Elder Gardner

Elder Gardner will enter the MTC on Wednesday, June 23rd. We will keep this blog up-dated every week with his letters and pictures. If you would like to write to Elder Gardner, please click on the "write a letter" link on the right hand side for directions and his address. If you don't know much about Mormon Missions read the "about missions" page to learn more; it may help you understand some confusing terms in the letters.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Four Elders in Chacabuco (Week 7)

¿Como estan?

This week has been really interesting. When they told us that we were getting two more elders in our ward they didn´t tell us how the ward was going to be divided. We figured that we would wait till the other elders got here and they would know. But they knew even less than us; they thought they were going to be the only elders in Chacabuco. So we called the mission offices but they didn´t know anything either. Right now we are waiting for the mission president to decide what we are going to do. In the mean time we drew a temporary line down the middle of the ward and each took a different part. Elder Ludwig and I are still have the villa, but we lost the barrio along with quite a few of our investigators.

So we have been doing contacts in the streets trying to find more people to teach. We found a few but none have been home when we went by a second time to try to teach them again. It´s rather frustrating but such is the life of a missionary. Other than that nothing too exciting has happened this week. On Thursday I had to go sign papers so that I can live in Argentina legally. I got to see Elder Kelly and other friends from the MTC which was fun, but waiting a couple hours in line to sign papers wasn´t.

This morning we went to play fútbol with the members at the church becuase it is a holiday in Argentina (I don´t know why). They were really good and having some sort of tournament, so I didn´t play becuase I didn´t want to make a team lose. But Elder Ludwig played goalie for a team and did pretty good until it was time for the kick off to break the tie. Instead of playing soccer we played volleyball, which we were good at because we are taller than all of them. And they aren´t very good at real volleyball. Sometimes they play a version of volleyball where instead of using hands you just use feet, head, and chest like you were playing soccer. And they are really good at that game.

I realized this week how humble these people really live. One family we eat with every week always has us eat in a room with a bunk bed, table, tv, fridge, and clothes. I always just assumed it was the room the two teenage boys slept in and for some reason they had us eat in there. This Sunday I realized that the whole family lives in that one room. One bed for the parents and one bed for the kids (15 and 13 year old boys and 4 year old girl). And that is their only room, everything they own is in that room, smaller than my living room at home. Another family (investigators) have to leave their four year old girl named Michelle at home alone watching tv during the day while both parents work. I can´t imagine how worried they must be wondering if she is alright every day. Then they come home and are too tired to play with her or anything. For anyone in the United States that thinks they have a hard life, come here and see the type of life they live. I´m just now starting to realize how blessed I have been my whole life.

Well, that´s all I have time for this week. Sorry I don´t have anything exciting to report. Tomorrow we have a mission conference with a member of the Seventy. That should be good. I´ll tell you more about it next Monday. Have a great week everyone!

Con amor,
Elder Gardner

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