Ava's Mission

Hey all! Another good week down here in Northern AZ! We had interviews with President Collins which is always a favorite time of mine. He is so full of inspiration and the spirit and interviews always reassure me that I can do this and I walk away with lots of goals on things I can do better on! The highlight of this week was for sure the temple trip we got to take with Haley Slade! She is 11 and the Elders before us baptized her last transfer. But the rest of her family is very against the chruch and she lives the gospel all by herself! She comes to chruch every Sunday and is such an example to me. The last Saturday of every month we have a recent convert temple trip where all the missionaries who have recent converts can bring them to the temple to do baptismal and president baptises them. It is so cool and extra fun because up North we are 2 hours from Phoenix so we got to make a road trip out of it! Haley was beaming in the temple and I got baptized with her. When I came out of t...

Well friends, Flagstaff is currently on fire. A fire started on Mt. Eldon on Sunday and its growing but they are fighting it! I really feel like I'm back home now as there is smoke filling the sky. Lots of people in our wards are on evacuation notice, but we love far enough out that it hasn't been a treat to us yet! We think they've got it under control now but more than ever we are praying for God to LET IT RAIN! That has become a theme in our mission, because it is a desert whenever we see a miracle we see it as God letting it rain living water on this thirsty land! (D&C 133:29) Now we are turning to the Lord to Let It Rain literally and spiritually. We had zone conference this week which was SO GOOD. It is always so needed and I find so many things I need to improve on every time. One thing I learned is how important it is to be coachable, and in order to do that we need to work on the Christlike attribute of humility. I've really been working on that this tran...

I LOVE FLAGSTAFF. My two favorite things about here are hands down the views and the Navajo people. We had an awesome week! There is a lot of work here and the Elders that were here before us took good care of the area and left us some good notes which really helped us get started! I've never felt so strongly that I am where I'm supposed to be right when I am supposed to get there. Everything about a mission is inspired of God. We found 9 new people to teach this week and and our new friend Quinton set a baptismal date for himself! It was actually a crazy miracle. And I have gained a testimony this week that when things fall through or plans change it is ALWAYS because God has something greater in store. We had one day this week when a lesson we were really looking forward to fell through, so we got in the truck a little disappointed and sister Doru said "I really want to put someone on date for baptism." And then very quickly and vividly the name of "Quintin...

Hello friends and family! This week was pretty tough and all of you back home know it was. My heart hurts so bad for the Holland Family with the passing of Briggs. He was the kindest, sweetest boy, and whenever I saw him he always had a smile on his face. Going over to the Holland house was one of my favorite things to do back home and Briggs was always laughing at the stupid things we would do. All my thoughts and prayers go out to Haylie on temple square and Tracie, Steve, Micah, Skylie, Summer, and Kash back home. One major blessing is that Flagstaff is JUST LIKE HOME. It is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. We live in the middle of nowhere up in the mountains and are surrounded by dirt rounds and forrest. And I love it. It's been nice to have that comfort and change of scenery. The weather here is also perfect. Flagstaff itself is like Waterton in the summer, but without the wind. But where we live reminds me of Mountain View. My companion is sister Doru, and she is fro...

Transfer news!!!! I'm going to FLAGSTAFF!! I'm so excited but also this area and these people have my whole heart and it's going to be really tough to leave. But God is so good all the time and I know that it is where he needs me. The only thing I am excited to leave is this killer heat! I'm ready for mountains and pine trees again! I'm sorry I have no time, but I am so grateful for all the people here and al the miracles that I have experienced. I am not the same person and I so grateful for the way Christ changes us, and often through other people. I'm so ready for whatever he has next for me! Love y'all!! - Sister Hardy