My UnClE...mY hErO...

My UnClE...mY hErO..

tuesday night, march 26th 2013, after an amazing day in the mission, i received a call from my mission president. the call came at about eleven o clock pm and when i saw presidents name on the cell phone screen i immediately answered..."elder harding...i got a call from your brother today and i have some very sad news for you," for the next 20 minutes i was speechless as he explained to me that my uncle travis john kunz had passed away from a blood clot after surgery on his leg. when i hung up the phone, i found myself sitting there in pure silence. i didn't know what to think, do, or say. tears came to my eyes as i remembered an uncle who was a perfect example to me growing up. tears came to my eyes as i thought of all those times he was at my games and tournaments. and always had some advice for me on how to improve. tears came to my eyes as i remembered an uncle who didn't need a huge elaborate family reunion, but to just spend a weekend with his family was more than enough. tears came to my eyes as i thought of an uncle who always remembered what was important in life. i started thinking about all the people he has affected and not just me. two parents who raised an amazing son. 3 siblings and their spouses who loved getting teased and annoyed by the little brother of the family. a wife who most likely saw miracles within their family through this mans faith and love for his savior. 4 kids who will never forget the things their dad taught them. all his nieces and nephews who will always remember the bearded uncle who loved to do anything with them. friends and neighbors who truly understand how great of a man he is and always watched his example...as i thought about all these people...i realized that this man was a miracle for all of us. he left behind a legacy to carry on and a group of family and friends who will live it. i am grateful for the countless number of things that this man did for me and the things he did to make me who i am today. tears came to my eyes, as i sat at my desk in chile, and i could still feel his presence in my life, his influence in my life, and his love in my life. tears came to my eyes as i realized that he will not be forgotten. that it is impossible to forget this man and what he did. tears came to my eyes as i knew his legacy would live on and that it would live on through us...the very people he loved most. those tears of sadness turned into tears of gratefulness for a man who showed us a way to live life better. i love you travis john kunz and i know your legacy will live on through us. 

from one JOHN to another JOHN, 

elder tate john harding

tHe MoM tHiNg...

tHe MoM tHiNg...being a mom does not come with a manual.  the mom does the best she can...she tries her hardest...she gives it everything she has.  when the children are little she teaches them to be kind...to share...to love.  she teaches them right from wrong.  the mom decides between time outs...sitting on a chair and swats on the fanny for discipline.  sometimes the mom goes to bed thinking to herself...could she have done better?  she wakes up the next morning with new resolve and continues being the best she knows how to be.  the children grow up.  a mom's hardest days are seeing her child hurt...disappointed...discouraged...lonely or sad.  the mom knows that as hard as it is to see her children feel these emotions...they must.  they will be stronger...better...smarter because of those hard times.  the mom sometimes looks back and wonders if she did enough to prepare her children for life.  this mom hopes so.  this being said...this mom wants to hop on a plane and hug her missionary who had a tough week...sometimes being a mom is hard...

                             
                                  A family from my old area 

well this week was freaking hard....hardest week of my mission so far and stressful and we are technically starting from square one with this ward who doesn't do a single thing... the first week seemed alright but it took a step back this week and we are going to have to work super hard! but better that way right??

it made me think of how god really does want us to enjoy this life we have with the families we have and the friends we have. he really does love us enough to give us this opportunity to have fun with these people! enjoy it while you can because it is hard being away from all you guys and all my friends!
my comp is awesome and i am actually having a fun time with elder loar...he is just like me and my friends if you can imagine that its awesome! we have a heck of a time together and i know we will be friends forever...!!

                       

                this is my new best friend chancho which means PIG


but i love it out here and am making new ones. sooo some funny stuff that happened this week is that a dog tried to bite me in the street  that was sketchy...but i said some special words in spanish and he ran away haha    so also i got letters from sandy rice so tell her thank you mom! and from nancy bickley too!! tell them thanks too :) so i need tanner nielsons email as well. i want to chat with that fool! i am doing good. i'm in a really hard sector but am doing really well! i love it out here!!! love you guys!! 

cHaNgE

cHaNgE...tate likes routine...he likes things to stay the same...to follow the schedule.  he likes orbit sweet mint gum...he likes white chocolate...he likes tags cut out of his shirts...his socks have to be soft...he piles his pillows in a certain way each night...he is a creature of habit.  on game day he had a routine...certain socks to be worn...certain music to be listened to...certain bat to be used ...the boy knows what he likes.  so last week tate got a transfer to a different area...change

                                               
                                                     tate's new companion elder hart

i was used to all of of farms and fields in rancagua  and up here its just city type stuff! i like the fields and farmland better but whatever happens happens for a reason! i will be grateful either way! soooooo i talked to the secretary the other day and he told me that he thinks i will make it back down south before the mission change happens. so that gave me hope to be able to  stay in the chile rancagua misison. i like my new area  tho its a new adventure!

                                                   6 months burning of the tie

 this week was super exciting! me and my comp are getting a long great!  we are trying to start this ward up again because it is straight up sad... we had only 32 people in church yesterday and that was a good day! our bishop is stoked to have two new elders in his ward and the whole ward wants to work with us like crazy!  they all love us already and i have had a lot of fun so far! its different up here.  we already have two baptisms set up for the 13th of april! they are two teenage girls and they are awesome! we are also trying to find a lot of new people as well! this part of our mission is really hard at least that is what  people like to say but  elder hart and i want to prove people wrong and show them that its not hard at all! all you have to do is work hard.   this week i really have learned to rely on the lord in everything because we have absolutely nothing here and are starting from scratch! i have learned that if we trust in him he really will work miracles in our lives!

                

                                                                doing our thing

 i am grateful for a savior who knows exactly how i feel and can help me through it!  i love you guys! ...i'm doing good and i hope you are too!!

Elder harding! 

sIx MoNtHs...

sIx MoNtHs...has it really been that long? the weeks have flown by...but wait...it seems forever since we have seen him.  the day we took him to the mtc was an emotional day for all of us.  excitement filled the air along with fear, sadness, happiness and love.  i being the mom was of course and emotional wreck while trying to keep my brave and happy face on.  as we drove up to the sidewalk to the mtc and tate got out of the car my heart was full.  he got out and took his luggage from the trunk and gave his dad this big bear hug.  my tears began there and continued as he hugged me and started to walk away.  he turned and gave a goodbye wave. 

 this time of year in the past has always been our favorite...the beginning of baseball season.  greg and i are a little unsure of what to do with our spare time this year.  this season will be different for us but we are so very thankful for a son who is willing to serve his Heavenly Father and put his love of baseball on hold.  who knows greg and i  may be found at a baseball field cheering on the team.

sundays paper mentions tate

 i am grateful to have been blessed with talents from my Heavenly Father and for coaches who helped me along the way. 

the glove on his shelf

 tomorrow i complete six months out here in the mission.... hollay a fourth of the way done....where did the time go? i cant even believe it! 

so this sector is totally different! it's in the city and no fields  at all!  my sector literally consists of 15 streets! it's the smallest sector in my mission! we are in a whitewash which means that we are both new to the sector and have no idea about anything!  tight huh? well this week was a hard one... i had to leave rengo my home for the past four months and i bawled like a baby when they threw a going away party ...it was so freaking hard! i am so grateful for that opportunity to be able to serve in rengo chile for four months and meet all those people. i know that was a part of gods plan for me and i learned more than i ever thought was possible. we had a cool experience the other day....every single one of our lessons fell through...i know you are thinking how is that a cool experience? ....but just as we were about to give up we decided to give it one last try....we ended up finding 3 families who were genuinely interested....might seem like a small thing to you guys but to us it was a miracle....i have a testimony of faith through trials. i know that god gives us trials in our lives only to make us stronger and when we show our faith in him...that is when we grow in this life. hopefully we can learn to push through our trials instead of just complain or give up! he is always there to help us all we have to do is believe and SHOW him we believe! faith is a principle of action! 

 anyways i also want to wish grandpa kunz a happy birthday! thanks for always being a good example to our family on how to really work hard your whole life and always put your family first! love you gpa!

 so i didn't have time to send pictures this week! but i will try to send pictures next week. it was a little hectic today with changes and all! but i love you all and hope you are all doing well...i  love you and miss you more than you know but just know i am doing well and that god needs me here! love you

elder harding! 

YoU GoTtA sHoW sOmE LoVe...

YoU GoTtA sHoW sOmE LoVe... ever since tate was a baby he has had a happy-go-lucky personality.  he has always been very easy going who never liked conflict or arguments. (maybe not so much in the morning first thing but after ten he was golden.)  he was quick to give a hug or say i love you.  when he got older he tried to be tough but underneath he was just a big ole teddy bear.  when tate was a senior we had two of my students come and live with us for 3 months.  their younger brother was at primary children's hospital with a brain tumor.  when i think back on it tate never complained.  he was patient with the girls when he really didn't have to be.  when they made pictures or bracelets or teased him he took it all in stride.  he was compassionate to them and treated them with love.  tate truly cares about others.  he has many nieces and nephews who look up to him and he has always been so kind and loving to them.  he especially has a soft spot for his two nieces hazyl and hattie.  they melt his heart!  one day tate will make a wonderful husband and father because he truly knows how to love.

we had stake conference this week but it was a broadcast from salt lake... President Monson talked about loving others...that is definitely something that i have learned...how to love my family more...how to love my investigators, the members, my savior, my comps...everything....love is everything....i hope we can all learn to love our lives and love everything in them as well...i promise that if we learn to love everyone and everything in our lives we will be happier!! LOVE IT OR LEARN TO LOVE IT! do like the savior would do.

but we are having a lot of success in our sector...we have 9 people with baptismal dates and they are all awesome...i'm hoping to stay here in rengo for one more change to see these investigators through but changes are the next monday so we will see...i have been here a while!! the family we are teaching read 20 chapters in the book of mormon in 3 days ...holy they are awesome.. i can't wait to see them get baptized!! also i had another interview with president...he told me that i will have a lot of leadership skills and will be a good leader in the mission...little pressure but i always did like that. i am excited to see what my mission has in store for me! i love it out here. every day is a new adventure... i am having a lot of fun with my companion and we are always laughing!! 

i really do miss you guys a lot! hope you are doing well...by the way my english just sucks...i had that interview with pres and i couldn't even talk to him normally. happy bday tyson...i think it is today or tomorrow... i lose track of the days out here! but just know i am doing good!! love the pics and i love you guys...

love elder harding!!