March 10, 2014

Hah!! I love Ronnie's face in the skiing picture!

I can't wait for T to get his call. I heard a story a few days ago about two brothers who served in the same mission at the same time and were companions at one point. The problem is it is so extremely unlikely that it almost certainly won't happen, no matter how much I pray every night that it does. But now when it doesn't I am going to be super bummed, but only for about six seconds after I've spent an hour being excited about where the Lord has called him. As for you Jordan, my advice is to start small. First ensure that you are reading your scriptures and praying sincerely every day. Then add a bit of study from Preach My Gospel every day, then build from there. Testimony comes from keeping the commandments to the level our faith allows, then seeing the blessings. This strengthens us enough to do a little more. Thus step by step weak things become strong unto us. What is challenging becomes a treasured skill. I know that you can become an incredible missionary, it just takes faith like a mustard seed to push us to action. From there we can develop the trust in the Lord to allow him to mold and shape us into the people he wants us to be.

That has been a focus recently for me. I don't know if I have ever mentioned it but I have a really hard time street contacting. That is 90% of our contacting in YSA, so that has been a struggle for me. I can knock on any door and not be afraid of anything, but when I am pacing a sidewalk block trying to talk to people I just freeze up and walk right past them. At first I was really confused as to why I couldn't do this. I prayed and the feeling I got was that I wasn't the kind of person who could street contact. Well I thought that was just great, then I realized what that really meant. The Lord expects me to become someone who can street contact effectively. That changed my perspective a lot. I have been trying to trust the Lord more completely. Instead of being afraid of saying something stupid, I need to trust the Lord to guide and protect me. That has also outlined to me the importance of proper preparation. We can do whatever the Lord requires of us if we do what is necessary to have the spirit. For everyone, and especially missionaries, this strength comes from studies. Another goal of mine is to be a more effective study-er. So many goals, so little time. 

There is a Wendy's in short walking distance from the apartment, but I have only gone once. When I deserve it I will go there, but not until then.

Other than that the sisters had a baptism on Saturday. There were more people at that than at church the next day. We had three investigators at the baptism, but none made it to church the next day, but another investigator that we hadn't expected ran into a member at the bus station and decided to come on the spur of the moment. A really weird week.

Anyway that is about all for today. Sorry I can't send pictures. 

Love you all!!

Elder Hardy

p.s. our roomates are in a home ward and are the zone leaders. Elder Castrejon is my district leader.

p.p.s. There are two Universities of over 30,000 students, one decent sized college, and about 4 smaller schools. Ottawa is a very young city.

March 3, 2014

Greetings from planet EVERYONEDRINKSCOFEEANDHASANiPHONE!

So I have spent the last week getting used to working in YSA. We teach only young people (obviously). They have really good questions and are very open, the problem is that they are too open to any cool idea they find. All in all it is much faster paced than Sherbrooke.

The weirdest part is the English. I have gotten so used to french that sometimes I have a hard time knowing what to say. Also it is hard to stay within the simple doctrinal truths of Preach My Gospel when my vocabulary is several thousand words rather than several hundred. All in all though I really like it.

On Saturday Elder Castrejon gave a baptismal interview for the sisters' super boss investigator, then that same investigator gave a ride the next day to our most solid investigator, Marcel, and during the car ride (without prompting and without us there) invited Marcel to Institute, the ward volleyball team, and church the next Sunday, and got him to agree to dress with a tie next Sunday. It was the most amazing display of fellowshiping that I have ever seen, and the guy isn't even a member yet. Apparently this ward is known for amazing fellowship.

That is awesome that you guys were able to go experience what me and Jordan did! I'm 100% certain you guys weren't poops like me. I wish I could have taken that trip after my mission. I think I would have appreciated it more. I'm learning out here that I have a talent for being positive and happy. It is weird. I find myself the one smiling and bouncy and ready to shrug off a trial. The best part is that rather than be upset with myself, I am so grateful to The Lord for blessing me with the strength to change. My next goal is to be outgoing and willing to talk to anyone. My inspiration is Elder Messinger. He is our roomate and zone leader. He is an even bigger nerd than me (we have a lot of fun talking) and was apparently the shyest person ever at the beginning of his mission. Now however he has worked himself to the point where he has no fear talking to anyone. My goal is to be like him.

So no one in my new apartment has the right cord, so I can't send pictures for a while. I haven't been taking too many lately anyway.

I can't wait to hear Tanner's call. I am sure he is coming here. There is no better mission than the Canada Montreal Mission, and Tanner is surely one of the best the Lord has got right now, so he will come here. That is my guess.

As for Jordan, keep it up. I have had a very powerful week spiritually. I have begun to learn more about what the atonement means. I used to think the Atonement was there to help me feel better when I mess up, but I am beginning to understand that it is there to help me BE better. If I do not have goals of self improvement and if I am not asking the Lord to help me improve who I am, I am not using the Atonement. I am not washing my garments clean in his blood. The feeling better part really comes when we can look back at our mistakes and realize we are not the same person that did those things. A part of that has been learning to see the Atonement as a means of progression, and not just a solution to the problem. So the point of all this Jordan, is that the goal is not to pray to God and suddenly become a missionary, but to pray for strength as we strive to change and become a missionary. Also a big part of this is accepting progress made, rather than focusing entirely on what is left to improve. Setting goals that are possible but still stretch us is probably one of the most important skills to learn. I am still not good at it. I really wish I would have listened when my parents tried to teach me all this. I guess I was just too proud at the time. Humility is really the key to everything. If we are too proud to change, we can in no wise inherit the kingdom of heaven. 

I'm starting to preach now I'm sorry. I'll stop. So that is what I have been learning this last week. I love all you guys. I can't wait until all three older kids are out at the same time! What a great opportunity to be providing the Lord with three full time servants at once! I am so proud of our family, though I guess I was the only one anyone had to worry about, and I ended up coming out. I can honestly say that I came out because I knew I was supposed to, but I have stayed out because this is where I want to be.

Love 

Elder Hardy

February 24, 2014

Wow Ronnie looks huge!!! 

Well here I am in ottawa, in a giant family history center attached to a steak center eating...WENDY'S!! It is undoubtedly the best feature of Ontario. Living in YSA is nutso. The people are all young and hip, and we get to use facebook for 15 minutes every day. Otherwise we couldn't get in touch with half the people. Also my legs will be buff by the end of my time here because we have no car and walk a lot. 

Well in the answering questions portion: My companion is Elder Castrejon (from southern California again). He is Mexican, a published rapper, barely older in the mission than me (six weeks), and shorter than me. We get along great. Yes Ottawa is the Capital. We live a few blocks from very large government buildings. It is a much prettier city than Montreal, and a lot less like Sodom and Ghommorah (seriously). Yes young people are very curious and often searching for answers. Yes we do try to speak french with eachother. We also teach some in french. Not much but a little. On Saturday we went to a YSA's family's house for dinner. He is hispanic and so they and my companion started speaking spanish. I was ready to barely understand anything when the mother turned to me and started to talk in French. I was so relieved! I could communicate with these people! It was a startling experience to realize how much I have internalized the language. I have truly been blessed with the gift of tounges. I find myself with language skills better than missionaries who have been out more than twice as long as me. It has been another testimony to me of the Reality of God and his love and care for his authorized servants.

I don't have a companion with a cord now so I can't send pictures for a while. Guess maybe later in my mission.

Goodbye all!!

February 17, 2014

8:16am

Hello all!

Got my transfer call on Saturday. Am I going? Am I staying? What color sweater am i wearing? Tune in next time to find out!!!

8:29am

Just kidding. I got my call and I am going to Dow's Lake in Ottawa. It is completely English, oh and Dow's Lake is a YSA ward. That means I get to only talk to young people and use Facebook. Not gonna lie, leaving Sherbrooke is the hardest thing I've had to do so far on my mission. I love the members here so much, and I was startled to discover that they loved me too. I have got some pictures to send of some of the families that I especially have grown to love. 

That is actually pretty much all the news I have. I will be companions with Elder Castrejon. I don't know anything about him, but I guess I will find out. We won't have a car in YSA, so hopefully my growing girth will have an opportunity to shrink a little. 

It is super awesome that Tanner is so close to getting his call. I just have this feeling that he will be coming here and that I will train him...

Ok that probably won't happen, but I can dream right? I know that T will be a great missionary wherever the Lord calls him. In fact I have a picture of his MTC companion: his name is Aubert

He is getting his papers in here too.

I love you guys and know that the Lord is in control of his work. I don't know what my e-mail situation will be in Ottawa, but I will be sending one some time next monday.

Bye!

The Beaudoin Family (plus Eden Jette on the bottom left)

February 10, 2014

Hello all!

So it is the last week of the transfer again. Next Saturday is transfer calls and I will find out what is happening. I am excited to see!

First off wow, that so incredible the progress that it sounds like is happening back in Spokane! Next up dad you need to baptize one of your partners. Ronnie is so huge!! He is seriously the biggest guy on that team! I

wish i could have been there to watch the games.

In any case things are shaky here in Sherbrooke right now. Both of our new converts are struggling. Maintaining the obedience that brought them to baptism is proving hard for them. One has started smoking again and doesn't feel worthy to come to church anymore. She got a bus pass to come to church from fast offering money, but so far hasn't used it. The other is struggling with tithing, and his problem with coffee has randomly re-surfaced. I am terrified to leave Sherbrooke. I feel a certain responsibility to them because i have been teaching one for seven months, and I found the other. I am worried I will leave and someone else will be left with all these problems.

In other news, why am I writing early? because we are going to Longueiul for a zone activity today, then a zone conference tomorrow. We are all excited because this might be the time for our mission to get ipads. Also there is going to be a meeting mid march in Montreal where all missionaries will come and a member of the Quorum of the 12 will be there! That also might be when we get a tech upgrade. We are noticibly excited about all this. 

I don't really have time today to write a ton, but I love you guys. Next Monday I will know my fate. I will attach a picture or two to this now.

The district enjoying p-day

Bye!

A light dusting

baby Xavier B, the worlds best German speaking Quebecois baby!!