CALERA II

Hola a todos.  I am now in Calera II in the zone of Quillota again.  Its in the same stake as Cabildo.  My new companion is Elder Vitores from Ecuador.  He has about 1 year less than me in the mission.  I do miss Valparaiso a lot.

 

That’s so exciting that Jake is coming here.  I will be able to say hi and goodbye by the temple of santiago.  The same bus that drops us off at the temple Tuesday morning right before we go home will pick him up at the MTC and take him to the mission.  If he has any questions tell him to write.  Viña del Mar is the best.  I hope he goes to some of my sectors especially O’Higgins in Valpo.  Tell him to practice walking up stairs and hills to prepare him for Valparaiso.  I’ll also put in a good word to Presidente Diaz for him (haha).

 

This week has been pretty hectic.  Turns out when I was with Elder Diaz Monday and we went to the dentist he had to get a molar pulled and they put him under for a little so we had to get a drugged Argentino back to the pension Monday evening.  It was really funny. 

  

Also we are about to baptize an 87-year-old grandma here called Hilda.  She was supposed to get baptized Sunday, but she had a fever and couldn’t go to church.  Please pray for her. 

  

Gracias por todo.  I hope you have a good week and I really liked the conference talk by Elder Montoya where he told us to go the extra mile, smile, show compassion and invite others to church.  Have a good week and behave yourselves (especially you Mason).

con amor

Elder Gardner

ANOTHER CHANGE COMES TO AN END

We have cambios again this week.  Nothing like spending the last Pday of the change running around Viña doing paperwork and other errands.  This morning we had to wait in a line for 2 hours in order to finish my second visa.  The good news is that I dont have to do more visa stuff ever again!  Also Elder Passey left today so I am in a trio with Elder Groneman and Elder Diaz.  In an hour we have to go to the dentist with Elder Diaz cause he has a problem with his tooth and then also we have to somehow find some time to return to Valpo and install 2 security systems in the houses of the sister missionaries.  Busy day.  

    

This week has been rather uneventful.  Last Monday as a zone we played handball (I was the MVP) and then soccer and then ate some choripan.  It was a lot of fun.  We taught Ervin again this week and he went to church.  We haven't been able to find good investigators, just drunk people partying.  This is the last week of vacations for the Chilenos so they should return from vacations soon and be in their houses.  That will make things easier.  

   

Gracias por todo.  Yo se que  Jesucristo vive y que nos ama.  Yo se que Jose Smith fue llamado como profeta.  Les Quiero mucho Cuídense!!! 

Elder Gardner

CONFERENCE WITH TEXIERA

This was alright.  It was rather uneventful.  By far the best part was Elder Texiera.  Hes from Portugal but now lives in Argentina because he is an área seventy.  He was super funny and nice especailly with his mixture of a Spanish, portugués and Argentina accent.  He gaves us a lot of good ideas.  He also told us a lot of cool stories about when he was a misión president in Sao Paolo Brazil.  IT was quite inspiring.  Then we talked about the biggest problems we had in the misión and what we needed help with and he and his wife alongside Presidente Diaz and his wife answered questions and gave us ideas and suggestions.  The best part was at the end.  Hma Texiera read a letter.  It was about a story of a missionary and it was pretty amazing.  It pretty much told us about the power of spirit if we are as clean and pure as posible.  We felt a strong need for repentence afterwards haha.  She then told us all to fast andmake a list of all the things thast offend the spirit and then every morning pray and commit to the Lord not to do those things and ask for strength and at night give a report to the Lord about how you wentand continue to do that.    Then at the end we sang called to serve and they asked us to stay seated after the prayer until they left and then leave quietly and immediately to our sectors.  It was a great conference.  I have a lot of respect for Elder Texiera and Presidente Diaz and also a ton of respect for Sister Texiera.  They are awesome.  Today we have a zone activity because we reached out goal in January of 9 baptisms as a zone.  Should be really fun.

  

Gracias por todo.  Les quiero mucho.  Yo se que Jesucristo vive y que el Espiritu puede cambiar nuestras vidas si lo buscamos diligentemente.  Que tengan una excelente semana

con amor

Elder Gardner

TOUGH WEEK IN VALPO

This definitely wasn't the greatest of weeks.  Ruben isn't progressing and we are going to execute order 66 and try to teach him more in March.  Ervin is still in the south.  We knocked doors for the majority of the time this week but so far not much has happened.  I got a Little sick but I soldiered through it. 

    

We ran into the Kitchens Saturday morning.  That was fun.  We actually usually don't run onto Americans here.  We also see a lot of European hipees with their huge backpacks here.  It was fun talking to them and we talked about how some things have changed and how some things are still the same as they were in 82.  We had to open up the church for some members and when we were leaving we ran into them right outside the chapel and then Elder Gibson showed up too so it was a gringo party outside the church. 

    

The best part of the week was when Hmo Escobar gave his testimony in church.  It was the first time he ever did it and he just talked about how recently hes been able to progress go to the temple, get a calling and how he is now happier.

   

This week Elder Teixiera from the 70 is coming to the misión and we have a conference Friday.  Its always fun to have special conferences.  We are doing really goo here, were just trying hard to find but in the words of the Chileans no están ni allí. Also i found a good scripture for you guys Alma 56 27. 

  

Les Quiero much.  Yo se que vive me Redentor.  Que tengan una excelente semana. Cuídense 

Elder Gardner 

We received this e-mail and picture from a sweet stranger on Saturday night:

My name is Laurie Kitchen. I am from Cache Valley.  We are in Chile visiting where my husband served in  Valpariso 34 years ago.  While driving around and getting very lost we ran into these two awesome missionaries out doing what they do best.  They stopped to chat and had fun comparing missions then to now.  They are good strong Elders and they work real hard. The hills they walk up and down are incredible .  It has to be exhausting but they smile and love what they are doing.

We loved meeting them and thought you would like a quick peek at your boys.  I have a son serving in Kentucky and miss him like I'm sure you are yours.  Be assured they are healthy and doing well.

Laurie kitchen

ANOTHER WEEK IN VALPO

This week was pretty tiring.  Ruben didnt go to church cause he went out of town and this following weekend he is leaving out of town too so well see what happens with him.  Also Ervins great aunt died so hes been out of town and in southern Chile.  So things are looking too great this week.  This week was pretty humid and hot and we walked a lot without a lot of luck with finding. 

   

We were able to do two interchanges this week and I went over to the sector of Elder Cherry and then over with Elder Diaz from Argentina.  It was pretty fun. 

   

The good news is that Jennifer is still doing awesome.  She hasnt missed a single sunday since the first day she went back in the beginning of October.  Also Mario Escobar (the guy with the moustache that we halped go to the temple)  he is now the 2nd counseler in the YM.  Theyre doing good too.  There havent been any earthquakes or other natural disasters lately so things are todo tranquilo.  Love you guys have a nice week

    

Yo se que Jesucristo vive

Elder Gardner