July 21, 2014

A week of potluck and open-minded gay couples

Ok so I'll just start with the gay couple thing. We were knocking doors on Saturday trying to find students when the door was opened by two young guys who informed us that they were "together." When we didn't pull out wooden crosses, hiss like vampires, and run away, they became interested in what we were sharing and let us in. We taught them the Restoration and talked a while. They were impressed when we told them that, while God doesn't agree with or condone their lifestyle, he loves them just the same as us, so why would we hate them? They asked us for a Book of Mormon and we gave them each one. They aren't going to be investigators, they aren't at that point on their personal journey, but we left a very positive impression and I could tell they felt the spirit. Cool story of the week.

Crazy how tall Ronnie is getting. I think I need to start calling him little Ron instead. More appropriate. Ronnie is an 8 year old in my mind. I'm so thrilled that T went through the temple! I can only imagine what joy it brings to see your children enter into that sacred place and make those covenants. 3 down three to go! 

Yesterday was the culmination of our districts plan to take matters into our own hands with regards to having activities in the ward. We put on a "meet the missionaries" potluck. It went surprisingly well. The whole ward who was at church stayed for the potluck and some Chinese potentials showed up as well. It was a great opportunity to get to know the members better, and was good for the ward to have SOMETHING during the summer. May was the last activity. For the event Elder Laouto and I made Shepherd's pie. It was a disaster zone in the kitchen making it (we had to go back and cook more potatoes twice) but it turned out really well and it all got eaten. Here it is in progress and finished (before the oven): 

In other news: not much. I know that this gospel is the true restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep up the missionary work back home!

Love you all.

Elder Hardy the Hobbit

July 14, 2014

Hello everyone!

So today is France's independence day (not sure what they became independent from) so half our district is super excited. Our district has eight missionaries and four of them are from France (or were raised there and speak french first). On top of that one of the four non-frenchies is Elder Laouto, who speaks french first as well. Needless to say, lots of french goes on, which is hard for the senior couple from Utah that is in our ward and likes to come to our meetings (they're the only ones that didn't at least get called to learn french).

In other news I've decided to add Vitamin C to my diet. I don't know if I mentioned it before, but I think I have scurvy. I haven't had anything resembling an orange or another citrus fruit since Sherbrooke (yes this does imply I was eating oranges. Not being able to eat candy does that to a person) and my gums had started to swell and my joints were hurting. That's right ladies and gentletoads, I got SCURVY on my mission. I started taking some multivitamins with vitamin C and the swelling went down and my joints went back to normal, so that pretty much confirmed my suspicions. I never realized how important eating healthy, or eating rice and beef with a big pill, was to one's health.

I got a note on Facebook from someone who Elder Murphy and I found in Sherbrooke in October. I taught her all the way until I left, but she never really progressed. I want to share the note with you. It is one of the highlights of my mission so far (She's French so excuse her English grammar):

I'm going VERY VERY WELL ! I'll be baptised on Saturday July 19th ; it's coming pretty soon ! I'm so excited and filled with so much JOY ! I think my heart with explode ! And I'm so blessed to be back with our Heavenly Father, to feel back His LOVE and His FORGIVENESS for me, a so great sinful person ... I feel that i'm beginninh a new chapter in my life and that with by baptism, I'll be as pure as a newborn ! And my new family in faith is so marvelous with me, everybody is so nice with me that I feel very at home going to the church every Sunday ! And most of all, I thank God many times a day for you and elder Murphy crossing and entering into my life that particular evening of last October. When we first met that evening, God had answered a prayer I was saying for a long time to guide me toward a Church where I could really live my faith and find a loving family. And now, it's done ! Halleluja ! Halleluja ! Halleluja ! Also, since I truly opened my heart, soul and mind to our Heavenly Father, everything is going much better into my life, I'm less anxious concerning my day to day life, I feel less pain in my hip, I wake up happier to live a new wonderful day feeling so much joy and love in my heart, soul and mind !

LIFE IS JUST SO GREAT !

Thank you very dear brother in faith !

-J L

I'm so grateful to know that, in some small way, I helped the Savior make a difference in someone's life. Even if nothing ever comes from the rest of my mission, this letter made it 5000% worth it.

Joy is known to no man, until he gives it to another.

Elder Hardy

p.s. Almost no one showed up to church in our ward yesterday because they all were watching the World Cup. LOL YSA problems!

me eating delicious african bean thingy that was way too hot for me:

Me all sweaty:

July 7, 2014

Hello!

Wow no internet, sad life! At least none of you seem to be home right now lol!

This week has been pretty standard. Still trying to find people to teach. Saw a less-active on Thursday that I called up randomly, but she isn't at all interested in coming back to church or receiving the lessons right now so it was a one-hit-wonder kind of thing. Been improving in my contacting. Elder Laouto really likes soccer so we've been going to the various fields near the Universities and he jumps in and plays and talks to the players, while I talk to the other spectators. It has really been a useful approach. The game going on gives an easy in to start talking to people, then I just chat with them for a bit and guide the conversation towards the gospel. When you show genuine desire to know the person they begin to reciprocate and ask questions like "Are you from Ottawa?" From there it is a piece of cake to start talking about the gospel. It is cool to see that the more I engage myself as a missionary, the more the spirit is with me, and the easier it becomes to not only contact, but contact effectively. I know it is the Lord who makes anything I do happen. Without His help I probably wouldn't manage to do anything from 6:30 to 10:30, heck I probably wouldn't be able to even get up at 6:30. I'm finding that truly I must rely on Him in everything, or else failure is the inevitable result.

I love receiving Sister Hardy's letters. Her optimism and energy is what I have been praying to hear about for a long time now. Also she has an ipad. So jealous. Though it was on the Church news that the Church is ready to expand its use of ipads to all North American missions within the next year. Hurray! That will be cool and make our work that much more effective. Also e-mails won't be such a stressful part of p-day. 

I love this work. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that this is his gospel I preach, and his Church I am endeavoring to build. I love you all very much!

Also shout-out to Maddie for writing me this week! Love you bunches cousin! Also yes, you should have sold it. ;)

Elder Hardy

June 30, 2014

Hello and greetings to all!!

So this week has been a pretty good one. On Monday we played basket-ball with our zone-leaders/roomates for like the third week in a row. Really starting to love basket-ball in a way I didn't before. I can't wait to play it with T again, I didn't really try back then, but now I've grown in confidence quite a bit. 

That's just the boring part of my pretty good week. Tuesday was boring at first, but in the evening James (his English name), the Chinese Elders' investigator, was baptized. Another recent convert named Julia (again her English name) gave a talk on obeying the commandments and it was so impressive I saved a copy of it. The fire of her testimony was just such an inspiration to see in someone who, just a few months ago, knew absolutely nothing about religion and God. Then James bore his testimony and the same fire was evident in his words as he told a little of his story in searching for the truth. That was a good night.

Then on Wednesday things got really good. I've mentioned before that I've really struggled to do any personal contacting. Well that afternoon was empty so we planned to go contacting by the University of Ottawa (over 40,000 students in the fall and winter by the way). I didn't have the best morning for studies or exercise (exercise none, studies distracted) and wasn't feeling too confident. Then something changed. I felt prompted to go pray. It was noon and time to go, but I closed myself in the bathroom with the lights off and started to pray. I had the most fervent prayer of my entire life in that bathroom. I told the Lord that I would give up all of my sins if he would give me the strength to contact. After I finished the prayer we left to go to "the square" and talk to people. I didn't feel any less scared or feel any stronger, but I knew that I had been sincere in my promise, and had faith that the Lord would honor my promise. The first person was a young woman that Elder Laouto contacted who wasn't interested, then I butted in and asked a question. I talked to her a bit and gave her our number, which she hadn't accepted at first. Then the next person was also a young woman. To my surprise it was me who contacted her! I ended up exchanging numbers with her and yesterday I called and set up an appointment for next week. For the next 30 minutes I contacted the peoples just like a normal missionary should (didn't find anyone else but that's personal contacting for ya). Then we got kicked out because technically we aren't supposed to solicit on campus property, but the spot is so good we YSA missionaries always go there anyway. After that we went knocking in a building we had noticed was full of students, but it was like 2:00 so no one was home. We planned to go knock and contact near the other giant University in Ottawa (Carlton University), but during dinner Elder Laouto gave a routine phone call to a media referral we've been trying to contact and she answered. He asked if we could come visit and she said to come right then. We left our food on our plates and made the 30 minute bus ride and walk to her house and met Jennifer. She's living with her boyfriend, and they have a kid (that makes her not YSA sadly) but she is super open and prepared. We taught her the restoration while she fed us and her 4-year old daughter hot-dogs (her boyfriend wasn't interested). She's looking for direction and a way to strengthen her little family. She thinks the family is the most important thing in the world, and we are really excited for her, even though we have to pass her off. :(

I didn't magically become perfect, or even become an accomplished contact-er, but I finally began to see progress in myself, and it has filled me with optimism and hope. I know I've been a junior companion for so long partly because I haven't been ready to lead, but hopefully this means I'm getting closer to being able to fill those positions if necessary. 

the rest of the week was normal. We did end up going to Carlton yesterday and it was such a good spot we'll definitely be going back often.

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the atonement and the joy it brings. This Sunday when I took the sacrament I felt the cleansing power of that ordinance more powerfully than I have ever felt before. I know without any doubt that this is the restored Church of Jesus Christ in these latter days. I love all of you, and I look at the pictures on my lovely calender every day.

Elder Hardy

p.s. If I were to receive a package I would be so happy to see lots of chips ahoy, some pictures of home (seriously I love receiving those), and maybe some vitamin C I've been feeling unhealthy about my diet of rice and browned meat stewed in onions and tomatoes (my only dish). Though don't stress, I'm not in any dire need.

p.p.s I haven't been receiving Jordan's e-mails. Is that possible to get?

p.p.p.s. Me at the Rideau Canal, which freezes over and becomes the worlds longest ice rink during the winter.

June 23, 2014

THE BIG TRANSFER NEWS:

nothing. Nothing is changing. ;)

Same area, same companion, same roomates, same district leader, same district leader's companion. I absolutely love all of them so this is great news!!! I'll be spending one more with Elder Laouto, but probably not more than that due to major area closures that should be coming in next transfer. 

In other news:

I've lost like twenty pounds so far here in YSA so the pants were way too big. Luckily they didn't fall off. 

It was an unforgettable experience to feel him go down into the water and see the happiness on his face when he came back up. Naol is someone very special to me, and I will value his friendship the rest of my life.

Not too much else to report. Just normal missionary life. My focus this week will be really exercising every morning. Still struggling with that. Just got to tell myself: "When you get back you have to get married!"

I love you guys. I know that the work in which we are engaged is not the work of men, but the work of God. Doing a baptism has given me a new perspective on how REAL this all is. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. These are the last days, and this is the last chance that the children of God have to accept it before Christ comes again. Satan is real and very active. He's seeking out every scrap of pride in the Church and using it to tear as many of the elect away as he can. We must cling to the Church, trust our leaders, and NEVER stop studying the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. If we do this we will not go astray.

I love you all!

Elder Hardy

Me and Marcel. We're pretty cool

Me cooking chicken (for realsies guys)

June 16, 2014

I think I might start sending the letters this way. Now I can see your letter while I write. 

WHAAAAATTT!!!! Paige is learning to drive?!?!?!?!?!? That isn't allowed. She's still 8 years old! Eight year old people don't learn to drive!! It was bad enough when T learned to drive as a 12 year old. Why is you guys growing ups and stuff? Why?

Anyway Naol passed his baptismal interview on Saturday so it looks like he's going to be ready for the 21st. We've been visiting him a lot. He couldn't make it to church yesterday because he was in Toronto, but we are formulating plans to further get him involved and known in the ward. Our main strategy is getting Arzan the recent convert to come to a lesson or two. Arzan is the social heart of the ward. If he invites everyone to come to the baptism, everyone will come. The only sad thing is that Naol's parents will be at the Toronto temple during his baptism so they will probably not be there. 

Other than that life is good. Transfer calls again this Saturday. Just keeping on keepin' on. Kinda tired this morning. I think I'll send lots of pictures instead of lots of words. :)

Sorry about any repeats

Love Elder Hardy

The current district (minus elder laouto for some reason)

Me on a bridge at sunset

 Me by a waterfall

Just Me.

June 10, 2014

HI!

I got Sister Hardy's letter today. Thanks for forwarding those. I love reading what she writes. Also sorry about being late one day. Our p-day got moved to Tuesday for this week because we had zone conference for 6 hours yesterday. YAY! 

But seriously it was awesome. President Patrick taught us about how the restoration connects to the Gospel of Jesus Christ (you've all read PMG so I expect you know the 5 principles of the gospel. Seriously every member in the church should study those 5 lessons frequently. Understanding them is crucial). He showed how the major events of the restoration correlated with the five principles of the Gospel. The first vision restored the ability to have true faith in Jesus Christ by providing a special witness of him. The appearance of the angel Moroni came when Joseph was praying for forgiveness. John the Baptist restored the Aaronic Priesthood when Joseph and Oliver were praying to know the proper method of baptism. Peter James and John later appeared (we have no record of why Joseph and Oliver were praying this time) and restored the Melchisedek Priesthood, which gave them the authority to give the gift of the Holy Ghost. Finally, Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith in the Kirkland temple while he and (was it Hyrum?) were praying, and restored the authority to make further covenants with God, and perform the sealing ordinance, the most important step in enduring to the end.

The point behind all this was to help show us how we as missionaries are not here to baptize people, we are here to help and invite people to live the gospel, since that is how one is saved. When teaching and inviting, especially to baptism, making sure the investigator sees it from this angle provides great power and clarity to the invitation. What's more, a person CAN'T and SHOULDN'T get baptized until he has faith in Jesus Christ (the real one, not the one who is also the father and the spirit and also just an comprehensible blob filling the universe) repents and abandons his sins, and is prepared to keep the covenant that baptism is. I really learned a lot from that zone conference, and was greatly uplifted and edified. 

In other news Naol has moved his baptismal date to the 21st of June so he can attend the other baptism which will be on the 14th (someone in the home ward). He's nervous about the proceedings of the service and wants to see one first (we assured him he doesn't have to talk in front of everyone if he doesn't want to). Other than that things are going well. Yesterday I received a phone call from the Elders in Sherbrooke informing me that Josee (don't know if I ever mentioned her. Me and Elder Murphy found her on a bench after an investigator dropped us) is getting baptized in July! That made my day! 

Also Mom, I don't think I'm going to end up buying a camera. Don't have time to go shopping. My p-days are really tight. Go ahead and take back that money you put on my card. I'll just just get by with the perfectly functional camera I have.

Love you all!

Elder Hardy

pic # 1: A picture me and Elder Castrejon took on the phone, texted to a member, he e-mailed it to me, and now I'm sending it to you. Guard it well for it is the best picture I've ever taken. We have no idea how it turned out so good:

Pic #2: a cool monument

pic # 3: Me and my beloved companion