I couldn’t be happier. Really.‏

Bonjour tout le monde!!!!!

I just wanted to start out this email by letting you all know that I am SO HAPPY. I have never been happier in my entire life!!! The joy I feel I just can’t even put into words. I was sitting next to Soeur Harding and Soeur Martinez during conference (since my companions were listening in French) and I just realized how HAPPY I feel here. How happy I am that I have met all of these incredible people, missionaries and amis, who I never would’ve met otherwise. I love this gospel so much!! I love being a missionary!!

And I LOVED conference sooo much. It was so incredible! My favorite session was without a doubt the Saturday Morning session. I looooved the metephor that the Korean seventy made about the man with palsy!! Missionaries and members working together is sooo crucial in this work.

Speaking of the importance of members, we ate at the family Marvons on Friday, and they pointed out that Frere Marvons father had read the ENTIRE Book of Mormon and wanted to get baptized. He is an old ami from a long time ago that we wouldn’t have even known existed without their help! They also pointed out several families in their apartment complex that had met with the missionaries in the past and would be ready to meet with them again.  It’s so important that the missionaries and members work together!

And remember how I told you last week that Sovita and Florence had a problem with the word of wisdom? Well. At our last appointment before Sovita broke his foot, they decided that THEY were going to teach us the next lesson. So, we gave them some Word of Wisdom brochures and they said they would prepare the lesson. ça y est, Sovita broke his foot and was in the hospital, so we weren’t able to have a lesson until Monday, and it was only with Florence. She understood the Word of Wisdom PERECTLY, and the fact that our bodies are temples so we need to take care of them. She said that giving up smoking and coffee was no problem at all, and she was happy to do it! She said that in the hospital, Sovita started taking hot chocolate instead of coffee--something VERY untypical of him. So yeah, apparently they don’t have a problem with the Word of Wisdom at all!

I love you all!! A la prochaine! :)

xoxoxo

Soeur Gardiner

I FEEL BLESSED.‏

Hey my dear family!

I love you all so much! Can you believe how fast this week went by? It's freaking me out. But when you are working hard and having fun time flies. This week was amazing and I learned so much. There were so many little blessings. And big ones as well. It was great.

We had two awesome intercambios this week. One of them was especially special because I was in the area where my trainer, Hna Moscoso started her mission. In this intercambio with Hna Callata Lord was giving me answers to my prayers and He gave me the strength that I needed spiritually. We had the opportunity to see two priesthood blessings in two of our lessons. It was amazing. There was a mom with her disabled daughter. This mom was so distraught and tired. The spirit was as strong as we testified of the love that God has for her and her daughter and as the brother that was accompanying us gave her the blessing. We also taught a family--a dad and his five kids (his wife is in Spain). They have passed through so many trials recently, bad health etc. It was so so sad to see this grown man cry as he explained what was going on in his life. I felt so much 

hope for him though as we testified of the blessings of the gospel and he and his kids are excited to come to church this next Sunday. His son is really sick and he also received a priesthood blessing. I am so grateful for the priesthood and the blessings that come from it. How amazing it is to have the restored gospel here on the earth!

We were also able to have so many miracles in our area! I don't know if I ever talked about a lady... She is one of my favorite, most special investigators in our area. I don't know why but I had always been afraid to invite her to be baptized... maybe because she is a teacher for the first communion and confirmation in the Catholic Church... but this week we just decided to do it and invite her to be baptized. It was amazing. She expressed how she felt the need to be baptized like Jesus did someone older and that chooses for himself. She also said that she feels like what we teach is true and that as she has learned from us she has found a happiness that she didn't have before. She accepted the baptism date and I am so excited to see how she will progress!

We also have many other investigators that are progressing and others that have the potential to progress. I am excited to see what the Lord has instore for us this week. We have also seen so many blessings in our area and the work is progressing so much! I feel so blessed to be a missionary and to love and serve the Lord in his vineyard every day!

I love you all! Sorry there aren't photos this week... we're in a bad internet and I don't want to get bugs on my camera... next week for sure!

LES AMO,

Hermana Gardiner

Looks like I'm gonna die in Alalay

Hey!

Yesterday was stake conference and the stake center was far away and we had never been there before haha, but we had investigators that we wanted to take (Raul's family). So we went to pick up this family of nine... Raul couldn't come but we were able to fit us and everyone else in one taxi and we made it to the conference. It was awesome because they talked a lot about the family and how important it is, which was exactly what this family needed to hear. The dad was listening and was very focused in everything that was being said. Both the mom and dad have problems with drinking, but they have a true desire to change and learn. We have high hopes for this whole family! It was funny because we actually had more investigators in the stake conference than we usually have in the normal ward meetings.

Oh and funny story. After the stake conference we were just about to eat with the Familia Salinas and we got a call from another one of our investigators. We had invited her to go to the conference in the stake center. It turns out she got there late (like an hour after the reunion ended), but entered the building and went to the bathroom even though there were only a couple people there. These people didn't realize she had entered and while she was in the bathroom the locked the church. She ended up getting locked in the church and called us, begging for help. We had to call the bishop and zone leaders so they could tell the members from this ward to go open the building so she could leave. So funny but sad at the same time. Luckily she had a good attitude about it and was laughing.

This week has been one that has made me think a lot about the things I need to change and do better. I read Alma chapter 5 this week which is one that definitely makes me think about my conversion and the things that I need to differently to be a better servant of Jesus Christ. I love that life is about constantly changing and trying to be better. It is not something easy but it is something that helps us become closer to our Savior and to become more like Him. I have also enjoyed studying the recent conference talks about missionary work. I love this quote from Elder Ballard: "It is impossible for us to fail when we do our best when we are on the Lord’s errand." How true is that! If we do our best we will have success! I love this work and feel so blessed to be a missionary in this time and place!

So you're probably interested to know what happened with my transfer haha. Wellp it was about 7:30pm when I got a call from President Hansen, which is definitely not normal cause the district leader is who usually calls about the transfers, so I kind of freaked out. He ended up explaining that he felt like I needed to stay in my area and be a sister training leader. Hermana Morales from Peru will come here and we will be the new STLs for three zones. I am excited and it should be fun. I am excited to go on exchanges with all the sisters and serve and love them. It'll be interesting though because neither of us knows how to be STL but I'm sure with the help of the Lord it'll work out okay. My companion, Hna Vara will be going to Scure! So I am sure she'll love that even though she is sad to leave. This means I will finish my mission (die) in this area--Alalay. I am excited because I love the people and the members and there is a lot of work to do.

I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Hermana Gardiner

I LOVE MD

I am so tired of driving. So tired of studying the Code of the road. So tired of dealing with all the little things that come with driving a car. I hate cars.

Auto Ecole is going great! It’s just really, really not fun. And I would much rather be proselyting. But! I’m definitely improving and getting less and less questions wrong. It’s hard at the beginning when you don’t know all of the vocabulary, but I’ve pretty much got it figured out now.

On a much happier note...

I LOVE MONT DORE. Not only is it GORGEOUS, the people here are incredible. We have some awesome investigators, awesome members. It’s incredible!

Plus, I have the coolest companionship in the world. Soeur Maleb and Soeur Tehanin are sooo funny. We get along so well. We all admitted during companionship inventory that we were scared to be together but it is SUCH an incredible companionship. It’s so much fun all of the time, and its awesome in lessons. As President Brewer would say, we have an ideal companionship. Three different cultures! So cool. That makes it so we can connect easily to EVERYONE. I never want different companions.

It’s just crazy how different things are chez the Tahitians, chez the Melanesians, chez the French. It’s a good different, it’s what makes us unique. Happily, the gospel brings us together as brothers and sisters. :) Love it! I’m so grateful to be here and see so many other ways of life.

Je vous aime troooop!! Passez une bonne semaine.

Soeur Gardiner

Zion, otherwise known as Mont Dore

Io Ra Na!!!

So transfers were really weird. It was the first time new missionaries have come in my whole mission, and there were 4 sisters and 5 elders. It was just kind of overwhelming haha, but awesome too. Just felt soo surreal!

Oh yeah, 6 months... what? Where did the time go? I swear I just barely left, like yesterday. Crazy.

I love Mont Dore. It’s a super nice, beautiful area. It’s like Dumbea of the South. :) There’s a very realistic possibility that I will stay here for the rest of my mission, and that’s fine with me.

Sunday was AWESOME. The ward is super small compared to the ward I was in but man, everyone is so HAPPY. And so welcoming!! And our amis here are super awesome, they love coming to church and reading the book of Mormon. It’s great!!! 

My companions are awesome. It’s a COMPLETELY different dynamic from how it was with Soeur Martinez and Soeur Raney but its good. We all come from different places but we all want to be obedient and work hard, so that’s what’s important.

Since Soeur Tehanin is going to New Zealand, we practice speaking English every other day. One of my favorite things is hearing Soeur Tehanin and Soeur Maleb speak to each other in English. :) soooo cute haha. They’re both super good at it!

So, yeah! Things are going great. I start auto ecole Tuesday, pray for me! I need all the help I can get so that I can pass as soon as possible and get back to real missionary work.

This last week was a little all over the place and so was this letter haha... next week will be better.

Love you all!! Have a fantastic week everyone. I sure will!

Soeur Gardiner

Francophones. Plural.

A Vanuatese, a Tahitian, and an American walk into a bar.

Sounds like the beginning to a cheesy joke, right? Turns out, the only joke about that phrase is the fact that we would walk into a bar.

I’m going to..... drumroll please.....

MONT DORE.

Didn’t see that one coming, did you? Neither did I! I will be companions with the lovely Soeur Maleb from Vanuatu, and finishing the training of Soeur Tehanin, a Tahitian sister from here who weighs too much to go on her mission to New Zealand! So that brings an interesting challenge. I will definitely be the chef of the house, which means I have to get two islanders to start wanting to eat healthy food.

I NEED HEALTHY EASY YUMMY RECIPES. Recipes that will help my cute companion get to New Zealand sooner than later. Please? Help me. I’m counting on you friends and family! I will appreciate the help so much. Dinners, desserts that are secretly healthy, HELP.

Plus I am the only one out of the three that knows how to drive a car. haha.

This is definitely going to be a challenge, but I know that I’m up to it. They will help me SO MUCH with French, it’ll be awesome. Plus Soeur Maleb can teach me Bislama. :) So excited.

But also heartbroken to leave Dumbea. So hard to leave people that you love so much...

Speaking of people I love so much. We haven’t seen Morina and Nato all transfer, because they’ve had family here from Wallis. Every time I tried to call they said no because they were too busy.

Well, as usual? Most of our miracles happen when other lessons fall through. Soeur Martinez asked, "What are we doing now?" And I said, "Morina and Nato." Arrivé, THEY WERE BOTH HOME. We shared some of Moroni 7 and Nato cried. Such miracles. We have a soirée set up for Thursday! SO amazing. The Lord really is directing us and leading us to where we need to be.

I love you all so much! Thank you so much for the love, prayers, letters, recipes. I appreciate it so much!

JE VOUS AIME.

Soeur Gardiner

It's a Monday... :)‏

 Old Shoe vs New Shoe!

 waterfall in Tiquipaya

waterfall in Tiquipaya

Hey fam!!!

We had a fantastic week! It really is so great to be working with Hermana Vara and I feel so blessed to be her companion. We had so many great experiences this week. One of them was that our pensionista/relief society president went out to accompany us and we walked past an old friend's house. She felt like she needed to call this friend, Graciela, and invite her to talk to us. A couple days later we had a lesson with Graciela in my pensionista's house. It was such a powerful lesson as we had the help from two members. The spirit was so strong and Graciela accepted a baptismal date without a second thought. It was amazing. Graciela has such a desire to learn and know which of all the churches are true. I know the Spirit was so much a part of this whole experience and will be crucial in the progress of Graciela. This experience reminded me of how important the members are in the work of salvation. I love how the Lord knows each of us individually and is always putting people in our pathway that are prepared for this wonderful gospel!

I don't know if I told you guys about the Salinas Family.... so I will now. Haha. Once upon a time we were leaving our apartment and a guy stopped us and told us that he wanted us to visit him and his family. It turns out they had just moved back from Spain and had been inactive for years. The dad, Juan Pablo, explained how he wanted to come back to church with all his family. He has his wife, Maribel and two kids Juan David (10 yrs. old) and Carolina (7 years old) and they are seriously the cutest family ever. Juan David was never baptized so he is now preparing for his baptism for August 16th. It is awesome because they are wanting to use the baptism as a missionary opportunity. They are going to invite family members and friends from school. It is amazing to see there excitement to return to the church and share this message as well. They are also preparing to get sealed!!! It is so exciting and I feel so blessed that I have the opportunity to help a family make it to the temple. What a special thing it is.

Today was a good p-day. We went to a waterfall in Tiquipaya which was cool and different from the usual stuff we do here Cochabamba! We also ran into President and Hermana Hansen and their daughter at the grocery store. Their daughter is finishing her last three weeks of her mission here in Bolivia before she goes back to BYU. I have such a great love for Pres and Hermana Hansen. They are seriously so awesome.

Life is great here and we're working hard! I just love being a missionary so much! I also love all of you and hope you have a great week!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Gardiner

Not Dumb Dumbea

 Soeur Martinez and I!

 Soeur Raney's goodbye party with the ward missionaries

Goodbye Soeur Raney. :(

Bonjour tout le monde!

This week has been just CRAZY. I have never been so exhausted in my life! Taking care of two separate secteurs is insane, but I think we are doing the best we can. We are working hard to merge our schedules together. So far it has gone really well. Not to mention, Soeur Martinez is so amazing. Heavenly Father definitely knew that there was no way two missionaries could do the work we have to do unless we really loved each other. :) It was hard seeing Soeur Raney leave (Soeur Martinez and I both cried for a good while) but all good things must come to an end. So weird to think that Soeur Raney is a normal human now... haha. Anyways, I am SO blessed to be with Soeur Martinez. Ah, Heavenly Father is the best planner.

Its been an awesome week! We had an awesome lesson with our young investigator. He is just such a troubled angsty teenager. We are just going to keep loving him and praying for him. He says that he will come to church next week! We will see.

We had an awesome soiree familiale with the family Likhau. They are a part member family we have been trying to work with for a long time. They have 8 kids, and they are so cute. They were so excited to have us teach them. The mom said they wanted to have a soiree familiale and invite a bunch of their friends to introduce them to the gospel! Wow! Such a great family. I am so excited to work with them more.

Oh yeah, yesterday I ate rabbit. It was really well prepared, and tasted delicious! Everyone should eat rabbit more.

Lets see... there’s so much to say and so little time. Oh, I might be starting Auto Ecole this week... awkward because if I do start, we really won’t have time to work a ton in our secteur(s). Getting a French permit takes so much time! I am not really sure what I am going to do yet, I have been praying a lot but I still don’t know if I should go ahead and do it. It would put so much in jeopardy... we'll see. I have been driving a lot because Soeur Martinez won't be driving anymore. It took a little time to get used to again haha but my driving’s getting better every time.

My French has improved sooo much! I feel like I can really teach now, and I can really express myself. And understanding comes pretty naturally. I can talk to people and have real conversations! Super awesome. I know I couldn’t have come this far without divine help. I am so grateful to be here and to be a missionary. I am so grateful for the help that I feel from my Heavenly Father every day, every second.

I love you all! Keep being member missionaries. N'oubliez pas qui vous etes.

Soeur Gardiner

The Lord just doesn't let you get comfortable, does he?‏

Me with my cute new companion, Hna Vara! She was a trooper and made it to church with her foot all taped up and two different shoes (thanks hna wilson for leaving your sandal;))

Once again it has been quite the week! I was just getting used to the trio life, when I got the call from the assistants that I was getting a companion!!! Her name is Hna Vara. She is from Lima, Peru and has 2 months in the mission. Her trainer was sick and had to go home so I now have the opportunity to be with her! She is so so amazing and has such a desire to work hard as a missionary. I feel like I have learned so much from her in just the couple days we have had together. She is so diligent and has such a positive attitude.

Friday we had such a wonderful second day together, teaching lessons, finding new investigators and serving the members. As we were heading to the pension after doing service in the Bishop's house it was dark and my companion didn't see a high step that we had to step down from. It was so sad because we were all happy and laughing arm in arm as she fell and hit the ground so hard. She told me she thought she hurt both of her ankles. My only thought was "oh no, I am going to have to send home two companions this transfer." haha. But luckily that was not the case. After getting help from some members that were passing by she got cleaned up in the church and then we went to the hospital. Luckily she didn't break a bone and it was just a sprain. She had to stay off of it for two days though which was a huge bummer cause we were so excited to work. But now everything is better and she'll be good to work this week.

It's just so funny cause at the start of this transfer I thought that it was going to be a transfer super chill where we would just work hard every day hitting the streets, but the Lord definitely had something else planned. It's been hard because there is nothing I love more than just getting out and working but now I am learning how to go with the flow and how to trust more in the Lord and that he'll take care of it all. And more than anything I have learned how to love and serve my companions. Every one of them has been so amazing and wonderful. I feel so blessed.

This week I finished reading "Our Heritage" from the mission library. I just loved this book so much and especially the end when it talks about all the latter-day prophets. I just felt such a sweet feeling knowing that the Lord really talks to prophets today to lead and guide us. It is amazing to see how the prophets and their apostles give everything to serving the Lord. I love reading their talks as well in the conference Ensign. We are so blessed to be led by prophets. I feel much gratitude for the opportunity to be a missionary and help them in their efforts to bring the gospel to the people here in Bolivia. What a wonderful and beautiful time it is to be serving the Lord.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Hermana Gardiner

"Oui, c'est bon."

 We love Sola. What a cutie

 Me, Vaiarii, Soeur Raney, Vaihau, and our awesome recent convert Pascal.

Soeur Raney and I about to do a service project clearing out some hard core jungle

SALUT TOUT LE MONDE!

This has been SUCH a great week!!! We'll start out with a little adventure I had....

I was trying to get to sleep, but I needed to use the restroom. So I went to use the restroom. And mid pulling down my pants... a COCKROACH jumped out. A COCKROACH JUMPED OUT OF MY PANTS. I have no idea how I didn’t scream... but I took the toilet brush holder and smashed it. Both Soeur Raney and I couldn't sleep very well after that. Hahahaha.

And, more importantly... ONE OF OUR INVESTIGATORS IS GETTING BAPTIZED! Yes!!!! We are so happy. He will be baptized on July 12th. Ah! We are just all so happy.

Lots of other things happened this week... McDonalds, waiting in the ER for four hours for Soeur Raney's not-even-that-urgent wrist injury, clearing out some jungle with machetes for a member... yeah. Mission life is so great!

I am so grateful and feel so humbled to be here and love these people. Bein ça.

Je vous aime!! Bonne semaine!

Soeur Gardiner

Island life.

Bonjour!
Its been another crazy week here in Dubea Sur Mer. I can’t believe it’s already been a transfer... time flies!!! Ah I love it here.

(She has two investigators that are progressing really well.)

And... yeah. Haha, we have a lot of investigators and we were teaching a lot of lessons. Often we have to run clear across our sector to get to our next rendezvous but its cool. I looooove it!

Oh. And by the way. Keep being member missionaries. The world needs your help!!

Love you all, have a good week!

Soeur Gardiner

Say no to drugs

 Vaiarii and me!

 Who says missionaries aren’t allowed to have fun?

 Soeur Raney, our cool friend Glen who is on vacation here from Wallis and Vaihau

Iorana! Et bonjour mes cheries!

I love living on this island. And teaching our amis! Ah, life is so good.

(Molly is working with an inactive and things are going really well.)

And oh yeah, this week I was offered my first cigarette. And I said no! Officer Wilko of D.A.R.E. would be so proud. That was a good day, haha.

Last night we had a soiree familiale with a family from Vanuatu that is Seventh Day Adventist. We taught them I am a Child of God in Bishlama. When I was saying the closing prayer, the dad was saying yes and amen throughout the whole thing. They are the coolest family! And they speak English better than French, so that was a relief.

Speaking of French. Over the past week or so my French skills have grown exponentially!! I have become so much more confident and it’s just awesome. And I know it wouldn’t happen without help from the Savior.

Miracles happen. All it takes is faith and a little bit of hard work!

Je vous aime tellement!! Passe une bonne semaine!

Soeur Gardiner

P Day is Monday, but French holidays are always on Mondays and everything closes. Never count on my being able to email on Mondays!

Tahitians, Tahitians, Tahitians.

 Iorana!! (Hello in Tahitian) :)

  I made a DELICIOUS chocolate cake, without a recipe. I was trying to make brownies.... but cake works too – this is my apartment - soooo big. and so clean. :)

 Cutest child. Vaihau & Vaiariis Nephew

me in a Wallisian manon :)

Hello everyone!!! I just want you all to know how much I love you. Really, so much. :)

And I also want you to know how much I love New Caledonia! Ah, I just want to stay here and preach the gospel forever. :)

Signs you’re becoming Tahitian:

1. Raising your eyebrows and grunting a little is easier (and more meaningful) than just saying oui.

2. Milo (essentially just hot chocolate) counts as a meal.

3. Bread is a more useful utensil than a knife.

Haha, I love the Tahitian people. And Wallisians. Those are the main nationalities of the people who live in our sector. All of the different cultures here are so cool. Last week there was a big stake activity where each ward got to present a different island in the pacific. They sang and danced and everything. So cool! I can’t wait to get home and take a Polynesian dance class at BYU.

Our investigators are the best!! (She has a lot of investigators and loves working with them - just didn't want to put all the details on this public blog.)

I love the gospel! I love being here! Island life is so good. And the church is true. :)

Soeur Gardiner

Sorry i didn't have more time to be more clear. Love you!! Good luck! My comp is great! The district is good!! The other sisters in our district are so awesome. Life is good!!

Skyped for Mothers Day and lots of pictures

Molly was able to Skype for Mothers Day yesterday (two weeks late) so instead of spending her computer time writing a letter she sent a lot of pictures.

She doesn't have a lot of computer time so if you would like to write her - here is her address - it cost $1.15 or 3 stamps (This address will stay the same her whole mission.)

Soeur Molly Gardiner

Bureau de la Mission

BP 15154 98 804

Noumea Cedex

Nouvelle Caledonie

 Dumbea Sur Mer

 La Famille Putua, a recent convert family that feeds us once a week

  Chez Nouna, our little convenience store where we buy bread and things. Our apartment complex is the building just behind it

Our apartment building

 Dumbea Sur Mer

Sunset from our balcony

An apology and a real update

 Beautiful New Cal. I love the mountains here

  Our district

Us with Vaihau

Hello beautiful family! P Days here are super super stressful and last week was just not a good experience computer wise. I apologize for not being more thorough but writing the president had to take precedence, and there wasn't enough time because the building was closing. Super lame, I am so so sorry. Here is the complete update, and pictures because my bag made it here!

The flight: so we flew on Fiji Airways, which is super super nice. If you ever go to Fiji, make sure that's what you take. The flight from LA to Fiji wasn't too bad and I slept most of the time. The 7 hour wait in the Fiji airport was super hard though.

Vanuatu: I think Vanuatu is my favorite place on the planet. So green and lush, and so friendly!! Everyone just lives in a little squat and is so humble and generous. The first night I stayed with the Sister Training Leaders in Freshwota. I took a shower there and then another sister took a shower after me. When she came out, she said "did you see a snake in the shower?" And I was like "Noooo.." and she just said, "Good. It was just little anyway" Ahhhh! She continued to tell me horror stories about coconut crabs, cockroaches, and centipedes. That made sleeping on their floor a little hard, haha. It was so fun going out with the sisters and trying to pick up as much Bishlama as I could.

We ate dinner with President Brewer that night at a restaurant that looks out over the ocean. The sunset was absolutely beautiful!! I love Vanuatu. I definitely have to go back someday.

New Cal, Dumbea Sur Mer!

I LOVE DUMBEA!! Its such a unique place. Kind of reminds me of a post apocalyptic civilization. Its mostly government housing condos and apartments, but probably also the safest neighborhood in New Cal. We have a cute little beach in our sector. Its a great place!

Soeur Raney is a genius. She graduated from high school when she was 15. Shes from Arizona and goes to school in Arizona. She is GREAT. We get along super super well! I am so grateful to have a trainer who is good at training who can also be my friend at the same time.

Our apartment is sooooo nice, probably the nicest in the entire mission. Its clean, cockroach free, and its got a nice shower! Life is good in Dumbea Sur Mer.

I love love loove our investigators. Vaihau  and Vairii (his 16 year old brother) are doing pretty well and coming to church. I hope they can be baptized soon! None of our other investigators came to church, so that was super super sad. We just need to keep working!

For Skye next Sunday, (Saturday in the states i guess haha) make sure you write down all of the questions you want to ask so that we can use the time effectively. Love you all so much!!!

Soeur Gardiner

French is........ coming. I understand pretty well but speaking is harder for me than it was in the MTC. I am hoping that it'll come soon. Pray for me!

Short update!

Sorry I don't have a ton of time but I'M FINALLY HERE!!! I love it. My trainer is fantastic. So hard working and pushes me. She also feeds me AMAZING food so that is good!!

We are in Dumbea Sur Mer, which is such an interesting place. Its a huge melting pot here so there are tons of different cultures.

Funny though, church is pretty much the exact same on both sides of the world.

AHHH I LOVE IT HERE!!! I AM SO HAPPY!! THERE IS NO WHERE ELSE I WOULD RATHER BE!!!

Have a good week!!

Soeur Gardiner

VANUATU IS NUMBA ONE

 Vanuatu

 On splits in Vanuatu

The view from the backyard of the mission home in Vanuatu

Bonjour!!! Just sending a quick email to let you know that I am alive and well. It has been quite interesting the past couple of days but I have just fallen in love with Vanuatu. I'll send you a longer on Sunday or maybe earlier depending on mother's day calling plans. I won't know what’s going on with that until I get to New Cal tomorrow.

I love Vanuatu so much that I really would rather not leave. :) But New Cal will be good too. Vanuatu really is numba one though... (numba one is how they say GREAT in Bishlama). I already know I will be serving in the Dumbea Sur Mer area, and I will be trained by Sister Alyssa Raney. President Brewer says that she is AMAZING at French and has already trained someone before, so I am so excited!

Dad, President Brewer says that he knew you would grow up to be a great man. He says that it scares him that someone he was over as a principal already has a daughter on a mission, and he knows it's time for him to die. hahaha. :)

So the plane did lose one of my bags on the way here... today I will find out if I get it back or not. Please don't worry too much about it. It has definitely taught me some humility!  Thank you mom for teaching me to back my bags half and half! I could’ve done a better job of matching the outfits I had in each suitcase... but I'm surviving. If I never get it back, it should be fine. I'll let you know if I need anything. :)

Love you all, and I will send a better email soon!!!

Soeur Gardiner

Dallin H. Oaks, Cafe Rio, and leaving the nest‏

Elder Jonathan Downs! He's a cute elder, even on a P Day. He got here last week and he left today to Kansas!

 Elder Abbate, cutest French elder ever. He LOVES America, especially cheeseburgers. He has learned all of the English he knows from American TV shows, and so he has said a few embarrassing things. He has American flag ties, and even an american flag above his bed. He sings and dances to Let it Go in French, and it is hilarious. He has been helping us with our French, and we have been helping him with his English.

 I love taking selfies because you really get to see people's personalities come out

  Our zone, in blue this week. :)

 compys

 Me and Sister Leah Mouritsen, headed to Jamaica!

BONJOUR mes cheries. Here we are at the final week! Oh, what a wonderful thought.

Last Tuesday, we were graced with a talk from Elder Oaks. Yes, that makes THREE apostles in one week! Honestly, the Lord is looking out for me. With everything else that's going on here, hearing these apostles speak have made it all worth it. Elder Oaks laid down the law like he usually tends to do. He gave us some incredible advice. Anyone can change, anyone can achieve, but it takes real hard work and sacrifice to BECOME a missionary. It was an amazing talk! We have been so, so blessed here.

Nothing much has changed! Just getting ready to leave on Sunday. Mom, I can buy a calling card here in the MTC. I have no clue how to use it but it has instructions on it so I can figure it out. Luckily for us I'll most likely be able to skype you all next week! I can't wait to let you know what the island is like.

It feels like it has been a lifetime since I was back at home. I have changed so much, but only in good ways. I feel ready to get out and work hard!!

Last week, two elders from Vanuatu came who are going to Tahiti. I LOVE them. They are so so cute and humble! I am so excited to be around those wonderful people for the next year and a half. Every time I see them (there super shy so I haven’t actually talked to them, other than saying "bonjour!"...) it just gets me so pumped to teach those amazing people. I already love everyone in New Caledonia and I haven't even been there yet!

Sunday will be a beautiful day! Elder Simmons and I are already excited to feed our mate Elder Tempany his first meal at Cafe Rio. We are glad we get to give him a taste of America that is better than the MTC cafeteria. :) Only sad part is, because we cross the international dateline while we're flying, Cinco de Mayo doesn't even happen for us. Hahaha.

Here is my official New Caledonia address!

Soeur Molly Gardiner

Bureau de la Mission

BP 15154

98 804 Noumea Cedex

Nouvelle Caledonie

I love you all! I hope you have a good week. Next you hear from me, I will be in paradise and serving the Lord! I cannot wait.

Soeur Gardiner

Joyeuse Paques!!! :)

 Excited to open the easter package!!!

 My companions were way impressed that these were hand-crafted, not store-bought!

 It was a very happy easter!!

Every week our branch color-coordinates. It has been a tradition for a long time apparently! My companion only owns red, black, and navy. So here are us sisters in red! The new girls are both 23 and done with college as well. I am definitely the baby of the pack.

 Our whole new zone! One new district is Haitian-Creole speaking going to Florida, and everyone else who is new is going to Paris. 

 We love our district!

 Getting creative with the angles.

we love missionary selfies.

I think everyone should spend an Easter in the MTC. It has been such an amazingly spiritual weekend! The MTC really helps put things into perspective. Easter was so Christ-centered, it was incredible. I am so grateful for my Savior and his Atonement. Without him, I would be nothing.

On Sunday we had a giant sacrament meeting for the whole MTC, and Dieter F. Uchtdorf came and spoke. It was pretty incredible because he is the first member of the First Presidency that has come to the MTC in 4 years, so we got pretty lucky! (And last Tuesday, Elder Andersen came and spoke. Double whammy!) Uchtdorf's talk was INCREDIBLE. It was the perfect combination of an Easter talk and a missionary talk. I wish the whole church could have heard it! Essentially, what he talked about was how before Christ's death and resurrection, the apostle Peter was afraid. He had the beginnings of courage, but ultimately, he was scared. He denied Jesus thrice. But then, once he saw Jesus resurrected, he became a fearless missionary who "feared no man." He was able to preach the gospel even at the risk of his own life. This isn't "doctrine," but tradition says that when Peter was imprisoned, his testimony was SO powerful that they constantly had to replace his guards because he kept converting them. Uchtdorf said that Christ gives us the power to "fear no man" as missionaries as well. We cannot be afraid! As missionaries, we are essentially the extended arm of the 12 apostles. It is our duty to teach and testify fearlessly. It was exactly what I needed to hear!

Then, kind of a funny story. I love my compy, she is 23. Anyway, so as we were leaving the meeting she decides that she MUST meet Uchtdorf, and that she had been praying that she would be able to talk to him. So, she starts running around the building to get to the door that he would come out of. On our way, we ran into a member of our Branch Presidency and his wife, the Dowlings. My comp asked if they had seen him come out yet and they said they weren't sure. Anyway, so we stood there for a second, and lo and behold, he came out of the door! He shook our hands and wished us a happy Easter, which was pretty cool. 

Well I hope you all have an amazing week! Gardent la foi. (Keep the faith.) Love you all!

Soeur Gardiner