2015-09-21 Independencia

Hola

Hey I have a joke. It starts with a scripture: Mosiah 12:21-24: "Cuán hermosas sobre las montañas son los pies de aquel que trae buenas nuevas..." (You can post it in english because I don´t remember how it goes i english, also Isaiah 52:7-10) This scripture mentions that the feet of he that brings good news (the gospel) are very pretty. Surely this does not include the toes, because I´ve got three ingrown toenails on both large toes and index toe, and two deep scab/callises on my pinky toes! hahahaha it´s actually not my fault, I cut my toe nails. My area Independencia always gives people ingrown toenails, because of all of the hills and staircases and steep roads. except my companion because his toenails are tinier than a babies toenails! (nepoleon dynamite voice: lucky!) But I´m going to go and take them out this monday.

Nooooooo....

 hahaha a pair of pants ripped right at the groin in the middle of the day, not very noticable, but I don´t know how to sew. I have the supplies, but I don´t know how to do it, SOS.

Sounds like thanny did a super good job. Woodbridge is a fun race. But I remember that the bus ride is killer, because you gotta go to the bathroom super bad!

Anyway. This week went by pretty fast (ah sorry that I didn´t tell you that we went to the Temple today!) Elder Ruiz has been a great companion, but our time together is coming to a close this next monday. We still won´t know who goes where until in the night on monday. But I´ll go (or stay) wherever the Lord wants me.

On top of Monterrey

This week I was looking through the Liahonas that had arrived, and it talks A LOT about marriage and the fmaily. It´s obviously something very important. Elder Ballard mentions that we need to be active in defending the truth (In the september edition.) We need to actively defend our beliefs on traditional marriage, that legal and lawful marriage is ordained between a man and a woman. Much was mentioned about that in the past general conference. Here in Mexico, almost all pairs are in free union, and more than 75% of the people I talk with that are living with someone don´t have any intentions to get married. It is pretty sad. It´s a big commandment, and obeying it yeilds BIG blessings (Tell thanny blah blah blah science science science BIGGER) Whether you´re mormon, catholic, protestant, or any other religion, or of no faith at all, the commandments of God stand stronger than the law of gravity. If anyone wants to have a successful relationship, they´ll get married. If anyone desires a successful family, they´ll base their family on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am greatful mom that you and Dad have done so, so that we can have a happy family, and that we can be together forever.

General conference is coming up soon. I´m pretty darn excited!

I don´t know where [sister of a friend] heard that I was in a dangerous area, cuz I didn´t tell [friend]. And I don´t know why J and C are telling their moms about all of the trouble there is in their [mission] areas. I thought it was a rule not to hahahahaha. But don´t sweat it. My area is prertty calm right now, being right after the elections here in Nuevo Leon nothing has been happening.

Anyway, I still have some gifts for thanny, but if he wants them he has to write a letter.

I´m working hard, and I´ll keep working hard!

I love you!

Elder Garner

p.s. there is a blog for the mission:

monterreywest.weebly.com

2015.9.14 Independencia

Hey guess what! I got a letter from "A" in Cienega! He says he hasn´t missed a single sunday! Atta boy! he´s doing really well, says the missionary that just got changed out of cienega that I saw in the offices today. dangit it just changed to italics and stuff whatever. He also told me (missionary) that "

We are Indepe (slang for Independencia)

M" is still going every sunday and is going to be baptized in november with her younger daughter, when she turns 8 years old! Awesome!

Davis with Cerro de la Silla in the background.

Hey Mom,

I have a bunch of things to say (some of them are kind of goofy)

1st thing. High School Muscial copied Grease! I have no clue how this popped in my head, but I realized, two people that met in the summer, then the girl moves to that school, they´re both about staying in groups and not changing the status or whatever. But High School Musical doesn´t end with a flying car, so I guess Grease takes the case(in the weirdest musical ever.)

2. Why didn´t I ever think about Flat Stanely Missionary before? that would be the coolest thing ever! I mean, I could send him and then have a paper or on back where the missionary writes where they are serving, and they have to take a picture with him in their mission. I´m gonna think more about that because it would be pretty cool.

3. Well don´t worry too much about the air conditioning, because that basically doesn´t exist here. Even the air conditioning that there is is way different and I don´t know, but this week was nice because it cooled off, there was a little bit of rain and a lot of clouds, some wind and just some good weather. My companion said it was cold (hahahaha, it wasn´t cold) It´s ok he´s from Cancun.

4. We believe that the first ordaninces and principles of the gospel are: first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, repentance. Third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. Fourth, laying on of hands, for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

5. hahahaha that was just the 4th article of faith (which does have the best primary song, and sometimes I sing it to the investigators in both languages when we teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.) Well this week was a super cool week. Really hard work, a lot of weird things happened, and we had some success in finding more people to teach! This sunday, we did not have sacrament meetion because we went to the stake center to see the Temple Rededication of the Mexico City, Mexico Temple! Wow was that something! It´s cool that I have been to two rededications on the mission. In the Dedicatory prayer, President Eyering asked for a blessing over the country of Mexico, and that day we could really feel the spirit working in the hearts of the children of men. We were able to talk and teach many people, and find three new investigators that day! It was really exciting indeed.

Weird selfie with Monterrey in the background.

6.Super Weird thing. We were teaching a family yesterday, and they were pretty receptive and all, interested about having an eternal family, and then the baby started to cry. No big deal right? Well the mom picks her up, and opens up her shirt to breastfeed her...RIGHT IN FRONT OF US!!!..."WHAT!" I thought, as I fixed my eyes on the dad, not trying to acknowledge anything. I basically had to imagine that she didn´t exist until the baby had finished. then later on SHE DID IT AGAIN! this time she kind of turned away so I guess it was all cool and stuff. I didn´t see anything either time thank goodness, but how weird!!! After the lesson Elder Ruiz told that it´s just something that they can do whenever I guess. I think that putting a blanket over would be nice.

Streets of Independencia

7. The area independencia is very urban. Most of the houses are very small and crammed together. There are some "vecindads" which are basically tinie-weenie apartments, they´re just one room apartments(very small too.) the higher up you go on the hill, the crazier the roads get, they turn into stairs, the houses lose numbers and it becomes very unorganized. It´s pretty organized below, but up high it is like someone threw all of my puzzle pieces on the floor (or on the hill.) This isn´t a poor area, because these people have all they need and more(like flat screen TV´s and cooler shoes than mine DOPE!)

Anyway, if I added 8 then I would be like the beatles...bad at counting the days of the week,

But the work goes on! Being a missionary is very "In-Style" I recommend it.

I love you mom!

Elder Garner

2015.09.07 Independencia

Hey mom,

tell thanny that he did a GREAT JORB EY!? COACH Z SAYS JURGY FROITS!

that´s a pretty sick time. Well here in Indepencia (yes I am still here) we aren´t doing much running (dang it) but that´s ok (hmmm, not really, thanny will be faster than me when I get home.) [Note: Nathaniel's first meet of the season - 16:45, a personal best.]

I don´t really have a lot to say today. This week we did have one of our investigators bare his testimony. He talked about the trials that he has had in his life and about how God had sent us (the missionaries) to help him find the right path. I felt grateful, and our investigator has been progressing. He still is hesitant for putting a baptismal date, because he has injured legs and he uses crutches and such, but he is feeling more and more ready. We´re just gonna keep working with him and keep trying to find new people to visit that really want to change.

I started the Book of Mormon for the sixth time this week.I´m trying to learn all that I can about the prophets, and why they are so Important, and from what I´ve learned so far, they are Really Important. In 1 Nephi 10:7 we learn that they are there to prepare the way for the Lord, in that instance it is speaking of John the baptist preparing for the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, but it is a general principle that prophets prepare the way for the Lord. We can confirm that the Latter Day Prophets are truly preparing us for the second coming of the Saviour and to live with God again. Also, they have a resemblance to Christ, as did Moses (1 Nephi 22:20-21) and they really are like him (although not perfect like him) It is our duty to listen to them, for if we do and we are just in what they teach us, we will recieve great blessings and be happy forever(or in other words, we won´t perish 2 Nephi 26:8) We should start thinking about the upcoming General conference, being less than a month now, and ask the Lord for guidance so that we may be blessed and guided through the Prophet´s words. Truly the Prophets bring us closer to Christ (2 Nephi 25:26)

hahaha in most of my preperation days, I think of it as "6 more hours of study time" or something like that. There aren´t much sights to see here in our area, but there´s not problem with that.

dang I forgot my sd card converter to plug it in, so I´m not gonna send any pictures today (but next week yes)

¡Pon tu hombro a la lid! - everyone always writes in a bunch of languages in their letters so me too!

Love,

Elder Garner

2015.08.31 Independencia

Hola,

hey look at that spanisssssh. yes I have learned a word or two in this year i have been here. Here´s something crazy: I come home in exactly one year. Literally I will be getting of of the plane (in burbank) at about this time (10am p.t) on a wednesday. that´s pretty neat. but lets look at the good side, I still have one year and that´s a lot of time, so we don´t have to worry about any of that.

This week was a super good week. It was tough and we basically lost all of our investigators, but that´s ok. The other two missionaries that share the area with us lost all of their investigators too, and they work really hard, so looks like it´s back to the drawing board(maybe literally, although there isn´t really a park in this area to do another mural.) but the truth is marching on no matter.

oh what did thanny talk about? tell him not to worry. One of the talks I gave when I was his age, i couldn´t figure out how to say "economic" and I thought I sounded like a goof ball. I haven´t given a talk since I´ve gotten to this ward, I gave one when I got here, but the bishop asked me to prepare a 15 minute talk, but I was the last to speak and there were only five minutes left, so I was there with my 15 minute talk, given in a brief summary, kind of a bummer but oh well.

I was studying 1 nephi 8 this week ,and there are a lot of great things that we can learn from that chapter. With the help of latter chapters in 1 nephi along with the teachings of the modern prophets and apostles, we can learn so much more. I was reading a talk by Elder Bednar, and he talks about the people that tried to reach the tree of life. The first group mentioned in the dream headed towards the tree, but they got caught in the vapor of darkness and were lost. They did not grab on to the iron rod. The second group grabed on to the rod, and made it through the darkness and to the tree, and partook of the fruit, but after that they saw and heard the people of the great and spacious building and they were ashamed and fell into forbidden pathways. The third group, held on to the rod [constantly] and made it to the tree and partook of the fruit. they did not heed to the mockings or gestures of the people in the spacious building. The key was the rod, and what is the rod? why it´s the word of God of course! The third group held constantly to the word of God, meaning that they were constantly reading, studying, pondering and applying the scriptures. The second group might have read them on occasion, but they didn´t scrutinze them or read them everyday. that´s how we can endure to the end, by reading the scriptures everyday (and in the morning for that burst of power.) What we shouted in primary was true: Scripture Power! Keeps Me Safe From Sin! Scripture Power Is The Power To Win! Scripture Power! Everyday I Need, The Power That I get Each Time I Read! I can really understand the power of the scriptures being a missionary, and I hope you can too. The talk of Elder Bednar was in 2011 october of the Liahona.

Well I hope you have a great week!

Love

Elder Garner

dont have any recent pictures so heres a cool bochito (VW bug)

2015-08-24 Independencia

Hey Mom,

looks like the summer has come to an end. I don´t feel any difference.

This week was pretty uneventful from what I can remember. No that´s not true, It´s just that on preperation day I´m always super tired. We have been teaching a man named J., two sundays ago we found him when we entered the chapel, and there he was. he´s about 50 years old and a year ago he met the missionaries, but he got in a terrible motorcycle accident and so he was in the hospital for a long time. Right not he can´t walk without crutches, but he has been getting better. We have been teaching him for about two weeks, and he has been coming to church, and he wants to get baptized. He´s a bit hesistant though because of his legs I believe, and I could understand, but I believe that he is spiritually prepared, and with that he can be physically prepared as well. since we have been visiting him, he has felt a big difference, he has been reading the book of mormon and has been praying and for that has been recieving spiritual strength. We teach a lot about faith, ether 12, alma 32, because that is what he needs. He has a lot of questions and such, and we have been answering them. I guess I just need to be a little patient with him because he has the desires, he just might need a little bit more time that others. I always think "Get baptized now now now!" but Heavenly father has a plan for everyone, I just need to keep trying to understand it.

Did I ever tell you how many drunk people there are here in Independencia? There are so many. theres a bunch on monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday and on saturday and sunday there are too many! they are pretty funny to talk to, especially the ones that contact us. There was one a couple of weeks ago that said. "hey i read the book of the mormons, it talks about how the angel moroni came back to give the two tablets of Moses to Joseph smith...give me one of them books" hahahaha almost buddy.

I thought I heard something about elders now being able to enter when they came home, because two many were leaving early, but who knows. I guess it depends in what President McArthur has to say. I went to the offices today to get some more book of mormons, and elder jones started to talk to me about birds, then the new matrimony missionaries started to talk to me about birds, then president mcarthur started to talk with as about the birds and I basically started to teach a birding class on birds of utah and northern mexico hahahaha.

I love you all so much!

Elder Garner

2015.08.17 Independencia

Hey Mom!

Sounds like school is rolling back into town...except for me! When I get back I´ll probably just become a seminary teacher and nothing else because I don´t remember any biology or math or anything. Oh well, I hope it comes back when I get home.

Yea this area is pretty tough, but it´s not a big deal. You know how MT SAC is a super tough course? Well I always felt really good after I finished that race, and super happy ( i think I always had a pretty good race every time there) Well that´s what "Indepe" is like. Tough, but it´ll build a lot of {spiritual} muscle. 

We had a stake conference yesterday, unfortunately none of our investigators could come, but It was a very good conference none the less. The stake President talked about the atonement, and the three main consequences of the atonement.

1. it restored everything that was lost with the fall of adam

2. It created the posibility of repentance

3. It opened the opportunity for exaltation

It was a very good talk, a very good conference over all, and it was in the chapel right by the temple, so there was that nice sight. fun fact: The patriarch in this stake is a convert, and his story is mentioned in Preach My Gospel. it´s in chapter nine: how do I find people to teach, in the section "talk with everyone". He gave a pretty funny talk, where he mentioned that before his conversion, he had talked to two other missionaries (of another church) that said "kill me! because I´m a missionary and I´ll go to heaven, and then after you can repent and you´ll go to heaven!" and his wife came out saying "what´s all that about killing each other!?" you can use that for family home evening hahaha.

of other news, I finished the Book of Mormon for the 5th time in the mission. it gets even better each time I read it. I am able to find even more teachings in each verse that I´ve already read. The Holy Ghost can speak to use when he read a certain scripture to gain a testimony of a certain truth of something that may had not been quite as important to use before. He continue to read the scriptures because we can recieve revelation through them. I know the Book of Mormon is true, and that there are still many things I haven´t learned from it, and I will keep reading it. (half way through my goal as well!)

I love you guys so much, keep having fun in California.

Elder Garner

2015-08-10 Independencia

Hey Mom! 

Eating campanchanas with Elder R.

Wow that was long. It´s much easier to talk than to write I guess. My letters would probably be pages if I could do that. First of all, I want to apologize for that past letter because really it didn´t reflect the past week. I had a good past week, but while I was writing I was tired from a missionary activity that we did and Elder R only wrote two sentences to President in his weekly letter and so it kind of frustrated me.

But this week was super great! We had a lot of wonderful experiences and I´m having trouble writing them all!

First of all. In our first week here in Independencia we had found a mother and her two sons that were very interested. (unfortunately their father isn´t very interested, he doesn´t have a problem with any of it though, but we´ll keep trying) We had taught them a couple lessons with them, and when we invited them to church, O, the mother, said: "Oh we´re going on vacation!" Dang it...well there goes them. But that´s not true, because they returned, and we found them this saturday, and they were super excited to see us! They told us about their vacation, and how they had told their family members about us and all the things that they had learned. P, the youngest son, 12 years old, was very good at explaining all of it. The other son is named E, 13 years old. We talked to them about testimony and following the commandments and the happiness that comes from those things that day, and asked if they still were thinking about being baptized. They said that they were, and we put the goal for the 30th of August. That meant that they needed to come to church. But they came! and sister O entered and almost yelled "buenos dias!" hahahha they were super happy to be there, and the members that were there were happy to meet and greet them. The Relief society President sat with them and sang the hymns with them and explained about the services and all. It was dandy. I´m actually really excited to bring them to next sunday because There will be a stake conference, and the stake center is right by the temple, so we´ll be able to show them the temple.

This week we went to one of the more rich areas of our zone, where there aren´t any members. The night before we told Heavenly Father that we wanted to find some new people going there. That day we went, contacted for 2 hours, and left with nothing, we were heading back from that colony and I saw a man with his daughter on some swings, so I went to contact them. He told  us that we could visit him the next day. We had a lesson with him in the chapel and it was very full of the spirit. He expressed to us his feelings for his daughter and how he wanted the best for her. We told him that his HEavenly Father wants the best for him, and that he has a marvelous plan for him and his daughter. He also mentioned that he had been preparing to be baptized with the missionaries when he was young in San Nicolas, but his parents didn´t allow him. He wasn´t able to come to church this week, but he will be able to come all of the other weeks, so we will be able to work with him and it will be great. Maybe there´s a lesson there. Maybe there wasn´t anyone prepared in that one colony, but there was someone prepared, and God placed him there at that time so we could be guided to him.

I found a scripture very valuable in 3 Nephi 22:4 (Isaiah 54:4)

 " Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame ; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more."

I guess no matter what we have done, the Lord can sanctify us through repentance, and we can leave our guilt and shame behind. I really like it for the reason that it says youth too, because I am one, and I guess everyone has done things in their youth that they aren´t proud of (like throwing their mom in the pool)

I have a couple things to ask you, for the next package you send I guess. I want to get Elder R an English hymn book, and an olive oil holder for christmas(he doesn´t have one) and I will need the 2016 Audobon calendar for the next year (It´s coming so fast!) I have more than 11 months here wow. Also, maybe some more shirts (mostly short sleeve) because they´re getting badly stained by the sweat/sun screen) So I might need some more, like 3 or 4. (One of the shirt´s sleeves lookes like it got dipped in mustard.)

Sorry mom that I haven´t been putting in everything in my journals, I´m trying to write what I can, There isn´t as much time I would like, but i´ll add that stuff in too. I still need to write you guys a nice handwritten letter.

But anyway, everything I going "super duper dad!" 

I love you mom,

Davis