wIn tHe dAy...

wIn tHe DaY...

oregon ducks football...In 2007, Bellotti made one of his best moves and helped stabilize the Ducks program by hiring Chip Kelly to come and coach the offense. With this one decision, the future of the Ducks program completely changed.

After a couple of seasons as offensive coordinator, Kelly was given the opportunity to step in for Bellotti and take over as the Ducks' head man.

When Kelly came on board, he also brought with him a mantra of "Win the Day." While on the surface it appears that a saying or phrase only could do so much, this saying has appeared to change the way the Ducks play on a week in and week out basis. 

Since Kelly took over in 2009 and instituted the "Win the Day" attitude, the Ducks have been able to remain focused in on their current opponent no matter who they are playing or how big the game may be. 

The simple idea behind the belief is that the Ducks need to strive to win at every wind sprint, study session, scrimmage and then game. Winning the day is an attempt to remain focused on the task at hand, not looking forward a couple of weeks to a big game

the saying...win the day...was how my brother travis lived his life and was one of his favorite sayings.  our entire family will be getting together for the first time since his unexpected death this weekend.  we will all be wearing tshirts that have this motto on it in his memory.  tate has taken this motto on in his mission and has challenged us to do the same in our lives.  we need to work hard every day so that when we look back we will not have any regrets.  although this family reunion will be a little different i know that we will laugh...cry...share stories...play...smile...remember and of course continue to win the day because that is what travis would want.

tates message...a message for the family reunion!!!! EAT A TON FOR ME!  just know that i love everyone and i pray for you guys! just know i am working hard and that i am trying to make our family name proud. there are two names that i carry on my chest out here....one is harding (which symbolizes both sides of my family) the other is jesus christ. i hope we can all look for ways to become more like our christ who gave so much for all of us and always be grateful for the names we bear. remember just because i am the only one with the name tag....doesn't mean we all don't wear his name in our hearts! do everything in our lives as he would do if he were here. i love you guys...and i love my savior...and because i  know that he was ressurected...and that one day...we will see all our loved ones again and live with them in eternal happiness...I LOVE YOU GUYS!!

this week went really well we had a baptism this last saturday and it was amazing to see her finally after so long make this commitment with god! 

 i was visiting some people and there was a  93 year old lady who had been bed ridden for 10 years....she  looked horrible and had been suffering for a very long time....i was on divisions with a young man from our ward and he offered for me to give her a blessing...i put my hands upon her head and gave her a blessing of peace and comfort....the only thing i remember saying is that her father in heaven wanted her to be back with him again....30 mins after we left the house we got a call saying that she had passed away and that the family then knew she was waiting for the blessing. god blessed me to be in the right place at the right time to helped his family and now all of them are  willing to listen to our message. definitely a miracle. . 

 other than that we made a man cave in our house.... this is literally been some of the best times of my mission. its just going by way too fast! but i love it! i am doing well and am healthy! so just keep doing HARD thINGs!!!!!!!! and i will too! love you guys

elder harding! 

iT's tHe LitTlE tHiNgs...

(no photos today because tate couldn't get the computer to work so...i put in a few of those who love tate the most...)

iT's tHe LitTlE tHiNgS...the hello...the smile...the hug...the note in the mail...the surprise left on a porch...a text out of no where...a phone call at just the right time.  today i went to lunch with a friend...a visit to catch up...good conversation with  good food and a good friend..

                            greg tammy hazyl hattie

 it's the little things in life that matter and can make the difference.  we all have opportunities to make someone's day a little better by our actions or example. the other day i came across this quote:

in this life we are all just walking up the mountain and we can sing as we climb or we can complain about our sore feet whichever we choose we still gotta do the hike...i decided a long time ago singing made a lot more sense.

                        tyson dani hazyl joy hattie j

i hope that not only can i sing as i go but that i can get those around me to sing along...

                                                                 nick and taryn

tate's message...

   soooooooooooooooooooooo one thing that has been on my mind lately is the influence that people have on our lives. everything we do either shows our love for god and christ and our families and friends.or it doesn't.   when we do things that are good then we are showing that love and that influence is good in our lives. when we do something that we know isn't good or against gods will we aren't showing that love and our influence for others is bad. WE ARE BEING WATCHED....are you showing your love for everyone important to you through your actions? its interesting to sit back and think about it for a while and i think by just changing a few things we do every week we can become more christ like! 

                                hazyl joy harding

so this week might have been one of the funnest weeks of my mission. just the whole new sector, the house we live in, and the people i am with. the branch i am in is really willing to help us out and give us references so that makes things a ton easier. we will already have a baptism this next weekend so that will be really cool! this girl came to church this last sunday and just told us she wanted to get baptized.! god definitely showed us a miracle on that one. i guess things pay off when you work hard and are obedient. this last sunday we got a suprise visit from my first two and only two baptisms from my first sector in Rengo. rosa and fransisca.   i can tell you that there is no other joy better than sitting in church with my two converts knowing that they are active and happy. the peace i felt sitting there in church cannot be described. it was an awesome experience. 

                                 hattie j harding   

but being a zone leader is way fun. just makes me appreciate my leadership that i have had throughout my life. all the coaches,  church leaders, and people who have helped me! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING! i wouldn't be the same man without your influence! 

i love you guys! 

chao! 

PeAce...

PeAcE...(the following is taken from a talk given by BY ELDER QUENTIN L. COOK

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Even with the trials of life, because of the Savior’s Atonement and His grace, righteous living will be rewarded with personal peace.

Recent experiences have caused me to reflect on the doctrine of peace and especially the role of Jesus Christ in helping each of us obtain lasting personal peace.

Two events in the past few months have touched me deeply. First, I spoke at the funeral for Emilie Parker, a precious six-year-old who lost her life along with 25 others, including 19 young children, in a tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. I mourned with her family and recognized that many had been deprived of peace. I found strength and faith in her parents, Robert and Alissa Parker.

Second, I met with thousands of faithful members of the Church in the Ivory Coast city of Abidjan.¹ This French-speaking, West-African country has endured economic hardship, a military coup, and two recent civil wars concluding in 2011. Yet I felt a special peace in their presence.

Events often occur that rob us of peace and heighten our sense of vulnerability.

We all long for peace. Peace is not just safety or lack of war, violence, conflict, and contention. Peace comes from knowing that the Savior knows who we are and knows that we have faith in Him, love Him, and keep His commandments, even and especially amid life’s devastating trials and tragedies.

                                                                

                                             a family in tate's ward

The following are tate's thoughts...

 i was thinking about all the challenges we have faced as a family this past little while and  as i was  studying the general conference talks i  came across the talk called, PERSONAL PEACE, THE REWARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. I invite everyone to read it...it changed my aspect of how i look at all these things that have happened in the last little while and where we can find peace and comfort even in the hardest times! all the general conference talks were INCREDIBLE. go back and read them because they are amazing and helped me tons!

                                       

                                                                           SOOOO this week was a really good one! we had a ton of good lessons and we had two of our investigators come to church so that was a huge accomplishment! i am really excited for my comp because he will have a huge and successful change this next change...

                                                                           representing for my dad

i am sad  to leave but at the same time i feel content to know that i left this sector better than it was when i got here and i planted a lot of seeds...that is the most important...that others were coming unto christ!

but i am going to miss this house and the elders i live with tons! elder cooper and berling and nelson are way fun and it was an amazing time but i know i am being changed for a reason and this next change will be way fun i know it! i am leaving  6 people here in this sector with baptismal dates so i am looking forward to hearing that they all got baptized here in the near future! it would be awesome!

i am doing amazing and also dad have you gotten in contact with uvu? hey i lvoe you guys and miss you tons! just know that i will be working hard and doing whats right! LES QUIERO MUCHISIMO! have a good week! 

Elder harding!

pErSpEcTiVe...

pErSpEcTiVe...this past weekend i was waiting for greg in the car as he went into a convenient store to get his mountain dew...when one of my former students walked out.  i honked at him and motioned for  him to come over and talk to me.  i have not seen this student in some time and was anxious to see how he was doing.  he came over and was so excited to see me.  we visited for a while and then before he left he said to me..."and guess what mrs. harding? i am off of probation and i am making good choices like you always told me to."  i told him how proud of him i was and then he leaned down and gave me a hug before he headed on his way.  i watched him walk down the street.  my heart hurt for him and the situations and  life experiences he has already had and will continue to have but...i chose to have hope and faith and love for this young man who has the potential to do great things.  

        choose to see the sun through the clouds

 perspective...is a choice that we can choose to look at different situations  and deal with them either positively or negatively.  we  don't get to choose our  trials  that life has for us but we can choose the perspective we have...

                                                                  
                                                                     baptism

tate's message on pErSpEcTiVe...  we started off with four straight days of walking around because every lesson fell through on our planner. it SUCKED....we pushed forward and it payed off. we now have 7 people with baptismal dates and they are legit...my hard work in trying to revive this sector has finally payed off and we are seeing miracles. sometimes i think we just get so worried in the moment of the trial and we don't think to look back and see the eternal perspective. that is a huge lesson i have learned this week! 

-

                                                      still has his skinny legs...wow

so one thing that happened that was crazy this week.....a car ran into a members house.... i spent two hours straight cracking walnuts....and i saw tons of dogs doing things  in the street hahahaha that is about the total excitement of my week. i am having crazy experiences with my investigators every day tho. every day they tell me how they have been praying for something different in their lives or they are just missing something and we show up at there door...i cant wait to share all these crazy experiences with you guys when i get home...

                                                                                                      

                                                tate and other missionaries

my year mark is coming up soon and it is incredible to me how fast time goes..i don't want to waste another second...its time to work even harder. also i want you all to go watch on the church website and watch the video called the work of salvation. AMAZING. it might give you another outlook on missionary work. wel li love you guys!

       Tate and the new mission president and his wife

 SO DAD FIRST OFF ALL TELL EVERYONE HI. well all of the people who ask about me. i miss all of them! also mom i loved that article about UVU...we talk about sports a lot in my house and i cant wait to play when i get back...i miss that a ton as well.

elder harding!

nIcK -n- tArYn siTtiNg iN a TrEe

nIcK -n- tArYn siTtiNg iN a TrEe...it all began when tate came home from baseball practice one day and told taryn that his baseball coach had asked for her number.  her response?....the cute one??? and the rest is history... tate takes full credit for setting up his sister and nick who coached him in football and baseball and became someone he looks up to and is a great role model and friend.  this is tate's message to the love birds on their anniversary...

congratulations to my best friend and my favorite sister in the world! i cant believe it has been one whole year! congratulations! i am so grateful for you two in my life and the examples you are to me in everything you do! i am excited for you guys to keep having fun and being happy! thanks for all you do for me and everything you continue to do for me and supporting me! you really are my best friends! oh and harley as well! oh and when is the baby due???? (disclaimer...not yet)

 we had an amazing week! found a ton of new people to teach and also taught a lot. so we didn't have to be out in the rain all that much! it dumped for two days straight as you will see in some of the pictures that i will send. but yesterday and today have been pretty nice! the new president got here friday and this week we have interviews with him thursday so it will be fun to get to know him! his first day here he did divisions with some elders so it looks like he came ready to work!

 but i am doing really well...this week was really boring  not much went down...we did have one really good lesson with our new investigators....she told us about a week ago she had been praying that the missionaries would come back to teach her.....about a week ago i had the thought that someone should start working in this part of town because there is a lot of people over there and there has to be someone ready to hear the gospel.

 we got things figured out and started working over there and it just happened that her prayer got answered.  her husband is a member and all her kids are...but her ex husband hasn't wanted to sign the divorce papers so she wasn't able to get baptized for 10 years.....but now it looks like he will sign it... GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS.... no matter what it is he is there for us. he was preparing her and us to both meet so that she could start progressing in the gospel again. i am so grateful for this family that we found  i love you guys so much and hope you know that...

i cant believe i almost have a year out here...the time has flown by...just means i gotta make this last half even more worth it...work even harder...cuz i know it will come faster than i think! well i love you guys
love you!

elder harding! 

i LovE tO sEe tHe TemPle...

i LovE tO sEe tHe TemPle... I love to see the temple...I’m going there someday...To feel the Holy Spirit,To listen and to pray...For the temple is a house of God,

A place of love and beauty...I’ll prepare myself while I am young;This is my sacred duty.

 I love to see the temple...I’ll go inside someday...I’ll covenant with my Father;
I’ll promise to obey...For the temple is a holy place...Where we are sealed together...
As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth: A family is forever.

i have been thinking a lot of temples lately and the blessing we have in our live to be sealed as a family! GO TO THE FREAKING TEMPLE!!!!!!! that is all i am going to say to you guys...i see so many people down here who have been sealed in the temple but NEVER go...i don't care if you don't think you have time....MAKE TIME. i miss that place so much and want you guys to go constantly so you never forget! make it a goal to go once or twice a month at the least! we didn't go to the temple just to go once or twice a year...go more..

so family sounds like you guys are doing really really well and keeping busy...so am i! this week was a really busy one! i had another baptismal interview which are always fun. also we had an activity in the church that was really fun where we had like food and dances from 5 different countries so that got a lot of people too! we also found some really good investigators this week who look like they will progress really well! i am really excited to start having some good success in this ward. its an amazing ward!  also today we had a really fun activity with practically the whole mission. we went to a soccer field in buin and ate bbq and played sports and just chilled out! it was good to see elder page, lowrey, hna herrera, and others that i have missed a lot! i definitely have made some friends in this time here...for life! me and my companion are doing really well tho and he is very funny!

love you guys and miss you guys!! but i am doing good!

elder harding! 

mY dAd Is BetTeR tHaN yOuRs...

mY dAd Is BetTeR tHaN yOuRs...

but this week as it is fathers day i wanted to write a little something to my dad!!!  good old greg as i used to call him....or HARKING.....as travis john kunz used to call him....i wanted to write a message to the man who has influenced my life more than anyone else. happy fathers day dad! i want to thank you for being the best dad i could ask for! thank you for being a dad who always saw who i could become and pushed me to be better in everything i did. thank you for being a best friend, always willing to go to a movie, get a jamba or ice cream, or to go to a high school sporting event. thank you for always being an honest man in everything you do and giving everything  you have got in every situation. thank you for loving mom and showing us how to love her and respect her as well. 

thank you for being the perfect coach. full of perfect constructive critism and perfect love. in the perfect balance. thank you for always being worthy to give us priesthood blessings and being worthy to fulfill callings and church duties. thank you for showing us that there is a time to work and a time to play. dad you were the best example i could have asked for and still are to this day. you are my hero, best friend, and biggest fan. thank you for all the games you came to or coached, including driving all around the western states to watch and support me in my baseball games. one of the best memories i have to this day. even when it meant longer days at work and a constant catching up on work too. thank you for always going to church every sunday and always willing to lend a helping hand for those in need. thank you for all those times you were in your office late at night reading the book of mormon or another gospel book, showing me your true love for christ and your devotion to him. thank you for all the money you spent and gave to us because you knew it wasn't about the money...but about the memories we would make with our friends that would be worth it. thank you for being YOU dad.

i am the proudest son in the world to be the son of gregory alan harding. you will always be my best friend. i love you and miss you...more than you know...i wouldn't be the same man today without an influence from a dad like you...

SOOOOO this week was really good in the beginning! we had a lot of success and found a ton of people to teach but then friday and saturday and sunday came and everything fell... we had about 8 or nine lessons just fall through and so it was hard to find people to teach this weekend...we were kinda low on excitement but that,s okay just gotta keep working as well! we also had our final goodbye for president macarthur!

 it was really sad to see him for the last time and to know that he won,t be our president anymore! it was also good to see three of my companions from the past and to talk with them as well as one of the hermanas from peru who is like one of my best friends. it was a good week for all that kind of stuff!

have a good week! 

Elder Harding!