March 7, 2011

Hey Everybody!

First, Congrats to the Highland Sports Teams. They are doing great. Nice that they win State in everything after I left to Nicaragua!

I will tell la Familia Escalante that you think their baby is cute. I sent those last time because they asked me to send them to their son who is in the Mish. He already replied back and loved them too.

No, the package didn’t come!!! I hope it’s going to make it. I got mad at Elder Geddes today (he is my ZL again) because he didn’t have it haha. But I am much much closer to the office now so letters and packages are easier to get to me.

So, I am in Monte Fresco, about km 14 in the Carretera sur de Managua. You ride the bus until you hear them say, ¨¡El Puente, el puente!,¨ (“The Bridge, the Bridge!”). You get off the bus and walk up a street to the restaurante Casa Mía Pizzeria and turn right, and walk until you get to our house which is across the street from a Catholic Seminary. But I don’t think it is the one equivalent to Harvard Business School of Central America.

But there are a monton of fachenta casa here. A lot of really rich houses. But they all have really big concrete fences with barb wire and electric fences at the tops. So they are kind of hard to contact.

This week we had a baptism!!! Hurray! Her name is Saira. She lives here with her Mom (who is a member) every other week until she and her husband finish building their house here. Her husband works in Boaco ha ha and when they finish the house he will live here too and we are hoping to complete the family.

Oh, and guess what!!! I washed my own clothes today! Ha ha and yes that means more than it used to (having to carry the clothes up the stairs.) This time I did it by hand! And I don’t think I will let the Barrio (neighborhood) rest this week until I find someone to wash them next week!

Ha ha but it was actually pretty peaceful, until everyone in the house came out to watch and give the chele (white guy) pointers. But it was fun and you know what, washing by hand gets them cleaner too, I think.

The Spanish is going good... I hope. I understand everything with exception to a weird word or two that I haven’t learned. Everyone usually understands me... but every once in a while someone will give me a stinky face that means they didn’t understand a word I just said.

Ha ha I really think I need to work on my accent, get the grammar down and open up my vocabulary, so pretty much everything ha ha.

Hannah, yes, the kids go to school in Nicaragua. And yes, they have a fourth grade, but the grades are a little different. The little kids can go to preschool but the real school starts in Colegio, which is the equivalent to High School. And they just use numbers like, I’m in 1st Año (1st year) or 4th. And if you don’t pass your classes you stay at the same number, so there are lots of different age groups. I hope that’s right, I wish I could explain better.

Super sad news that Scott Sherratt and family are moving. They are an awesome family and I was hoping they would be there when I got back. Scott was a great leader and home teacher. And they were good friends, but wish them luck from me.

Thanks for the family updates. I love you all.

Elder Hardy

P.S. The advice of an Apostle to me of a Misionero de Exito (Successful Missionary):

1. Es Obediente (is obedient)
2. Está enfocado (is focused)
3. Trabaja Duro (works hard)

Same thing applies to you!