The last Hurrah! for real this time 3/16/15 (but no mention of pi 😕)

Well, 

I guess this is it, the last email as a Missionary! for reals this time

I am so grateful for the experiences that I have had on my mission, the people that I met and the lives that have been blessed. I wouldn't change it for anything.

This week the departing missionaries had the opportunity to go to the temple. It was wonderful! We got to spend some time at the mission home talking with President and Sister Van Cott about life after the mission. It was a little hard, but at the same time it made coming home a little easier. It got rid of some of the fears that I and alot of us had. 

This week was Ola's birthday so we had a little surprise celebration with their family which was really good.

Last night was our departing devotional, it was awesome. We shared times that we knew that the Lord was mindful of us and this work. It was great to hear so many experiences, I was just grateful for the opportunity I have had to see the Lords hand even more in my life. 

Those who I saw last night, Thank you so much for coming! I am so grateful for all that you have done for me in my life. 

The rest of you, I will see in the near future.

I am just so thankful for the support that I have had from everyone, for your faith and prayers. It has been such a huge blessing.

I love you all!!!

Love,

Sister Kellee Gardner

The last melon...or email 3/9/15

Hello!!

Every time I start to say "the last.." The dodo birds and the
​last melon from Ice age comes to mind..anyways

Well I think this may be my last email home! I can't believe it. 

What a week! 

So Tuesday we had District meeting and we did some role plays which were really good. we were focusing on teaching simply and I learned a lot about asking questions. We met with the Mapus, they are doing pretty good. We keep reading in the Book of Mormon with them. It has been very insightful to try and just pull out the simple and important things. We had exchanges that night with Sister Shin and Sister McConkie. I stayed in the area with Sister Shin. It was an awesome exchange. Wenesday We went to Corona and saw some people down there, then we went to see Koleta. We weren't sure if we could teach her a lesson because neither of us speak samoan, but we taught in English and it was probably the most simple that I have ever taught the Plan of Salvation. I guess that role play helped us out :) We also met with Emo. We were going over the priesthood, since she had some questions about that last sunday, and we were explaining that Joseph Smith received the Aaronic pristhood and was able to perform baptisms and then she asked us about baptism and if her and Su had to be married. We didn't finish our lesson on priesthood, but we were able to answer her question, and that is something that I love about teaching and following the spirit. It isn't always about what you planned but what they really need. We met with Nese and talked to her about her desires and if baptism is still something that she wants and she said , yes this month. So she is on date for March 21st!

Friday night we had a really good lesson with the Bishop and Sister Afutiti. We talked about doing member missionary work and teaching simply. It really sparked interest in them and I think it helped give us a boost too. 

Saturday was one of the best days on my mission. Sister Laiti had an idea a while back to have a picnic for Makayla to help her get to know some of the girls in the ward and to just help her feel comfortable. So we were finally able to get it all worked out and it was perfect. Friday was her birthday so it was basically a birthday party. We made the food and  invited the Young Women and Makayla. She didn't want to come at first, but at the end she told us how grateful she was that she came and that we had done that for her. She had the biggest smile on her face and it was priceless. She had a really good time and so did the girls who were there.

Sunday was good as well. I spoke in Sacrament meeting in the IE ward. It went pretty good. It was on the blessings of Missionary work. 

Today we went with our roommates to the Wigwam motel. I have been wanting to go there pretty much since I first saw it 7 months ago haha! It was pretty cool, they are pretty nice inside too. We also found some old cars out behind them. We had some fun exploring. I just think it's pretty cool that we have Route 66 going through our mission. There's also the first Mc Donalds in San Bernardino. Lets just say California is pretty cool !! I really am gonna miss it here. I love it here and I love the people that I have met. It really just amazes me. I have a greater love for people, and a greater appreciation for life! I love you all!

Sister Kellee Gardner

Short and Sweet 3/2/15

Talofa!!

Well this week has been a good one. It was full of ups and downs, but it has been good overall. We had some service this week. We helped out at the Bishops Storehouse and also at DI. It was so much fun!! I don't know why we haven't gone there before, but both of us had a really good time there.

We were able to meet with Emo this week and she was doing really good. Sh was asking some really good questions and really seeking to understand. 

We are having a FHE with the Penn family tonight and I am pretty excited about that. 

The Mapu family is doing pretty good. They have had heath reasons for not coming to church, but they really want to come each week. They have a lot of faith. I love going there because of the excitement that they have. 

We went bowling this afternoon with our roommates, it was a lot of fun. I still am not too good at bowling. But I got better the second game so improvement is always good!

Sorry this is pretty short. I love you all! See ya soon!

Sister Kellee Gardner

The weekly review 2/23/15

Well this week was really good!

We met with Koleta and talked with her about her baptism. She LOVED it. She talked about how the spirit was so strong and how she just felt SO happy. It made me think about the first time she came to church and how happy she was then, this was 10 times better!

On Friday we made a cake at the Penns for our Ward Mission leader, it was pretty fun! we had dinner with his family that night so we surprised them with a cake!

On Saturday we went out to visit some people with the ward and we stopped by a family and just talking with them and hearing their faith inspired me! I love hearing people talk about how much they love God and how much faith they have. Not in a vain way, but just through their positive experiences and even their trials. 

We went to a members home later that night and taught them the restoration and it really amazed me how much that changed my day. I was having an alright day, but I was feeling kind of down. After the lesson though, i just felt so much better. I know it was because the spirit was there and I was testifying of truth. 

Funny story:

So on Friday I got my "trunky mail", my itinerary and everything. So the sisters gave it to me and I opened it, but it said, Sister Gardner, Just kidding, sorry, but we love you!

They had gotten some index cards to mimmick the invitations to the devotional and a few pieces of paper to make it thick enough. They even took the stamps from the original and put it on the fake one. I think that is why I fell for it. Anyways I got the real thing too, and I just can't believe it is here! Alright thats all I'm gonna say about trunkyness.

I hope everyone is doing well! Thank you for all your prayers and support! I love you all!

Love,

Sister Kellee Gardner

Ps, this is a picture I meant to send forever ago, but I just wanted to let you see that I ate half a fish. That is probably the biggest piece I have had, but it isn't the only one!

An awesome week! 2/17/15

was one of my favorite zone conferences, it was also my last :(. It was the perfect thing to keep me motivated and working hard til the end. We talked alot about teaching for commitments and promising the blessings. This will seriously change how we teach and I am really excited to see what comes of it. 

 Saturday was Valentines and we had a lot of fun making brownies and cake to deliver to our investigators as well as to the ward party and President Van Cott and his family. 

Sunday was Koletas baptism, it was beautiful. It was packed. Sister Gillespie and Sister Letoa were both able to come back and see it. Koleta is just amazing and you can just see it in her eyes how happy she is now and the faith that she has. 

The Penn family also had puletasi's made for Sis. Laiti, Gillespie and I. We wore them on Sunday and I love it. I feel like a real Samoan now!! That night we had an awesome lesson with Erika and Daniel. We committed them to read the Book of Mormon again and also to have a Companionship Inventory. We went back yesterday and it had made the world of difference in those two!

Yesterday we went on a hike, we went to Yucaipa and hiked the mountain there. Our roommates came along as well as some members. Sister Laiti and I were the only ones to make it to the very top!! It was hard, but it was so worth it, the view was amazing. I will try and attach some pictures of everything, theres alot though. 

The days are flying by but I am still learning and loving it everyday! I am grateful for this opportunity to share the gospel and to help people come closer to Jesus Christ. I love you all! 

Love, Sister Kellee Gardner

​

Book of Mormon Challenge 2/9/15

Talofa!

So this week we had some really good things happen. 

We had Erika and Daniel come to the temple and take a little tour around it. The spirit there is just amazing, and I am so grateful to have a temple so close to us, especially in the mission!!

We had President and Sister Van Cott come to our fireside last night for the R2 ward and talk about hastening the work. It was was Amazing. Our hope was to get the members more excited about the work, and to feel the joy that comes from sharing the gospel. 

Koletas baptism got moved up to next Sunday the 15th, which we are really excited for! Her surgery went well and she is doing great.

Last week President Van Cott challenged us to read and finish the Book of Mormon by General Conference. If you read 4 chapters a day you can finish in 60 days, so thats the challenge. It is hard to do. But it has helped me learn some things. On my mission, and especially in this area, investigators and even members talk about how it is hard to read the Book of Mormon, or it is hard to understand. I don't know why, but I have personally never felt that way. So it has been hard for me to relate to them. As missionaries we have 2 hours to study each day, not all of that time is used for reading the Book of Mormon, but it is a huge blessing to have time set aside for that. This challenge though requires us to sacrifice time at lunch and time at night to read. Now that is hard. It is so easy to just want to sleep at those times or talk to our roommates. This is where I see that finding time to read everyday when it isn't given to you is harder to do. 

I am grateful for the time that I do have. The Book of Mormon is amazing and I find new insights EVERY TIME I read it. I learn from it when I read with investigators and by myself. I know that it is true. I know that it contains the fullness of the gospel.

I am so grateful to be able to serve a mission, for so many reasons. the things that I have learned,temporally and spiritually, the people I have met and grown to love, companions, leaders, investigators and members. I am so grateful for the support from home!

I love you all!!

Sister Kellee Gardner

The last transfer 2/2/15

Talofa!

Well, this week is transfers and I can't believe that I am starting my last one! Both Sister Laiti and I are staying here in Rialto covering both wards. I am glad that we get to stay together til the end!!

So this week:

1- We met with Emo and Su, and they aren't ready to get married and so the baptism is postponed for a while, until they decide what their plans are. They are doing really good other wise.

2- We met with Erika and after she talked to her family, who she didn't think would come to her wedding, want to come so they decided to get married in April. Which is nice so they aren't rushing getting the wedding together. 

3-Interviews with President VanCott. This interview was really good, I just love interviews, It really brought a lot of peace to my mind. 

4- The Penn family. So they are doing good, Alex is always super busy, so it is hard to meet with them, but we have met with Maria alot and she's asking questions which is great. 

5- I attempted to bear my testimony in Samoan this week... Attempted. I'll keep working on that one.

It has been a good week overall, I am more excited for this coming week. 

Sorry this is so short, I am hoping to have more to write next week.

I love you all!

Sister Gardner