Gladys

Hey mom and dad,

So I can't even remember all of things I have told you but I don't think I have told you about this one. On the 30th of April and the 1st of May we are going to be having a special guest come to San Diego and sing and bear testimony of our Lord and Savior. You will never guess who that is. So I will just tell you ;-) GLADYS KNIGHT! She is going to be here for 2 days giving 4 firesides of singing and testimony driven songs. It is giving our mission a chance to become more united as a people. So what this is, an opportunity for members to invite their nonmember friends to the Stake Center and hear her wonderful music. There is only going to be like 6000 or so tickets to get in. You have to bring a nonmember otherwise you can't get in. Well you can but it isn't guaranteed. it is going to be awesome. Other missions have been doing this same thing and one mission that just had it, received over 4000 referrals for the missionaries to go visit and teach. It is going to be awesome! The only thing that I am worried about is that it is going to be at our Stake Center,,,, meaning, my companion and I are the ones that are going to be under the magnifying glass for the next little while. It doesn't really bother me but it is still a lot to have resting on your shoulders hahaha .

We just found a family of 7 that we are going to get started towards baptism. We went over there yesterday just to see how they were doing and everything. So while we were there, we were in our "church clothes" or suits. We didn't even mention church to them. We had the intentions to invite them, but they asked us to visit our church! It was awesome! But this transfer is almost over, only 9 more days of the transfer. I am pretty sure that Elder Roney and I are staying, but I don't know for sure. I hope that he doesn't leave. I am pretty sure that next transfer we are going to have 8 baptisms. We just have to teach them and invite them with the spirit, having no doubt that they will do the things we teach them and invite them to be baptised. It is awesome being out here in San Diego working with these people. We have to find more people and get more people baptized but that will come. We just have to do our part.

OH! So next week I am going to have the best letter ever! We are having something really special and really rare happening and I can't wait to tell you about it next week! But I got to get going now. Thank you for everything you do for me and everything. Oh if you have the chance, can you send me my basketball, my Wilson Ultimate? Just take all the air out of it and collapse it so it doesn't take up that much space. I am going to send out some packages to you this week so you can update your pictures of my mission and stuff like that. So yeah I will talk with you next week. take care! Love you! ~ELDER GARDNER