Monday, August 26, 2013

Another Week Gone, eh?

Dear Family and Friends, 

I told quite the story last week, eh? But it's okay because this week brought a miracle. It also brought a trip to the Doctor's.. 

But first - 

HAPPY 75th to Grandpa Larry on Wednesday! You're the healthiest 75 year old out there - no doubt. I love you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FAVORITE ELDEST SISTER KATIE! Woot woot! Next year it'll be your golden birthday :) I love you Katie!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FAVORITE OLDEST NEPHEW JACKAROO! I love you Jacks. Be a good boy :)

We have another very special date in our family this week. Tomorrow marks 8 years since we were sealed to our angel Brynn. Brynn I am forever grateful for you! You completed our family!

I guess I'll start with the Doctor Visit. About two months ago I cut/scraped my wrist. It actually was pretty bad, but I never did anything about it. Just these past few weeks it's started to look infected, and it's itched a lot. I was on an exchange this past week with one of the Sister Training Leaders and she made me call the mission nurse for it. We had to drive for an hour to get to the doctors and let me just tell you - I do not like Canadian Healthcare. The doctor came in with flip flops and a polo t-shirt. It wasn't a trip to Dr. Cope's that's for sure! Indeed it was infected, and I'm on a oral antibiotic as well as an antibiotic cream. It is looking SO much better, but it is going to scar pretty badly. What can you do though eh? 

You guys - I've turned into a Canadian. I say 'eh' all the time. It's BAD! Gah I can't even think about what it's going to be like in a year from now. 

Back to the exchange that I went on.. Her name is Sister Waldron and she is from Weston, Idaho. She is an amazing missionary, and it was the best exchange I've been on. I love being able to work with other missionaries and learn how I can be better.

This past week I had a very touching personal study. I was studying Alma 5, and there are SO many amazing questions asked. Everyone go read it. 

So I'm getting to the biggest miracle of the week, but first - We were able to see the Moulton's again this week. I hope that I've mentioned Andrea in the last email. But just a re-cap. Levingston Moulton is a member, and his wife Andrea is not. Andrea is the greatest person though. She reminds me of Katie! I love being around her. We gave her a tabbed BOM and she was so excited to read it. She loved how the tabs were rainbow - and ever since she's been reading! She has a job that will make her work Sunday's - but we just keep praying! 

So Thursday was the day that we went to the Doctor, so it honestly wasn't a good day at all. But, we had an appointment set up with this woman named Lisa. Lisa is married to Christ and they have two teenage girls. One of the teenage girls is on an exchange in Brazil for a year, and the other one is joining our lesson tonight :) Her and her husband were planning on coming to have a church tour. I hate to admit it, but I wasn't in the mood for anything. My wrist hurt because the cream made it sting so bad, and it was just discouraging. Until we met Lisa. She is GOLDEN. She was found a couple weeks ago by Sister Anderson and her last companion. It's amazing how timing just works! Sister Anderson felt inspired to text her and set up an appointment, and I'm so glad she did! It was hands down the best lesson that I have ever had on my mission. She came so prepared, she'd read lots from Mormon.org. She was expressing how all the other churches she would attend just didn't feel right. When we were sitting in the chapel talking, the Spirit was so strong. She shared how her mother had passed away when she was 19, and how hard that has been for her ever since. She wanted answers, she wanted comfort. She came to the right place, because that is exactly what this Gospel does. Her husband had to leave in the middle of the lesson, but he doesn't want much to do with religion. He just came to support his wife. Lisa accepted baptism so well and is so excited. She said the only thing that would be holding her back would be her husband, if it's not okay with him. The very last question that she asked us that night was - "What happens when I die?" GOLDEN! We gave a Plan of Salvation pamphlet, and told her to read it and that we would talk about it next time. 

I left the chapel that night with so much joy in my heart. I love being a missionary! I have never felt the Spirit speak through me like it did that night. 

We were able to see Lisa again, and we taught her the Plan of Salvation. She had been reading the pamphlet and the Book of Mormon with her daughter, and they both are so excited. She loved the whole plan, and she knows that it is true. I love Lisa and being able to teach her is a privilege! She wasn't able to come to church yesterday because of prior commitments, but she is already making plans for this next Sunday :)

Speaking of church yesterday.. Sunday mornings are so stressful. We had 4 investigators lined up for church with rides and everything. None of them worked out! Sister Anderson decided that we just need to laugh instead of cry. That's become our motto of this transfer. Laugh instead of cry. :)

I love Woodstock. I love Sister Anderson. I love being a missionary. I love the people. I love my life. Pure joy really does await all of those who serve God before anything else. I love this Gospel! 

I love you all very much. Thank you for all that you do. 

Sister Hardcastle

"Have Faith, Have Hope, Live Like His Son, Help Other's On Their Way"

Found this in our apartment! I'm IN LOVE!

Check out our view!

My Wrist. Gross eh?

Monday, August 19, 2013

Greetings From Woodstock!

Dear Family and Friends, 

Good luck to Tanner headin out into the field this week! So exciting! I love you Tan my Man!

Cassandra and her beautiful daughters got baptized yesterday in Ajax. I'm sad I missed it - but I am forever grateful for the time that I had to share with that beautiful family. I can't wait for the day that I get to see them again! :)

Man, what a week. New area, new companion, new investigators, new experiences, NEW EVERYTHING. I love it. I have possibly the story of the century to share with all of you. It is the creepiest/scariest/most exciting thing to ever happen to me.. you all should be on the edge of your seats... But first... 

My companion is Sister Anderson. She is from Orem, Utah and we came out into the field together:) She has been here in Woodstock her whole mission, so she's showing me the ropes. She is amazing and I can't wait for the miracles that we will share together!

A little bit about Woodstock - It is SO different than Ajax. It's just a small town of about 38,000 people or so. So it's a step down from Ajax. The people here all know each other, and you see the same people over and over again, haha but it's great. The Branch is quite small - but not for long! Apparently the church building just barely got a chapel about 2 months ago. There are no benches, just chairs. Lots of changes that I'm not used to! But i'm so excited to be here, and work with the members here and see miracles! Oh, did I mention that Woodstock was Sister Stats first area? We traded places! hahah

Here is my new address - Until at least the end of September - 

Sister Corinne Hardcastle
Canada Toronto Mission
600 Chiefton St #805
Woodstock, ON
N4T 1S1
Canada

I got a gnarly cold this past week. I just can't seem to catch a break! But it's alright - modern medicine is amazing!

We are teaching lots of people. We have been blessed to find lots of new investigators. :) We're really going to focus on part-member families and less-actives because there is A LOT of potential for success in those areas here. There is this particular family that I have to tell you all about. Levingston is less active, and his wife, Andrea, is not a member. We had some time on Saturday night, so we dropped by them. Andrea is quite possibly the GREATEST person I have ever met. She is so down to earth, and so funny. She honestly thought that us as missionaries could never get married, and that we were forced into doing this. We talked to her for about an hour and cleared things up. We are going to start teaching her, and the whole family is working towards coming to church. When we told her that we were from Bountiful and Orem Utah she got so excited. She went and looked them up on a map because she thought they were the cutest names. Needless to say, I'm going to LOVE Woodstock. I already have the street names memorized because it's such a small town. 

Alright, here is the story of the century. I am going to try to explain it in such a way that it won't freak all of you out. I don't know how well ya'll keep up with the news here in Woodstock.. but maybe you've heard about this. It all starts out on Wednesday.. We had a referral for a man named Steven that we needed to contact. We went to his home, and we found him just sitting on his porch. He was very kind to us, and told us that he would love for us to come back and share more with him. So we set up an appointment for Saturday afternoon, and we went on our way. We didn't think anything of it. Just down the street from his home, we noticed lots of cop cars and caution tape outside this home. It was definitely a crime scene, but we didn't know anything about it. We were informed by some members that there was a murder of an 85 year old lady in that home. Apparently it has been all over the news, even in the states. We went back for the appointment with Steven on Saturday afternoon, and we noticed there were a few people hanging out in front of his home. The conversation went something like this - 

Me - "Hey! Is Steven home?"
One of the girls - "You didn't hear? He's in jail for 1st degree murder."

HEART DROPPED. That girl turned out to be his daughter, Jessica. They told us that he had been arrested for the murder and would be in prison for the rest of his life. So Steven was the one to murder that sweet old lady. I talked to a murderer. But wait, it gets worse. The murder took place on Wednesday, so we talked to him the day it happened. We just barely found out last night that it took place at 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, soooo we talked to himafter he had performed the act. I've actually had a sick stomach about it all ever since Saturday. We could have very well gone into his home and taught him, without even knowing. This is definitely something that I will never forget. I know that the Lord is looking out for his missionaries though, and that I have no need to fear.  :) I know that all of you who just read that story have your hearts pounding, hahah but it seriously is so scary!

How many of you gave away a Book of Mormon??

It's been an exciting first week here in Woodstock. I can't wait to fall more and more in love with this place. I do miss Ajax, but Woodstock is where God wants me to be right now. I am in the right place at the right time. I am so confident that God is aware of all of us. He is in the details of our lives, and he is working on our prayers. he knows what is best for us, and He knows what will make us the happiest. We all need to strive to make God our #1 priority. Everything else will fall into place. 

I love you all! Make it a great week. 

Sister Hardcastle

"Have Faith, Have Hope, Live Like His Son, Help Others On Their Way"

My last night in Ajax - with Cassandra, Monique, and Raquel

Canada Toronto Temple  :)

Cutest bunny ever!

My new companion - Sister Anderson!

Penny  :)  My favorite less-active. She's addicted to coke!

Monday, August 12, 2013

So long to Ajax!

Hello Family and Friends!

Happy Birthday to Clara on Friday!

Well, my days in Ajax are numbered. I'm headed to the good ol' town of Woodstock, Ontario bright and early tomorrow! With packing, and zone activities, I have very little time to write today. So forgive me for not responding to everyone individually! P.s. I don't know how I got to Canada with so much stuff - but it doesn't want to fit!

This week was a pretty good week. I got sick! Woot woot! 

Last Wednesday we had a Zone Training Meeting, and I was asked to bear my testimony at the very last second. Normally, I would be freaking out, but it was a very tender experience for me. I was able to stand in front of 50 missionaries or so, and declare my love for my Savior, and I felt His love so strongly. 

On Thursday, I got the flu, and I've been feeling sick off and on ever since. So I spent a lot of time in bed, but God still made miracles happen. 

We were able to teach Cassandra, Monique and Raquel. They are getting their baptismal interviews tonight at the church, and it will be VERY hard for me to say goodbye to them. I will take lots of pictures, and they can all sign my journal. Trevor and Katrina are also planning on coming to the church to say goodbye tonight. Any who, Cassandra and the girls are all set for their baptism next Sunday. Of course I will be sad to not see them baptized, but I feel honored that I was able to take part in watching them become converted to the Gospel.  

I knew that a change was coming, and I knew that I was going to be leaving. The song - "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go" comes into my head. I'm trusting God and His tender care that Woodstock is the place for me. It is going to be hard to leave this wonderful city of Ajax, but new adventures are in store! Plus, this isn't the last time that I will be in Ajax, right mom and dad? Haha, we better come back to visit!

This week we were able to reach the standards of excellence again. Meaning that we found new investigators, and investigators came to church! Waiting for investigators to come to church is the WORST part of the whole week, but when they walk through the doors it's pure joy! 

I read a talk by John Bytheway about 5 scriptures that will get you through almost anything. I don't have the scriptures with me at the moment, but at the very end of the talk it mentioned how those scriptures could get you through almost anything, but the Lord CAN and WILL get you through everything. If you let Him. That is something that I have such a testimony of. We're going to go through things that are hard. Right now, I'm really struggling with leaving Ajax. It has completely stolen my heart, and I've fallen in love with it. I've fallen in love with the ward and all of the people I've met. However, I trust my Heavenly Father. I trust that my purpose here in Ajax has been fulfilled, and I'm needed somewhere else. With the Lord, I can get through this, and I can get through anything and everything. 

People told me over and over again how hard a mission is. Boy, they were right. However, when I sit back and think about everything that has happened these past 3 months I feel so much peace. SO many disappointments, but SOmany miracles. The miracles and the amazing things are the things that I can talk about in detail. The disappointments have only made me stronger. A MISSION IS SO REWARDING. 

This transfer has been the transfer of Trevor, Trials and Triumphs and I'm grateful for every single day. 

Everyone go read Romans 8. Next time I email you I will be in Woodstock! I love you all so much. TRUST GOD AND DO HIS WILL!

"Have Faith, Have Hope, Live Like His Son, Help Others On Their Way"

Sister Hardcastle

The Tunney's

Raquel - Brynn's twin  :)

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

It's me again - Greetings from Ajax!

Hello family and friends,

Another week already? Transfers are in a week? TIME NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN. 

Happy 30 years yesterday to my beautiful parents! I love you both so much, and I hope you enjoy your time in Alaska! 

Just a quick side note, I wouldn't send any more letters to the Ajax address until I know if I'm staying there or leaving. I'll know by next Monday!

Hmmm... where to start. There is this less active couple, the Cramps, that we dropped by last week.. I don't know why we didn't stop by them earlier because they are AMAZING! Turns out, Allison, went to Adelaide Elementary and lived on Monarch Drive with her grandparents for a couple years! Do any of you know the Morrison's? Small world. They are a young couple, early 30's, and were married in the Temple. We are having dinner over there tomorrow, they are great people. Working with less actives is one of my favourite things.

Which leads to the other less active we dropped by this week. We went to Uxbridge yet again to visit Sister Brazier. She is the one from England, who lives with her non-member husband. They are both great people, and love having us over. One of the other members from the ward, Brother Bueler, was there. They both clog, and so does Sister Stats ... so they all clogged while I sat there and pretended to enjoy myself :) just kidding. It was so fun. I'll try to attach a video of them clogging to "Call me Maybe."  :)

While up in Uxbridge, we tried to stop by other less actives. There was this one on the list that we couldn't decide if we should drop by or not.. well we said a prayer and we both agreed that we should give it a go. His name was Brother Meredith, and he lived in the middle of no where. I'm not kidding, he didn't have neighbours for miles.. When we pulled up the driveway, I got this sick feeling in my stomach. I didn't have a good feeling about being there, but we figured since we were already there, we'd give it a try. He lives on this HUGE farm, and when no one came to the door, we started to walk around to see if he was outside. After a couple minutes our zone leaders called us, so Sister Stats was on the phone with them, and out walks Brother Meredith. He was SO mean. I didn't know what to do, Sister Stats was on the phone.. it was so scary. I told him that we were the new missionaries in the area just trying to get to know the members.. he went on to say that we had better get off his property right now and never come back.. I turned around, gave Sister Stats a look of terror, and booked it to the car. Naturally, I had to back Sister Stats up (I hate that rule) and my heart was beating so fast. After we got down his driveway, we pulled over just so I could regain myself. GAH he was mean. Lesson - Trust the Spirit.

We were feeling rather sorry for ourselves after this experience so we went to a Chinese place and ice cream. I got Pistachio just for you Dad.  :)  My fortune was - "You are deeply introspective, imaginative and sensitive."  hahahah

We were able to do a lot of service this week. We helped paint our neighbours garage.. I'll attach some pictures to that. We were also able to help some less actives move. It felt really good to be in normal clothes doing normal things.  :) 

One of the highlights of my week was Skills and Interviews with President and Sister Scott. It was so great to sit down one on one with both of them and just talk. I realized at the moment how far I've come in these short 3 months. I realize that life is full of learning, and that is what makes it so amazing. I just didn't expect to learn SO much in such a short amount of time. President Scott is such an inspired man, and his sweet wife said all of the things that I needed to hear. I love when things like that happen, and we get to be with other missionaries in our zone. Missions rock!

The lowlight of the week - Angela. Our eternal investigator. Everything was all lined up for her to come to church, and a member was going to pick her up. Well that member, Sister Buksa, showed up to church with tears in her eyes. Apparently, Angela's cousin told her that we can no longer come by, and that Angela wasn't interested in meeting with us any more. Talk about a knife to the heart! Well, interestingly enough, yesterday we felt prompted to go the Angela's. She wasn't home, but we helped her aunt wash and clean her car. Angela showed up while we were there, and looked so sad. We didn't really know what was going on, but she said she would call us. Something is definitely going on there, and we can't quite figure it out. It's tough, because I know that Angela knows that the church is true, but it's all about God's timing. 

Everything is going so well with Cassandra, Monique and Raquel. Monique and Raquel were able to make it to church on Sunday, but Cassandra had to work. It was a huge miracle though, because we couldn't get ahold of Cassandra to get her address to tell the members where to go to get her girls Sunday morning. We were a little stressed out, because it was Saturday night, and still no contact. Well, we said a little prayer, and about 20 minutes later, Monique texted us. Everything worked outperfectly :) They are all set for baptism in a week a half. I was showing Raquel the pictures of Ashlyn and Brynn again and she asks, "Are they Mormons too?" I just laughed and said yes, She then went on to tell me how she can't wait to be a Mormon. Ahh I love 9 year olds, haha. 

Trevor is beaming. He received the Gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday and also... THE PRIESTHOOD.Sister Stats and I just looked at each other with our jaws dropped when Bishop announced it. I can't believe how far he has come. In a matter of 4 weeks, he went from complete and utter depression, to having the authority of God. Gives me chills. He is already going out teaching with the Elder missionaries and is so dang happy! I witnessed this! 

Oh, this week I got condemned to hell. We were driving, and we saw a man holding a sign that said, "Repent and Trust Jesus" so we turned around, to go talk to him. He was super mean, and told us that we have been brainwashed and that he feels bad for us. As we were walking away, he told us that he hopes we enjoy going to hell. Yeah, it wasn't Christlike at all, and I honestly had the just laugh and shrug it off. Why doesn't everyone just love everyone?

We found a couple new investigators this week. Norman, is a great family man from Costa Rica. He is so excited to bring his two little girls to church next week! Stanford is also a great family man from Jamaica. He has six kids, and he says he's been looking for something like this his whole life. At the end of the lesson, he said the most sincere prayer, about how he is really wanting to know this is true. We have been asked to go find those that will receive us, and when they do, it's the best feeling in the world. I love that I'm simply a guide in helping my brothers and sisters make it back home to our Heavenly Father. 

It's my last week of training, and I can't believe how quickly this transfer has gone by. I do have a strong feeling that I will be leaving.. but I simply put my trust in God and say to myself - "I'll go where you want me to go..." Every single trial and hardship that I have experienced here in Ajax has really made me grow stronger. I have a stronger and deeper testimony of the love that our Savior has for us. I have such a testimony that God has a beautiful plan for every single one of us - and hardships and part of that plan. I have witnessed miracles. I have witnessed lives changed. I have witnessed more love from my Heavenly Father than I thought possible. This journey that I am on is so tender to me, and I cherish every single day that I have to by a full time representative of Jesus Christ. 

I hope everyone has a beautiful week. :)  I love you all. 

"Have Faith, Have Hope, Live Like His Son, Help Others On Their Way"
Sister Hardcastle

Canada is beautiful!
Our Crazy Neighbors!
The Hadley's - less-actives that just moved.