"Oh it's my sisters!!"

Sister Jones(My Mission Twin) LOVE her.

This week has been full of miracles here in Texarkana. Sister Meek and I set out to tract with one goal in mind: find the elect. Well we went to are "focus area" said a prayer and started knocking. The third door we knocked on we were let in by a woman named Virgina. She is elect. The spirit was strong. When we left Sister Meek and I looked at each other and let out a little, "yippee!." I'm learning the Lord has quite the sense of humor!  

Out tracting with Sister Meek

This week has been full of member missionary work and I love it. I love the members here. I love them!!!! They are amazing!! Here's what occurred this past Friday. In the morning Sister Meek and I went on splits with two relief society sisters, afterwards one of them took us out for pizza. In the afternoon Sister Meek and I were out walking, following up with potentials, and trying to meet returning members. It was hot and humid and no one was answering, we were walking along the street and this car pulls beside us, rolls down the window, and it's Sister Shirley (she's a spitting image of Shelly Spencer!) she was very excited to see us and says, "Oh it's my sisters!!, Girls you look a little hot, come to my house to powder your nose and get some lemonade!" Well who can say no to that, so we walked over to her house for a few minutes, it was fun to get to know her a bit better. She sure is a good woman. That night we went out on splits yet again with two more relief society sisters! It was wonderful! I enjoy splitting off with the relief society sisters. After the split we all went out for ice cream. The relief society is very mission minded and Sister Meek and I are getting spoiled! 

Shyanne is our amazing convert.

The STLs came this weekend and Sister Giddins (my trainer) is a STL so it was fun to go out with her. She sure is a great missionary, I'm very lucky to have such good trainers. Sister Giddins trained me my first 6 weeks, then Sister Bender finished the other 6 weeks. I'm very grateful for them both. I'm excited to hear Melissa is training! I knew she would! She'll be a great trainer! That's one lucky new missionary!! 

It was zone conference yesterday so we were in Shreveport. Since the Texarkana zone is so small we combine with the Shreveport zone. We were up at 4 and in Shreveport by 7 for car inspection. When we got home we went to the Potts for a Memorial day BBQ. It was a long day, but very rewarding and inspirational. The Potts family are great. Zone conference was great as well. Sister Meek had to bear her testimony because it was her last zone conference. She did a beautiful job, she is a great missionary and I'm very spoiled to be her companion. President McDonough, the APs, and ZLs all gave great council and I was definitely inspired for are area. Sister Meek and I have said it before, but we'll say it again, we are so blessed to be serving in the Texarkana zone. Are zone leaders are powerful leaders. Here's a quote from zone conference. 

With my mission momma, Sistaer Giddins

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance. Chaos into order. Confusion into clarity. It turns problems into gifts. Failures into success. The unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates vision for tomorrow."

Love yall.

Sister Hartley 

Such good people here in Texarkana.

Hello family! 

Sounds like yall had a good week. Glad to see the green grass.

Yesterday was awesome! There's a recent convert that has recently moved to Texarkana. The sisters were teaching her two kids before I got here. Sister Meek and I haven't been able to teach them since I've been here because they live with their dad. Well guess what?!?!??! They were at church yesterday!!! I finally got to meet them, I wanted to cry at the sight of them! I think they're the cutest kids I have ever seen!!!! Such an awesome family! It made the week!! 

We have had much success with visiting returning members this past week. Such good people here in Texarkana. 

Last night we were invited to dinner with the ward mission leader's family and they invited some friends over and we were able to teach them! It was the best! 

This past month Sister Meek and I have really focused on are key indicators. We've really made them visible at are apartment and talk of them often and it has been really rewarding to see the difference it makes. Each month we set district goals and then we break it down into companionship goals so we all know what we are accountable for. It has been a great blessing to look back and see how we have accomplished certain goals and what needs improvement. 

 My testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon continue to strengthen each week, as well as my testimony in my Savior's love, grace, and peace. I know that inner peace comes when we focus on only pleasing Him. I'm so grateful for the experiences the Lord has given me while serving. 

A day of tracting in the rain.

How ya'll doin?

Woah, what I week we have had! We traveled to Shreveport Thursday afternoon for the Gladys Knight concert. There was a bunch of missionaries there helping out, we handed out programs and chatted a bit while people waited in line. There was a huge crowd so it was awesome. There was two showings, we went to the earlier one and it was packed. It was at the stake center and it was filled back to the stage with people! The spirit was so strong as the choir sang and as Gladys Knight bore her testimony. It was amazing/humbling, to be in a such a diverse crowd, with people of all backgrounds. (And let me just say...Southern folks know how to dress for Gladys Knight..just like the movies I tell ya!) It was so fun, Gladys Knight was cracking jokes and made everyone feel like family. Loved it! It was a great missionary opportunity. Afterward the congregation could fill out a card to have a cd and Book of Mormon, and Dvd brought to them (by the missionaries! Shreveport got a ton of referrals from it. We stayed the night at the Shreveport Sister's apartment and then Friday morning we had interviews with President McDonough, and then we headed home. I love President and Sister McDonough! They are such inspiring people. They are a testimony to me of what and who you can become when you consistently and faithfully live Christ's gospel. 

We had quite the experience tracting on Tuesday. We knock on the front door of this house and no one answers, just when we're about to leave, the lady comes out behind us from her garage and explains that she doesn't open her door to strangers. She looks at are name tags and looks me dead in the eye and says, "Hold on, I am going to go open the door." So she comes around, opens the door and let's us in. We sit in her living room, and she looks at us really seriously, and I'm thinking, "Oh no, what have we got ourselves into." She goes on to explain that years okay the Jehovah's Witnesses knocked on her door with a young child on a hot day and she wouldn't let them in her home. She said she had regretted not giving the child a bottle of water to this day and that she wasn't going to make that mistake again. She then says, "So ladies, I have peach juice and Dr. Pepper, would you like something to drink?" I just looked at her and said, "I love Dr. Pepper." She was a really sweet lady, and she knew her bible really good.

 The Texarkana district this past week at interviews

Sister Meek, Myself, Elder Paul, Elder Crump, Elder Brown, and Elder White. (Elder Benge, and Elder Hinds in the back (APs)). 

Yesterday we were out tracting and we tracted into a preacher from the biggest Baptist church here (like 4000 members I'm told). Well, he had a thing or two to say to Sister Meek and I. We did the only thing we could do, we bore powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and President Monson. Afterwards it got me thinking of discipleship, of how we are called to bear are testimonies in any circumstance, such as a few hours earlier I bore my testimony in Sacrament meeting, and then on a doorstep of opposition. 

Anyways, that is all for now. The girl I told yall about last week, Ashley, is out of town so I keep praying she will return are calls and texts. I so badly want to teach her. This pday has been good. There's a big Western store that I want to check out later if we have time so I'm excited about that. I have to give a talk next Sunday, I think it's pretty cool that Travis and I will both get to talk on our wonderful Mother. Love you mom! 

Love yall! 

Easter Sunday

I got transferd to Texas

I'm in Texas

I got my transfer call last Friday. I was pretty sure I was getting transfered, so I was pretty nervous/excited to see where I would be going. When President called he says to me, "Sister Hartley you're going to Wake Village!" I was like, "Um...President where is that?" He then says, "It's in Texas!" Then I may have screamed into the phone...."ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!?!? AHHHH!!! President I have been dreaming of Texas my whole life!!!!!...Then I started crying and laughing. It was great! Anyways now I am in Wake Village Texas. It is a suburb of Texarkana. Texarkana is a neat place, half of the city is in Arkansas and the other half in Texas.

I've only been in Texarkana for a few days, but I love it! I hope I stay here a long time. It's pretty different from Ruston, but there's still a church on every corner. There's a huge Baptist church right by are building. It's pretty crazy. I feel so spoiled to be here. Everything is soooooooo good! The ward is awesome and soooo good to us and missionary minded! Every Thursday they play volleyball at the church and lots of are investigators come and it is a great missionary opportunity. There are six missionaries in the ward. There's us, the Spanish elders, and the zone leaders. I love are district, it's pretty much a mormon movie let me tell ya. Sister Meek and I are already planning it out, it's so funny. I am so blessed to serve with all of them. Texarkana is a long ways away from the mission home, but the missionaries here work sooo hard and have so much faith. And they're so happy! I love serving with Sister Meek. She goes home in July. She is so good and I know God placed us together. 

I am so excited to be here!! I've only been here a few days, but Sister Meek and I keep having experiences that scream "yall are supposed to be here." Like today for example, a member, Sister Hanson came to unlock the church so we could email and she asked me where I was from so I said, "Alberta" and she asks where so I say Cardston. And she says "do you know the Burrows in Aetna?" My jaw drops and I say "yes I do!" Come to find out she's Kristy's mother in law. She's Dorenan and Hyrum's grandmother! I was like, "Are you serious, I have babysat your grandkids!" It was the best! We phoned Kristy and told her and she says, "I remember when you were born!" 

Another amazing thing happened this week....we were out tracting and we knock on a door to Ashley! She is young and recently married. She said she has been to all the churches around here (except ares of course) and hadn't found the truth. We taught her the Restoration and she loved it! She couldn't come to church yesterday, but she says, "I'll be there the week after!" We are seeing her this week and I am so excited!!! We have met some really elect people in the past few days and I am so excited to teach them!! 

Oh and want to know another awesome thing happening this week?!?! Gladys Knight is coming to Shreveport!!! It is a huge missionary opportunity and we are all super pumped to go! We go Thursday and then Friday is interviews in Shreveport with President so we will stay the night there with the Shreveport sisters. I'm stoked!! We're going to get so many referrals after it will be sweet!!! 

Love ya! 

Sister Hartley 

ps, Melissa that is so funny about the superduties. Pretty sure every other vehicle down here is a superduty, and I see more cowboy boots then sneakers. haha it was funny, the ward had a potluck yesterday and I was talking to one of the members and he asked what my family did and when I said we were ranchers, he says, "Oh ya, I thought so, I can see it." I was like,  "well good, my dad would be proud!" 

Saying good bye to Sister Love

Brother Anderson from Ruston served in the Calgary Canada mission.  He had a picture of Karli's family, the dental assistant with the curly hair in his mission book.  It is such a small world.

In the South every house has at least one dog!!!

Well here we again, it's a crazy Monday morning here in Ruston. We were having companionship study and all the while the sky is getting darker and darker and then the thunder and lightening come, mix that with wind, and then boom, sheets of rain start to pour down. And wait for it....the tornado siren goes off! It has since cleared up though, no worries (I have gum boots!), just part of the adventure.

Sister Hogg, she has the best food storage.

 

Fun Memories:

 

1.) We see the Pearcy's every week. They are an older couple in the ward. They are such an inspiration to me. They are both blind and just the sweetest people you'll ever meet. They have a tandem bike that they ride. We had an appointment to see them Saturday night, but they forgot and weren't there. Their tandem bike happened to be by there door, and we all agreed we needed to try it out! We went and saw them last night and when we told Sister Pearcy we took her bike for a stroll around the block she got all excited and says, "Oh I'm so glad someone is enjoying it, y'all can come over and ride it whenever y'all want."

My companions on the tandem bike

 

2.) We have an hour for lunch each day. Sister Bender and I finished are lunch pretty fast yesterday so we had ourselves a little nap. (It was the best nap I've had!) Well oops, that night I may have had a Dr. Pepper around 9:00, so come 10:30 Sister Bender and I are laying in bed listening to the rain and I hear, "Sister Hartley are you tired." Me: "Nope, I'm wide awake, I forgot what a nap and pop do to ya!" Anyways it probably doesn't sound funny to y'all, but to us it was pretty funny. The things you forget when your a missionary, like having pop before bed! haha

 

3.) We were out tracting and lets just say in the South every house has at least one dog. Well we were knocking on a door and there was this huge dog barking at us from the backyard fence. He had his front legs up ready to jump and come after us! I was a little nervous, but tried not to let it show, keeping one eye on the door, and another on the dog. Well no ones home so we left a card and start walking away. The dog keeps barking and growling and then Sister Bender looks behind her and says, "Sister Hartley he jumped!" I then jump and bolt as fast as I can. (Only to hear roars of laughter from my lovely companions). Oh the tricks they play on me.

I just love all the different ways people in Ruston decorate there front doors.

 

Miracles:

 

The past few weeks we have struggled to find new people to teach. We have a certain number of tracting hours we are to meet each week, and we are ever diligent in seeing we reach it. We hadn't had any new investigators all week. Before we started tracting yesterday Sister Davis prayed a humble and sincere prayer that we would teach the restoration, and give a Book of Mormon. The third door we knock on, a car drives up in the driveway. We wait for them to get out of there car and it is a couple with a 10 year old daughter. The husband goes on to say that he has a sincere interest to here about are church. They invited us right in. The spirit was there as soon as we said the opening prayer and bore testimony of the restoration and the Book of Mormon. The daughter stayed the whole time and listened intently. It was amazing! After the lesson she comes up to me and says, "Ma'am can I ask you some questions, wait, do I have to call you ma'am, I mean you're not that old!" I just laughed and said, "You can call me Sister Hartley" She then asks me the sincerest questions I have ever heard, "What happens to the kids on my bus that curse and what about those kid who die young?" They are such an amazing family and I feel they are truly elect. We walked out of there home with beaming smiles and gratitude for being led to an elect family!

 

These past few months in Ruston have gone fast. I have changed so much since I became a missionary. The Gospel has come alive and my testimony has grown tenfold. I am so grateful I am able to serve my Savior. With Easter fast approaching my thoughts have been on the last week of Christ's mortal ministry. He truly is are exemplar. He molds and changes are hearts each day as we "put off the natural man" through the atonement and yielding to spiritual promptings.

 

Sister Hartley

Road kill.  Possums are just like gophers.

Pollin is everywhere until it rains.  Can't walk anywhere without getting it on your feet.

Thank you for all your letters, they help so much!

Well this week was super fast! Time is so fast! It truly "Flies on wings of lightening" Mom, thank-you so much for the package, you were so inspired to send it when you did. I received it Friday morning. The day before was a particularly hard day for me. (Are investigator cancelled a crucial appointment we had set up and I was feeling sad/frustrated). In my prayer Thursday night I asked the Lord if he could send/show me something to remind me that I'm cared for. I woke up Friday morning to your package and five letters (mom and dad, Grandma Hartley, Jessy, Nat, and Kristi). All I could think/say was, "Heavenly Father knows me."

 

Conference was great! I enjoyed all the sessions. It was neat to hear Elder Zwick talk (he came to our mission in December). We have had some crazy weather here these past few days. Southern rain storms are just like the movies. Lightening and booming thunder. We woke up one morning to wet carpet, apparently there is a hole in one of are base boards and water is coming in. Someone is fixing it today though.

 

My testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon continue to grow each week. We are so blessed to have the fullness of truth in are lives. I love Matthew 7:20. I love this gospel and I know this is the church of Jesus Christ.

 

Love Sister Hartley

The visa finally came

We are so happy that Sister Davis got her visa.  Now she is off to Brazil.

It was a good week here in Ruston. Sister Davis got her visa!!! She has been praying for it every night for over a year. It was a tender moment mixed with some screaming. She leaves April 23, the end of the transfer. There is a lot to do before then. I will miss her, she's a great sister missionary.

 

A lot of good things happened this week! The Lord's hand was in it. Remember how I told y'all about Brittany, well she came to church this Sunday, and Bill was there to!

 

We are still in the "finding" stages of the work here in Ruston. We know that we will be lead to the elect if we are faithful. We were out tracting on Saturday and it was so fun, we walked up to a home and a lady, Miss Betty, was out washing her windows. She about bent over backwards in excitement to see us. She loved Mitt Romney and wanted to know what we believed. She invited us right in and yelled for her husband to come in and listen to us. We could tell he wasn't impressed and wanted to bible bash so we kept the conversation towards her. Anyways long story short we have an appointment with them tonight and I'm excited!

 

I know this is short this week, but I'm not sure what else to write. We just keep working hard and preaching the gospel here in Ruston.

This ones for my dad.

This is real Southern Hospitality

Canadian Pride

Dinner before women's broadcast