Ola!

Ola! 

Thank you so much for the update on everyone! I love and miss you all so much! You are constantly in my heart and prayers! 

Our mailing address is to unit 211, not 75! I forgot to tell you sorry! I got the package though and Loved it! The cookies were delicious! and the Markers were hilarious and I love them! All of our markers actually were "stolen" by other classrooms so I have been really grateful to have some I can keep in my bag!

The Lisbon temple should be finished while I am there, it is supposed to be finished next December I think, and all the missionary's will probably be involved! I would love to be a part of that! Batismo may be what we are focused on as missionaries, but the temple is the real end goal! 

We are teaching a woman named Florence right now (she is really just one of our teachers, but she is a great actor!) and we invited her to baptized during the second lesson and she said she would once she understands more. When I was in that lesson(translating her answer in my head) I have never felt more excited for the work! Even though she is just my teacher, I could feel the spirit of the work I am preparing for! Inviting people not just to be baptised, but to change their life for the better! I will get to witness that change of life and heart in first hand! I am so excited!

This week was a pretty crazy week. One of the Elders in our district broke his hand playing basketball and they were figuring out if he needed surgery or not. One day in class he got called out and told that he was going to be sent home for surgery and recovery and then shipped straight to Mozambique. Even though that wasn't what he wanted, he felt the spirit confirm that it would be all right and had really gotten used to the idea, when an hour later that zone leaders came back and called him out again and he was told that the brethren changed their mind and he was going to have the surgery here (today actually!) And do a transfer in the Provo mission to recover! He is still working to adjust his mindset, but he has such an incredible testimony and faith in God's plan for him! He has also learned how to write with his left hand which is super impressive haha!

We have continued playing beach volleyball, despite the cold! Elder Bates (the one who broke his hand) still plays with us, and I honestly think he is actually better playing with only his left hand than with both! We have so much fun running around in the sand that is covered in leaves now, and attempting to make decent plays! Yesterday while we were playing a ball from the neighboring court flew over to our side and landed directly on Elder Bishcof's head and he completely fell over! He was fine, and it was so hilarious! We were all sitting in the sand laughing our heads off!

The list of injuries continues with elder Esplin (the one with the wisdom tooth) having more dental issues. He has some kind of weird cyst on his gums and he, for some crazy reason, decided to poke a needle into it! He has gone to see the dentist and they aren't sure what it is so then he decided to try cutting a piece of it off! I guess elders are still 18 year old boys haha! 

The list of injuries continues with Elder Nillson! He gets bloody noses literally all the time because of the dry air, so now he going to go in to get his nose cauterized. 

To top it all off, I think I am the only one in the district who HASN'T had a cold. My colega had an especially bad cold and the elders gave her a blessing of healing. They were all really nervous, but they also took it so seriously, it was really sweet! it was some of their first times participating in a blessing and they did great! 

That's the end of the list and not one companionship went untouched! We have decided that satan is really worried about our district and how great we are and so is doing everything he can to hold us back! But NOT TODAY SATAN! The work goes on and we have a smile on our faces!

This sunday Elder Nillson became our new district leader and it's amazing how the Lord qualifies his servants for the work!

I learned an amazing lesson this week that I would like to share! Yesterday morning I prayed and told God that I felt like an unprofitable servant and asked him why he wanted me of all people to serve. Later that same morning I was reading in the book of Mormon I read the verses in Mosiah 2: 21-22. I am an unprofitable servant! No matter what I do I will never be able to repay my dept to God. End yet, with Christ, I am enough. All God requires of us is our obedience, and he will continue to bless of! God is so merciful to us! I felt so much comfort in those verses. I have told myself often that if I do my best, it will be enough, but to have my own words quoted in scripture that same day was an incredible experience and a witness to me that God is in every detail and also a witness of the truthfulness of O Livro de Mormon! I am so grateful to be here and to have to opportunity to serve God and join myself into his work and  glory as stated in Moses 1:39! 

Read the Book of Mormon! It is true! I love it so much and I cannot express the comfort and guidance it gives me! We have a living prophet on the earth today! Listen to his teachings! God is there, He loves us and His hand is in every aspect of our lives. I'm sitting here in the laundry room at the MTC typing this and I feel the spirit burning in my heart! The church is true! Never have I more understood Alma's plea, "O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!" 

I love you all, and I love this Gospel! Eu sei que o evangelho de Jesus Cristo e a verdadeiro!

Sister Hardy 

Pictures: Sister Moulton and I at the Temple, and me with my snazzy new markers that I love!