pUt Me iN cOaCh...

pUt Me iN cOaCh...when tate was 3 years old we signed him up to play his first team sport.  i remember taking him  to his first soccer practice.  i sat there watching this tall skinny little boy with long legs... long arms...and big feet trying to run up and down the soccer field...while kicking a ball.  i came home that night and told greg...i think we should sign tate up for piano lessons because i am not sure he will ever be an athlete.  tate quickly prove me wrong although his career in soccer was short lived.  tate played for many different coaches under many different circumstances.  he loved being on a team.  he loved working hard.  he loved getting better. he looked up to these coaches...he valued what they taught him...he respected them.  these coaches became not only his mentors but his friends and of course someone he trusted.  every parent hopes for people that impact their children for the good.  there is a saying..it takes a village to raise a child.  i am thankful for these coaches that taught tate to work hard...do his best...get up after defeat...to perform under pressure...to be a leader...to be better than he was the day before...but mostly because of their example to tate.  these coaches have prepared him for his mission whether they know it or not.  he just happens to be wearing a different kind of jersey...a shirt, tie and name badge.  he just happens to be playing for a different team...the missionaries.  he just happens to have a different coach...Heavenly Father.

so the message i want to share this week is about examples....all of us are examples to someone...at some point or another there is someone who is watching or someone who is interested in what we are doing. i have thought about this a lot the past couple days as elder lowery left who was a really good trainer and example to me...but i just hope everyone knows that someone is always watching...and knowing that...are we doing what we should be doing?... i am so grateful for all the examples in my life....my dad, grandpas, mom, grandmas, aunts, brother and brother in law,sister, uncles, coaches, friends...everyone...i would not be the person i am today with out all of you there supporting me and helping me

KAY so i cant believe another week has gone by...makes me really sad actually...but here we go... so this week was really freaking rough. we struggled. we seriously did like over 200 contacts and only 6 people came out ...hardest week so far...umm so i guess something that actually did happen this week was that elder lowrey left ;( he got changed to a different sector on a special change.) they called him saturday and he left the next day. i was super sad...he was like my best friend. but now we are a trio with the other elders i live with and it  will be a good experience for me...hard but will be fun and good. elder flores de bolivia and elder page de utah. super cool kids. some cool things that happened this week tho are that we met a family from canada living here  and so we got to teach them in english...freaking wierd!  my english is just terrible now. but it is so freaking hot here lately...its an infernal pit haha...but i love it and i love it here more and more every day...i am finally gettin the hang of it and starting to get settled in the mission life more. 

i miss everyone and everything but i know this will help me more than sitting at home. this is literally the best decision i have every made in my life.i love you guys...i hope you have a good week and i am doing well! love all of you and hope you know i am working hard and trying to make you proud hah...love you guys

elder harding