Week #1 - Elder Harward's First Full Week - Hardest Week But Here for a Purpose

Week #1 - Elder Harward's first full week email!  So hard to read that he is struggling, but so glad that he is open and honest about it, and that he is turning to the Lord for help, and recognizing the Spirit and the comfort it brings.

August 30, 2016

Lets start with the answers

1. It means the same thing as the MTC just in Spanish!!! (Why do they call the MTC the CCM?)

2.Yes I do, his name is Elder Hodder. Not someone I would ever think I´d get close to, but we mesh so well it´s crazy!! The Lord truly know´s what we need! (Do you have an actual companion?  What is his name?)

3. It´s been great! It didn´t rain the first 2 days, but every day since it has had about an hour of downpour!! When it rains it gets so humid it´s nuts!!! (What has the weather been like since you’ve been there?)

4.It´s been awesome, good food all the time!!!! (How is the food?)

5.The language is so much harder than I thought it was going to be!!!! It takes so much studying and memorizing and working on my own than I ever thought!!! But, in the week I´ve been here, I´ve also learned way more than I thought I would. I can truly testify that the gift of tounges is real, and I know the Lord is on our side!!!! (How is the language coming?  Are you fluent yet? J)

I love that scripture.  Definitely one that I am going to mark!

(Helaman 5:12:  And now, my son, rmember, remember that it is upon the rock of our reeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yeah, his shafts in the whirlwinds, yea, when all his haid and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.)

This has been both the hardest and worst weeks of my life. I miss you all so much, I´ve cried probably 5 of the 7 days every night I´ve been here. But the weirdest thing happened yesterday. I was praying over and over for comfort, to help with the homesickness, and then later that day in class, I started thinking of home, and you guys. Then a voice, that I´m taking as the spirit, came into my mind and quickly just said that 2 years isn't as long as I think it will be and everything is ok. Then instantly the voice and presence left, along with all my feelings of home!!! I still miss you guys but I know that I´m out here for a purpose and nothing will stop me from fulfilling that purpose!!!

Well, I only have an hour and I have to get to the rest of the emails. I love you so much, and I miss giving you those daily hugs and kisses, but I know I´ll see you in 2 years!!!!

I love you and hope that everything with the boot goes good, you really need to get rid of that thing!!!!

Love Elder Harward