May 31, 2016

Lo siento pero tengo casi veinte minutos mandar esta email ‏

Well what a busy week lots of service again and this week we actually manage to find a couple good potentials out in the lovely world of Lafayette.

Some highlights. We had to go Logansport to give a blessing to a sister who wanted one due to a surgery she was going to have. She asked me specifically cause I got close to the family and ya. It was good she cried, but told her not to worry that it would all be fine. She had the surgery Thursday and is now recovering.

We also had the chance to talk with a man by the name of Alberto who works at the ymca (where President Cramer works) we got to talk with him and while we will have to wait to find out if he is super interested but we have his number and address so we shall see.

This previous Sunday we had the wonderful opportunity to teach the third hour at church with President Cramer concerning la obra misional or the mission work that members could do. One of the biggest things we emphasize was that mission work is accomplished by the small and simple things. These things can be as simple as talking to them, inviting them for dinner, helping with service or simply being a friend. We focused on those concepts due to the misconception that in order to do mission work it has to be something big like sharing the plan of salvation or explaining the atonement. In truth the work can be much simpler and easier and at times more impactful at times. President Cramer shared some stories and ended the class with the invitation to have the members discuss together what they could do to have more of those missionary opportunities.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/media/session_0_talk_6/3810258133001?cid=HP_TU_24-5-2016_dPFD_fGC_xLIDyL1-B_&lang=eng

But alas I must depart, I hope you guys continue to have a fantastic week.

May 25, 2016

Hola amigos y familia y tortugas y otras personas ‏

Hey everybody how has it been going. Its been pretty good here. We have been staying busy searching and hunting for those who are ready for the gospel.

But one of the big things we had this week was a zone conference. It came to us quickly this last Tuesday. We had President Cleveland there and we learned a lot. One of the big things that was emphasized was referrals, and invitations to church. The last few months the mission as a whole has drooped a little with numbers investigators at church. It was a long day of meetings, it was really good but it was long lasted till about 4 O'clock and then afterwards we had to stick around to get some temple interviews. Its pretty fun to say that I got coach Clevelands signature now. While I was waiting I got to talk with Sister Cleveland a little bit and that was fun and even got to talk with President Cleveland a little bit more as well and ya a pretty good day. Afterwards we had dinner with the family Cervantes which was fun and tasty. Fried chicken, tortillas, pinto beans, and home made salsa, and some rice.

We had plans to do some service for a sister in the branch but unfortunately there was a change in plans as she had to go down to Mexico to visit her ailing father (he is almost done) but she got to visit him and it was very emotional. If you could keep the Carlos's in your prayers that would be very much appreciated. 

Fear not though we still had a chance to go and do some service this time at a farm like house. I mean the house is located in the middle of no where, and we had a fun time though there was a ton to do. From picking up branches and logs, to digging up plants, and moving tons of bricks. But at the end we feasted on the delicious food of pizza and root beer. The service all together lasted about 4 to 5 hours so it was a good chunk of the day but it was fun to do something different and a bit dirty.

This Sunday we had a excellent sacrament meeting, sadly no investigators at church but it was excellent from the talks and the classes. 

Overall a good week. We taught a fair amount of people and have a potentially solid investigator who lives in a town about 20 minutes away whose name is Miguel. I will report more on that later when we get our next lesson in with him.

May 16, 2016

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-06-0070-mothers-and-daughters?CID=HP_MO_9-5-2016_dPFD_fMLIB_xLIDyI-2_&lang=eng

Dear people,

How are ya?

This week we stayed busy with working with one of our investigators whose name is Pedro. He is from Mexico and is energetic and almost always excited. We are trying to arrange him to have someone come and pick him up for church.

We also had the great chance to visit the Ramirez family. They are a active family though the father tense to have trouble with staying active. We have talked with him about receiving the priesthood. But they are awesome and are just going through some rough times so please keep them in your prayers.

This week we had the great opportunity to go Logansport to go visit some less actives there that I had gotten to know. So we first met with the Watt's who are a older couple, then we went to visit the crazy rednecks Sister Shepard and Stoney (he is hilarious) and then we had some dinner with the Dools a single sister who has three kids. Overall a good trip and we were able to help the other sister missionaries who are working there make some connections with people.

So fun fact about Hispanics they don't celebrate mothers day on the day we normally do but rather on the 2nd Saturday of the month so we had a awesome fiesta this Saturday with hamburgers, salsas, soups, but most important thing of all a ton of carne asada. Though it was excellent mom still has the edge when it comes to the carne asada, I think it has to do with how mom marinades it. But after all the food the kids and some of the adults cantando canciones y cosas asi. But we also had the chance to talk with this very nice young lady, has two young boys and is a friend to one of the members. She has known very little about the church but we had the chance to give her a book of Mormon and talk with her about it.

So overall a pretty good week.

I hope things are continuing to go great.

May 9, 2016

Well the highlight of this week was mothers day but I will get to that in a second.

This week we found a mix amount of success we have been staying busy though which is the key.

Saturday we had a massive service opportunity. So the Spanish branch put on a big auction of pies, and other sweets for the stake to help raise money for girls scout camp. So they had a meal prepared and it was a lot of food and then they had some dances and music and then the lovely auction. We had the job of setting up tables, bringing food, and then serving the people. It was pretty fun and we had a lot of success probably around 300 people from all over the stake showed up perhaps even more.

Either way it was really successful and fun and it was a great activity for the branch to do.

Well lets get onto Sunday shall we. Sacrament meeting was rather excellent we had the opportunity to hear from one of the young women who gave a excellent talk and then we had Sister Cramer give a testimony overall it was a excellent sacrament. Then we had a our classes which proved just as good. And discussed a few more activities and stuff. After which we went home for some lunch and then afterwards tried to visit a few people and then went to dinner with our branch president. We ate hamburgers and sausage and all sorts of good stuff. After which we proceeded to facetime.

This was a weird one as the next time I will be talking with the family will be at home. But 5 and a half months await me before that so I try not to think to much about it. To say it was enjoyable is putting it mildly. It was great to see the parents, grandparents and all the sisters. To say I love and miss you all is a understatement.

May 2, 2016

HELLO we are partying and working hard here in Lafayette. When we first got into the area I checked our miles we are allotted for our car and found that the return trip alone to get back to our apartment made us go over are monthly allotment. Keep in mind that we dont get more miles till the end of the month. So I had to call our Zone leaders and explain what had happened and ya got it all sorted out. But that being said it forced us to walk everywhere which is difficult because the areas we tract or knock doors mostly are within 5 to 8 miles away.

Buttttttttt thats part of the work so its all good, its been cold and wet here. That does add a different pace to everything which is fun to do. 

Week one with Elder Ryan in Lafayette and we are already pumped for the next 5 weeks of working here in Lafayette. Sometime I feel like that just because people are friends it does not mean they will work well together. However luckily enough I and elder ryan I feel are being and will continue to be a great team, we are both very excited.

Lafayette has changed greatly, as I was trained here I did not believe I would ever get a chance to return to this area. However I have seen a few things that are perhaps reasons why I am meant to be here.

A recent convert by the name of Franklin while progressing to the temple has been having trouble attending church for the full three hours. He says that it is because he has work and other things to do, however unfortunate for him is that I taught Franklin and prepared him for baptism and I know what his schedule is really like and his quirks he gets into. We have already begun to start working with him on that requirement and continuing to progress to the temple.

The other involves a family who before I left were very active in the church and while dealing with some problems were making strides to overcome their challenges. Well I learned that they are slipping into inactivity. The good news is is that I got to know this great family very closely before I left, including some of their issues they are going through.

So in short I have seen evidences suggesting why I might be back, and I look forward to finding more of what the Lord has prepared I and Elder Ryan to do and accomplish during our time here.

That has been what has been going on for the week. Lots of exciting things are coming along.

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/his-grace/finding-your-purpose-in-life-does-faith-matter?cid=HP_FR_29-4-2016_dMC_fMLIB_xLIDyI-1_

April 25, 2016

Well what a uneventful week until now. We stayed busy but we have had several problems with getting our investigators back on tract and just trying to keep things together.

About two weeks ago I had the opportunity to get a interview with our mission president (Cleveland) where he told me a few things about the future of my mission and one of those things was that I would leave Columbus. Well that was a given due to six months of service in Columbus. But then this last Saturday the most unexpected thing happened, the thing that was least likely to happen in terms of area and companions.

First off my new area is Lafayette which should sound familiar because that is where I first began my mission in Indiana. So I am returning to my first home. There is some very awesome reasons why this is great. Firstly I know the area, secondly I know the members, and thirdly it is a fun area to be in. Now lets move onto something a little more amazing.

I will be serving with Elder Ryan. Elder Ryan was my companion in the MTC and has been one of my closest friends in the mission. Since we first came out to Indiana we have tried to convince President to let us work together and so it has come to be.

To say to the least I am excited, and more enthusiastic about this transfer than any other.

It also means I will have the chance to visit some of my converts, and perhaps even visit some of the less actives in Logansport as that is also in our area.

So many amazing things are happening. And I apologize for how short this email will be but I have to take care of a few more things before I leave.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2016-04-1000-lifes-drama?category=mormon-messages-2016&lang=eng&cid=HP_TU_19-4-2016_dPFD_fMRMN_xLIDyL2-3_

The Hardins