Sara's Last Three Letters - She made it to Bolivia

8/5/2013
Hola From SUCRE BOLIVIA!!!

Hey Family:)

I am alive and well in Sucre also known as the City of White or the City of Chocolate. Both are pretty neat. Before I knew where I was going Pres. Dyer said two sisters would be going to Sucre and the rest would be staying in Cochabamba. I pretty much knew I would be going to Sucre, I could just feel it. Haha. My trainer is Hermana Moscoso from Ecuador. I am her fourth daughter and she is dying on me... two weeks earlier than the "12 weeks of training" I am supposed to receive... so that will be interesting to see how that works out. She is the most amazing missionary ever. I keep notes of the good things she does in lessons because I want to be exactly like her. Her and her best friend in the mission opened our area last transfer and focused on working with members and have totally changed the way the missionary work is done here. It is awesome. She was not planning on training again... so I think it was hard at first when she found out she wouldn't be finishing her mission with her BFF, but she has an awesome attitude and that hasn't been a problem. She is absolutely hilarious and so fun to be around I have lucked out! She knows English super well so we communicate just fine. I hope that doesn't keep me from learning Spanish as well.

I love Sucre so much. I haven't suffered from culture shock or anything of the like, I feel like I belong here and love the culture so much! We live with our pensionista and everything she makes is delicious. There hasn't been one meal I haven't liked! Life is so good here. I love the people here so much as well. We have one investigator, Yibana, that should be getting baptized this Saturday! So exciting. My Spanish is super rough and sometimes I wonder if I feel like I am not super good at teaching because of the language barrier or I'm just a bad teacher haha. It'll come though... I'm not worried. It's funny, in lessons Hna. Moscoso will be teaching and then all the sudden she is looking at me, waiting for me to say something. Most the time I only have a vague idea of what is going on and the topic we are teaching. I just go by the Spirit and try to say something in my broken Spanish. It's exciting.

I'll tell you about my arrival to the mission... Our flight landed in Cochabamba and the President, his wife and lots of missionaries were waiting for us! It was great. We then went to a local hotel, had a 3 gigantic pizzas and went to bed. The next morning was spent doing paperwork for our visas and such. We ate lunch and then at 3 it was time to find out who our companions were and where we were going!!! So exciting. Since Hna Moscoso and I had a flight to Sucre the next morning we slept over at the hotel again (hna. Adams is the other new hna here!). I liked Cochabamba a lot, but my heart is definitely here in Sucre!

I got to talk to Hna. Hill on the phone last night so that was cool! It sounds like she is loving it. Hna. Moscoso trained her trainer so here in the mission I am Hna. Hill's aunt. Haha.

Today was an awesome P-day. For our zone activity we went on an hour van ride to the bridge that connects Chuquisaca (the department Sucre is in) with Potosi. It was so so cool. Even cooler than the Tower Bridge in London. I love this place so much! I have pictures that I tried to send but it didn't work... I'll try again.

Missionary work is the absolute best!!!! I love it so much!!!!!!!!!!

It sounds like life is crazy, but going well! I love you all so much! You are the best family in the whole world.

Love,

Hna Gardiner

7/31/2013

Hi Family!

I have made it safely to Cochabamba. I could not be happier! I love

President and Hermana Dyer and the city is so beautiful (at least what

I have seen)! I will write you more on Monday. Love you all so much!

Hermana Gardiner

 

7/23/2013

 

MY LAST PDAY IN THE CCM‏

Hello Family!

 A week from today I will be on a plane to Santa Cruz Bolivia and then a 6 hour bus ride to Cochabamba! So crazy and exciting. I cannot wait to get out in the field! I don't know how calling is going to work out, but I will definitely try my best to call you. I could be very early in the morning if I call before my flight. Just make sure to have your ringers on. If I don't call, don't worry, I'm still not sure if it will even happen. I will make sure to let you know I arrived safely in Bolivia as soon as I can.

This has been a great week of growing closer to my Savior. It is amazing how the Lord puts scriptures, lessons, devotionals, etc. in your path to help you come unto Christ if you are praying for that opportunity! I came across 2 Peter 1 which I loved! I especially loved verses 5-8 because they tied to the talk I told you about from President Monson and it explains what you need to do to gain knowledge of Jesus Christ, which is exactly what I am trying to do! I also started reading 'Our Pursuit for Happiness' which is so amazing. I love how simply Elder Ballard explains what we believe.

Today we are going to the temple and since I am in the best district at the CCM all the teachers are coming to our session and we get to have pizza after. I'm excited. Yesterday we took the big group picture and there were so many Hermanas. It was insane. They even took a picture of just us hermanas because it is the biggest group they have ever had. We had to line up in height order and surprisingly I was the second to last in height... I didn't think I was that short. Haha and my comp was the first in the line. So funny! We are quite the pair. I have really come to love Hermana Adams. It is amazing that she is on a mission right now and I am so grateful that she is here. I have learned so much from her! Oh by the way, Phillip Baker just got here, so that was cool to see a familiar face.

I don't have much more to say! I just love being a missionary and am so anxious to get out in the field. I am nervous about the Spanish, but I know with hard work and the Lord it will come. I know this gospel is true with all my heart. I can't wait to serve and love the people of Bolivia!

I love you all and hope you are all doing well!

Hna Gardiner!

Sisters at the MTC going to the Cochabamba Bolivia Mission