Te quiero España

Hola mis queridos amigos!!

I don't know how we made it here so fast, but this is the last email I will be writing on my mission. As I sit here on the train to Madrid I have been reflecting on my mission, and it is truly impossible to put into words how much the last 18 months of my life has meant to me. If I had to try and sum it up in one word, all I can say is that my mission has been sacred. Spain is sacred to me because of all that I have learned and become here. Most of all, I am grateful for how my mission has taught me to rely on my Savior. Through the tear filled prayers, spirit filled lessons, rejections, and miracles I have come to know Him. I know He died to set me free and lives to be my strength! I am grateful to be His disciple and that it doesn't have to end here. I will continue to serve Him my whole life and for that I have JOY!!

Highlights:

- On Monday night we went to visit Noelia and her daughters and it was soo fun!! We got to help them learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, set up their Christmas tree, eat pizza, and play with the girls! Dana is adorable and just adores us, so it was so fun to be with them!

- On Tuesday we were able to meet with Nelly again and it was soo good! Our member cancelled 10 minutes before saying she couldn't come, so we called an hermana named Sucy and she said she wasn't sure she could leave home right then but we could call her. BUT, right at the time of the lesson she showed up and said, "Suprise!! I decided there was nothing better to be doing than to be here with you!" I love her!! Nelly has had some great experiences with the Book of Mormon and wants to progress towards baptism again!

- On Wednesday we headed down to Burgos for exchanges!! I finally got to live my dream being comps with Hermana Finch for a day! Even though we were freezing in Burgos we had a blast and saw lots of miracles!

- On Friday we met with a cute less active chica named Marta and it was so good! She started tearing up during our message and said that she really needed to feel the spirit again and that we had helped her feel closer to God again

- On Saturday my sweet friend Nieves from Pamplona came to visit me with her boyfriend Adrian and it was so sweet! I love them so much and I can't wait to see them continue growing in the gospel!

- On Saturday we went over to Carola's house and she made us delicious Peruvian food!! We ate with the fam and it was so sweet to see them all together and I can't wait to see them continue to grow in the gospel and have an eternal family!

- Sunday was my last Sunday in Spain and it was so bittersweet! We had a sweet testimony meeting and Thomás passed the sacrament!! I love the members of this ward so much! They have been such wonderful examples to me and changed me for the better

- Sunday afternoon I had my last lessons with Olga and Yuri and said my goodbyes Then we finished the day contacting in the streets and sharing the light of Christ!! It was such a sweet day to finish my mission!

Miracle: This week my miracle is Fai!! Fai is a friend that I started teaching my first transfer in Logroño and was preparing for baptism, but went through some challenges and lost contact for a while. I reached out to her this week to see if we could meet one more time before I go, and she agreed! We had an amazing lesson with her and she said she's ready to come back to church and prepare for baptism! I love her so much and I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to teach her and learn from her

Spiritual Thought: For my last spiritual thought on the mission I just want to focus it on the One who made it all possible and makes it all possible, Jesus Christ. This week I've had the opportunity to testify of Him so much and I am so grateful! I know that He lives, that He is our light in the darkness, our hope. I know that only through Him and His atonement can we have true joy in this life and eternal life in the next! I LOVE HIM I want to end with the words of Nephi because I think he sums up my feelings pretty well,

"I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell." (2 Nephi 33:6)

I am so grateful for the relationship I have gained with my Jesus here in Spain! I am grateful for these last 18 months and the opportunity to testify of Him and serve Him and give my life to Him and I am excited to spend the rest of eternity doing the same

See you all so soon

Hermana Hardy

Pictures:

- cutie Dana after she posed us for the picture

- I love Hermana Finch with all of my heart!! (Us freezing in Burgos )

- Fai

- Carola, Joseph, Fabricio, and Arellys

- last churros and chocolate in Spain

- Marta

- Noelia and fam

- Fernanda and Thomás

- the cantos and Ellie