Sister Gardner: 8/10/22

 

Follow your "bings"

Hola hola amigos y familia!!

Week 2 in the Hood was absolutely amazing! We had intercambios with Sister Caffrey and Sister Olsen. Sister Caffrey came with me and Sister Everitt and she introduced us to the chocolate milk at Dutch Bros which is dangerous haha. It was so fun to do missionary work with someone a little bit newer  I've seen so many small miracles this week! One of them being following our "Bings". We listened to this BYU devotional called "Promptings of the Holy Spirit" and it talks about always following the Holy Ghost no matter what the outcome may be. I learned that sometimes the Holy Ghost speaks in the smallest ways, in just a thought to visit someone or do something a little bit different. By following these Bings this week, we were able to find two new people in very random ways who are prepared to hear our message and be better instruments in God's hands! So pray for these people, the Congers and Diana, that their hearts will be opened and they will be able to feel just how much God loves them.

This week was break the fast which was the absolute best. Hermano Reyna made this green pasta that I NEED the recipe to, it was absolutely amazing. We got to hang out with the Spanish Branch and get to know them a little bit better which was great. All of the Youth got back from FSY and lived the missionary lifestyle (6:30 wakeup) and now they all have so much respect for us, we even got saluted by some of the Young Men jaja. Another miracle was that Nanci, Karina, and Elvirita, a giant family we are teaching (Karina is on date to get baptized) went to church this Sunday! We were praying and fasting so much for them to come and they did! I'm so grateful for the power of prayer and fasting and faith. We were able to have a lesson with Karina about baptism and the word of wisdom and she is so willing to do whatever she has to do to be baptized. So excited for her!! 

Highlights

- hiking mirror lake for pday!!

- Wendy's lemonades

- Patti's - she has a bunch of animals and so we got to feed/see goats, little ponies, chickens, turkeys, and guinea pigs! Pattie told us about how she used to hate LDS people, but now she doesn't because we have shown her that not all of us are "crazy" or "evil", so it was cool to change her perspective

- We left a lesson and the lady told us in all seriousness to say hi to Father Joseph on the mountain and Willis (apparently Willis draws her pictures) so that was kind of weird...

- We went to visit an inactive member's house, they were outside taking the trash out so we said hi, then they said "We don't talk to strangers!" and literally booked it inside, kind of funny jaja

- Ultimate Frisbee with the zone was fuego!!

I love you all and want to invite you to listen to your "bings"! The first good thought is the one to act on! I know as you continually act on your promptings, God will trust you to be the answer to more and more people's prayers and you will see miracles! I know that as we express gratitude for the goodness of God, we are filled with joy! As Ammon from the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, said, "Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel". 

I love you all, stay grateful! Le amo,

Hermana Gardner

Listen to the talk below if you want to hear more about "bings"!