Hi Mom, Dad & everyone,
I love you all so much, and I love being able to read your emails each week. I take a picture of all of the family`s emails so I can read them all throughout the week and have that support whenever I might be feeling down. It`s amazing, I love it.
Dad, you are never getting too old to play! Your my dad and you`ll be around for a long time to come. I really wish I could be there playing with all of you, I really do miss it. I hope that your shoulder and collarbone can heal and you can get over it quickly? Let me know how everything goes.
This week has been a really good week. The homesickness is pretty much gone, which helps a lot. I miss you guys so much, but I know I`m out here for a reason, and it doesn't make me not want to be here missing you guys, if that makes sense. Yes, I can`t believe that it`s almost been 6 weeks already. That`s insane to think about. I can`t wait to get out and actually see what Guatemala is really like! I went into town with a few of my district and got our visas, and we got to bible bash with some 80 year old guy from Pittsburgh who said that he can`t wait to see the day that everyone leaves church and comes to God. It was so funny listening to how he would explain some of his beliefs.
I love you so much. I can`t wait to share all of the stories I will have within the next 2 years when I get out of this place and get to really serve the people here in Guatemala. Thank you for your advice, it has really helped me to not to be as sad. I guess this week, once I realized that I need to let you guys live your lives while I`m out here, and not really worry about what`s going on, it really helped bring things into perspective. So thank you. That is probably what I miss most about not being home with you is having your wisdom and guidance 24/7. It has been hard not having you by my side, but it`s been a great growing and learning experience, and has really helped me know how strong I really am.
I am so glad that you have gotten all the pictures, and I hope that you like them. I was following the little paper you gave me every time, step by step, just to make sure you got them, and when you said you weren't it scared me. I thought that you weren't going to see anything for 2 years either and that would have probably killed me just as much, if not more, than it would have with you. I will make sure to keep taking and sending pictures, especially now that I know they are working. I won`t lie, you said they weren't coming through, so I haven`t taken too many more just because there isn't a whole lot here to take pictures of and I was a little distressed thinking that I can`t share any of my experiences with you guys back home. It makes me so happy to know they are finally working!!! I really am glad to hear that you don`t do all those weird, stalker, creepy things like other moms do. The fact that other moms do that kind of scares me!!!! :) HA!HA! There isn't any reason that you should be worried about anything; I am safe, I am healthy... (Except this week my companion got the flu and because we are with each other 24/7 he gave it to me, but I`m doing fine now), and I am HAPPY! There is no reason you should be stressed with me being gone. I am in the work of the Lord and He is protecting me and I know that, along with watching over you guys back home for payment!
It`s crazy that you shared that quote, because on Sunday, during one of the Devotionals that we had, one of the Presidents shared that exact same quote! That is so crazy!
Heavenly Father knows all about YOU; your strengths and your weaknesses.
He knows perfectly who YOU are, BUT.... He also knows who you can BECOME.
And with that knowledge, He has placed you here,
NOW -- at this EXACT place and time in which you can do the most good with the talents and gifts
HE HAS GIVEN YOU!
So you email my companion`s mom?? Is she nice? If Elder Hodder is anything like her then she must be pretty great!!! I love that kid to death and I am so sad that I am going to have to say goodbye to him in a week! The cool thing is my entire district, at least the elders, are all going to the same mission, so instead of us breaking up that Tuesday morning like most people have to do, we get to ride a 4 to 5 hour bus ride to the mission home, and then spend all that day together too!! I am so excited to go see what Guatemala really is like. It`s going to be great!!!!
Alright...
1.MY PEAK MOMENT would have to be teaching one of our "investigators" the introduction to the Book of Mormon and how it can answer any of our questions, it brings us closer to God, and it lets us receive more blessings from Him. I loved this for a few reasons. I loved it because for one, I was able to pretty much talk freely in Spanish about it, and it felt so natural. I was happy about that. But, also, as I testified of the book and talked about it, the Spirit testified to me that what I was saying was true, so it gave me a bigger testimony on the book than I already have! I love the Book of Mormon and have never studied the way I have here. almost every verse that I have read is marked for some reason or another!!! It truly is the word of God written through prophets of old called of Him, and the blessings received from reading the book and praying about it are innumerable.
2.My PIT MOMENT would have to be yesterday, when my cold hit the hardest. It was hard to breathe, my stomach was killing me, my throat was so sore, enough to the point that they had me take a nap during the day. Don`t worry though, I am doing fine now.
3.MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURE STUDY this week would probably be 2 Nephi 9. It was a long chapter, but it was amazing. There was so much stuff to pull out from that chapter.
4.My DL is doing much better, and it is so good to see! Thank you so much for praying for him! It means a lot. I have come to love everyone in my district.
5.(Will you know where your new area you will be sent to when you email next week?) I think? I won`t know until I get to the mission home next week!!!!
This week was pretty uneventful. All we do is sit in class all day learning the language and other things, but that`s about it. I can`t wait to get to the field and have some stories to actually talk about!!!!!!
I love you all so much. I can`t wait to talk to you next week when I will be in the field. I can`t wait to get out there and meet the mission president. It`s going to be great!!!
Love Elder Harward
(Elder Harward did not say who these 2 other missionaries are. Tag yourself if one them is yours?)
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