The Rama and a Noche de Hogar

Monday, October 28^th, 2013.

Hey there Fam Jam!

So happy to hear everyone is still alive and doing great! Carson I hope you had a wonderful birthday, and you are a lucky guy to get to go out for food twice in one day! We are poor as missionaries, and we never have the time or money...let alone our family to go with! But that's alright haha.

Okay let's see if I can answer the questions better, thank you for putting them at the end! We have to take buses and trains, if we ever want to go anywhere other than here in Manacor. So really, if we want to visit members, it's like a 6 euro trip. Which is more than we can afford. We do get reimbursed if we send the reciepts in though luckily. So that's a small challenge here!

The island is safe. haha. There are gypsies all over Spain, Badalona was worse. They are everywhere, and not all of them try to steal. We are teaching a family who are considered "hittano".  I love them! But yes, you always have to be careful and conscious over here. Lots of the time, they are JACKED. Haha  The guys are huge, its crazy.

Hey thanks for the giftcard idea, that was super thoughtful of you! About Felix, he speaks English, not any Spanish at all!  I'm not sure about his education, I know he used to work in a hospital though in Africa. That would be interesting, I'm sure that the ward will take care of him over there. We did lots to try and help him get papers, and members are trying to help him get a job I think! He lives with a nice African family who took him in, they aren't members though. We taught them a couple of times! Don't worry, I know he will be just fine.

Well my week this week was pretty wonderful! Had the chance to go out to the coast as you saw in the picture! Its so beautiful out there. I would love to come back one day when I could go swimming, want to come too Aubrey?! ;) haha We have been doing lots of teaching when we can, we don't have as many investigators here as before, so that makes it a little tough. But when we do teach, I love it so much. Last night a family invited us over for a noche de hogar / birthday party, and asked me to give the message! So I did a super fun lesson with putting flour in a cup and making a Sand/flour castle, then putting one cent on top. Then we took turns cutting a little off of the castle, trying to not let it fall over! The person who knocked it over, had to get the coin with their nose all in the flour. It was a riot, and they loved it. I then compared the game to Helaman 5:12, and how we need to have a sure foundation, so that we won't fall...like the coin! It's super fun.

We have been teaching the 17 year old girl named Marga, here from Mallorca, and her date of baptism is for the 2nd! But this week we got some news that makes her situation a little tough. So I'm not sure if it will happen this week, but we are hoping sometime soon! We love teaching her though, she is amazing, she even writes a summary after everytime she reads a chapter from the Book of Mormon. She is so great. I cant share everything about her situation due to privacy rules, but basically she is pregnant, so it makes things harder.

We had a fireside with the rama this week that I really loved. We sat in a big circle, maybe 20 people were there, and we introduced ourselves, and had to compliment the person to our right! It was great, and really built the unity within everyone. That's one thing our branch needs, love and unity. And optimism. So that is now the main focus. We should never speak bad about anyone, ever, because the spirit will not dwell with you. That's one thing I should work on...even when its true, we should never speak bad.

Well I'm not sure what else more to say. Preparation day today, we don't have much planned. Maybe go to the top of the GIANT cathedral outside our house? Not too sure. It's expensive to go to all the beautiful places around here. But I love you all, and hope you have an AMAZING WEEK.

Love, Elder Hardy

In response to question about his location in Manacor :

 

Look me up on google maps, I already sent you my address last week I believe. Calle arquitechte or something? There is a giant cathdral, huge tourist point, literally steps out from our house. note: He didn't tell us anything the week earlier about where he was!  We do a lot of detective work trying to figure it out!

Who is the Branch President and are there very many less actives in the area and do you mostly teach in your own area because of the cost of travel?  

Presidente Piñero is his name, such a great guy. The one in the middle, yes.  I think there are a fair amount, not sure how many, maybe half?  Yes, we try to teach here, as much as possible!

 

 

The coast of Mallorca

The Manacor Rama - front center is Presidente Pinero.