Hey everyone! This is last week's email, October 23, 2012. She's doing so well! I'll add the pictures that she sent when I figure out how to put them up! :)

Hello my dear family and friends!

Wow, I have less than a month left! Crazy. It has been yet another wonderful week. Ever since that experience last week of Elder Vandyke reminding me to trust more in the Spirit, I have really felt an improvement. I am still struggling with the language a bit, but I have felt the Spirit in even greater abundance than I did before. As we have taught our investigators, we have had greater unity in our teaching, and we have had some great lessons. It's amazing how the Spirit does the teaching. We have a very simple and limited vocabulary, but we are learning to trust in the Spirit and God will do the rest. We open our mouths, listen to the Spirit, and say what we feel they need to hear. It has had an amazing effect. Our investigators can feel it, too. They are starting to become excited about the gospel and want to find out if it is true for themselves. It is so exciting!! I have really been working on focusing outward. I realized that I am too selfish, and I need to change. I've been praying a lot lately to help me think only of others and their needs, and look for opportunities to serve. When we are studying, (so...that means all the time), :) I am learning to think of our investigator's needs. As I prayerfully ponder on the messages of the scriptures, I am receiving greater insights and am being taught about how I can help others or what I need to work on.

We are now the ones that the younger districts come ask questions to. It's kind of fun, helping them and trying to give them tips that we wish we had known earlier so they can become the best missionaries ever. We are all striving to be the best that we can. We had a district meeting last night with the Zone leaders, and our zone leader talked about raising the bar and striving to be perfectly obedient. I was so excited to see all the elders in our district raise their hands with us sisters! We are making it more of a goal to follow every little rule, including no large gatherings in the residence halls, and observing quiet time at 10:15pm, lights out at 10:30pm. It has been a really big struggle for the elders sometimes, but they agreed to work on it and committed to be perfectly obedient to the best of their ability. Our district can have a hard time focusing at times, so I'm hoping that this will help them focus. I am worried about one of our elders though. He told us he was very unattached to the church for several years, but came back recently. His testimony is still wavering, and I don't think he understands his purpose for being out here yet. I'm hoping and praying that he will soon have a change of heart and be able to understand why he's here and the purpose of missionary work. If you could, please pray for Elder Hawkins. I'd appreciate it a lot. I know God can give miracles when people have faith. I love all our elders and I want the best for them.

I want to send a special thanks to all of you, my family and friends. Thank you for the letters and emails every week. You have no idea how much that means to me. It is always a special treat to get mail. If you want to do a special bit of service, feel free to send one or more of my companions or elders from my district letters or quick notes. I know it would make their day. They all have the same address as I do, just change the name obviously. Here is a list of the names:  Sister Campbell, Sister Elsmore, Elder Cox, Elder Watters, Elder Hawkins, and Elder Vandyke. It could just be something very simple and short, but I know it would make their days. :)  Just an idea.

As I was studying the Plan of Salvation with my companions one of the days this week, we read D&C 138. It is AMAZING!!!! I love how God is so merciful to His children. He has a plan for us! We can again return to live with him with our families for ETERNITY if we follow Christ, keep God's commandments and accept His gospel! How amazing! And EVERYONE will have a chance to hear it in this either in this life or after we die. I just get so excited when I think about it. Heavenly Father love each one of us so much!!! I love Him, and I love His son, Jesus Christ. I love this gospel, and how incredibly simple it is. I am forever grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ for being willing to take our sins upon Him. Without Him and without repentance through the Atonement, it would be impossible to return to Heavenly Father's presence for "no unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God." But we can!!! I stand all amazed.

I love you all!! Thank you for all your prayers and support. I pray for you all every day.

All my love,
Sister Harston