New companion has arrived.

My new companion, Sister Davis from New Mexico.  She is a twin! Her sister is serving a  mission in Washington. 

Sister Sharay, our recent convert.

Love all the beautiful wreaths people have on there houses.

Hello family!

Sorry it has taken me so long to email. It has been cold down here and many places in our mission have experienced snow and ice storms so transfers got switched to today. I am staying in Ruston with Sister Bender and we are getting a new companion. Sister Davis is her name, she's from New Mexico and has been out nine months. She's waiting for her visa to come for Brazil. We pick her up this afternoon. All I've heard about her is that she is a work horse so I'm excited. Sister Dailey is off to Red Star Mississippi. It is the most backwoods/redneck of the mission so I'm pretty excited for her to go there. It sounds sweet. We will email again when Sister Davis gets here because she most likely hasn't emailed so I will be back sometime tonight if you need to tell me anything.

It snowed last Thursday! It flurried for about an hour but nothing stuck to the ground. It was pretty cold. We happened to be tracting at the time so we were all bundled up pretty good. Sister Dailey and I felt like we were right at home! It was fun! People thought we were crazy to be out!

We've had a slow week. A lot of people we were teaching either dropped us or we dropped them and we haven't found anyone who is interested. It's hard. The south is tricky. I can't tell you how many different churches are here. People are so confused. We tracted into a paster from a big church down here called The Bridge. He was kind and let us in but it turned into him basically preaching to us. He is a good man, but interprets the bible so differently. It's just hard. People are stuck in their ways.

There is a man in our ward who is so good to us missionaries. His brother past away who isn't a member. Janice wanted to take us to his viewing so we could show are respect to Brother Randell. Brother Randell always says that you'll know who your true friends are by who stands by you in tough times. He appreciated having us there, it met a lot to him. It was in a place called Haynesville. It is southern than southern. A real small town. We went to a Baptist church for it, and it is an old church just from the movies. We were a minority that's for sure. The sky was dark and cloudy, and it was cold. I was in the deep south.

Lately at dinner appointments we give a card with are investigators names and needs and ask the members to pray for them. We had a lesson yesterday and one of the needs got answered! We asked the members to pray that there would be no distractions while we taught so the spirit could be there. Well the prayers were answered and we had an amazing lesson with the spirit! I am so grateful for faithful members and their faithful prayers!

Anyways, that's all for now. Two transfers down and on to the third. What a blessing it is to serve here in the MJM. I know I'm needed here, haven't quite figured out why yet, but I'm working on it.

Love ya'll

Sister Hartley

Scripture: Acts 1 (This is how an apostle is called!)

Southernism: down here rednecks are called "Good Ole Boys" haha

I have been out 3 wonderful months

A lot happened this week! I'll start with something pretty exciting. On Friday the Elders and us went to Monroe for  specialized training. I had a meeting with President and Sister McDonough. It was for all those in our zone that have been out less then six months. It was such a good meeting and I learned a lot! I was very humbled. Let's just say this week has been very humbling. Dang pride!

After the meeting the Elders wanted to go to this Wing place that is really good so we did. Well Elder Bradshaw says, "Hey sister Hartley want to go to Duck Commander?" I said that we should check to see how close it is. Well he puts it into his GPS and we come to find that it's only a few miles away! When it hit me that we were actually going I started to cry, and maybe scream a little bit?!?! I was freaking out! Elder Mower is like, "Sister Hartley, It's like you're going home or something?" I was like, "Elder, you have no idea how much this means to me!" Anyways when I saw the sign I just started screaming and crying, and laughing! It was awesome! Seriously so cool! None of the guys were there, but we got some pictures and went shopping in the store they have there! Everything was on sale so I got a t-shirt. Oh and we met some members there from Dallas. It was pretty cool!

Like I said earlier I have been humbled ten fold this week. I had a huge learning curve. We had a situation with are Recent Convert and welfare and it was just confusing. But the Bishop and President McDonough helped us and taught us so much. I'm so grateful for them!

The Lord truly works in miraculous ways. Remember last week I said that Sister Zemp and I went to Wal-Mart to talk to people. Well we had a return appointment with someone we met there the next day. We went and no one was there so we started to knock on the doors beside his. We ended up meeting a couple college kids who are amazing! They invited us to there bible study so we went and ended up meeting a ton more college kids! It was the best! After the bible study (I've been to three in the past week!) a girl came up to me and said that her brother is dating a Mormon and she wants to learn about Mormons! Her name is Hannah and I'm pretty sure we were best buds in the pre-existence and we made a deal that I would come to Lousiana to baptize her! She's fixin' to be a teacher and is doing a practicum at a preschool. She's from a ranch so after we taught her we were swapping stories. She told me a crazy story about a bull they have so I told her about how I almost died from a bull because I ran into the fence! The spirit was strong as I testified that God protected me. I just love her!

Another neat thing that happened this week with a investigator named Melissa. Her son has to get an operation in a few weeks on his heart and they were really nervous so the Elders came over and gave her son a blessing, he's almost 11. After the blessing we asked him how he felt and he said, "I feel really, really good." Melissa was crying and the spirit as strong. The dad is a southern devoted Baptist, but he was present for the blessing and I think it softened his heart towards us. I'm so grateful for the priesthood.

I'm the driver now. It feels so good to be driving! I love it! It's a good stress reliever.

Yesterday we visited a returning member, it was are first time visiting her. We were there for 45 minutes and she talked the entire time! Southern people can talk and talk and talk! We all had a good laugh after!

Anyways, that's all for this week! Love my companions, love Ruston, love the ward, love my investigators, love my mission president, love my fellow missionaries, love the prophet, love the scriptures, love my Savior Jesus Christ.

Sister Hartley.

Scripture: 2 Nephi 27-29

 Valentine tree with a picture of Elvis as the star

I worked with Sister Zemp!

Well this week has been pretty good! It was a week of learning and coming closer to our Savior. On Thursday the Sister Training Leaders came to do exchanges with us. Sister Zemp and Sister Smith. I think I've told you this before, but Sister Zemp is from Calgary and her uncle is the Brother Zemp that is the temple recorder. Sister Smith is from Montana and her dad is a cattle broker. My package came a few minutes after they arrived so I was able to show them the pictures and they both loved them because Sister Zemp has been to Waterton and Sister Smith could see ranch work. Sister Smith is legit. She's been in the army and plays rugby and is just super cool! Sister Zemp is legit as well, she's a miracle worker. My prayers were answered because I got to go out with Sister Zemp and Sister Dailey and Sister Bender went with Sister Smith. I was excited to be in a duo companionship and to be working with another Albertan! We did a lot that afternoon. I learned so much from Sister Zemp! She's such a great missionary! We went to Wal-mart and talked to people and it was awesome!

 

Friday morning the Sister Training Leaders discussed with us what they learned at mission leadership council and what not. Well the mission theme this year is "Perfect Use of the Lord's Time." So many beautiful things have happened in our mission in the past couple months. When Elder Zwick was here he made a promise to our mission that we could triple are baptisms in the coming year if we would sanctify ourselves, use the Lord's time perfectly, work hard, and be faithful. Having Elder Zwick say that is literally fulfilling prophecy about the south. (Remember President Kimballs quote?!?) Anyways as the STLs were saying all this the spirit was so strong! I guess our mission is the lowest baptizing mission in the states. The STLs were telling us what a great honor we as missionaries have to be placed in the MJM mission at this exact time and that Heavenly Father knew we were the ones he needed to bring this forth. It is so humbling to all of us. It made me realize that I was supposed to wait and leave in October instead of May because now I will be here for the entire year of 2014 and see all the miracles that will happen. To make things even better, on Sunday they announced that the stake theme is "Hastening the Work" and to sanctify ourselves. So the two are the exact same! Elder Zwick said the only way we can accomplish the goal of tripling our baptisms is working with the members.

 

Anyways it is so exciting and humbling! The south is a really hard place to serve. So many people already have a church and are very committed and comfortable.

 

Well, that's about all I have for this week! I am doing good, starting to get into the routine of it all and my teaching is slowly improving. The Lord truly qualifies those he calls.

 

I love ya'll!

 

Sister Hartley

 

Scripture: D:C 88:68-69

Southernism: We were tracting and Sister Dailey and I didn't have our coats on. We were at this door and I could tell Sister Dailey was cold so I said, "Don't worry Sister Dailey, after this door I'm Fix..." Then I stopped mid-sentence and realized that I was going to say, "I'm fixing to go get my coat." We all had a good laugh.

Testimony Building Week

Good Monday Morning to ya'll! This past week has been testimony building. Many people here have the sick bug so Sister Bender and I have been a little under the weather, but we are on the mend for which we are grateful.

 

Last Monday night we were teaching an investigator who is very intelligent and likes to talk. We were having a hard time getting are word in because he kept talking about all his preacher friends telling him to stop meeting with us and to get rid of the Book of Mormon. I was so nervous. He kept looking right at me and saying things like, "You see Sister Hartley....." Anyways I kept trying to butt in and speak, but he kept going. We were at the library and it was closing soon so we finally had a chance to speak. I was so nervous and scared, but felt prompted to be bold with him. I stood up and started mapping out a diagram on the board that shows how we have to be baptized by proper priesthood authority in order to make it to heaven. Anyways my voice and hands were shaking the entire time. At the end I looked him right in the eye and bore my testimony to him that I knew that that was the only way we could return to God's presence. The spirit was very strong and he said something like, "Sister Hartley I can see that you really spoke from your heart." He then asked us why all his friends were against the Book of Mormon and him meeting with us. Sister Dailey, being the champ that she is, says to him, "Can I be blunt?" He said yes so she goes on to tell him that they don't want him to read the Book of Mormon because they know if he studies it he will know it's true." After the appointment we went in are car and I just broke down into tears. I was just so overwhelmed with it all! He came to church yesterday and was touched by the testimonies of the congergation, especially the young children.

 

While tracting and teaching this week we have had quite a bit of harsh words and tones spoken towards Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. It really shook me at first. In my personal studies I read Joseph Smith History and my testimony of him and the Book of Mormon only increased. Also so many people like to question us with Bible verses and stuff. All those who have been out less then six months meet with their District Leader once a week to role play and practice. Elder Bradshaw is so good. He always asks us what questions people have thrown at us and he shows us scriptures to use and explains different bible parables to us. He knows his scriptures so well. He showed us an amazing way to teach as well. It was amazing!

 

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he restored the gospel in these Latter Days. I know that he translated the Book of Mormon through the power of God. I know that the Book of Mormon translation is correct and true! I love it! I love my Savior and am so grateful for him. His name be praised forevermore!

 

Have a blest week!

Sister Hartley

New Compaion

Well this week has been another big learning curve, but I love it! We picked up Sister Bender on Tuesday. She has is from Mesa Arizona and has been out for 10 months. She is da bom! I've only been with her a week, but I've learned so much from her! She is such a good missionary, but not only that she is just so fun and outgoing! She is much like my MTC companion. She's always cracking jokes, singing, and just herself. Sister Dailey and I love her! Ruston has already seen many miracles because of her being placed here!

 

This week we tracted into three college girls. LA Tech is in Ruston so Ruston is pretty much a college town. Anyways all these girls were so beautiful! We had a good message with each of them. I just love sharing the gospel with younger folks. They are so much more receptive.

 

Yesterday we all felt impressed to go tract on a specific street and we got talking to a young father who was Baptist I think. Anyways it was the first time someone really questioned us. He kept trying to tell us that Mormons believed in works not faith and that it was by grace and faith that we are saved. We explained to him that we show are faith through are works but he wouldn't have it. I'm glad Sister Bender was there. Anyways needless to say, I'm going to study grace this coming week!

 

The members here are great and take good care of us. One member tried to give us her Christmas tree when she realized we didn't have one. We talked her out of that and instead ended up taking some of her garland instead. We have a standing lamp we never use so we are thinking to wrap the garland around that to make a tree. The countdown is looking long mom! Tomorrow we're going to a member's home for dinner and then we are going to set up our "lamp tree" and make Oreo milkshakes!

 

 Today is my two month mark! Crazy right?!?

 

I have loved these past two months. It is crazy how fast they have gone by. My mission will be over before I know it. I am so excited to serve the Lord this next year. It will be great! The Lord has blest are family so much! The Lord has blest us all greatly and in turn he expects much from us. I often think of the scripture "where much is given much is required." The Lord requires so much of us. I read a talk about missionaries the other day and it was saying how the only thing we can give the Lord that he hasn't already given us is our will. When we turn our own will over to his we have given him all we have. The talk went on to say that as missionaries we are to leave our wants, dreams, and desires at home in our closet with all our other stuff. For this next 16 months we are on the Lord's errand. How humbling is that.

 

I love ya'll so much and pray for ya everyday!

 

Sister Hartley

Scripture: Mosiah 2-5!!!

Southernism: In Gospel Principles yesterday we all went around and did introductions. We had to say one thing we wanted for Christmas. This RM was there and he was total redneck! He had on cowboy boots, and was sporting a wicked red beard! Anyways it gets to him and he says in a southern drawl, "For Christmas I want me a new duck boat!" haha it was the best!

I'm still a "Greenie"

I've officially completed my first transfer! Ya! I'm still considered a "greenie." Oh well, I'll take it!

I miss Cardston and all the people there. This week I got a Christmas card from Greg and Linda Quinton and then I just got a ton of emails from so many wonderful people. Soderstroms, Olsens, Kristi, Derek and Jessica, and so many friends. It is so nice and it makes me want to work harder to represent little ol' Cardston down south! Guess what? I tracted into someone that went to a soccer camp at Lethbridge College! I wanted to hug them!

This week has been great! So much has happened in a week it's hard to know what to write. I'll sum it up so you can get an idea.

Zone conference, baptism, parade, and tranfers. Sister Giddins got transferred to Winnisborrow, and Sister Dailey and I are staying in Ruston and getting a new "Momma" Her name is Sister Bender and she's been out 10 months I think. We'll miss Sister Giddins, but we are excited for Sister Bender. I'm excited because she's "seasoned" and president said she's very wise and knows her missionary stuff. I'm excited to learn from her. We pick her up this afternoon. Sister Dailey is are driver because she's been in the area the longest. Throughout this transfer and I'm pretty sure the rest of my mission I'll be known as the "Logical one." haha. I tell them I get it from my parents! They all say there grateful that I'm always thinking of the best/smartest way to do things effectively and efficentely.

Some cool experiences this week:

Last Saturday we taught a man named Bill. We had it in a members home and it was awesome. We've taught him all the lessons. He's in his late 50s I think and is very sharp. Anyways, we taught him about seeking truth through prayer and church attendance. We committed him to church and then the member invited him over for dinner after church. It was great! Ruston members are powerful tools here in Ruston! Bill was all excited to come to church and dinner after. Well Sunday came and no Bill. We called and texted him and no response, which is weird because he always responds. Well, time goes on and we haven't heard from him for a few days. I was freaking out and praying so hard for him! I thought for sure we'd lost him. Well on Saturday he texted us and said he's in the hospital. Saturday night he was walking down the street and got hit by a car! He's now in a rehap center and recovering. Isn't that crazy! Dang adversary! It was just crazy and I still can't quite believe it happened!

We are teaching a lady named Pat. I know one day she'll get baptized, but right now she has a lot of stress in her life and needs to get things straightened out. Anyways last time we met with her she started crying and told us that she had been praying for someone to come help her and then we tracted into her a few days later! God loves his children!

The baptism was really great! The ward was really supportive of Sharay. We couldn't confirm her this week because she was sick and had to go to the hospital. We are doing it this Sunday though. We need to get it done!

The parade was so fun! We had a bunch of missionaries come for it. We handed out 500 Joy to the World dvds! It was awesome! Parades are so fun!

My birthday was good! It was sad without Melissa, but my "sisters" made it all good. We went to Chili's Saturday night and that was good. I got "country fried steak." It was good, but not like home. My companions told the ward mission leader that it was my birthday so last night we went over to there house and his wife made me a cake. It was really thoughtful. People here are so nice!

Our neighbor has been really friendly to us as well. He's fried us cat fish and yesterday he made us beans and rice. It was real southern food and good. He has also made us sweet potato pie. You have not lived until you have sweet potato pie! So good!

Love Sister Hartley

PS. You should read Alma 34! It is sooooo goooooood!

Christmas Parade, we handed out 500 DVD'S

Aunt Ginny's famous turtles for dessert.

Had to go buy a warmer coat.

Elder Zwick

Well this week has been a good/hard one. On Friday us and the Elders drove to WEST MONROE to meet up with the transfer van to drive to Brandon Mississippi to hear Elder Zwick of the seventy (he's the assistant missionary director!). I was so excited to go to West Monroe, seriously I could hardly sleep the night before, I woke up and got ready so fast! We got to the church before the transfer van and Elder Bradshaw said if we had more time he would have totally taken us to Duck Commander. There's always next time.

 

The conference with Elder Zwick was awesome! I've never felt the spirit for that long before! It was fun to see missionaries from my MTC district, it was almost like seeing family! Before Elder Zwick spoke we all got to shake his hand and he chatted with each of us for a minute. When he shook my hand he looked right into my eyes and said, "Sister Hartley, you look like a missionary. You look pure." It was one of the best compliments I have ever received. His talk was amazing. In it he mentioned that it wont be long before we have tablets and are using social media, within the next 6 months-year I'd say. He talked a lot about the covenants we made in the temple and how we need to honor them and we are honoring them by serving a mission. He spoke a lot of the blessings we receive from being missionaries. He gave good advice of how to teach and testify simply as well. I'm not sure what else to write about it, I know that whatever I write wont do it justice. He is truly a man of God.

 

The next day Sister Giddins, Sister Dailey and I were anguish to put into practice his teachings. Well are day ended up being pretty crazy. I've never been so stressed in my entire life as I have been these past few days. I'm not sure how to explain it, basically I feel like I have to solve everyones problems and help everyone. Tranfers are on the 17 and everyone thinks Sister Giddins is getting transferred so her and the Elders want Sister Dailey and I to start taking more of "the lead." I get what they are saying and I believe we have been doing pretty good, but sometimes I get frustrated that they expect me to do all these things when I haven't really been taught how to do everything. Sister Giddins, Sister Dailey and I are all still pretty new. We've been out 4 months, 2 months, and then 1 month. We are young and have a lot of learning to do. It's frustrating because I'm so independent and prepared. I feel as though my biggest strength will become my biggest weakness if I don't learn how to control it. I always want to do things myself and I forget that we aren't supposed to do everything ourselves.  Our district leader phones us every Sunday to see how we are each doing and then he sets us with a goal for the coming week. This past week mine was to be diligent at role playing and this week my goal is to remember that I am doing the Lord's work. I shouldn't care what anyone thinks but the Lord because I am doing his work and I need to do it his way. The DL said that the sooner I learn to only worry about the things I can control the better. He said if I worry about the things I can't control I will struggle my whole mission. I'm glad I'm figuring all this out now. 

Let me just tell ya'll that we have the best members in the world here in Ruston Louisiana! Do you know what our Bishop did yesterday? In sacrament meeting he gets up and says that the fifth Sunday is today so all the teachers wont teach and that for the next two hours we are going to go out and get our less actives. He hands each family a paper with three less actives and tells them to go bare there testimony to them, invite them to the Christmas parade and then to church on Sunday. Isn't that unreal! He said that we've all heard the story of the good Shepard going out to find the one, he says, "We've heard that over and over again, well it's time we start doing it!" It was the best! Like a missionaries dream come true. We wanted to cry! We as sisters split up and we went with some older single ladies. It was awesome! We are meeting with the Bishop on Sunday to go over the updates. Ya!

 

People down here are so cool. We watched the devotional at a member's home last night and they are pretty much legit. Pretty much half the ward was there. I wish you could meet all the awesome members here!

 

Anyways, this coming week is crazy. Tomorrow we drive to Monroe for Zone Conference, then tomorrow night we have A BAPTISM!!! YA! Her name is Sharay and I love her! The sisters were teaching her when I came so it has been fun for me to get to know her. I love missionary work. On Thursday it is the Christmas Parade and our ward has a float so we as missionaries get to walk beside it and hand out DVDs and pass along cards. It's a big deal around here. Then on the weekend we are hoping to hit up a couple Baptist Christmas concerts. We can go if we get our tracting done. I love tracting! I didn't like it at first, but it is fun now. I told my companions that I want to tract all day on my Birthday! Their like, "Sister Hartley do you hear yourself right now? You just said you want to tract on your birthday!"

 

 I love mail!

 

 Stay warm!

 

Love Sister Hartley