D&C 90:11, NEW INVESTIGATORS?, "GANGSTER HOLD-UP" & PRAYING FOR MY BROTHER

Hola Mi Familia!

This week has been really, really good. I am starting to get a hold of the Spanish more and more every day, and that makes me so happy! I can understand a lot, but it´s still a little difficult to talk, but it´s coming. It comes without me knowing sometimes, where all of a sudden, I will just be understanding what people are saying to me, and I will start talking without knowing how. It´s really cool. I have gained a strong testimony of the gift of tongues while being out here. It´s great.  I love that I have the opportunity to speak this language and bring this message to people in their own language.  It makes me think of the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 90:11

11) For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fullness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language, through those who are ordained unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ.

What an awesome scripture.  I am so glad that I can be someone that can fulfill this promise.  I honestly can’t explain how amazing it is that I am now a full-time missionary!  It’s by far the hardest thing I have had to do in my life, but in just these 3 months, the payoff has been huge, and I am so grateful for this opportunity and the blessings I have received from it and will receive in the future!

We didn´t get to baptize Paty, but we finally figured out what the problem was. This whole time, she has known that what we are teaching her is true, but the reason she hasn´t committed is because she wants to get baptized with Indira.   We aren´t sure how that is going to happen because Indira isn´t really progressing. She has been gone for 2 weeks in the US and won´t come back until the 5 of December. So now we are going to try and set a date for Paty when Indira will be here, and say that if she gets baptized then she will set an example for Indira and her daughter to follow, and that it will work out for all of them in the end, but we will see. I really hope she decides to get baptized because she is so ready!

Brenda´s baptism was such an amazing moment, and it was so amazing to see her just light up when she came out of the water. It was so cool. And no, I didn´t do the confirming, one of the bishopric did, but that was such an amazing experience too. Her whole family was at the baptism and they came to church for the confirmation too. Apparently, they are all interested and want to start taking lessons now, so that should be awesome!!!! It´s amazing to see how this gospel really changes the lives of people, and especially families. It´s amazing.

This has been the biggest anticipation week for me with everything going on with Gunner. He about gave me a heart attack. It was so hard not to be there with you guys trying to comfort him, do something to help. It was really hard. I won´t lie, it brought me to tears just thinking about it, and I just got really scared. But I am so glad to hear that he is getting better. Just tell him for me to take it slow, to take his time to heal because it won´t happen overnight.

How was the life-flight helicopter ride?? You are so lucky! I would love to fly in a helicopter. I bet dad was really jealous that you got to ride in one! What is the Ronald McDonald house, because I have no idea what that is? Have tests come back positive for Kawasaki Disease or no? How is everything going back at home?

So this week, one of my zone leaders, Elder Rojas who is from Panama, is going home today, so last Saturday, he wanted to go to this small village in the middle of nowhere that was like an hour by bus from our area, so me, Foster, him, and his comp all rode a bus out there, and the bus we rode on was nuts!!! I will send a picture of it, because it was packed. It was nuts!! While we were driving there, we were about 10 minutes away, in a school bus packed with people passed its maximum limit by at least 30 people, on a horrible dirt road with pot holes everywhere, going down this huge hill, when we turned a corner, and there was a group of about 30 people, men women and children, with yellow tape blocking the road. The bus stopped to see what was going on, and then 3 guys get on the bus and say that all the natives needed to pay 5 quetz each to all the people "to help fix the road" but they just wanted money I´m pretty sure. People started getting pretty upset for a good reason, and the people said that if you don´t pay then you have to get off the bus and walk down instead of using the bus. It honestly made no sense, but it was like one of those gangster hold ups straight out of a movie. It was nuts. People ended up having to get off the bus, while others paid, and after that we went on our merry way. It was pretty sketchy, but they gave us no trouble at all.

We got into the village, and it was such a cool area.  It makes me want to go to a village area out in MoMostenango so bad!!!! It was really cool. We rode the bus back, and then got off back in the zone leaders´ area.  Then we went home and relaxed for a little bit because it was about 7:00 pm. It was awesome! A really cool experience. I can´t believe all the things I have already seen out here, and I only have been out here almost 3 months. It´s amazing!!! I love it!!!!

PEAK MOMENT: Going to that village with Elder Foster and Elder Rojas, it was so cool!! I loved it!!

PIT MOMENT: Again, Paty not wanting to be baptized yet, because she is so ready!

MOST EXCITING THING FOR THE WEEK: Being right in the middle of a “gangster hold-up” haha! It was so weird to be there when it happened!!!

SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO PRAY FOR: I would say for Gunner, but of course you already are, so pray for Brenda´s family that their hearts can be softened and they can start taking lessons, either from us or the missionaries in their area.

SOMETHING YOU LEARNED THIS WEEK: To solely rely on the Lord with the language. As I have been doing this I learn so much more without knowing how. It has been amazing to see my Spanish growing so fast. I know I am not even close to fluent, but it´s coming, and I am so happy about it!

I hope you all have an amazing week. I love you and miss you so much!!! Talk to you next week!!!

Love Elder Harward

FIRST BAPTISM - BEING TOUCHED BY THE SPIRIT REALLY PUTS THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE! (Nov 7, 2016)

Hey everyone!

This week was really great, the best of my mission so far! I am starting to really get to know the ward members, and our investigators so that`s a good thing. And of course, that is just my luck that my bank card would get hacked! I have bought some groceries, but I haven`t been to the temple here yet, so I have no idea what that charge is about, I have also bought a Rubiks cube to play with, but other than that, not a whole lot. I did pull some out for a little bit this past 2 weeks because my mission card wasn`t working, but we got that figured out, so I have no idea. I really am sorry, and I promise I am not just blowing my money. I am keeping track of it. I am sorry that it`s all gone. I was still playing soccer at the time you asked me about, and we didn`t finish until about 6:30 so I know I didn’t make the charge you asked me about. That`s too bad, though, and people who do stuff like that are dumb!  That`s alright though. I should be good with $$ for the time being.

I had my first baptism this past Saturday, and it was amazing! It was such a cool experience! It made me remember my baptism day, and how special it was to me. I am so happy that I have the experience to bring those same feelings to these people here in Guatemala. It was just such a spiritual time. I loved it!  Brenda is such a special person, and she has been touched by the Spirit, you can see it in her eyes.  She is going to be a true convert, I know it.  She is amazing!  I am so blessed I could be there to see it.  It really puts into perspective how important this work is, and how blessed I am to be able to be out here, right in the thick of it, sharing this amazing message with people I love.  I truly can’t wait for two more years of this.  Don’t worry, of course I took pictures.  I forgot to bring my camera today, but I will send them soon.  During Brenda’s baptism, I was asked to give a 5-minute talk about baptism. It was a little nerve racking, but everyone said it was really good, so I am happy with it.

As far as Paty, people are telling us she wants to be baptized, but might have something she needs to repent of, but might be afraid to share it with us.  We are going to try and bring our Zone Leaders to one of our lessons to see if we can be more direct with her, and she if she will open up, I’m sure she will decide soon enough, though.  We are hoping for this Saturday for her, which would make 2 baptisms in two weeks, and in the last 3 months, which is apparently unheard of here in this mission, so me and Foster feel incredibly blessed

The language... oh man the language; it is coming more and more for sure, and I can understand more than I can talk, but it’s coming slowly but surely. Two Sundays ago is when it kind of clicked for me. I am nowhere near speaking like a native, but I can understand almost all of what people are saying. I have gotten an ear, FINALLY, to what they are saying, and how they say it. It`s a whole other thing for me to be able to talk. Just some of the grammar is still a little iffy for me, but it`s coming so much faster than I thought it was going to be! I can`t wait till I am fluent! I am grateful for the opportunity I have to learn another language, and I am so happy how useful it will be in years to come.  Mom said a couple weeks ago said you both were going to maybe try to learn Spanish? Is this true, are you guys doing it or not?

The time out here is flying by, and yet my comp says that it will just keep getting faster and faster. He says one day I will look back and say, “Wow, I can`t believe it was 7 months ago that I was being trained,”, and then next thing I know, I will be home. It`s been flying by though, it`s nuts!!! I can’t believe that I am halfway through month 3... It`s crazy!

My favorite part this week has to be the baptism this past Saturday. It was just amazing and really put into perspective that although I might not get many baptisms out here, because I have heard that teaching is really hard here, in fact, this is the least baptizing mission in Central America, which has made it that much more special. It was a great experience! 

Another fun part of the week was playing soccer. It was so much fun! They are really cheap and they flop so much, but I scored 3 goals, and one of them was a heel flicker. They all crapped themselves, which was fun to see, it was so funny! I felt I could totally hold my own against them, which made me feel really good. I even played against a guy who plays on the Guatemalan National Team. He was awesome, but I just had to stick him up like everyone else. It was so fun!!!

Mom, your lesson sounds like a really good lesson! I don`t know why you feel nervous about teaching, you have always been really good at sharing lessons. You always keep it simple, and you always seem to touch people.  The topic of, “ME + CHRIST = MORE” is definitely true! I can`t even try to explain how much I have learned that in just the 3 months being out here.  At first I thought that I needed to try so hard to do everything on my own to receive blessings, or to see a change in my life, but I have realized that as I turn everything over to the Lord, still doing my part, I have received so much help and blessings. It`s really humbling, and it has been so amazing to witness that change that has come over me!!! I have loved this experience and how much it has already matured and humbled me. It`s awesome, and I will never be able to thank Him enough for it!

I am so glad to hear about Peity! She finally seems to be taking the steps to take her to the places she wants to be, which is so good! She could really get somewhere with this if she keeps up the hard work. Just tell her not to be nervous, and to play like she knows how, and she will do amazing! I know it. When I come home, I want to start practicing really hard with her to get her better and to get me better for college because I really want to try out for a team when I go.

I hope Brody does well with wrestling. He just needs to learn some discipline with his body, how to control it and use it to his strengths. He will get there. And he has to be able to take some pain! That`s cool that Gunner has been working out with you. It would be so good for him if he keeps going! I like having an hour to work out every day here. I thought that it was going to suck to have a whole day planned for me while I was out here, but it`s honestly pretty nice.

I hope you have an amazing week this week!!!! I hope you know I am always praying for you guys back at home, and am so grateful for all your support. That has been the hardest thing for me being out here, not having you by my side just being able to talk, play sports, relax and things. It`s been rough, but I have grown so much in these 3 months. More than I ever thought I would have, and it`s great. I`m still me, but just a little more matured. I have been taking more pictures, mom, I promise!!!! I will be sending you sometime this week. I hope you have an amazing week!!! Wish Gunner luck for me, I hope he is starts getting better soon. I love you and miss you all so much!!! Talk to you next week!

Love Elder Harward

SCHEDULED BAPTISM, HACKED BANK CARD, DAY OF THE DEAD & POWER OUTAGE (Oct 31, 2016)

Hola, Mi Familia!!!!!!!

So, with my personal card…. My mission card wasn`t working for some reason, but it just started working today. Since it wasn’t working I had to use my own money for things. I am so sorry. For the hospital bill, I have no idea what that is for, I never went to any hospital, that`s weird? My Mission Card is working now, so hopefully there won’t be any more problems.

The volcano lake we went to last week was amazing!  I really wish you could have been there with me to see it.  I will for sure come back and take you and mom to see that place!! It was so cool! And yes, even now you would get in trouble! If you got caught doing anything "disrespectful" the people would literally try to burn you, alive. They are crazy, but as long as you do everything normal, you will be just fine! 

The buses... oh the micro buses are crazy! They are just family vans that have been upgraded to act like a bus, and they literally pile on like 20 people.  People are standing up holding on to metal bars they put in there themselves. It`s nuts, but so cool! There is a volcano we can see right out our front door. I will get a picture and send it.  The experiences I have had haven`t been much yet because of my short time here so far, but I will never trade them for anything because they are so amazing to me already!!!

I am so happy to hear that everyone is doing better! It’s such a relief to hear. Honestly, I have been pretty worried while being out here just because in these 2 weeks, there has been so much things that have happened to our family that has been so crazy, from Cassie`s surgery, to dad breaking bones, to the kid’s surgery, to Mikayla`s car crash, to Gunner’s car accident, and now sinus surgery for Gunner, Peity & Brody; it`s nuts! But honestly, I have received such a huge testimony about my family being blessed while I am serving the Lord full time. I just hope everything keeps going good back home? I am so glad Mom, that your foot is starting to feel better, I hope it keeps going that way! How is Dad`s nose? Is it healing alright?

Haha, what kind of hobby are you going to pick up, Dad?? I really miss playing football with all of you!!! I am so happy right now though, because for the first time being out here, I get to go play a soccer game!!!!!! I can`t wait! I am so excited!!!!  Halloween is HUGE here!!!!!! It isn`t the same as the US Halloween, instead they celebrate Day of the Dead. But it is huge!!! I will have some pictures coming, because it`s really cool!!!!! I wish I could be there with all of you tonight at the Lund’s, I am for sure going to miss it!

Well, I am sorry to hear that you won`t be taking that job, but I am so glad that you recognized the spirit and an answer to your prayers, and were able to follow it, even though it might have been hard to do. I can`t tell you how many times while being here, maybe not too big of things, but I have gotten a small prompting and as I follow them, I just know that if I wouldn`t have there could have been such a different outcome that I will never know what it may be, but I am glad I don`t have to know, as long as I follow the spirit. I can`t believe how much I have grown spiritually in these 2 months. I love it!

I wish I could have heard Harley’s farewell!!!! She is so strong in this Gospel, she is going to be great in London. If you see her, tell her I say good luck and let her know that this is hard work, but she will love it! She will be amazing! That quote is amazing too! I love President Uchtdorf. He is such a powerful man! (Sometimes a single phrase of testimony can set events in motion that can affect someone's life for eternity. -Pres. Deiter F Uchtdorf)

1. PEAK MOMENT:  That we have a for sure baptism this Saturday!!!!! Brenda is so amazing!!! She is a true convert! We can see the temple from where we teach her, and she said that she will go in there one day. She is amazing and she has the cutest daughter in the world! Expect pictures soon. I am so stoked!

2. PIT MOMENT:  Paty put her baptism date off again. We are hopìng that she decides to be baptized this week too, because she is so ready! But, you can`t rush someone getting their answer. All I know is we are doing everything we can. She just needs to act.

3. SOMETHING YOU HAVE LEARNED THIS WEEK:  One big thing I have learned, because of Paty, is that even though we might not receive a huge answer or a huge change in our life, if we feel the spirit to do something, we need to act on those feelings, and then we will see the change in our life.

4. SOMETHING EXCITING THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK:  Well, 2 days ago, the powerlines above our house exploded... Literally just into a huge explosion haha, and so we haven`t had power in our house for 2 days, and it won`t be up until maybe tomorrow, but we aren`t for sure. It`s been fun. We have candles that we use for light. It`s really fun. And then everyday with my comp is exciting! He has been a great trainer! I have loved being with him. He is so fun, but gets down to business when we need to, and he is just the best!

5.  SOMETHING WE CAN PRAY FOR YOU FOR:  Baptisms... Our one last week got moved to hopefully this week. We aren`t 100% sure. But we do have one for sure this week with Brenda!!! I am so happy for her! She is such an amazing person!!!! Definitely touched by the spirit of God!!!! I can`t wait!!!

I love you all so much!!! Thank you for everything you do for me! You are all amazing!!!!!

Love Elder Harward

FEELING BETTER & A FULL WEEK OF CONTACTING w/o GETTING IN (Oct. 24, 2016)

Hey Familia! Còmo està?

I first want to let you know that I have been praying for you to get this new job! I think it would be a great change for you!!!! It is too bad to hear that Peighton and her team didn`t play too good in the Semi-Finals, but I am glad that they were able to pull their head`s out and make it a good season!

It is so amazing how the Lord works. That part of my setting apart blessing explains my thought process exactly with things right now. It is so weird how things like that happen, and I would love if you could get me that full blessing.  Oh, and guess what, today is my 2-month date!!!! October 24!!! I can`t believe that!!!! It has flown by!

I am feeling so much better. Back to normal. I feel just fine now! Which I am so happy about because now I can work again!!! Which is exactly what we did this week. We worked our butts off! We contacted a lot, and had a lot of visits with our investigators. Also, on Thursday, we did splits with another companionship, and I didn`t really like that experience. First of all, I went to their area, so it was all new to me. Also, every single one of the visits they had planned fell through... All within a matter of about 15 minutes, so from 4:30 to 9:30, literally, we contacted the entire day, and didn`t talk to anybody. The entire day we talked to maybe 5 people after knocking on at least over 50 doors. It was pretty rough. It`s hard sometimes, because all I want to do is teach people, but they just aren`t accepting us. It`s hard, but it is such an amazing experience.  But oh well. It was pretty cool to see their area.  Then Friday and Saturday were full of visits and contacts, and Sunday we went to church, and visited member families, because it is not a good day at all to go contacting or anything like that. 

Then today, for a zone activity, we went to a place called Chicabal. It`s a Mayan lagoon, at the top of a volcano. We walked around it, and back in the trees and things were weird alters, and Mayan sacrifice grounds all over the place, I will try to send pictures. (About that, I have been sending them with just email because I can`t find anywhere to send with WiFi. I will try it next week because it costs to get their password and I just haven`t bought it yet, so I will do it next week.) But Chicabal was a really awesome experience, and I was glad to go there today and see it! If you swam in the water they would literally try to burn you alive if you did anything that made them mad, because it is sacred Mayan land. Creepy stuff, but awesome to see that place!!!!!

It was a week full of contacting, and not being let into people`s houses. Anyways, contacting is rough, but it gives me practice with my Spanish. I can experiment with different things to say, and it`s fun, just a little hard at times, but, it will come, I know it will. Also, a lot of visits are with our investigators. They are all so amazing!!!

Brenda is awesome, she is 22 and she has a date for the 5th of November, and it is almost a for sure thing, so in 2 weeks!!! Then there is Paty, Indira, Edna, Maria Renè, and Michele. Paty and Indira are sisters, and Edna is the best friend of both of them. Then Maria is the daughter of Indira and Michele is the best friend of Maria, but lives with them because her parents are drunk and don`t support her. They are all awesome, and Paty is almost positively being baptized this Saturday, and if she gets baptized, it is almost for sure that Indira will follow, and if Indira gets baptized, it`s almost positive that Edna, Maria, and Michele will follow her. We have a really good line up going! I am so excited to see what comes from this, but yes, I love our investigators. They are awesome! Estuardo has kind of stopped taking lessons, but we always talk with him when we see him. So keep your eyes open for some baptism moments and pictures!!!!!!

1. PEAK MOMENT:  Going to Chicabal today. That was amazing!!!!! It was so cool to see that place!!!

2. PIT MOMENT:  Paty changing her date from this past Saturday to the 29th, but it should be good!

3. WHAT TO PRAY FOR:  Please pray especially for Paty that she can get her answer that this is correct and that she will know what she needs to do, that will help so much!

4. A SCRIPTURE TO READ: 1 Nephi 4:6 talks about how we need to follow the spirit, even if we don`t know what we are getting into, just to trust and rely in the Lord. I think that could get some good discussions going.

Well, I am so glad that everything is going good back at home, and I hope everyone recovers quickly from surgery?   I can`t believe you broke your nose now, Dad?! That`s nuts! At least noses are pretty easy to heal from though.I love you all so much and miss you all! I hope your interview goes great and I will be praying for you!!!!

I love you all!

Elder Harward