July 2, 2012

¡¡¡Feliz Día de la Liberación!!! 

Happy Independence Day!!!

Things are going great Here in San Marcos!!! That is awesome that we have had cooler weather here. I think that a few days ago I was actually COLD! Ha ha oh no, it will be entering Fall when I get back won't it? 

No! Still no. I didn’t get my Visa Card. But if someone else happens to find a Book of Mormon, maybe they will read it and send a thank you letter to the return address some day. My card says it lasted till the last day of June! Ha ha. Oh no, I’m gringoless!

WOOO HOOO!!! Abby got Baptized! Say congratulations to her and her Dad from me! Can you send me a Photo?! 

Oh no, I am so sorry to hear about Coach Mike Gallegos. He was always really fun and patience with me. I always played around with him and he would always give me a hard time. If you are ever in contact with his family tell them that Coach Mike was a great mentor and had a good influence on me. 

I will bring home machetes!!! Who wants machetes!?!?! 

About Photos... I may not have a camera at my disposal right now. But don’t worry, I think I am going to try and buy Elder Leiva´s camera, he is going home next week anyway. 

Of course, I will send a postcard.

Well, this Saturday we finally had the Ward Missionary Activity. It was good. I told you that President gave us permission to make a video right? It was the best part of the activity. It was pretty easy to do too. I wish I could send it to you guys. 

Pretty much it was of members saying "Apoyamos a la Obra Misional!!!" (“We Support the Missionary Work!!!”) To get everyone excited about helping out. And we put a video together with messages from missionaries that have been in the Ward in the past two years.

The best part is that we made a big act making it seem like they were talking to us live on web cam. Ha ha it was pretty great! Everyone was waving saying hi to them when they would say Hola and stuff. 

Sounds like the fam is doin good. Except for Mom´s foot and Emily´s back. Keep in there Family, you got to be in one piece when I get back. 

Love, 

Elder Hardy 

ps. I love you

pps. Oh and yes about the camera. What happened is somebody got into the house the other week and nabbed my camera and 20 bucks from my comp. We already caught the culpable (culprit) but we didn’t want to have to make any official police statements or things like that so we told the police to let him go. I´ll tell you more about it when I get back! ha ha

May 7, 2012

Hey Family!

¡¡¡¡Feliz Día de las Madres!!!!

¡¡¡¡Happy Mother’s Day!!!!

Happy Mother’s Day Mom! Mother´s Day here is the 30th of May I think. But if I am not too lost in Nica Land I think that Mother´s Day is Sunday the 13th right?

Ok, well you will be out of church at 2:00 pm. I get out of church at 12:00 pm but it always goes a little late and I have to go leave people in their houses. Then I guess I could eat lunch too. So I think at 3:00 pm (in Nicaragua) would be a good hour if you guys are going to be in the house. I just don’t remember if you guys are an hour ahead or behind...

So I will be planning to call you guys at 3:00 pm Sunday the 13th. If there is going to be a problem, we might have to talk to President. But this week my comp and I have to do a presentation as Zone Leaders for the Stake. So we might have permission to get on the computer and do it this week, so send a confirmation email just in case. The only other thing is that the meeting with the Stake leaders is Sunday too. And I don’t know at what time. Probably at 4pm so it will be ok.

San Marcos is really neat. It almost has the same climate as Jinotepe. (almost) So it is more fresco (cooler) than other cities. But recently where we have been working has been really sunny. The city is like a classic Nicaraguan City. The houses in the Central are all pegado (together).

The park is nice, almost the same as the park in Jinotepe (but in Jinotepe they had Sloths in the trees, haven´t seen any here yet.) San Marcos is wealthy as well, but lots of the neighborhoods where we are working are more humble.

The Ward is Great! The Bishop and the Ward Mission Leader help us out a lot. The only problem is that the Elder that played the piano had emergency changes last week ha ha and the Bishop asked me to direct yesterday. It was pretty stressful for me. (Not because I don’t like to direct or be in front of everyone.) It is just a little harder to keep the whole congregation on the right tone without the piano, especially if the songs are a little less known among the members.

We live in a fritanga.

Ha ha it’s a barbecue restaurant. It is owned by the family of the Bishop’s wife. We live in a cuartito (little room) inside the restaurant. It isn’t the smallest I’ve been in, probably a little bit bigger than the one in jinotepe.

[Sue’s note: In Nicaragua, a fritanga is the name used for restaurants that make authentic home cooked Nicaraguan foods. The staple foods at a fritanga are carne asada (grilled meat), Gallo Pinto (Rice and Beans), arroz blanco (white rice), tajada frita (fried sliced green plantain), platano frito (fried ripe plantain), maduros (sweet plantain), yuca, queso frito (fried cheese), tortilla and cabbage salad. The fritangas have a cafeteria style of ordering where the food can be ordered and taken out or eaten at the establishment (comideria).]

And NO, we do not have hot water. That was a luxury the last 4 months. Actually, when I got here the shower head was so bad that the missionaries before put a plastic bag over it with a hole in it so that the water would actually fall on your head and not out a big hole on the side. But, I decided we could do better than that and after much meditation and calculations, I utilized my engineering skills and shoved a mechanical pencil of the perfect size in the whole on the shower head and now it works like perfectly normal (besides no hot water) ha ha.

Well, for the first two weeks we were eating with a really cool member family. The mom’s name is Gloria Pavon and is awesome. But, school started and she is a teacher and her kids who also helped cook are in class as well so she asked if we could find someone else because it was really hard for them. 

So guess where we are eating... in the FRITANGA! Ha ha ha, yes, barbeque chicken, pork and steak every day for lunch ha ha. So I guess the Lord wanted me to return home hermoso (handsome. They say hermoso here to say fat, without hurting your feelings). We still don’t have a dinner appointment, but the members and investigators invite us a lot to eat. (And if not... ha ha more barbecued chicken!)

There is a sister member who washes our clothes here. And I am pretty sure she uses a washing machine ha ha.

Well, last night was pretty cool. Carlos Cordero and Danelia Valle and their kids invited us to eat. They are the family that got baptized Friday and confirmed yesterday!!! The Lord blessed us with a miracle and this beautiful family fell out of the sky. They have been investigating the church for a couple of months now, but for paper problems they were not able to get married.

But Friday they were married (I provided HLJ (CTR) rings to put on. They loved it.) So, I was talking about last night, after dinner we talked to them about the family, what a blessing it is to be together in the Church now, and what their next goal is... the Temple. It was very spiritual as we talked about how their family can be eternal and all the blessings that are waiting for them. They are super excited about going.

They are very humble and money is probably going to be an issue, but they made the goal together as a family to save money and they are all excited to buy a Piggy Bank this week to start saving. Thanks for the photo of your temple marriage Mom and Dad, I showed it to them last week when there were a few issues about the marriage and it helped them get focused on what they really want. An Eternal Family.

Ok, sounds like everyone is doing AWESOME!

Congratulations Dad on the efforts you and the other leaders and the young men are doing to help one another and share the Gospel. That is great.

Mom, did you guys invite them to baptism? If so, that is soo awesome! All I know, is that as a missionary your job is to invite people to come unto Christ. By faith in Him, repentance and BAPTISM. Baptism is the door, so really if we don’t help invite people to be baptized, how are we going to invite them to Christ?

You must follow the impressions of the Spirit to invite someone to be baptized. But to be honest, if you think about it, the Spirit ALWAYS wants to invite people to be baptized. So, never be afraid to invite them to be baptized. Awesome Mom. Make sure that the sister missionaries get to Work. Ha ha ha. Maybe I´ll leave with them too when I get back... ha ha. Make sure they don’t "chill" at the house too much Sunday.

I love you all,

Elder Hardy

ps I love you Mom! Happy Mother’s day! I can’t wait to talk to you!

Mom! FELICIDADES with your new calling! I know you will be the best Ward Missionary EVER (along with Bruce). Sounds soo cool.

March 19, 2012

Happy Spring!!!

Hey Mom, I don´t know if I have ever told you but thanks for all the thought you put in sending me an email every week. Even the cool photos made out of text are really cool. Where do you find those? 

Ha ha well no, I did not see any of the fresh water sharks. I guess I didn’t get close enough to the water. I was going to send you photos today... but I actually lent my camera to some recent converts... but I am sure it will come back. Ha ha. 

Elder Nick Sessions? No, no nos invitaron a los cambios porque... 

just realized I was writing in Spanish. 

No I haven’t met him yet, but we have a conference activity in Granada this Wednesday and I will see him there. It is with the whole mission. 

Elder Gochnour already came back? No way. Sounds like he had a good mission. 

This week we continued to work hard. But the good news is that we took a good time in our weekly planning figuring out how we could work better. Not harder, because we already have that down, but work more effectively to be able to find the people and families that God has waiting for us. We made several plans and goals, lots having to do with Member Missionary Work. 

Last week they also changed the Ward Bishopric. The new Bishop and one of the counselors are returned missionaries and they are all pilas. We met with them yesterday in the house of the Bishop to start off with a good page for the relationship between the missionaries and the ward leaders. 

We had some plans and ideas and we are going to present them to the ward council next Sunday. We went to the Bishop first so he has a head start and will be able to support us. One of the plans is from the mission. It is the "Missionary Journal." 

Bishop Arevalo is going to pick 10 of the most pilas families in our ward and we are going to give each one a really cool pamphlet/journal that they have to fill out. The idea is that they pick a family that they know who are not members and they are going to help them throughout the year. The goal is that each family baptizes a family each year. 

We had an interesting Stake Conference this Sunday, it was actually with all of Central America. We listened to President Packer, and President Clayton of the Seventy and a few more in a conference from Salt Lake City to all Central America by satellite. They had some very good consejos for the members. 

We found three new, positive families this week. One, the husband has been a member for 12 years (since he was 16) but hadn’t talked to the missionaries in two years, and his wife is Catholic. We watched “Together Forever” with them and the Dad was a little emotional. He came yesterday to church and we want to help him and his wife so that they can go to the temple. 

For PDay today, we left the house and 11:00 am after studies and went to get our hair cut. The Doctor stopped us before leaving the house and wanted to talk to us. She said that the electric bill has gone up a lot ever since we started to iron our own shirts in the house. So we decided we are going to look for a sister to do the laundry for us. 

Then we left the house. I bought a bag of freshly sliced mango in the park on the way to the barbershop (so I could have something to snack on as we waited). After cutting our hair, we went to eat lunch at our lunch appointment. And we put an appointment to meet with Stephany (a daughter of the family where we eat) and a friend of hers that she wanted to introduce to the missionaries for tomorrow at 4 pm. 

And we came here to write. Ha ha. After, my companion wants to buy some shorts for the activity this Wednesday and I am going to buy a couple of white shirts. 

No baptisms this week. But the goal for April is Two Families. 

Hannah asked if we have Spring here in Nicaragua? Ha ha it is always Spring in Nicaragua!!! Well, that’s not true. But I would say the closest to Spring is right after the dry season. When it starts to rain again is when the ground explodes with plants and it is very green. I will take a photo of a cool flower! 

Ah man, you gave me a bad bracket dad! Thanks for the journal entries. Love you. 

Thanks for the spiritual thought and awesome idea about the Patriarchal Blessing mom. I am going to do it tomorrow in my personal study. Sounds like the activity is going to be awesome mom! I Love you. 

Wait, I thought you already left school Alexis. What are you schooling? Who is this new guy again? Love you. 

Good luck in the last night of Concert Emily!!! I luh you. 

Sound like you are doing Great Hannah! I Love you. 

I want you all to remember the goal that you guys made! ... I hope you guys are already half way through the Book of Mormon as a family! 

I love you all, 

Elder Hardy 

ps I love you

January 30, 2012

Hey Family!

My new son/comp. is Elder Kenneth Berkeley Batz Garcia! He is from Juchanep, Totonicapan, Guatemala. He is super awesome, pilas (strong) and nice. I am pretty sure he came pre-trained. He has a great attitude and is very tranquilo. He is doing great here. He has 1 brother and 4 sisters and his mom. His dad is working in the United States right now for the family.

Ha ha hey, that would be really neat if you sent him your famous Greenie Welcome Kit! Something like that to help him feel welcome and have some treats for the start of his mission. Remember, he is my son ha ha my legacy has to live on through him.

And I got to stay in Jinotepe!!! Elder Gaytan went, I think he went back to the Masaya Zone. Here it is great. The ward is starting to relive thanks to the Noches de Fortificación Plan (Fortifications Nights Plan) that Elder Gaytan started with me and the Elders Quorum President.

Ah! I can’t believe I am actually going to say it but it has been... COLD. I don’t know why but it has been really cold here in Jinotepe lately it’s great. It isn’t supposed to be raining right now but this last week has had a few showers. My comp calls it "Llovisna" (light rain showers).

Hey my new comp and I have had a couple great lessons about the Book of Mormon with a couple families this last week. In one family, we brought enough copies of the Book of Mormon so that everyone including the kids could read along as we explained the Book of Mormon and why it is so important.

They had a lot of questions. But in the end the whole family was able to understand why Joseph Smith said the quote that is in the introduction of the book. We were even able to show them how the Bible and the Book of Mormon work hand in hand by reading, Matthew 3:13-15 and 2 Nephi 31. 

Hannah asked why I was on a yellow tractor last week? Ha ha ha well, we are teaching a young man named Leonel. And right now they are fixing the dirt streets where he lives and they park the tractors in his yard when they are not using it. So I had to take a few photos.... But we did service the week before with the ward, mowing the futbol field (with machetes) of a local school.

I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to train. I hope I can do a good job and that Elder Batz will have the patience he needs to train me too. ha ha. He is going to be a great missionary here.

The updates are great. Good luck everybody with the stuff you’ve got going on! I am always praying for you!

Love you,

Elder Hardy

p.s. I love you

p.p.s. I like the obedience golf game idea.

Thanks Mom.

November 14, 2011

HEY FAMILIA!!!

Before leaving Bluefields

So, yes I know I have been taking out a lot of money lately. No, nobody has stolen the card but I have bought some things that stayed in Bluefields. I usually like to be pinche with my dinero, but sometimes it’s good not to be too.

You will have to tell the ward thank you and Merry Christmas from me.

Well, sounds like the gremlins have had a grudge on the Hardy Boys this week. I have had some similar problems as well. But the great thing is that all things, lost, broken etc have returned and been taking care of!!! And yes, all have been answers to prayers ha ha. I am convinced that I have always had a problem with stuff like this to humble me and make me remember who I depend on. So don’t worry Dad, it will be ok.

The full name of my comp is Elder Welver Steven Peña Reyes

NO! We do not get to drive a car. And President still hasn’t given in to giving me a Bicycle. Driving would be Crazy. Yes ha ha technically yes there are laws here.

Jinotepe is Nice and Fresco. A lot flatter this area than the ones before. People are nice, we need more Families. It is more like a city. But a Nicaraguan City. Our area goes into the "suburbs" too. I don’t think they have monkeys here, too cold.

We have about 6 investigators with Baptismal dates. They are good, but we are going to have to work hard to help them come to church this Sunday.

Hannah asked if there are Turkeys in Nicaragua? Ha ha ha YES! There is one that is my friend. His name is Felipe! The first time I met him he puffed up all big and chased me to the street. He is the pet of a family we are teaching. We want to have Pavo for dia de accion de gracias (turkey for Thanksgiving). But it is kind of expensive. I think I am going to pitch in a little bit to help the family where we eat buy one for the District.

Ha ha thanks for the updates, they are great.

I have to go, but I love you!!!

Elder Hardy

ps I LOVE YOU

October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!!! I hope it is fun tonight!



Wow, over 100 candy bars, that’s a house you have to mark on the map to go back to next year!

The Jack ´O Lanterns are awesome!!! Thank you for doing one for me, it looks great. And I have to guess who did the other ones. But it is going to be hard. I was going to say that Emily of course did the Ballerina, but I looked at the pumpkins and now I’m not sure. Because I was looking at the actual pumpkins and it would seem to me that Emily would be more likely to pick the second pumpkin with the Witch and Hannah the first. So I say that Hannah´s is the Ballerina, Emily did the Witch and Dad did the Owl. How did I do? And who helped with my Pumpkin?

Sue's note: Owl: Alexis, Witch: Hannah,
Ballerina & Elder Hardy: Emily

Sounds like an Awesome Ward Halloween Party. I’m jealous we didn’t do anything here. Great work Dad, of course I still remember when we did that in elementary school. I think Rob made a recording if I remember and Zach was in cahoots with me so he went first and made a huge act when he got to the ¨right hand.¨ And nobody believed him until they did it. I am pretty sure there was a girl crying in the corner and Taylor Gunst was trying to make up explanations like, "Oh its one of those mechanical hands that grabs you when you touch it."

Right now outside? OK! It´s raining. There are people walking by with umbrellas and some no (it´s not raining that hard). Also taxis pass by every few seconds. It’s kind of dark for it to be 3:00 PM but that’s to be obvious because it is raining. The store in front is green... and there is a guy standing in the door leaning on the door frame with a bag in his hand, oh he walked away.

I don’t have to worry about anyone outside seeing me looking at them because I am actually quite far away from the door (the door is glass and is the only "window" I can look out of). But I think the person working at the front desk might think I am crazy because I keep standing up to see above the division walls in between the computers like a prairie dog...

Do the members and investigators have a hard time pronouncing Elder Hardy? No, not really, once they get it. But at first lots of people always say "Elmer Harvey" and then I explain another time and they say oh, "Elder Harvey" Ha ha. Sometimes to help people remember I use the example of Hardy is like Jardín, (Garden in Spanish) and that you just have to take off the N.

The big majority religions in Bluefields are Catholic, Moravian and lots of different Evangelical Churches. Ha ha, well I haven’t seen any Voodoo people but an old investigator one time was telling us that his mom does voodoo and that she has a black book. Never got to get to know her.

The aspect of the Gospel that brings the most peace to me? Mercy. Really the most important aspect of the Gospel is the Atonement. And that is what I want to say when I say Mercy. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can repent and be clean and worthy to enter into the Celestial Kingdom one day. Through the Mercy and Love of Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ I can make it, even though I know I can’t be perfect and make it on my own. That is why it gives me so much peace.

It would be like taking a really hard physics test. God the Father is the Professor. Jesus Christ is the Professors assistant (in this case his son too) and is like God the Professor too because he helped make the test and is going to grade my test in the end. So I am taking the test and even though I studied my best and am trying my best, I make a mistake. (And you have to get 100% on the test to pass the class).

And I realize it only after I make it and it is too late. Mercy is like the Assistant telling us as we take the test that he knows we are going to get wrong answers but he is going to give us the second chance and is going to help us correct our tests and if we have (faith) in him he will help us get 100 if we really try our best. I can imagine the relief and (peace) that would give me during a college Physics test to really know that was true.

Well, I think that maybe you can make a little sense of the example. I would definitely refine it, explain it better and make sure there isn’t any apostasy before I would give it in a ward talk.

A McDonald’s in Bluefields? Ha ha, no Hannah, not here. The only big franchise restaurant they have here is Tip Top (aka KFC) ha ha. Well we usually eat the normal Nicaragua food in our food appointment. But one time we went to eat tortoise (still feel guilty) and we went to eat pizza today. Sometimes we have gotten to eat really good fresh sea food soups of like shrimp, fish, crab, and squidys.

Hey, but you didn’t ask me about changes!!! Yes changes are this Wednesday, and... I have changes!!!!

NO!!!!! Ahh, I thought it would be impossible for me to have changes this time. I wanted to stay here until at least after Christmas. But that’s how it is, the Lord has called me to serve in another place and I know that it will be where I should be. And that there are people waiting for me there. I will just have to wait very anxiously for the email from Elder Lopez that says that the families we are teaching right now got baptized. I will probably head out in airplane tomorrow afternoon. Ha ha adios Bluefields!

Thanks Dad, I will try and write Blake, that would be nice. Hey, you all better keep practicing while you have the chance, Because the UNO Champ will be back to claim his seat in no time. (But not soon, maybe Mom will have the chance to catch up :-) ) Ha ha love you Dad.

The activities sound awesome Mom. Good luck with Thanksgiving and the mashed potatoes. I love you sooo much awesome Mom!

Emily! You have a friend crayon who is named Emily too! No way what a coincidence! I luh you.

Oh no Hannah! Wait, was this MY phone!?.... ha ha just kidding. Well I am sorry Hannah, I hope it shows up, but I pray for you every night too! Ps I love you!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Love,

Elder Hardy

October 24, 2011

Hey Familia!

Well I hope you all had a good "Staycation"! Sounds like it was fun. Tell Grandma & Grandpa Weiler, Rob and "Big Bertha" I love them too.

The Tropical Storm? Ha ha ha oh boy, well I´m thinking I would run to the hills if I have to evacuate. Nothing bad has come this way at all so far. But the last time they had a hurricane hit Bluefields (20 years ago) it wasn’t pretty. We will see how it goes.

Saturday we had a super super good lesson with our most positive family. I took the Branch President there to get to know them and to share about his family and how they have been blessed. The President has a very young family and they are preparing to go to the temple this December to be sealed. So he talked about that and his experience as an investigator and marrying his wife.

It was great because this family needs to get married too. Then we shared Una Familia: una proclamacion para el mundo with them and watched Juntos para Siempre. And the end of the lesson the Husband asked what they had to do so that his family could be sealed for forever. It was very spiritual and awesome.

My toughest challenge in Bluefields has been time. We never seem to have enough time to get everything done that we need to. Ha ha we are always a little behind schedule, so I would say my challenge is to manage my time better. But hey, when everyone wants to talk to you what can you do?

Argh, I wrote a very nice spiritual thought but the Internet errored when I tried to send the email and the last draft didn’t save it. But here it is again:

From Elder Maxwell's talk "Remember How Merciful the Lord Hath Been":

"Brethren, as you submit your wills to God, you are giving Him the only thing you can actually give Him that is really yours to give. Don’t wait too long to find the altar or to begin to place the gift of your will upon it! No need to wait for a receipt; the Lord has His own special ways of acknowledging.

"I testify to you that God has known you individually, brethren, for a long, long time (see D&C 93:23). He has loved you for a long, long time. He not only knows the names of all the stars (see Ps. 147:4; Isa. 40:26); He knows your names and all your heartaches and your joys!"

And from Elder Maxwell's talk "Consecrate Thy Performance":

"In pondering and pursuing consecration, understandably we tremble inwardly at what may be required. Yet the Lord has said consolingly, 'My grace is sufficient for you' (D&C 17:8). Do we really believe Him? He has also promised to make weak things strong (see Ether 12:27). Are we really willing to submit to that process? Yet if we desire fullness, we cannot hold back part!

"Having our wills increasingly swallowed up by the will of the Father actually means an enhanced individuality, stretched and more capable of receiving “all that [God] hath” (D&C 84:38). Besides, how could we be entrusted with His “all” until our wills are much more like His? Nor could His 'all' be fully appreciated by the partially committed.

"Frankly, it is our prospective selves we betray by holding back whatever the 'part.' No need therefore to ask, “Lord, is it I?” (Matt. 26:22). Rather, let us inquire about our individual stumbling blocks, 'Lord, is it this?' We may have known the answer for a long time and may need resolve more than His response.

"The greatest happiness in God’s generous plan is finally reserved for those who are willing to stretch and to pay the costs of journeying to His regal realm. Brothers and sisters, 'come, let us anew [this] journey pursue.'"

Ha ha yes these quotes come from the spiritual thought Anna sent me. But I can’t look up quotes to send so I am borrowing hers.

The point is that God has blessed us with a lot. And there really is only one thing that we can give back in return. Our will. I have to make my will His will here in the mission so that I can be an instrument in his hands, and I have to do it when I get back from the mission too, just like you guys have to.

It isn’t easy, it requires a lot of faith, confidence (in Him), humility and obedience. But it is the only way we will ever have everlasting happiness. Our Savior did it, now we have to too. Not our will be done, but His.

Hey! Oh no! Well I hope the Bentleys trip went well, but there is a big problem. The office doesn’t have the package! I called them this morning and they said that they never got anything.

They also reminded me that the office is closed Saturdays!!! AHH!!!! I hope it wasn’t too big of a pain for the Bentley´s to drive there and find it and find it closed. I feel bad, I hope they have a fun trip. I don’t know if you have their number or anything to call them and find out what happened.

No! I haven’t sent the SD cards. The office has not sent the bag in a couple of weeks. And I am not too happy about it. But I am going to send them this week in the mail. I already have them all on backup on the hard drive. And I think they will get there safe in a couple of weeks... or months. Maybe they will be a good Christmas present.

Well if the Office gets the package, the best would be that they send it with the new missionaries that will come to Bluefields this next change. (Changes are next Wednesday).

Ha ha ha mom, I wish I could see the face of the Insurance agent that receives your case. Ha ha Duck Assault. Keep up the good bowling Mom, Love you.

Sounds like everything has been going good Dad. I will write in my journal today. Love you. Good work on the Duck House.

Good luck with Dance Emily. And School! I Luh You too.

Hannah, ahh! A Vampire! Oh nooooo. Well I love what was your favorite part about the playcation. We will study the scriptures as a family when I get home too right? ps I love you!

Happy Halloween,

I love you.

Elder Hardy

August 15, 2011

Hey, how’s it goin’ maaan? (in a Caribbean accent)

Hey! You will never guess where I got shipped off to.

Ha ha but I will tell you the story. So we went to changes like normal last Wednesday morning. In the middle of the meeting, the Mission Secretary came up and whispered to me that he needed to ask me a question and to go to the other room with him.

So I followed and we went to the room where we put all the suitcases during the meeting. And then he told me to put everything I needed in order to live into one suitcase really fast and then he left.

Ha ha ha. So I did it and realized that the only reason they would have me do that is because I was going to go to a place where I could only take one suitcase with me... in a plane... and the only place that could be is.........

BLUEFIELDS!!!

Ha ha ha, so right now I am writing you in Bluefields, on the other side of Nicaragua, on the side of the Bluefield Bay. And it is pretty cool.

My new compañero is Elder Jaime Aly Gaitán Palma. Elder Gaitán is from Costa Rica, he is the only member in his family and is a convert of 2 years.

Ha ha what do you know, I thought the next time I would get on a plane would be in two years. Ha ha I had a mini practice for my half way mark.

I also got to know all the recent converts here, a lot of members, my food appointment ha ha. It is very beautiful here, but also very hot. I have been drinking a lot of water every day, by the time we get home I can ring water out of my handkerchief. (Ha ha we are buying new handkerchiefs for Sunday.)

I am also learning English again... but Creole style! Ha ha it is really cool to listen to but confusing when in a lesson when we are talking Spanish, English and Creole mixed together. I want to learn Miskito too but that seems a little harder.

Oh hey! I am also sending photos of my first two baptisms here. Esthér (the girl) and Solangy. What a great way to be welcomed into an area right?

No, still no on the three families investigating in the Quiet Community in Monte Fresco. But, I am hoping to receive a happy noticia from Elder Moreno in a few weeks.

Yes, the Area Presidency decided that we can’t have the Misión Nicaragua Managua Sur blog. Which is too bad, I wanted to tell them to put up our 5 seconds of fame from the Parade. Which by the way I still haven’t seen it. Can you not send stuff like that?

Ha ha yes, I already have my golden ticket to the temple dedication of the San Salvador, El Salvador Temple. Right now I am working on getting all my RC to interviews with the Branch President so they can come too.

Yeah, I get to see my old companions every once in a while in changes or conferences. But I have still not been in one of their zones, let alone district.

Oh no!!! I’m already at the hump?!?! Ah, it’s all downhill from here. It feels like it is going too fast and I would like more time, but two years is two years, whether it goes fast or not.

But hey sounds like Yellowstone was a Blast. I am pretty jealous. I am glad the bear didn’t eat you all. And Hey! Did you take a picture of a moose this time?... ha ha

Have a good day love,

Elder Hardy

ps, I love you

JH

July 18, 2011

Hey! Awesome photos of the Float!!!

Congratulations on the Wilford Woodruff float. It looks soo good, I have no idea how you even start something like that. And I guess most of the stress is pretty much over now right? All you have to do now is go to parties and watch the parade. Or what will you be doing during the parade?

And then finally you will get to go to Yellowstone.

Yeah, the rains have hit hard and made things muddy a couple times. But it comes and goes. The trick is to get inside a house when you see it coming, then it rains really hard for a couple of minutes and you can’t hear anything because the roofs are metal and then it goes. (I call it extra motivation to contact sent from on high) Ha ha but it hasn’t gotten to where it rains all day or anything.

The family we live with are good. And they are very nice. They try to help us with everything they can to make us happy. She cooks very well too.

Yesterday we went the house of one of my most recent converts. Her extended family was over for the night, and when we walked in we found her sitting down with all of them and she had her Book of Mormon open and was sharing some of her favorite scriptures to them. She then helped us teach a lesson to them and got mad at me for calling her by her first name and told me to say Hermana (her last name) because she is preparing for her mission. That was more than pretty neat. To see the fruits of conversion in someone and their enthusiasm to share what they have with everyone around them.

No, I haven’t ditched too many of my belongings, mostly I’ve just given them away to people who want them ha ha.

You know mom, I have actually been looking for heart rocks. But you would have to wait until I get back home wouldn’t you.

Hannah, you asked what the coolest thing about Nicragua is. . . The People! You got to Love um, but not too much to the chicas. ha ha.

Wow dad, sounds like the float was worth it then.

De Nada Mom. My Compañon says the float looks beautiful and congratulations. I also told him he was going to be famous to all of the chelas in Utah because they are going to show a photo of me and him on TV before the parade... I don’t know if that is true but it made us both happy.

Good luck in Europe Alexis!!! Please send me a post card, and photos in email while you are there!

Hey Emily, I remember the Nephite vs. Lamanite war! I’m pretty sure I won last time ha ha.

Good luck with dance camp Hannah!

Ps I love you.

Everything sounds great, good luck with the Parade.

Love you all,

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

May 23, 2011

Buenas!!!

Hey, I have a new Compañero! Aha, Elder Muzo! He is from El Salvador. He is very nice, and we have made some very impressive goals for this month of June that is coming. His name is Jose Muzo Martinez.  

He is a recent convert to the church. Which always earns my respect. He was baptized about 2 years ago. He was the example in his family and was the first one to be baptized. Apparently, before the missionaries showed up, he was a punk. He had the big boots and giant mohawk to go with it. But the gospel has changed his life. And what is really great is that because of his example and going on the mission, the rest of his family was baptized 4 months ago.

Also, he only took about a half an hour today to write President and then he got off the computer. He told me once that not too many people write him. It would be nice if you guys could send him an email introducing yourselves and welcoming him to the family.

Ah. So this week we found several very positive families. We have already taught them the Restoration of the Gospel and have put a goal for them to be baptized in this coming month.

We passed by the house of one of the families yesterday. Her husband wasn’t home and they couldn’t go to church, but, we asked her if she had read the LDM (El Libro de Mormón, Book of Mormon) and prayed and she said yes.

Then we asked how she felt, and she said she felt really peaceful. We read with her the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatas (Galations). And she felt that it was an answer to her prayers.

For Changes I sat with my "Father" Elder Coj. (Sue’s note: Your “Father” is the senior companion that trains the new missionary “Greenie”). But as far as fun activities, not too much. President has really cut down the time at changes so we can get back to our area and work.

It is rainy every day now! It hasn’t rained super hard but the climate has definitely changed.

No package from Uncle Rob!!! Apparently Aunt Jenny has sent a package too! I will wait con esperanza (with hope) for their arrival.

Well, that is good to hear the rainy season has come there. So this time the car trunk flooded, but how about the window sills? I can’t remember if I cleaned the rain gutters last summer.

Hey Dad, sorry it rained on your golf outing.

That is great to hear that Highland Rugby is still following its tradition! But sad to hear Coach Gelwix is retiring. He was a good coach.

Congratulations Emily and Hannah on your piano recitals.

Hey, I have a paper President talked about in Changes with 101 ideas for the missionary work. I wonder if I could scan it and give it to you. I asked Pres. after if I could get one. And the next day, he sent it with a couple of office workers.

Apparently, I was the only one who asked him about it and he was very impressed haha. I will think about using your steroids analogy with an investigator who is doubting the LDM (BOM) ha ha.

Hahaha Alexis, Dad is taking a running class with you? That is awesome Dad! You have inspired me to do better exercise in the mornings, thanks! And good luck, Alexis.

Yes Emily... Driving here is Crazy!!! Be careful. And don’t try to act like you need to get a job to buy a car. I know what little sisters are like. Dad at least has to do a 50/50 deal or something. I wish I could see your interesting Spanish video. Luh ya.

Hannah, I think there are movie theaters here. I don’t know for sure. I have never actually seen one. Love you, good luck with summer!

Thanks for praying for me.

The "flotador" is as good as done now.

Love,

Elder Hardy

May 16, 2011

Buenas,

We had a wedding on Saturday, it was nice. We bought a cake and everything. But they still have some more progress to do before they are baptized.

Our other baptisms did not happen this week. Unfortunately, our main family to marry and baptize had to leave Wednesday. They live very humbly and don’t have a job right now. So at the beginning of the week, a friend called them and told them that there was a job opportunity to go to San Juan Sur to build a house for a couple weeks and that they had to be waiting on the highway Wednesday morning or they would miss their chance.

He wanted to be able to fix the house they are living in for his family and buy shoes and everything so they decided to go. But when they come back in about a month, they say they are good to go.

Yes, we have changes this week. We found out today as we were doing a Zone activity in the Stake Center. But no, I am not getting changed. And I am very happy because we should have a couple families getting ready to be baptized here in the next month. Elder Valenzuela is changing which is too bad but we had a good time together.

People do lots of things for a living here. The men might be a guard for a store or a house. The women usually do something like sell tortillas or work domestically for a richer house. (But many times the women are stay at home moms).

Ha ha. Well, it finally came. And it came strong. It is officially winter here a.k.a rain every day time! I think it was Friday. We woke up and it was pretty overcast. We had our Zone Conference and District Meeting like usual. We came back and ate and left to work. Everything was normal.

We were at an investigator's house doing a little of on the spot service helping clean the front lawn. (Ha ha which means sweep the dirt, leaves and garbage into a pile and burn it). Then it started to drizzle. We got all the piles to light right before it started to fall faster. And before you know it, we were running inside the house for cover. After a little talk with them, we bravely left the house to go to a set appointment with a new family.

Ha ha the rivers of water had already started. I thought my bag was pretty water proof. Well, luckily they had a plastic bag I wrapped my scriptures in before putting them into my backpack. It rained almost the whole time we were out. And in the night I woke up a couple times from the thunder. Luckily the house we live in has a very good roof and I couldn’t find a single leak. It has rained every single day since. (Not the whole time everyday, still, but everyday)

So Rob sent me a package? Awesome, I will tell you when it comes. Maybe it is waiting at changes.

Yes, a family in the Canon caught an armadillo, and ate it.

It is great to hear Perry is doing good. I like the photo.

Ha ha good luck with the float, Mom, I think if Jose has the time he would love to help out. He is into all the engineering stuff.

Say congratulations to Nick Davis for me.

So Smallville finally turned into Superman huh. Well it’s about time. You will have to tell me when I get back if it is worth it to watch all the episodes.

Congratulations with being the new Dance Co. Historian Emily. That is neat. Take lots of pictures. And you should put a picture of me in the slide show... Just kidding

Neat service project Dad. Good luck golfing that is neat.

Hannah, Buena Suerte with your Piano Recital on Saturday! I know you will do great. Good work with the float. Ps I love you.

I love you so much!!!

Elder Hardy

P.S. I did not forget that Alexis didn’t write me.... that’s one less souvenir when I get back… :)

May 2, 2011

Hey!!! Happy Mother´s Day! We will talk before I send my next email.

We are planning on calling at 2 o´clock P.M. I think I decided it is cheaper for us if I call. I also think that 2 pm here means 3 pm there or something.

Good luck with your "The Blessings of Having a Missionary" talk, Mom. Ha ha I hope there is enough material to talk about. A special message to the Ward would be to say:

Gracias por la ayuda y amor que me dieron que me ayudó prepararme ser un misionero y gracias por el amor y el apoyo que han dado y me dan todavía... y dar una referencia a los misioneros en el barrio... y si no tienen uno, ayunar y orar preparar una... y si no conocen los misioneros, conocerles.

(Thanks for the help and love that you have given me that helped me prepare to be a missionary and thanks for the love and support you have given and still give me ... and give a referral to the missionaries in the ward ... and if you don’t have a referral, fast and pray for one ... and if you don’t the missionaries, get to know them).

Ha ha oh yeah and I feel fine. The ROUS was pretty good.

Yes, the Sister Missionaries came to our area. Ha ha and they are Pilas! (Word used to say they are really hard workers, energized, etc. I can’t think of an exact translation right now.) They work really hard and always contact more families and everything than the rest of the District.

(Note from Sue: We asked Jonny what the Mission Goals are and if he has to keep records. The people, of course, are more important than numbers but the Mission still has goals to keep them motivated).

Yes, of course we keep records. We count our numbers at the end of every night and give them to our District Leader over the phone. And every Sunday, we total the week and give that too. But President Monestel has changed our numbers a little bit to focus more on what is most important to us, Families. We only count a baptismal date, lesson, contact, new investigator, reference etc. if it is with a family.

I mean, we still count all the others and they are important. But if you teach 5 lessons with a member present but none of them were with a husband and wife, when you tell your District Leader that night it is still a 0. The standards of excellence that the President set every day with families are at least 1 baptismal date (of a family), 3 lessons with member, 2 without member, 2 references received and contacted, 2 new investigators (2 new families), 2 recent converts, 1 less active, and 7 contacted families.

Each week we also send how many people came to church, and how families are progressing. (We are supposed to have 5 progressing families, which for us means they have come to church at least once in the past 2 weeks and have an active baptismal date).

It is a challenge to meet the Standards of Excellence each day and week, especially to get 5 families coming to church. But I want to be a missionary of excellence and so I am working really hard to bring this area up to snuff.

Well, we went to the Colonia, it is like the American grocery store here. I even found bacon!!! But I didn’t get it because I thought it might ruin the iron. But maybe next time I will and ask the family we live with to cook it in the morning.

Well, my compañero is now the Leader of the District! Unfortunately, something bad happened in the other town in our District and they had to take out the missionaries there for their safety. It seems like I have been called to train District Leaders ha ha. I say that because each one of my companions has started being a new DL with me. Ha ha but I am still the Junior Comp.

Well, it rained for the first time this week. It seems like the lightning is louder here. The rainy season starts this month they tell me. I am super excited to see how it is in the Cañon here while it is raining. They told me it is about up to your knees, we will see.

Yes, I am going to mail home my photo cards. I would also like to know the laws of sending a package from Nicaragua to USA and what restrictions there are.

Good work, artist Dad.

Good luck with Sunday, Mom. Don’t cry too much.

Y Felicidades a Alexis!!! Going to graduate from the U! That’s great, Alexis, congratulations.

You asked about fútbol? Well, they had a Madrid vs. Barcelona game recently that everyone was excited about. But not too crazy. I have only seen a few fist fights in the street when people have gotten mad playing street fútbol.

Emily, the President said we need to look more mature and always do our hair to the side. None of this ski slope stuff. But yes, I need a haircut.

Congratulations about your video, Hannah! That sounds awesome. P.S. I love you

Love you all, I can’t wait to talk to you,

Elder Hardy

April 18, 2011

¡Hey Wonderful Family!

Ha ha it is great to hear it’s Spring Break! No breaking here, it has been extra hot this week in Monte Fresco.

My Birthday was great! Thanks for all the cards and gifts, they really made it special.

In the morning I opened my presents. And I made my Birthday Cake! The only problem is we don’t have a microwave... So I cooked it onnn... my Iron! If you thought toasting your toast on your home made toaster iron was cool try baking a cake. Just wrap the iron in a towel and voila! It actually kinda worked. It just took a while, but by lunch time it had baked almost all the way through. The rest of the day was normal, we went to Cañon (the canyon) and taught some new families there.

I loved all the presents. I think they were all there too. The package had been opened twice in the mail. There were two different cuts and retapes on the Virgin Mary seal. Ha ha I am going to have a generous tie exchange with my Comp before changes.

The way it has worked the last two changes is I give my Comp one of my really nice ties that I have noticed they really like and trade for several of the ties they don’t really like but I love. So by the end of the mish I should have a very nice collection to bring home.

Ha ha but please I love the ties, you can never go wrong sending a tie. Ha ha I gave him one of the Nerf guns and then shot him in the back of the head later that morning. But he hasn’t opened his yet ha ha.

Yes! Ha ha the Utah football is awesome. But I have had the Utah Song stuck in my head now instead of a hymn. The great thing is one of my friends in the office Elder Kunz is Super pero (but) Super BYU fan. Ha ha and he called me to make sure I got my package and everything. I am going to bring it the next time we are together and throw it at him.

The best Birthday present I got though was a letter from Aunt Annette and Uncle Bruce. It had their testimonies in it and they were soo Powerful. I am so grateful they are doing so well and was so happy after reading their letters. I also think the ties they sent are the Coolest, and 3 POUNDS of Beef Jerky. Awesome!

The families we are teaching are doing great. And yes, several have accepted baptismal dates to prepare for.

We went to Cañon the other day and felt we should go to a family that we haven’t passed for a while. We talked to them for a little bit and they told us they had thought and prayed about it and finally decided to get married!

They had put a date for 2 months away and I was like, darn I don’t know if we will be here to see you two get married... and they said oh, well let’s move the date sooner! So we moved it for next month and then taught them more about baptism and they said they would prepare to be baptized. Then they decided they would like to set the date for after their marriage the same day.

Sunday is Easter and well, here it isn’t just Easter Sunday. It is called Semana Santa (which you already know) and they do stuff the whole week. The big thing everyone does here is they go to the beach. So... not too much for the missionaries to do.

I gave a surprise talk yesterday in Sacrament Meeting! Right before the meeting started the Bishop asked me if I would give a short talk because I am, " Siempre animado y sonriente " (Always cheerful and smiling) and he wants me to motivate the ward about missionary work. So I said, “Of course.”

I was nervous because if it is hard for me to talk well with a talk I have already planned, imagine one that I am winging. I imagine that it is even more difficult to understand me when I am doing the almost crying thing too. Ha ha and I know that there must have been plenty of grammatical errors but I actually ended up giving a good 10 minute talk. Everyone told me thank you after and how it was very spiritual and everything. Ha ha the Bishop´s wife told me she almost cried, so that was good.

Hey, wish Aunt Jenny luck in the Marathon tomorrow for me! The Boston Marathon, that sounds like a really big deal. That is pretty sweet. I want you guys to send me a photo of her crossing the finish line. It just popped into my head a really cool object lesson with that.

For our recent converts, Preseverar Hasta el Fin (Endure to the End), I could tell them the story of how my Aunt ran a really big deal marathon and show them a photo of Jenny at the starting line, while she is running and as she crosses the finish line. (Then one of her receiving a medal). And tell them they need to follow the example of my aunt Jenny and Endure to the End.

I am glad to hear that Grandma and Grandpa are doing better. Tell Grandma that I have received and officially have #26 of her letters, and can’t wait until the next one.

I am glad Perry the Duck is growing nice and plump...

Congrats that Tax season is over Dad. That’s always the best time of year. After busy season. Sleep and play some golf ha ha.

Thanks for writing each week Mom. I hope you go somewhere fun.

Good luck with the end of school Alexis!

Emily that is really neat that the old ward asked you to play. And you played the song you played at my farewell. Love you.

Good to hear your performances went well Hannah. Have fun with spring break. And with going somewhere. And with shopping.

P.S. I LOVE YOU !!!!!!!!!

Elder Hardy