October 27th

Hey everyone! Hope all is going well in your neck of the woods. This week as many of you have probably heard there was a shooting in Parliament. The good news is that no I wasn't affected by it. The most we had happen was some missionaries were delayed in their going home to their  areas (we had had district meetings that morning). I watched the news at an investigators house. It looked intense. Someone with a cell phone recorded the gunning down of the shooter. Many shots were fired. People were pretty shook up by it and we had a soldier killed. So just keep Canada in your prayers. We have heard there were some other attacks in Quebec. So just keep them in mind.

The miracle I wanted to share this week was with the Bishop. Last week we had helped with a funeral of the bishop's father in-law. I guess the connection between the missionaries and the bishop hasn't been good. So we decided to go and help. Oh my goodness the difference that made. The next week the bishop wanted to meet with us and he is all about missionary work right now. He said his family appreciated the help we were to give. So hopefully things continue to progress. 

My last funny is we found a little downtown shop on Monday that loves Obama. I mean seriously. They sold Obama cookies and had posters of him coming to their shop in 2009. It was funny to see. I took a pic I can send later.

Love you all and keep up the good work! :)

Sister Gardner

P.S. Does anyone have an address for Madi Frame so I can send her an email?

Thanks

P.S. Thanks for the package! It made me smile! (Note from Carol: This package didn't take as long! :-))

Oct 20 Hello

Hello from Ottowa! I hope everything is treating you well! Life here has been good. This week was full of miracles. Elder Li calls them Thanksgiving Miracles. Maybe we will have 2 Thanksgiving miracle weeks. This one and one in November. 

So to start off we went to a dinner with the Duvall family on Monday. They are an active couple with a daughter who just came home from her mission. But their sons and relatives are inactive or not members. They told us they have struggled with mormons. The Duvalls thought it was time to break the ice, and what better way than to have the missionaries over for dinner. So we went and mostly mingled and ate. We did share a small message on Gratitude basing it off of the leper story in Luke were 10 were healed but only 1 returned to thank Christ. How we want to be like the one. We challenged them from now until Halloween to think of something each day they were grateful for and to thank the Lord. We have seen the Duvalls since and they said it went better than they could have hoped for. :) It's step in the right direction.

Than on Tuesday our investigator Caeri decided to set a baptism date. This was a shock. We had planned a lesson around baptism. Before we even got in the lesson she announced that she was ready to set a date. So that was exciting! :) So we gave half of the lesson we just left the convincing part out since she had convinced herself. And her son gave his first prayer. He ended it saying AM instead of amen with P.S. I love you. It was so sweet! 

Elder Ballard came this week for our stake conference. He held a special meeting for those investigating the church. Caeri was able to come to that. She said it was powerful. We even got to shake hands with him. Sheri, another investigator, came to the Sunday session. This was the first she has been to church. We also watch the Joseph Smith Movie with her. In the past 2-3 days she has come a long way. There is still a lot to do but its a small step in the right direction!

For Thanksgiving we sent out a text for it and we had a former investigator want to meet with us. So that was great!

We started teaching a new investigator. Her name is Irene. She is French so our lessons are mostly in French. She does speak some English so when she can tell I'm really lost she tells me things in English. She is so sweet! She could be like the lady on petticoat junction who kills people with kindness. 

My last if more of a funny. Everyone is very surprised to learn that I know what rhubarb is. They give a funny look and I proceed to tell them that my Grandma would made rhubarb crisp and a drink. It's just really funny! 

Oh and one more. I can tell my companion is more of a city girl. When we were driving home from the Duvalls there were no street lights. She couldn't get over it and how dark it looked. It made me laugh. My driving home to Altamont or Price was like that. 

Avan- the little I learned about their Thanksgiving is that they don't associate pilgrims with it and they are celebrating the harvest. It's near the time when gardens are done and such. They also take the time to thank for all the blessing they have had that year. Some told me that it was because they were copying the states. That's all I really was able to gather.

Pics are from Thanksgiving one with the family we had dinner with and the other is at the art museum (where we spent the afternoon).

Love  you all!

Sister Gardner

Halloween Package

As Halloween approaches,  Carol decided that Sister Gardner needed a small package.

 Carol found this thought about coming unto Christ and knew that Sister Gardner needed it.  We sent a few messages about "Coming unto Christ" along with a little bit of goodies.  No much would fit into the small envelope so it was just a remembrance.  We love you!

Things seem to take about 3 weeks to get to her.... so it was been mailed.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Thanksgiving (10/13/14)

So I'm basically out of time but I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm doing great! It's Thanksgiving here in Canada and it has thrown me off. I keep saying to myself, it can't be the end of November already. And then I realize its not. 

For my message on an attitude of Gratitude please read Alma 34:38, D&C 78:19, and Luke 17:11-19. They just talk about thanking our Heavenly Father about the blessing we have been given. We will be made glorious if we do. We will be happier. Lets not be like the other 9 lepers and not give thanks but be like the one who turns back and gives thanks for his blessing!

Love you all. Sorry I don't have time to send pics!

Sister Gardner

Oct 6, 2014

So I don't have a lot of time to write this week. But it has been a good week. The weather can't make up its mind as to if if will be warm or cold. I hope the warm lasts for a little bit longer!

Last week I was able to go and see Parliment. That was fun. We took our tour in French. The only thing I understood was "fermer la porte" which means shut the door. So the original building burned down but they did have 1 surviving room, the library. It survived because they shut the big medal doors to protect it. The view from the clock tower/peace tower was amazing. I will send pics next week.

As far as missionary miracles this week we had an investigator come to conference yesterday! He said he liked it. Hopefully he continues to like what he feels and learns! We also were able to meet with a less active who fed us dinner. She learned I was new so she had me give her the first lesson. We also watched the new mormon message on being a mom and the good we do. She even cried. The spirit had touched her.

The members feed us well. Most of my nights have had dinner appointments. So that has been great! Less cooking that I have to do!

A day in the life of Sister Gardner

6:30 wake up and exercise

8:00 Personal Study

9:00 Companion Study

10:00 12 week study (helps newbies be ready for the field)

11:00 French Study

12:00 Lunch

1:00-9:00 Teaching with dinner usually around 6:00

The teaching is all over which is why we get a car. Usually we visit Caeri and Patrick on Tuesdays, Shirley is several times a week. Most Saturdays we drive to Winchester to visit the members there. Most are less active. We try to teach 3 lessons a day.

That's all I have for this week!

Keep the emails and letters coming!

Love you all!

Sister Gardner