The Adventures of My Life

Well…as you all have realized, we had another week of non-email usage due to the holiday.  But here I am again with another mission update from North Carolina!  The best mission and best place in the world!  First off, I would like to express a congratulations to my Dad, who just got called to 2nd Counselour in the bishopric!   I for one, knew it would be coming sooner or later once the word was spread about many of his sweet skills!  Felicitaciones and good luck with all the work!  HEHEHE!  Anyways, today has been a very very odd day.  I say that, because it WAS the date we were supposed to move into a new apartment.  The date, Feb. 27th, has been the date we were supposed to move out for a long time.  The Mission Office was not giving us much info, so we keep bugging them in regard to what apartment we were moving to.  But we continued to pack because we knew we were moving.  So, today arrives and we completely skip study because we don’t have enough time (4 missionaries and an apartment that has been occupied by missionaries for 4 years tends to gather lots of junk).  We also find out in the morning that we have no hot water at all, so we just completely skipped taking showers because we figure we can shower in the new apartment.  Elder Adams and I walked over to the office to find out it opens at 9.  So, we spent from around 8 to 8:45 packing stuff, hauling it down the stairs, because we want to move in as soon as possible.  With all of the stuff already outside, Elder Laulu and I went to the office to get the key and find out where we were moving.  The lady there didn’t know anything about it and the manager was at court or something.  After finally getting in contact with the manager, she told us we weren’t scheduled to move until the 2nd week of March!!  Somehow, the apartment office messed up big time, one guy did a lease and didn’t tell anyone about it, and then he took off on vacation the next day.  So, we got moved back.  I called the Sister who is in charge of the missionary apartments and she was really mad.  Because they are going to cut off all of our electricity and water…one reason we didn’t have hot water today.  I really don’t know what is going to happen now, we might be moving somewhere else.  But in all modes, our apartment is a disastre right now and it’s going to be a long few weeks before we get this settled out.

I had a few interesting experiences this past week.  We were on district leader exchanges on Thursday and we did a little knocking doors.  We ran into this crazy man, who was peranoid (sorry can’t spell english anymore).  He just talked to us through his door with the chain in and he was scared cause he thought we were con artists.  He told us, “The last person I let in, took my stool I made with my own hands and a loaf of bread”.  He told us he was a Herminite and he was just saying all sorts of wierd things.  In the afternoon, we went tracking in a different area and saw this Hispanic dancing and skipping in the street with a box of beer and headphones.  He was probably in his late 20’s.  2 other Hispanics on bikes were riding towards him and he kicked one in the leg, while they were biking and he continued to skip and dance.  They were quite surprised, along with us.  But he just continued to be drunk and dance and skip.  But finally he stopped, threw down his headphones, ripped open his box, took out a beer and threw it as hard as he could on the road…near us.  It exploted, he then picked up the box and headphones and calmly walked away.  It was very strange…but I guess that’s what happens when your drunk…

Well, everything else is going fine right now, I know this area like the back of my hand, know all of the members and investigators.  And I am getting a sinking feeling I will be moving soon.  And so much stuff I want to do…like baptize the whole trailorpark.  We also wanted to visit the RBC Center (where NC State basketball and the Carolina Hurricanes play) and take a tour.  But the only day they can do it is the day we are going to be moving again…so that kind of stinks.  Anyways, I want to let all of you know that the Gospel is true, Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and I know this because the Book of Mormon is true.  It is the most perfect book on the face of the Earth.  Our Father in Heaven loves us, has an individual plan for each of us.  It is just up to us to know that plan and obey him in order to recieve the blessings he truly has in store for us.

Have a good week,
Elder Hardy

Do you know what that means.  It means that all of the public libraries in Cary, North Carolina, are closed.  That also means that we get no email this week from Michael.  I love hearing from him, so we wait until next week for news from the front.

Well, it was a little different P-day morning then usual.  We went up and played some Tennis at North Carolina State with the Zone Leaders.  I definately got to start working on my tennis game, I was horrible.  I couldn’t serve worth a crap, and I was way too rusty.  So, I am going to start playing tennis every morning for exercise with Elder Laulu.  It’s going to be sweet…at least when it starts warming up a little bit.  It wasn’t too bad, although it was a little chilly, around 40 degrees.  It has been freezing here this last week, I think it has been warmer in Wyoming and Utah.  We even saw a few flecks of ice that kind of resembled snow yesterday.  It was quite a scene.  It only lasted about 5 to 10 minutes though.  From what I’ve heard, it was pouring snow all around us.  New York City got hit bad and all of the East coast.  But we just had freezing cold weather.  And on Saturday, it was freezing rain for most of the day.  But, it will be getting warmer again soon, somewhere in the 60’s in the next few days.  And hopefully, warming up even more, I’m sick of cold North Carolina.

The Missionary work is moving along as always.  It seems to be constant cycle of struggles/succeses just like life is.  But in the Missionary Field it seems to be more frequent and more drastic.  That’s really the fun challange is too always be looking for the next success, the next “high”.  And it takes a lot of self-determination and discipline to always be giving your extra effore, because if you don’t give it all you got, you’ll just never reach the goal.  I guess the goal of the mission is to reach 100 baptisms a month.  President Mabey has really been pushing for it and he has selected March as the month to do it, selecting the slogan of “March On”.  The previous mission high has been around 80, so it’s going to be a big challenge.  President Mabey is actually going home in July, so this will be one of his last chances.  We’ll see what happens and what Elder Guerrero and I can get done as a companionship.

Well, the countdown has begun until we move into the new apartment.  In about 2 more weeks, we will pack all of our stuff and move it all down some stairs and across the apartment complex and move it into our new home.  Then after 2 weeks, whoever gets transfered will have to re-pack everything again…what a great time to move..huh??

I don’t really know If I’m ready to leave Cary or not.  The members are awesome, there are lots of things to do.  It’s just, I really really don’t like the ward mission leader.  He went on exchanges with us again this last week and ruined the night.  It’s a good thing I scheduled the Investigators who haven’t been progressing.  He totally convinced them not to have any connection with the church.  He gave one of our former investigators the “Parly P. Pratt” challenge…that is to read the Book of Mormon in 1 day.  And then at the end of the lesson, he pulled out the scripture that says, that Joseph Smith has done more for the salvation of men, save Jesus Christ.  It just got ridiculus.  Elder Guerrero was telling me before how he was going to control him.  But there is no stopping that man and his madness.

I don’t really have much more to say but I miss all of you and hope life is going good and I’ll see y’all next summer!

Elder Hardy

Buenos Dias, Hola again from North Carolina.  I have recieved a new companion, Elder Staheli has finally abandoned me for Duke Country in Durham.  While I find myself back in the same city with the same places, people and apartment.  First off, my new companion is…Elder Richard Guerrero, from Ecuador!  Actually, comes from Chicago (lived there about a year), but was born and raised in Ecuador, Mueyequilla the city (or something like that).  He’s been out pretty much the same time I have, we are going home together.  He was at the MTC for 2 months, so we were there for the same time, about 3 weeks.  He’s pretty cool, knows a lot of english for the time he’s been in the states.  But it’s sweet with a native cause he knows everything!  So, what we are doing is trading off days..one day is spanish day and the next day is english day, so that we both learn better the language.   

As you all know we had a baptism last week, Karen, so Elder Staheli and I were focusing alot of our energy into the baptism, so it kind of left Elder Guerrero and I with not much to do in regard to current investigators.  So, we have been working hard to find people everyday and have had a little bit of success.  I think the people are less afraid of us because of the factor of having a hispanic in the companionship.  With Elder Staheli and I, two big americans trying to speak spanish, it was intimidating sometimes to those little hispanics.  But we did have good success, taught alot, 2 baptisms (3 if you count my extra re-baptism).  Hopefully, we can get one before I left this area.  Right now, I think this is my last transfer…but you never know..

Let’s see..did I have any strange experiences this week…I know they happen everyday, but It’s hard to recall.  Oh yeah, I actually had my first bible bash!  I know it’s not something to be proud of, but I just couldn’t help to not make a comment.  We knocked on this one guy’s door who was talking on the phone, he told us to wait a minute until he got off.  When he finished he said something like, “What can I do for you fine young gentlemen today”.  Well, we started doing the usual questionaire (trying to gently talk our way into our message) and we found that he was a 70 year old retired Southern Baptist pastor, recently moved from Ohio.  Well, for some reason I started talking about what we, namely preach the gospel of Christ (Faith, Repentance, Baptism and the Holy Ghost).  And if you all know about the beliefs of Southern Baptists, they basically only believe in the 1st step: Faith.  Once you have faith and believe, being born again, you are saved by grace.  But you really don’t have to show fruits of your faith…like repentance and baptism.  He started jumping at me the first mention of baptism, stating that it wasn’t necessary for salvation and really baptism was just something done to “clean a little dirt”.  After he said that, I started to get angry and tried to tell him that Baptism was an essential ordinance, also quoting John 3:5, “If a man is not born again of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God“.  Well, he promptly told me that I had “misinterpreted” the scripture and that it really meant you have to have a cleansing within to be saved.  That is the point, I decided I was wasting my time and we kind of just ending the conversation.  Before leaving, he told us that he really admired what we were doing, we just needed to change our message.  I just can’t see why people have to be so stubborn…that’s how a lot of the americans are here…hard core southern baptist.  But, I’d have to say they do have some good barbaque!  Even though, I really haven’t tasted the real stuff, the fast-food barbeque here is soooo good.  They actually ship this stuff across the United States.  I’ll be sure to order some when I return to Utah, even if it is a little bit expensive.

I guess the Super Bowl was yesterday, I had completely forgot about it, until I talked with the District Leader last night and then someone checked the score this morning.  I guess the Steelers won, don’t really care, only that it happened in Detroit was the cool thing.  But I have heard that the Pistons are doing great…do I see another NBA Championship coming?  If they do, that’ll probably be one of the darkest points of my mission…(hehe), it would really kill me as all you know.  When the Astros were in the World Series, my mind was wondering alot.  I’m just such a die-hard sports fans, it really is my weakness sometimes and it is hard for me to focus when there is a television on with a sporting event during tracting or some member is talking about sports.  Although it’s not nearly as bad on the spanish side of the work cause they only talk about Soccer.  Even, Elder Guerrero is a big soccer fan and plays indoor soccer.  I guess the World Cup is this year and Ecuador qualified for it, so he is super-excited. 

It’s sweet some of you went to check out the “El Salvador” restaurant.  I am going to have to tell the Claros family about that, they will be excited.  I’m especially exciting about our dinner tonight…they cook sooo good.  I am sure going to miss this area when I finally leave, I pretty much know everyone, less-actives, all the members, other missionaries investigators.  Although, I can’t speak the language very well, I have established bonds with a lot of the people.  I don’t know what I will do when I leave.  I heard a lot of missionaries say that they miss their “greeny” area or their first area the most out of all.  It’s been fun, stressful (especially this last week when I recieved all of this new responsabilities), most of all rewarding.  I really feel good about the work I am doing.  And I encourage all of you to do some of your own missionary work, although it is close to impossible in Utah. 

Thanks for keeping me in the loop everyone about what’s going on, the other missionaries think that my “Greenie” mail will be running out soon..but I think not!  Letters are good, so are e-mails, nice to see what’s going on back home, even if it’s the same boring stuff.  Work, School, Work, School.  Well, I better be signing off.

Here’s to another week of missionary work!

Elder Hardy