May 28, 2015

Elder Hardy is HOME!!!

May 25, 2015

One. Last. Time.

Well this is the last time you have to rely entirely on the written word to know how I'm doing. For the rest of my life I'll be able to just call you. 

I'll keep things short as well. I always like to follow my Mother's example. When transfer calls came in we found out that we are both leaving Lasalle, and our area is closing. So we've been saying goodbye to people and making plans to clean the apartment so the landlord doesn't become an anti-mormon. We're going to be super busy these next few days, but not really doing missionary work. It's kind of weird. Today we're going down the the south shore for p-day to have a BBQ with some Elders that I'm super close to. It's going to be super awesome.  Then tonight we have a dinner with some members to say goodbye. Tomorrow we're cleaning the apartment (including scrubbing the shower walls to remove the crayon-like waxy stuff the previous elders used to draw stuff on the walls) then heading off the island again to have the "last supper," as our ward mission leader calls it, at his house. Then Wednesday Elder Hernandez heads off to Hochelaga to start a new phase of his mission; I get to hang out at the mission home, have a testimony meeting, eat with the elders I'm leaving with, sleep at the mission home, then wake up Thursday. Then I fly. 

At this point I'm pretty excited to get home. This last 6 weeks has been an emotional roller-coaster and I just want it to end. I haven't started packing yet, though that is more a result of laziness than anything else. 

Now...pictures:

The Rodneys. Super nice and cool. The baby (Zion) loves my singing voice.

The Morales Family. Also super cool and awesome.

Chandra our investigator. She cried when we left. Going to miss her.

Me doing service sanding a wall

My comp doing the same. This is before he stepped on a rusty screw and we ended up sitting for hours in the emergency room waiting for his shot.

They wouldn't let me operate the sander. I'm just not buff enough I guess.

May 18, 2015

short e-mails

So I have been accused of writing short e-mails these last few weeks. It's completely true. It's very hard to push myself to write a lot when I have started to think about when I need to start packing and what I should bring and what I should leave. It's not because I don't love you, it's because the stuff that has been going on lately varies only slightly from the happenings of the past two years. I agree with everyone else though. It doesn't feel like 2 years. It feels like maybe a few months. Then I think of all the memories and lessons I've learned. The awesome days and the absolutely horrible days. Funny enough if I had to pick out only a few days to keep from my mission it would mostly be made up of bad days and horrible mistakes. These are the days I learned the most. I'd also keep the personal studies from when I was in Ottawa. I learned more about the Bible and what it teaches about Christ during those months than my entire 4 years of Seminary (though that's not at all seminary's fault). 

What would I trade in exchange for these 2 years? Well, having my calling and election made sure and receiving the promise that I'll enter into exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom with my family, but other than that I wouldn't trade anything. Is it because I loved my mission? Well I loved a lot of things on my mission, though others took the form of "learning opportunities" (as I've mentioned above). Really rather than saying I loved my mission, I'd say I'm grateful to God and His Son Jesus Christ for the blessing and opportunity to serve, and if asked I would do it again. The second time around I wouldn't have to figure out why I was there half way through. I came the first time because it was what I was supposed to do. But I stayed because I have come to love my Savior, and I want to do anything I can to try and repay him for what he did, does, and has covenanted to continue to do for me. Was my service fun? Certain parts of it were, though those are memories that would get tossed out if I had to start losing memories because they are of no lasting value (beyond the friends I've made). I didn't come to have fun, I came to serve. Some missionaries do learn to find our work fun, but for me it has only been service, but like they teach in the newest Mormon message (watch it it's amazing), service is what heals the soul, and gives it substance. It makes it far easier to find ourselves, because there is so much more of us to find (credit to Elder Christofferson for that one).

I love you all so much! I'll be writing you again on Monday ONE LAST TIME!!! 

Love you all so much!

Elder Hardy

p.s. is my topic the same in the Y.S.A ward?

May 11, 2015

More-than-semi-redundant-letters

Well I told you most of what is going on yesterday. It was super awesome to see all of your faces and hear your voices! My companion and I had to take a 30 minute nap after the calls just to be able to keep going. Then we went and visited a bunch of people who had fallen on the wayside during our illness. 

I'm finding it hard to believe that I only have two weeks left. It just doesn't register in my brain that this next weekly planning will be the last one I will carry out to its fullest. Too bad I never got an ipad (lol). That's really my only regret though.

We have a lesson tonight with our recent convert S, and we're going to give a blessing to R's son V. He's 5 years old and was recently declared cancer free after months of treatment, but now he has to return for a brain surgery of some kind. He needs our prayers.

Well I described our day today. Don't really know what else to talk about. Remember that I love you all to pieces. Remember that the Savior is at the helm. Nothing can separate us from his love except rebellion; but if we keep his commandments we will abide in his love (John 16:10ish). 

I know the Savior lives, and will come again at his own appointed day.

Love you!

Elder Hardy

May 4, 2015

Semi-redundant phone calls

Well I totally didn't know until I read mom's e-mail that Mother's day was this next Sunday. I thought it was the week after. Oh well no biggie. We already planned where we are going to do it and stuff. I'm excited to see your faces too! Then I'll see them again a few weeks after that.

Things are going all right over here. I'm still sick, though through the week it wasn't too bad. It got bad again this last weekend and we had to leave church early.  Even during the week when we were working it was hard because I just didn't have any energy. Still chugging along though :)

I've got to keep this e-mail brief because we're running behind, but I'll shoot you another e-mail later this week to confirm what time we're calling. Also I received my flight plans. I don't quite get why it's so long. I told a member about my round-about itinerary and he whipped out his smart phone and in 5 minutes found a flight with one stop in Detroit, then direct to Spokane that would have gotten me home before noon. Same day and same Airline as well. Not that it matters though.

Remember that the Atonement is a power of healing, but also a power that enables us to overcome and move past our weaknesses. I know that because I've experienced it.

Love, Elder Hardy

April 27, 2015

in Sickness and in health

Sorry got to be quick this week. Don't have a lot of time. 

This week was good at first, then we got sick. We were in bed from Thursday through Sunday. We were able to get up long enough for this:

His name is David, and he's a child of record, but his Dad isn't a member (though he's one of the nicest and coolest men I've ever met and I want to be the kind of Dad he is). We're super tight with this family and David asked me to baptize him and Elder Hernandez to confirm him. It was a cool experience and a lot of people were there.

Then we went back to bed.

Not a lot of other news. Still a bit tired, but overall not near so sick. Next week the letter will be longer :)

Love you all a ton!

Elder Hardy

Just me and David:

April 20, 2015

another week another destiny, on this never ending road to Calvary

I'm not sure if I've used that subject already. It isn't really a reference to anything particular. I remembered how much I love that music yesterday and so I've been singing it. 

This week was slower, but it had its miracles. On Friday we met with M, a recent convert, and he had invited his neighbor, T, over to meet us. We had a first lesson and it went well. We set an appointment to help her paint her apartment and Mbrought her to church on Sunday! It was awesome! Also the Woman and her daughters who we visited last Sunday were at church as well! They slipped out after Sacrament meeting, but it was a big step for them! We're seeing them again tonight.

In other news I don't sleep much anymore; my mind just races and turns as I fight off thoughts of what will happen after the mission. Any advice on how to combat that would earn my undying love.

I was told my flight plans a while ago, but haven't received a copy of them yet. Should get them very soon. I know I'm leaving at 10a.m. and arriving like 11p.m. I've got layovers in New York and Salt Lake (don't ask me why).

Haven't received the package yet, but we're swinging by the mission office today so I should get it then. Can't think of anything else I'm supposed to answer.

I love you all!

Elder Hardy