President and Sister Anderson are leaving.

This past week was a wonderful one. I absolutely love my district! We are all such hard workers and good examples to one another. Likewise I love our Zone! We are one of the smallest zones in the mission but you would never tell based off of are Key Indicators. Some weeks we have higher numbers than the biggest zones. These past few weeks we have even broken mission zone records! I do not say these things to brag or boast but rather to show appreciation for being around such hard working missionaries. They are all wonderful examples to me. 

We went to the Temple this week and it was an amazing experience! It was the last time we will all be together with President and Sister Anderson. They go home this week and President Richardson will be here. I will miss President and Sister Anderson so so much!!! But I am excited for President Richardson. He will take the mission to the next level. There was so much power as the whole mission all went through the temple in 4 different sessions! I loved it. After our session we got to have a short meeting with President. He just smiled and said well this doesn't happen very often to all be together in the Temple so lets open it up for questions! Since we were in the Temple you can only imagine the questions that we asked. It was such a neat experience. I am so grateful. We even had the meeting in front of the baptistry and we could see the font. How fitting for missionaries eh? haha Anyways I loved it. Even Elder and Sister Sommerfeldt went through our session as well. I just love them both! We all get so excited when we see one another. haha

One of the biggest things I learned this week was the depth of Charity. Sister Andrew and I were asked to give a training in District training on Charity and I think that I learned the very most as we studied to prepare. I love in Preach My Gospel when it relates that the deeper our charity the more we will feel a sincere desire and concern for the eternal welfare of others. Alma came to mind: 

24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Alma 36:24 

The Sons of Mosiah came to mind:

 3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soulshould perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble. Mosiah 28:3 

These great missionaries emulated charity in the deepest form. That meaning that they not only cared for the temporal needs of those they loved but rather they focused on there eternal needs. I feel as though I to often associate charity with service and tending to temporal needs but in reality charity is doing all that we can to help meet the ETERNAL needs of others. For example, helping them accept the Gospel, be baptized, get to the Temple, and endure to the end. These are the things that truly matter. This is what Christ did: 

 33 And again, I remember that thou hast said that thou hast loved the world, even unto the laying down of thy life for the world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a place for the children of men. Ether 12:33 

He truly did everything to prepare a place for us. To make Eternal life possible. In essence, we can measure the level of our charity on our willingness and openness to share the Gospel. I love the words of Lehi a dying fathers plea to his sons : "I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls." 2 Nephi 2:30 I will always strive to make this my motive. As a missionary, as a daughter, as a companion, as a trainer as a friend, and one day as a mother. 

Temple day with the whole zone. President and Sister Anderson are finished as my mission leader and are going home this week.  He has been a wonderful president.

This week we had a wonderful experience. Before taking our member home we asked if they had any friends we could go and pray with. They did! We went immediately. The family recieved all of us well and allowed us to pray with them. After the prayer the Mother related how embarressed she was by her messy house and I won't lie it was a diaster. We offered to help put things back together for her. Before she could argue my companion and I were already getting down and picking stuff up. She couldn't help but to agree and follow. For the next hour we were able to serve her. It was such an amazing experience to not only help meet her temporal needs but there eternal ones as well. They came to church on Sunday! It was a wonderful miracle. 

Thank you so much for the Package! It was SO fun! Honestly, I forget that Canada was coming up! I am so excited to decorate with all the fun stuff. We have district training on Tuesday so I am going to do something for that as well.. haha they will all get a kick out of it so it will be good. 

Thank you so much for all that you do for me! I love you all so very much!!!! 

Have a wonderful week. 

Love,

Sister Hartley