Toronto, eh?: Happy Father's Day!!

Dear Family and Friends,

How is everything going? I want to thank everyone for all the prayers that were in behalf of this sweet family. They were definitely felt.

I have to apologize to you Dad!! I didn't wish you a Happy Father's Day in my last email. Please forgive me. But I will make up for that right now. I can't believe it's already been a year since the last Father's Day that I was gone. I remember sitting in Sacrament meeting last year on Father's Day being soooo unbelievable homesick - wanting nothing more than to get a big hug from my Daddy. This year....it was different. Of course, I still miss you, and always will until the day I return home, but I know that even though I am so far away, I am in the right place. You know that as well. Dad, thank you so much for raising me the way you did. Thank you for your sense of humor and for your adorable smile. I take pride in the qualities I obtain from you. You are such a stud and I love you!!!

This week I got called "Elder Hardcastle" sooo many times! We were asked to help at the Multi-Cultural Festival in Napanee this weekend, and so we went to one of the meetings last week. When they introduced us they said "Elder Hardcastle and Elder Puruganan." Hahah, we both looked at each other then down at our nametags then back at each other. It was priceless. I'll get to the festival more later on...

Soo the work is coming along, we'll say. We need to desperately find new investigators. Everything we did this week resulted in rejection. Sister Puruganan and I decided that we were just going to laugh instead of cry and keep going. With that said....miracles await.

1 Nephi 19:9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.

The funeral for Patsy was on Friday. We rushed from District Meeting to be able to make it in time. I'm not lying when I say there was probably 200 or more people there. It was PACKED. We still got some good seats though. The program was short, and the Spirit was strong. Sheldon and Shane read a poem about "Guardian Angels." Shawn also said a few words. They played a youtube video of Patsy singing. I didn't even know she could sing! It was very special. It was such a blessing to be able to see the boys though, and we both got to give Shayden a big hug. I know that those boys are young, and probably don't understand everything we taught them, but I have confidence in the power of the Spirit, and everything will work out.

The Multi-Cultural festival was so great. Sister Puruganan was in charge of making yummy Philippino food and I just sold water. Haha, but I made an awesome new friend. Her name is Ilta, and she is from Africa (see pictures). She reminds me so much of Ashlyn and Brynn. She is 13 and so down to earth, and we are hopefully going to start teaching her and her family this week!

Okay - I finally had my first lesson with some Jehovah Witnesses. They let us right in and taught us everything they knew. I just sat there and listened, then testified to what I knew to be true. They were such a nice couple, but we couldn't get very far with them. I left their home SO grateful for the knowledge that I have. They mentioned how none of us are going to Heaven, and I can't quite fathom how they came to that conclusion. Folks, we have the truth....enough said.

It's a humbling experience to feel the Atonement personally working inside you. I know that all of the wounds that we have, whether they be physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, etc., can be healed because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Certain experiences over the past 10 days or so have solidified that into my soul. I never could comprehend or understand the Atonement, and to be honest, I still don't. However, I can feel it, and I won't deny that. There is nothing like sharing that with my brothers and sisters.

I love you all. Have an amazing week! Be safe.

Love,

Sister Hardcastle

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