Week of 9 June 2014-15 June 2014
Hi all! I am really sorry that I didn't send a email home last week! It was crazy. So my companion, Sister Mata'itusi got transferred. She is now in Malley! My first area! Isn't that crazy? And Sister Hanshaw is now my companion. She is an amazing missionary and have had an amazing week of miracles!
We have set several people with baptismal dates--Bernard, Dana, B., and Annette. Seriously, we have been experiencing miracles left and right! We have been so blessed.
Bernard is a referral from a member in the ward. The woman didn't really think anything would come from it, but we started teaching him. We went to see him on Friday and reviewed the first lesson, the Restoration, with him and he understood it all! Isn't that amazing? He really has taken this seriously. It is so wonderful to see when people truly understand why we come out and do what we do. Bernard understands that the message we share is meant to change his life. He actually gets it! He is set for the 13 of July. We are so excited!
Then there is Dana. Dana is set for July, too. Dana really understands the need for change in her life. We saw her several times this week and she has been through so much! You name it and she knows it. She is such a strong woman. When we met with her on Thursday, she rattled off a list of things that have been working out for her and she feels that it's because of her desire to change. All of these things are following through for her and she can see the blessings that are coming because of her renewed faith. She is so amazing!! (Mom and Dad, I cannot wait for you to meet her!)
And then Annette. Annette, too, was a referral from a family in the ward. Annette is on fire! Spiritually that is. We met with her this week and we received a voicemail from her that said, "I am so excited to become a Mormon." Isn't that amazing? She is amazing. She is one of the few people that I have met on my mission that understands that she was missing truth her life before we started meeting with her!! Isn't that incredible!?
I absolutely love missionary work! The Lord's hand is in this work. There are so many prepared people all around us!
This is what happens when the people we are trying to see are not home.
Week of 16 June through 22 June 2014
These past two weeks have been incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had four people at church yesterday!! We had Veronita, Bernard, B. and Dana!!! It was amazing! And three of them are on their way to baptism!!
We met with Dana several times this week and it was such a blessing. There is a family in the ward that is amazing at fellowshipping!! You want to know what the most amazing blessing of it all is?! Four of the six are recent converts!! The J family. They are so supportive of Dana and have even invited her to their Family Home Evenings (FHEs area when the family gets together and has a short lesson on a principle from the gospel and there is ALWAYS a treat). Isn't that amazing? Anyways. We met with Dana and her son, Ricki and it was completely amazing. At the end of the lesson, we all knelt and prayed. The spirit was so strong. That home that has been scarred by the influence of the world was turned into a holy place. It was incredible. Dana has told us how she has felt so much peace reading from the Book of Mormon. MIRACLES HAPPEN. Brother J gave Dana a blessing and blessed her home after one of the lessons. Dana is progressing so much!!!!
Then there is Bernard. Bernard came to church yesterday and it was amazing! He was just smiling the entire time and he was so excited! He is so cute. I love him. He IS SO PREPARED. We met with him yesterday after church and we asked him about church and he was just glowing! He even went to a meeting after church for new people in the ward. What the what?! He is so committed. He understands!! We had our ward mission leader's son-in-law come teach with us, and it was incredible! When he found out that Bernard was getting baptized on the 13th of July, he was all over it. He is going to try to come! He lives in Utah. Crazy!! Oh and Bernard is still keeping all of his commitments.
FUNNY STORY: So my companion and I were trying to contact an investigator that we hadn't heard from in a week--AKA forever for a missionary. We knock on her door and she says, "Hi ladies. I'm sorry, but I can't pray wit y'all today. I can't lie to you. I have a beer in me." Her name is Tulonda and she has more sass than anyone can even begin to imagine. I LOVE HER. We haven't taught the Word of Wisdom yet, so I'll let you know if that goes well.
We also had the chance to meet with Melissa, a former investigator whose ex-husband is a member of the church. She is amazing. We made it a definite point to lay out why we were there. She was all for it. MIRACLES.
This week is President Toombs final week here. He leaves on Sunday and our new mission president, President Mendenhall will be arriving from Idaho. I am so sad to see President Toombs leave, but I know that this is what the Lord wants. I have learned so much from President Toombs and now it's time to learn from President Mendenhall. Fun fact: the movie, The Best Two Years is based off of President Toombs' mission. Remember the elder that sends tapes to his girlfriend?? that was President Toombs. Crazy!!!
I love you all!! The Gospel is true.
23 June - 29 June 2014
This week was absolutely phenomenal and also quite sad. President and Sister Toombs left for home on Saturday!! So sad! However, President and Sister Mendenhall are now here to start their missions in Zion! and I am so excited to meet them!! It was a lot harder to say goodbye than I thought it would be. Sister Hanshaw and I cried in the car on our way home from saying goodbye for the last time. It's amazing how much you grow to love those that the Lord puts in your path, especially when you work with them so closely. President and Sister Toombs were our mission parents and I love them so much! But now I will have another set of mission parents to love just as much as the Toombs!
On a happier note, we met with Bernard several times this week, as well as Dana! There are progressing so well!! For example, we taught Dana about the Word of Wisdom this past week and she kind of was really indecisive of whether or not she was going to commit to live it. BUT. She did and she has not had a cigarette or a cup of coffee since last Tuesday! She told about how her son bought her a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and told her to smoke, but she wouldn't! And so she sat outside on the steps and prayed for help!! Isn't that amazing! She was also able to receive a priesthood blessing to help her quit. She is struggling more with coffee than the cigarettes. So we brought over a ton of gum--shout out to my family for sending me several giant packs of gum! Thanks!--and a bunch of hot cocoa. She is so strong!! She has accepted the commandments we taught her with so much strength and although we are not teaching her husband, he has been so supportive!! I have seen such a change in her since when I first met her! I am so excited for her decision to follow Christ. Miracles are happening here in Bible Park!
Bernard is also progressing. When taught about the word of wisdom, he was completely fine with it. He was like, "I smoke maybe two cigarettes a month." And he said that nothing else is going to be a problem! Isn't that amazing? He is such an amazing example to me! I love him so much!
Bernard and Dana were able to go to a baptism yesterday and it was just what they needed! The elders in our ward are having great success, too! I'm telling you Denver is the promised land! (Thornton is Zion though. Don't forget that :))
I love you all! Jesus lives and He loves us. He did what He did to allow us to overcome what we face in this life.
Love, Sister Hardy
p.s. Funny story of the week! S. Hanshaw and I were leaving our apartment after lunch, I think, and we were walking to our car and we saw this man walking his CAT. And the cat was not having it at all!!! The man was seriously dragging him! And then the man said to us, "I'm taking him out for his furry drag." It was hilarious!!! I'm still cracking up about it!!
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