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

April 4, 2011

Hey Everybody!

So I (and the rest of my Zone) loved General Conference! How many talks were about marriage? I lost count. But all the Cheles were loving it in our little room where we watched it in English. I said, ¨Great, there goes all my posibilidades (possibilities)¨ ha ha.

For Conference we went to the big Stake Center in Alta Gracia. As I said, all the Cheles watched the sessions in our own room in English. Ha ha and the Stake Center has air conditioning.

My favorite Conference talk? Wow, that is a tough one. And I didn’t bring my notes to make a serious comparison either. I really like how everyone really stressed the family (as always) and Temple marriage. I hope that motivates everyone here to keep on working with their goals to go to the Guatemala Temple soon.

All the talks about the Church Welfare System were excellent as well, we have had some issues with that here, and it was an excellent answer to my prayers. For me personally, my favorite must have been the talks in Sacerdocio (Priesthood), about our duties as Priesthood Holders. I suggest all the males reading this to follow the Prophet’s counsel and read the scriptures about our duties.

I received a lot of personal revelation and all the talks were excellent for the members in my Ward to hear. Everyone liked it when Nicaragua was brought up, but we were all disappointed in the beginning when they didn´t announce a temple. We still have some work to do.

No changes this week. We just talked to the other Elders in our Ward and they are both leaving. New sisters are coming.

The bath with the 3-liter bottle? Ha ha yes, the bathroom isn’t going anywhere. The water just goes somewhere else sometimes. Ha ha the only bad/different part about the 3 liter bottle was I had stuck it in the fridge the night before...

I’m not sure what the Family or our Ward are doing for Easter. We have not planned that far yet. Hannah, I would like to know too if they do Easter Egg hunts and how they celebrate. I will surely find out.

Hey Dad, thanks for the journal entries, they are the best. Sorry about missing Priesthood Session with you. Good luck with tax season. The husband that lives in the house is the accountant for a church here ha ha. Love you.

I am sorry to hear about Grandma and Grandpa Weiler with their power being out. Tell Grandma I love to get her letters every week. Love you so.

Great with the April Fools jokes, Alexis. I am surprised that boys even talk to you the last week of March and first week of April! I loved the talk when the Prophet pretty much told all the Return Missionaries to get married, no excuses, and how the pond is going to be very low in numbers when I get back in a year and a half…hmm. Love you too. Who is T.J.?

Good luck with Prom Emily, and the Dance Tryouts, but those are no big deal for you. I luh you too.

Great work learning all your dances Hannah. Hey, you need to teach me your magic trick ha ha. Poor Rob! Love you.

Elder Hardy

Quack, quack, quack