A Thanksgiving to Remember

Nov 28, 2017

Bueno, ha,ha this week has been a roller coaster! Ha,ha full of miracles, ups, downs, and people jumping out of the cart... so to speak.. sorry terrible analogy...

Anyways. This week was transfer week, which means all this occurred with the fear of uncertainty of where we will be serving this next transfer.

Knowing that our time together as our 4 man piso was ticking down, Elder Bown decided to do an exchange with Elder Mendoza and Elder Richardson. I first went out into the big wide world with Elder Richardson, and we just hit the streets with our powerful Trainee abilities. The gift of tongues is real my people. Very. Real. I witnessed it as we contacted, and dropped off recipes (we'll talk about that later...) and as Elder Richardson bore powerful testimony. What a blessing.

With Elder Mendoza I witnessed his wonderful ability to listen. He listened in our lessons, and as I talked his ear off in the street. His love for the work, and for people was just evident. He cares, and for anyone, It is nice to speak to listening, caring ears. We had a very, very intense lesson with a devout evangelical who did not like the idea of the Apostasy:) ha,ha another story for another day.

After the exchanges were all said and done, the cooking frenzy began! One of our ward members, originally from the United States a long time ago, suggested we put together a Thanksgiving dinner, in the only style they come in... "MERICAN!

Like a very posh cross country pasta party, everyone brought their own portion of the meal, but it had to be an American dish. Hence the recipes:) because you might be surprised to hear that Spanish people have no idea how to make stuffing, let alone what it looks like:)

We were assigned the Turkey, for, we as Americans, should know how to do it right? Ha,ha, well we quickly found out that Spain doesn't really do the whole turkey thing. Like breast, legs, wings. So we were, with out limited amount of time to cook as full-time missionaries, sitting in our kitchen with 32 turkey legs, jello boxes, and a oven that refused to work, the night before "Thanksgiving" ha,ha what a blessing:) Fun night of cooking turkey and freezing jello. Ha,ha Elder Bown was a champ, every 45 mins flipping the turkey legs. Never, Never will I take Turkey on Thanksgiving for granted again.

With all that said and done, the activity went amazing, and we had more non members than members show up, what is it about food?:) Well one we were able to connect with through Facebook, and will have a lesson this Thursday! Miracles!

To end it all, the dreaded call to see where the Lord needs us to serve. Elder Mendoza is on his way now to Sabadell, and Elder Richardson to Valencia. Where am I going? Ha,ha, Elder Bown and I will continue to hold things together in a now only one area Burgos. Yes our Piso just got a whole lot more quiet.

Well blessings, crazy shenanigan, and testimonies are all over Burgos.

I really am growing to see this gospel in new light. The message and light it can bring to peoples lives is that worth sharing. That is why I am out here. I hope all of you saw my post regarding thanksgiving on Facebook. I love you, and will forever be thankful for you all, and my companion and his example.

Until next week you turkeys;)... ewww...

Elder Gardner