Waving at dogs is cool! 5/19/14

Hello!

This week was really good.

Tuesday was zone meeting, which was really good. The mission had a head from the proselyting department and someone else come to the mission and they came to the leadership conference. Zone meeting comes from the leadership conference every month, so this month was really good. We learned a lot about finding and teaching simply. That has been one of the main focuses the past few months. We have been counseled to use the pamphlet pictures to guide the lesson and to keep it simple. It is an adjustment, but it has been so effective. It makes it a little easier to keep out the fluff. 

On Tuesday we taught Brett and Laurie the Restoration, it went fairly well. There were a lot of distractions, but overall it went well. They have come to church the last two weeks, but weren't able to come yesterday. I think I mentioned this last week, but Brett goes to his dad's and so we can't meet when he is there. It makes it a little more difficult.

Wednesday was exchanges, which were really good. I got to go to the 1st ward area to work with Sis. Webb. This is where Alisha served in Yucaipa, so that was really cool.(Alisha- I went on Sleepy Hollow Ln, The Adams live there but weren't home-I tried:)). I learned a lot from Sis. Webb about planning.. It has been something I have struggled with my whole mission, but I got some new insights into how to have more effective planning sessions. Then I freaked out feeling like I had to make all of these changes at once... Luckily Sister Baker reminded me of my own advice earlier that day.. One thing at a time. She also said that the Holy Ghost will bring to our Remembrance those things. I felt like I had to do it all so I would remember everything.  I am doing much better now though, no worries.

On saturday there was a baptism that we invited Ann to, she came and after she told us that it made her excited and she felt a little more ready for her own. Right now she is praying about a date, but basically since day one she has said she is going to "become a mormon". She is the cutest.

Sonia came to church this week again and we are going to meet with her this week. She is awesome and she will be baptized, I just know it!

Also on Saturday we had an interesting experience.. We met a guy named Malcom, he told us that he was interested in learning more, awesome! He seemed a little too interested in learning more, but we told him about what we do as missionaries, got his number and gave him ours. about an hour later we got a text. He asked Sis. Baker out on a date and said he would love to learn more. We will be giving him to the Elders. 

Another random fun fact is that as we walk down the streets and wave at people, I have actually waved at dogs 2 times( in the same day) that makes at least 4 times on my mission. You would think I was desperate to wave at any living thing! or anything that makes a noise.. no big deal..

This week is Zone Conference and I am very excited, Next week is transfers and I am kind of nervous about those.. It will be an exciting week!

Thank you all so much for your support and sharing your experiences with me. I love you all

Love, 

Sister Kellee Gardner

Interesting side note
dad gets a newsletter from the mission, in that newsletter it tells more about the people that spoke at the mtg kellee talked about. the missionary dept person is michael hemmingway. Hemminways lived in 12th ward when we first moved to pl. grove. 

It's all about that little word IF 5/12/14

Hello! 

It was so good to hear from you guys yesterday, I wish I could have seen all of you, but glad you got to see me anyways.. I feel bad that I couldn't hear everyone that well, I know I probably missed alot of what was said. 

So heres the scoop this week.

We were going to have a lesson with Brett and Lori, they had to cancel because he was with his dad and step mom and they weren't too thrilled with the idea of him leaving to learn about the church. They came to church again this week and we are on for a lesson tomorrow! We are really excited for them. They are looking for more in their life and they saw the examples of other members and asked to learn more. There really is more success when we use the members to find people to teach. We had a lesson with Ann, it went well, I've learned that more often than not people like to talk, and sometimes as hard as you try to keep on topic, they like to tell stories. Maybe I get to teach those people because Heavenly Father wants me to see what it is like for others when I go off topic and start telling pointless stories(because I am good at that). Anyways...  we did a lot of meeting with Less actives. Last week we noticed an area that we hadn't been to that is in our ward and come to find out we have 2 less actives on that street. Tuesday we were able to go there and we went and met the Wards. It is actually a part member family, as we were talking they told us how they had been talking to someone asking why the women never went out on missions, then about a week later, we show up.. it was kinda funny. They are a cool family though. Random story. As we talked and got to know them we found out they were married at Apple Annies( Alisha knows what I am talking about) and they just loved the owner Dorthy, how much she helped them. (This was about 15  years ago..) Dorthy happens to be in our ward here, and she is awesome! so we got to tell her how much she made a difference in their lives. that was a cool random connection.

Yesterday was awesome, we had a really good sacrament meeting and some awesome lessons too. We took mothers day cards to some of the elderly single sisters in the ward, it was so good to see them smile. We visit most of them throughout the week, but you could tell they were surprised to see us come other than our usual time. There was a woman at church who came because she has a friend in Utah who is a member and she knew him before he was a member and after and liked the positive changes in his life. She said she would come next week, so we have some great potentials right now and great things are happening. I am so blessed to be here in Yucaipa and to be able to meet these people. I see everyday how much the Gospel of Jesus Christ can and does bless our lives if we live it. It is all about that little word IF though. IF we do what He asks of us then we can receive blessings. IF we don't, there is no way that God can promise those blessings. He does love us and he wants  us to be able to return to him, he also wants us to be happy. Obedience brings that joy, I have seen it so much on my mission, and I love it!

I love you all!

Love, 

Sister Kellee Gardner

Amazing week 5/5/14

Hello!

So this week has been Amazing! Monday we got a call from a member who's sons friend Brett, and his mom Lori have decided they are looking for something more in their life and have decided to investigate the church! Members are awesome! On Wednesday we went over to the Webbs, I think I mentioned them a while back, about a month ago we were able to contact them- its a part member family and the wife is from Thailand and isn't a member. We have her a Thai Book of Mormon, but hadn't really heard from her. We stopped by and we set up a church tour for that night. They came to that and we were able to explain the sacrament to her and why we go to church. The spirit was amazing as we talked. Teaching her may be difficult at first, but I know it will help me be able to teach simply. We invited them to come to church on Sunday, she said yes, he was a little hesitant because of the time. He works nights and so he was wondering if they could go to a later time. After we talked for a little Ann asked if she could come without him, we said yes. He then decided that he would try to come and make it to our ward at 9. I think seeing how important it is to her to be at church helped him make that a priority to come even though it may be hard.

So Tuesday we met with Jenny, we invited her to be baptized (this was our first invitation to her, but not the first for her) She said when she is ready, yes, but not yet. We asked her what would be holding her back. It seems like there may be a few things but we will keep working with her. She knows its true logically, but I think the big thing is that she doesn't feel like she's had that spiritual witness.

On Sunday both the Webbs and Brett and Lori came to church! It was awesome. It was a good testimony meeting. You always worry about bringing an investigator to those :D. There was one that got a little sketchy and the spirit was basically gone. Afterwards though, Crystal Miskin ( shes not in the ward but was watching the Bishops kids and her dad is in our mission presidency) got up and bore her testimony. She just got back from her mission in Chile. She stated everything so simply and you just knew that she knew it! it was amazing and it really brought the spirit back. She sat right behind us and I thanked her, but I don't know if she realized how much that really meant to me.

Anyways, I love you all! Thank you so much for your support. I am so blessed to have amazing friends and family!

Love,

Sister Kellee Gardner