Michigan? I thought this was paradise.

I am so grateful every week to hear that everyone is doing well! The pictures you sent wouldn't open on my phone, so maybe try again? (Ps I got a phone btw, they have me a loaner phone to use until I leave! It is pretty useless since I don't have Wi-Fi except at the church, but it has been nice to have the Gospel library app to use! And we can type out emails out simultaneously!)

We are pretty close to the city! We are going to try to go down to the auto show today and we want to go down  again next week to do all the cool Detroit things! I did give a talk on Sunday, it was on personal and companion study and how it has made me a better missionary and disciple. It went well, and they must love getting me up in front of the ward because I said the closing prayer this sunday! Yes, I agree mom, free up some time for yourself and to sleep! Even missionaries who are literally consecrating all their time and energy to the Lord get 8 hours of sleep and a preparation day! I love hearing about your come follow me studies! Personal and companion (family) study is so important! Members are missionaries now, it is no longer enough to just be examples, so we need to treasure up the word of God so we can have the guidance of the spirit! "First week to obtain my word, then shall that tongue be loosed." Cool stuff. Modern revelation is real.

This week really showed me the value of Faith and patience with the Lord's timing. The week before was really slow missionary work wise. We had no one we were teaching, and it was really frustrating! I came out on a mission because I knew how much the restored gospel of Jesus Christ had blessed my life and I wanted to share those same blessings with others! But we kept working, talking to everyone we met and knocking on strangers doors. We had one guy open the door, look at us for two seconds, and then close the door without saying anything. That was a first. I have had people look out the window and lock their door, or open it, tell us they aren't interested and shut the door, or even been yelled at through the door to go away, but that was the first time someone has opened the door and shut it immediately after without saying a word! Anyway, we kept working and working on having faith and being patient with the Lord's timing, and finally, this week, we have started to see miracles! Ok, first. Samuel. We met him on the street. It was freezing cold and we were walking down a main street on our way to some stores when we stopped and talked to him for a second and shared our brief testimonies. As soon as we finished and asked if he wanted to learn more, he starts spouting out his full name, phone number, and address! We were scrambling to write it all down! Then we walked away. We were a little worried because he lived in an apparment complex for elderly people that was notorious for housing those a little off their rocker, but we met with him and he was as sharp as a tack and eager to learn and believe what we had to tell him and read the Book of Mormon. He is truly elect. We haven't been able to meet with him again yet, but he answers the phone when we call, so we shouldn't have too much trouble setting up another appointment. We are also meeting with a woman named Jennifer! We met her in a Kroger a while back and taught her a lesson over the phone. We were going to meet on Saturday, but we had a crazy huge blizzard and she didn't want to drive in it so we are going to be meeting with her later today! She seems really interested in how the Gospel could bless her life! 

Tracting is a huge part of our work right now! The weather makes it pretty interesting. It has been in the single digits or the negatives the past few days and the Michigan humidity and wind makes it truly bone chilling, and I certainly didn't imagine myself trudging through snow to get to people's doors when I got my call, but God blesses His servants when they obey his commandments! We have seen so many miracles tracting. Earlier this week we tracted into Greg and set up an appointment, then when  we went back he had to reschedule so we ended up tracting more of his neighborhood and met Mary who had prayed earlier that day for guidance and then we knocked on her door that night and she was super eager to meet, we went back the next day and knocked and called and knocked, we knew she was home, but she didn't hear us or answer the phone, so we decided to try again later and tracted more of that same neighborhood and got let in to two more houses! One of them said she was going to send our info to her friend who really needs our message, and the other was a preacher who wanted to bible bash us, but we ended up having a decently nice conversation about the plan of salvation! Even when thing's don't work out the way we expect, it is comforting to know God has a greater, grander plan for us. 

Ok, let me tell you about the weather here. I have never experienced anything like this. We had had a remarkably mild winter so far. No snow, cold, but nothing crazy, some rain here and there. And the  Saturday. Boom. For service we were shoveling snow and by the time we finished it looked like we had never been there... but we got free hot chocolate! It has been getting steadily colder too and it has become a game of "how many pairs of tights, leggings, and socks, sweaters and shirts can I wear and still be able to put on my shoes and coat" or "how do i keep my face warm with out looking like a burglar or murderer knocking on people's doors at night" but it is so much fun! Trudging through snow to get up to peoples doors and doing little dances on strangers porches to keep our toes warm! It makes me want to put on a pair of skis and go racing down a hill, but being able to preach the gospel is much more thrilling! I love it here, being a missionary is not what I expected. I have never been more challenged or fulfilled. 

This week we also had the incredible opportunity to go to the temple. It is just like our little temple in Spokane! I love the Temple more than at other place in the world. It is there I feel the most love, the most peace. If I could go every day, I would. It was such an incredible blessing to be able to spend a few hours soaking in the Saviors love and feeling so safe and at home and at one.

I love you all! I love this gospel! I wouldn't be freezing in the snow far away from my family if I didn't know it was true! I do! I do know the Book of Mormon is true and that Christ is my savior and His church has been restored to the earth! 

Love

Sister Hardy

Pikz

-Sister Burt bundling up

-the APs posing in their car, I don't know what "shark yeah" means, but whatevs...

-i sewed up sister Burts sweatshirt, try to find where it was ripped, I dare you.

-at service bundled up and looking rather top heavy 

-i bought a dinosoar piggy bank.. don't ask why, just go with it

-ENJOY DETROIT

-the temple!!

-We bought scrunchies!