March 13th

Përshëndetje familja!

So another crazy week here in Vlorë! So, this weekend we had transfer calls and a lot more changed than I expected. Elder Lords, Elder Riepel and I are all leaving Vlorë! I really did not expect that to happen because that means our area is getting white-washed, but it will probably be a good thing. I'm going to Durrës now, and I'm so excited! Durrës is another city on the coast and it is a pretty big city. That's actually where Elder Cani is from which means I get to work with him more, which I'm really looking forward to!  My new companion will be Elder Wilson. He was serving in Korça while I was in Elbasan so I know him really well and I'm super pumped to serve with him.

So other than that, an old missionary named Sister Wilding who served here a while ago came and donated stuff to an orphanage here. So while she was here she showed us around the city and took us to the houses of a bunch of members and people she worked with while she was here in Vlorë. So that doesn't do much to me anymore, but it should be a big help for the ward.

Also this Sunday one of the members we have been working with for a while came to church! His name is Amarildo and he's so cool. He's younger than Mason but he works full time in a factory to support his family because his parents don't really work. So for a while he hasn't been able to come just because he has work every day, but this week he said he felt like he really needed to come to church and get the sacrament. So he said a prayer and asked for a way to come to church, then later his boss called him and said that they didn't have a ton of work to do this week so he could have Sunday off! So he was able to come to church, it was awesome!

Then Kristi is still doing great. We taught the word of wisdom and it was really cool, as we talked about it she was saying how her parents had already taught her about all these things and how they are bad for her. So she said she has never smoked, that she doesn't drink alcohol, has no problems with illegal drugs, and then bad teas don't really exist here. She said she drinks macchiato a lot, but that she can get over it though. She's continuing to be super excited about baptism and she came to church on Sunday again! I feel pretty confident that she'll get baptized, but it's kind of sad I won't be here for it.

Thanks for the news about Lindis, that's super cool! That's so crazy that he already has the Melkizedek priesthood, it honestly feels like yesterday that he got baptzied! (Amber side note:  I told Austin that on the facebook page, it suggested that he had a big day and we are just guessing).   And yes, I gave him that tie when I left Elbasan. I still have a good amount of ties, but if you want to send me more I wouldn't complain.

So that's about all for this week, we have a super busy P-day today so I'll probably send pictures next week.

Ju dua shumë! Mirupafshim!

Elder Gardiner

Also one thing I forgot in the big email, we went to an orphanage and donated clothes with sister Wilding when she was here. That was super cool, there were a bunch of little kids and they were so fun. The had so much energy and were running around everywhere. So we gave them a bunch of shoes and coats. It was awesome.