Wow this might be a long letter.
1. sure go ahead and post my letters to the
blog. Future letters might have have sensitive stuff, but I'll leave that to
your discretion.
2. I got the package today. Thanks a ton. I was
having to re-wear athletic socks.
3. Most districts have two teachers, but we
have had three because Seour Dix is switching to a different role. Brother
Allen replaced her. He is awesome and a big help. Our other teacher is Brother
Portwood, though we call him Christophe since that is the name that we knew him
by for the first week (he was playing an investigator). Time in class is split
between gospel and language study. Also each companionship teaches each teacher
two lessons a week entirely in French, they are playing one of their past
investigators and we get to try and progress them.
4. Yes, many. The spirit here is constant (so
long as you are willing to follow the rules. Some Elders don't). The biggest
experience was during the first Sunday devotional. It was given by Elder Gay of
the Seventy. During his talk I felt the Spirit extremely strong. I felt an
overwhelming sense of peace and I suddenly knew beyond a doubt that I would
learn the language. I also felt impressed that if a situation ever arose on my
mission where we were to preach on the street, I am to volunteer to speak. Many
other experiences have happened to me so far, but that is the main one.
5. The Language is going (sorry the laundry
room computers can't do accents) super chouet. That means awesomely groovy. The
majority of the learning actually happens during language study and meals,
which is when everyone tries to PVL (Parle Votre Lang). One of the Elders in
our district, Elder Hulet, took the A.P French test after five years of study,
and so he knows quite a bit. He is the local authority when there isn't a
teacher around.
As for the exercise we have a scheduled hour of
gym time on Tuesdays through Fridays, and an hour for personal exercise on
Saturdays after our service assignment (we clean one of the residence halls).
Our district mostly plays volleyball during gym time and we are all improving
with every game. I have learned to serve overhand. Our district is very close,
which isn't true of all of them. The Elders are pretty much always together,
and usually the sisters are there too.
I look forward to when Jordan will be joining
me in the mission field this fall. This is a fact of which I have no doubt. The
MTC is a life changing experience. Surely no place has existed that can claim
such a spirit as the School of the Prophets. No greater ambition can be had in
this church, aside from personal salvation, than that of sharing the gospel
with those who need it. I can testify that the Lord has promised blessings to
those who are willing to wear his badge and help him to bless others. A person
who is trying to figure our where to go in their life can do no better than go
on a mission.
Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!! I am sorry that
I am not there to celebrate with you, but as Elder Gay said in the aforementioned
speech, "While your parents may miss you, I promise you that they would
much rather you be here than back home." Tell Ronnie that he should be
more careful on those death machines.
I got all of your personal letters that you
sent me. I just don't have time to respond to each one all at once, so I will
respond to one person each p-day. Today I am going to hand write a letter to
Jordan, then next P-day Tanner, then Paige, then Ronnie, then Lizzie, Then Mom,
and then Dad, then repeat. I keep the letters you guys send in the springs
above my bed, (I have a bottom bunk) and will surely be taking them with me
when I get into the field.
I still have a lot of time so I'll tell some
stories. First is the short and weird story of how Soeur Dix met her husband. When
she started teaching in the MTC right after she got back from her mission in
Switzerland she got a district to be the teacher of. Because she is a nice and
wonderful person, she got along very well with the missionaries she taught.
About two years after she got back she got asked on a date by a very familiar
young man. He was one of the missionaries she had taught French to. He had gone
to Montreal on his mission, come back, and looked her up. At first the idea
weirded her out, but eventually she decided she didn't care and that she loved
him. The End.
I want to tell you about Christophe. We had
been at the MTC for all of one day when Soeur Dix announced that on Friday we
would begin teaching a real investigator from France. She showed us a brief
video biography he had sent in (which we couldn't understand) and told us we
would be teaching for at least twenty minutes, and that Christophe spoke
absolutely no English. This routine is normal for everyone who is learning a
language, and our zone leaders spoiled it by telling us that our investigator
was actually another teacher. They did not tell us however, for the first few
days. We taught Christophe that Friday, Saturday, the next Monday, Wednsday,
Thursday, and Friday. The next day he walked into our class and began talking
to us in English. It was extremely difficult, but it was a good experience. Now
Brother Portwood is playing a guy named Frederick and it's really weird because
he looks exactly the same.
Teaching with the Spirit is the number one subject
here. I'm learning that the language becomes far less of a barrier if the
spirit is present. During our last lesson with Frederick we were talking about
the nature of God (it was our first lesson with him) and he made a comment
about having a lot of questions and suddenly I had the impression to tell him
the Joseph Smith story. This went way off our plan, and my poor companion (who
speaks pretty good but has a hard time understanding when others speak
sometimes) was left very confused. I had already memorized the first vision in
French, and so I was able to give the basic background of the first vision in
cave-man French, recite the scripture to him from memory, and connect The
prophet's story to his confusion. The spirit was very strong, and it was a testimony
to me that the Lord is more than capable of doing his own work, and all he
requires of us is faith.
I'm starting to run out of time now. I hope
that everyone continues to do well. I kind of need to move my laundry and
finish planning my lesson for Frederick. To Mom and Dad, enjoy your anniversary
and don't worry about me too much. To Jordan, expect a letter in the next few
days. To Tanner, the answer to your question is yes, I am ready to serve a
mission. To Paige, Good luck in High School next year. To Ronnie, remember that
it is never to early to begin studying for a mission. A missionary who comes to
the MTC with a detailed knowledge and love of Preach my Gospel is at a great
advantage. To Lizzie, love your siblings. Your fate is to watch them leave one
by one. Do not waste a minute of your time with them in contention.
Oh one more thing. I sang a solo in sacrament
meeting yesterday. Sister Norris accompanied me in singing
"Sovien-toi" which is not in the English hymnbook and is the most
beautiful Hymn I have ever heard. I'm out of time now. Bye
Elder Hardy
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