April 9, 2012

¡¡¡Gracias!!!

Well, I guess this week I am going to have 21 years. But it sure doesn`t feel like it. Ha ha ha I feel the same age as I entered the MTC. I just might have a little bit less hair on my head... ha ha ha

But thanks for the birthday cake Mom!

Easter was great. Even though here it is a little different. The Easter Bunny didn´t hide me an Easter basket this year. For the Ward, the program was the same, but the talks were good, focused on Jesus Christ and his Atonement. It is always the most important thing to remember.

Thanks for the Birthday money! Well, I think I kind of already spent a lot of it. But it is apparently for the most tuanis Hamaca EVER! I actually got it right now! Thanks to a pilas sister in the Ward that was going to Masaya and agreed to bring the Hamaca as well. But, we dropped it off in the house really fast before coming here to write so I still haven’t taken a picture...

Well, I don’t have anything special planned for my Birthday. I was thinking about taking my comp. out to dinner. But now that I am thinking about it I think the Sister Julia might do something when we go to dinner there so I think I will go with my comp. Friday.

Our families are Good.  Saida and Jose Luis couldn´t come this Sunday. :(  But they are still very positive. The only thing is that they will have to be baptized after I go now.

We baptized a family in the district!!! And a nice older Sister named Rosita. Ha ha she said I was "muy simpatico y guapo" (very nice and handsome). The Dad is named Fran. He was to complete a family and he asked me if I would baptize him. We were able to help a little bit to help him get to baptism.

I bear my testimony that I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. I know that my loving Heavenly Father sent his Son to the world with a mission. And that mission was to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, through an Atonement.

I know that Jesus Christ in his love for each of us suffered the pains and price of sin and death. And has broken the chains of death both spiritual and mortal through his perfect life and obedience and through his resurrection.

My testimony in the Atonement of Jesus Christ has strengthened in the last two years. I have been able to feel the power of the Atonement in my own life, and I have seen it work in the lives of others.

One of the ways my testimony of the Atonement has strengthened the most is through studying of it and Jesus Christ in the Scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. If each one of us can diligently study and pray about the mission of Jesus Christ (the Atonement) we will not only strengthen our "faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement" but we will also feel the blessings of the Atonement (most important part of the plan) applied in our lives.

I bear my testimony that I know Jesus Christ Lives, that he love us, and that through his Atoning Sacrifice we will return to live with him as a Family. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Thanks for the updates everyone!  Good luck with work dad! Yes, you can still call me Jonny Honey mom... Elder Jonny Honey.

I Love You,

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!!!