Another Week Here in KC‏

Another Week Here in KC: February 24th, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope you made it a great week, because Elder Grzan and I did!

This week was interesting, but Elder Grzan and I made the most of it. Our miracle investigator, Amy called us and informed us that she has been caught up in Georgia because of work and will be there for the next month. Gotta love having trips ruin baptismal dates! I fear that this will become a plague for me for the rest of my mission sometimes. We have a lot of hope and faith in Amy. She is living with a member and going to church with her, so the gospel is still very much present in her life. I'll let you know when she returns and how everything goes, but she is still progressing towards baptism!

We've found a ton of new investigators this week and guess what, some of them are Spanish speaking! It's terrifyingly exciting to teach people that don't speak your native tongue. I love learning and hope that my language skills don't hinder the message of the Restoration. Our mission president always implores us to open our mouths and that the Lord will give you what to say. I always say a silent prayer walking into lessons that this promise will not only help me with the gospel, but that it might extend to Spanish as well.

Other highlights from the week. Yesterday we had three dinners, one with a member, one with a less active, and one with an investigator. I never knew that I might be tested this way physically on my mission, but I am definitely improving how much food I can keep down without vomiting. Oh, and one of our investigators gave me a guitar this week. I turned it down for three lessons and by the last one he said that if I didn't take it he wasn't going to continue meeting with us. #StatesideMissionProbs My apologies to all the missionaries in third world countries. I really truly do have it so hard here.

Attached is a picture of me and the guitar and the RLDS temple by the Stake Center that we meet at. It's always takes so long to explain to people that it isn't our temple. Ours is the one in Liberty with the Spirit surrounding it.

Make it a great week! Use your time wisely and have fun!

In the words of Elder James Kendell, "Praise Jesus!"

--Elder Hart

Another Week Here in KC‏

Another Week Here in KC: February 18th, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope you are having a great week, because we are here in the beautiful (if you look at it in the right light) Kansas City! This week was a little slow, but we are working towards another baptism this Saturday with our investigator Amy--so what's not to be excited about?

A general authority and member of the 70, Elder Martino visited our mission and blew our minds with trainings. He is a man called from God and gave us divine direction here in the field. I might even go as far as to say that the ward who catered all of us missionaries was heavenly chosen because I can't even count how much food I ate that day.

Ivan was at the mini MTC hosted by the Independence Stake! We taught him some more lessons after his baptism and he committed to prepare to serve a full time mission in the future. It's exciting to see the seed planted in him and how much the gospel changes people.

This week marks my sixth month mark. I'm sure all missionaries say that, but it's crazy how fast the time goes, but it is a mind boggling thing. Keep on working hard back home and, for those of you, in the mission field. Don't give up. Trust in the Lord and have fun.

Mucho amor,

--Elder Hart

We're Changing Eternity‏

We're Changing Eternity: February 10th, 2014

Dear Family and Friends!

This week was great! We received 10 inches of snow which shut down Kansas City for days. Nobody knows how to drive here and it's a complete mess in the streets. It took snowplows a couple days to reach our house--gotta love making your companion walk because we don't let that stop us!

Big news of the hour, Ivan got baptized last Saturday and confirmed a member on Sunday. I will never forget this weekend. All of the hard work and day in and day out and now the fruits of the labor. Ivan is such a great kid and he's already preparing for leadership roles in the youth. I love him so much. I was so honored and even more nervous to perform both of the ordinances. He's going on to do great things. I never thought I would love somone so much after just know him for a couple months, but this relationship doesn't end when I get transferred, or when my mission's over, or when I die, it will last for all of eternity. We're changing eternity out here in the field. It's a great day to be a missionary indeed.

Thank you so much for all of your love and support. Have a happy Valentine's Day and stay safe.

I love you all so much!

--Elder Hart

Another Delay on the Road‏

Another Delay on the Road: February 3rd, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

How are all of you doing?

Kansas City is great! I'm so glad that the Chiefs never made it to the Super Bowl because I was already annoyed at how many people talked about it and I couldn't imagine if the Chiefs we're in the finals. Please pray for the missionaries in Denver and Seatle that they may recover any investigators that had been lost during this trying time of American revelry.

Bad news first: Ivan didn't get baptized on Saturday BECAUSE they're return from Mexico was full of flat tires, broken transmissions, and bribing Mexican police, so they didn't get back until the middle of the week and wanted some more time to calm down from the trip. The baptism, now a double with our miracle of an investigator, Amy Snow, is now going down this Saturday at 1 pm. I attach the hour to this one because 1-I'm losing sleep over this 2-This will happen this time! I'm so excited for them and have felt so blessed to see them progress so far and so fast in the gospel.

Good news: Nothing specific, other than the week was good, we had a little snowfall and THE CHURCH IS TRUE! What more could I ask for? Oh, we did have an amazing party at the Visitor's Center for Chinese New Year with a bunch of our investigators. Kabasey and my Burmese clan attended and loved every minute of it! Oh, and if I can brag, Elder Grzan and I tore it up this week with member present lessons and such. Basically, we're carrying Zone goal on our backs. So you can assume next week's email will be worse, because pride before the downfall right?

Thanks for all the letters and emails! I love guys so much!

Mucho amor,

Elder Hart

No Snow in January‏

No Snow in January: January 27th, 2014

Dear Family and Friends!

How are you this week?

Kansas is the weirdest place ever. We've met the craziest people ever. We've heard about power prayers, the Free Masons, Obama wire tapping all the houses, and just about everything in between. But in the end, I love it here. I love the people, the members, and the fact that it's January and there is no snow!

Sadly, I have to inform you that, "THE RETURN FROM MEXICO: AN IVAN R., STORY 2014 SPECTACOPALYPSE" did not occur this week, but should happen tomorrown. Although it is little time to prepare a baptismal service, Bishop is a-okay with Ivan getting baptized when he returns because of all the support he has in the ward and his family. All in all, we have a lot of people progressing and the work is picking up. It's still a great day to be a missionary!

We're starting to teach more in Spanish, which is great/the worst. I say this because I love to teach in a different language and fulfill my calling, but I also am keenly aware that my Spanish is not great for being this far out on my mission. I would love to blame the fact that we are still in the United States as the reason for this, but at the end of the day, it's still my responsibility to learn this language. I can do better. And that's my message this week I guess. Set goals and work hard. Have something to look forward to and work towards, even if it's as simple as being able to roll r's fluently. There is always room for improvement!

Thanks for all the letters and emails, just remember not to slack off on them because I'm a needy missionary.

Mucho amor,

--Elder Hart

My Previous Letter (Extended Edition)‏

My Previous Letter (Extended Edition) January 21st, 2014

Dear Family and Friends!

My library time was renewed for another hour! So, here's the down-low on the week.

Elder Grzan and I have been doing great. Companionship unity is at an all time high! I've learned to look past the flaming hot cheeto crumbs and the annoying Australian accent and just love him. We are having a great time (and sometimes I join in on the bad accent club while we're driving. My favorite one to do: angry Brooklyn mom.). Hope you are having a great week!

Riverview is doing just peachy. We have a couple of people on date for February and even more coming out of the woodwork. Last Saturday we had a miracle fall into our laps--a random temple worker who used to live in the ward hit us up on our tele with a reference and....it was a FAMILY! The fact that they live with a member (new to the ward and I haven't met him yet) and speak Spanish is just divine. We have a return appointment in a week so let's go ladies and gentlemen!

Also, this week marks what we've titled. "THE RETURN FROM MEXICO: AN IVAN R., STORY 2014 SPECTACOPALYPSE". If you can't tell I'm stoked for Ivan's return this week and his preparation for baptism on the 1st. It's a great day to be a missionary.

This week I've learned a ton about patience--patience for your companion, patience for the car to warm up in the mornings, patience after a rocky meal from a mexican family, patience for investigators, for people who blow cigarette smoke in your face, patience for members and for yourself. The Lord is patient with all of us and our imperfections. Being patient with others shows your love and care for them.

Thanks for all of the letters and emails. I love you all and hope this letter finds you in a good place. Know that I am fine and I will assume the same for you.

--Elder Hart

(I reattached the Burmese Clan at the Visitor's Center because I'm sure if it worked.)

Weekly E-mail

Weekly E-mail January 21st, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

 

I don't have much time this week, but I would just like to let you know how I am doing. I know you have all been panicked because you didn't hear from me yesterday. (Yes, I know how you all wait on the edge of your seats every Monday for me letters because they are so extravagant and entertaining.) Anyways, here it is on Tuesday because of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This week has been great! We have 4 people on date for the month of February. Elder Grzan and I have been teaching like the Second Coming is tomorrow and we're having a ton of success. Kansas City is warming up. Almost short sleeve weather here! Today marks five months in the mission field and I can't believe I've already been gone from home for that long. The mission is great. Stay obedient and you will be blessed! If I get another renewed time I will send another informative letter, if not, here it is. 

Mucho amor!

--Elder Hart

(Me and my burmese clan at the Visitor's center)