January 6, 2014

Elder Hardy versus Sherbrooke round five GO!

Yeah so Elder Wilbur and I are staying in Sherbrooke, only Elder Freeze is leaving. He is headed to Fallowfield in Ottowa, the ward he lived in for a large portion of his life.  Elder Freeze and I have been in the same appartment since I started my mission. It is really hard to see him go. Also Sister Norris (yes that one) is coming to Sherbrooke. We are going to be in the same district. 

In other news Carole finally got confirmed. The change in her demeanor in just the last few weeks has been amazing. Her testimony is so strong that it blows me away. Also we have a tough situation with our other investigator. He wants to get baptized and tells us he is ready. He claims it has been five weeks since he smoked, but we are pretty sure it hasn't. The problem is that we only have suspicions. We are moving foreward with it, but we aren't comfortable with it. But it is not our place to be judges. These things are between him and the Lord. We have been very clear with him about how serious the covenants of baptism are, and he still wants to go foreward; so we are going foreward.

Why did I name this letter "Season of Soul?" because that is the official name I have given this transfer.   Also this last transfer was "Freezing in the Wind," which is totally the hit song that me and Elder Freeze are going to make with our band "Suicidal Bananas."

I am so excited that Jordan will get her call soon!!!! YSDFKJSLDKFJ!!!!

I am sure she is coming here. She just has to. It is the only place where we can eat American food but still learn French. The only problem is that the only Wendys' are in Ottowa plus one in Montreal. I really like the whole keeping the Sabbath focus. I have kind of made prayer a focus with the people we are teaching here. I feel like reading is great, and church attendance is vital, but prayer is really how we develop a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, and that is the only way to make it through the challenges that come in our lives.

As for the Costco card we haven't been to Costco since I got the correct number. We are able to buy in such bulk that we don't need to go every week. The first time i was missing the last number so when we go today it will work.

I don't really need anything right now.  I am still working on the candy and Christmas cookies. The scarf and sweater are much appreciated though. In fact I am wearing the sweater right now. 

I think that is all for now. I love you guys a lot!

Elder Hardy of Nottingham

Picture time!

The reason for my band name: 

Christmas Day Skype!!

Rees bore his testimony to us in French.  Grandma says it was very nice!

December 23, 2013

Wow I did not expect to be where I am right now.

I am in Longueuil, the zone leaders` area because of an ice storm in Sherbrooke. We have a Christmas party today but we came yesterday because we would not have made it out this morning. It was still sketchy getting out. Our car had almost an inch of ice on every inch of it and was freezing almost as fast as we could scrape it. we made it out though, and conditions weren`t so bad once we left the eastern townships.

So as for the call, I will be doing it at 4 in the afternoon at the Vasquez home. Elder Wilbur is doing his the 24th so it will just be me at 4 o`clock. Also Something happened with the costco card. It didn`t work. I might have written the number down wrong, but could you send it again, along with the phone number it is under? Dang these French keyboards are annoying. The symbols are all in the wrong spot.

Carole`s baptism went swimmingly. I can`t send pictures because We had to leave the apartment in a hurry and I didn`t bring the cord. It was an incredible feeling to watch someone that I taught and loved worthily make that covenant with the Lord. The joy on her face was worth everything to me.

Sorry this letter has to be shorter. We have 3 teams trying to use 2 computers so I have to go fast. unfortunately I won`t get to see any e-mails before Christmas so I will be calling at 4. I love you guys. I can`t wait to see your faces and speak french to you! I might arrange for one of the Vasquez kids to talk to me during the call so I can speak french naturally (they don`t speak English, only french and spanish). Buy until Wednesday! 

Elder Hardy

December 16, 2013

I'm not really dreaming of a white Christmas anymore. I just look outside. It has been very very cold, and very very snowy. The snow here is beautiful because it is so cold that it doesn't melt at all. On Friday it was -30 degrees Celsius plus wind chill. That is so cold that we can't go tracting. It is dangerous to be outside for too long. We still do work, but with members and less actives. Contacting won't likely pick up again until April when it starts to melt. 

Carol is getting baptized on Friday!! YAY!! Other than that not too much is knew. Thanks so much for the costco membership. I will definitely appreciate that. In fact we will be going to shop there again today. It is the best thing ever.

Now for snowy pictures!!

Me before the snow on Saturday:                          Me after the snow on Saturday:

Inside our apartment window.

Ahh Quebec. That sais "It is very hot"

I thought Ronnie might find that machine cool. It was for pouring cement from far away

The end for now. Have a good week. Oh and next monday we will have picked a time for the skyping.

December 9, 2013

Hey all you people out there!!

Welcome to round two of snowing and very very cold! This thursday is supposed to have a high of -11. The snow is falling at a crazy pace. The air is so humid that it sticks to everything. I got boots from the mission office, but I need to buy  a sweater or two today at...

COSTCO!!!! Elder Wilbur asked his mom for a membership and got it!! YAY!! Costco is the best place ever! We are going for the first time today! We are going to buy more food for like no money!! Yay!

On a sadder note, Jimmy will not be getting baptized any time soon. We found out last week that he isn't even close to off cigarettes. He can't even get to one a day. He had a great talk with the Bishop this Wednsday, and is still determined to go through with it. It will take a lot of time though. Carol is doing incredible though. She hasn't smoked for two weeks now and her date is the 20th of December. She looks like she is going to make it. She has had the program planned out for a year now, and finally will get to use it. She is such an example of strength and determination. Her whole family is so against it all that she hasn't told her kids that she is getting baptized. She really is a miracle.

Yes we get to skype for Christmas. There are several members who have offered their facilities, so that will not be a problem. I CAN"T BELIEVE JORDAN IS WORKING ON HER PAPERS!! She is going to get home close to the same time as me since...

THIS TRANSFER MARKS MY 1/4 MARK!! GAHHHHH!!!! WHERE IS IT ALL GOING!?!?! I have been gone for six months already? I can't believe it. I will be coming back in may  of 2015 so actually it is a little more than a quarter way but there are 16 transfers out in the field and this is my fourth. I almost feel cheated by how fast it is.

As for Christmas in Quebec, for most people it is nothing but an excuse to get drunk. It really isn't that big here. I am shocked by it. Most people here are anti-religion. If anything people get more angry the closer we get to Christmas. This is okay since Elder Wilbur and I are really trying to not have to knock. We do if we have to, but we are always looking for something more effective to do, like pass-byes and less active work. We know that the Johova's Witnesses will be knocking on Christmas, but we are not allowed to on the 25th. those TJ (french abbreviation) are a big hinderence in contacting since everyone thinks we are them. As for Christmas I love chocolate and cookies. Also I could really use a sweater (not a Christmas sweater) so I don't freeze to death. Other than that seeing you guys is all I will need. It is incredible the stuff people leave behind. Don't try to send me a bunch of non-food items. I will have to be brutal with suitcase space and it will be left in appartments. Elder Murphy's mom sent him a really nice excercise tube (the stretchy things) set and he had to just leave it behind. It is really fancy. The other thing is a Costco membership would be cool, but not every area has one so i don't know if it will be worth it.

Anyway that is all for this week. thanks everyone. I love you guys! 

December 2, 2013

 Hello all!!

My new companion is Elder Wilbur. He is from the same place as Elder Murphy (Anahiem, but Elder Murphy is from Irving which is very close) and came in on the same transfer. He is a lot more chill that Elder Murphy and is really the perfect second companion. He still works hard and follows the rules, but he knows how to relax when it is time to relax. So far we are getting along swimmingly. 

As for the work in Sherbrooke, we found out yesterday that Jimmy thought that quitting smoking meant reducing his smoking, so he is going to take a little longer to get baptized. Carol on the other hand has actually quit smoking and is looking very good for the 20th of December (her birthday. She missed it last year and insisted on waiting a year to get baptized.) Her conversion is very impressive, and she showed us for the first time the books she has been writing. She has written thousands of pages on various gospel topics, including a book with one chapter for each gospel principles lesson. That woman studies hard. Me and Elder Wilbur have only knocked one door so far, but we got a new investigator from it. That is what I call an effective use of time.

One effect of losing Elder Murphy is that my confidence is growing. Not only can I know begin to apply what he taught me, but Elder Wilbur doesn't know the area yet, so I have been leading out everything so far. In the next couple days that will change, but it has been a big boost to be leading lessons, and realizing that I can do it.  The thought of being the senior companion is not quite as frightening as it was before.

I have seen miracles here in Sherbrooke, and I have seen my testimony grow so much in these past four months or so that I can hardly believe it. I know that the gospel is true. I have a testimony of Bishops. I have had the privelege of being there when Bishop Desjourdy (who looks like a cross between Dad and Brother Braun) recieves revelation for the ward. He truly holds the keys to advance the work. I am proud that my own father is worthy to hold this responsability. 

Questions:

1.  What is your new companion's name?  Where is he from?  Has he served in Sherbrooke before?

            Elder Wilbur, California, no

2.  Did anyone cook you American boys a Thanksgiving Dinner?

            Yes, brother Skene from Anahiem cooked us an American thanksgiving.

3.  Have you had a chance to sing or play the piano yet on your mission?

            The last Sunday before Elder Murphy and Ruby left we sang silent night in French

4.  Tell us about something that you learned this week in your personal study...

            Haven't had much personel study time this last week. We had too many morning appointments.

5.  Does your car have good tires?

            Yes. We had to buy them and it was a mess that took two hours.

6.  Does your new companion like to cook?

            Not really. We do about 50/50 of the cooking. Mostly rice and sausage still

7.  How is the language coming?  Are you dreaming in French?

            Fluency eludes me yet, but I can talk to people without too much struggle. Also I have started to use certain phrases that are shorter in French without thinking. Only one dream though, about Elder Murphy making a grammer error in front of a bunch of people.

8.  Have you had a neat teaching experience this week that you want to tell us about?

            We had a lesson with Carol where she basically told us about how nervous she is, and I was able to use the scriptures to help respond to her fears.

9.  Are you remembering how much your family loves you and how proud we are of you?

            Yea. I try not to dwell on you guys too much, because it gets painful if it goes on too long.

10.  Is there anything you need that we can do for you?

            I need you guys to pray for Jimmy and Carol. Carol is doing better than Jimmy, but they both need our prayers.

p.s: Dad the quote is "Forget yourself and go to Work"

Now a picture or two: Me and Elder Wilbur

Me on splits with Elder Ellis, the new Zone Leader.

November 25, 2014

Hello All!!!

So I am staying in Sherbrooke for at least one more transfer, but Elder Murphy is headed off to Rimousky. I'll let you guys look up where that is and compare it to Sherbrooke and Montreal. He is pretty bummed because we have built such strong friendships here in the ward. We spent yesterday visiting members and saying bye, and we have 3 dinner appointments today as well. My new companion will be Elder Wilbur, who is also from southern California (he knew Elder Murphy before the mission). The problem is that Elder Wilbur has been blacklisted, meaning he can't drive. This means I am the driver starting Tuesday when he gets here. Yeah

It's sad because this transfer has at least two baptisms planned, with another one that could easily happen. I am very thrilled to be staying, but I wish that Elder Murphy could stay too, but It just isn't in the Lord's plan I guess.

That is just about all the news I have this week. I'm going to send pictures now.

I love you guys!! 

ps, Elder Murphy lives not far from that Ruby's and went there all the time.

Me, Elder Murphy, Scott James (the less active) and John

Here is me and Muhammed, the super awesome ex-muslim from Iran who is searching for the truth while studying for his PhD in computer science. He is cool.