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, December 26, 2011

White Christmas (Loma Week 34)

MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas and will have a happy new year.

We had a pretty good Christmas week. On Thursday we had a mission Christmas conference. All of the mission (except for the elders in the south) got together and we played some Christmas games and President gave an awesome Christmas talk. It was a fun day to celebrate the birth of the Lord with all our fellow servants in His work.

This year we worked hard to have a `white Christmas` (that means you have a baptism on Christmas; since you dress in white when you get baptized). We were going to do the baptism on Saturday the 24th, which is when all the Argentines celebrate Christmas, but we decided everyone would be partying and not go to see the baptism. So we had it on Friday the 23rd. The 17 year old boy named Miguel got baptized. It was a really spiritual baptism and his friends from out of town that are members came to watch it. It was a great experience to watch Miguel be born again during the holiday that marks the birth of the Savior. I have pictures I want to send but the computer doesn`t like me today (it never does).

Then on Saturday my companion and I decided to make a ton of sugar cookies to give away to people. So in the morning we made about 200 cookies (considering we have no electrical mixers and only one shelf in the oven it was quite an accomplishment). We proceded to go around and deliver them to members and people, along with other presents. It was pretty fun and we felt good being Santa Clause. But after a while we realized that they didn`t really like the cookies. They don`t eat all that much sugar here, and sugar cookies have a TON of sugar. So the cookies were too sweet for them to handle. Even my comp and I felt a little sick after eating a few since we lost the habit of eating so much sugar. But it`s the thought that counts and they liked the fact that we made cookies from the states for them to try.

Saturday night was the best. Argentina celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve. So Saturday we ate dinner with the bishop`s family then had to go home at 9. We went to bed at 10:30 like normal but set the alarm for 11:50 to get up and watch the fireworks. Starting around 11:55 they started setting off a ton of fireworks. Noise ones, in the air display ones, all sorts of them. It was awesome! It kept up for about half an hour. They celebrate Christmas here like we celebrate New Years. We took lots of videos and pictures, but the computer doesn`t like me. Great.

Sunday was pretty good. Christmas day. Miguel got confirmed and recieved the gift of the Holy Ghost (what a good Christmas present!). After church we called home and ate some more food. We ate lots of food the past few days. I love being a missionary and I love Christmas. Probably the best combination ever.

Well, I hope everyone get some sweet presents. I`m sure Shelly is enjoying her new slippers. I want to wish you a Merry Christmas, I want to with you a Merry Christmas, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart!

¡Feliz Navidad!
Elder Gardner

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