August 20, 2012

Dear Family,

This was the last and very best week of the mission (As every week of the mission should be). One of the most beautiful families that I was able to teach here in the mission entered the waters of Baptism Saturday and yesterday they received the Holy Ghost and were confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Several Miracles occurred in order for that to happen and Heavenly Father was very merciful and loving to allow all the miracles to occur before I had to leave from this land.

The family Alvarez Tiffer (Rodolfo, Tania, Rodolfo and Marcelo) was the family and I will try to send photos but it looks like this computer does not recognize my camera card. But I guess you will be able to see them soon anyway.

The Baptismal Service was Awesome. Half the ward showed up and some had to sit in the hall because they didn’t fit. Everyone was soo excited to hear that the family was going to be baptized. Even the Mission President and his family came and participated in the service. (We arrived a little late with the family for a few reasons)

But once we got there and the family put on white clothes everything went great. They decided that they wanted my companion Elder Gomez to baptize Tania and Rodolfo jr., and that I would baptize Rodolfo sr. and Marcelo.

Sunday in the morning they arrived early to have an interview as a family with the bishop and were the first ones sitting in church. For the confirmation the Second Councilor confirmed Rodolfo, the Bishop confirmed Tania, Elder Gomez confirmed Rodolfo jr. and I had the opportunity to perform the confirmation ordinance for Marcelo. It was an amazing feeling I felt as I did it.

The Bishop after the baptismal service came up to me and said that the last speaker for the next day had flaked and asked if I could take his place. I was very pleased to be able to address the members of the San Marcos Ward (old and very new members) about the Blessings of making and keeping Covenants. I also had the opportunity to share my testimony in front of the whole ward.

Well, I still have a few more lessons to teach... But the last one yesterday was to the family of Omar and Juana and their son Oscar. They are a very special family to me but have not been able to be baptized because of some paper issues for their marriage. Poor little Oscar was crying when we sang "God be with you till we meet again". The brother Omar calls me "El Padrino" ("The Godfather" in English) ha ha because we have been able to help and council them in the trials they have had. He made me a key chain out of a cool old Nicaraguan Coin with Sandino on it. It is pretty sweet.

Today we will have the last lesson with the Family Alvarez Tiffer :( in their Family Home Evening.

Pretty much the most important thing to me now is to bear my testimony as many times as a can while I am still a set apart representative of Jesus Christ and his Church.

I have really missed Mom's Sunday Pot Roast. I have missed mashed potatoes too. But if it is going to be way too late Thursday night, I don’t know. I don’t know what time we are actually going to be in the house. So you guys can decide if we should eat the first dinner late Thursday night or Friday.

You know what I have searched endlessly for here and never found...? (You will think it is weird): A bagel. I’m not even sure how to spell it any more. But it is bread that has a hole like a donut but is for breakfast and you eat it with cream cheese. (I remember it being especially delicious if you heat it up in the microwave). Other classics snacks are great!

Well, I don’t know how much you have all changed... My comp. was telling me that when his brothers came back from the mission EVERYTHING was way different. He said that lots of important things that happened (like his dog died) they didn’t tell him so he wouldn’t get unfocused in the mission. Nothing crazy has happened right? Nobody has lost any limbs or anything like that right? I know Emily and Hannah have probably grown up a ton. Ha ha it might help to make a sign saying "The Hardy Family".

I love you so much Family.

It is sad to have to leave the new members of the family here,

But they will always be in my heart.

And it´s time to give you guys a hug again.

Love,

Elder Hardy

ps. I love you!!!!!

pps. By special request (and by right) Mom gets the first hug. Then everyone else has to come in on the hug at the SAME time to be fair.

ppps. Good luck in College MOM!!!!!

August 7, 2012

Ok, family, real fast.

Yesterday I couldn’t write because I had to take an Elder from the Zone to the hospital. Elder Climer (a newer Elder that is here in San Marcos 1) has been sick for the last few days and they decided that the symptoms where very similar to Appendicitis.

Sister Monestel called me and told me to take him to the hospital. So I got to sit there with him all day as they did the tests and an ultrasound. But it was a rare and neat experience and I had fun. We could also talk about the church to the doctor as she was taking the ultrasonido ha ha.

So the Assistant, Elder Cabrera, gave us permission really fast today to write the President our weekly letter and explain to the family real fast what happened.

Ha ha yes, I have had to baptize more than once but only a few times. I am known for dunking pretty hard to make sure they get all the way under and don’t have to do it two times ha ha.

Teaching has gone Great! We have a super Awesome family from Costa Rica that came to Church this week. They are so special and I think they felt good in Church. They have two boys, one who is 15 and one who is 10. I pray so much that they can progress fast enough to be baptized before I go. But in the Lord`s time.

Yes, of course we still proselytize on Pday! Last night the Super familia from Costa Rica went to the Bishop’s house for a Family Home Evening (I got back as they were preparing the refreshments). President drove us back to San Marcos from Managua.

Spiritual thought: D&C 45:35 -- "Be not troubled, for, when all these things shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled." 

Ha ha it’s almost fulfilled, I hope to have the bestest hardest working two weeks of my mission right now.

Love you,

Elder Hardy

ps I luh you.

July 23, 2012

Querido Familia,

Feliz Día de los Pioneros!!! Ha ha most Nicaraguenses don't know about Pioneer Day. Or the Days of 47´. But it was fun last year when we did a Pioneer Trek down the main roads of the biggest city in Nicaragua. Mormones locos. 

I think that if the floats of the next year aren’t better, they should ask the winner from the last year to ride their float again ha ha. Hey by the way, whatever happened to the float??? There’s not going to be a giant head of President Woodruff in my room is there? 

I guess I will try and find another camera before ending. Even though I kind of feel dumb buying another one now. 

Yes, my comp has a camera! And we took it today when we went to hunt Garrobos in the Jungla. 

(Sue's note: a Garrobo is an iguana) 

But my comp took one picture ha ha and it was of him posing with his onda ha ha ha. 

That’s right we went with some members to hunt savage beasts in the Jungle today with slingshots we made. It was pretty fun, and it was very beautiful. But we couldn’t find the Garrobos because it was too cold and not enough sun so the beasts were hidden in their caves. We almost got a squirrel (yes we were going to eat it) but he jumped trees and got away... 

We are on a 40 day fast of things that are holding us back from being the Best Missionaries ever! Not of food. And besides, you aren’t supposed to talk about how you are fasting. 

Yes, we have seen many fruits come to "fruition" from copying the secrets of the successful missionaries of the scriptures (for example Alma 17:2). Of many important things, my testimony of the power of fasting and prayer has increased dramatically. 

For example, one "fruition" is the miracle we have been able to witness with one brother and his wife. 

He is (was) a pastor in la Iglesia Nueva Apostolica, and despite the fact that he has come to church 3 times, we were very concerned that he might not complete his goal of being baptized this Saturday the 28th with his wife. 

The thing is, he loves the Church and he believes it is true and we have the Priesthood and everything. The only detail is that he has already been baptized and even received the gift of the Holy Ghost through imposition of hands... by an "apostol". 

We have taught him many times of the apostasy and the restoration, but it has been difficult. Thanks to the examples of the ancient missionaries, everything changed this last week and the spirit testified to him the truth. 

Yesterday, it was very hard for him to have the faith that he would be able to be baptized. He took out a card, signed by an apostle authorizing him to preach the gospel and explained that being baptized and joining the Church of Jesus Christ would mean that he would have to resign from his office in the other Church and make many changes in his life. 

It had never even occurred to me that by making the decision to be baptized would mean calling his “apostle” and explaining that he would be resigning from his calling and office because he was going to be baptized in the Mormon Church. It is a difficult thing. 

Time is running out. 

But in short, after a very spiritual message with our Presidente of Quorum of Elders, 

Felix decided to call and resign and be baptized with his wife this Saturday. 

Love, 

Elder Hardy 

ps I love you

June 18, 2012

Hola Familial!

This is the Nicaragua #86: The Case of the Lost Email. You know what is really crazy about it...? I had a dream last week that it was going to happen. I really did! But it is ok.

This week has been good. We got to go to a Multi-Mission Conference Friday! With Elder Maynes from the Seventy Presidency. It was really Good.

Also, earlier in the week, we had a meeting with the Stake President and Mission President. But they only need one Zone Leader in the meeting so I tricked my comp into going and I went with Elder Leiva (now Zone Leader in Jinotepe) to go show him where the Bishop lives and get him motivated to start working better with the new missionaries.

Bishop Alvaro is new, he started when I was in Jinotepe and we were good friends so it helped him a lot to meet again and encourage him, there have been some difficulties in the ward with the members.

Well, our one family had to postpone their baptismal date because they couldn´t come to church Sunday. The biggest family in the Ward had a wedding Saturday night so there weren´t too many people in Church yesterday.

But a really positive new family came! And they really liked it! We met them Thursday and he told us that he didn’t like to go to Church, (for a few social reasons) but we persuaded him to come to the Church of Jesus Christ to see how he felt. They came and they left asking us when we were going to pass by the house this week.

Another new family we found this week lives close to our recent convert’s house. We contacted them as they were sitting outside their house one day last week and they invited us to sit down. The husband started talking about how he was talking to his pastor and his pastor told him that everything finished with the Bible.

But he didn’t like that and said that he thought that God should always talk to his children and that he is not limited to a book. So with smiles on our faces we presented them a Book of Mormon and began to explain the Restoration and how the Heavens have been opened once again.

I love you all,

Elder Hardy

June 11, 2012

Dear Family,

It has been a busy week here too!!! But not because it’s summer. But sounds like the first week of summer break has been great. What swim party is Hannah having?

Ha ha ha that’s awesome that you went to dinner with the Woodruff family! Geez seems like you guys are getting along great!

It´s too bad Elder Woodruff and I have never been in the same District. Not even in the same Zone! Maybe President will move him over here for his last change ha ha ha.

Oh it’s going Awesome with Elder Gomez! He is super pilas. Ha ha he has a great sense of humor too and therefore puts up with me great. He is going to be a great leader in this mission.

Our families are Great! Our one family came to church Sunday! They still need to gain a stronger testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, so let’s keep praying that they get it! Their baptismal goal now is the 23 of June and I know that they can be ready in time.

Ah ha, thanks for the suggestions! San Marcos doesn’t have very much touristy stuff, but we will figure something out. That would be cool to get a signed jersey from Denis ha ha.

Oh ha ha the puppies were from recent converts from a few months ago. But there are lots of animals like that here. We should have taken a photo yesterday when I was running around trying to catch a baby bunny that got out at the house of a family that got baptized a couple of weeks ago. Ha ha.

Well... everyday a missionary should have an awesome story or two if you ask me. Maybe not every day you heal a crippled man or baptize somebody but if you are diligent the Lord will always work through you to bring about His work.

But you can tell if you were a good missionary today if you can look back in the night as you pray and ask, "Father, are you pleased with my work today?" And if He is, you should usually be able to see how He helped someone that day through you.

So today, we organized a Zone PDay and we played soccer and basketball together. Afterwards, we decided to go eat. My comp. and I were tempted to just go eat in our pday clothes and then after go change, but for one reason or another we decided to go change before leaving to lunch.

When we got to the restaurant the others had already finished eating and were leaving as we walked up to the lady to order. She asked who we were and how come we were here in Nicaragua (because of the ties and name tags.)

We explained to her that we are missionaries from the Church and started to explain to her why we are here. She acted surprised when we told her that the other Elders that just left were missionaries too, she said she thought they were just tourists because they were dressed in clothes to play soccer.

As we sat down she kept talking to us about her life and her family. Her name is Aura, she has two kids and lives in Miami Florida and works as a hair stylist for the television news channels. She is visiting her family and her restaurant here in San Marcos.

As we ate lunch, she kept talking to us until finally as we were finishing, she sat down at the table. She wanted to know about things like why we don’t drink coffee and why they call us Mormons. We presented her a Book of Mormon and I was amazed at how receptive she was as we talked to her about the Church and answered her questions.

We taught her the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ including the first vision and invited her to read and pray and come to church Sunday. She said she would, and that she would try to come to Church but she is leaving Monday for Miami again. But she said she would look for the missionaries there.

I am going to be honest, I was tempted more than one time not to do my job. I was tired, burnt and hungry and I will probably never see Aura again, but I know that we were instruments in the hands of the Lord today to help one of his daughters come closer to Him.

If we are loving, obedient and diligent every day we should have an awesome story. So tonight before you go to bed, ask the question, "Father, are you pleased with my work today?"

Hannah, yes they eat watermelon! The favorite summer fruit is... I don’t know there are a lot. But for a nice ice cold natural fruit drink, la calala is a great one. I always like a good mango with salt.

But in Bluefields, definitely a big coco (of the green kind). freshly cut with machete is Awesome! Before the mission I don’t know if you remember, but I didn’t like Coconut. Ha ha but that all changed. You will all be amazed to see the other fruit/vegetable things that I can now eat without throwing up. You might not even believe it is me.

Sounds like everything is going great!

Good luck with youth conference Dad! And for your talk... HAPPY FATHER´S DAY!!!

Good work with the mission work, Mom. Just remember to keep opening your mouth. I remember reading that one day in the beginning of the mish. That I had the responsibility to open mouth and share the truth that I have been blessed to know.

But it is hard sometimes and looking for help, I read the scripture that if I open my mouth it will be filled. One time sitting down on the bus next to someone I was nervous and didn’t know how to start the conversation and I remembered the scripture and took it too literally and opened my mouth... I think the person sitting next to me thought I was a fish opening and closing my mouth so much. Ha ha ha but just be happy and talk.

Wow sounds like Girls State was neat, Emily. I hope you weren’t too corrupt as City Auditor ha ha. I luh you. Have a good summer.

Hannah, sounds like a very important spiritual experience. You should write it down in your journal so that you don’t forget it.

I love you,

Elder Hardy

ps I love you

May 21, 2012

Hey Family!!!

Did you miss me?

I think last week might have been the only week in the whole mission that I wasn’t able to write you guys, right? Man, there went my record. I’m sorry, but it was because we did an activity as a Zone last Monday.

In the District of Diriamba, in part of their area, there is a beach called La Boquita (the little mouth). Don’t worry, we got permission first. And we went to go take photos and play football on the beach and chiliar un buen rato (to chill & have a good time). I got pretty burnt!

The thing is, as we were leaving the Boquita, about fifteen minutes in the micro bus, Elder Pinto said: "Oh no! Olvidé mi cámara!" (I forgot my camera!) So we had them pull over and let Elder Pinto and me out to go back and look for it.

If you all understand, a camera sitting on a bench outside of a snack stand in Nicaragua for fifteen minutes usually gets bored and walks away.

But, I thought it would be a great opportunity as well to teach about the principle of prayer and faith and spend some personal time with one of the newer missionaries in my Zone. So we each said a prayer as we stood by the side of the road for about a half an hour trying to get a ride from passing cars. But nobody wanted to take us.

Finally, the bus came and we got on. When we got to the soda stand where he had left it, the store was already closed. And there was no camera bag or person in site. So we decided to use our missionary skill and started contacting the houses nearby presenting ourselves asking who they were and asking if they knew the owner of the store.

Well, we finally found where the owner lived and we talked to her and asked her a few questions to see if she knew anything about the camera. She said she had never seen it. But we convinced her to come and open up the store to see if she had accidently put it in there when she closed up. Nothing.

The owner was trying to think of all the people that passed by after us that could have taken it. Then a friend of her came over and we started talking to her. She said she had seen the camera, and maybe some people that might have taken it.

In the end, we gave them our number and invited them to church and asked them if they ever find the camera to let us know. I left disappointed, and to be honest, a little suspicious of them as well. Elder Pinto seemed fine.

We got back to Diriamba where everyone else was finishing writing to their families and Elder Leiva and I went to buy a camera and go back to San Marcos so I could write there. (I’ll tell you about the camera later).

But as we headed towards the bus stop, I saw a lady that looked familiar... I stopped and realized it was the Lady from the Soda Stand!!! I ran over to her and asked her how she was and what she was doing here. She reached into her bag, and pulled out the Camera!!! I was so amazed.

She said she started doing some detective work in her neighborhood until she found one of the little boys behind his house playing with a camera. Ha ha, she scolded him a little bit and scared him telling him she was going to call the police and then gave him 5 bucks for the camera and told him not to tell his parents (she didn’t want to have problems with her neighbors).

She tried to call the number but she must have written it down wrong because nobody answered and so she decided to go all the way to Diriamba to go to the directions of the church to see if she could find us.

I was so impressed with her integrity and efforts to help! I know she will be blessed, and I loved the look on Elder Pinto´s face when I handed him the camera! Another impossible prayer answered.

Ok, I bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-S1. Its 12 Mega pixels. It was actually the cheapest one at the store because I got it on sale.

The Area Seventy President we met with was Elder Martino, (he is councilor right now but will be president this year). It was awesome. He talked to the whole mission and to just the Zone Leaders. It was neat. As Zone Leaders, we got to eat dinner with him and he was pretty cool.

My comp gave the spiritual thought in English in the meeting and did it really well. Elder Martino was pretty impressed and asked who his comp was. He thanked me for helping and told me I have to talk in English to him each day for 1 hour.

Then Sister Monestel interrupted him and told him that I was one of the Gringos that helped the most to his companions to learn English. (Last month in changes, she called me up in front of everybody and gave me a certificate for helping my comps the most out of the entire mission. She reviews the English books of the Latinos and apparently my name is in more books for giving them the exams at the end of the chapters than any other).

So Elder Martino was impressed and said that I have to speak 2 hours in English everyday with my comp. ha ha. They shouldn’t have said anything because Elder Leiva already speaks pretty good English and I don’t know if any of my other comps really think I have helped them out that much in English. But Elder Martino learned my name and at dinner he talked to me a lot. It was pretty cool.

The presentation I was talking about was from Elder Leiva and I to the Stake President, Bishops and Branch Presidents from our Jinotepe Stake. It was good to help them get excited about the mission work and about the new plans we have made as a mission with the help of Elder Martino.

My goals for this last area? Well, I have a couple goals. Goals for bettering my Christ-like attributes, goals for being a Successful Missionary and goals for baptizing families. 

My goal for baptizing is to be able to baptize 2 families every month before leaving. (And we should have completed it this Saturday) But unfortunately, the family has had some problems and we are going to have to give them some more time. But I have faith that if we do everything we can, the Lord will guide us to the families that are waiting to hear the Gospel and come unto Christ.

If you guys read in Preach My Gospel in the first chapter, you will find towards the end a section called "How to be a Successful Missionary". For each one of these points I have a rating system from 1-5 (never to always) and I would like to be able to get much higher in each section.

Towards the end of the mission, sometimes us missionaries run out of steam, but the point is if we rely on the Grace of God through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, when we have given all the strength we have to give, He will give us the strength we didn’t have and we will be able to do what we need to do.

So it’s pretty much like the Energizer Bunny...

Sounds like everything is going good.

I was so grateful to be able to hear from you all!

Congratulations on all your achievements!

I love you so much,

Elder Hardy

ps I love you.

April 2, 2012

¡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!

March 26, 2012

Dear Familia,

Elders Tonga, Hardy, Woodruff & Brough

Mission Conference, Granada 2012

My week was AWESOME! And sounds like your week too. I think it is great that you guys are going good on the Book of Mormon goal. 

This week was so great because we have another super escogida familia (chosen family) that came to church yesterday. They remind me of the family of Everardo and Daisy in Bluefields. So they came with us to Church and we had fast and testimony meeting. It was the best Fast and Testimony meeting I have ever had! It was very spiritual. 

A new investigator that our friend Agustin brought to church even went up to the pulpit and some of what she said was, I have been searching in many churches for my whole life and today, is the first time I have felt the spirit like this in church, I feel like this is the correct church and I hope that I might be able to join it one day. Wow! 

Also, a really sincere Mom went up with her baby and shared her testimony about how the Gospel changed her life and about her eternal family now. It was very touching, and I think the family that came to church felt the spirit too. 

We are going to watch General Conference about as close as you can if you aren’t living in Utah ha ha. Across the street. Our Ward attends in the Stake Center across the street from the house and this Saturday and Sunday everyone from the Stake is going there. 

Sounds like a great Birthday gift, thanks family. I will be sure to fulfill the three birthday money requirements, it will be great. I will even see if I have any connections in Masaya for a cool hammock. 

Bishop asked about the Missionary Journal. Ok, in my email to President, I asked him if he has the Diary format saved on the computer and if he would send it to me. If so, I will send it to you guys (Dad will have to translate). If not, I will take a photo of each page and send it to you guys next week. 

The point of the diary is that the family that has the Journal finds, befriends and baptizes a family each year. So these 10 families every week fill out the dairy of their missionary experiences and the families that they have contacted and that they are working with. 

Well, it starts off on the first page with all the Ward Mission Goals for the year (very important that all the members can know the goals, or why would we make them) like baptisms, retention and church attendance. Then it has two pages with a place to put the photo of the families they have helped baptize and their names. Then it has a couple of lessons that we are teaching to the missionary families. About how to do Member Missionary Work. Then it has lined pages to put their missionary experiences and progress of investigators. I will have to try to send it to you guys next week. 

Sounds like everything is going good. I will have to send photos next week. 

I am very proud of my Member Missionary family. 

Alexis, we don’t have a temple in Nicaragua. But my first impressions of the Temple were great. I feel like I was prepared and that I was able appreciate at least the covenants I was making. But obviously a lot went over my head. I can’t wait to go back to the temple and receive more revelation. 

Love, 

Elder Hardy & Elder Batz 

Elder Hardy 

ps I love you 

Sorry the power went out and I lost a bit. I am just signing on now to send the draft. 

Love you!!!

March 12, 2012

Hey Family! 

Hey, I’m sorry! But I don’t have much time today. We went to El Lago de Nicaragua with the District/Zone today and it is late. 

El Lago de Nicaragua

(Sue’s note: El Lago de Nicaragua is the largest lake in Central America and home to the Bullshark, the only fresh water shark in the world!! Pics from the net) 

El Tiburón 

I saw the photos of Elder Woodruff in the hospital with his jaw. Poor guy. I sent him an email and told him to smile. Ha ha. 

Elder Batz is Awesome and the Best. The best thing I would say is that he is very patient with me. He has not received his Greenie Package! But we await the green ties anxiously. :) 

It is Fresco (brisk) here in Jinotepe at night. But it is still pretty hot here too in the day. It was more fresco a couple of months ago. But my comp says it is Way hot here. (He comes from the mountainous area of Guatamala. Where you have to wear a coat in the night outside.) 

Our work is Really Great this last change. We have two Sacerdocios who are really positive for this month. One is named Porfilio (I already told you about him) And he will be a great leader in the church). 

We have a couple of families really chosen. But there have been some weeds growing by the wheat and we are working on that. But we had a very spiritual experience with a new family this weekend. 

We were talking about the Plan of Salvation and I felt like there was something when we talked about it and I asked her if she had someone close in the family that had died recently and it was her sister and we were able to share about where we go after this life and share experiences and testify. It was great! 

Ok I have to go. 

I Love you all, 

Elder Hardy

February 27, 2012

Dearest Royal Family, 

(Sue's note: Not sure what we are looking at.

Is it "la cucaracha"? See below)

Ha ha wow, that is Awesome! 21st Great-Grandson of King Edward III. Hey, if you trace your lineage to a royal line or two you can pretty much trace it back to Adam can’t you? Ha ha I think that is kind of cheating but I think that is really neat. Thanks. 

That is such a sweet photo of when you guys got married in the Temple. I am going to print it off today to share with people. 

Well, this week no baptisms. But a miracle can always happen. Sometimes investigators that are ready to be baptized fall from the sky. 

We are teaching a couple of families now. One is named Georgina and Francisco. Georgina came to an activity of the Stake Saturday. The activity was about the Plan of Salvation and was titled "A Trip to Heaven." She said she was a little bored waiting to go through the course (each step of the Plan of Salvation had its own room and a ward assigned to do it) but that she liked it in the end. She said she especially didn't want to go to the spirit prison or the Telestial Glory. Ha ha she said it scared her and her kid. 

I actually don’t know what they did, my comp and I could never go through, we were busy making sure everything went smoothly. I just know that one little girl left with her mom crying (good thing the mom is an active member). 

Yesterday we had a spiritual experience as we were in the street. We have been behind on our goal of finding new families to be able to teach, so Saturday night we made the goal to go crazy Sunday contacting new families in addition to doing all of our scheduled appointments after Church. 

We started the day off good because we contacted two families before even going to Church! And in the afternoon, we were hurrying to an appointment to the which we were already late when we passed by a man and a woman standing in front of a really big, deep hole in front of their house. 

We passed by the hole in a rush but I felt prompted to go back and talk to the man. It was easy to start the conversation, I told him I thought that was a pretty cool looking hole in front of his house ha ha ha. And that I always liked digging holes ha ha ha. But it turns out that the man and woman were neighbors. 

He lived next door with his wife and his three sons. (One is already married too). So I asked him if we could introduce ourselves to his wife too. Turns out they had received the charlas from the sister missionaries 10 years ago. But they moved to here and lost contact. So we are going to pass by this week and teach him and his son’s families. 

So... if the Spirit prompted me or I just really like holes, it’s the same thing. I have found that following the Spirit many times is just when you receive a prompting in your mind or heart to do a good thing, and you do that good thing. Like talking about holes with the intent to invite a family to come unto Christ. 

We usually try to help our male converts receive the Aaronic Priesthood the following Sunday. And then they have to prepare for some time to receive the Higher Priesthood. 

Hannah asked if I have ever been to the big lake to see the sharks. No! Never been to the big lake. But I have seen lots of Snakes! 

I think that is Asombroso that Jordan Harris got baptized Saturday. Tell Cooper congratulations from me too on his first baptism. The elbow of Yamileth, my first baptism, stuck out too ha ha. Dad, seems like you´ve got a couple of great future missionaries there (including Jordan) better keep it up with them so that they are good to go. 

Sounds like you are giving great lessons Dad, keep up the good work. Hey, make sure all your young men have a Preach my Gospel. I should send you a list of scriptures they should all try and memorize as quorums that help in the mission! Love you Dad. 

Ward Party! Good luck Mom. Hey tomorrow we are having the big "Night of Fortification" where all the different groups in the ward are going to come to the Church. And this month we even invited President Monestel! He and his wife are going to give the lesson, and President is going to meet an hour before with all the Priesthood to talk to them too. Pray that everyone shows up!!! Love you Mom. 

Alexis... no, nobody has ever proposed to any missionary here. The missionaries usually have to help all the families get married before they can get baptized. And the thing is, I was blessed with brown eyes. Here, everybody has brown eyes too and they go crazy for the missionaries with "cat eyes" (colored eyes). Especially blue. Love you Alexis. 

Hey good luck with Dance Concert and Piano Emily! I luh You! 

Wow Hannah, great job with your Amelia Earhart report, and good luck with your performance as Cinderella! I hope you guys are videotaping all of the performances the family does so I can see them later. Like the "Mixed up Fairy Tales" Love you. 

Love, 

Elder Hardy 

p.s I love you

February 20, 2012

I am doing great! 

Here with my new compañero (but I told him that after the first 2 days you aren’t new anymore). The best news is... 

We baptized a Family!!!!!

Well, a couple of months ago, a Priesthood holder came back to church after many years. We were able to help him and get to know his family. At the end of the last month, we baptized Yuran, his Grandson.

We have been working with his wife (who was not a member) and having a real wrestle trying to help her finally make the decision to be baptized. She has been thinking about it for about 12 years (since her husband was baptized). 

It was one of the best baptisms I have ever been able to help with in my mission. She was baptized and confirmed yesterday and she even shared her testimony afterwards and it made me so happy. 

Wednesday, my comp and I are going to Managua for a Conference for the Missionaries that are training and being trained. I bet you we will get our packages there!

Ward responsibilities? Um, well I guess I could be the pianist. Elder Kunz (who actually knows how to play) left last month. So we haven’t had anyone to do it. But Elder Muzo is doing it right now. The best part is that it is electronic. He actually has no idea how to play, but he pretends he is playing and I don’t think many members have realized it yet. 

We give the Gospel Principles Class sometimes when the teacher doesn’t show up, but the best part about Jinotepe is that it is already a Stake. So they are actually pretty self sufficient. 

My best experience? Well the best was yesterday when María Concepción got baptized, confirmed as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and received the Holy Ghost!

The worst experience is when you have taught very powerfully to a family and come back to the next appointment hoping that they tell you they know everything is true and want to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized, but instead they hand you the Book of Mormon and ask you to never come back. 

Ha ha yeah the questions are great. I just feel like I don’t have the time to answer them my very best. But don’t worry, the Book is BLUE the Church is TRUE and Families can be GLUED, together forever and I have the chance to share it with the families in Nicaragua for 6 MORE MONTHS! Nothing negative to share. :) 

I have a question: We are going to help Maria Concepcion and her Husband Agustin put a goal to go be Sealed in the Temple in one year. Do you think you could send me some photos of your temple marriage Mom and Dad?

I know you’ve got a dorky hair do (Sue’s note: gee thanks! haha) but I think it would be really special for me if I could share it with them and tell them about what blessings are awaiting their family. If you send them to my email I can print them off here. 

Ha ha ha you guys bought a cat! That was really nice, I am sure Grandma Weiler is very happy. (Rob too). 

Hey, Congratulations Emily on the killer talk you gave Sunday!!! Sounds like it was great. That is really neat, no. That is AWESOME that you have a friend that is going to get baptized. You will have to tell him "Felicidades" from me. Make sure you help support him so that after his baptism he can keep strengthening his testimony and prepare to go on a mission. That would be so cool. Tell him he’s got to keep on reading that little blue book. 

Ha ha ha ha the water heater BLEW up?!?!?! That is Crazy. I remember in myth busters when they did that and it went through the roof! How far did ours go? (Ha ha I also seem to remember them saying that it is pretty much impossible to happen unless you deliberately tamper with the emergency pressure release valve... hmmm). But I am totally jealous that now we have a new water heater that will never run out! Only after I left the house.... 

Hey Dad, good work with the Young Men! That is neat that your young friend is going to come back to church. Help him feel comfortable there in the ward. And make sure he has a good relationship with the Bishop too ha ha. 

Hey, I don’t know how the Young Men would react, but one thing I wish I would have been able to do more before the mission is get to know the Book of Mormon better. It is actually a pretty cool book. But I’m not sure yet how to make it fun for the Young Men to be able to read it more. 

I know that when I get back, we are going to have a family Book of Mormon quiz every once in a while. President did that with the missionaries once, he and his wife did like a hundred questions about the Book of Mormon and it was pretty fun how we played a game to see which Zone knew the Book of Mormon best. I love you. 

Wow Mom, the Big Band Night sounds great! I bet you it will be fun! I hope I haven’t forgotten completely how to play the Saxophone. This Saturday we are doing a Stake Missionary Activity. It is called something like: A Trip to Heaven. And each ward has assigned one of the parts of the Plan of Salvation. I think we are the Terrestrial Kingdom. And everybody is going to do a tour of the Plan of Salvation. I love you. 

Good work with the Cat, Alexis! I love you. 

Sounds like you are having fun, Emily. Congrats on the talk again. Keep stretching so that you don’t hurt a muscle again! I love you. 

Hello Amelia Earhart! That will be neat Hannah. Send me a photo! I love you. 

I love you all, 

Elder Hardy

ps I love you