A busy week with progress!

Family and friends,

This past week we were able to spend a lot more time focusing on the members of our Branch and helping them to progress. On Thursday we had a women help us go through the family search website and we were able to find names that hadn't been done in the Temple yet. We printed them out and are excited to do them next month! Some of my names are female, so I've asked one of the women in our Branch who recently served a Mission named Adrianna to help me with those. Friday we had interviews with our mission president. We also had training. While the meeting was happening, one of our interpreters stepped out of the room and found out her husband was sent to the hospital and was struggling to breath. So we all knelt down right then and there and Elder McGill offered a prayer. The spirit became strong. She decided to stay and interpret as it was service and she knew the Lord would bless them for that.

Interviews went great! Got good guidance help for my last few months in the program. Saturday we were asked to provide three blessings for three sick kids in a family we visit. We came over and gave all three blessings, then we got to chat for a little bit. Two boys, one under 12, the other around 15 and one girl recently turned 19. I've been well connected with the boys as one is deaf, but never really got to talk with the girl. So we all chatted for a bit and then headed home

Sunday was wonderful. Had meetings all day! Great spirit! The asl class I am teaching has been going well so far. I have been explaining the differences between hearing and deaf culture as well as ASL and such. Sacrament was good. We only had one interpreter show up, and she was still new and wasn't fully experienced. So after the first Sacrament talk, she looked tired and I decided to go up to the stand to interpret the second talk. That's the first time ever a Missionary has interpreted a Sacrament talk on Sunday, because normally there are interpreters there. So it was cool and felt different interpreting.

Then we visited a few people afterward. Got to provide the Sacrament to an old deaf man named Louis Vasquez. He is over 80 years old! He's amazing and the most humble and dedicated to the Gospel man I've ever met. Always positive. Always happy. Got a picture with him (you can see below).

Monday was Elder McGill's birthday, 28! I got Sister King and Sister Loo (two on the right) to help setup a surprise birthday for him. We got cake, ice cream and balloons and got the full zone to memorize how to sign happy birthday. We got to the stake center and went to the gym. Then the sisters came in with the cake and everyone signed happy birthday in asl. Sister King dumped balloons on his head. It was funny! Then we played card games and had fun! (other pictures). That night Speckhard family invited us for dinner because it was his birthday. So we got fed!

We have been working with President Pingree to try to receive ASL Sister Missionaries. It's been a challenge for whatever reason to get them, however. So our plan be is to bring in two sisters from English. The two we are working with are Sister King and Loo. They have been learning ASL and Sister King's personality is awesome in my opinion, haha. So i talked with them and we will start teaching them more asl and soon might have them join us for a day and teach members and see how it goes. If all works, then they may get transferred in!

Anyway, that's this past week! I will tell you what happened Yesterday NEXT week!

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Gardner.