Cold enough for a SWEATER VEST??

Some members bought these Vest's for JD and Elder Sepulveda because it has gotten so cold in FLORDIA! Don't they look LOVELY!!

Elder Sepulveda, a family in their area, Elder Hardman

First Baptism *BEFORE the mission*

Elder Hardman's Mother wanted us to share this picture. This was JD's first Baptism EVER....He was asked by Cami to baptize him this was taken in 2008. Elder Hardman is Working VERY hard to get MANY MORE BAPTISM'S

Letter before Christmas

Well, what a good week it has been, and I am really looking forward to this week. I'm going to keep you all in suspense, and not tell you anything until I call home on Saturday night lol. I am going to be calling home on Saturday at around 8:30-9:00 p.m. here, so 6:30-7:00 p.m. there. Again, I'll tell you all about why when I call home lol. Let's just say that I am rather excited haha. But as of right now, we don't really have any real set Christmas plans, but it's all good we're all really excited to have Christmas here on the mission.

Okay so it has been flippin' freezing here! I actually had to go and buy a flippin' sweater. It was crazy! And then a member bought Elder Sepulveda and I a sweater vest thing for Christmas. I'll send a picture of us with them on. We love them, they are really nice. I hope it doesn't show off my girlish figure too much. Elder Sepulveda is kind of sick from it all too.
On Saturday it was cold again and windy, but also it was raining so hard.
We had 8 appointments that day that we were determined to go too. And we're on bikes, so long story short, we got SOAKED!!! Haha but it was a great experience, and one that I will never forget, nor will Elder Sepulveda. We have a great time together. Speaking of being cold, it doesn't surprise me that you are cold Mother haha. You're always cold.

Mother thank you SO much for taking that letter to Lexi!!! I'm grateful to you for taking it to her. Good job on finding her house! Did you have any trouble? Haha probably not I'm just givin' ya a hard time. Love you Mother!

So we ride a bikes pretty far everyday. Our area goes from Jog Road to Highway 95. Then from Souther Blvd. to Purdy Lane I believe. There you can look it up on Google. It's something like that. People say I'm dropping some lbs. but I don't know I'll leave that up for you all to determine haha.

So yes I got my packages!!! Thank you SO much from all!!! They are amazing, and Elder Sepulveda is really excited to see what you gave him haha. We opened the boxes, but not the presents haha. Thank you SO very much for thinking of the other Elders too! So I have to tell you thank you so much for getting those things for Elder Sepulveda. He told me last night that his parents never do anything real special for Christmas. His Dad just gives him money to get whatever he wants. He says he would rather his parents give him one thing that is special instead of just money because it doesn't really have any meaning. So thank you so much for that, it really means a lot to him. He is a great missionary, and a great companion. I am so greatly blessed to have him as my companion, and for you my family supporting him, and giving him a little something.

Well family, that's pretty much all (until Saturday at least) haha. I love you ALL with all of my heart, and you mean everything. I am so very grateful and I thank you so much for your prayers in my behalf, and our behalf, because they truly are being answered. Have a great week, and I'll TALK to you on Saturday!

I love you!

Love,
Your Son, Brother, and Uncle
Elder Hardman

PS: Carson is getting huge! Who is he? LoL give all of the babies BIG HUGS AND KISSES from Uncle Elder Hardman

Beloved President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Hola Mi Familia!!!

Como estan? Espero que todo bien. Estoy bien no se preocupen.

So before I get into anything I want to share with you all what happened this past weekend on Saturday and Sunday. So this weekend was our Mission Christmas Conference. On Saturday we enjoyed a nice luncheon and company with the whole mission and all of the Stake Presidents, and also we were blessed to have the company of Robert C. Gay of the Quorom of the Seventy. After the luncheon we had a program with some singing and hearing from our beloved mission president and his wife, and Elder Gay. It was very spiritual and I loved it. I was very extremely uplifted and edified from it. For the past couple of weeks President Hale said that for the Sunday portion we were having a special guest coming to talk to us, so we needed to look and act good. So we were all really looking forward to that conference that night. On Saturday President Hale sent out a text to our zone leaders saying that it was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland coming. So we were all really looking forward to that. So yesterday we're sitting there waiting in the Chapel for them all to come in. Do you want to know who walked in, and I shook hands with? I'll give you a hint...It wasn't Elder Holland, and he lost his voice a little at last general conference. Give up??? His name is...

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I am not lying President Uchtdorf came to our mission to speak to us, and I got to shake his hand, and his wife's hand, and meet them personally! As you can imagine it was amazing. His talk was so very powerful, and was truly sent to talk to me. We truly were in the presence of a true Prophet of God. That was our Christmas presence from President and Sister Hale to us. They are good friends with the Uchtdorf's. It was truly a weekend, and a night that I will never forget. Sorry I don't have pictures because we were told not to bring cameras in. But some did for after he left so maybe I'll get some pictures from the other Elders.

Okay so now more stuff lol.

My week has been amazing, obviously. We also had a specialized training this past week, and a zone council, so I have been very up lifted and edified this week.
The weather has been really amazing. It has been kind of cold for being Florida, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it lol. People dress up like they are in Utah haha I love it. I love the people here.
So no I cannot see the ocean from where I live or anything. I think we are about 15-20 minutes away from the coast line. Idk I've never been there lol.
Mom your DearElder came about 5 days after you sent it I think. Because I think it takes 4 days to get to the office, then one more day after that. So there you go lol I know everytime I get done e-mailing I always remember that I didn't answer that question haha. So now I got my 3X5 card next to me and handy with me today lol. And I'm sorry but I have been slacking on my Journal, but I write in my study journal everyday so...lol. I'll try harder to write in it.

Mother will you please deliver that letter to Lexi soon please? She lives the First Street on the right after 4800 S. heading East. She is the second house on the right. Her little truck is usually in the driveway. It was a shell on it. Please deliver that like today or tomorrow please lol. I want to hear from her. Thank you Mother I love you!

I don't know anything on my Christmas call yet, but I will for sure let you know next week. Sorry Mother and Father lol.

So truthfully Florida has been great to me. It has been really hard to adjust to everything because it is so different than Utah, but it is really good I love it. I'm just trying to overcome obstacles and everything. Nothing big don't worry. Just the normal mission trials and obstacles and everything you know? That's all dont' worry.

Okay so the Family Christmas party sounds like so much fun! "Grandpa Santa" haha oh man that made me laugh so hard. The little ones are so cute, and are so smart. I love them so much. So to go down to the chapel on Saturday for our Saturday seesion of mission Christmas conference, we took what they call, I think, TRAM. It's kind of like FrontRunner but not. The engine is like a UP Train. I thought of Grandpa when I saw that and thought how he would have loved it. Speaking of trains, sounds like the Christmas train is getting annoying already this year lol. Oh those little ones I love them so much. Devin and Alicia you be careful going to California!!! Return home safely!!! I love you guys!

I'm glad that you all enjoyed the pictures that I sent home. I'll try to send more home when I get the chance to.

Well family that's about all for this week. We have a couple Baptismal dates right now, but there hasn't been one yet, but I know that there is at least one coming soon. I'll let you know more on those later, maybe during the call.

I love you all with all of my heart, sincerely, and am so very grateful for all of your support and prayers for me in my behalf and the people that I work with. They are truly felt, and you our in our prayers as well. I hope that you can feel them. I love you all!

Love,
Your Son, Brother, and Uncle
Elder Hardman

Lovin' Florida Weather.....while here at home we are stuck with SNOW!!

Dear my Family,

Well how are all y'all?! I am doing just fantastic!

I'm glad that you enjoyed those few pictures! They were just a few. Thank
you so much for those pictures of home! Holy cow there is SO much snow!
It's so weird to see that, and to see how it is here. Haha I don't want to
rub it in or anything, but I walk out with my short sleeve shirt on, and it
is perfect. Not a drop of snow, but a drop of golden sunshine. Haha sorry
I really don't mean to rub it in. But, for being the time of year that it
is, I really do miss the snow and it feels really weird. But I really hope
that you have a white Christmas, as do I hope for ours! Thank you for all
of your prayers for that, and for me. I feel them all of the time.

Okay speaking of prayers, I have something that I want ALL of you guys to
do. Here in this mission, we have what we call "Mighty Prayer." Every
morning at 9:00 a.m. and every night and 9:30 p.m. (or at least there
abouts) we all kneel down in our homes and pray united as a mission. I am
asking you all to join with us. so it would be 7:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. for
all of y'all. We pray that the temple here in Ft. Lauderdale can be built
quickly, and that Cuba can be opened for missionary work, as well as other
parts around the world that are not opened to missionary work. Also, we
pray for our investigators, and whatever we may need and want according to
the will of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. So I ask that everybody
in the family do that as well. Do not feel bad if you miss a time because
there are times that we do, but do it. Thank you all so very much, and I
love you all for your willingness to do this.

I have a question. Mother did you receive that letter to give to Lexi for
me? And if so, did you deliver it? Thank you Mother! Yeah we e-mail early
every week. Well early for y'all lol. Also, Mother how many times have you
looked at the mission blog? LoL love you! Yes usually for P-Days we go out
for lunch, and we usually go to McDonalds. We go to McDonalds, because it's
FREE! Haha yeah that's right. A member in the other ward and somebody else
own it and gives it free to the missionaries. But I promise we're not
eating there a lot. My diet consists of chicken, pork, rice, rice, rice,
and rice. Haha I already know how you feel Matt lol. But, I am sincerely
so very grateful for all of the members that cook for us and feed us. They
are amazing people.

I am so very glad to hear that you all are enjoying your time with each
other, and doing things together. Remember Mother, and everybody, don't let
Christmas get commercialized. Remember Christ, and let your love for all
people grow stronger in your hearts everyday. That's coming from President
Uchtdorf. Have fun at the family parties, and remember that I am always
with you in your hearts, and I feel close to each and every one of you.

So about where I live. That picture of the Dolphin car was when we were
sitting at a Taqueira food place and it was there. It started driving away
and it dawned on me, "Hey stupid take a picture for your Mother and
Brother." So i took it just for you guys. I see some fast food
restaurants, a Walgreens, super markets, lots of people, and a lot of
drivers. Oh, and lots of creeks and water, as you can imagine. Lots of
Lizards, holy cow they run around here like a fat kid with a sucker. And
lots of frogs. It's pretty cool here. I also see the Hand of the Lord
here. He is working here through us.

I can't think of anything else that you can put in the package for me. Just
surprise me, y'all know me. I actually do have one favor. Will you get
just a small present for Elder Sepulveda? Really just a small little
something. And I have a favor of Morgan and Skyler. Can you get 4 more
matching ties for Elders Sepulveda, Lopez, Robinson, and I? Thank you all
so much!

This week has been pretty good though. We found I think 4 new
investigators, and set two baptismal dates. Please pray for that in your
Might Prayers that they can follow through and be baptized. Thank you all!
How did you all enjoy the First Presidency Christmas Devotional? It was
awesome! I loved it1 I was uplifted and edified so much! I know that
President Monson is the Prophet of God. I know that with all of my heart,
and that President Uchtdorf, Eyring, and all of the general authorities are
called of God. I have a strong testimony of that!

Well family I gotta go now. I'll send a few more pictures today for ya. Oh
and by the way, yes I do have a part now. Haha. It is a requirement of
President Hale. It's all good I know that there is a reason why, and I want
to be obedient.

I love you all with all of my heart! This is a great work, and I invite all
of you to continue reading, and praying everyday. At least, as often as you
can. I love you all! Please be careful and be safe in all of the snow, and
all of your travelings, and all that you do! Know, and feel of my love for
each and every one of you individually! I love you! Keep going strong, and
continue to strive to do what you want to do, and grow that love for each
other individually. Let it grow brighter and brighter until the perfect
day. Thank you for all of your support, words, kindness, and prayers for
me. I love you!!!

Love,
Your Son, Brother, and Uncle
Elder Hardman

Here are a few pictures that JD sent home........


Who is this GIRL????
that's what we wanna know

Elder Hardman (& his Part)..Elder Sepulveda