There is so many old people here!!!!

"baby" Sister Allen

Hello from way up NORTH! We are as far North as we can get until hitting the Orlando mission. My new area is called Sebastian. We are opening it up again for Sisters. It hasn't had sister missionaries in over 5 years. There is so much that I could say... So much has happened in the past few days. My new companion is Sister Allen she is 19 from Alpine Utah. She knows how to work hard already so I am grateful for that. She is excited to be here and came in with a lot of fire. I knew she was going to be mine the moment I laid eyes on her! haha I love her. We are both beyond excited to be opening this area. President took the previous 2 elders out of the ward and put 4 new missionaries in-1 set of Sisters and another Elders. (Katelyn one of the Elders is Elder Anderson the brother to the one in your mission.. small world eh?) . Everyone is new... The ward really is so blessed... it has 2 of the hardest working missionaries in the mission and 2 brand new missionaries... all together we bring a lot of fire. The ward mission leader nicknamed us "Seal Team 7"  President is so inspired to do this. The ward is AMAZING! In the past it hasn't had the most obedient, nor hard working missionaries. The members haven't trusted them. After transfer meeting President called all 4 of us together and related the history of the area and what he wanted us to accomplish and do up here. The leadership in the ward is amazing. The ward mission leader really is a missionaries dream!! He has held so many callings in the church and has so much experience. . . the bishop has served in a mission presidency... and I really could go on and on. The church building itself up here is a stake center with a HUGE parking lot and 3 bishop's offices! Right now there is only one ward meeting here... it has so much room to grow... I no it won't happen over night but something truly great is stirring up here. The whole time I have been here we have not knocked any doors!! That is a miracle!! The members have kept us so busy with part member families and referrals. It is amazing. I am so excited to be here. Funny note: There is so many old people here!!!! Seriously... it is not as diverse as all my other areas have been. We went to Wal-Mart today and the median age in the store had to have been over 65... haha there are 55+ communties everywhere... the drivers are so slow!! We see so many different license plates of retired people or snow birds... it is really entertaining... The ward has a few young families but not to many.. mostly people just golf and play cards with all there old friends all day everyday... haha lots of time to talk about the Gospel I guess. Anyways things have been busy and I don't know exactly how to relate everything but just know that this is such an exciting time to be in this area... I am so grateful. I am so grateful to have Sister Allen as my companion.. Siste Steg it has brought so many flashbacks to our time together.. especially at transfer meeting when I found out you were my trainer and everyone telling me all about you and how lucky I was to be trained by you.. haha good times... anyways I am so happy to be here. I know it is right where I need to be. Great things are happening.. I hope all continues to be well with all of you!

 

Love,

 

Sister Hartley