O My!!! Can you say MIRACLE TEMPLE WEEK! I don't even know where to start. I will start with the transfer news... I am staying here in Boynton with Sister Price. We are both pretty shocked by it but know that it is what God wants. I have learned never to predict what will happen, nor listen to anyone else predict what will happen. President is inspired and what ever happens is what God wants.
We were riding our bikes home from an appointment and were running late. Even though time was limited, we both knew we needed to stop and contact. We each were talking to different people and turns out that one of them was as a good friend of a less active member who we had just visited! He knew a little about the church but had no interest in learning more. We left him a card and continued on our way. The next week we were visiting the less active Sister and shared a message of the Temple leaving her the commitment to pray and ask who he wanted her to invite to the Open house. We even role played inviting with her to make her feel more comfortable. Days went by and we continued to follow up on the commitment only to find out she hadn't done it yet. We kept the faith. On Saturday we got a phone call from her. She was at the open house with her friend that she invited. It was the same friend that we met at the bus stop! He loved the Temple and told her that he wants the two girls on bikes to come and teach him! We had a powerful restoration with him yesterday and he is so excited to be baptized! It was an OYM/member referral/member commitment/ TEMPLE miracle! God orchestrates everything beautifully.
Both Sister Price and I were determined to heed your council and get people to the Temple. We didn't have any solid investigators to go so we got the ward directory and started calling part member families and less actives. We felt inspired to keep encouraging a particular less active to go. She related that she really wanted to go with her son but was scared to. We told her that if her nonmember son came we could go to. Knowing that we would accompany them, she readily agreed. We went on Saturday and not only did her son come but his girlfriend came to! They both were deeply touched by the Temple. Emotions were high the entire time. The Son came to church the next day with there 2 teenage kids. They are so elect. The Dad related how he has waited his whole life to join the church with his Mom and have his family active he was just waiting for his girlfriend's heart to soften. The Temple was that catalyst for her. They are so excited to be baptized.
The Temple is so amazing! It touches peoples hearts deeply and it is amazing to see. We are seeing so many miracles because of it. We had a ward member take her whole Presbyterian bible study group that she attends. They loved it and wanted to know more! They invited us to there next bible study to hear more about the church and have there questions answered. It was an amazing experience. We went to there church and everything. We were able to talk to a dozen ladies about the church. They had so many questions. It was so good to share whole and complete doctrine with them. All were amazed and touched.They were deeply humbled by our young age, knowledge, and excitement. They kept saying, "All young people need to be like this. What is that you believe that makes you like this? I want my kids and grand kids to have this." They had questions about so many things life after death, prophets, families, temples, the atonement, and Joseph Smith. We were able to share so much doctrine with them. It was an amazing learning experience. I was never once nervous. I have learned never to sugar coat anything but to just be bold and say it how it is. All were touched. The Temple is opening peoples eyes! They want to know more about "These Mormons". They want to know why we are how we are!
The Temple is awesome. It is so BEAUTIFUL! I can't wait to take you all there. I love the Cardston Temple but the Fort Lauderdale Temple just might be my favorite. : D
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Open house with part member family  .JPG)   |
Last night we had a really cool experience. We were harvesting and felt good about a particular floor of an apartment building. We had just knocked at a door when one down farther opened up and people were leaving. I felt good about hurrying to contact them. We approached them and it was evident they were in a hurry we testified that God had sent us and that he wanted us to bless there home and family. She seemed annoyed but turned around to let us back into there apartment. Her boyfriend, who was inside, immediately recognized us and exclaimed that he was a member but hadn't been for a while. Fast Forward... turns out he was baptized not to long ago and Mark Olsen was the one who found and baptized him! He kept talking about "Olsen" who was from Canada... I quickly connected the dots. Turns out they still keep in contact and everything. It was really neat. He was excited that we had found him again. He is pretty impressed with Canadians... ha ha. We testified of the Temple and he is so excited to take his fiance and get back involved with the church. God is so Good.
Guess what is happening this saturday? Mission Conference! We are so excited for it... This is what President said:
Remember I said we need to keep preparing for the Prophets! We will have the blessing of a Missionary Conference on Saturday, April 19th . We will be taught by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. We will also have Bishop Gary E. Stevens of the Presiding Bishopric, Elder Erich W. Kopischke of the First Quorum of the Seventy and Elder Stephen E. Thompson of the Seventy attending as well.
Isn't that awesome!!!!!! It is going to be so good. We had no idea that this was happening! It is going to be so good! I feel so spoiled to be in the FFLM mission right now. God is pouring out his blessings here.
Love Sister Hartley
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