SECRET SANTA


SECRET SANTA 


Ok, I have a few questions. Are we doing secret Santa this year and am I included? If so, please tell me soon like in the next hour so I can get a gift and send it? Thanks! If not, its chill, I'll just buy myself a present! I don't have any info on my visa and we don't have a plan for skyping yet, but I'll be sure to let you know when we do! Also, please send me your Skype address at some point! I'll be sending the rest of my email in a few minutes!

(NO SUBJECT)

Olá family! Como vocês estão? Estou bom!
I haven't gotten my package yet, but zone conference is tomorrow so I should get it there, and if not the next day is new missionary training, so I should definitely get it this week! Hopefully you didn't put a puppy or like a gallon of milk in there... I haven't sung much, but I got to lead the music at Dwights baptism! And I think that because I sing so loud at sacrament meeting Dwight was finally comfortable enough to sing, I think he thought no one would be able to hear him sitting next to me! Haha! We have been trying not to eat out a ton, but we got Wendy's today! The 4 for $4 is just too good of a deal to pass up. I could probably do better getting my fruits and veggies, but the members are pretty good at serving that kind of stuff when we come over. We went to Teresa's again and brought chicken and rice and a pie and she made veggies! So yummy! In the mission we are only allowed to go to the temple every 6 months and not when you are training, but we are going to talk to Sister Cleveland tomorrow to see if we can get special permission since I won't be able to go to the temple in Portugal, at least for a while. So we'll see! I love the temple so much! I honestly wish I could go every day!
I am so proud of you Ronnie and Lizzie! Your solo was awesome Ronnie, I loved it! I couldn't tell you didn't remember the words, I make up words in Portugues sometimes when I pray because no one can tell, but that will NOT work when I get there... for now though we can call in paiguguese. You sounded so good though. You are such a talented fella! I wish I could see you guys in Aladdin! I'll be cheering you on!
We had a pretty cool week this week! Not cool enough to SNOW YET, but I'm ok with that! On Monday after we emailed we went to Dwight's studio and learned how to be ninjas! He taught us some basics of self defense and we got to kick and punch some bags which was really fun! We are basically black belts now. He thinks its crazy we don't get taught self defense in the MTC, honestly that would be cool, but I think the protection of obedience is a little more effective than my weak little hands. Dominic came and helped teach us too which was so fun!
We had to stop teaching Dominic this week. It was really hard, but he took it so well and he still came to church yesterday! I have no doubt that someday he will be ready to receive the gospel, its just not right now. We put it off for a while, I was worried about doing it, but the morning of our appointment I was reading in the scriptures and read some verses that said so clearly to me that God agreed with our decision. I felt so much better after that, and now that we did it we have seen so many blessings! And we will still keep in contact with him, we are getting more martial arts lessons today and he will be there! I love him so much, I love all the people we teach like crazy! It's hard to stop seeing them as often, but sometimes you have to love a person enough to put them in the area book. I am looking forward to the day when I will see a picture of Dominic smiling in a white jumpsuit, ready to take the leap of faith and join the body of Christ!
As we dropped him we have seen many compensating miracles. The girl I told you about last week who came to church with her dad and went to the youth activity? Her name is Brooklyn and she went to mutual this week and church this Sunday and we asked her if she would like us to teach her and asked if she would want to get baptized and she got super excited and said "yeah!" It was such a cool moment! She is such a sweetheart!
We were also able to spend some time with a recent convert named Michael. He has a brain injury and some addictions, but we had a really nice visit with him and shared the light the world videos with him and he loved them! He committed to pray to ask for help in overcoming his addictions and said he was going to write a note to his dad who has been so good to him to "light his world." Later this week he also agreed to go to an AA meeting! It is going to be a long road for him but I can see that he does have a desire to grow closer to Christ, I have so much hope for him!
We had exchanges this week too which was fun! The STL is in a trio too, so we were split into two trios. My companions both went with the STL and I went with the two other sisters. It was really wack to spend a day with different companions, I am so used to sister Pierce and sister Stephan, but it was also fun! We did service at the cutest little thrift shop (I bought a Michigan State sweatshirt for like $3!) And taught a girl who is living with some members! I was glad to go back to Monroe though. It is a wack place, but I love it so much! I missed my companions too.
It has been a slow week teaching wise. We have had quite a few potentials and investigators cancel on us or drop us, but we that means we have had a lot more time to contact! Saturday we got to go downtown where they were having this big Christmas parade! It was freezing, but the streets were full of people celebrating and having fun with their families! We talked to a whole bunch of people, saw Dwight and his family (his grand-daughter is the absolute cutest!), I bought some $4 french fries so I could share my testimony with the vendor (and I wanted french fries, but that isn't whats important haha), and we got a cool potential! I didn't know places did Christmas parades, especially super cold places like Michigan! But it was so fun!
I have been absolutely loving the time I get to read the Book of Mormon! I am almost done with it for the challenge President Nelson gave us, and though I have read the Book of Mormon through before, this is the first time I feel I have really read it. Like thoroughly feasted on the scriptures. I have also started reading it again in a different copy as a sort of "spiritual speed through" and underlining every mention of God and Christ. The comprehension is not great, but the spirit is! The Book of Mormon is a true book! So many times I have opened it to read and received exactly the answer I needed. READ IT! LOVE IT! ok, thanks for listening.
I know that this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ, the only church with the priesthood authority of God on the earth. I know Jesus Christ is my savior and redeemer and I love Him so much and am so infinitely grateful for his sacrifice for me! I have a testimony of the power of prayer and the importance of faith. They are VITAL! I know that Christ lives and God is my loving heavenly father. I testify that if you will read the Book of Mormon and pray to know of its truthfulness, the holy ghost will witness to you that it is the word of God. 
I love you all so much! Thank you for your love and your support! Merry Christmas!

-Sister Hardy







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