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

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

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!!