Uncle Rico - 3/5/12

Dear Family,

I am sending a few pictures. I dont have much to choose from because I am on my second memory card and I left my full one at home. This one doesnt have very many pictures of Linden on it so here is one of Elder Porter and I eating some Chineey and another of the sweetest family ever after FHE. I am loving thenew shoes. The missonary shoe is pretty legit. They are way light. Elder Porter and I are having a great time. Not too much is new I am thankful for the support from home. That is crazy that you are opening a burger shop. What is it called? I hope everything goes well! How is Elder Durbin and a few of those guys doing do you hear much about them. Man! I seriosly cant remember what I was going to say. Everyting is going good though I cannot believe how much I have learned from my mission. One thing I have learned is that God only reveals things to us based on our understanding. So how do we get understanding... through reading the scriptures. The more we understand the more God will reveal his truths unto us. based on our intens. In Guyana they call the older men Uncles. This week we found a swet guy named Rico so naturally the name "uncle rico" fit. As we taught him he listened and he read and he began to understand more about the need for Prophets and Apostles by the end he had already commited himself to church and baptism. He understood and God revealed the truth to him. Uncle Rico came to church and is excited about his baptism. Brother Allicock is still sweet he did not come to church though... dirty little guy. Well I love you I hope you search for  oppertunities to serve each other. That is how we can show God that we love him.

Love Elder Hartshorn

Priesthood Power - 2/27/12

Good day everybody,

I got the shoe!! They are sweet I really like the a lot. It did not cost anything to pick them up. You can take some money out of my account to pay for at least the shipping if you want. I am sending some pictures of my old ones, but I dont want you to freak out or anything when you see them haha. This past week has been pretty dang good. We seem to be working pretty hard and we have three investigators that are really progressing nicely. Good ol Brother Allicock next week I will have to send you a picture of this guy, he makes me laugh all day just because he is so short and funny. We showed up the other day to teach him and he was asleep in a hard wood chair, but the funny thing was that he was in these little scampy underwear it was hilarious. Linden is awesome, it is whipping me in shape with all of its hills. We have been really trying to help the branch get home teaching going, but it is really hard when two of the four of Melchizideck Priesthood holders have had strokes and cant really get around and the other two are too old and grumpy and dont want to do anything, but we are trying. It has had me thinking about how great the church is when it is fully established. Also I have been thinking about my home teaching experiences and how thankful I am for my great home teaching companions I had before I came. How is Brother Monte and his family doing, You will have to tell them hi for me, and also Brother Roy, and thank them for everything that they did for me. I have also been pondering how to have more Priesthood power and the answer came to me in D&C 121:41 it is so simple all the great leaders and Priesthood holders have these attributes. It has just been so interesting to me to ponder over this verse. If I want Power to go with my Prieshood then I have to be more loving and patient. That is what I want to try and work on this week. I know that my testimony is growing and my roots are growing deeper in the Gospel. Elder Porter is doing great he is teaching me a lot. He is from Pleasant Grove Utah, and we came out together so it has been really fun I wish I could just serve with everyone from my MTC district that would be sick! We have our own appartmant haha it used to be the church so it is very big and open, it is really a funny place. Well I got to get but I love you all and I am doing great! Time is going by way fast I can not believe it!

Love Elder Hartshorn

Life is just good. - 2/20/12

Hello Everyone!

Linden is great! It is so beautiful. There is hills and sand and rainforest and clear water it is just stunning. I was going to send some pictures but the computer doesnt look like it has a plug in for my Camera. So maybe next week if we go to a differant shop. Everything is great here. Elder Porter and I are both new in the area so we are trying to get along. We are actually doing really well. We have a few more members to meet but we met a lot of them. The Church only started here about three years ago so there are so many part member families that we can work with and that is the best! We had an investigator come to church that we found also, Brother Allicock. This guy is the man. He is really short and awesome. If we can help him understand more about what we taught him he will be baptized soon. I am a District Leader but Elder Porter is the only missionary in my District haha so i am not sure why I am one. We are the only ones here, but the senior couple.Their names are the Summers. They are pretty amazing I feel kind of spoiled. Life is just good. I have noticed lately that I am starting to Love the people and it has just made me so happy to see them partake in the blessings of the Gospel. I am excited for my shoes. Thank you so much you all are so awesome! I have been blessed my whole life and am so gratefull to have been born in the Gospel. The Lords hand is in everything, may we strive to follow him and his commandments so that we can have true and everlasting happiness. Love you all. 

Love Elder Hartshorn

Sweet - 2/13/12

Well I am getting transferred, but my address will not change. I am kind of sad to be moving from Grove, Grove was a ton of fun. I cannot believe the time is already up here. I am moving to where Elder Khan was. Linden! That is where they farm all the pineapple so I am pumped! haha also I get to be serving with Elder Porter another Elder from my group. He is sweet. I have been so blessed on my mission with great companions. I am not sure what I did but I am really grateful for this. I am just happy to be a missionary in Guyana. It is by far the best place you could serve. I do not think I am a good enough teacher for the islands yet haha. The cool thing about Linden will be that it will just be me and Elder Porter there, and a senior couple so that will be sweet. I think we are part of the Georgetown zone so we will travel up here sometimes for zone meeting. I think that we are our own district though. Anyways it should be an adventure. Raymond did not come to church but he will be coming back soon. There will also be two baptisms here in grove next week that I get to miss by three days that is kind of sad but everything will be ok. Our baptism last week was this super prepared lady named Sister Williams. She was called to be the first councilor in the Relief Society this Sunday. That is just how prepared she was. She is sweet and we are excited about her. Everything is just going great here I love it! I never did hear if the Polaris runs better now or what. I hope so cause I think Elder Peck thinks I am crazy when I try to sound like one and pretend to be riding one haha I kind of miss that bad. Thats ok because I can do things like that the rest of my life but this only will last a little longer. Well I love you all, and I know that The Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses Families. Through Christs Atonement we can not only find comfort and joy in this life but also Eternal happiness. I feel like my letter this week was kind of confusing so I am sorry. 

Love Elder Hartshorn

The Light Amongst the Dark - 2/7/12

Hey Family Wow,

Sorry I did not get to e mail yesterday. It seems like every holiday this year lands on a Monday. Anyways yesterday was a Muslim holiday. They celebrated Muhammads birthday. Town was then of course shut down. Thank you so much for your support and e mails. I will work on getting a picture of my shoes, I thought I remember him saying that they had a two year garentee but was not sure. Thank you for doing that for me. My socks are doing fine, I saved a few pair up for back up just in case but so I havent even had to
use those ones yet. Other then my shoes all is holding up great. I am doing better. Elder Peck and I are doing really well. We had another baptism this week it was great, we were supposed to have one this week too, but something happened I want to tell you about.

I just want to share a story of 1 Nephi 14:10. We had a great investigator named Raymond, He was the most sweetest guy I have ever meant. Ever sense the start of us teaching him he never had a doubt about the gospel, Word of Wisdom no problem stopped drinking coffee and beer with the right intent, I mean he was keeping all of our committments even reading from the Book of Mormon and everything. Raymond was what we thought to be the answer to our prayers and was scheduled for baptism this Saturday.

In our last appointment Sunday night we received a text from Raymond saying he couldn't talk right now but didn't want us to come by anymore and wanted to postpone his baptism. We were devastated, he ended up calling us later that night and said that some "people" came by and they said a bunch of stuff about us that he didnt like. So now confused Raymond does not know where to go, he promised to keep reading from the Book of Mormon and Praying about Joseph Smith, so I know this is just the trial of his faith and will be fine in the end. I am so glad to have a testimony of the true and living Gospel. I know that right when we are doing all the right things in our life is when satan will try to tempt us the most. We can over power him though, We always have the power to over power him. Jesus Christ is the light amongst the dark and when we turn to him all things are possible. This event really did strengthen my testimony, even though it made me feel about the sdest I ever have on my mission I know that everything will be alright, the Holy Ghost always bares whiteness to the truth.

Well I am out of time, but I love you all wish you all the best.

Love Elder Hartshorn

P.S. How is the Polaris running?

Cold Showers, Hot Wife - 1/30/12

Hello Family,

Wow it has been raining here sense yesterday night. It is sweet I am sure my wife is getting so pretty with all this missionary work that I have been doing in the rain! haha The only bad thing about it raining so much is that it makes our showers really cold, and there are not as many people on the street to talk to.

This week was pretty good. Raymond is still sweet! teaching me a thing or two. He has some concerns so he still needs some help but he should still be good for baptism on the 11th these last few weeks of the transfer we should be able to baptize a few people that we have been working with. The work is so good here. I wish it could just stay just like this for the rest of my mission. Being a District Leader is pretty fun. other then teaching district meeting every week haha I guess the best way to learn something is to teach it though and I have to make calls every night but that is pretty fun, other then it cuts into your sleep time haha but other then that everything is normal. Elder Peck and I are doing well we have a lot of fun, and laugh a lot. I am not sure what else to say, Other then next week I am sending a package that has some of my things and some things for you to enjoy that were made right here in Guyana. most came right from the rosta mans stand haha well over and out have a good week and thank you so much for the support and the shoes. Love ya,

Love Elder Hartshorn

Always Move Forward - 1/23/12

Hello Eveybody,

I got your cards and pictures last week! They were great! and hey they almost got here by Christmas. Thank you for the pictures in your e mail. I didnt bring my camera this week or I would try to see if I could put them on there. I am doing really well the only thing is that my shoes have about had it, and I would just go buy some here, but they dont sell very good shoes here, so I was woundering if you could send me a pair or two. That would be awsome. You can ask Nathan which ones to get, something that looks good and is sturdy. Let me know if you send them or what.

Everything is going great here, I feel so blessed to be able to serve in Grove. It is probably one of the best areas if not the best in the mission. We are finding success here. OH!!! I have to tell you about this one investigator we found this week. His name is Raymond he is the bomb, He is a Guyanese that moved to Canada when he was 15 he is now 28 but he just got deported back here, because of doing some stupid stuff up there, but anyways he really wants to change and he has the motavation to do it. We taught him one time and gave him a track to read and when he came to church he was anwsering things in class like he was a member because he studied the track so much. he is going to be baptized if everyting goes well on the 11th of Feb. It is just such a great area we have like three more solid baptism dates for this transfer also. Elder peck and I are not very skilled teachers, It is just another Testimony that when you are doing the Lords work it will always move forward. Well I love you all and i wish I had more time but I dont so Have a good week!

Love Elder Hartshorn