios con los lidered de x}zona.  I am going to be with Elder Santillan who was the presidents assistant last transfer so hes an awesome missionary and I'm excited to learn a lot from him.  He looks kinda like a slightly chubby version of Jacob from Twilight and all the members make fun of him for it.  

   

I got a little sick the other day with a bad stomach ache and I was really tired and weak and light headed and I was giving the closing prayer fro one of our lunches and I almost passed out so that was fun.  But i got a blessing and I'm doing a lot better now.  Believe it or not I'm actually very organized and neat here but I'm not gonna lie my companion is kind of a slob but it doesn't really bother me.  

    

For service this week we painted someones house and Ill attach some pictures of that.  I think sometime this transfer im going to buy a soccer jersey or two.  Here in Chile there are 2 big soccer clubs that everyone is obsessed about the U and Colo Colo.  I might get a colo colo jersey or a chile jersey I'm not sure.  Also here 1 us dollar is just under 600 Chilean pesos so now spending $1000 for a completo seems really cheap. 

   

In Chile they do celebrate Halloween and I'm pretty sure they go trick or treating too but I'm not sure.  Ill tell you next week.  As far as sleeping goes I do have a little trouble falling asleep but its not that much of a problem.  The real problem here is how low there doors are I hit my head all the time and I always have a bump because of it.  I need to get better at ducking. Ill work on that 

    

Also you should look up and make completos, empanadas, churrasco, soaopillas  and other chilean food.  Its really good but it might make you fat. Also french fries...Chileans love their papas fritas.

   

I love you guys and I miss you guys.  I know that the church is true and that Jesus Christ lives and is our Savior.  Les Quiero!  Ciao Ciao

Love

Elder Gardner

here are the pictures i hope you guys dig the hat. Elder Morales is next to me.  Hes from Peru and Elder Duran is on the ladder and hes from Santiago.    The sun here is really strong and I get sunburned and they make fun of me cause I'm white and turn into a tomato

.

HOLA

Hola 

Im still alive dont worry we just had pday on tuesday because we had interviews with President yesterday.  President Kahnlein is so awesome. The interview was reall good and so was the last week. THANK YOU for the package I finally got it!!!!  Iliked the card and all the candy.  I also didnt think I  would ever bethat excited to get post it notes and mechanical pencils before but yeah.

   

For some reason everyone here in Los Vilos think I look like the Russian from Rocky, Drago or something like that.  Ive had like 4 or 5 different people tell me...must be because of my biceps idk...  Its probably just cause im white.  

    

To answer your guys questions, we have debit cards that they use to pay us.  Here most places take card which is good but the only ATM thats close to us here has been out of service but we got some csh out while in Illapel for the zone conference.   We have a zone conference the second wednesday of everymonth and thats when w get our packages and mail so plan accordingly.   Alsowe have a branch here and about 50ish people attend each week but there are about 500 less active people here which is really sad.  Theres about a 8 or 9% activation rate here...

   

Buuut this sunday we are baptizing a family!!!!!  If you looked up in the oxford dictionary ¨family of gold¨ there would be a picture of them.  Marco, Soledad, Catalina and Maxi.  MArco is a firefighter and has a really funny laugh, Soldead is the mom and Ctalina is about 9 and MAxi about 5.  They love to read the book of mormon and go to church and give us food. All great things.   

    

This week has gone by pretty fast and this next week will go by faster cause next pday is only in 6 days.

    

Ummmmmmmmmm...yeah thats about it.

I love you guys and miss you guys.  The church is true.

Ciao!

Love

Elder Gardner 

HOLA FROM LOS VILOS

Hola

  

I got transferred Wednesday up to Los Vilos.  It was a 3 hour bus ride north and its pretty awesome here.  The ocean is really close and we are surrounded by mountains, fields, and the ocean.  Its a lot more tranquil here and the dogs arent evil here which is good.

   

My companion is Elder Recinos.  Hes a good missionary but sometimes it feels like I’m training him instead of the other way around but he’s pretty awesome.  He’s from Los Angeles, 24 years old, born and raised in Compton and used to be an amatuer UFC fighter.  He's kind of a thug but he’s really cool and is a good missionary.  

   

As far as my birthday went....I HAD MY FIRST BAPTISM. that was pretty sweet. His name is Jaime, his family was baptized almost a year ago and he finally decided to be baptized.  I don’t really know him that well but we have a lesson with him tonight.  We also are teaching this other family that’s really good and they’re going to get baptized this month.  There are another group of elders that live really close and one of them is the district leader from Peru, Elder Morales.   I had intercambios with him the other day and he’s really obedient and awesome.  We eat lunch with them and a member everyday.  

   

Also for my bday before I left Villa Alemana I bought a big thing of ice cream and ate it.  It was diabolical, and I now know how to make Chilean bread.  I’ll make you guys some when I come home.  I’m not gonna lie, I really miss In n Out but the other day I had this really really good burger.  They like burgers and fries here a lot.  I have french fries with almost every meal.  

   

Tomorrow morning I have a zone conference and I will finally get my package then!! WOOHOO.  I’m excited.  My spanish has improved so much this last week its awesome!  I miss you guys and I love you guys

Ciao Ciao!

Love 

Elder Gardner

here's pictures of the baptism our pet dogs in my last sector

HOLA HOLA!

Hello everyone

This week was awesome with general conference.  There was a room in the stake center where all the gringos gathered and we got to watch it english it was awesome.  It was so cool how the had the people speak in their native tongues. Especailly that one cantanese guy.  During the spanish talks we ran into the back of the chapel and listened to the spanish ones. That was awesome!  My favorite talk was the one by the German guy, Klebingat I think was his name.  I also really liked all of Uchtdorfs, Monsons and Eyrings.  To be honest I liked them all.  Unfortunately none of our investigators came besides one, but he doesnt live in our sector so he doesnt really count...  The other elders in our ward baptized a family in between the 2 sunday conference sessions.  

    

Im gonna tell you a little bit more about my area.  There are like 3  different areas.  The top of the hill are where the evil dogs and druggies linger.  There are a many houses that have dirt floors and look like they are about to fall down.  More down the hill (where our house is) is a little more nicer.  It looks kinda trashy and there are some dirt roads. As you get closer to the city plaza it gets nicer and nicer and its pretty nice down there.  Now let me tell you a little anecdote... One day I was walking down a street a little more up the hill than our hose and I hear a loud engine roaring and I thought it was just some beat up car with an upgraded exhaist and then all of a sudden I see this crazy nice red Ferrari fly past me  and almost hit me and I was like "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!"  It was so unexpected.  It was so diabolical.  

      

Things are going good here and I am healthy and still alive.  This was a good week and the end of the cambio is wednesday so I could get transferred or get a new companion wednesday.  Ill let you know next week...when Im officially 19! What what.

    

Today someone in the ward is going to teach us how to make Chilean bread, and I think for my bday Im going to get a little ice cream or cake thing from the pateleria thats not to far from our house.  I really dont want much for my birthday but thanks to everyone who wrote me or gave me money for my bday! Love you guys!!!   

    

We get packages whenever we have zone conferences but if we have a transfer theres a chance I could get it this wednesday but if not then next wednesday.  Thanks for sending me that!  

   

I know that President Thomas S Monson is a prophet of God and so are all the apostles.  I know the Book of Mormon is true and just like they said yesterday in conference that obedience really is freedom.  I hope you guys are doing well and I love you guys and I miss you guys!!!!!

Ciao Ciao!!!

Love

Elder Gardner

heres pictures from the last zone conference with president theres more pictures on the blog 

SUP

Como Estais?

This week went by pretty fast.  On wednesday we had a zone conference with President Kahnlein which was awesome.  It was from 8am to 430pm. They talked about developing Christ like attributes, and how we have to be valient.  It was prtty awesome.  They gave us a lot of pizza too which was awesome.  Im doing well and I havent got sick but this week was filled with a plethura of priesthood blessings,  I think in total this week we gave 4 or 5 I cant even remember.   One of the harmanas in our district was sick so we had to go over there and give her a blessing.  And her companion is so awesome.  Her name is Hermana Oulleque snd she used to be a captain in the Colombian army...She could probably kill me.

    

Tomorrow we have intercambios con nuestro lidered de zona. sera genial!  The Chilean Miley Cyrus is so awesome.  Shes only like 19 or 20 but shes the coolest.  She said she wants to be baptized and shes planning on getting married to her paololo soon.  So thats awesome.  She loves reading and reads everyday! But shes not going to be here for this week because believe it or not shes out of town all week in Santiago cause shes going to a Miley Cyrus concert haha.  Constanza is making progress too.  

This guy sitting next to me is playing league of legends and the look of pure determination on his face is probably the funniest thing Ive ever seen.  He has the eye of the tiger.  I hope he wins.  An interesting thing about Chile is that there are a lot of trucks that drive around and play the ice cream truck song but instead of selling ice cream they sell propane gas.  Thats Chile for ya.  

    

My spanish is getting better and I can pretty much understand everyone as long as they have teeth...and thats why I still have a little difficulty understanding them, they are missing a lot of teeth.    

 I wasnt attacked by any dogs this week so thats always a good thing and its finally starting to get hot here.  Thats awesome that youre 16 now Mason and the pictures that you sent me made me really want cake. I hope you had a great birthday!

   

Im pumped for general conference or as they say it here conferencia general.  We get to watch it in english too!  I cant wait.  Its going to be awesome.  I hope you guys are all doing well.  I love you guys and I miss you guys.  Yo se que la iglesia es verdadera y que Dios nos ama.  Yo se que Thomas S Monson es un profeta de Dios y lo que el nos dira sera de Dios.  Escuchenlo!  Les Amo

Que le vaya muy bien! Ciao!!!

Love

Elder Gardner

HOLA TODOS

This week flew by pretty fast.  We had a good week and it was pretty awesome with the dieceocho!  So much food!  There was an activity friday at la capilla.  They danced the cuaca which is there little dance thing which was pretty cool.  Then we ate so much.  I had some soup thing with a giant chicken leg.  And for salad here they justeat tomotos and i am starting to really love tomatoes.  They dont bother my allergies here which is awesome.  They also never use salad dressing here.  Then I had some dessert which was a peach. Then I had 2 choripans which are awesome they are like hotdogs but with chorizo and mayo on top.  They love mayo here and put it on everything.  Then i had 3 big empanadas and 2 kabobs of meat.  It was so awesome.

  

"hay pan" translated to English means there is bread.  That's the name of the stores that are everywhere and they are like small convenience stores with fresh bread.   Diabolical.

   

The Chilean Miley Cyrus attended church for the 3 straight week now she only needs to get married to her paololo (which is the Chilean world for boyfriend)  Its awesome! Shes so awesome!  Also we have another investigator that's just a little older than me.  Her name is Constanza and shes awesome too.  She loves American music like Imagine Dragons and 30 seconds to mars and shes also finishing up school to become an English professor so she can speak English which is awesome.  She almost got baptized a while ago but they changed her mind right before it.  Shes starting to gain a testimony and I think she will get baptized soon.  Everyone here is sick with a cold thing that is going around and shes been sick for a few days and we started talking about priesthood blessings and we ended up giving her one and she asked me to give it.  So i gave my first bedicion de salud en español last night and it was an awesome experience! Genial! 

    

I meet the devil the other day!  It was the crazy big dog that was insane.  Missing patches of fur and had blood all over his face and he wanted to eat us.  We had to get past him to get to the door of this one house and we had to go so slowly that it took us about 3 min to go 25 yards but God protected us and right by the door he lunged at me and stepped out of the way and he flew into a shed and we locked him in there.  The family was so impressed with our bravery I think that was why they let us in.  I thought I was gonna die! EL DIABLO!   

    

We also teach this little 8 year old who was just baptized named Paolo.  Hes so awesome.  He lives with his aunt who is our neighbor and a member.  Shes the lady that almost fed me a spider but besides that one incident the food she makes is absolutely genial  (that means brilliant)  

  

Were getting really tired of the evangelicos here...that's all I got to say about them...

It was an awesome week and sorry I dont have any pictures today but next week I promise.  

  

I love you guys and I miss you guys.  I hope you are all doing well and have an awesome semana! Cuidense! Que le vaya bien! Ciao!

Love 

Elder Gardner

HOLA

This week went by pretty fast.  Its starting to get warmer and this week is the week long party they have starting the 17 and ending the 21.  So htat will be fun but I am not sure how much work we will be able to get in with all that.

   

The highlight of the week was intercambios friday.  I went with one of our zone leaders named Elder Mickelson.  Hes a kind of nerdy kid from Idaho but hes super funny.  The members we were supposet to have lunch with forgot to make something so they took us out.  For some reason they have a lot of restaurants that sell both sushi and pizza.  It was so good and they were also fluent in english so that was awesome.  

   

The food here is always really good except for the occasional spider that crawls out of your duranza. haha  Its really easy to get fat here because every 20 yards there is an hay pan store and its dirt cheap and really good.  

   

Weve been doing a lot of service this week and two of our investigators are building their own houses right now so I pretty much built two house this week.  

   

The dogs here are pretty crazy and we have to use our Libro de Mormons to defend ourselves.  You use the spine of the book and frop the hammer on them.  Literally hit them with the word of Gog.  One day I was walking and this little guy snuck up on me and bit me but since I had been walking all day my sock was all bunched up and he bit that exact spot so that was a small miracle and I didnt have to get the 5 rabbi shots.  

   

My companion talks in his sleep every night still but one night I woke up to him singing buffalo soldier by Bob Marley in his sleep which is pretty crazy.  

   

We have 2 investigators making good progress. The main problem here is that not a lot of people like to get married they just live with their girlfriends.  Found out that one of my investigators is actually a part time drug dealer and he showed us his weed plant....hes got quite a ways to go...

     

We also teach this girl thats about my age named Alejandra.  She really likes Miley Cyrus and shes got the Miley Cyrus hair going on.  She said this week that she really wants to get baptized which is awesome.  

  

Good to hear that the hawks are off to a good start.  Go Hawks!

Sorry I dont have any pictures today

    

Yo se que la iglesia es verdadero y yo se que Dios nos ama.  Dios quiere bendecirnos, nosotros solo necesitamos obedecerle y orar.  

  

Les Amo!

Love you guys and miss you guys.

Love 

Elder Gardner

SURVIVED MY 2ND WEEK

This week went by faster but it still feels like ive been in Chile for months now.   Nothing too exciting happened this week.  We did have 3 investigators attend church yesterday which was awesome.  The ward is awesome here and really starting to help us, and its awesome. I bore my testimony in church yesterday.  When it rains here, whci was almost everyday this week,  No one does anything, everyone stays home from work and just sleeps.  Its starting to heat up and its notas cold anymore but my hands are apparently always super cold cause the first thing people say when I shake their hands is Tan helado!  

   

Despite the spider the food here is really good and we eat with a member every lunch.  They like a lot of vegetables, meat and italian stuff.  Ive had some really good lasagnas here.  We are 10 min walk from Villa Alemana plaza which has a ton of shops and other stuff.  I can pretty much find anything here.  My companion likes to cook so one night we made scones and they were diabolical.  He also talks in ihs sleep everynight.  Sometimes in english and sometimes in spanish.  

   

The one problem with teaching people in Chile is that they all believe that they dont need church, and that they just need to have faith.  They are friendly for the most part and they do like to talk for days which I dont like.  I am starting to understand more and mroe spanish and I usually get the general idea about whats going on in the conversation.

   

This friday we are teaching an english class at the church so that will be fun and tomorrow I believe we have intercambios.  Hopefully this week goes well.  

  

Thanks for the update on the hhs football team. Go hawks.  Tellthem to not lose for me.

Thanks and I love you guys and have fun in Seattle mom aand dad! Love you guys and I miss you guys. I also miss in n out

I know the church is true and I know families are forever!

Love 

Elder Gardner

ps ill be on for another hour if you want to chat with me

HOLA FROM CHILE

Its been a crazy week and i feel like ive already been here for like a month. We got here and we drove from Santiago to Valapraiso.  The president dropped us off at the clock and then gave us an adress and a book of Mormon.  He set up a native with a gringo and then we had to get a contact, hand out a book of mormon and then find our way to the mision casa which was over a mile away so that was pretty fun. The city where the mision home is in is really nice it reminds me of a south american version of San Francisco.  

   

 I am currently living in the ghetto of Villa Alemana in Chile.  Half of my sector is decent and the homes remind me of cozy little hobbit homes with door handles in the middle of the door.  The other half is shacks and houses that dont look very safe to live in.  My trainer is Elder Draney from UTah,  hes really cool and nice,  Hes been out for 7 months, hes had struggles with the language and his spanish isnt perfect but we get by just fine.  Everyone in the ward makes fun of us for being two gringos in Chile that dont know Spanish.  There are dogs everywhere and sometimes they have all out brawls in the middle of the street and its crazy.  For the most part the people here are really nice. 

    

The first day I couldnt understand a word that someone was saying to me cause they speak so fast here.  Its insane.  what really helps is that they use handgestures so much when they talk.  Its even worse than Italians.  This one weird guy was talking to us so fast and with so many hand gestures he looked and sounded like a transformer transforming.   I am now starting to understand pretty much everything that people are saying now which is good.  

   

This area is really hard cause we dont really have any investigators making much progress.  My companion came here and whitewashed it last transfer and they haveny had a baptism here for quite sometime.  We only actually get to teach 1 in 4 lessons that we set up cause Chileans are really lazy and dont like talking to us or opening the door. 

   

My favorite investigator of ours is an old man named Gabriel Rivera.  He knows a little english and tries to talk to us which is funny.  We had a really awesome lesson with him.  Ive already taught like 10ish lessons. 

  

 Here they dont say adios they say Ciao, which is cool I guess.  We leave in a small little house nicknamed la dulce casita.   I sleep on a little mattress on hte ground and we have no heater here so its really cold.  I feel like Buddy the Elf whiles hes the north pole here.  Im too big for everything.  I almost hit my head on every doorway and our showerhead(which is broken so only a single streaqm comes out) only goes up to my shoulder. haha.  Chile is chilly!  Its been really cold but its starting to warmup. 

   

During a meal with some members they gave us dessert which was a peach that was with some juice and oats and it wasnt that good but I was eating to be polite and I thought I saw a hair in my peach and I grabbed it to pull it out and it was actually a spiders leg.  I pulled a spider the size of my thunb out of my peach and I didnt want to make them feel bad so I crushed it in my napkin took another bite and pretended to be full.  So that was pretty fun.

    

You greet all men here with a handshake double bat pack bro hug and then handshake combination.  Thats jsut what everyone does here.  I walk like 10 miles a day here up and down these crazy hills that remind me of the hill from football camp.  My calves are getting jacked.  I love you guys and I miss you guys.  My thoughts are really scattered in this email so sorry about that but I know the church and book of mormon is true!  Love you guys

Love

Elder Gardner

AMAZING MISSIONARIES!

My husband and I are Senior Missionaries at the Mexico MTC.  We have enjoyed getting to know and love your wonderful missionaries!  We miss them already!

I thought you would enjoy seeing their district picture and departure tribute.  The music on the power point is the EFY Medley.  Sometimes the music does not come through.

Thanks for raising such outstanding missionaries!  We love them all!

Robert and Sue Jones

Dear family,

Your son is now with us in the mission field and he is ok, we are grateful to have him here.

This is a picture of him.

Elder Call
Secretario Ejecutivo
Misión Chile Viña del Mar
4 Norte 1112 | 68315332

Hola todos,

This week has flown by.  I have recovered from my illness and I am no longer delirious but I did get a sinus infection but it is not impeding my domination of others on the cancha y campo.  Everyone has to get another haircut the last pday so I am bald once again.  The weather has been quite lugubrious this week.  I taught everyone in my district that word and the one thing I dont like about spanish is that it doesnt have huge awesome words like that.  There is the loudest thunder in the world here it sounds like atom bombs and itll rattle your bed at night and make you cry.  And its very frequent its crazy but I love it.

    

 Im the only that hasnt spent all the pesos that they gave us cause Im a frugal little boy.  Im going to splurge and by splurge probably just buy some toothepaste and some bueno bars.  I got my itenerary and our flight leaves at 1155 monday night.  And its an 8 1/2 hour So thatll be fun.  Theres rumors that we miht get to call you for a second but i dont know... rumors run rampant  around here.  Apparently last week Stave Nash shot Kobe in the leg.  

   

Dad I actually do know that Jared Cannon kid.  Hes pretty cool he was wearing a hamilton shirt and we talked for a while and we talked about how we both dont like qualen cunningham.  I know he plays rugby and went to Hamilton did not know you were his dads boss.  

   

We play soccer everyday now with this other district thats really cool and thats where I was given the moniker the Venitian Hammer.  They call me funky beats fresh master cause I always tap on the desk and make funky beats and Im really good at it so yeah...

    

The funniest thing is when the latinos try to say Gardner.  They cannot handle the three consonants in a row.  It almost kills them.  They literally explode.  All the mexicans say that the Chileans speak so fast that they cant even understand them so the first couple months will be fun in Chile.  I am most excited to start eating real food and to not be sitting in a class all day.  I am going to miss though my district especially Elder Ammarait and Ashcraft.  and also the devotionals.  On sunday we watched a devotional by  Elder Holland about missionary work and it was awesome and later that night we watched the Joseph Smith restauration video and Ill admit these blue stone cold emotionless eyes shed a few tears.  I know Joseph Smith was a prophet.  Im excited to leave and I only have a few days left its gonna be awesome.  Heres a picture of the GIlbert crew.  Me Mclane and Ryan. Also Taylor Fish and Kaden Fulmore are here now and I see them everyday.  And heres also a picture of this crazy moth called Mothra thats the size of my head that attacked us as soon as we opened the door this morning and tried to eat our faces off.  I really miss the guitar and carpet.  Havent seen carpet in months and I miss it.  

I love you guys and miss you guys.  Also shout out to Oneil Filloon and Nate Mclaws for being the only ones that consistently write me.  Next time I talk to you guys Ill be in Chile Woohoo!!

Love

Elder Gardner

The 3 Gilbert Amigos ... Elder Gardner, Elder Marshall and Elder Edwards

Mothra of Mexico

HOLA

Sup

This week went by pretty fast.  It was really good except for the weekend.  I got a virus and had a bad fever and Montezumas revenge got me pretty bad and I spent all those two days quarantined in my bed, I was given 3 meals a day and I went insane staying in a room for over 48 hours.  There were 4 of us and yeah not very funny.  

  

I did get your letter mom and weve gotten donuts 3 times so far.  I ate 6 of the ones you sent me and I had a crazy sugar rush and one thing lead to another and I ended up banging my head against an ironing board...  I dont know why it just happened.  Someone in the room next door is playing pirates of the Caribbean on the piano and im typing so fast right now pretty crazy hdfjksdjkfd

    

Everyday after lunch we go sit in the mail room and watch people receive letters and love and when kids dont get anything we tell them that Jesus still loves them.

   

Theres nothing really fun to do on pdays so we had a nice photoshoot this morning lol.  Ill attach the pictures cause they are quite something else 

     

Im still learning a lot but it seems like its starting to slow down and Im tired of the MTC but only 2 more weeks.  Yo se que la iglesia es verdadera y yo se que Jesucristo es el Salvador y redentor del mundo.  Estoy muy agredesido por la opurtunidad para servir un mision.  Yo se que el libro de mormon es verdadero y Jose Smith fue un profeta de Dios.  Etsoy mu agredicido por La Expiacion en mi vida.  

    

 I love you guys and miss you guys.  Thanks Mom and Dad for being the best parents in the world.  I miss you!  Have fun doing stuff without me haha jk I know thats not possible.

Love

The Elder Gardner

aka the Venitian Hammer and Funky Beats Fresh Master

you think im joking but Im not....

 here's the road I walk down every day like a million times to and from mi casa 

Here are the pictures of my bed.  I sleep on the top bunk cause I'm the alpha male

I honestly have no explanation for these... Don't judge me!