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

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

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.

I speak at a wedding‏

they got married and baptized!‏

baleadas

This was a good week, we had a lot of opportunities to serve people and to teach people. We had a wedding/baptism on saturday. This couple, the Velasquez family, had been living together for quite some time and they got married so they could be baptized. It was a really good experience, I spoke at the wedding and I share some scriptures about how marriage is of God and it is not good for man to be alone. 

It was weird to speak at the wedding/baptismal service, but I enjoyed it, marriage is a topic I feel slightly inexperienced with given to the fact that I have never been married. But it was fun! I told everyone how to have a good marriage with no experience!

On tuesday I went to the area of Barberena, I think I got food poisoned or maybe Dengue because I got dizzy in the street and passed out! We were in a super dangerous area and after laying down for 10 minutes I had to keep moving due to an imminent lack of safety. But I made it back to the house in Barberena and I vomited up every thing I had eaten in the 2 days previous. I never have felt so sick for an hour period in my life. I felt like my stomach was expanding like a balloon, but now I am all good! I am overall pretty healthy, I think the key is always drinking lots of water (filtered water here).

I got my haircut this morning, the music was so loud in the little barber shop I couldn't hear the man asking me how I wanted my hair cut. But with hand symbols I explained but the results were not overly desirable:/

But all in all I am doing great, we have lots of people that we are teacing that are changing their lives and that makes me happy. I talked to a guy named Jose Angel on the street 3 months ago and asked him how he was doing. He and his son were baptized over a month ago and his wife will be baptized this weekend. The change in their lives is obvious, it makes me so happy to see the happiness that this gospel brings to people in their lives. People change habits, and in the process they change themselves with the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

I testify that the Book of Mormon is true and that I am exactly where the Lord wants me to be. I am happy to be a missionary and I feel it to be very strange that I have been at this for almost a year. Time is a merciless enemy. 

I hope everyone has a great week, with best regards,

Elder Nathan Gardner

Me in the street, really sick

It's been a while...‏

How is everyone doing? 

I am doing great here in San Salvador!

We had some baptisms here last week and that was a really special experience to take part in that! I love seeing people make changes in their lives that make them happy and allow them to enjoy life more fully. This week was a lot of fun, we worked really hard and several people that we are teaching are progressing towards baptism. I am enjoying my mission and the opportunity to be able to help people be happier, I know that Jesus lives and that this message is true.

It is mango season! I have sure been enjoying that, fresh mangoes for 5 cents is a good deal. They are kinda sticky and messy but they sure taste good. 

I made a bad mistake with my spanish this week, I learned a word "mamada". Which means two things in spanish, one of its meaning is hikkie. So somebody told me that I had a hikkie because my neck was red and had a little rash from my shirt collar. I didn't know what the word meant but I learned the word for hikkie in that moment. Later, we visited the house of the people who got baptized last weekend. They asked me why my neck was all red, I told them that I had a "mamada". Apparently mamada is a bad word and it has an alternative meaning that is gross. I will not proceed to explain what this word is but google translator can shed some further light if anyone would like to know. I told them I had received a "mamada", how embarrasing. My worst spanish messup in over 6 months!

Overall I am doing great, in 3 weeks there will be transfers and I have a feeling I may be visiting a different country pretty soon. I am unsure but we will see, Belize could be headed my way. But, wherever the Lord sends me I will be happy and continue to work hard. 

I love you all and wish you all a fantastic week, 

Elder Gardner

Interchange

spaghetti with mayo or called "la cream"

2 baptisms this week

Conference Weekend‏

Elder Zelaya

Elder Lopez

Elder Sanchez

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I hope everyone that had the opportunity to watch general conference this weekend really enjoyed it. I love listening to the messages of the 12 apostles and the prophet. I was edified by them and I encourage everyone to watch it. 

On wednesday we had transfers, I didn't have a transfer, but I continue in my area with my companion, Elder Sanchez. 

Our area is doing well, we have many people that are preparing for baptism in the near future so I am excited for that. It is beautiful to see people be baptized and receive a remission of sin. This conference weekend was fantastic for us, we had 11 investigators come to church! That was a grand success, I am glad that many people we are teaching were able to come to church. 

I am doing well with my health, I feel great, I am still gaining weight but it is ok. People always give me soda/pop (whatever you call it), I feel bad if I don't drink it so I end up drinking a considerable amount of pop daily. I never drank Coca Cola before the mission but the average Salvadoreno drinks Coca Cola with every meal! I have observed and paid careful attention and I now know that people drink more Coca Cola and juice than water!

I am grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord in my life, I can see how He helps me every day and I know that He lives. I am grateful He has restored the fulness of the gospel, I have learned a lot in the mission what it means to truly be a follower of Christ. Living and believing the gospel are two different things completely. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful week, 

Elder Gardner