June 27, 2011

Buenas Famous Float Makers!!!



La Zona

Hey that is great news to hear that everything is going as expected. (Totally knew that something special was going to happen with the float.) And I am sure that the fishing pole is going to be fine. Good luck when the news crew comes to film, you will have to tape it for me. And I am sure all 200+ people will be very blessed and satisfied with their work.

Yes, we just found out changes before coming to write and I am staying! But my companion Elder Muzo is leaving. Which is too bad but we did well together. We will have to see who my new companion is going to be.

This week we Baptized!!! Saturday we baptized 3 people, 1 familia and 1 Priesthood. The name of the family is José Molina and Maria Lopez. They live deep in the canyon, Hermana Maria has been visiting church for about a year. But because of certain circumstances she has not been able to be baptized... Until Now!!!

Her husband José has also come to church quite a bit and has made some big changes for the big day. We married them right before the baptismal service and even bought a cake for everyone to enjoy after. Also we baptized a nice girl named Paola. She is 12 years old and her family has been investigating the Church. Her Dad is already a member and we are hoping that her Mom can follow her example and be baptized someday soon as well.

Something funny that happened this week…Ummm... ha ha, well I had been thinking about buying a hair clipper a while. I reckoned that it would be more convenient to cut my own hair and I could cut my companions too and I would never have to take another trip to the barber shop. In the end it would also be a lot more economical, because every cut costs about 35-40 cords.

So last Monday I went to find one in the market and bargained down to 200 cords. For the machine, the different clippers, a comb and scissors. So that night, I cut my companions hair and he cut mine... ha ha well it actually wasn’t that hard. And we both did pretty good jobs, we just should have started off with the longest setting to see how it is and then go shorter from there... ha ha

Favorite members? Hey, as a missionary I can’t pick favorites. The Bishop is a really nice, quiet guy. The Mission Leader only has a little more than a year being a member and is trying his best. The President of the Quorum of Elders is a really nice, wise señor and has left with us a few times. But my favorite member might have to be a return missionary named Alex. He has helped us out more than any other normal member and has helped us find a couple of families to teach.

HANNAH'S QUESTION. Has there been anything crawling in your house?

Ha ha well no, nothing too terrible. Only lots of geckos, ants, lightning bugs, mosquitoes, spiders and other bugs I don’t know. But really it’s not that bad. One time there was a snake... But he wasn’t in the house. And he was pretty small too. Elder Valenzuela took a machete to the poor guy. I will let you know if anything new slithers under the door.

Sounds like everything is going good with the family.

Thanks for the journal entries dad, I will see if I can’t read them tonight. Hey you can still send notes to Elder Muzo after he leaves if you want.

The Float is going to be FAMOUS Mom. All thanks to prayers, faith and lots and lots of work. Love you so much.

Sounds good Alexis. Hey when you always say everyone loves the emails, what does that mean? Hey, when do you go on your trip again? Love You.

Hey Emilykinz, don’t worry about slaving away at the float, you are going to be famous. Luh you.

Congratulations on your talk on Sunday. You can probably type up your own talks by now right? Hey, that is cool that you stood on the float. You should stand up there with a hard hat and blue prints and act like you are directing everyone when the cameras come. Hey, is this a float that people are going to stand on or is it solo? Ps I love you.

Love you all, keep up the good work, hey, make the float into a missionary opportunity :)

Elder Hardy

June 20, 2011

Buenas y Feliz Dia del Padre, Dad!

Happy Father’s Day!

Here in Nicaragua Fathers Day is the 23rd. It sounds like Dad had a great Father’s Day. I’m glad he got a new shop vac ha ha. And that the windows are still filling up with water. You know you are going to have to figure out how to fix that before you get old... Ha ha... But it sounds like all the other gifts were neat too.

Give felicidades to the Ingebretsen family for me.

For PDay today, after 10:30 (we only have a half hour of language study now) we went to the Stake Center in Alta Gracia. There we played some basketball and futbol. And we talked the Sister missionaries into baking a cake (two cakes actually) that we then ate. We just barely got back and came straight to write.

Hey guess what!!! I got Jenny and her family's Package!!!!! And it was awesome! They sent a letter with photos of the family and of Jenny in her race. And drawings that the cousins did! She also sent two big boxes of protein bars (which have certainly mejorado our nutritional breakfast).

We also got a jar of Peanut Butter, Homemade Blueberry Jam, Some super comfy socks that we are wearing, two sweet looking ties (my comp really liked that), and a bunch of bags of really good candy. It was very nicely done. Tell Jenny and her family Muchas Gracias and Good luck with all the summer activities she was telling me about that have already started.

My comp dice, "Mas chocolate... tal vez una corbata... una nueva camera (hahaha)... un ipod touch (hahahahahahahaha (ps no we can not have ipod touches)) " But every package I have gotten has been very nice. And has seemed to been exactly what I have needed every time. But we are doing good here, happy and healthy, no hay problemas.

Hey, I don’t know if it says it on the Mission blog but we have a better address now that is better and much faster.

Elder Pop U. Lar
Apartado Postal 3527
Managua, Nicaragua

I have a future missionary experience to share. This Jueves, a very nice member family invited us to dinner. So we went and at the dinner table was sitting one of their sons. I have never met him so that says something. We started to talk to him about his life, what he is doing right now and what are his plans. He is a neat kid and knows quite a bit of English. (He works in a calling center).

Well, he must have been thinking about it a lot because he was the first one to bring up the topic of serving a mission. He said he knew he should but was really busy in life right now and has lots of plans for the future. (school, work etc.) He wasn’t sure if a mission was the right thing for him. In short. We talking to him about it and we all knew and I told him that all these things are great. But for him, going on a mission would never be the wrong choice. And his service will only make the rest of his life better than what he is planning right now.

My comp shared his personal experience about when he was thinking about going on the mission or not. Well, he prayed about it and in short, the Lord responded to him that he already knew he didn’t have to ask that question. I don’t have much time, but in short, going on the mission can never be the wrong decision.

Recipes Hannah? Ha ha ok. Well first, buy some rice.... and then find some beans... ha ha but maybe I can get a better one for next time.

Yes ma'am. Good luck. Magnify. I love you.

Sounds like a solid Father’s Day, Dad. In the ward all the kids made this cool origami white shirts and ties for their Dads. Maybe I will send you one. But I reckon that the best father’s day gift I could give you right now is to serve an honorable mission right? Love you Dad.

Good luck preparing for Europe Alexis, you know, I bet you are going to get one of those cool secret money pouches right? Well, I really like mine but I wish I could send it to you. Ha ha I haven’t used it since I left the airport. Ha ha. I just found Not Being Stupid about where I go and act and not carrying much money is better. And putting extra money I am carrying in my White Handbook. But in the sock would be better for you. And good work on the PGA pass, but how did you afford that? Ha ha. I love you.

Hey Emily! Sounds like New York was awesome!!! And sounds like you spent lots of money! I am glad you were safe. Sounds like Dad really liked your New York father’s day gifts. I hope you got a souvenir for me so we can trade when I get back... Ha ha I luh you.

Hannah, sounds like work work work on the float. But good work in talking mom and dad into going camping when it is all over. Now you just have to convince the beauty queens too. Ha ha ha Duck chucking sounds AWESOME! Next time tell dad he has to try jumping off the roof holding the duck above his head to see if he can jump farther ha ha ha. Ah and if you guys want more ducks just hit it a couple times and see what happens! PS I Love You!!!!!

Well, I got to go. Happy Father’s Day!

Love you,

Elder Hardy

June 13, 2011

Hey family,

Everything is going great. I am glad to hear things are warming up. I will pray that all the rain travels down to Nicaragua so you can work better on the float. ( I like the rain).

Thanks for the news updates. It is ok to keep sending them. But I just want to know how you find out. How do you know that Heidi Niederhauser is engaged to Todd Gardner?

Tell Michael I already knew that (about the word “Pinche”). But everyone says that here. I am going to have to be careful when I come back and want to talk to someone on the street in Spanish. Plus the Nica accent is a lot different.

Hey that is crazy that Elder T. Bright comes back in 6 weeks. How did that happen? Give him a Bienvenido from me.

No todavia (not yet) no. We are not up to our knees in mud yet. It was really a false call. Apparently it is supposed to get a lot worse in a couple of months.

4 minutes left...

Yes, this week we baptized Hermana Flor. She has investigated for a while and finally made the decision.

Yes, for service projects this week we gathered Aguacates (avocados), built a fence, mowed lawn, etc.

An uplifting experience… this is the most important part and I don’t have time. The Church is True, and the Lord will help you.

Hannah, NO! I have not seen any giant snakes or man eating fish.

P.S. love you!

Elder Hardy

June 6, 2011

Familia,

Buenas, ok so if I ever get the chance to buy a cheap MP3 I will stop being Pinche (stingy) and get it.

Sounds like another testimony building answered prayer to me with the float. I like those. I am so glad that the lady is willing to help. You are going to win the best float now too if we keep praying.

My companion? He just finished 1 year in the mission a couple of weeks ago. He is senior comp. too.

Well this week we taught a lot to our most positive family we have right now. They are really nice and are already building strong testimonies. We started a competition with them to see who could read el Libro de Mormón first. They are beating me.

So, we had their first family home evening with them Thursday. It was very nice and we even "cooked" (bought) dinner for them. Ha ha. They invited us to have a barbeque with them last night. Which was great.

But after church the sister that feeds the sister missionaries invited us to lunch at her house. And then we went home and ate lunch at our house. And I had a liter and a half of chocolate milk that was going to go bad that I had to drink too... So when we got to their house I was already stuffed. And they gave me a bunch. It was really good but I was sweating to try and finish it all. Ha ha.

Then after I sat against the wall for a couple of minutes to rest and recover we had a very spiritual lesson with them. We started with the movie of the Restoration which they have never seen. And then we asked them what they thought about the message and how they felt. The Mom said she thought it meant that José Smith was a true prophet and that the Lord restored His true Church through him... I told her that was a good answer.

We talked about praying during the night to confirm with Heavenly Father that it is true and then we answered some questions. Then we were prompted to teach about the Word of Wisdom with them and had a very powerful experience with the family thanks to a member we brought along with us.

Whenever we seem to teach them I always seem to end up talking about my family, the love and happiness I have had in my family thanks to the strong influence of the Gospel and how my parents taught me since I was very young the principles of the Gospel. So, thanks for that.

We actually have an exmissionary member who has been leaving with us about 3 times a week to go teach this family and others. He is doing a really great job.

Today as a Zone we went to the outskirts of our Zone. Pochomil. I thought the bus ride was the best part. We went through the mountains and it was all misty and jungle. Pretty neat.

Good luck with work Dad. We will start praying for you too. My companion is very excited to receive emails from the family. Thank you. He says your Spanish is fine.

I’m happy to hear that miracles are happening for the float project mom. Keep up the good work.

Have fun with your last end of school summer Alexis. Are you practicing Spanish? Write me in Spanish next time. Love you lots!

Yeah! School is out Emily! Why are you going to New York and with Who!? I luh you!

I’m glad to hear you got all of the Stickers Hannah! Now you just have to get all of the Stinking Fairies! Ha ha. P.s. I Lurve You!

Love you all,

Elder Hardy

Ah!!!! and HEY! Guess what I got Friday?! The LOST PACKAGE! Ha ha ha! I like how the date on the box said it was sent on like the 9th of February. And I received it the 3rd of June. But it came! And it wasn’t easy. Guess why it came so late? It had a long journey to get here. I found a paper in the pouch that explained the whole thing. A reroute error from Peru! Ha ha ha My Valentines package took a trip to Peru first. But it was worth the wait. A great package.

Please send a late thank you to the primary of the ward for the letter and drawings. And the Recorder Made it TOO!!! That was a great treat. I loved hearing from the whole family. That was awesome. And even a couple of friends too. Now I need to write to all of them! Too bad it took until now.

But I need to go, Love you.