Family Mine!
Thank you so much for being so on the ball and pro-active about helping me out with this--I REALLY appreciate it and feel blessed to have you for a Mother! I have thought and prayed about it, and I would REALLY like to be with both Peter and Max, whether we are on campus or not. I would be good either way, but my inclination is be off campus, either in the Elms or the Liberty Square, thought being in the new Heritage would not be a crime either! I talked to Peter, and he expressed an interest in rooming together, and I really would like to be with him as well--he really is a solid, great guy. If you could talk to Peter's Mom about the idea of living off-campus with Max and I, and I will send him another message, inviting him to live with Max and I and his Mission Companion, and asking him what his opinion is about it. It would be ideal for all of us to be able to be together, but if he (Peter) is really really set on living on Campus, I guess I will just have to make a decision which I really don't want to have to make. I feel that I need to be with Peter--I always felt the Spirit when I was around him, but I really am looking forward to building a lasting relationship with Max as well.
I love you so much! Thank you for the wonderful letter and for the encouragement. It is so great to see pictures of your smiling faces and to hear about your wonderful testimonies. Things are great here in Stara Zagora--the only thing that changed here in Stara Zagora is that Sister Ausen went to Sofia, and that we got a new Sister Jensen in from Ruse--the thing about serving in a smaller Mission is that I know personally every missionary that has served longer or a little bit shorter than I (because we have been in the same District or at least Zone frequently), so there are usually no big surprises. Sister Jensen is a great Мисионерка, and plays the piano wonderfully as well. I haven't actually played in Sacrament since Shumen! Other than that, it's the same old crew. Elder Hazelhofer will have been here for 6 months at the end of the transfer, and Sister Williams for 4 and a half. We have been helping a lot with the Self-Reliance class that the Church is putting out (translating for Sister Whiting, the facilitator, mostly), and it has been neat to see the members getting excited about finding better work, so it has been neat. Other than that, we have been working with one investigator to get married so that he can get baptized, but there always seems to arise another problem when we are right on the brink! It will happen--he has great faith--but it will just take a little bit more time.
I do not know the Beckman's, but I am sure that they are great! Give them a big hello from me!
Mother; thank you for the help with the...work that must not be named. I sure hope that it works out! I love you so much, and am grateful for everything that you do for me. By the way--you are doing great as a parent!
FATHER; Happy Birthday! I don't have the words to explain how much of an influence you have had on my life. I think an experience that I had last week sums it up fairly well though. As a Branch Presidency, we were asked by the Area Presidency to speak in Church, and my topic was about personal and family Goals for personal scripture study, prayer, and Family Home Evening. As I was pondering about what to share, and how to explain my feelings, what was the first thing to pop into my mind but a poem: "on the table, side by side, the Book of Mormon and the T.V. Guide. One is well worn, used with pride, not the Book of Mormon, but the T.V. Guide." It was a little bit garbled translated into Bulgarian, but wonderful nonetheless. Thank you so much, Dad, to live my life right side-up, and not up-side down, to have my priorities right-side out, to be able to walk tall before God. I have countless examples of how to be a good Father, a good Priesthood holder, a good friend and a worthy son of God, simply from watching the way that you live your life. Doctor Bishop, thank you for your example of hard-work, and for loving my Mother. If I could be half the man you are, I will know that I did something right. Happy Birthday!
Paige; thank you for your tender heart! Work hard and ace those finals! I love you Sister.
Ronnie; follow Dad! I love you so much, keep working hard, love you Sisters.
Lizzie; we talk with a lot of English (British) people who have some pretty thick accents. I will think of you when I talk to them. Could you get me a time tuner, Harmonie? It would be a gift to be able to do more than one thing at once as a Missionary! I love you.
This week we had a worldwide Missionary Broadcast (the whole world, watching at the same time!), and it really was spiritually uplifting. One of the things that really stuck to me was about the Role of the Holy Ghost--do we look to "use" the Holy Ghost to help others, or do we realize that it is the other way around--WE are the instrument of the Holy Ghost, and we just have to be willing and humble enough to invite him into our lives, and then just get out of the way. I love the scriptures, and the spirit that they bring. Read them! I love you all so much!
With a Smile,
Elder Hardy
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| The Old District! |
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| PICTURES! |
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This one is for Paige...
A church in Center!
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Re: What's your final decision?
My Dear Sweet Organized Mother,
Does it need to be decided before next Monday, or can we make the decision that day? If there is something that is pressing, you could probably just send a message to the Mission, they could call me, and I could get on one of the Whiting's computers and shoot back a quick response. Thank you so much for working on this for me!
In terms of classes, whatever you pick, at whatever time, I am sure I will be happy with. I trust you! We can deal with that later though, I guess.
I love you so much, have a great week!
Love,
Elder Hardy
On Mon, Jan 25, 2016 at 1:51 AM, Ronald Hardy <rjhardy8@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear sweet Tanner,
Warning - this e-mail is about post-mission things. They MUST be discussed and decided NOW. You have been readmitted to BYU - so you must have completed your ecclesiastical endorsement - which is great. The only things left to do are figure out your housing (contracts are available starting Feb 1) and registration.
HOUSING:I received an e-mail this week from Peter's mom about rooming at BYU. She said Peter is super interested in rooming with you next year - and he is also interested in living on-campus. I wasn't sure what that meant... did you decide that you would like to live on campus with Peter? Or should we see if he is interested in living off-campus?I talked to Sister Alley and she said that Max is only interested in living off campus. He has a guy from his mission that he wants to share an apartment with. He also wants to room with you (I'm not sure he knows Peter, but they would get along fine).SOOO...Do you want to live on campus with Peter (the New Heritage buildings - they have sections for older students) - or off campus with Max, his mission buddy, and maybe Peter (either at Liberty Square or The Elms)?Please pray about it and then let me know today :)REGISTRATION:Let's talk about this later. I don't think Freshman can register until the summer - and I looked over the "map" for your intended major and it's mostly just the chemistry, biology, math and physics series. So fun!!!!I love you, son, and feel like you will be happy and successful no matter where you live next year. I just want you to feel good about your decision.Love,mom
