Why I am writing on Wednesday?

It's wednesday and it's strange because usually we write on mondays. But due to several meetings with Area Seventy President Duncan our p day was changed until wednesday. 

It was great to hear from President Duncan, he shared many inspiring messages and showed us how we can improve our missionary work. He used a lot of examples and analogies to present, and also videos which made it an engaging and interesting meeting although it lasted nearly 6 hours!!! 

A lady from Texas that lives in the neighboring branch of Santa Elena invited our whole district to a restaurant for a Thanksgiving dinner. It was excellent, I got turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, veggies, belizean rice and beans, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce. It was all quite delicious and very very good. That one meal just about made my day, I was very gracious towards the lady who invited us. 

Later that day, (Thanksgiving), I saw three tourists walking and they stopped us to say hi. they told us they were from Boise and I told them I was from Nampa. It was fun to talk with them, I know where they live and they know Nampa. They say the heat in Belize was just suffocating to them, haha, I know what they mean. I tried to share about the Restoration with them and I gave them a pamphlet, one of the girls has a boyfrined who is a Latter-day Saint so maybe she will go to church. 

We also had another tourist family come from Colorado with their 6 young kids, they were a great example of punctuality and reverence at Sacrament Meeting for all the members. I appreciated it and I talked with them a little bit. 

We are doing good here in our area. I know a lot of people by now, which is great. I know people, their kids' names and I know where they work and all those little details. Our investigators our progressing slowly right now but it is OK. I'd like everyone to accept, and do so quickly but it all will come in the Lord's timing. I'm grateful for Jesus Christ and it was great to reflect on Thanksgiving about all that God has given me in my life. I'm grateful for all of it. 

I hope you all have a great week and start you countdown to Christmas strong. 

Love, 

Elder Gardner

Election Week Still Affects Belize

I don't know how many times people have yelled "Donald Trump" at me this week. Many people down here are unhappy that he won because they think that he will throw everyone out of America that isn't white! It is amazing how the media confuses people into believing such things. I didn't even vote and as a missionary I need to stay quiet on my views because I'm a representative of the church. But that election has fired people up all over the place, it has caused some to harass me but it is more amusing than annoying. 

It was hot again, it always is. I love sunscreen, that is one of the great blessings in my life right now. The Belizean people don't use sunscreen, they just carry big umbrellas all day. I think that if I didin't have sunscreen I would do that to. Because sometimes, it is just so hot. 

I'm always enjoying the Belizean food, I eat pretty well here in San Ignacio thanks to a member who cooks for us named Sister Kay. I'm in good health and I've been blessed throughout my mission with good health in order to continue working hard. 

My companion has 24 days left, every morning he wakes up and screams the number of days that he has left. He also tells me how many days I have left in my mission in order to try and get me "trunky" as well  (I have just over 230 days left). 

We are progressing down here in Belize, little by little we are helping these people to change their lives and come closer to Christ. The only problem for us many times is that we cannot change people, we can invite them, explain the gospel to them, but in the end, they must decide. They must take the decision to accept Jesus Christ, and have the faith to ask God if the Book of Mormon is true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know how happy the gospel can make people and how much it can bless their lives, I just wish the people would see that and open their hearts. 

Have a great week, 

Elder Gardner

I Fall in a ditch, We visit the sick

Belize Police

crazy chinese sign

The zone

stepping in sewer

We had a good week. My companion is only 30 days away from going home and that occupies the large majority of his thoughts. He is very trunky, all day I get to hear how great Mexico is and how many different girls are waiting for him (I believe they are mostly imaginary). But anyways he is excited to go home, haha. 

I slipped on a rock and slipped into a little ditch, my left leg was submerged in the muck. It went in just below the knee, and when I pulled out my leg it had a thick coating of dark gray much all over it. My foot was covered in sewage, pretty nasty. I made a lot of people laugh and I was able to laugh it off as well .Some kids sprayed off my leg with a hose, so that was nice of them . I had to go back to the house and clean out my shoe becaue it was literally full of crap 

We are visiting a lot of great families. It is great to see how they learn more as they read the Book of Mormon. I love the Book of Mormon, I can show it to people and simply challenge them to figure out for themselves if it is true by reading it and asking God sincerely. If people do this they can know whether our message is true or not. I've read the Book of Mormon and I can still remember when I decided to figure out if it was true or not and I received and answer to my prayers. I challenge all people to read the Book of Mormon, it can help all of us to improve our relationship with God and Jesus Christ. 

I hope everyone is doing good back at home, when I tell people I have 8 months left they start to tease me and tell me I'm almost done. I still have plenty of time left and I hope I'll never become so pathetic in my attitude of "trunkiness" like my companion. I'm grateful to be on my mission, it  is a wonderful time. I hope that all of you have a good week. 

Elder Gardner