Went to a place called la calle del sol which has lots of stores, and there´s a really old La Sirena supermarket there. This is the concrete outside. Mermaids!
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Pic from 12/10/2014
The power went out at the internet cafe Hermana B was at, so she didn't get to write much. Here is the picture of her little Christmas tree that we sent her last year.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Letter from 12/3/2014
Haha okay, I will practice my very best self control and wait it out, then. I imagine that it will be easy with the way time is flying. I have to go soon, so I will be brief...
I had one of the investigators of the elders´ tell me that she wanted me to be the one to baptize her, but that the elders had told her that it doesn´t work that way. haha. It was so sweet, though. Also, I was the music leader in the primary presentation last week and it turned out great! It´s amazing what nerves can do to a normally distracted and talkative bunch of kids. They even watched me to know when to stand up! So cute. Anyway, I´m here in Santiago now and so excited to be a sister leader with Hermana Navas, from Honduras. I think it´s going to be a total blast. I´m excited to serve other sisters and learn so much, as well as humbled to be assigned to this position. I totally cried like a baby when I found out (in the house, thank goodness) due to shock and feelings of inadequacy, but I´m looking forward with an eye of hope and optimism. I´m learning to trust more and more in the Lord day by day. I love you all and think of you frequently!! Stay safe in this winter season and spend lots of time with your loved ones. I hope you find time and space in your heart for those who may otherwise go forgotten this holiday season. Turn out and serve!! Love you all!!
Hermana HARDEN
I had one of the investigators of the elders´ tell me that she wanted me to be the one to baptize her, but that the elders had told her that it doesn´t work that way. haha. It was so sweet, though. Also, I was the music leader in the primary presentation last week and it turned out great! It´s amazing what nerves can do to a normally distracted and talkative bunch of kids. They even watched me to know when to stand up! So cute. Anyway, I´m here in Santiago now and so excited to be a sister leader with Hermana Navas, from Honduras. I think it´s going to be a total blast. I´m excited to serve other sisters and learn so much, as well as humbled to be assigned to this position. I totally cried like a baby when I found out (in the house, thank goodness) due to shock and feelings of inadequacy, but I´m looking forward with an eye of hope and optimism. I´m learning to trust more and more in the Lord day by day. I love you all and think of you frequently!! Stay safe in this winter season and spend lots of time with your loved ones. I hope you find time and space in your heart for those who may otherwise go forgotten this holiday season. Turn out and serve!! Love you all!!
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Letter from 11/26/2014
I got your package, mom! Thank you so much for all of the goodies and pics and fun things. :) I also got a package from Alicia LaDue- thanks, Alicia! I look forward to meeting you in April!
Things have been pretty rainy in Tamboril this week. I'm sure it will continue on throughout these "winter" months. Speaking of the coming months, I am a little anxious about transfers. They're next Wednesday and Sister Buchanan is done with her training. I feel like these transfers went by crazy fast, and I only have 3 left. It's so weird, and I try not to think about it. haha. I've been gone for so long that I have basically forgotten everything I once knew. For example: I mentioned to my companion that the movie Jenga used to scare me as a kid. She was like, "You mean... Jumanji?" hahahahaha. I just about died laughing at myself.
On Monday we went to visit an elderly widowed sister who had been sick. We got there and found her alone- she needed help getting into bed. We helped her and quickly learned that she had fallen the night before and woke up still on the ground the next day!! We ended up staying with her and more members came until finally someone could take her to the hospital. We sang hymns and I told stories while she laid in bed. I told her that I wish she could have met Dad. I know that Dad could have made her laugh. I was thinking about him a lot as we kept her company. It was an interesting experience. It made me think about the scripture in James: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Dad is such a good example of that to me.
I was reading in Alma 30 this week about Korihor. His story makes me think about the counsel we received at conference to seek personal confirming revelation. We have to be wary of following the philosophies of men- even those who seem just so convincing.
After having read that passage of scripture, I watched The Testaments and bawled like a big baby so predictably at the end. But it was cool because they use a lot of parts from the Book of Mormon in the story and parts of the fictional characters. Have you guys seen Meet the Mormons?
Anyway, I am bummed that I won't be there tomorrow to eat delicious food until I no longer have the capacity, but maybe we can reenact the Thanksgiving dinner in the spring... haha. Anyway I love you all so much and think about you more than you know! Talk to you soon!!
Hermana Harden
Things have been pretty rainy in Tamboril this week. I'm sure it will continue on throughout these "winter" months. Speaking of the coming months, I am a little anxious about transfers. They're next Wednesday and Sister Buchanan is done with her training. I feel like these transfers went by crazy fast, and I only have 3 left. It's so weird, and I try not to think about it. haha. I've been gone for so long that I have basically forgotten everything I once knew. For example: I mentioned to my companion that the movie Jenga used to scare me as a kid. She was like, "You mean... Jumanji?" hahahahaha. I just about died laughing at myself.
On Monday we went to visit an elderly widowed sister who had been sick. We got there and found her alone- she needed help getting into bed. We helped her and quickly learned that she had fallen the night before and woke up still on the ground the next day!! We ended up staying with her and more members came until finally someone could take her to the hospital. We sang hymns and I told stories while she laid in bed. I told her that I wish she could have met Dad. I know that Dad could have made her laugh. I was thinking about him a lot as we kept her company. It was an interesting experience. It made me think about the scripture in James: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Dad is such a good example of that to me.
I was reading in Alma 30 this week about Korihor. His story makes me think about the counsel we received at conference to seek personal confirming revelation. We have to be wary of following the philosophies of men- even those who seem just so convincing.
After having read that passage of scripture, I watched The Testaments and bawled like a big baby so predictably at the end. But it was cool because they use a lot of parts from the Book of Mormon in the story and parts of the fictional characters. Have you guys seen Meet the Mormons?
Anyway, I am bummed that I won't be there tomorrow to eat delicious food until I no longer have the capacity, but maybe we can reenact the Thanksgiving dinner in the spring... haha. Anyway I love you all so much and think about you more than you know! Talk to you soon!!
Hermana Harden
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Note from 11/19/2014
Helloooooo!!
This week... we received the Liahona that has all of the General Conference talks. It´s like heaven. haha. I also recovered the flashdrive, shoes and comb that I ¨lost¨ last Wednesday. My companion and I discovered a hidden neighborhood this week as well, and we are excited to contact it! We have been having pretty consistent opportunities to do service for others as well, which I just love. I basically am a cleaning machine, and now that it is Christmas time (yes, already) in the DR, we will have tons of opportunities to help people do their huge annual cleaning. I was listening to The Nutcracker as I cleaned our own house today, which was funny because my comp has seen it a few times and was doing some of the dance moves. hehe. Today we also had a zone activity and we were GOING to watch Frozen but then we couldn´t get access to a tv at the church. I was so close to getting to see it!! Oh well. I can´t think of much more to say other than that I was reading in John about the Savior washing the apostles´ feet, and it really moved me. The conversation He has with Peter is a powerful lesson about the Atonement and repentance for me. I miss and love you all and think of you often! I hope you are enjoying this grateful season and making the most of every day!!
Love, Hermana Harden
Monday, November 17, 2014
Week of 11/12/2014
WHAT IS NEW... hmmm... It´s always so hard to think of what might interest you all...
My companion and I got a puppy.
Just kidding, it belongs to the people on the first floor, but she is so cute and waits at the bottom of the stairs for us every morning and comes running every night. :) I named her Batdog. You´ll see why. haha. (I look like a crazy person in the pic because it was totally dark and the flash was blinding. haha.)
I got some awesome Halloween cards from the Boone YSA! I sent them a letter in reply today, so hopefully they will get it soon. I also sent a letter to Lauren Coontz last week. It´s coming, Lauren!!!
I have taken up eating chocolate bulk cereal which is made of powdered swords, like Peanut Butter Crunch. haha. It´s not quite as damaging on the gums though.
Please just keep praying for us and the work here in Mission Santiago. I believe that we will be able to see even more progress, very soon.
Here´s a last scripture that I recently memorized: ¨Elevad hacia mi todo pensamiento. No dudéis, no temáis. Mirad las heridas que trespasaron mi costado, y también las marcas de los clavos en mis manos y pies. Sed fieles; guardad mis mandamientos y heredaréis el reino de los cielos. Amén.¨
Cookies for whoever emails me back with the reference!
I love you all and wish you an EXCELLENT week!!
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Thursday, October 23, 2014
Letter from 10222014
Well
it´s transfer day here in Mission Santiago. My daughter, Hermana Buchanan, and
I are still here together! We´re pretty pleased. A ton of my mission friends
are leaving though. Hermana Pierre, Elder Torres, Elder Mendoza, Hermana Veras
(my trainer), Hermana Navas (one of my Sister Leaders) and Elder Castro, the
dance instructor. haha. I am actually kind of sad to know that they´re headed
out and I may not see them again in person... ever. That´s the cool/hard part
about serving a mission... I have friends from all over the world... but it
might be hard to stay and touch and maintain those friendships. Thank goodness
for facebook, though. :) Assuming that is still the big deal when I come home.
lol. Some fun transfer news is that Hermana De La Cruz is still in Moca! I´ll
probably see her this transfer. Also Hermana Parker (my Texas twin) and Hermana
Bates (my first comp here in Tamboril) are now training! Did I tell you that
Hermana Parker opened an area in Samaná?? Look it up... you will be so excited
for her. :)
Well, this last week, we
were supposed to have another baptism, but we think his mom doesn´t want him to
be baptized. We were kind of bummed, but we´re not giving up. :)
In my
studies, I have been focusing on the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants.
I love studying church history... I will probably go hide in a hole somewhere
when I get home and just read the History of the Church. I might take breaks to
watch pioneer movies. haha. In the Book of Mormon today, I was reading in
Alma about Ammon. That story is written like a movie. I would love to make a
church video (HBO series? lol) adaptation of the Book of Mormon. What drama one
senses as Ammon asks Lamoni, ¨What wilt thou that I should do for thee, O
king?¨ The guy just sits there looking at him for an hour! I think I would
convert that into about 2 minutes of screen time, that way the viewers get all
antsy. Or if it were like those bible videos, about 30 seconds. I sure would
love to be a part of that project, though. In this day and age, I just want to
help everyone realize how REAL the scriptures are. We´ll see where that
mountain wind blows me when I get home. :)
Well that´s the latest
and greatest! I hope you are all having an amazing week. Don´t forget to go
back and study those conference talks! Enjoy the cool weather for me!!
Hermana Harden
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