February 3, 2014

Hello the Fams!! 

So you guys want a run through of a missionary day huh? First I will address some concerns: Jordan, I can't tell you exactly what it requires for you to establish good habits, I can only tell you what happened to me. I went into the MTC, and some of my problems just vanished, such as waking up and going to bed on time. Other ones are a continual struggle to completely vanquish, but I can bear testimony that any of the Lords servants who are earnestly seeking to follow his commandments will find that he has prepared a way for them to do so. All God asks is that we are sincerely trying to change, Christ's atonement takes care of the rest. 

Also Jimmy got baptized yesterday. I'll send some pictures now that the computer is deciding to notice the camera again.

Now for a normal missionary day (in Quebec): I'll do this last friday because that was a pretty good day.

•               6:30 to 8 exercise, shower, and eat

•               8 to 11 studies

•               11 to 12 lunch

•               12 to 1 Lesson with Scott (less active)

•               1:30 to 2:30 Lesson with John (recent convert)

•               2:30 to 3:30 lesson with Jimmy accompanied by John (investigator)

•               3:30 to 4:30 weekly planning (it's Friday. normally we'd knock here)

•               4:30 to 5:30 eat dinner

•               5:30 to 6:30 pick up John and drive to Stanstead for lesson

•               6:30 to 7:30 lesson with Mr. and Mrs. Ruf and John (new investigators)

•               7:30 to 8:30 return to sherbrooke

•               8:30 to 9 try to finish weekly planning (didn't had to finish the next day)

•               9 to 9:30 nightly planning

•               9:30 to 10:30 unwind and prepare for bed

•               10:30 bed

So that is a pretty busy day in Sherbrooke. Some days see less lessons and more knocking and member work, but all in all that is what it is like. It is far crazier in other missions. If you serve somewhere in Utah you don't nightly plan I've heard. The ward mission leaders call you and tell you what your schedule is, who you are teaching (lessons all day every day) and what you are teaching. Elder Wilbur met someone who waited for his visa in Orem and he had 21 baptisms in two weeks. So yea, the work varies from place to place.

Anyway, pictures time: Me Elder Wilbur, Bishop, Jimmy, and John

January 27, 2014

WWWWWHHHHAAAATTTT!!!! Mission call?!?!?!? OREGON!!! Wow. I am so happy!! Jordan you are going to be a wonderful missionary! Just don't be surprised when your trainer is like barely 19 years old. Also we will only be seperated by a little less than six months! I am so excited!

In other news our investigator's baptism is this coming Sunday. I can't believe it is going to be February in just a few days.  This last two weeks were the best weeks either of us has ever had with referrals. We received 2, and contacted 5 this last week. We are beginning to find the value of coming into member's homes and bringing the spirit. 

I have also been amazed to find that I have grown close to several families in the ward. The Beaudoin family, the Bergeron family, and Bishop Desjourdy's family have all grown very dear to me. It will be extremely difficult when I finally leave Sherbrooke to say goodbye to them. 

Also we went down to the Stanstead area last Thursday to contact some referrals. We wandered around the Ayer's Cliff and Way's Mill areas and went to Stanstead to see the border. We wanted to get as close as possible to get a picture, but we ended up on a road that WAS the border. One side of the road was U.S, the other Canada. When we passed a sign facing the other way saying "Bienvenue au Quebec" we turned around and drove back very fast. We didn't actually leave the mission, but we got way too close for comfort.

With regards to the glasses I keep just forgetting to put them on. I still need to get the nice ones fixed. The problem is every time I try to get the Costco card they just give me a temporary day pass. I'm getting frustrated.

Anyway we are going to play Risk and maybe some basketball with the sisters today for p-day, so that should be fun. Don't worry, none of it is against mission rules. We recently had a rule change that we could do activities with the sisters on p-days so now we hang out most p-days.

That is just about all. Oh and transfers are in three weeks, but we get mail every time there is a zone funcition, and there is a zone training meeting this week and a zone conference in two weeks. So there is really no stress about timing it right.

That is about all! Happy this week everyone!

January 20, 2014

P.S. Go Seahawks!!

Sorry about that pre-script. I don't know who wrote that, maybe Elder Bottello did it while I was getting a drink (cough).

Anyway, had a pretty good week this week. Our invesigator’s baptism is finally settled for the 2 of Febuary (yes a fast sunday. Bishop really wants it on a Sunday). Other than that our new member is doing well. She is going through some adversity with regards to her past. I had a cool opportunity to testify to her on Friday about the nature of our life here on earth, and what it means to become like Christ. She is still struggling to forgive some people from her past, and doesn't want to accept that Christ would act differently. We have had some good moments teaching, and also have had some success with teaching active members. We received three referrals last week, though they are all in Stanstead (one hour drive south). We are also should start teaching Michelle this week, she is a really cool referral from Aubert. He gave her a Book of Mormon two months ago, and she is already through 2 Nephi and really liking the book. We really have high hopes for her.

In other news...there isn't much else. The sisters are being normal sisters, meaning they don't understand areas very well. First they marched into our areas and started teaching all the less actives, and are still fuming because Elder Wilbur told them to stop teaching most of them. Now they are trying to get their hands on some pass-off investigators in our areas (meaning investigators from elsewhere who moved into our area) just because they want them. Jordan Paige and Lizzie, when you are missionaries remember that the Lord assigns us to our specific areas for a reason. There are cases when sisters should go see single women outside their areas, but they shouldn't just go and start teaching EVERYONE without once informing the Elders whose area it is, and then go and get furious when those same Elders accidentally call a less active single man in the Sisters area and get invited over for dinner (and DO tell the sisters about it).

Sorry about that. I've been a little frustrated with this whole thing for a while. It's really sad that Jordan's papers are delayed.  Jordan don't let this get you down. The Lord has his hand in everything, especially when it comes to missionary work. Maybe your husband is running six months behind ;) 

Today is a letter day. I am going to write a letter to the MISH class, maybe some others, and definitely to Jordan. 

Dad: stop getting older while I'm not there!

Mom: There is no greater triumph in motherhood than 6 children strong in the faith.

Jordan: Laugh.

Tanner: never forget the most important trick in sharing the gospel: flirt to convert! (joke)

Paige: love others like yourself, but don't love yourself too much, so careful how much you care about others (joke again)

Ronnie: You are too tall.

Lizzy: Brontosaurus (for lack of a better phrase)

Elder Hardy

January 13, 2014

bonjour y'all!!

Welcome to week two of "Season of Soul!" The weather has turned wierd. It has warmed way up and started raining a lot. It makes me startled to think if it had all been snow. It makes all of us antsy for things to be so wet. The moment it drops again the world will turn back into an ice rink. 

The new Elder in our apartment is Elder Botello, from southern California again. He is spanish speaking and hilarious He is about three transfers older than me in the mission. Me and Elder Wilbur are focusing on finding new people to teach through other means. We have knocked twice in these two transfers so far. We have been trying to find through referrals, referrals from members, less actives, investigators, and God. Our teaching pool is not huge, but all of the names are solid. Some of them were found while tracting, but only Jimmy actually came from knocking on a door. The others were the result of following the spirit and talking to everyone. Knocking a lot has the opposite affect. Lots and lots of names on the white board, but very few of them are actually interested and not just polite or lonely. 

Holy cow go seahawks! a Washington team acutally worth rooting for! Definetely tell me who wins the superbowl and who they beat. Not too many people care out here in Quebec. All they care about is the NHL. Qubecers are really frustrated because a Canadien team hasn't won the Stanely cup (NHL superbowl) in a very long time. 

On a more relevant note, Jimmy is moving towards baptism on the 25th. 

Well that about does it for now. Oh one more cool thing. I found studying in 1 Nephi today something I really liked. In 1 Nephi 11 right after the angel asks Nephi "knowest thou the condescention of God?" I really was struck by Nephi's response. He displays a true understanding of the base of all doctrine, and is thus ready and capable of understanding further knowledge.

Now I am done. Bye bye everyone!

Elder Hardy

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