Opposition in All Things - 5/27/13

Dear family,

Can I just start off by saying that I love how our e mails are getting. haha It is so very weird thinking I will see you in just over a week. SCARY!!! Well this week was al-right. We had a lot of things fall through, and it was pretty hard at times. I guess I should know by now that there has to be opposition in all things. I would have loved to have been able to baptize my last week but its not looking to bright, because none of our investigators came to church. Next week will be a different story though. 

On the way home from church we got in this car, and there was a lady who I guess was baptized in the church about thirty years ago. She was one of those people who had a big mouth and does not know how to keep quiet, anyways she was very obnoxious. I am telling you this because she said that the only thing that she got from the church was Family Home Evening. When she said that it really stood out to me. It made me think about how family oriented the church really is. What a great blessing.

Well I sure am excited to see you all. I used my card and it is working, and everything is going great! Thank you for your support, and your love.

Love,

Elder Hartshorn

Going to Miss It - 5/20/13

Good day!

We had a great activity today. We climbed the mountain here, witch is called Mt. Soufrere. It is actually the top of a volcano. I do not know what it is about the Hartshorns and hacking, but guess what it rained the whole hike. When we got to the top we could not even see anything. It was still so much fun.

That is so great that Hannah was able to make it to state. I do not think many freshmen get that opportunity.

Well nothing to new is happening here. I received one of the best compliments from a member the other day. She told me that I looked like I still had a year left, and she could always tell when missionaries are going to do good when they go home. That made me feel pretty good to hear that. It still does not feel like I am going to be home in three weeks. My feelings are so messed up right now, because half of me is saying I can't wait to go home, and the other half is saying I love it down here I am going to miss it so much.

Well I hope everything is going good at home, thank you for all your support.

Love,
Elder Hartshorn

Yee-haw - 5/6/13

Good morning everybody!

We also had another positive week. We will also be having another Baptism this Saturday.  Some of our investigators did not come to church though. The work is still going forward and we are finding all sorts of success through our members in this awesome branch.

We do get to chat on Mothers Day, I have the cumputer at six O'clock our time. I guess I will leave it up to you to figure out what  that is your time. I hope it works! This week is going to be super busy. We are going to Barbados to Zone conference. Elder Ramdhanie and I have to teach, and our zone has to sing. That should be interesting considering non of us hicks can sing to well.

Oh, I finally got an email that told me I was going home on the 6th of June. They asked what airport I would like to fly to and stuff. I gave them your e mail, so you should get the flight plans pretty soon. Thank you for all that you do. I love you all very much.

Love,
Elder Hartshorn

Happy Monday! - 4/29/13

Dear Family,

Thank you for the pictures! they were great. That is pretty exciting that Hannah is doing so good. Does any of the other schools have Freshmen that run? I am sure she will continue to progress. I must say I did beat Elder Ramdhanie in a race the other day, and he is a professional cricket player in Trinidad. I guess you don't have to be very fast to play cricket.

We had a good week. Many of the people we have been working with came to church for the very first time this week. Three of our six investigators were there for their first time, and I think they had a good experience. I had to talk. They asked me to speak on reverence, this is the second time on my mission that they have asked me to speak on reverence. I guess I need to be more reverent. It was nice though, because I was able to us most of my notes from the last reverence talk I gave. I received Grandmas letter. You will have to tell her thank you for me. I am horrible at writing letters, as you can all tell.

Well its all starting to wind down now, I cannot believe it. I am still able to keep focused until I go to sleep at night, then I have some dreams about hunting, and ice fishing, or something back home. I normally read a chapter from the Book of Mormon in the morning and it puts me back on the path though. I hope all is going well at home. Is there any jobs opening up in the Valley for me? Anyway I love you all.

Love,
Elder Hartshorn

He showed up! - 4/22/13

Thank you for the great e mail Mom and Dad. Brother Tmon Tmore Davis was baptized this week! It was so great, he is so loved and fellow-shipped by the branch it is ridiculous. The baptism was really good and spiritual. It is crazy how close you get to the people you teach. I also recived my last transfer call of my mission. I will be staying in St. Vincent with Elder Ramdhanie. I am pretty darn excited because we have been finding lots of success. President has made St. Vincent "hick island" haha All of the hicks

are on the island now it is so flippin fun. I am trying to stay focused and finish my mission strong and set an example for the other missionaries of how to end their missions.

That is sad that Sister Wade passed away. I really wanted to see her and thank her for all the support she gave me. I am glad she went peacefully though.

The birds are back and they gave me the card. Elder Bird also said that he had a great lunch with you, and wants to have a picnic somewhere down the line with all of us. I thought that was pretty funny. The best part about the letter was to know that the truck is back up and running!

Sorry my email is so random, I hope you can still get an idea of what is going on down here. I love you all and cant wait to see your smiling faces in six weeks....???

Love,
Elder Hartshorn

Interesting Experiences - 4/15/13

Dear Family,

Thank you for all the great news! I am Glad you were able to meet Elder Bird. He is pretty awesome. He is probably one of the happiest guys you will ever meet. Hannah also seems like she is getting faster! I bet I can still beat here though haha How is the good ol' valley doing anyway?

We had a very interesting experience this week. Our investigator who was supposed to be baptized passed her interview, and was excited to be baptized. When we went to pick her up Saturday , she was not home, and she did not answer her phone. We waited and we called but there was still no sign of her. We went to the church and were met by a lot of the branch, but our investigator never came. We still have not been able to get a hold of her. I have never had this happen before, and it was a little strange for me.

On the positive note Brother Davis is solid for this week, if he shows up. haha He came to the baptism we were supposed to have. He is just really solid and is a part member family. We are excited for him.

Thank you for being so great! I do not think anyone gets as much support from home then I do. I am truly grateful for that.Your the best!

Love,
Elder Hartshorn

Another Short One - 4/8/13

Hey Family,

I am glad you were able to enjoy conference, it was most enjoyable for me. It also sounds like there is a lot going on around there. I am kinda sad I will miss all of Hannahs running, but I am sure you will record a few to watch.

The work here is continuing to progress, we are going to have a baptism this week! The lady who just straight up told her boy friend to move out because she wanted to be baptized  She is so solid. We are working with a few part member families so we might also have a few baptisms on the twentieth as well.

Thank you for your great e mail,

Love,
Elder Hartshorn

Last Few... Weeks - 3/25/13

Hello dear family,

Well for p day today we took a fary to another smaller island! It was pretty awesome! We also had another great week. This branch is awesome! A few members have offered to feed us on my birthday, so you dont need to worry about me down here. We have an investigator who is planning on being baptized on the 13th of April, so I am pretty excited about that. We are still trying to get to know everyone here, but we have seen the Lords hand so much. I am trying to work as hard as ever these last few months. It

feels so GOOD.

Well everything is going good, thank you for all of your support, you are all a huge strength to me.

Love,
Elder Hartshorn

Letter from Sister and Elder Gartz - 3/25/13

Hi, Sister Hartshorn! We all miss Elder Hartshorn here in St. Lucia. I'm sure he is doing great work in St. Vincent and will finish strong. Time is fleeting and some of our favorite elders will go home soon.

We received your letter to Sister Marius and she was so thrilled to get it. She misses Jarom very much. Also your last letter was given to the mission president's wife Sister Mehr who took it to be forwarded on to him.

It was wonderful we could work with your son for a long period of time. He made quite an impact here and taught and cared for many. We experienced and shared good friends and missionary life...there is always a laugh with Elder Hartshorn and Elder Meredith around!

Hope Idaho is warming up - know you are excited for May.
Take good care - it would be fun to meet you some day.
Sister Gartz (Elder Gartz too)
ps great Jarom could have 2 baptisms right before leaving here....

What an Adventure! - 3/18/13

Dear Family!

Wow what an adventure President put us in! My companion and I are blanking this area, and honestly I have never seen more tender mercies from the Lord then in these last couple of days. It seems like every time we are heading a wrong direction He sends someone to put us back on the right path. The members here are fantastic! I honestly love them already. The branch is much larger and stronger then the branch in St. Lucia. The branch President set a goal for us to have eight baptisms in the next two months! We are going to have to work our tail off.

President is relizing that when my group goes home there will be no leaders in the mission so he has put pretty much everyone in my group with a new District or Zone leader to help train them up. So that is what I am doing. My companion has been out for five months and is the District leader here. He is from Trinidad, his name is Elder Ramdhanie. He is a boss, we have been working really hard so far together.

I am sorry but I do not know my address yet. I will try to get it to you next week. You will also have to tell Grandma and Grandpa Hartshorn that I am sorry, I wrote them a letter in St. Lucia but I left it there. Well I gots to go, so id be talkin to you later.

Love Elder Hartshorn