Познай какво. Обичам ви! Thank you so much for the wonderful letter, as always--it sounds like this week wasn't quite as crazy as last week (only slightly...), but still great! Showcases are always fun. Everything is great here in Shumen--lots of miracles this week, some hard times as well. That's life! If it was any other way, I wouldn't feel like a missionary. And I love being a missionary, so life is great! That is the honest truth.
Mother; I agree--it is a strange feeling to pay at the door for a spiritual experience, but I am glad you liked the conference. I guess you have to just think about it more like a seminar or something like that. In any case, it sounds like the garden is going to be awesome (and hopefully not TOO smelly), and the life continues on. Thanks for what you said about hearts being able to be softened and changed. Sometimes it is easy to think that we are the way we are, but the whole message of the Gospel is that, with Jesus Christ, and with the influence of the Spirit, we CAN change. Great thought, thanks for that reminder. To answer questions, yes--and all of it has been good! I tried Tarator (a cucumber soup) and it wasn't amazing, but I am told it is much better in the summer. I am doing great in the stomach region (as long as I can keep from gaining weight from all the Banitza...). There is a University in our town, but it is a little distant, and not huge, so we don't run into a LOT of students, but enough. Shumen is a pretty quiet place, so not a TON of young people, but still a good number. I don't know if the package has arrived, but I will find out this week--we have Zone Conference. Thank you so much, whether it comes or not! I love you Mom!
Dad, it sounds like the Ward is growing and growing! When you said you went and helped a family of 5 move in, it reminded me of Colorado--we moved families in and out nearly every week-end. Thank you for your example of Church service--though we may not be Full-Time Missionaries for the entirety of our lives, we are full-time Disciples of Christ, always. Thank you for being such a good example of that. I love you Dad, thank you for all you do for us, I love you!
Paige--I bet you were an awesome MC! Improv really is a lot of fun--are you glad that you accidentally made it on the team? That sort of happened with me as well, and it worked out fairly well. I bet your talk was wonderful--it is so true that the Commandments are what keep us safe. I have only been a missionary for so long, but I have seen it again and again--when commandments are kept, lives are blessed. Truly, King Benjamin had it figured out (Mosiah 2:41--I love it!). You are beautiful, you are wonderful! Ehhhh....bleh!
Ronnie, I agree with what Jordan said in her letter. I love you, little brother, always remember who you are. You can have a big impact of the lives of the people around you, especially as you are kind to everyone. People remember kindness, and will want to know why a cool guy like you was also kind. Read PMG, have fun, keep looking so good!
Lizzie, how is school going? How is life? Are you glad to be finished with the play, or sad? Probably both. I love you, and think that you are wonderful. Smile, smile, smile!
This week, we saw some GREAT miracles. To the point, for sake of time:
1) Plamen, an investigator from the other Elders (who left), agreed to meet with us, and told the story of how he knew that we were sent from God because the Missionaries just so happened to turn up at his Block right when he was at his lowest point. So cool! His wife pretty much thinks we are a crazy cult, and doesn't like him meeting with us, but he is one prepared individual. A miracle!
2) We met with a young Muslim man named Mehedin, only a little older than us, studying the Koran at the school here in Shumen. As we began to talk, he started to explain why he thought our work here was a great thing, and he pretty much quoted the Doctrine and Covenants, how "every soul was great in the sight of God." We were both pretty dumbfounded. We had a great conversation, and he is very excited to read the Book of Mormon. So cool!
3) After we taught Jenny, a wonderful investigator with a very Un-Bulgarian name, about the Plan of Salvation, she was so excited to learn more about it, she asked us if there was more than just the additional study section in the back of the teaching pamphlet. She then told us that our meeting was an answer to two of her prayers! She is a wonderful lady.
I have been reading in Heleman 7-10 about Nephi lately--if anyone had a tough crowd to teach to, it was him. No matter what happened however, he continued in "unwearingness"--sometimes it can be easy to get discouraged, but we just need to keep on pressing though, and the Lord will always help us through.
This Church is true, I love you all so much, read the scriptures every day!
С любов,
Старейшина Харди
Some Pictures of Shumen--No time for in Depth Captions! I love you all!
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