Elder TJ Hartman: Staying in Chester Valley

Hello everybody!

Thank you so much for the packages, I got Summer's, Mikelles, and mom and dads, thank you so much, really appreciate it!!! Well transfers were yesterday. I am staying in Chester Valley with Elder Ashby.

Elder Carlson, me, Elder Thompson. Elders serving in the Tongan ward.

So an Elder we got to know really well, Elder Offley, is going home tomorrow. It was really sad to see him leave. We got really close. During his last testimony, he talked about how a mantle is placed on your shoulders when you start the mission. Near the end, the mantle is slowly taken off. Elder Offley was saying how he didn't want the mantle to be taken off, he could feel it slowly being lifted and he was trying to get it back on. It made me very nervous for that day, although it is still a short while away, I am soooooooo nervous for it! It is awesome to feel your testimony grow as you continue your mission and the spiritual high you are on is nothing short of amazing too!!

That is so crazy, Brad is already in the MTC for almost a whole week now and Olex goes in tomorrow!! I'll bet he's way nervous, even tho you could never tell. Trev is goin to Pisa for his first area? Sweeeeeeet! So kool to hear about everyone going to these awesome foreign countries and things they get to experience! I am glad that I was one of the first to go, I would hate to linger behind.

I have gone thro a ton of personal growth in this area. Although I have not had much success, I have experience so much personal growth that I could never have experienced anywhere else in my life! I guess I just needed to learn a few things about myself. Elder Ashby and I were talking the other day, and he said that either your first year of your mission is really easy and the next year is really hard or vice versa. I am thinking that my first year is going to be hard, if what this statement says is true, and my next is going to be easy, not that I am not going to try, but I think I just need to learn more before I can actually succeed in my mission. Elder Ashby was saying that his first year of his mission was really fun and easy. I was pretty surprised, cuz I am used to having very little success, but maybe that is a good thing cuz then when more success comes my way, I will be ecstatic!!!

Well I hope everyone is doing good at home. Know that I love each and everyone of you dearly and pray for you every night. Hope you are having fun!!! Keep me updated on everything that happens!!! Love you!

Love,

Elder Hartman #1 ;)