There is so much joy in the work!

Hola mis amigos!!

I had another fantastic week here at the MTC! The weeks are really starting to fly by! This week we had the special treat of celebrating the 4th of July and it was a blast! We got to finish class a little early on Thursday and go out to get ice cream and watch the fireworks from the stadium!! Everyone was dressed up in red, white, and blue and I loved it! Something I am learning here is that when I am giving my all to the work I am doing, the Lord is able to bless me with so much joy in even the smallest of things. I know Heavenly Father sent us to the Earth to learn and grow, but He also meant for us to be joyful as we learn to turn to His son Jesus Christ!  

I have also been finding so much joy in Spanish this week! We have officially been doing Spanish immersion for almost two weeks now and it is so amazing to see the Lord's hand helping me and all my district members grow so quickly in such a short time. Speaking of my district, I love them so much and they bring me so much joy as well! We got to play some pickleball and volleyball together on Monday and it was so fun! I learned that even though I may not have the height to be great at the net, there is a place for everyone so now I am the designated setter and I love it! We also have the opportunity to do reviews as a district after devotionals and I am always amazed at the spirit I feel in those meetings as we share our testimonies of Jesus Christ and His gospel! 

Miracle:

We did our first real practice lesson in Spanish this week and even though we did not understand everything she was saying to us, we were able to share a message with her and the Spirit was there! I am so grateful for the knowledge that the Lord will be with me as I learn to speak and teach in a new language, and I am always amazed when I witness his ability to help us speak Spanish even when we don't know exactly what to say! Sometimes it is overwhelming to think about getting to Spain and trying to understand people in Spanish there who aren't just my teachers who speak slowly, but I know that the Lord will be with me, and through His spirit I will be able to do His work even in Spanish!

Spiritual Thought:

This week I started reading in the New Testament alongside my study of the Book of Mormon to learn more about Jesus and His life here on Earth and I came across one of my favorite scriptures that has taken on a new meaning for me as missionary which is Matthew 11: 28-30:

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Since I started my mission there have been some difficult moments, but as I have tried to focus on trusting in the Lord in everything I do, I have felt His support and peace with me every time I turn to Him. I'm not saying life is always easy, but I can testify that when we turn to Jesus Christ with a humble heart and recognize our need for his succor at all times, we can find peace and rest in even the most difficult of times. 

I love you all so much and please feel free to email me any time!

Hermana Hardy 💛

Pictures:

- Thanks Aunt Tricia for the delicious lemon bars!! Me and my district loved them and they were gone on a matter of minutes!

-me and mi compañera on the 4th of July!

- our branch celebrating the 4th!

- my cute district and Hermana Brown 💛