Well, first off, I hope everyone had a great Father's Day yesterday (especially Dad) and a good Flag Day last Tuesday. Here in Argentina it is Flag Day today. It´s a bigger holiday here than in the states, there´s no school, stores are closed, the big ´swap meet´ type things are open (Becca would die), there is an activity at the church (locro = some type of stew; or so I´m told). And it´s p-day which is sweet. And even better, it´s my birthday! We are going to eat locro (I hope it´s good) then go to the swap meet thing and spend lots of money on cheap pointless Argentine stuff. That sounds like a good birthday to me.
This week has been interesting. In terms of the missionary work there isn't really much to say. The most exciting thing was that a member we helped reactivate when I first got here was just called to be elders quorum president (yes there are so few active males here that they had to call someone who has been inactive for years). But what has been interesting is being with my new companion.
I don´t think I could describe enough for you to understand what he is like. He comes from a very poor part of Argentina, I get the feeling he has more spendable money here on the mission than he did before. He also had some psychological problems before the mission. After he was baptized he improved a lot but it is still evident he has some problems; from the way he tells me the same story ten times every day to the way he doesn't understand the questions I ask him. At first I thought it was a language or a culture difference, but I realized that the same thing happens even when he is with fellow Argentines. It was really hard at first. Having come from a rich, well educated, American family, having only been with American companions; I felt really alone the first few days. Like no one really understood me or what I was feeling. But not anymore. I've grown a lot closer to the Lord in this week. I´ve also learned a lot of humility. I´ve always kind of thought highly of myself (I try not to show it but I know it comes through) but living with Elder Romero I have seen his connection with the Lord, as a poor uneducated man. And it blows me away. I hope some day I can be as close to God as he is. I still have a long way to go. I've learned a lot from my companion. It´s still hard, especially with him being a convert he doesn't understand much about the mission or the gospel and I have to do a lot more, but it is worth it. I wouldn't give up this last week of my life for anything.
Well, that´s all I have time for today. I hope everyone has a great week. God loves you. Now go out there and do something to help other some one else.
con amor,
Elder Gardner
WARNING!!!! Not For Weak Hearted
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