Sadly my adventure on Kent Island has come to an end, but I'm so excited to be in Kensington! So on Wednesday morning, Sister Rees, Sister Yang and I got up at 4:00am so that we could beat the traffic going into the city. We got to transfers, unloaded all of our things and gave the car to the new elders going to Kent Island. I am now companions with Sister Vespucci! She is from Georgia and has been out three months longer than I have. Our area covers the temple and the ward is amazing. It was definitely pretty different coming to a huge ward full of little kids after being in the little Kent Island branch. Since it was my first Sunday in the Kensington ward yesterday, they asked me to bear my testimony. Afterwards as I was talking to people a woman came up to me and I realized it was another Sister Maughan!!! (Bro Maughan's sister) It was so fun to see her and I felt a little closer to home since she's flying to tri cities this weekend.
On Thursday night we went and visited a couple of families in the ward to share a thought and get to know them. We visited the Wilcox's first and they of course asked where I was from. Then I asked where they were from and they said, "oh a little town in Oregon. My first thought was, "Oh maybe it's Hermiston". But I've yet to meet anyone from Hermiston haha. Then I asked where at and she said, "Hermiston"!! She and her husband both grew up there, went to high school together and came out here for law school. She texted her parents who still live there to see if they knew any of the Haertlings but I haven't heard if she said anything. Speaking of Hermiston, Marie's niece Chyanne (well Sister Peterson now) arrived on Wednesday! We are on opposite shifts at the visitors center, but we still get to see each other every once in a while.
On Friday we went and taught a lesson to a lady named Mandy. She is in her 40's and loves gardening. She hadn't read Mosiah chapter two from the last time that they were there teaching her and so we just read some of it with her instead of teaching what we had prepared. It went really well and she loved it.
Since I am back in the city near the metro and busy streets we can go out and contact people instead of only being able to knock on doors. I love being close to all of the business. It was nice being out in the fields on Kent Island, but I forgot how much I've grown to love the city. We met a lady who speaks mostly French and she seemed interested in what she could understand. So we passed her information to the French elders and we saw them last night coming out from her apartment complex. They said that the lesson had gone really well and she wanted to learn more. This area is a melting pot and there is SO much diversity. It's nice to be able to have missionaries here who can speak so many languages.
So this week I read a talk called, "Stay by the Tree" by Elder Kevin W Pearson. He is talking about Lehi's vision and staying faithful to the end. One part that I really love is this; "Shortly before President Heber J. Grant passed away, one of the Brethren visited his home. Before he left, President Grant prayed, “O God, bless me that I shall not lose my testimony and keep faithful to the end!”1 After nearly 27 years as President of the Church, this was his fervent prayer. His example is a striking reminder that no one, at any age, is immune from Satan’s influence. Two of Satan’s most powerful tools are distraction and deception. Enduring to the end is a hallmark of true discipleship and is essential to eternal life. But when trials and challenges come our way, we are often told to simply “hang in there.” Let me be clear: to “hang in there” is not a principle of the gospel. Enduring to the end means constantly coming unto Christ and being perfected in Him. If enduring to the end is essential to eternal life, why do we struggle to be faithful? We struggle when we are caught between competing priorities. Casual obedience and lukewarm commitment weaken faith. Enduring to the end requires total commitment to the Savior and to our covenants."
I really loved this talk and how it really makes it clear that we always, always always have to be moving forward, strengthening our testimony. Nobody is excused, not even the prophet!
This week we have a devotional at the visitors center that sister Webster and I are singing at. I'm excited because the speaker is Thurl Bailey (his son Elder Bailey serves in our mission). Should be fun! I hope you all have a great week!
Love, Sister Haertling
Sister Haertling with Sister Peterson (from Hermiston)
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