February 17, 2014 (Pax)

The title is the official name given to the winter storm that swept across the whole united states. From my understanding, it started somewhere in the Washington/Canada area, went down through Nevada and Utah, across the state, then up through Georgia, Alabama, and the carolinas. There was rumored 8-10 inches, but we only got about 5. Either way, it wasn't anything new to me. However, the rest of the state was in PANIC! Walmart was a mess, and for whatever reason everyone gets milk and bread when it even threatens snow. Everyone got their milk and bread then went inside and prepared for the apocalypse or something like that. Meanwhile Elder Leishman and I rode our bikes in the ice! It was fun. I apologize for the shortness of this e-mail, but because of the snow we were home-bound for two days. We didn't do a whole lot of teaching either, because of the weather. We haven't had any contact with our promising investigators this week and no one came to church. *sigh* Pax was quite the hindrance. But it always gets darkest just before the dawn! I also apologize for not taking pictures up to this point. But here's a couple. The first of Pax, and the stupid speed limit of our apartment complex.

February 10, 2014

This week I have had to make several different trips to Wal-mart, which gets very annoying. I know what you're thinking, "Elder Gardner, you can't go to the store when it's not Monday!" True, unless it's for my bike. SO let's back up a bit. My bike came with a headlight. They all do. On the first day the headlight was already on the bike, and a little box with the charger was hanging down off of it. Well on the way to my new first area the box flew off and I was left charger-less. This week my light finally died. We cannot bike if we don't have a headlight. SO we went to "the store" to buy a light, couldn't get it open, returned it and got another one, and then had to go back a third time that night because batteries are not included. Later in the week we were about to start riding our bikes to go knock on some doors or something, when suddenly my back tire burst on a curb. SO we had to make another trip to Wal-mart (number 5 at this point, because of the light fiasco and of course the normal monday grocery trip) to get a new inner tube. BUT we got the wrong size. SO we went back again to get the correct size.

Now we jump to Friday, when we were biking to go knock on doors or something when we passed a lady who said "help me I'm lost". And no, not spiritually lost looking for guidance like I thought at first as well, this lady was literally lost. Her name is Elizabeth, she's 52, and lives with her mom. She can't drive, so a friend dropped her off at the much-visited Wal-mart, and Elizabeth thought she could get herself home. She couldn't. We found her in front of Home Depot, which is about half a mile away from Wally World, yet she said she had been lost for about 4 hours. SO we parked our bikes and walked with her another 1/4 of a mile to starbucks, where we could get some wi-fi and check good old google maps to find where she lives. She lives half way across town. BUT we walked her home anyway. For the next 2 hours we listened to her pretty much repeat the same 3 things: How she couldn't believe she was so lost, how her mother's going to react once she gets home, and how she's from Philadelphia. Did I forget to mention that? Oh yes, her accent was a real treat. Anyway, she also kept going off about how she usually never goes to Wal-mart, rather a gas station by her mom's house literally called "The Store". SO after those 2 hours of hearing about "that stoopid stowah" as she called it, naturally Elder Leishman and I stopped by on the long walk back to grab a snack and refresh ourselves. SO that is why the title is the way it is.

I love you all and hope it doesn't rain as much where you are as it does where I am.

-Elder Matthew Gardner

February 3, 2014

That's right, tomorrow marks exactly 2 months of being on a mission, and that includes the time I spent in the MTC (not like I'm counting or anything). It's very strange, because every day feels like a week, but every week feels like a day. But these past to months have felt like a year. Ugh. Anyway!

With another month gone, that means it's time to bear a simple testimony about what I've learned since last month. I've been thinking long and hard about this one, but I've decided to talk about how everything happens for a reason. I decided this because of something I heard at the beginning of this month time period, to something I actually thought about last night. It started with a trainee/trainer meeting we had back toward the beginning of January. President Craven took all of us new guys and seperated us from our trainers and gave addresses to both. One thing he told us really stuck out to me and it is this: Over the past decade, baptisms here in the south have plateaued. Not decreasing but not increasing either. This worries the first presidency and the quorum of the twelve immensely. Because of this, they are super careful with who they send here. That jumped out to me because if anyone talked to me about a week before I left they would know I had no idea why I was going on a mission. Every thought I had about it beforehand went out the window and I was freaking out. Knowing that my call here was selected very carefully doesn't tell me what my purpose here is yet, but it certainly strengthened the desire I've always had to find it. I was sent here for a reason, and likewise everything else happens for a reason. We went out with a member this past week and one of our appointments fell through. We were about to go home but then we started talking to a family outside in the parking lot (it was in an apartment complex) and five minutes later we were in their living room talking to them about the restoration. They weren't very receptive, and asked all the hard questions, such as why women can't have the priesthood. We went back the next day and they weren't totally interested anymore. But Brother Cunningham's spirit was strengthened after that first visit, and ultimately that's why we talked to them.

So now this thought I had last night. It starts with a scripture in 2Nephi chapter 26. At the end of verse 15 it says: "...and all those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not be forgotten" and then 16 talks about voices from the dust of the earth speaking to people. These verses really talk about the Book of Mormon, the voices of the prophets talking to those who don't believe. I think it talks about something different. Before I continue, remember this is all my own theory and there isn't a lot of scriptural evidence save for the scripture I already shared. Anyway, I've heard a lot of people talk about the spirit world co-existing with our world. That explains sights of "ghosts", where the veil could be thinner in some spots, or possibly just a wrinkle in it. This would explain why people say they hear or see their loved ones telling them to do their temple work, which is what I think that scripture means. "and all those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not be forgotten". I do believe in guardian angels. I do believe those who loved you still love you, and with God's will can communicate with us. My grandmother passed away when I was about 3 years old or so. I know she helps and strengthens me all the time, as well as others in her life she loved. I know because of recent things happening at home that would otherwise make me want to give up, anywhere from my family not having enough money to have TV to my neighbor dying. But I'm here for a reason. I don't know what it is but there is one. That's my testimony this month.

Anyway, that's all for this week.

-Elder Matthew Gardner

January 27, 2014

There isn't much to say because it wasn't too long ago I had a P-day! At least it doesn't seem like it. Since Tuesday, we've been really persistent about teaching Tedarreus and Bill (the two I mentioned in my last message).

We taught Tedarreus the Word of Wisdom earlier this week, which I was very worried about, partly because I haven't taught it before and partly because I wasn't sure how he would take it. Luckily, he took it very well! He said he knew he had to stop those things when he first met with us. However, there's quite the stump. Alcohol, coffee, tea, illegal drugs, no problem, he's done with those. But he get paid to smoke cigarettes. He's on this panel that like taste tests them or something. But he gets $140 dollars a WEEK to do it for one, maybe two days in the week! The problem is he needs that money in order to move out, which he needs to do in order to live the law of chastity. So.. quite the stump. We just have to keep working with him, strengthening his faith and being his friend. On the bright side, he loves the Book of Mormon and coming to church.

Bill: We found out from his member friends that if he gets pushed to hard he will pretty much disappear off the face of the planet. We haven't had contact with him since Wednesday. Not sure what to do at this point...

If you remember a few e-mails ago, I mentioned someone named Douglas, a former we found that was ready again. We haven't had contact with him for about two weeks now. But last night we had a fabulous lesson with him and things are rolling again, putting all 3 of these men looking forward to a baptism date.

As for me personally, I'm doing much better because I've been getting back into my sketch book lately. Last week on our P-day (which remember was Teusday) we had a zone activity. Our whole zone got together and played sports, tyedyed shirts, and pretty much just hung out. First off we got to wear normal clothes, which was glorious. Second, because I'm in no wise a very sporty person, I sat on the stage drawing. A lot of people said I was really good, and now I'm even drawing a couple of missionaries!

40 day fast: As a mission (starting yesterday), we are doing a 40 day fast to become closer to Christ. We can take this opportunity to either give up something temporal, or improve on something spiritual, or maybe even both. I have decided to do both, and invite all of you to try it as well. Start each day covanenting with God with what you're going to do, and then report to him each night, thanking him for strength or pleading for forgiveness depending on how you did. What I've done:

Temporal: I'm giving up soda. Everytime I see someone doing this, I think they're crazy. But I had the thought come to mind coincidentally as I was drinking soda that maybe I should try it and see if there are any benefits.

Spiritual: As missionaries, we stress being exactly obedient, and I haven't quite been doing so good. Specifically with going to bed. We're supposed to go to sleep at 10:30, but I'm out like a light around 9:30, the second daily planning is done. I'm going to stay up til I'm supposed to, and take this time to draw as I mentioned earlier.

Again I invite all of you to do the same, and I'll tell you how I'm doing at it week to week.

With Love, 

Elder Matthew Gardner