Kirkland, Spiders, Car, and Seattle Spit

Hello world!! And to anyone who actually reads my bloggy-blog:

 

Tengo forty million things to say. I will put them into bullet points. haha

• I am in Kirkland, Washington! Kirkland is to Seattle like West Jordan is to Salt Lake.

• Air conditioning does not exist in buildings/apartments-- it's only hot for a couple months, so they deal with it. Kind of like Rexburg. haha

• Kirkland is where Costco began, hence Kirkland brand at Costco!! So coo! hahaha

• We live/our area is right next to Lake Washington which is GORGEOUS. Yesterday was the first day with sun since I've been here, and the lake was covered with sailboats. So pretty.

• Tons of awesome trees = tons of.... spiders.

• Killed 7 spiders in 2 days.

• My companions wear glasses/contacts and they can't see in the morning, so I'm the first to find the spiders. I had to pick up sister Goodrich (literally, pick her up) when there was a huge spider by her foot. It was 6:20am and she couldn't see/didn't have quick reflexes. We were cracking up until after morning workout. 

• I spilled liquid foundation all over my polka-dot skirt. Life goes on.

• We have a car, woot. The roads are soooooo windy (not windy, but they like are... windy... hahaha) I got really carsick the first couple of days (blahhhh) but I'm getting used to it. haha

• There are blackberry bushes err-where! I love it! Those berries are as fresh as they get. We just eat them straight up. YUMM!

• My hair is a POOF BALL! I straightened it ONCE since I've been here. Right when I walked out the door my hair was as wide as my hips.... 

• "Seattle Spit" is the weirdest thing ever. It's when it's kind of raining, but not at all. The tiniest drops come from the sky, and they're everywhere-- it's like THICK humidity almost. You can't feel the drops, but you can... it's crazy.

• I finally got sick. haha I made it through 6 weeks at the MTC without getting sick and it all caught up to me. But it's okay, I'm getting much better. Well, I'm just getting a better attitude about it I guess. haha

• So re-activating and teaching investigators is what we focus on. Not just investigators. We've been teaching a few families that are working on coming back to church, and it is so great. 

• Yesterday we tracted into a man named Robert who had one lesson before, a few months ago and he let us right in! He had so many questions, like what's the purpose of life/suffering and how can Jesus help him with that. What the Book of Mormon has to do with anything. He wants to know these things for SURE, like tangible. Such a great conversation. We told him that a lot of it has to do with prayer and studying with faith, and then you CAN know for SURE that the things we teach him are true. His comittment is to read 3 Nephi chapters 11-13 about the Savior visiting the Americas after His resurrection. We're visiting him next week. Woo!

• We went on exchanges the other day and I went with a companionship that speaks RUSSIAN. We visited a member lady and her family. In her broken English she explained that she is a convert and was an Orthodox Jew! The missionaries found her at a playground in Russia in 1996 and she invited them to her home. It took her 6 months to get baptized and she said it was the best thing she ever did. Her whole family and extended family is baptized and members of the Church now too, and she is SO excited to know that she can live with them forever. She has so much faith! She was crying as she told us a story about a dream she had before she was baptized about how she saw the Savior and how He showed her the nailprints in His hands and feet. Before the missionaries came and testified to her about the Savior, she has no idea who Jesus Christ was. Imagine that! I can't imagine not knowing who the Savior is. He means everything to me. It was such an amazing experience to talk to her. 

• Our appointments cancel 53% of the time. So we always have back up plans.

• We tract sometimes when our backup plans fall through too.

• It's a rule to always have a Book of Mormon in your hands. 

• My companions are SO COOL! One of them, Sister Steed (the blonde one, I'll have pictures for you next week) reminds me of Hannah Davis! SO MUCH. So obviously I love her SO much. And no, she's not related to the fictional characters on the Work and the Glory... hahaha 

• My other companion is Sister Goodrich (and she's not related to the Goodriches) and she's THE BEST! She's been out for 14 months. Crazy! 

• They are both the Sister Training Leaders over like, 5 zones. I guess I needed a lot of training... haha they keep saying that I came "pre-trained". lies. haha

• So many awesome things happen every day, and I love being here! WASHINGTON FOR LYFE

• Oh, and I have to teach myself Spanish. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be at square 1 when/if I get to Argentina. haha

I can testify as a servant of the Lord that God, our loving Heavenly Father lives. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth in its fulness. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and we can come closer to Christ through studying it and praying about it than we can with any other book or means. I know that is true.

Here's my apt. address!! Hint, hint.

Hermana Gardner

9405 NE 120th St. Apt 208

Kirkland, WA 98034

 

I love you ALL!

 

Hermana Gardner