Sunday, August 30, 2009

August 26, 2009

Buenas,
Si eso es bien chevere que puedes hablar espanol papa. Donde aprendiste? Google? Wow! Que Ready! Well everything is good here. Last week was a little rough on the teaching aspect. We had a lot of appointments fall, and we havent been able to teach a couple of our investigators, but we have some appointments set up this week with them. I went on a trafeoff with our zone leaders on monday. So I went up to cayey. It was pretty good, we even ate at chillis, so you know it was good.
That is cool you got to talk with Emily a bunch. Dont count on me singing. The reason I saw that is that I cant sing in English very well anymore. It feels really wierd to try it. So maybe I will just sing a couple in Spanish. Haha, on our tradeoff I tried praying in English, and it was super funny. My zone leader said that they just pray in English so I tried it for our night time prayers. I had to really think how to do it, and I said a lot of things wrong. It's just that I haven't prayed in English for almost a year. I talk in English every day, so that is still normal, but praying is a whole other thing.
Yes transfers are next week, so I will be emailing on tuesday, dont forget now. I hope I can stay here. are engaged. I heard Ryan hatch is probably going to get engaged soon.
I cant think of any music right now, but if you want to send me some, that would be cool. Oh yea, and what do you want to do about the memory cards? Dime lo que pasa!
Alright here is a little joke. There was a puerto rican in new york, and he tried to buy a coke from the coke machine. He only had 90 cents, and when he put his money in the machine, it said "Dime", so he leaned forward and said, "I'd like a coke please." Haha, dime means "tell me"
Well i love yall very much, we are going golfing today. I am trying to figure out how to pay my ticket, but im getting that done this week, because I could be shipped out. Pero nos vemos.

August 19, 2009

Dear family,
Hows it going? Everything is good, little dissapointed that the Hurricane didnt hit, it changed dirrection and isnt coming here anymore, but what can you do you know? No, it wuold have been bad if it hit, but I just want to see one in my life, thats all im saying. Well That is really good that the family night went really good. Glad to hear everyone enjoyed it, you guys are doing your part in strengthening the Church of Christ. Well Had a car accident a couple of days ago. We turned in behind this big Van into a neighborhood, and then he just started reversing, I was stopped and tried to Honk at him, but he came right into us. So we gotta take it into a body shop next week. Maybe be on foot for a day or two, I dont know how we will survive.
Nothing much new, found a couple of new people, but we are going to see how serious they are. It is always so hard telling how interested someone is in the beggining. I wish i had that super power, to know someones true intent.
Well today we arent doing anything super exciting, playing a little basketball and other things of that nature. Hey i will send you my card when you send me my card, because I have to have something to take pictures on. Actually can you check how much space is left to take videos? I love taking random videos, so if there aint any room left, tell me and I will just keep this card I have, and send you pictures. Sorry for the short email, but I Love you.

August 12, 2009

Dear Family,
That is really cool that you are having the new converts over for FHE. You are really doing your part to strengthen their testimonies, and really strengthening the ward, because they are going to bring some really strong testimonies to the ward. Well here goes my shout out:
Hey this is Elder Hardy from Puerto Rico. That is so awesome that you have taken this life changing decision, to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ, and to know that he really does live. This is his Church, and he really is the head of the Church. He has a living prophet today because he loves us, and he really wants to guide and bless us in this world. I can only imagine the blessings you are receiving from putting your faith in Christ and his restored Church. I have seen the blessings in many peoples lifes, it is amazing to see how much the lord really does care for his sheep. Don't ever forget the first time you knew that this church was true. Dont ever forget when God spoke to your heart telling you that these things are true. When hard times come, and we have trials, we just need to remember that very first time we received an answer about this church. When we remember that experience, there is no trial that is too hard, there is nothing that can stop our faith, because we can not deny that God really did answer our prayers, and that this really is his Church. I know with all of my heart that God lives, He literally is our father, and that he loves us. Keep growing your faith, and putting your trust in the Lord. God is Happy with your decisions to join the Church. Elder Hardy
Well I hope that shout out is ok. This week was pretty crazy. There is a member that I am pretty good buddies with, his name is Alexis. he is 23 and always comes teaching with us, and comes and hangs out with us on P days; right now he is preparing to go on a mission, but because of medical stuff it has been hard. the other day he called us, and just, "Come to house." So we got over there and he stumbled out and just signaled with his hands to give him a blessing. He could barely tell us his full name, and was really struggling to breathe. After the blessing he had tears in his eyes, and gave us hugs. After a minute he wasn't struggling as much to breathe, and he could kind of talk. He said that he had a lot of pain in his lungs. so we took him over to the Hospital to get him checked out. I was really scared when we got over there, and he couldnt even talk. But it was amazing to see the power of a priesthood blessing. Not a minute after and he was able to talk, and tell us what was wrong so that we could take him to the hospital. It was a big testimony to me, that the priesthood really is here on the earth, and that God really does Love us, and wants to bless us.
I'm pretty worried about another member though. We have become pretty good friends with him, his name is Edwin, but its not the Edwin that we baptized. this Edwin has been Inactive for a while, but has recently been coming back. We are also probably going to baptized his daughters boyfriend, he has a lot of interest, and came to church last week. But we went over to give Edwin a blessing last week before he went into the doctors, because he has been having some problems. He came over to our house the other day, and said that they arent sure what it is, maybe a tumor or cancer. he said that he's not sure if he is going to live, he doednt know if his heart can take it because he has had problems in the past. It was a big awakening to me, of who I really am. He didnt even tell his wife because he didnt want to worry her until they know for sure. And he chose us to come talk to, to get comfort. I still feel like I am just that teenager I was when I left. But out here I am a representative of the Lord. It was just an eye opener to me, I am expected to know all the answers, and to be prepared at all times to serve and help Gods children.
Our week was pretty good. We found some pretty cool people. a cute little family, the father is really interested. So I am pretty excited about them. We also got that members boyfriend, Alvin.
Haha, I dont know why Briley would say dada if she wanted to play. Haha, actually that comes as no surpise, i am sure Nate is an awesome father.
hey also, can you send me when everyones birthdays are, because I have a horrible memory. I would ahve liked to send daniel a card, but i will send it this week. Well i love you all very much.



Love Elder Hardy

August 8, 2009

Hey Hey Hey,
How is my family doing? Well not too much new this week. This morning we left at 5 o'clock to go hike a mountain and watch the sun rise, cook some breakfeast burritos, and do our studies. it was way beautiful. Because we could see all of Arroyo and the ocean, and the sun coming up. Up at the top of the mountain there is this cool abandoned house, so we did our studies in that. Next week I am pretty sure we are going fishing, im not sure in a lake or in the ocean.
Right now we are just trying to get a lot of investigators. We have got a couple who seem legit, pero vamos a ver. Elder Ralston is a very good fun Elder, he has just got to learn what i learned after my first transfer, RELAX. He gets frustrated over the spanish and stuff, but you just got to learn that it will come. I ahve learned to mellow out a little. There are the ABC missionaries. Anal, Buck (disobedient), and Chill.
Ok so one night me and Elder Polanco were working in some really tall apartments, they were 20 floors high. We were just visiting investigators/members, and tracting, we were using the elevator a lot that night. we had planned to be there all night, but around 8:30 we decided to go visit someone somewhere else. The next day we came back in the afternoon for an appointment. In the middle of my opening prayer, we heard a thud outside, and the lady jsut screamed and ran out the door. So I just stoped and we were looking at eachother like what in the world. When the lady came back she said, "I thought the elevator dropped again." We were just like again? Then she told us how the night before it free fell from the 12 floor to the 2, and that her family was in it. She said that her uncle or grandpa had a heart attack and had to go to the hospital. Can you imagine being in the situation, free falling for 10 floors? Wow, so it is just a testimony to me that God really does care. For some reason we decided to leave those apartments. We just need to listen to the spirit and rely on God.
Well goodbye family, I love you much, keep looking for ways to open the doors to share the gospel. Right now we are trying to get the members to do service for their neighboors, and jsut make new friends, so that they can open the doors to hear the message. So this week go talk to one of our neighboors, pray and look for ways to serve them, so that they can have a chance to receive the blessing that we already have.


Love Elder Hardy

July 29, 2009

Fam,
Hey sorry for not emailing last week. We went golfing in the morning, and got trapped in some crazy storm, the puerto ricans called it a honda (not sure on the spelling) But we were on hole 8 and i thought a hurricane hit. There were so many branches and leaves flying around. So we had to go kick it in the club house. It ended up taking a little longer than expected, plus we had to go pick up our greenies from the office, which is a hour and a half away. So that is why I couldt write last week. I am very sorry, I hope I didnt cause any stress. But yes I am safe and healthy, so dont worry.
Well Elder Large is in Las Piedras, I am going to miss him. We were pretty good buddies. After the mission I am sure we will hangout. But now I am a happy Father. Whenever you train you are a father, and the greenie is your son. So my father in the mission is Elder Contreras. But my sons name is Elder Ralston. He is so funny. I love him! He is really excited to be out here, and to be a missionary. I am really excited because I just cant deal with Elders who complain or dont want to be here. I jsut dont understand why they are here. But Elder Ralston is Awesome! he is from Virginia, he is 6 ft 4 in, so i look like a dwarf. he is really skinny. I weigh 185, and I weigh more than him. He is always doing something energetic. I LOVE HIM! I really do feel like a father, because greenies really dont know anything. I feel like I have to protect him, and just teach him everything about the mission. I am really happy to be training.
Oh so Elder Losee and Elder walker both stayed here too, they are both from my group, so that is cool. And they are both training too. Today we are going to play a little basketball, Greenies vs. Trainers. We are going to get slaughtered, because my son is 6 ft 4, and the greenie in Guayama is 6ft 6in, had a scholarship to duke as a jr, but then got in a car accident. He had a vertical of 41 inches! Can you believe that. He could put his elbow in the rim. So it is going to be a little rough, but i got faith. As Coach shaw would say, "its not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog."
Yes God is looking out for us, I cant remember if I told you story of the Elevator in Guaynabo, but I will tell you next week, its a descent story.
Of course I remember sister leonard, I forgot her name, but I just thought of her yesterday, because someone said something about "The Indian in the cuboard", and I loved that movie. And sister leonard took me to go see it. She was the nicest lady in the world!
Yes we have had family nights with the Sanchez-Comacho family. They are the cutest family ever. Their daughters say the cutest stuff. Like the 8 year old, Edelys, last family night at the end of the lesson, busted out her Bible for little kids, and was jsut like i have a story, and told us about how Jesus was baptized by his cousin John the Baptist, just like how her family was baptized. And then the 7 year old, Ninoshka, she is always trying to play games with me. At church she alsways taps my shoulder and runs away. And she always gives me these dirty looks. IT CRACKS ME UP! this little 7 year old is slways giving me the stink eye. She has so much attitude. I took a picture, so you can see her stink eye.

Dad i will answer your question about callings next week, i dont have too much time, because i read your letters from last week too. But as far as new investigators, we have a couple of good prospects. No one too serious. We are starting to teach some guy who I thought was a member. His wife and kids are members, but he hasnt been baptized because he cant stop drinking. So we are going to really start working with him. He goes to church every sunday, so we are going to really start teaching him, and let him drop the booze through the power of the spirit, or as I like to say, spiritually pistol whip him.
Well thank you for everything. keep being awesome!



Love your son Elder Hardy