Trusting My All in Your Tender Care

What a week. I feel like I say that every week. But really every week is crazy. We do so much. It's great. Saturday I was on an exchange with Sister Ridge and we witnessed a miracle! We were teaching someone we tracted into and his phone ran during the lesson. He answers it and says, "I'm going to have to call you back, I'm right in the middle of being converted to Mormonism." That was Saturday, he came to church yesterday, and he has a baptism date!

While on the exchange we were trying a few people and ended up talking to this man named Tommie out in his yard. He looked and talked exactly like Jared Christenson! He had a dog with him and he was pretty hyper. He kept trying to give us the dog because he was loosing his patience with him. He finally put a leash on him and puts it over the hitch at the back of his truck, the dog just runs crazy as far as his leash will allow, Tommie than makes motion to get in his truck saying he'll run it out of him. My face must have been priceless because he got a good laugh out of it.

We went to the Jackson Branch yesterday. I love it there. Love it love it love it. Such amazing people. They have changed my life. I am grateful I am serving here.

Sister Kennard and I continue to work and do are very best. The Lord takes his work seriously, we must do the same.

Love y'all

Sister Hartley

ps, Sister Meek emailed me and said she met Katie at a fireside. Small world.

Give said the little stream, give oh give, give oh give

Many mighty miracles have been manifested this week here in Jackson. With the guidance of the spirit Sister Kennard and I have been led to those who need help. God truly answers prayers through people. God trusts us, we must trust Him. 

Tuesday Sister Kennard and I set out on foot, boy was it ever cold. I know I'm from Alberta and should be used to the cold, but the humidity is a whole different cold. We walked and walked, and knocked and knocked, and no answer. My head was slowing starting to hang down when I looked up the street to see a family pull up in a nearby driveway. "That's the family." Sister Kennard mustered under her breath. We knocked on their door with faith, and we were invited in. We shared the Book of Mormon, and he accepted it, asking the best questions. One family, that was all we found, but it was the right family. It was all we needed. 

"Words are often as important as experience, because words make experience last." -Willie Morris. 

Love y'all so much. You're support and prayers strengthen me each day. Alma 36:3

Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah.

Mississippi Girl

 No yuppie business

A lot of learning curves happened this week. It was made more clear to me that I truly am in the bible belt. We should never have an "expired testimony" as Elder Taylor puts it. We really have to always strengthen are testimony and be consistently renewing it. I've made a goal to get to know the bible more, my knowledge of it has tripled since the beginning of my mission, but it needs to deepen further. I also need to gain a renewed testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I've seen far to much the effects that happen when we get "comfortable."

Sister Kennard and I worked a lot this week with the Jackson branch. I love these people so much, they have changed the way I look at life, and they have taught me that the good life is putting others before yourself. I wish y'all could meet these people. They are amazing. I sent home the pictures from fishing. Boy was that ever a great time. It was just what I needed. We truly need moderation in all things. It felt so good to fish. Sister Michelle is the lady that took us. We've made a deal, she took us fishing last Monday, and I'll be teaching her piano today. God gave us talents to share with others.

Yesterday we were tracting and we ran into a lady from Clinton. We were showing her a Restoration pamphlet and she said that someone at her work was reading the same pamphlet and she told her that that weekend she would find some people who would have a great impact on her life. She made the connection that we were those people. God truly answers prayers, and he truly is mindful of us.

I love y'all. God truly is are Father, and Christ is our advocate.

Sister Hartley.

Southernism: We went to visit some less actives in the branch and the sister that took us out made a little "happy" for each of them. By that she means a little goody bag. Down here their called happies. I like it.

Fishin' in beautiful Mississippi

These sisters went home last transfer. Miss them!

Fishin' in good Ol' Mississippi

Humble to Prepare, Confident to Perform

Reunited after 14 months

Well this week was crazy just like all the rest! I'm loving serving with Sister Kennard. As President puts it, "you two are two peas from the same pod." True indeed! Sister Kennard just came from serving in Texarkana (she took my place when I got transferred.) So now it's the Wake Village sisters serving in Jackson. It is fun to get caught 

up on all the good things happening in Texar. Sister Kennard and I were in the MTC together and haven't seen each other since. Who would have known that 14 months later we would be companions. We are very much a like, minus the fact that she's sweeter than sweet. I've noticed that my past companions have all been extremely sweet. I think President may be hinting that I need to be a little sweeter??!? She's pretty nervous to be a STL so I've been telling her all the things Sister Jones told me. It was pretty funny, we sat down the other day to plan out exchanges and I found myself talking like Sister Jones. Oh and at district meeting I totally acted like her to. We were setting district goals for January and are district leader kept looking at me and saying, "Oh wait Sister Hartley is thinking about something.." And I found myself saying to Sister Kennard the other day, "I just need to ponder this for a bit." All the things that Sister Jones did. I miss her a lot, but I'm so glad she is home with her family.

I'm excited that Elder Zwick is coming to Melissa's mission. He came here in October and I loved it!

Sister McDonough said something awhile back that stuck me, and I am now gaining a testimony of. She says that the spirit is always stronger when you sacrifice. We had MLC this past week. Sister Kennard and I are very blessed because we don't have to drive a long distance to get to it. Lots of missionaries have to drive 3-5 hours to get to it. It is really nice because we get more time to work in are area. On Friday we have a sisters meeting then all the zone leaders come and we have dinner and another meeting. The sisters meeting got done early. Sister Kennard and I decided to go out and tract before dinner instead of staying at the mission home. Well we were out we were able to find, teach, and commit someone to be baptism, as well as place a Book of Mormon, and talk to almost everyone on the street we felt impressed to go to. It was amazing. It really prepared us to be open to the spirit for the meeting that night. "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven."

The Alhalteh's are an amazing family in the Madison ward. They were sealed on Saturday in the Baton Rouge temple! They had us over on my birthday. (they have two other kids at BYU Idaho.

Sister Jones last day of tracting (it poured)

                               

I turned 21 this week and found an A&W to celebrate.

Went on Exchanges and found an A&W

Early December in Mississippi

Crunch Crunch Crunch

Tracting on a Sunday afternoon in Jackson Mississippi

Thank-you for all the birthday wishes! They mean a lot to me! It's a raining day here in Jackson. Y'all sure have a lot of snow there! Yesterday was so nice, no coat required, just a cardigan. 

 I had the craziest finding opportunity to date this past week. I was on exchanges with a brand new missionary. We were coming out of a lesson and walking to the car. I was really into the conversation that we were having, I didn't notice that there was a big pile of dog poop. Well I slide a good minute and got it all over my shoe. Meanwhile Sister Uffens runs to the car to get her water bottle and paper towel to whip my shoe off. As she's doing this we hear someone laughing and look up to see a girl walking home from school and she's laughing at us! Luckily the neighbor of the former investigator was out washing his truck so he yells at us to come use his hose. So we walk up to his driveway and hold out my shoe and he sprays it off and then gets his bottle of degreaser and starts spraying it! It was quite the site. Anyways when all the remains is washed off and my shoe smells somewhat human again I put it back on and then we start talking. Turns out a few months back some previous sisters tracted into him and left him a copy of the Book of Mormon. He goes and gets it and we talk for a good 30minutes. He asked us all sorts of questions and was very curious about it. At the end of are conversation he goes on to say that he's a preacher and at their church library they have a book which lists all the false churches and are church was one of them listed. I looked him straight in the eye and said boldly, "We'll sir, that is a false book, are church is true." Who knew that God would have me slip in dog feces in order to testify to a preacher. That's testimony right there that God has a sense of humor! 

I love y'all. 

Sister Hartley

Witnessing for Jesus

I love teaching people.

 

This week was wonderful. I love teaching people. I love being a missionary. We are so blessed here in Jackson, (I still can't believe I'm in Jackson!) Last night sister Jones and I were trying some people we have tracted into recently, on one door the guy we talked with wasn't there, but his friend was, we asked her if we could teach her and she starts saying that she is really busy and doesn't have time...I held up my hand and pleaded, "Just give us 5 minutes." She agreed and invited us in. We watched He is the Gift, and it brought the spirit of Christ into her home. We then read the start of Helaman 14 with her when Samuel prophecies of Christ's birth. It really interested her to hear of the signs in America. We asked her if she would like to keep the Book of Mormon and she said yes!  Sister Jones and I got to help Sister McDonough decorate the mission home for Christmas. Being close to the mission home is such a blessing. It's only a 20 minute bike ride from are apartment. I have learned so much from being around President and Sister McDonough.  I love y'all so much!  Sister Hartley

"What made y'all stop at our door?"

Oh sweet sweet family. Oh how I love y'all! You mean so much to me. The start of the holidays has got me somewhat homesick, but in a good way. :) The good Lord has been so good to the Hartley family. I love you all so much, and I miss y'all. BUT I am LOVING my mission. I just love it here. The Lord has shown miracles to Sister Jones and I this week. It has been amazing. As Elder Zwick says, "The Lord has his boots on the ground." He's hastening his work and we're doing everything we can to keep up. We saw so many miracles this week!

I was on exchanges on Saturday and we went to see a less active member in the Jackson branch. Her visiting teacher was so nice as to accompany us. Sister Eschler and I didn't know what to plan to share in companion study because neither of us knew her. We just followed the spirit and felt to share how the Book of Mormon and Bible work together to clarify and expound doctrine. When we went inside we noticed that she had her Book of Mormon laid out. (good sign!) The conversation went on and she kept saying that she always reads the bible, but hasn't read the Book of Mormon in a long time (I think years) because she couldn't find it. Well, she found it about two weeks ago. She also said she hasn't been to church in at least a year. Well the Lord is merciful because the message we had planned to share tailored perfectly to her! And guess what?!? She came to church yesterday! Oh it was a miracle! Oh the Lord is so good!

We've had so many tracting miracles this week! We were out in a nice neighborhood and a lot of the people weren't giving us the time of day. We knock on the last door and this young dad lets us in and goes to get his wife. We introduced the Book of Mormon and neither of them said much, until the end. The wife asked, "What made y'all stop at our door?" We explained that the spirit led us. Her husband then said that just before we knocked on the door they were having a talk about the scriptures, and then we knocked and are offering them another book of scripture. Oh isn't the Lord so mindful of us all!

We have found so many people to teach it's wonderful! I love it. Oh I love it I love it I love it. I need to go though, we have had a busy day. It's operation Christmas Prep P day. haha We've decorated are apartment and are getting things all ready! I love it! Love y'all!  We're so very blessed!

Love y'all

 Sister Hartley

                                                                 

Help cook Thanksgiving dinner in the mission home.