Holla Como esta padre? ;)

What did I just say?

I don’t know either. Haha, just kidding. But all is well here. I have been kinda slow at picking up Spanish as far as speaking, but I can understand most of what is being said so that is good :) I Loved the part about the Bishop getting up and talking about his tie, it made me tear up a little bit too. He is such an amazing person.

As far as my money for the month, it goes something like this: I get $122 a month for food and then I use my other card for everything else. And so far I am being froogle :D

Oh and I got the packages of socks. haha I thought I asked for 2 pairs,,, not 2 packages hahahaha Now I have 16 pairs of socks, I am not going to open them up them for a while. I will use them when I am halfway done ;)

About the other stuff and package. What I need is the memory cards, all the ones you have, the cedar shoe trees, and then anything else you want to send me.

Let me tell you a little bit about what has been going on this past week. We taught 22 lessons and we have 7 new investigators. 3 with baptism dates and 2 needing to be confirmed. Spanish is really coming along great other than the fact that I don’t know exactly what to say. I understand more than I can speak.

My companions and I are staying really busy and doing our best. I am going to practice really hard this next week to master praying in Spanish and whatever else comes to mind :D

The weather is starting to warm up, it isn’t as cold as it was last week, either that or I have adjusted to it already. I have tanned out pretty well. Haha I already have a "missionary tan".

I need to get on with other things now, but I am very thankful for all the support back home. I plan on making all of those fasts and prayers a reality. I love you all very much and hope that all is going well. ...

I will share a scripture I found this morning with you, I thought it was a good one. D&C 75:24

Love you all and hope all is going well. I will keep you in my prayers, the days seem slow but when I look back time is flying by. ~Elder Gardner

Elder Gardner's email address

gardner36@myldsmail.net

Elder Gardner's Address

Elder Ryan Jacob Gardner
California San Diego Mission
7404 Armstrong Place
San Diego, CA 92111-4913

Ryan's Friends at Farewell

Family Attending Ryan's Farewell

First Email from San Diego

Ok for one, I can not give you my address to where I am living, President Donaldson said that we can't do that. But anyway that is really cool that Celeste gave you an Ipod for your B-Day dad :D haha. I pictured you walking to the beat of it and laughed.

But yeah Spanish? I really should have taken it seriously in high school. haha. It was an eye opener to have Pres Donaldson request me to do that. I really didn't/don't think I could do it, but I am already doing so good. It would have been nice to speak english tho. Oh well, I have been called and that is the way it is. I am excited for this opportunity. OH and I got my first baptism yesterday! :D haha, Victor. It was awesome, I would tell you more but I got to go.

I can only write and email on Mondays, so don't expect much from me this week. But next week I will do my best to fill you in. I AM on a bike and I need you to send me a sweatshirt if you could. It is really cold in the area I am in. It is the area that has the temple in it. The San Diego North Mission I think. Yeah it kind of snowed a lil, didn't stick but you could see it. Anyways,,,, more money on my card and send me a sweat shirt and gloves, or just put enough money on the Wells Fargos card that I can just go and get it. This would be much appreciated. :D

Our days are really packed. I think that President Donaldson wanted me to be like Elder Nelson more than Elder Pinkston. but I will be better than the both of them when I am at the stage they are right now :D haha, and I am not being prideful. Elder Nelson is a good elder, he always has the day packed with people to see. I can't really talk to people yet cuz I don't know the language, but I can say a simple prayer and my testimony so that works I guess. I am getting better and that is all that counts,,,,, get better everyday. But I have got to go. I can only email AND get letters on Monday so yeah mondays are packed and I really have to go now.

Love you all and hope to hear from you soon, aka next monday :D haha bubye :D

Pres & Sister Donaldson & Elder Gardner

New March Arivals in San Diego!

The email we received from President Donaldson shortly after Elder Gardner arrived in San Diego. It was Wonderful to know Ryan arrived safely and hear of his NEW Assignment!

Greetings from the California San Diego Mission!

Your son, Elder Gardner has safely arrived in the mission field. We are delighted to have him serving with us among the wonderful people of Southern California. In addition to the tremendous weather and scenery, we have remarkable missionary opportunities.

Thank you for sending such a wonderful missionary to our mission. We are confident that with your prayers and his hard work that he will have a rich experience here in San Diego that will bless both him and those he teaches.

Elder Gardner will serve with two of our finest trainers, Elders Nelson and Pinkston. Both of these elders have been some of our finest mission leaders. We have put them in a trio so that your son can learn Spanish. Elder Gardner will become a Spanish speaking missionary. I ask for your faith, prayers, and encouragement as he learns Spanish in the field. I am very impressed with your son and feel confident that he will master both missionary work and the Spanish language. He will be assigned to work in the Linda Vista 3^rd Branch.

I have attached a couple of pictures that were taken this afternoon at the Mission Home.

God bless you for your sacrifice in sending us your son to labor among some of Heavenly Father's choicest spirits.

Lee Donaldson

President, California San Diego Mission

Salt Lake Airport

Salt Lake Airport

At the MTC

Our 2nd Email

Ryan Gardner   Mar 11, 2009 10:19 AM   Hi Everyone   Hey Dad.. I have been getting your dearelder letters and laughed so hard about when you were telling me about the cat!  You fixed the leaky sink and tub... now what is the cat suppose to do all day?  he can’t catch water drops.... haha,  but anyway.  A quick run down of the week. Here at the mtc we have the opportunity to go to the referral center where we make calls and talk to real people and ask them if they have received their Bibles or BofM that they requested.   And if not we send them some.  I got to send 6 missionaries to the door and maybe have them converted... it is really cool. Idk (I don’t Know) how to explain it really, but its really good practice.   I love the district I am in.  I get along with them so well, well at least 6 of the 8... :D   And Sundays... wow. never had a more spiritual sacrament meeting than the two I have had here.  It is amazing how much of the spirit I have felt here.  I love it.  I am down to less than a week here at the MTC.. I don’t know if you got the info or not but I fly out on Tuesday the 17th out of Salt Lake at 8:30 am, so if Rick wants to try and see me I will be there from 5 to 8:30am... that would make my day. Oh and also, I get to make a phone call, idk when probably when I get to San Diego so have Celeste there.  I already told her that I wanted to talk to her along with you and mom.  Tell mom I have been getting her letters and have been loving them.  I would write back but it seems like I get a letter from home every other day :D haha.   So I would be writing home all the time and not have time to do the work.  So I’m sorry about that.  And yes... this will be my email for the next 2 years unless I decide to change it but I don’t think I will.  My companion is starting to slack off and doesn’t want to do the work as much, so that is starting to become a drag.  But only 6 more days with him! HAHAA :D   Heavenly Father does answer prayers.  Oh Tyson gets here today and I hope that I will get to see him.   I have seen elder Spicer here a couple of times.  It has been good to get to talk to him.  He bore his testimony to me in French..   Didn’t understand a lot of it but I could still feel his spirit.  Anyway I have to get my laundry done.  I will get on later and check my email later tonight around 4 or 5, so yeah if you want to send me something I will have time to read it :D.  Love you all and don’t forget that dearelder.com is only free while I am AT the MTC...  so after Saturday, don’t use it anymore.  Just email me and I can print them off. or write me... either way works. :D    Love you and hope to hear from you soon. ~Elder Gardner

Elder Gardner's email address for next two years

gardner36@myldsmail.net

Remember to inspire and uplift Ryan with your emails,  he needs all our support.

San Diego Temple

Elder Gardner's First Email

Hey dad so i guess i got my email set up and i only get like 30 min a day on prep day so i got to make it quick. i am loving it here at the mtc. my distric has 8 elders in it and i love them all! they are so much fun! Elder Rager is my companion, he is taller than me so i have to look up to him to talk so that is a little bit different but thats ok haha. the elders that are in my room, which is 4 of them are all going to San Diego with me so that is cool too. Elders Wehle and Gunnell are the other 2 in the room and i get along with them all pretty well so i am having a blast. the other elders in the district are elders: Lund, Howard, Himes and Simpson. i would go into more detail with them but im running out of time. but wednesdays are me Prep days and all that. so send me some email addresses so i can email like celeste rick rachel krista and like everyone else. oh and try and figure out Dear Elder. com i guess that is a way to get me letters the same day and what not. they print them out and give them to us. so tell all my friends about it so i dont have to write all of them at the same time and tell them about it. i havent really been homesick so thats good too. i love it. i just cant wait to get to go to San Diego and teach real people. it is still hard in a way trying to teach but as time goes on i am starting to get more and more familiar with it and love it each day. the food is so so and gives you gas like no other haha its funny. but tell braydon hi and everyone else you see. i love you guys and hope to hear from you through that dear elder thing. just keep me updated with everything so i have something to read every now and again. and i will fill you in with everything thru email. cuz it is quicker. i just wrote all of this in like 10 min so im good ;-) keep strong and know i am doing well. give everyone my love and god bless. OH and by the way i cant use the italic thing like we thought so just add everything if you want. its your job so do it well :-D love you dad and mom and keep in touch. the spirt it is so strong. DC 23:3... Hyrum=Ryan