President McDonough is inspired

This past week has been bittersweet. Sister Meek and I had a great last week together. Tonight we drive to Shreveport and early in the morning Sister Meek will head to the mission home and I'll stay with the sisters in Shreveport until my new companion comes. I'm not sure who my new companion is, President said he will call me tomorrow morning and let me know who she is. She'll be coming from the MTC. In interviews a few weeks ago President McDonough told Sister Meek and I that I would be training. I'm so glad he told me then....so I could have a good 3 weeks to prepare. (I am my mother's daughter after all!) I'm excited and nervous, but I know the good Lord is mindful of us, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that President McDonough is inspired. Whoever she is, she sure is lucky to come to Texarkana...this is the place to be! I promised President that I would raise up a valiant and steadfast missionary, I know the good Lord will help me. 

Seeing Sis Shoto (98 yr old member!)

Saying goodbye to Shyanne (dear friend of ours)

On Saturday, the Lord gave Sister Meek and I an experience I will never forget. We had a lesson with a couple that we have been teaching. The lessons have been going pretty good. Usually they end up being question and answer sessions. Anyways, it got to a point in the lesson that I could see that we were getting no where. They asked us what we believed, we showed them scripture, and then they would change the scripture around. With the spirit guiding my words I explained that we weren't getting anywhere and that we weren't out to prove anything, that they had to ask God and read from the Book of Mormon. The wife then spoke for a good 5 minutes against everything we had spoken of, telling us that we're basically going to **** for what we believe. I sat there, my heart racing, waiting for her to finish. When she did, I didn't say anything for a long minute, I let the spirit come back and when I felt the time was right, I placed the Book of Mormon and Bible in my hand and said with all the confidence and conviction that I could muster, "I know what I know, and I will never deny what I know. I know that the Book of Mormon and Bible are the word of God. I know that there is a prophet on the earth today." We ended on good terms, I gave her a hug, and they wished us well, and then we were gone. Once in the car I broke down in tears, I haven't done that in a long time. The longer you're out, the harder it is to cry, but I cried. Poor Sister Meek just drove will I cried. I can't bear to hear blasphemy against Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, or anything alike. We went to the church after, the Elders had a baptism scheduled for the afternoon and I needed to practice the piano for it. Thankfully I got myself in check before the elders came, but when they got there I asked for a priesthood blessing. I didn't give any details, just that I would like a blessing of comfort. I'm so grateful for worthy priesthood holders. Elder White had no idea what had happened, but you would have never known by the blessing he gave. There is power in the priesthood. The baptism was very inspirational. The atonement is real, we can become clean. It is a beautiful thing.

Amy and baby Andrew

The picture I sent with Amy and baby Andrew, well I love Amy and she is getting baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!! Words really can't describe the love I have for her. I'm so excited. This new sister is going to witness some pretty amazing miracles these next few transfers.

I'm so grateful to serve in the south, my testimony strengthens each day. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet, I know the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.I know the Lord has prepared people here to receive the gospel. We will find them.

Sister Hartley 

Sister Atterberry

  Dinner with the Stoddards. (the coolest people ever!)