"Ya'll"

 Merry Christmas to ya'll! This week has been full of ups and downs.

 Well Thanksgiving was really good here in Ruston. We racked leaves for a less active in the morning, and then we went to Janice's for dinner. It was so good, soooo good! Then right after that we went to Pat's for dinner and it was soo soo good! I ate everything on my plate except I couldn't finish a little piece of carrot cake. I was quite proud of myself. Janice is such a good, thoughtful person, I admire her so much. Pat's was fun, we helped her cook the whole meal so we were there longer then we should have been. I helped her make a spice cake. I will send the picture so you can see her and her friend Oberia. They are a hoot! I've never laughed so hard in my life!

Thanksgiving night was spent role playing with the Elders. I know that role playing helps me, but I still don't like doing it. Anyways, long story short Sister Dailey and I sorta had a little breakdown and told the Elders (One of them is our District Leader) how frustrated we were because there was so much to learn and remember. It probably looked so funny, us sisters breaking down and the Elders trying to help us. I felt like a silly sister missionary. But the Elders were good to us and told us that all sisters go through it. Anyways it felt good to get it all out. Sister Dailey and I made a goal to be more diligent at role playing so hopefully that helps.

Oh fun thing that happened this week. Wednesday night we figured Wal-Mart would be really busy so we went A. I. that stands for Additional Invite, no dad it doesn't stand for the other A.I we do. haha. Anyways it was a gong show. Missionary work is awkward, and I'm an awkward person so put the two together it is just plain awkward. I tried giving a Mormon.org card to one lady and I was freaking out inside! After I run up to Sister Giddins and said, "we need to role play this out!" so here we are in the shoe isle at Wal-Mart. Sister Giddins has this empty shopping cart and is playing a shoe customer and I have to go up to her and give her a Mormon.org card. ha just imagine that, it was so funny! We all had some good laughs in the shoe isle. Oh and along with that, I've never seen so much camo and rednecks in my life. They all shop at Wal-Mart! haha Oh and lots of people have super duties!

Yesterday we ate lunch with Miss Kay Knotts and her husband. She is a Methodist. She says, "I'm a Methodist with Mormon friends." She is the best and made us so much food and then she made us take so much home with us! She treats us so good. We are going back there next week to help her organize her books. She says to pass the kindness along. There are so many kind people here in Lousiana! I love love love the south!

Last night we tracted into a 60 yr old Budist/Pespertian we talked to him for a good hour. Southerns talk a lot. I'm trying to learn how to butt in and testify. Anyways, he had some questions about pologomy and why women can't hold the priesthood. I felt like we cleared them up pretty good. Once he heard I was from Canada he got asking me about Huttrites. It was awesome! I told him all about them and how awesome of people they are. He says, "ya'll know I have been thinking that that is a smart way to live by considering all the stuff going on in America today." I told him that if I weren't a Mormon I'd be a huttrite. My companions thought that was pretty good! haha

Did I mention that people here are so nice, because people here are so nice! On Friday we get this phone call from a Brother Williams. He is from Shreveport I think. Anyways he is a convert to the church. He and his family were traveling through Ruston on there way home from Thanksgiving traveling and he wanted to take us out to dinner. So we met him at a restaurant and ate lunch. Nicest, coolest guy ever. He fixes plane engines so he has a lot of cool stories. He treats the missionaries so good. We asked him for some advice because he has been around missionaries a lot. He told us to just have fun. We have nothing else to worry about right now besides serving the Lord so just have fun while doing it. We all needed to hear that, especially after our little breakdown with the Elders.

Lots of fun things are happening this month for our mission. This Friday Elder Zwick of the Seventy is coming to speak, and then the week after is zone conference, and then tranfers. Our ward has lots of Christmas activities coming up so I'm excited!

I love ya'll so much and thank-you for being so kind with your letters and emails! I love being a missionary!

Love Sister Hartley