Sunday, October 18, 2015

Training Again

Dear Family,

This week was a good week, we started out with some contacting on Tuesday morning and met some nice Chinese people. They were asking for directions in English. Elder Protopopov answered them and told them where to go. It was kinda interesting watching both non-native English speakers communicating and making it work. Pretty cool :)  We visited our member who owns the pawn shop where he is selling the gas masks, and he was painting. He does a little bit of painting and he isn't too bad actually. He told us about the times back in the day when he would go down by the river where tourists walk normally and he would sell paintings to tourists for 100 dollars a pop. His pictures are good, but they are only about 8x5 inches. I don't know if I would pay 100 for them but he was making really good money back in the day. 

We went home teaching with President Soolemanov and it was pretty good. We visited a lady who lives about an hour away by bus, so we got on a bus and got to the spot 15 minutes early. Right on time, in my opinion. I heard that if you are early then you are on time. If you are on time, then you are late. If you are late, then you are fired - haha but anyways... We show up 15 minutes early and wait for President Soolemanov to show up and he doesn't show up until 5 after. I don't blame him, the lady that we were supposed to be visiting wasn't prepared either so it was good that we weren't on time or even early. It is such a foreign concept to me, being late is the norm here. Just in everything they do, its 5 minutes later than the designated time. I am still trying to get adjusted. I am not saying it is a bad system they have got going here, it is just different than what I am used to.

This week was my last week being District leader of the Irkutsk missionaries! We got our transfers on Thursday and I am going to be..... wait for it... training! Yay! Now I am going to be Zone Leader again and Elder Gray is stepping up to be District Leader.  I am training a new Elder named Elder Tracy.  Thanks for sending me his picture.  I always get the big handsome dudes to be my companion. haha. That’s cool that he has a blog for his mission.

Elder Gray got a new missionary and now I get one too -  haha it’s like Christmas! Maybe that’s a weird way to put it, but I think it’s really refreshing seeing new missionaries and their energy and enthusiasm. I feel a bit of responsibility because it is actually pretty important to show them the right way to work -  but I always love a good challenge.

I haven't heard anything about the new Elders or anything. I always make predictions about what the new missionaries will look like and where they will be from. I haven't been correct yet, not even once haha. I am super excited for the chance to be training again!

Oh yeah and Elder Protopopov is going to be Assistant to the President for the next 6 weeks before he goes back to Moscow. We fly out tonight and Elder Protopopov will start his new responsibilities as AP. I will be working in Vlad for a few days with my former MTC companion, Elder Hansen. 

I have one question for you this week. What is your pilots peak? Think about it, maybe research it, maybe ponderize it ;) haha 

Oh by the way, we watched General Conference yesterday. Way good. I am so glad we have wise men inspired of God leading the church. I definitely found answers to questions that I have been thinking about it. I am sure you all did too. I think I loved most of all Elder D. Todd Christoffersons talk. He is one of my favorite speakers. Let me know in an email what your favorite talks were, I am curious. 

I hope you all have a good week! Make sure to set small goals that will lead up to bigger goals you have in life. If you don't have any big goals, make a bucket list or something of that sort. Write down what things are important to you. An education maybe? A husband or wife? Maybe you wish you had a more positive outlook on life? Make small goals and do something every day. Make a small step every day to do something and to move towards the bigger goals and you will be happy :) Its kinda like Ponderizing. My ponderizing scripture this week is 1 Timothy 4:12. What is yours?

I love you most.

Elder Gardner

 

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