Family, So, this week has been nuts. I don't know if I can get it all out in the next thirty minutes, but I'll try. Elder Soares of the presidency of the 70 came to speak to us on Saturday. The ENTIRE mission got together. It was so crazy. We got to see everyone, and Elder Soares is just so wise. It's so exciting to hear the brethren talk about misionary work. It is such an exciting time to be a missionary. I love it. This is all the missionaries in our mission--the senior couples and everything. Elder Soares is there in the middle with President and Sister Anderson. Maybe you can zoom in and find yours truly.

Just for fun. This is my companion and I on the left and the sister on the right is Sister Aisa. She lives in our apartment. She's is from Australlia.  She's teaching me how to speak Australian. I just love her.

Well, the rest of the week has been pretty great. One of our investigators FINALLY accepted baptism!! His name is Salahazier, and he is a very teeny man from Mexico. He has such a sweet spirit about him. We had been meeting with him for about a week and every lesson we had was with a member. We were busing and biking out there and doing everything we possibly could, but he wouldn't commit. We kept at it though, and it paid off. He's still got a few concerns, but we're going to keep at it. He told us in the last lesson we had with him that he just feels good. He feels something different. It was the best thing to see him at church this Sunday. He needs it so badly. Funny story though: he sells this herbal line to help people stay healthy. Every time we'd come over, he'd have a little "aguita" for us. We'd just drink it because we were so hot. Well, he brought out the little bottle of what it was last time. Turns out, it's tea. Guess we'll be teaching the Word of Wisdom next time. Pray for us. 

 

 

Also, we had the most challenging lesson both of us have ever had the other day. We went in SO pumped and then I, literally, cried on the car ride home. We had found this really awesome lady a couple weeks ago and had a great lesson with her. We went back with a member and the investigator's sons were there. They laid into us. They were just accusing us of not reading the bible and of being false prophets and it was ALL in Spanish, so we couldn't defend ourselves as well as we would have liked. Finally, we got things calmed down and I shared the First Vision and bore my testimony of the Restoration and a cried for my very first time in a lesson. I hated it so bad that it had to be with people who looked at the Book of Mormon like it was going to bite them. You know what though? I just felt empowered as I bore my testimony. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and I know it can change their lives. I hope they read it and come to church some day. I hope I get to be there when they do. 

 

 

Everything else is going well. Sister Meiling is a hoot and we just laugh all day long. Sometimes I worry that we might be having too much fun, but we're working hard and trying the best we can to do this awesome work. God keeps blessing us in our imperfections, and He hasn't let us screw up too bad yet. 

 

Everybody, God loves you so much. Sometimes I'm blown away by how much I love these people here that I barely know and I can barely understand, but I know it's because I'm trying to see them the way God sees us. And He is perfect. If I love all these strangers so much, just imagine how much God loves us. He loves us perfectly. We are so blessed. I love you guys and miss you. Keep on keeping on!

 

Hermana Gardner