¡Feliz Semana Santa!
Happy Easter!
I don’t know if you guys remember from last year but Easter week is
called Holy Week. And depending on your religion, you participate in activities
during the week. The most common are the Catholic traditions. They carry a
cross around the city every Friday for a month before Semana Santa and every
day during this week has a specific activity of the life of Christ assigned to
it.
It would be interesting to look up, I don’t remember the name assigned
to each day. But the most common thing for everyone is to go to the beach! (Supposedly
it’s the hottest week in the year). Too bad the missionaries won’t be
participating in the cultural traditions of Nicaragua.
But Conference was great wasn’t it!?!
I got to watch all the sessions. Most of them I watched in English. But
I watched the Priesthood session in Español because we came together with a
couple of investigators and I didn’t want to just leave them.
From the Priesthood session my favorite phrase was from President
Monson: Haz tu Deber, haz tu mejor, deja el resto al Señor. (Do your duty, do
your best, leave the rest to the Lord.) I
liked that because I would like to be a good leader and fulfill my duty, but
things never go perfectly so I just have to do my best and confide in the Lord
for the rest.
But my favorite talks always seem to be from Elder Holland. I guess I
just like his very direct, "machete" style. But this conference I
received much revelation and I was also very pleased because various investigators
came and had inspired leaders of the church talk about exactly what they needed
to hear.
It was a great week. A couple issues with the District but in the end
everything will be ok. I guess we could work on our unity. But we had a fun
activity today for Pday with the whole mission that helped everyone have a
little fun and relax.
We were going to go to the Vulcan Masaya (Masaya Volcano) but they
closed the Volcano today, so first we went to see the Caterina Laguna. It was
pretty. But not much to do for a missionary at a laguna. But I bought a cool
Nicaraguan bag because I told myself I need to buy more souvenirs.
Mirador de Catarina, Laguna de Apoyo, Nicaragua
Fotos de la Carcel (Photos of the Prison)
Oh, and because all the mission was there, I talked to my comp. Elder
Gaytan, who is in Masaya and gave him the down payment for a really nice
Hammock. I told him to get one of the big ones (for like 2 or 3 people) and to
make the colors like the Nicaraguan flag. He said I could put letters on it so
I told him to put Hardy, and on the other side Nicaragua (so we don’t forgot
from where it came).
This week was the best because with the most positive family we are
teaching we invited them to be baptized and they accepted. For the 21st of
April. The only problem is that I am probably going to get transferred before
that. But it was a neat spiritual experience we had with them last night. We
taught them the lesson of the Restoration.
But it was hard. Because their two year old little girl Emily, decided
to be a big distraction this time. (Normally she is really sweet and shy) But
this time she was running around throwing things on the ground and bugging her
mom and dad ha ha. I think she was just tired.
So, as we struggled to have the spirit and their attention throughout
the lesson we testified to them of the love of God and of the restoration
through the prophet José Smith. After testifying, my companion asked the Dad if
he would ponder about these things and ask his Heavenly Father in the name of
Christ if José Smith was a Prophet.
We sat there for what felt like a long time but he didn’t answer. My
companion repeated him the question and we waited for what felt like forever
but he didn’t respond. I then explained to him again what it would mean to his
family to know if these things were true and explained again how he could know
through prayer.
Then I asked again, "¿Orará para saber si José Smith fue un
profeta verdadero?" (“Will you pray to know if Joseph Smith was a true
prophet?") This time he replied, with a strong, "NO". We were a
little bit astounded by his answer, because they have been very positive and
during the entire lesson they seemed to have understood and liked the message.
But we weren´t discouraged. I asked him, "¿Que le impediría orar y
preguntar a Dios si José Smith fue un profeta de Dios?" (“What would
prevent him to pray and ask God if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God?”)
And after thinking for a second he said, "No creo que debería
preguntar a Dios, si ya sé que José Smith fue un profeta." (“I do not
think I should ask God, if I already know that Joseph Smith was a prophet.”)
Ha ha ha, well after he said that all the tenseness left the room and
me and my comp smiled and said, Well that’s great! We then continued to explain
to them that they can still pray and ask their Father in Heaven to strengthen
their faith and testimonies and help them to follow Jesus Christ. We then
invited them to be baptized the 21st of April and they accepted.
That is so amazing to hear that Aunt Annette is going through the
temple next week!
Ha ha ha NO! I have not gotten any Trunky Papers. But Mom, I think with
the way the changes are going to fall I am going to come home with everyone the
Thursday of the week of Aug. 18th. Is that going to be a problem? Do you think
someone can go to my classes the first two or three days?
I remember the snow caves dad! And I remember that mine and Jordan
Stewarts was beautiful! But as we were making it, Jordan was scraping away at
the ceiling to make it higher and right as I said, "I don’t think we
should go any higher..." The cave collapsed ha ha.
Thanks for the spiritual thoughts about conference Mom and Dad. It was
great. And it had lots of advice and blessings for the family.
I have had a lot of faith building experiences in the mission, Alexis.
But I would have to say that normally the best for me are the answered prayers.
Especially a few that have been answered through the fruits of the Holy Ghost.
How would you build faith in investigators? Through WORKS. Anybody here can
listen to someone talk about Christ for an hour. But not everyone ACTS upon
what they hear. Those that read, pray and come to church progress and receive a
REAL Conversion. Those who don’t, stay in the same condition they are in for
the rest of their lives. Unless one day they Work their faith and Act.
I love you all,
Have a Happy Easter & Spring Break!
Elder Hardy
ps I love you!
