May 26, 2014

Hello family!!

First before I forget: Shout out to Madie, who wrote to me. To all you other cousins I refer you to Alma 60:6. That's a joke by the way. :)

This last week has had its ups and its downs. Steeves, who had a baptismal date for May 24, dropped us via Facebook four days before. Just decided he doesn't want to change his ways. From what he said it seems he didn't have a testimony yet, so it is good he didn't get baptized, but It makes me super sad that he decided to stop trying to get one. That got us down, but then at the end of the week two more people accepted dates. It was amazing. Me and Elder Laouto were trying to figure out how to get more committeds, then we realized that the way to get people to commit to baptism was to invite them. So we did. Naol from Ethiopia accepted a date for the 14 of June, and Caroline accepted August 2nd as a baptismal date! Both are doing very well, and Naol should get baptized in the next two weeks. Also while I was taking an unfortunately long potty-break (I swear the Asian food Elder Carrier made was poisoned, tasted good though) Elder Laouto went crazy with the phone and called a whole bunch of people that neither of us knew. As a result we were able to meet with some former investigators who didn't have teaching records and some old potentials. That was a pleasant turn of events

In other news, I performed my first ordinance on my mission (besides giving blessings). I ordained Matthew Dingwall to the office of a Priest. He is a returning member we have been working with. When I met him he was doing drugs, drinking heavily, unemployed, and living with his girlfriend. Over the course of just three months he moved in with some other (male) members of the ward, quit drugs and alcohol, dumped the girlfriend (such a bad influence) and found a job. Yesterday he passed the sacrament for the first time in over six years, and is back on track to serve a mission. He told me last monday when we visited him that I had played a central role in helping him come back. He thanked me and asked if I would ordain him. I was so touched to know that I had played a small part in helping someone apply the Atonement in their life. I'll never forget that experience.

I'd better cut it short today. I'm running out of time. Still got to write President. Love you all. Remember always that Christ is the rock upon which we must build our foundation. All other philosophies, creeds, paths, and gospels will fail in the end, but Christ will not. Those who choose him and stick with him will find themselves high and dry when the floods of mortality finally recede. 

Love!

Elder Hardy

p.s. Got the package finally this last Friday. LOVE the calender. It was exactly what I was thinking of! Gots it hanging up right in the middle above my desk. Also the cookies were the best thing that has happened! I was just saying that morning how much I loved and missed thin mints. The picture says the rest.

May 19, 2014

Hello Family!!

Of course I get to write today. The church building doesn't close on Victoria day! And neither does the gospel-related thingies that I do all day. :)

Just feeling fabulous today! We went out right after studies and played tennis for about an hour in the abundant sunshine. It was quite lovely. The weather has finally turned here in Ottawa, and my concerns have gone from keeping warm, to dealing with sweat stains. Elder Laouto is a great guy. His English is better than I thought, and he's just a fun, easygoing guy. An islander through and through. That being said he is a man with no fear about talking to people. He will be a big support in helping me fully crack my anti-contacting shell. We've set goals and I have already started to improve a bit. Not any cool stories yet, but I've begun to talk to more people. This is what the area needs, since several people dropped us on Tuesday, Elder Castrejon's last day. 

Steeves is doing good though. His date was this coming Saturday, but we're going to have to move it back a week or so because we haven't been able to see him enough due to his insane work schedule. He should still get baptized though. :)

With regards to the zone leaders we live with, Elder Marcus Smith left, and Elder Carrier replaced him. Elder Carrier came in with me. He is a Mandarin-speaking Elder who was raised in France, but now his family lives in Utah. He's pretty cool. He and Elder Ballard make a good team. Gonna miss Elder Smith though, and so do all the YSA women and sister missionaries ;) 

Yeah that's it. Just gonna send some pictures to finish things off.

Love you all!

1. Me with Elder Laouto

2. Me at Parlament

3. Guess what's coming to Ottawa?! 

May 12, 2014

Hello Family!

It was so great to talk to all of you as well!! Just like you guys, I don't have too much else to say. I said it all yesterday. Super excited about my new companion, though I'm really sad to see Elder Castrejon go. He was such a great example of charity and a desire to change, and I try and will keep trying to emulate his example. I'm excited to receive Elder Laouto though. Can't wait to see what he can teach me. Also excited because he is my first non-district leader companion ever. Woot! Normal missionary team!! So excited!

I also feel bad that I didn't have any happy stories to tell. I thought about it and I guess Jimmy's story is pretty cool. We were knocking in the slums of Sherbrooke when we knocked on this door and this gruff, half awake sounding voice asks us (in English) who it was. Elder Murphy hates being talked to through the door, so he used his usual trick: he said "it's us." As it often does, that did the trick and Jimmy opened the door to see who "us" was. We introduced ourselves and he invited us in immediately. He led us into the smelliest, nastiest, smokiest little apartment I'd ever seen (I've since seen worse). He asked us a rather odd question once we sat down. He asked: "what happened? Where'd the other guys go?" Turns out that about a month ago the Elders that we had replaced had knocked this same building and Jimmy had let them in and listened to them. He had less-active acquaintances and was interested in improving his life and growing closer to God. Those Elders had never come back despite promising to teach him more. Over the 7 months that I met with Jimmy I got to know him very well. He changed a lot. He didn't get more educated, but his mind started to wake up a little more. He didn't become stronger socially, but he gained the humility to ask for help in dealing with the people who were abusing him. By the time of his baptism even his apartment didn't smell so bad. He likely will never be able to completely chase out the smell of cigarettes, but it's much fainter now. Last I've heard Jimmy is doing very well. He has some friends in the ward there, and while he doesn't know a lot, he knows that the gospel has brought him closer to his Heavenly Father, and that is all he needs.

Love you guys so much!

Elder Hardy

May 5, 2014

Haldo all!!

Just another e-mail. This week has been normal. Trying to juggle our investigators and find more to somehow add into the juggling. Our investigator Fabrice is finally starting to progress. He accepted a Book of Mormon, he wouldn't take one before, and seems to be growing in genuine interest. It started when he asked us to teach him about the law of Chastity. So we did. It turns out it is something he really needed to hear. It helped him understand what sin is, and really provided opportunities to testify of the Atonement. 

So excited to hear about and from Sister Hardy!! Sounds like she is having a wonderful experience. It is so foreign to me to think of only spending like 10 days in the MTC. I didn't feel totally ready after six weeks, and I'm not even talking about french. But then I got out and realized that it was the trainers who do most of the real teaching, and the MTC is just to cover the basics. I'm sure Jordan will do great! Our mission President told us that Elder Neil L. Anderson told him that the wave of sister missionaries is being sent by the Lord to soften the hearts of all the Melchizedek Priesthood holders who had left the Church, and I have seen it happen so many times. The sweetness and firmness of a sister missionary is so powerful that I sometimes wish I could just pass-off all my investigators to them. I know that there are people here who need what Elders bring, but it truly is the Sisters who have impressed me the most out here. So excited to have one that is my sister!!

I'm not sure what the details are on when I will be calling you guys on Mother's day, but I will e-mail you again when I have that figured out. I can't wait to see all of your faces!! I'm so grateful for the mission I was assigned to. It is exactly the mission I needed: super intense. I don't know what other missions are like, but our mission has such a serious tone that there is little room for apostate (missionary lingo for disobedient) behavior. I learn a lot from the no-nonsense attitude that 85% of the missionaries and 100% of the leaders have. I'm so blessed to have a Father in Heaven who knows me, and cares for me. I love you all so much!!

Also transfer calls are this Saturday.

Elder Hardy

Me and Elder Castrejon being bosses

April 28, 2014

Hello All!!

Had a good week. Steeves is doing absolutely fantastic, and is super excited about his baptismal date on May 24. We taught him the Word of Wisdom and the law of Chastity in one visit this week. We started by teaching the word of wisdom, then asked him why he thought the Lord would give us this commandment. He said that he really liked how the commandment emphasizes avoiding addictions and started talking about how it should include moral purity as well since he feels that society is destroying itself with an addiction to immorality. At that point we taught him the law of Chastity. He is thirsting for the gospel, and at times we aren't pouring it out fast enough for him! It is incredible to see someone so prepared to accept the gospel. The only doctrinal point left to cover is tithing and fasting, then some preparation for his interview, and the interview itself. There is no joy greater than seeing someone recognize the same joy and satisfaction in the gospel that you do. It gives us a tiny little glimpse at the joy God feels when we do what is necessary to return to him.

Jordan, I'm so excited I can hardly breath! You are going to be such a great missionary! I know the road has not been easy, but I think you will find that the experiences you've had in these last couple of months and years have given you an ability to testify very powerfully. The Lord never punishes us with trials, but through him we can turn the trials we face to our advantage. Follow President Larson's advice at all times, and look up the talk "The fourth missionary." I don't remember who it is from, but he takes the doctrines of sacrifice and consecration and applies it to missionary work in a way that has changed my perspective greatly. Don't worry, this one is not a weird "deep doctrine" thingy, it was given by a mission president :)

Yeah, that's it for this week. Been having a good time and improving in my missionary skills. Maybe by the end of my mission I'll be "good" at it, but for now I'm happy with "getting better."

I love you guys so much! Always remember the savior, because that is what we all promised to do when we were baptized, and we renewed that promise yesterday when we took the sacrament. I know that the Lord lives, and that he speaks to us through prophets today. I can and do have a personal relationship with him, and by his stripes I am healed. I know these things more than I know anything else. No matter what is said or done, nothing can change that knowledge. All other knowledge must conform around those truths.

Elder Hardy

My Current District

I don't think you'll find this in Bulgaria. It was super hard to find it here! Not that we were looking...

Can't remember if I showed you guys what happened to my foot. That was after cleaning it out with rubbing alcohol and rinsing it. YAY Non-car areas!!