Monday, May 30, 2016

Birthday





It seems a little unreal that I will be turning 19 on friday. I still feel like a little boy on the inside, I don't want to be old. 

But, I'm doing great here in Belize. It is so so so hot but that is ok. The food here is great, lots of fried food and barbecue. this week I saw the ocean and never have I had such great desires to dive into the crystal clear water that is in Corozal in Belize. But, I can't go swimming so I'll just have to wait, haha. 

I fell over while walking this week, I wanted to scare my companion so I stayed down and held my arm weird so it looked like I broke it. He isn't one who likes gruesome sights so when I made a cracking noise he thought it was my arm and screamed! Haha, so that funny, then I jumped back up laughing and relatively uninjured. 

I am glad to be here in Orange Walk, the people are great here and we are helping several people to improve their lives by coming unto Christ. I am happy, enjoying, and hot with this sweltering heat. My watch tan line is killer, I will send a picture of that next week. I know that God loves each one of us and that He is interested in our eternal well being, He listens when we pray, He wants to help us. 

I hope that everyone has an awesome week. I love you all!

Elder Gardner

Monday, May 23, 2016

Belize






Wide open field in front of E. Gardner's house




E Rojas favorite meal




How is everyone doing? 


I have been here in Belize now for almost two weeks and it is great here, it is beautiful and the people here are pretty interesting. It is a super laid back culture and very noncommittal. But, I'm doing good. I've had to implement the use of sunscreen into my daily schedule once again because it is hot here! According to our neighbors it gets up to like 105 every day! that is scorching, I have to walk around with a sweat rag to keep the sweat out of my eyes, it is hot!

But besides that all is good here, there is a good unit of the church here in Orange Walk. There are about 100 active members that come to church every week. There are 6 missionaries here in orange walk that form a district. There are my companion and I, as well as 4 other sister missionaries. So, that is what is going on here! I have really enjoyed the culture here, it is fun to go around and see people chilling out on their porches eating fried chicken while wearing lakers shirts. People are always down to talk here and it is fun to here a wide variety of perspectives on religion. 

I have been enjoying some new foods here in Belize, there are a lot of Chinese food, fried chicken, fried jacks, and to my absolute delight they have barbecue chicken! everyone here loves barbecue chicken and they always eat it, I have really enjoyed the barbecue chicken here in Belize. It is a delight. 

We left the back door on our house open earlier this week and a bunch of chickens came in and laid an egg in my clothes, haha that was pretty funny. I had to cast out all of the chickens because my comp didn't want to touch them. 

When I came to this area there weren't many people that the missionaries were teaching, however we have found many people. I am trying to get along with my companion but I have a hard time getting along with slothful people. When I arrived to my house here it was filthy but I have done some serious cleaning and now it looks a lot better. 

I love the work that I am doing and I know that my Savior lives and all I do is boldy testify of HIm and His restored gospel and try to help people have happier lives. I am doing well and I'm in generally good health. I hope each one of you have a great week. 

Take Care, 

Elder Gardner

Monday, May 2, 2016

hey I am on! What time do you want to skype on Sunday?‏

hey I am on! What time do you want to skype on Sunday?
Elder Gardner's Mom is excited to talk with her favorite missionary Sunday!


Eric Mitchell Adams, 62, and Cheri Lynn Wiscombe Adams, five children, Fossil Creek Ward, Loveland Colorado Stake: El Salvador San Salvador West/Belize Mission, succeeding President Kai D. Hintze and Sister Diane Hintze. Brother Adams serves as a high councilor and is a former stake president, stake presidency counselor, bishopric counselor, high priests group instructor, temple ordinance worker and missionary in the Argentina North Mission. Market president commercial lending, Wells Fargo Bank Corp. Born in Rexburg, Idaho, to Richard Norman Adams and Nelda Holm Adams.
Sister Adams is a former ward Primary president, ward Relief Society, Young Women and Primary presidency counselor, ward missionary and Primary teacher. Born in Vernal, Utah, to Arthur Clark Wiscombe and Doris Joy Myers Wiscombe.


So last week about 200 white people came here to El Salvador to do a health clinic, there were a ton of dentists, hygienists, and denttal assitants. But there were also foot doctors and eye doctors. On wednesdaywe went to the last day of the clinic to get Elder Rassmussen's feet checked out. But I saw just a ton of dentists and doctros there, the whole chapel by the temple had been turned into a huge dental office. the white dentists were fixing everyone's teeth, mostly for the youth who are preparing to go on their missions. There were a lot of wisdom getting uplled out, but it was awesome. We were only there for about an hour and a half but I felt like I had returned to the U.S. I talked with several ppl from Mountain Home and one guy says he knows Dad office, he took a pic with me on his iphone. He said he drove down 12th avenue 2 weeks ago so it was so awesome to talk to him. 

he is an optomotrist from Mountain Home, he has braces and glasses, his first name is actually Nathan so maybe you'll have to look the guy. I talked with him a little bit and he knows where we live, etc. So he was a nice guy, it was cool to see all those white people. 







the crazy dude named julio who came to church that one time.





Our baptism!‏

On saturday we had an incredible baptism, the Cortez Family got baptized. Hno. Jose Angel who got baptized back in march baptized his wife and it really was a beautiful experience.  We invited P. HIntze and his wife because they already knew the Cortez family and I think they enjoyed the baptismal service so that was great.