Christmas phone call were the best.

Christmas in Florida

It was an incredible week. It was so good to talk to you Dad, Mom, Chris and Echo and JETT!! I am so grateful. 

Sister Coates and I have learned many lessons this week it is hard to even know where to start. It is hard to sum up all that we experience and feel as full time servants of the Lord. We truly are doing his work, the exact thing that he did while here upon the earth. The work continues. That being said, we are truly going where he went, feeling what he felt, and learning what I am sure he already knew. The things we see, the emotions we feel, it is so hard to describe unless you experience it firsthand. I am so grateful for every moment as an authorized representative of Christ.  

A great lesson I learned this week was the outpouring blessings of continual obedience and faith. We have a member in our ward who is great for referrals. She takes the bus everywhere and talks to everyone! Recently she was talking to someone about reading and she mentioned how much she loves the Book of Mormon and asked if he had ever heard of it. He replied, "Yes I love that book! I have been trying to figure out how to be apart of the church." She gave us his phone number and we immediately set up an appointment. It turns out that he was street contacted by missionaries in northern Florida. They gave him a Book of Mormon and Resto pamphlet. He is in Alma 42!!! Because he has been reading the Book of Mormon, his faith in Christ is high. He is progressing fast and keeps every commitment. He readily agreed to keep the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity. In essence, he is the very definition of elect. We rode the bus to church with him yesterday and he made himself a part of the  branch and participated in Gospel principles. Sacrament meeting was all about missionary work. They had a recently returned missionary speak and one about ready to depart. He is only 20 so it really instilled in him a desire to serve a mission. He is ready for baptism. He will be such a great addition to the branch. As a companionship we are overwhelmed with gratitude for such a miracle. It was literally nothing we did to find him. It was all in God's hand that he was led to us. We know this miracle came because of the continued obedience and faith throughout our entire missions. We are so grateful. I am so grateful for those missionaries that contacted him. We truly never know the seeds that we plant. 

I love you all! Have a great week. 

Love,

Sister Hartley

Look what we knocked into!! He has been hunting all over the world!! His house had every animal you could think of!