"We've been battling bats"

July 20, 2015

Hola! 

So this week I was very busy. Last week I was in a trio because Elder Maldonaldo was with the zone leaders and the zone leaders went to Santa Cruz and so I had Elder Maldonaldo all week. Then the companion of Elder Flores finished his 2 years and so we were thinking, oh sweet, Elder Maldonaldo will be the trainer of Elder Flores. But not so, Presidente said he wants me to be his trainer. So I am now training two missionaries at the same time! So I’ve been busy because we are working in two areas. I like being busy, its a lot of fun. The strange thisng is, I don't have anyone in my house to speak English with so now it is only Spanish! Haha, but thats alright, it’s good. 

This week we found Fernando and he was super sad because he couldn't go to his baptism because he fell in the word of wisdom the night before... just when he has been clean for so long.... so we continue working with him. He needs a little more time. 

This week one day the whole city lost power and everything was pitch black! That was pretty crazy, haha, then, the following day we lost water! So everyone was bathing in the rivers. That was awkward. 

We have been battling bats in my house. There are a lot of bats here who live out side. and usually aren't a problem but one day we left the back door open and they came in and ate a bunch of fruit and made a huge mess! We got them out of the house and  decided to try to kill them with our sling shots but we missed. We had to leave to work and I don't know how they did it but we came home and they were in our house again!! So we have to find a better attack form.... but this week has been fun! 

Love Elder Harding

"Patience is key here"

July 13,2015

Hola!

So this week was a little weird and frustrating… This week we are in a

trio with Elder Maldonaldo because his comp finished his mission. It’s been fun working with him, hes a good guy. Now we have a fairly new investigator Yony and he is really cool. He always has good sincere questions and we had a straight up lesson with him about baptism and authority and the gift of the holy ghost. For some reason he started to get a little upset during our discussion but we taught with love and calmness. Now he understands! He is now reading the Book of Mormon and is working on receiving his answer. He gave me a lamp he made out of a wine bottle, haha! We had a baptism for Fernando Saturday and he didn’t show up. So now I’ve got to go talk with him this week and hopefully he will have the desire to be baptized this week. I’ve worked so hard with him! And he is super ready. We don’t know what happened but patience is key here, haha! As for my health..I still have the rash and its a little better. I have to make a tea  from manzanilla which is a flower and rub it on my body.  The doctor said it won’t cure it but it will control it.

I guess it works alright, I don;t really know. Other than that, not much happened this week...

Love Elder Harding

 We were so close!

 Tea for my rash made with manzanilla flower

"I'm now allergic to the sun"

July 6, 2015

Hola! 

Wow! So much has happened back home! Congratulations on the new baby Kevin and Jessica!!!!! Thats awesome! and congrats to Morgan! Haha! I can’t believe she’s getting engaged! 

This week was a good week! This week was spent working on the baptism Friday for Edwardo! Haha, it was awesome! We had a great turn out and the afternoon before, the others and I cooked a dinner for the baptism with some of the members! it was a great turn out and we had a lot of youth show up! The youth sang a musical number. The Sunday after, his mom showed up to church for the first time in years! we've been working with her for a long time! But Edwardo is now baptized. I forgot my camera today so i’ll send pictures when I can! More good news is Fernando did it!!!! He is all ready for baptism!! He has completely changed his life around to prepare! His baptism will be this next Saturday!! I'm so excited for him. I've worked so hard with him and almost had to quit on him but he did it, he changed his heart! 

On the down side of things I went to the doctor for my rash on my body and the doctor said I'm now allergic to the sun... because the sun is super strong here. When I break out, I am supposed to take pills for 10 days and that is supposed to stop it for a month or so. I have talked with the president’s wife and the odds are I’ll be going to Santa Cruz next combios because it’s cold there. The last 3 days have been cold here and there is no sun and my rash went away. But its not too bad, I can handle it well. It just itches. 

Love Elder Harding

"We faced a lot of opposition"

June 29, 2015

Hola!

This week was difficult. We faced a lot of opposition in our work here.

We were supposed to have three baptisms next week but we will only be

having one.  

Monday, we were in Riberalta to play the other missionaries

in soccer which was a blast. 

Tuesday we had lessons scheduled to finish with our investigators who are preparing for their baptism interview on Sunday. But we couldn’t find any of them! 

And Wednesday we found Edwardo and got him ready for the interview. And we have his brother coming to church every Sunday with him so he brother will be active again soon, so that’s good. 

Thursday we were trying to find Amparo because we had

a appointment but she wasn’t home!! Then she told us to come back later that night

and we went back and she wasn’t home again…. 

The rest of the week was the same thing over and over, it was frustrating. But the good news is Sunday, Edwardo and Fernando showed up to church! So this Friday we

have a baptism with Edwardo!! And Fernando has all of his church

attendance required for baptism but when he doesn’t go to church he falls and has problems. So we are going to wait a few more weeks and see if he can continue to be

strong so he can be baptized.

Elder Harding

"Dust off my machette..."

June 22, 2015

Hola! 

This week was a good week! We didn't have many lessons but it was still a good week with progress! Today we went to Riberalta to play the other missionaries in soccer then we came back and there wasn't internet so thats why I’m writing so late.

Lunes, for our activity we went and played beach volleyball it was a lot of fun. 

Tuesday, we had a service project so i got to dust off my machette! That’s always a good time! 

Miercoles was combios and it was the combios to find out if we go to Capija and are changing to mission La Paz. Since I have 6 months in the same area, Everyone thought I would be going to go the La Paz mission. So at the night of cambios, my zone leaders told me if our pension shows up with a pepperoni pizza I'm going to La Paz and if she shows up with a cheese pizza, I have combios within the Santa Cruz mission and if she doesn’t show up with any pizza, I stay here. So my pension showed up and gave me the phone number to the pizza place so that meant I don't have combios and I have to buy my zone leader a pizza! Haha... So here I will stay, in the same area.... after the next combio I’ll have finished seven and a half months here! haha! Everyone is surprised. That just means the lord just isn't done with me working in this area yet. 

Jueves was walking all day, no lessons and contacting, didn't work all day. 

Viernes, we were training the new secretary of the branch how to use the MLS on the computers. 

Saturday we had a lesson with our branch president because he is not coming to church. It was a very spiritual experience, he almost cried and it was a powerful lesson but Domingo he didn't freaking show up. I don’t know what we are going to do. The good news is Fernando showed up to church!!!!!!!! So next week, if three of our fetchas show up, I’ll be having three baptisms that week!!!! 

Elder Harding

"The sun is so strong here!"

June 15, 2015

Hola!!

So this week literally was full of no working, it was terrible! Haha!

Monday, I went to Trinidad to get my immigration updated and we didn't get there

and situated in our hotel until about 6pm and the zone in Trinidad didn't

have dinner for us so we bought an expensive dinner in the hotel and

charged it to the rooms so zona Trinidad had to pay for that! Haha!

It was honestly, like a little vacation! Haha!  We only worked during the evenings and

the people I visited were people preparing to go to the temple. It was

easy and pretty much just chatting and visiting with them and answering any questions they might have. So all in all, I spent  Monday through Thursday in Trinidad. Then Friday my companion was sick and throwing up so we

couldn't work.... I was so bummed but thats alright. 

Then Saturday, we finally got to work! But then in the morning I was in the doctor again

because I've had a rash on my body for 2 weeks and the doctor said it

was because the sun is so strong here. I’m hoping I’m not allergic to the sun

like 4 other elders have developed here. The Dr gave me cream and pills and it’s

better today it doesn't itch like crazy anymore. Later that night we had

an actividad for couples and they watched the movie “Fireproof” because

many couples here have problems and it was awesome, it turned out well.

Then the week ended with Sunday. It was a long hot day. No one was home. We only had one lesson and none of our fetchas came to church today.

Elder Harding