HI FAM.

Hola!

This was another great week in the mission field! I am so happy and all is going well!

We have one investigator, José that is really excited for his baptism. When we asked if he would be baptized he said, "YEAH, just tell me the time and the day and I'll be there." He also really wants for his family and friends to come to church with him and change their lives as well. He is reading every day and really wanting to make a change in his life. He has epilepsy (I have no idea how to spell that) and received a blessing yesterday from the bishop that was really beautiful. I am excited to see how he will progress the next couple weeks. We had a really cool experience as we were teaching an investigator, Delía, about the Book of Mormon. It was amazing as scriptures came into my mind that I had read the day before which were exactly what she needed to hear to gain the understanding that she needed to have the desire to read it! I really am amazed as the Lord puts the words and scriptures into our minds as we are doing his work! At first I never thought I would be able to remember where scriptures were, but now I have scriptures coming into my mind that I haven't used since I was with Hermana Moscoso. It's so cool. We have a family of nine that we are teaching which is so cool! Five of them have baptismal dates for the 22 and they even came to church yesterday. It was so great. Tonight we have a FHE with them so that will be fun. We're also teaching a mom of 4, Marina, she loves the church and wants to be baptized, but the only problem is she's not married. Her "husband" is fine with her going to our church but doesn't want anything to do with it. We are hoping, slowly, but surely we can gain his confidence and start teaching him.... We'll see what happens. We’re also starting to work better with the members and we are receiving references from them! It is great and I am excited to continue to work with them! The members here are really willing to help us and have time to go out with us. It is awesome.

Saturday we went to the house of Marina to do service in the morning. It consisted of moving rocks from one location to a giant puddle of water. So that the water would stop entering their house. So that was fun. It was also raining hahah which added another dynamic. But really it was so fun! The rain, still, is much better than the sun!

Things are great with Hermana Pérez! We are doing just dandy and get along super well! She is willing to work hard but also knows how to have fun at the same time. It's great! Hermana Bolaños got an emergency transfer and will be coming to Cochabamba today and will be my new sister training leader which is cool! But I am sad for her cause she doesn't want to leave Sucre. I also hope that my area and investigators in Sucre will be okay (Juan José and Gladys are really for reals planning a wedding!), cause her comp has only been there two weeks... But I know the Lord knows what is best! I still love Scure so much. haha It was cool because I saw the bishop and his wife and the ward secretary at the temple! So awesome!

Speaking of the temple.... We went to the temple this week! It was so great and I loved it so much. It's always a great reminder of why I am here in the mission and my objective as a missionary! It was also cute to see Hermana Hill there as well!

Wellp, Life is good! I love you all so much! Keep up the good work!

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Hermana Gardiner

Email from Mission Mom

Trying to get 100 missionaries all together smiling at the same
time...makes for priceless photos!  We get to attend the temple every
three months.  This time we divided the zones into two days because
there are so many of us now!

(Now that Sara is near Cochabamba she now gets to attend the temple sessions!)

Colcapirhua! I can finally say it!

 Last night with Hna Bolaños and Chachuca (in Sucre)

 Train tracks and open spaces (in Colcapirhua)

Me with mi compy Hna Pérez! And a field of grass... (in Colcapirhua)

So much has happened this week and I don't know what to say! But all is well and I am loving life here in Colcapirhua! This has been one of the best weeks of my mission! I have learned so much from my experience of changing areas and finishing the training of Hermana Pérez.

Things I have learned:

Every person I have had the opportunity to know here in the mission was inspired. Words cannot express the love I feel for the people of Sucre and the friendships I made there. I was fine when I left, but my second day here it hit me that I am not in Sucre anymore... but now I am good again haha. I was only one day of sadness.

I also know that I am here in Colcapirhua for a reason! The people are so beautiful and loving. And I have so much to learn from them as I will be serving them here.

I have learned the importance of one's example. As I am with Hermana Pérez I have realized how important my example is for her. I hope that she can learn how to be an effective, obedient missionary!

I have learned more clearly how this work really is the Lord's. Every day we have seen a handful of miracles as we are working! There is nothing that brings me more satisfaction than working hard all day long to do the Lord's will and be an instrument in his hands. It really is incredible to be a missionary! I love this work so much! I am excited to see what my time here will bring. We have a handful of investigators that have great potential to progress. Yesterday we taught a man in his forties that lives alone. His wife died ten years ago and his sons don't live with him. It was amazing as he expressed his desire to change his life and the opportunity we had to testify of the gospel truths that really can change his life. The people here are a lot more receptive than in Scure so that is cool and there is always work to do and people to teach! Our main problem is going to be getting the people to come to Church... But with faith it'll all work out! We also have a lot of work to do with the members... I am excited to get to know them better and help them realize their part in this work!

I have also learned that rain and dirt mixed together can be slippery... and cause for very dirty shoes. Haha. I love the rain though. I love our area so much! It seriously is so beautiful. There is a part that has lots of fields and when I am there I feel like I am in West Kaysville/West Layton. It's awesome and so great! I am so happy to be here! Our area is Kilometer 8.5 to Kilometer 10 and all the area north and south (if you look it up on google maps or something). When it comes to bug bites, I only really have them on my legs... so that's cool and it is not as bad as I was expecting. Our pension is good! She asked me if I eat a lot or a little... so I was able to tell her only a little (and it is still a lot of food, but less than I was eating before) so I feel healthier and all is good there! We also have a HUGE empty room that I can run in, so now my figure eights are a little bigger than before haha.

Hermana Pérez is a joy! She always has a smile and the people love her. She wants to work hard and is great at teaching! I am so excited to spend this transfer (or more) with her! I have so much to learn from her. It's gonna be great.

I hope you are all doing well! I love you all so much! Thanks for all your love and support!

Hermana Gardiner

LIFE IS CRAZY.

 Me with Sariel y Camilia my favorite investigators

 The missionaries of Barrio Estacion! And Leidy our soon to be missionary!

This week was quite the week! I experienced every different emotion but at the end of every day I could easily say that I saw the hand of the Lord in this work!

Trifon, who was set to be baptized, was traveling the weekend before the week of his baptism. When we went to visit him after his travels he told us that he has a major problem and can't meet with us anymore and thus, won’t be baptized. Needless to say we were devastated. I have never felt so sad. I love him so much and was so excited for him to make this covenant, but I know the Lord is in control of things and that his time will come when he is ready to be baptized. But before we left he said something beautiful "I'm sorry Hermanitas, but know that I will never forget my Heavenly Father." I know that our Father in Heaven is looking out for him and that it'll all work out in the end. As we were walking down the street Hermana Bolaños and I both had tears streaming down our faces, but just 30 minutes later the Lord blessed us! We were able to teach a family that we have been trying to contact for months. They were so prepared for us and asked us how they can be better parents for their children. The spirit was so strong as we testified of the strength the teachings of the Church bring the family. We were so blessed to find this family and I have faith that they will progress in the gospel as we teach them more! Trifon may have not been ready to be baptized, but the Lord knew exactly who we needed to talk to and who is ready to progress by putting this family in our path!

Some funny things that happened this week... I was saying goodbye to an investigator in the street and as I turned around to leave I smacked my face with a cable thing that stretches from the light posts. Super funny. I was also walking close to the edge of a curb and my foot that was the furthest away from the curb slipped off and I ended up doing a 90 degree turn and fell perfectly in a sitting position on the edge of the curb. It was hilarious. We were dying. My companion also had the opportunity to almost step on dead mice in the street three times. So funny.

So the part you all are waiting for... My first change of area!!!!!!! I am going to the area Colcapirua 3 (I definitely can't pronounce this area haha) in the zone Alamos in Cochabamba. It is a new area for sisters. Hermana Burton and Hermana Perez opened this area this last transfer. Hermana Burton is finishing her mission tomorrow. Hermana Perez is from Guatemala and is new in the mission so I will be finishing her training, which I am super excited to do! It is a lot of responsibility, but I am excited for what I am going to learn. I was talking with Hermana Burton (who is my "sister" in the mission) and she told me it's a lot more rustic than the area I am in right now... haha so that will be fun. It sounds like I will definitely be putting the bug spray I brought to use. I am excited for this area--it sounds more like the "Bolivia" I was expecting cause right now, for the most part I feel like I could be in the USA. I am so sad to leave everyone here. I have so many beautiful memories and friendships, but I know the Lord has more in store for me in Cochabamba. My companion is super sad and is not happy with the transfer, but it'll all work out. I'll be leaving tomorrow in the morning to Cochabamba. I am sending one of my suitcases with all my heavy stuff by bus to Cochabamba because now we can only have 30 kilos of stuff to fly... I am excited to see what the next couple months bring!

I love you all so much! Have a great week! I'll be praying for you!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Gardiner