Monday, March 5, 2012

Life Is Like A Game Of Chess

Hi again everybody!
 
Sounds like things with the family is going great! Mom and dad still going a million miles an hour. I have a lot of respect for you, I can see that you are truly getting lost in the mission, that is so great to hear about. Africa is a beautiful country.
 
Thank you everyone else for your updates on how things are going back home. Summer, do not worry about the package, you are just fine, I still have a while thankfully so you can take your time. Be sure to send some meds; I talked to the pharmacist the other day and he said that I had to call to get them. It is easier if you send them, but if it is too hard for you let me know and I can work it out.
 
The weather is awesome. It is 9 degrees right now, a little chilly, but definitely could be worse. I am so into wearing the sweater and scarf now, it is so comfortable, plus it looks pretty dang good :)
 
I am sending 2 more pics with this email, not sure if I have already sent the vegetable food one or not. 
 
The other one is us at the Iditarod. We did service there by helping people on and off buses. It was kool to see all the sled dogs eagerly tugging at the ropes ready to start the race. There was over 1,000 dogs there! Crazy!
 
Holtz was Senior comp this week. He did really good, we saw a lot of less actives, which is where probably 95% of our work is, got a lot of work done. I could tell he was relieved when the week came to an end, but I was sure to give him a pat on the back; it is good to get your feet wet and have a rough idea to see what it is like to be senior comp. They are both doing good. We are getting along great as a companionship. It is crazy to think we are in the last week of the transfer already. It is even more crazy to think that I have been here for 3 transfers. We are hoping to finish off this week strong and end with a bang. We plan to do a lot of OYM-ing (open your mouth) during the afternoons, around the down time when no one is home this week. We cam up with 'OYM bingo', which basically is a bingo card but instead of numbers, you have different ways to contact people or different situations to contact someone, like someone reading a book, or a couple holding hands; little basic things like that that help give you motivation to go and talk to the person. It should be a lot of fun, I will let you know how that goes.
 
Since it was fast Sunday yesterday, I bore my testimony in the Cook Inlet YSA ward. I did an analogy using the game of chess. In Whitehorse, I played a lot of that game, mainly because there was a part member family who really liked to play chess. I noticed that while you are playing the game, you get so focused and so easily frustrated sometimes because you have an awesome plan ready and they move one piece and it is all downhill after that. Well, when you are merely spectating it, you see a whole different game. You see moves that the players look right over. Then I related it to Heavenly Father and how he watches us. Sometimes we get so caught up in life and go at a pace that is too fast, then when a sudden curveball is thrown at us, we get easily frustrated. Heavenly Father lays out instances in our lives; whether it be a certain scripture, words from a friend, comfort, whatever it may be, he places those things in our paths to help try and keep us on the straight and narrow path back home to live with Him and ultimately inherit a fullness of joy. That is what he wants for us. That is His plan, His only desire, for us to have nothing but the absolute best. We have to be the ones to recognize His hand in our lives. Let us not get too focused on one door closing that we do not notice another one opening.
 
I love you! Thank you everybody for the support! I sure hope my emails are getting better with details, that is something I am going to be working on for the next while. I cannot tell you how much I miss you, but I do know this is where I am supposed to be right now and there is no other place I would rather be than serving the Lord. Your prayers are what help keep me going thro the long days where we have no success.  I have to keep reminding myself that Faith is always pointed towards the future! Thank you again!
 
Love,
Elder Hartman1
 
P.S. I think this might be my longest e-mail yet....pretty impressive for me I must say ;)

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