HOME FOR A SPELL

If you're wondering why there has not been any updates or posting from Elder Harward for the past few weeks it is because after being sick for quite a while it started wearing on him emotionally.  He began feeling overwhelmed by not being able to get out and work, as well as not being able to train his new companion.  He also felt he was letting everyone down, and failing at all he was doing, which made it even more difficult to work.  After much thought and prayer, it was decided he should to come home to receive the help he needed to help him to get back out on his mission and do the work he was called to do.  On Monday, January 30, 2017, he returned home.   He has every intention to return, and we hope he can do this soon, within reason.  But as of right now, we will enjoy our time together as he works to improve and feel better, physically and emotionally.

Over the past 2 1/2 week's since he has been home, he has begun feeling betting.  His health is improving, although he isn't feeling 100% yet.  He was diagnosed with a few things, which helped answer questions as to why he wasn't getting better.  He has started to feel better emotionally as well, as he learns how to work through struggles and stresses, as well as learning to prioritizing, learning how to focus on the present, rather than trying to change the past or worry about the future.  For those of you who have asked about him, we thank you for your love, concern, support and prayers on his behalf, it has definitely been felt.

Missions are a wonderful blessing; it teaches life lessons an individual may not learn anywhere else, especially at the ages of most missionaries. For Stoney,it has been wonderful to see the growth that has taken place, even over such a short time.  What a wonderful work all the missionaries are doing!

Last week we had a FHE Q & A night with Stoney about his mission.  We asked our younger children, who are all planning to serve missions, if they were excited to go?  My 16-year old said, "I am excited to go, but I'm scared, because I'm not sure I am ready."  With that, I asked Stoney,  "If you had to do it over again what would you do differently?"  The answer he gave I felt was very profound and wise. He said, "I would wait, I would wait until I was more ready.  There is so much pressure put on 18-year old's that if we don't leave on our missions right when we turn 18 something must be wrong, or that our testimonies aren't strong enough.  But that isn't true at all.  I was excited to serve a mission, I really was, when I turned in my papers.  When I received my call, I was excited to teach the people of Guatemala, but I also knew, deep down that I wasn't ready to go, but I was afraid to tell anyone.  I didn't want to let you [my parents] down, or have you think less of me.  I knew I had 5 months to prepare, but looking back, I don't think I wasn't ready.  That doesn't make me leaving when I left wrong because I definitely have grown these past 6 months in ways I can't believe.  But it could have made the outcome of this past 2 months end differently.  If I could give one word of advice, it would be, 'If you're ready to go on your mission when you're 18 then you should go.  If you're not, then wait until you are.  There is nothing wrong with waiting.'" I couldn't have said it better.

I know Stoney will get back out and finish his mission, whether in Guatemala or somewhere else, he will do it - whether in 1 month or 5 years, he gets to decide that, not me, not his father, not his leaders, HIM - Stoney.  That decision will be between him and his Heavenly Father.

As I said, I have loved seeing the growth in Stoney - his testimony, his knowledge, his personal strength, etc.  This experience has humbled him, and strengthened his testimony, as well as all of our back at hom.  It has taught us all to turn our struggles and trials over to the Lord.  By doing so, we are blessed and strengthened.  What a wonderful lesson that is.

I look forward to the time when I will be able to continue this blog, filling it with Stoney's mission experiences, as he "thrust's forth his sickle" and heads back out into the Mission Field, teaching and bringing people unto Christ, because "The Field is White" and ready to harvest.  What a wonderful gospel this is.  How blessed we are to belong to it, and the blessings we receive from it.  How grateful I am to know that Heavenly Father is aware of each of our needs, ALWAYS.  He truly knows whats best for us, and if we let Him, He will lead us in the direction He wants us to go, making us better and stronger, because of the struggles and trials we will go through.  I am grateful for this "struggle", as it has allowed us to let our son figure life out for himself, and learn to pray for his own guidance, and receive his own answers.  I am grateful we all have the privilege in receiving our own personal revelations on what the Lord thinks is best for us.  What a truly loving Father in Heaven we have, to allow us to receive guidance from Him.  This gospel is true!  I know tha, beyond a shadow of a doubt, and with my entire being.  I know the power that comes from prayer, the strength, peace and comfort that comes not only when we pray, but from the prayers of others.  What a blessing it is to have a missionary, knowing our children, who have chosen to serve, are out teaching others about God, and this restored gospel, and helping others build their own personal relationships with Christ.  I love my Savior, and I know He lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.  

AND..... STILL SICK! WILL IT EVER END? PRAYING FOR STRENGTH

Stoney is STILL sick!  It's been 3 weeks now.  He was finally able to go and physically meet with his Mission President.  I'm glad they were able to meet.  It helped Stoney to gain understanding, as well as help him to feel a little better, just because he was able to get good direction and counsel from his President, which helped him feel a little better.  I hope he continues to turn the corner.  Again, he did not write an email, so I thought I would let you all know how he is feeling.  Prayers in his behalf would be greatly appreciated.  Hang in there Elder Harward.  You go this!

STILL SICK, EMOTIONALLY EXHAUSTED, TRYING TO DIG DEEP

Did not receive a regular email from my missionary today.  He informed me that he is pretty sick and is feeling very frustrated by it.  He hasn't been able to get out to do much, because once he starts moving around, his stomach starts cramping up and it forces him back to the house so he can lie down.  It's hard, because when you get sick like this, it starts to play on your emotional health as well.  I know Stoney is struggling, and I wish I could take it from him.  Stoney actually called home to let us know that he was struggling.  He felt like he is letting everyone down - his Mission President, his companion, his DL & ZL, and himself.  I hope he will be able to get over this illnes soon.

FIRST WEEK AS A TRAINER, SPANISH 24/7, SICK AS A DOG, & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

My first week of training has come and gone and it went pretty good. We couldn´t get out and work much because I am feeling very sick. I don´t know what is going on. I have a really bad cold with really bad coughing, my stomach is always hurting me, sometimes to the point that all I can do is lay down and wait for it to pass. I always have head aches, I start to shake really bad sometimes. I go from being super hot to being freezing cold in a matter seconds. I want to throw everything back up when I eat. I can´t really hold my food down for more than a minute. I don´t know what´s going on, but it made it hard to get out and work this week. I feel bad because as a new missionary, all you want to do is get out and work, but I couldn´t do it this week. I am hoping that it will be better this next week though. We will see...

So my new companion´s name is Elder Diaz. He is 20 years old, and he is from Mexico City. So now he can help me become fluent in the language!!!! It actually isn´t as bad as I thought it was going to be. I know more spanish than I thought I did. So I now talk spanish 24/7 which is cool for me to be able to see that I can do. The gift of tongues is so real, it´s amazing!

So there isn´t a lot of stuff to talk about because I was locked up in the house all week, but we got out, did some service for some people. One in particular we were walking to find the bishop´s house, (I still didn´t know where he lived) and they are building a new road, and they are getting rid of the massive boulders in the way so that it can be paved, and they do it by hand, with hammers and nails. So we stopped and helped them for a little bit, but other than that, not a whole lot was done. 

Happy New Years!!!!! I hope you all have an amazing 2017! It was different being out here for Christmas and New Years, but it was definitely a cool experience! I love you all and hope you are all doing good!!!!

Elder Harward

MERRY CHRISTMAS; SKYPING HOME; THE TRAINEE BECOME THE TRAINER & STAYING IN CALVARIO

Hey everyone!!! I hope you all had an awesome Christmas!! I know I did! It was so nice to be able to Skype home and talk with my family!!!!

So, to start out, last week was the last week of my training! I have gotten through my first 12 weeks out in the field!!! I am so hyped to just be a normal missionary now! Not be one of the new missionaries who "knows nothing". Then, on Thursday morning of last week, I get a call from the assistants, and Foster picked up. They asked him to hand the phone to me, and when I said hello, the first thing they asked me was "Elder Harward, are you an obedient missionary?" I said, "Yes." They then followed up with, "Well, Elder Harward, President talked to us, and he has told us that you are going to be a trainer this next transfer." I almost crapped myself! I just barely got to the mission, and now I get to teach another missionary what it´s like. I am so nervous!!!! But it´s going to be the best thing ever! Out of every calling you can get in the mission, this is the one that I want. Being a District Leader, Zone Leader or anything like that would be so stressful, and this is stressful, but it´s different. The thing that scares me is that I make or break what this missionary will be like. It´s going to be a great adventure though! I will be getting my new companion tomorrow, maybe Wednesday, and then we will jump right into it! It´s going to be great!!! Last Friday we had a trainers meeting where the President and his assistants talk about how important this calling is and how to be a good trainer, and that lasted for about 4 hours. It was good, but didn't really help take away the nervousness.

The other huge thing that happened was just yesterday. I got to Skype home!!! I got to see and talk to my family!!!!!! It was the greatest thing in the world! I love them and miss them so much, and it was the best Christmas present I think I will ever, EVER get in my life. It was definitely a blessing, and helped take away some of the homesickness, but I think that those feelings will always be here, at least a little bit. But it was great!

So Foster has changes, which means I will be training here in the same area. Tonight we are going to go by to everyone´s house so that Foster can say goodbye to them all and get some pictures taken. It´s sad to have to change comps because he was so awesome, but I know that we will be good friends long after we both get off our missions.

The work is going good. It´s pretty difficult to find new people to teach. We stick at it, but they don´t want anything. Everything is possible with a little bit of faith though ;)

I hope you all are having an amazing time!! I love you and miss you all!!!! Merry Christmas!!!

Elder Harward

LAST WEEK OF TRAINING; LIFE LONG FRIEND; BAPTISM POSTPONED & 20-SEC. TO REACH OUT

So this will be my last week of my 12 week training, and I am so excited for that. The only thing that I`m not excited for is most likely changing companions. I have loved being with Elder Foster. He has helped me so much with the language, with my homesickness while being out here, with having fun, looking up once in awhile to enjoy everything. It`s going to be tough to change that. All I know is that I have made a good friend for the rest of my life.

So this week wasn't too interesting. We had divisions twice this week which was pretty cool. One was with our zone leaders, and the other was withe the other companionship in our district. I stayed in my area both times, which kinda sucked, but it was cool being with them. One of them,  Elder Martinez, is from Mexico, and only speaks Spanish, so I was worried that I wasn't going to talk much that day, but it actually wasn't too bad. I was able to talk so much more than I thought I was going to be, so I was super excited about that! We contacted a few people, not too many of them were interested, and that`s how it`s been lately. But we keep trying. We h ad a few lesson s with our investigators, and then did a few studies in between. Overall it was a good 3 days of divisions.

So I am getting a cold, and that always sucks when you are out on the mission because there is nothing that I would like more than to just be in my home, in my bed, curled up in my blanket, eating some soup from my mom, but it helps in growing up. Knowing that I can keep going even if I am sick, or hurting. It`s nothing awful, nothing to worry about. Just a little cold, some coughing with a stuffy nose and upset stomach, but everything is going good!

So this week was pretty hard at the end. We had a baptism planned for Saturday, and it was one that was supposed to happen last Saturday, but because of work reasons, she had to change it. Well, we get to this week, we fill up the baptismal font, we get the snacks, the clothes, everything ready for it, and then about 2 and a half hours before the baptism was going to take place, and told us that she wasn't going to be getting baptized that day. She wouldn't tell us why or anything, but we had to drain the font, and tell everyone that there wasn't going to be any baptism. It sucked... We are hoping for this Saturday, but we aren't 100% sure anymore. It`s rough. Then on Sunday, she came to Sacrament Meeting but nothing else, and all the members asked us why she didn't get baptized or why she didn't stay. We just had to say we had no idea, because we didn't, but it`s hard because the members here put the blame on to us, and it`s just annoying. 

Then in Gospel Principles class, a high councilman sat in, and let's just say he's a little rough around the edges. He asked us about Paty, because she has been to church now more than 20 times, and she still isn't baptized, and he was wondering why. We told him we weren't sure, so he said he was going to talk with her. After church he took all 3 of us aside, and talked with her. He first started off by asking me and Elder Foster if we knew a convert from another ward, Foster did, and he said that he was the reason that he got baptized. He then turned to Paty and asked how long she has been taking lessons and coming to church, she said since August, and so he asked her, so why haven`t you gotten baptized then? And she said because I haven`t gotten my answer that it`s what I should do yet. He then asked if she read the Book of Mormon, and she said not all, but I have read 1st, 2nd, 3rd Nephi, and some of Moroni, and some of Ether, and am now going back to read from Jacob all the way through. All he said was, "Wow... I have been a convert for 16 years now, and when I was an investigator, I read the Book of Mormon in 9 days. All of it." Then he went on to say she needs to be baptized, and then gave her a blessing that her answer would come Sunday night. I am not sure if the answer came or not, we are going to see her tonight, but it just made her feel really awkward, and a little embarrassed. It just seemed to ruin everything with her. He is just a jerk about things. To us, the missionaries, the ward members. Everyone. He just can`t not talk about himself and things that he has done in his life. It`s annoying. We will see what she has to say tonight.

So, one thing that I just wanted to point out, and it`s something that I have thought a lot more about while being out on my mission, and it`s the fact of how many people we come in contact with everyday of our lives, and even though it might be a few seconds or even 20 minutes and then never see them again, God has placed these people in our lives for a reason, and if we don`t take the opportunity to  reach out to these certain people, our lives could be changed forever, and we will never know it until the last day. So one thing that I think we could all try to focus on is to be more in tune with the Spirit, to see those people that we should talk with, to cheer up, to serve, to love, and who knows what it could  bring. Just a thought.

I love you all back home. I hope you are all doing well, and healthy! I hope you all have an amazingly Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!! Thanks for all your love, prayers, and support! Have an amazing week!

Elder Harward

MY FIRST LEGIT EMAIL TO THE MASSES! UPCOMING BAPTISM, MINI MISSIONS, & WARD CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY!

Hey everybody!!!   I am so sorry that I haven`t done one of these yet, but here we go!!!!!

This week started out really normal, we just had a few visits during the week with our investigators, and they are all doing very well! We have a baptism this week with a lady named Karem, and she is great!!! I am so happy that she has made the decision to be baptized!!!! 

The work is aggravatingly slow sometimes. Having door after door just slammed in our faces is rough. I honestly didn't think it would be that hard to have people tell me no. I just know how much this message could change their lives, and if they would just give us a shot, they would feel that too, but they just say they are busy, or they are getting ready to leave, or their parents aren't home, etc. etc. etc.   I could go on forever with excuses people use, and it`s hard sometimes, but I am trying to just keep my cool, and keep loving them. In the end, that`s all we can do right?

Then on Thursday, we participated in this thing called a mini mission where we had a kid from another part of Guatemala come with us for the entire day to our visits, we took him contacting, and just overall showed him a day in the life of a missionary. We had a really cool moment when we were contacting where we knocked on the door, and the lady said that we couldn't come in because she was leaving with her mom to the hospital because she was sick, and my comp shared a scripture about how Jesus would bless the sick, and asked if we could give her mom a blessing, and she let us in and we gave her a blessing, I anointed, and Elder Foster gave the blessing, and the spirit was so strong. And the lady`s complexion changed completely about us teaching her. It was really cool.

Then on Saturday, we had a Christmas activity at the church with our ward and we invited some of our investigators, and it ended up being really cool. I got chosen to compete in the Chubby Bunny challenge, and then me and Elder Foster did a magic trick, and we just enjoyed the company of everyone. It was so fun!!!

The work to find new people is a little slow, but it`s going!!! All in all, everything is great here in Xela!!!!!! I hope you all are having an awesome time back at home!!!! Love you all!

Elder Harward

PS, I know this is a couple weeks late, but this is the only picture we have received of Stoney in a very long time.  His companions mom sent it to us.  This was their Thanksgiving Feast!