HELLO

Hello

   

This week was a pretty fun one.  Tuesday I had an intercambio with Elder Cherry.  Hes a short Little redneck from northern Florida.  All he talks about is hunting and fishing and guns.  He also has a republican party calendar is his apartment.  He speaks Spanish with an Argentinian accent and he speaks English with a strong southern accent.  True Redneck.  We had a good day and we were able to teach Jennifer.  Shes doing really good and scolded us because we weren't wearing sunscreen and that our body was a temple and we needed to better care of it.  Shes fully invested. 

   

Also Valentina stays every other weekend with her dad but Jennifer made it so he has to drop her off early Sunday mornings in order to go to church so now Valentina can attend weekly now.  Shes also going to receive a calling next Sunday. 

    

Wednesday we helped some man named Ruben move cement.  We were walking around and we saw a couple trying to move a mountain of wet cement that a truck had given to them for free.  We offered to help.  They refused.  We persisted.  We won.  We started carrying the wet cement into the back yard.  We ran around carrying huge wheelbarrow fulls of cement for almost an hour.  They let us borrow some hats.  Ill attach a picture. They're pretty crazy and the lady has a beard. 

   

Thursday we spent the evening with bishop Castillo and his family.  We watched some videos of Christ then played Jenga.  It was really fun.  They are a nice family. 

   

Christmas day the best part was the Skype call.  It was fun seeing you guys.  Masons still a punk.  But you did a very good job with the call in comparison with Elder Ruperts family.  At first they didn't answer and then he skyped his younger sister and she answered and it turns out they were all napping.  Hes the second to youngest child in a family of 6 children.  He claims to be the forgotten one.  He goes home in two weeks so I think his family didn't make that big of a deal out of the call. 

   

This week we might spend new years eve with the Gibson family.  Valparaios has one of the best firework shows in the world.  They launch Fireworks all up and down the coast of Valpo.  Were trying to get permisión to do a sleep over at Elder and Sister Gibsons house cause they have a great view. 

   

I love you  and I hope you have a good week.  Also I read this talk here.  It is really good.  I invite you to read it. Here's the link : https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/covey-stephen-r_educated-conscience/

Have a good week and a happy new year! Love you guys!

Love

Elder Gardner

CRAZY WEEK

This was an even crazier week.  Tuesday we had interchanges and I worked with a brand new missionary named Elder Ferrari from Rengo Chile.  Hes having knee problems and Valpo is pretty much only steep hills and staircases but we had a fun time working.  Also Thursday I had an interchange with Elder Campbell from Utah.  And friday I had one with Elder Brooks who is also a brand new missionart from Washington.  Then Friday, saturday and sunday there was the concert.  It was really awesome.  It was right next to the beach and the sun was setting when it started and it was an all around great convcert.  I was impressed.  The concert was about an hour and a half and those three nights we didnt get back til around 11.  Im really tired.  Then also today we had an activity.  WE did some skits and played dodgeball and some other games and then ate.  An all around good week but im still tired of buses.  I  ve had to go to Viña 5 days in a row now.  

    

Im excited to Skype you guys.  I should be skyping christmas day at about 4 or 5ish my time.  Im excited to see you guys and to talk to you.  Valpo is pretty Christmasy, a lot more than Los Vilos was.  A lot of houses have lights but the only lights they like here are the brright purple red and blue that flash like crazy.  Also a lot of people have christmas trees in their houses.  Here in Chile they open their presents at midnight instead of going to bed and waking up christmas morning to do so.  

   

Have a good week and remember the meaning of Christmas.  Christmas day there wasnt room in the inns for Christ and we need to make sure that there is aroom for him in our hearts.  Love you guys

Elder Gardner

I'M TIRED OF BUSES

This week was a little crazy .  Last monday we played soccer and tuesday was just a normal day of work.  On wednesday we had a Replica de la Zona.  We talked a lot about the restauración and believing that we can do it.  Also the 21 we are going to have an activity in viña with some other zones for christmas.  Other news is that the 6th of January Elder Texiera is going to visit our misión. 

    

Wednesday after the conference we had to go to Viña for a practice from 5:30 to 8.30.  Then Thursday from 8 to 5 and then the same thing Friday.  Wednesday I just did contacts with another Elder in the center of Viña. Thursday I had to go early drop my companion off,, pick up another Elder called Elder Braithwaite.  Hes new so I had to do his training for him then we ate lunch worked for a couple hours went back to Viña to pick up my companion then came back and we were able to work for about 2-3 hours.   The same happened Friday but this time I had to bring with me Elder Braithwaite and Elder Rolim who also was a new Elder from Brasil.  But long story short there was a medical emergency with Elder Rolim who had a surgery scar open up and we had to go down to the center of Valpo the asistentes came and took him and he ended up having to go back home that same day.  Lots of crazy stuff happened and I spent several hours on a bus each day.  The concert that they are doing is this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Its going to be very professional and I Heard a Little and they are really good.  I think they're even trying to get it broadcasted on TV. 

  

We also made it on the announcement for this week Ill attach it so you can see.  Wednesday Brother and Sister Escobar (moustache man and the lady that gave us cake during the earthquake) went to the temple for the first time and received their endowments and their son got married and sealed to the bishops daughter Saturday.  I'm pretty happy for the Escobar family.   Its true what Blake Murphy said.  Elder Rupert had a pretty serious girlfriend in the beginning of the misión and he said he distracted him a lot and long story short she wrote him off and shes getting married this week.  Come se aparecen una manzana y una novia de un missionero?  Ninguna de las dos es pera.  thats a funny Little Spanish joke.  If you understand it, hats off to you.

  

I love you guys and I miss you guys.  I know that Christ lives.  Have a merry Christmas and Ill write you guys with the Skype information next Monday!

Con amor

Elder Gardner

Feliz Diciembre!

I didnt get transfered wednesday.  I am still in OHiggins with Elder Rupert who will be finishing his misión this change.  Im still here in good ole Valpo.  An interesting about Valpo is that there are a ton of Street performers.  In every intersection there are jugglers and on the buses people get on and sing and play the guitar or rap.  Its quite entertaining. 

  

Jennifer was really happy that I stayed and she asked me to confirm her yesterday which is always a neat experience.  Theyre still doing very well. 

  

Other news this week was that we founf some people carrying pieces of Wood into their propertyy so we offered to help.  We didnt know how much they really had to carry.  We carried a whole house into the backyard.  They are going to build another house for a family member behimnd their house so they bought all the walls and doors and roof and everything and we carried it for them.  It was a lot and it was heavy.  We were able to teach them afterwards and they were very grateful. 

  

I also forgot to tell you a funny thing that happened to me last week.  So on Thanksgiving day (which is not a holiday here)  we were eatring lunch with a member nad we ate chicken with mashed potatos.  We were eating outside because her husband wasnt home.  She put thew plate in front of me and went to go look for something inside and as son as she was out of sight a bird pooped right on my mashed potatos.  I scooped it out ate the rest of the meal like a true thankful man. 

  

Also the other day they gave us a ton of food and I couldnt finish it, and there is an unwriten rule where you have to eat all the food they give you.  My companion helped me out a Little and I was able to hide the remaining piece of meat in my pocket wihtout anyone noticing. Those were the weird stories of this week. 

I love you guys and I hope you have a good week.  Yo se que El Vive y que es nuestro Salvador!  pórtense bien

Elder Gardner

Bro. and Sis. Reynolds saw Colin in Valparaiso and then saw us 2 weeks later in Arizona