Elder Tanner Hardy: "Explosive Things come in Small Packages"

Family Mine!

Thank you so much for the wonderful letter! I love the image of Dad sitting with his girls learning how to knit...how simply happiness can be attained, by what "small and simple means." It sounds like there isn't a part of the Northwest to not have been tread on (or imminently WILL be tread on) by a member of the Hardy family. AND ALEX! Woah! He is going to love it, and do wonderful things. It just reminds me of Max and I joking in Sophomore Humanities about opening North Korea together. Good times. Give my love to the little blond ones--people sure do some changing over the course of two years!

This week has been a really good week--from teaching in the Mini-MTC (two days of additional training for missionaries in their first 6 weeks--this time we just had 3 Sisters in the group, and it was interesting how significantly different the atmosphere and training were as opposed to when there are a couple Elders mixed in there. Funny stuff), to being on exchanges with the Elders here in Sofia ( I was with Elder Wilson, my trainee, and then also Elder Silveria, the English/Brazilian), to a CRAZY but amazing day on Saturday (we left the apartment at 1030, and besides a literally 5-minute lunch, we did not return until 925 that evening--so tired, but such a good feeling!), I have loved this week. We have been blessed so much this week, it is staggering. I have just been so filled with gratitude this week for the opportunity to serve a mission--throughout the week, and last night especially, I have struggled to fall asleep just from just laying there, thinking and praying about my mission so far, about current issues in our area and the mission, and what lies ahead. The Lord really is merciful to his children--it has been such a blessing to be so busy and constantly occupied with teaching Kalyan, and preparing him for his baptism. I have been praying for the Lord to really help me to stay lazer-focused, and he has answered my prayer in more ways than one through the last few weeks and months. I cannot express the feelings of my heart of love and gratitude and amazement, pure wonderment that I have been so blessed throughout my life. Every time I just take a second to think, it just blows me away! I am sure that at times I forget, and do not act in a way fitting for the blessings and opportunities that I have received, but in those moments, I am filled with a burning desire to give everything that I have and am to the Lord and to his children, in an honest, though surely insignificant effort to fulfill the duties and responsibilities I accepted before this life. I LOVE being a missionary, but more importantly, I realize more and more that I simply am learning to LOVE being a disciple of Christ. I have a lot of path to walk, but I am so grateful I at least know where the path is.

Also this week, we played basketball with some Turkish guys who grew up their whole lives in Germany, so thus spoke mostly German (and mostly swore at us in German), but spoke some English too--we were significantly better at basketball then they were, but I wouldn't want to meet them on a dark street corner--they were LARGE. Hearts of gold however--we'll see if they are willing to read the Book of Mormon.

I want to make this week the most explosive of my life--one of our investigators passed his baptismal interview yesterday, and is looking really good for his baptism this coming weekend--a HUGE blessing! Pray that he will continue to read the Book of Mormon this week, and that there will be no hiccups. We will be teaching him a lot this week, and hopefully some other people with potential we found in this past week. Lay it all on the line, leave it all on the court!

Dad, I hope that you don't get too lost--just be sure you are somewhere that you can get GPS reception on your phone...за всеки случай. I am sure it will be a great experience--I will always be grateful for scout leaders that were willing to go out with us and teach us important life lessons. Thank you for being that man, Dad! Thank you for praying for our investigators--I feel the strength of your prayers. I love you so much, have a great week!

Mom; it sounds like you had a fun experience with planning--maybe I am just a Missionary, but that sounds like some of the Member-Present Lessons I have planned during my Mission--lots of time on the phone, and the lesson gets rained out! Heavenly Father knows perfectly how to test us and mold us, that is sure. Thank you for letting me know about Sarah and Brandon--Grandpa wrote me a letter about it a few weeks ago. I know that God has a plan for us, I know it. They all look so great a cute! Love you so much Mother!

On a more serious note, I have one request. I know that after a certain date that Paige is counting down to, we are going to be really busy, but I would really appreciate it if sometime that week, we could just take a day, just the family, without any going anywhere to just get together and really catch up, to share with one another our experiences that we have had over the last few years, to share how we have grown and changed. I want to share my experiences with you while they are fresh, for they are of incalculable worth to me. I know we will have a thousand things to do, but would that be possible? I feel that it is important. Sometimes, as hard as I try, emails just don't get the job done.

Paige; hey, guess what? Bleh. I love you! I hope you know that I look up to you spiritually (if not physically), and am proud of who you are and who you are becoming. I love you!

Ron; nice muscles! You are really going to enjoy Jazz Choir Camp--those are some of my very favorite experiences, and I know that you will enjoy them as well. Learn to sing from Mr. Socks--he really is one of the best musical instructors you will likely ever rub shoulders with. I love you Brother!

Lizzie; you go! I could use some of your soccer skills here--we don't really play all that much, but when we do, I think of you. I love you so much little Sister!

I love you, have a great week!

Love,

Elder Hardy