Fire Bronco!!!

enough said!

Greatest Decision Ever Made

After attending Priesthood Session at the Conference Center Earlier I was thinking, "man, all ive blogged about is stuff thats really not that important", ie. BYU, man they frustrate me! ok I gotta stay on track here, back to Conference. So I thought I should write about something that had brought me more sleepless nights, more heartache, more crazy, crazy experiences, and more joy than anything i had experienced up to that point, My Mission! I feel im lucky to say that my Mission was honestly the greatest 2 plus years of my life. Hahaha you might see the 2 plus and wonder about that. well thats another entry for another day.

Elder Britten David Goldhardt, you have been hereby called to serve in the New Jersey Morristown Mission! Every Latter day Saint young man anxiously waits for the day when they can read were Our Father in Heaven Needs them to seve for 24 months. So many thoughts ran through my head when i was told over the phone i was being reassinged.. (again, another entry for another day) First thought was, what the heck is in New Jersey?, all i could think of was New York, and it was somewhere on the east coast. Being the Historian that i claim to be, i started to look up all the historical facts on New Jersey, and of course most, are associated with the Revolutionary War, as I read and read I became more and more facinated with the Garden State. I had pictured in my mind old open Battle Fields, and lots and lots of trees. hahahaha boy was in for a rude awakening. I arrived in New Jersey june 24th 2002, I was met in the Newark airport by the AP's and drove to the mission home to meet the mission pres. I wont state his name, only because he was a jerk. haha and i only had him as Mission Pres for 2 weeks. President Norman then came in and resurrected the great New Jersey Morristown Mission of Excellence.

In every area i learned something new, I gained a new attribute, and strengthened my Testimony. My Mission was the hardest Time of my life!!! I had many experiences that i will never tell my parents, that scared the hell outta me, Experiences that made me think am i ready to go? Experiences that created a great love for the people of Jersey. I think its funny that when i think of my Mission, I can only remember the great times! and i only remember the hard parts when i read my journal. On my Mission i learned to think of others First, something i had very rarely done prior to the Mish, and now im told to stop thinking of others first and focus on myself, i have struggled with that alot!!! I met the greatest People in the world , in the state of Hardknocks, I met the Rene Family in Rockland, Tevon and Danielle in Jersey City, Michelle in Jersey City as well.

In Passaic there was the Great Wither Family! whom I love and look up to sooooo Much!!! They are great Examples to me in living the Gospel! Victor, Jackie, and there two sons (at the time) Jonathon and Kevin were the best! They fed us and were my family out there! they took care of me! i dont know how I'll ever be able to repay them for all that they did. haha vico.. "its the weekend!!!!" haha crazy video making! :-) In Elizabeth there were Kimberly Hughs, and Kitchner Toussaint.. Although there were many others, these specifically made a deep impact on my life and im in debted to them forever! As my brother Eric serves the people in Spain im often reminded of experiences on my mish and it brings back so many good memories..hahaha bashing with the J dubs, having them admit to us that our church was the true church, but they're not ready to join yet. having preachers break down, when giving the first vision, seeing how hard the adversary works when teaching the first vision.

Seeing all the CRAZY people!! i swear there's some interesting people their!. haha. oh man. So with all this, why was my mission the best 2 years of my life? Because , i came to "know" God our Father, His tender mercies upon his children. His deep love for all his children, His Son Jesus Christ, the power of his Atonement, and the many blessings and opportunities it gives all of us! I came to know the Book of Mormon, wow its crazy how history repeats its self!!!! i gained a greater respect for the Prophet Joseph Smith and a Sure Knowledge that this is Gods Church, and he is at the head of it! its been said that from knowledge comes truth, i would like to add that with the knowledge i gained, came Joy and an extreme Happiness! How Lucky I was To Serve a Mission in New Jersey, I love that state! i love the people! I love the Gospel I was able to share with them. and I loved seeing the Spirit Touch these people while sharing the the great message we had been sent their to share. What a Hard, Gut renching, Heartaching work it was. But what a great, rewarding and joyful Experience! There truly is Joy in the Journey.

peace out peeps!