Elder Tanner Hardy: The Gospel: A Family Affair (I Love you Dad!)

Wonderful Family Mine!

Здраве! Лятото идва, с сила! Вие всички изглеждате много красиви и прикрасни. Thank you so much for the wonderful letter--it sounds like another busy and wonderful week. Summer! Enjoy it, be together, have some fun. I love you all so much. This week was good, and busy--we had Zone Training on Tuesday (with President and Sister Wilstead for the last time!), a new senior couple came to Sofia, and transfers are happening tomorrow. What a busy time! Both Elder Magoffin and I will be staying in Sofia, but Elder Magoffin will now be serving as an Assistant to the President, so I will be serving with Elder Howard--he is a genuine Idaho boy who loves to sing and to work hard, so we are excited to serve together. I will miss Elder Magoffin as a companion, but we will still have the opportunity to serve closely together, so it will be good. We have had some good meetings with some exciting new investigators this week, the weather is nice (if a little rainy from time to time), and we had a great activity this weekend--there truly is nothing better that I have experienced besides being a missionary. Change? Yes. Discomfort? Certainly! Rejection and disappointment? Of course. Everyday is different, but every day is wonderful (if we let it be that way). I love you so much!

Mother, thank you for that great reminder--we truly should be excited about having the spirit. It always will take a little effort, but it will always be worth it. Prayer, scripture study, church attendance. That is how we stay on the path, that is how we progress! Questions: We contact on buses whenever we get on them to go places--if it is raining, there usually are not people out on the streets, so we either tract, or get on the buses or the Tramvais or the Metro. We do tract whenever we have the chance--during the evening it is usually better than being on the streets. I will not have to update my Visa until January, and that should be the last time I need to deal with it--there is a lot of work in the beginning, but once you have your identification card, everything calms down. I have sung twice in Church here in Sofia, but we do not have a Branch Choir. I am doing good in terms of supplies...not that I would say no to a box however! I will leave it in your hands. There are LOTS of places to buy suits here in Sofia, but I haven't got around to it. It sort of feels strange to be in a Mall as a missionary. I feel like I should be stopping people, but it probably isn't legal. Thank you for your love and support--I feel your love from here!

Father; HAPPY FATHERS DAY! There are so many things that I could say, too many to say in just one short email, and I feel like I have said so many of them before, but I will say them again because they are true. A fun memory first however: I will always remember you for your grip--I remember when we would wrestle when we were little, and I was absolutely convinced that your grip could bend steel, that no matter what anyone did, there was no way ANYONE could force you to let go of something. I was convinced! Thank you so much for who you are, for the example you set for me. Thank you for teaching us to do our best to be diligent--there really is NO replacement for hard work. Thank you for loving my Mother, thank you for always being kind. I hope one day to become half the man, and half the Father that you are. I love you Father!

Grandma and Grandpa: welcome to Europe! I hope you have a great time on your trip, and say hello to Elise for me. I love you so much!

Paige; Jazz Choir Retreat...have a great time! Always remember who you are, and have a great time. Sing some great chords for me! I love you so much--remember who you are!

Ronnie; Scout Camp! Make sure and hike Cardiac Hill for me! I love you so much little brother--try and remember those things you learn as a Scout. They will come in handy as a missionary and in life. I love you so much little brother.

Lizzie; I love you so much! Have a great summer, and make sure and be safe. Swimming lessons will be great--it truly is a good skill to have. I love you!

This week we finally pinned down a time to go and teach a Family that have come to church for the last two weeks, but are not members (sort of...)--the Father was baptized a long time ago, but though a series of events, his records are nowhere to be found, and thus we are teaching him and his wife and their two little daughters the Gospel, and they are excited to be baptized and become members of the church. It was such a sweet blessing to sit in their living room, and discuss the Restoration of the Gospel, and why that would be important for them forever, how it will be the foundation of their family from here on forward. I am so grateful that we have a Loving Heavenly Father, that he cares for us with more love than the best of any earthly fathers. I am so grateful for the simple truths we know about him, and about what his Son has done for us. He is there. He wants to talk to us. That I know, without a doubt, without a hesitation.

I love you all so much, have a great week!

With Love,

Elder Hardy

Here are some pictures! Hope I haven't already sent these ones!