Hello family and
friends and acquaintances and friends of my family and friends of my friends
and friends of my acquaintances and friends of my family's friends and random
strangers.
This week was
pretty normal, then yesterday things got cool. You want good contact stories?
Well first we were crossing a street to get to the mall to get on our Facebook
(yay the future!) when some random guy just stopped in the middle of the street
and told us he saw our people on stage in London (at this point I became wary
of weird anti-stuff). He asked if he could have a picture with us, and we said
yes. Elder Laouto pulled out a Book of Mormon and he snapped a selfie with us
and him. Then he asked what we were doing. We said we were talking to people
about the Book of Mormon (all this in the middle of the street) so he motioned
for us to move to a less dangerous location and tell him more. We explained
what it was and why it was important. He asked some questions and we answered
them. He asked where he could get a Book of Mormon and we gave it to him along
with our number. Pretty solid contact. It was cool to see how the play, even
though it is negative itself, is good for missionary work. The guy told us he
knew that the play probably wasn't accurate, and he wanted to know what we are
actually about.
Then later we
talked to a guy on the bus who had investigated the church when he was younger.
He had stopped because he couldn't believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet,
mainly because he doesn't think there could be any more scripture. He then bore
his testimony of the Savior to us. I think he expected it to make us melt or
something. Well I turned around and bore my own testimony of the Book of Mormon
as the convincing evidence of Christ. I was surprised to find that my testimony
is a lot stronger than when I started my mission. He was visibly affected by my
testimony. He still didn't want to meet with us, but he said it was the sixth
time in the last year that he has run into missionaries. Only two more to go I
guess.
Yeah other than
that things are going well. Naol is preparing for baptism on June 14th. We may
have to push it back a week because we're running out of time to teach the
material, but he is accepting everything, reading the Book of Mormon, praying,
and overall seems to already have a testimony of the Church. His dad is a big
help. His dad is a tremendous example of Faith. His dad joined the Church about
a year ago when he had a dream where he was told by an angel that the Church
was true. He has been anchored like a rock to that truth and bugs us all the
time about getting his son baptized. He also visits his son and bears testimony
to him regularly. That is usually a big help in this sort of thing.
Life is good. I
find myself praying more and more earnestly as time goes on. I find that I
can't do what I need to without the Spirit, but if I do what I have to to get
the spirit, not only am I strengthened, but people around me see that spirit
and stop and talk to us more frequently (I only told two stories about yesterday
but there were about 3 more).
I know that the
restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is the true path. I know it because it is the
only path in which the Spirit testifies of every aspect of it. I know that the
priesthood has been restored, and that without it man can do nothing pertaining
to salvation. I know that the temple is the House of God. I know with a surety
beyond what reason can give that the work done in those places is Holy, and the
work done for the dead is valid and necessary for their salvation. I know
personally that there are those who wait on the other side of the veil,
rejoicing as we complete their work for them, and they await us in the spirit
world to embrace us and thank us for what we do. Above all else I know that
Jesus is the Christ. He lived on the earth as one of us, but he lived
perfectly. I know that he suffered and died for my sins, and the sins of all
men. What's more I know that he lives. He is the great conqueror of sin and
death, and because he lives I will too. I know that through the sealing power
of HIS priesthood, I can live eternally with my family in the kingdom of
heaven.
I love you all. I
can't wait for Christmas when I get to see you all again. Keep sharing the
Gospel, and keep living it! What else matters?
Love, Elder Hardy
p.s. the saga of
the thin mints:
