February 24, 2014

I will be so glad when my life is not ruled by heart-wrenching time capsules called transfers. Last night we got transfer calls. I really don't want to talk about it. Remember, Sister Tritt and I just swept into the area 6 weeks ago. Into a "fix-up" area with a nasty apartment. Sister Tritt is leaving me. :( BUT there is a plus side. Kinda. She is going to Mica Peak! The area I just came from. I'm grateful that it will be in capable hands. And I'm excited for all the members to meet her! She's got some work to do in Liberty Lake! We are obviously going to be keeping in contact because I know that ward list forwards and backwards. :)

Everybody has a story that their mind tells them. Your mind continues to tell this story throughout your life. This story causes you to live in the past, instead of focusing on the future. This story is just driftwood. It's just a thought passing through. Do not dwell on it, but watch it pass though. Sister Tritt had a conversation with someone in the Valley and that's what she was told. Sister Tritt came out and explained it to me and we decided that is was so profound. It's my thought of the week!!

This past week we got like 6 referrals. Which is a miracle to any missionary. However, the way that we got these referrals is an annoying story. Basically, long story short, the elders who were here before us left 4 referrals and didn't tell us about them. So the mission office called us, upset that those referrals hadn't been contacted. We had no idea that these referrals existed. So my new companion , Sister Simpson, and I will have lots of following up to do this next week.

This week an elder showed me this really cool scripture that I was aware of, but when he showed it to me, it all made perfect sense. It's Moroni 8:16. "...Perfect love casteth out all fear." Heavenly Father loves each of us so much and when we understand the perfect love he has for each of us, we can have no fear for the future that lies ahead of us. I know that even though we are placed in difficult situations and have no idea what we are doing, our loving Father in Heaven is looking out for us and is proud of all the achievements we have, and will continue to make.

Thanks for all the love and support! It's currently snowing and I'm really jealous of the Arizona weather. Soak up some sun for me.

All my love,

Sister Gardanier

February 18, 2014

Happy (late) Valentine's Day! 

It's so weird to think how much has changed in one year. One year ago last week, I had my mission call and was hanging out in New York for my last family vacation before I left. I remember it being super windy and cold one night when we were walking back to the hotel and stopped at a Shake Shack for dinner. It was so cold that we made my dad call for a Taxi while we stayed inside and waited. Now, I'm over halfway done with my mission and I don't wear a coat when its over 30* outside. I've come to learn how much we change. People back home are getting married, graduating from college, starting families. It's weird. But in the end, change is the only consistency in this life. If there is no change, things are weird. Change is hard and it hurts, but we agreed to it. We agreed to come to earth to experience change. A lot of the time, I wonder why the heck I chose to do this whole "life on earth" thing. Its hard and gives me a headache. But I know that I personally chose my trials. I chose my strengths and weaknesses because I knew what I needed to accomplish on this earth. I'm still trying to figure out why I chose some of the trials that I did and what exactly my purpose here is, but I know that Heavenly Father is mindful of me always.

This past week has been eventful. Monday was p-day. Tuesday we had a zone conference for 8 hours. I still can't believe I made it out of there alive. It was a long time to be in a hard chair. 

Wednesday Sister Tritt had a doctor's appointment in the Valley. And there's a Cafe Rio there. :) So I called up a few of my missionary friends and told them I was coming to the valley and wanted to meet up with them for lunch! Instead of the 2 companionships I was planning on, the WHOLE ZONE (except for like 3 companionships) came to see me! It was so much fun. I was able to see so many missionaries that I might not see again and they all told me they missed me. :) It was so much fun. 

Thursday I cut my hair. Sorry mom. Its getting pretty short...

The last part of the week I was sick...again.(I know.) I'm really sick of being sick. I got the stomach flu this time. Thanks to Sister Tritt. So we stayed home practically all night. 

Thanks for all the love and support! I'm so blessed to be a missionary and to be able to see Heavenly Father's hand everyday. I love the missionaries I get to serve around and how they bless my life. 

And I'm definitely thankful for Sister Tritt. She's perfect and I love her lots. She's the perfect best friend and missionary companion. Keep her in your prayers. :)

I love you!

Sister Gardanier

February 10, 2014

"What Joy?"

On Sunday, the Relief Society instructor gave a really great lesson on the Plan of Salvation. She was talking about how we were sent to earth to experience joy. And this really old lady sitting in front of us turns to her friend and says, "What joy? I'm still waiting for it!" Sister Tritt and I DIED. It was so funny. We still joke about it whenever we hear the word "joy." 

This week has been pretty crazy. Remember how I was sick last week? Well, Sister Tritt got it this week and was throwing up for like 2 days. We all know how well I can handle that kind of stuff. I don't. So I called in a few favors and got her a blessing (from our favorite elders, as usual). I got me some headphones, and a box of Emergen-C. We were set. So we were confined to the apartment for 2.5 days. The other days of the week it was snowing and we didn't have the car, so we basically stayed indoors and did weekly planning and made calls to members because we need a ride to Spokane and the ride is super early in the morning.

Saturday night we had a lesson at the Bishop's house with his daughter's friend, Charissa. She has been taking the lessons for a year now. Her mom told her that she had to wait a year to get baptized. Her year mark was this month and we've been teaching her the lessons again. Except, she's lost a lot of interest and i'ts been really hard to teach her. She says that she's thinking about everything and not sure. Before when she was taking the lessons, she was soaking it all up and enjoyed every second of the spirit. She hasn't shown that interest with us and we aren't really sure what to do. Keep her in your prayers so we can resolve her concern and help her find the desire to be baptized! :)

We were able to visit mostly less-actives this week, when Sister Tritt wasn't puking. It was a successful week. Sorry I really don't have much to say! Its been a slow week, but we're excited to start teaching again! :) We both are almost 100%and we can't wait! We are also going into Spokane Valley on Wednesday for a doctor's appointment and for lunch we are going to Cafe Rio! So, needless to say, I can't wait for Wednesday. :)

I'm so blessed to be here in Cheney. I love working with the members and seeing how much missionary work can bless their lives. Continue to see how you can bless the missionaries and pray for them and their investigators by name. The faith of members is literally unstoppable. We as missionaries appreciate all the love and help you give to us. 

All my love.

Sister Gardanier

                              As an early "valentine's day" surprise, they decorated
                         the car of the elders who helped them out earlier in the week.

                                This might be my favorite picture....

                                      I cannot wait to blow it up!

February 3, 2014

"Perfect Brightness of Hope"

Hello! I hope you all are doing well! Sister Tritt and I have had a pretty eventful week! We finally got snow! We were excited, but really sad because that means it's cold and slippery. Therefore, we have had our fair share of slipping on the ice. Just in case you were wondering, ice is slippery ALL THE TIME. 

Last week I went on exchanges! Sister Judd came and worked with me in my ward. We got lots of lessons and were on foot all day. Which may not be a big deal to any other missionary, but I have been spoiled my whole mission with a full-time car and I miss it. And it was snowing... and we had no appointments. But I got to meet a lot of new people and get to know my area better.

Wednesday was so much fun! We got 6 inches of snow overnight! We got a text from our mission president during studies telling us that it was a snow day and to stay inside unless absolutely necessary. So, we had SNOW DAY! It was awesome. Its like getting permission to go back to bed. Sister Tritt and I hung out all day and slept and ate junk food. Kinda like being in college. :) That night we had dinner with the Babcock family! They have a son serving a mission in Arizona and he served in my home ward! My family loved Elder Babcock!  It was so much fun to talk to them and get to know them. :) They're way nice!

This weekend was stake conference and it was all about missionary work! We loved it, of course. At the Saturday night session, they had a youth choir and there weren't very many youth in the choir. SO, they enlisted the missionaries! It was really cool to be able to sing with the youth in our stake! And I got to see Ashlyn Martin! She was my mini missionary while I was in Mica Peak with Sister Harper! She's great. 

I think that's all the super cool stuff that happened. It snowed again last night and we got another 3 inches. And we have the car today. Hopefully I don't crash. 

I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission and become close with so many people. I love the experiences I've had that have made me grow into the person that Heavenly Father needs me to be. I know that the atonement is real and that I can always use it to be forgiven or to overcome weaknesses that I have.

I love all of you and I'm so grateful for all you've done for me. I'm so blessed to have such great family and friends back home looking out for me. :)

And, shoutout this week to my Nana! Happy birthday! I love you and thank you for everything you've done for me and my family since I've left. I'll be home soon. 

All my love,

Sister Gardanier

                                 Burning her "9 month tie"!