Filming Testimonies and prepareing for the new Elder

Hello family and friends,

This past week, as usual, has been crazy. I find myself always busy doing something, from driving around Houston, to teaching members, to teaching investigators, to helping interpret at church, teaching members ASL, and so on.

Tuesday Elder McGill had a doctor's appointment to check his ears. He has had ringing in his head since his cochlear implant broke. Doctor says he may have some kind of tumor or something in his head. That's scary! We have an appointment in October to check his head and ears.

Later that afternoon we went to be interviewed by President Pingree. Good meeting, good interview.

This past Tuesday was one of the most spiritual experiences I've had with a particular investigator. His name is S and he's been strugging to accept a baptism date. Or, at least we thought. Invited him and his mom to come outside and walk around the Temple, around 7-8pm. They came, we taught him, and she came to pick him up. I spoke with the mom and tried to figure out, once and for all, why we are struggling. She revealed many concerns, which now make sense. She said she's willing to allow him to be baptized once he shows that he understand what he's promising to do. So now we need to work with the mom to try to allow him to be baptized.

We have been working with a recent convert, trying to help her gain the confidence she needs to interpret. She's really nervous and is afraid she will make mistakes. So we have been meeting with her and signing with her and practicing interpreting with her. Her name's T. Recent convert of a year, 25 years old. Our goal with her last week was to film her Testimony. She was super nervous about it, but we practiced and practiced. On Saturday we went to the park and studied there, then she came along around 10am and we just chatted for about 30 minutes. Our goal was to help her become comfortable with singing and no talking. Then we asked if she was ready, and she said she'd try. She did a great job, and attached is a still from the video.

We've been collecting Testimonies from everyone else as well. Some hearing, some deaf. I have stills from all the videos we have filmed thus far.

Sunday was busy. We went to church early to have an Elder's Quorum meeting, then Priesthood Executive Meeting, then taught Gospel Principles. Then when I thought I could take a break and hide in the back during combined Relief Society and Priesthood, the hearing ward (that meets at the same time as us) Primary Presidency came in and asked for me to interpret. One of our deaf families brought their non member primary age friends again, so I spend the next hour interpreting singing time and sharing time. Many new songs in Primary I didn't recognize and had to interpret by ear instead of memory!

Sacrament was good. I shared my Testimony of the important of my responsibility and how the members can help. Then we headed off and visited our Branch President, who was sick. Just a quick visit to show we loved him and missed him. Then came home early to prepare for today.

So now it's Today! Yaaay! Elder McGill and I are going to try and take advatnage of what may or may not be our last full week together, and try to find and teach as many people as we can. So I'm going to be super busy.

So enjoy your week and Happy October (Tomorrow, anyway)!

Love,

Elder Gardner.