I LOVE MY MISSION!

This week has been good. My new comp and I work well together. We saw Sharon and she straight up told us she’s leaving... moving away to Rivera, another part of Uruguay. It’s not even in this mission. It’s by Brazil. I was not expecting to hear that from her. She has been having problems and can’t pay for things here because it’s really expensive. Ugh. It’s a rough life. I got so sad and just started crying. The gospel is not easy to live.... but no one said it would be. I told her I was going to miss her immensely. I told her she was someone so special to me and I felt like we were friends from before, like other side of the veil kind of friends. We shared a scripture about Christ with her and then she started crying. Like life is hard kind of crying... and I went over to her and hugged her. I don’t know how to explain it, but my whole mission flashed before my eyes. It was overwhelming the amount of love that passed through my body for her. Even though we have to say goodbye, this is what I’m here for… to meet these people, help them change their lives and then do it again.

This transfer seriously has been the turning point in my mish. It’s weird. I’m being pushed so much harder. I’m so much more focused on the work and it’s all I have to think about. Everyday I’m exhausted from bearing my testimony so much, from walking all over the city, from giving every fiber of my being to make sure my time here is well spent. I have never been so tired in my life… but it feels good! We have met a lot of cool people this week. We have set a few baptismal dates, but I don’t know if they’ll make it. People are stubborn and don’t want to change. We had a lot of our people come to church yesterday and it felt good. Damian actually gave a talk yesterday and his parents came to watch him. They are members from somewhere else. They came up to us afterwards and said thank you for all you have done for our son and his wife. It was so awesome! We haven’t done it without the help of the members. I never realized how key the members were in the work until I got here, obviously. We can’t do anything without their help. If you know someone who is struggling, less active, not a member, whatever... DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Reach out to them, call them, invite them, visit them, talk to them. Whatever it takes. This is our responsibility, our covenant we made when we were baptized. I can’t wait to serve when I get back home, seriously. Dad, congrats on your baptism this week. I’m so proud!

I do sincerely appreciate everything from every single one of you. I cherish the words you write each week and hearing from you keeps me going. I love you all.

Things are well, the church is true, be good. Stand for truth and right. I LOVE YOU!!!!! Love, Ash

MY NEW COMPANION.....

Introducing: Hermana Laursen… and she totally knows what she’s doing here. So just in case you forgot my life, this has been my first week training. My companion is from Utah! Yay, so we can play when we get home! And play we will. She’s awesome. I feel like I’m not training though. She has handled everything really well. She’s not going through culture shock like I did. She just hopped in here and is ready to go to work. And work we have. I literally have not thought about home or anyone there this entire week. I have been so incredibly focused on this work. Last night was the first time this week I actually remembered I HAD a family. haha Just kidding. But we’ve been working our tooshes off.I have been SOOOO incredibly overwhelmed with the responsibility of being a trainer. You’re looking at senior comp, Spanish teacher, tour guide, church teacher and much more. It’s been crazy. I have been praying so hard to have the help and guidance I need. I know the Lord expects a lot of me in this capacity.

I forgot that when we get here we literally know NO Spanish... so I have had to take the lead in teaching each and every lesson. It’s pushed me to get to know the scriptures better and the doctrines of the gospel and focus on my testimony to get me through. I have been humbled and this for sure will be a stretching and growing experience. But it’s just the next step of the ladder that Heavenly Father is building for me.

It’s crazy… the transformation that has taken place over these months, inside me and just on the mission in general. I remember my first day at transfers when I got my trainer not knowing anyone or anything. The second I walked into the church building after I got my new comp it was just a whirlwind of emotions and feelings and memories. Everyone was coming up to me and congratulating me on training, EVERYONE was telling my comp she had the best trainer. Nice, eh? I smiled and laughed with the friends I’ve made over the past 9 months and I was hit with the realization of how great the mission is. I never thought in my life I would experience the things I have, feel the things I’ve felt, say the things I’ve said, do the things I’ve done and most importantly grow like I’ve grown. I know my Savior on a whole new level, and even though I’m still trying and working for more, I know he’s pleased with me. I felt an overwhelming sense of love and it was amazing.

I had to say goodbye to Hermana Hite and I was so sad. We cried in the church building hugging and saying how much we loved each other. You learn something new from each and every companion and you grow to appreciate them in ways not possible with other friends.

We are trying to work more with the ward now. The mission is moving to what’s called level 3. Level 1 is just us doing the missionary work. Level 2 is us doing the work with the help of the members. Level 3 is US HELPING THE MEMBERS DO MISSIONARY WORK. They provide everything: the setting, the planning, the support and we are just there to teach. It’s difficult because it requires more work on their part, of course. But we have the support of the bishop. He’s great! We are planning youth activities, and lots of other fun things. We’ll see how it goes. The leaders love my companion and at church yesterday they told us that we now have their full support.

I think this transfer will be the best one yet. We’re working hard and relying on the Lord in everything we do. I have all the hope and faith in the world that we will be able to do great things. I’m really excited.

I love you all so much. I haven’t had time to write anyone letters these last few weeks, but that’s because we’re working so hard. I’m sorry, please just be patient with me. Remember to put the Lord first and everything else will fall into place. I have faith in that. You’re in my prayers. Thank you for yours. They have surely been felt. I love you. Love, Ash

I'M THE NEWEST "TRAINER" IN PUNTA!

You’re never going to believe this... we had transfer calls last night... AH!!!!! I’m senior companion. But not only that... I’m TRAINING! It is only two of us hermanas training and I feel kind of bad because there are other hermanas who have been out longer than me who haven’t trained yet but, I guess that’s how it goes. The Lord qualifies who he calls. That’s all that matters. Everyone: Hermana Hite, Lundskog and Kirkham, along with all the ward members and converts, were calling me to wish me good luck and saying how proud they are of me. I’m really excited, although this all seems too soon. So, tomorrow we get up at 3 in the morning, catch a 5:30 bus to Montevideo, have a training with President at 7, and have another meeting with all the "oros" (greenies). Then President will pray a little and decide who our comp is and then we'll head back out to the area. Oh yeah, I am staying here! I’m excited for that too. This area really is great. Anyway, I still don’t know who my comp is. We’ll see what Heavenly Father decides through Pres tomorrow. Wish me good luck with everything! Ah!

ME WITH SHARON AND HER LITTLE CHILDREN. I LOVE THEM!!

This week has been good for me spiritually. I’m learning so much and being uplifted. I love the little children. We are always with so many. They all hug me, love me, hang on me and I in return love them back. It’s felt good and I’ve been blessed through them. I also have found more English speakers this week in the streets than ever before. We did a contact with a woman and she tried to tell us she couldn’t speak Spanish. I did my very first contact ever in English and it was SO weird!!! Haha We found out she was from Germany, it was cool. Then we found a girl who did a student exchange in the states and she speaks better American than I do, complete with the word "like" interjected in every sentence. It was funny. I hope we can keep teaching her. She’s really cool.Last week we actually got to go bowling. Two of the Latins in our district had never been, including my comp. It was fun. I got 2nd place after our American zone leader. I totally bowled in a skirt haha. Never again in my LIFE will that happen.

I love you all, thank you for the support and love. You’re the greatest. I love you!! Ash

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUBI....

Hello from South America! My new nickname mission-wide is Rubi! Some guy passed by me and, like the others, he started calling me Rubio, but when I didn’t pay him any attention, he said, “Hey Rubi, Rubi!” I laughed so hard after he left. My comp too. She told others and my whole zone is calling me Rubi now.

Thank you all for making my birthday so amazing. My birthday was well. I enjoyed myself. I got your other package, one from Kenny’s parents and lots and lots of letters and other things from people here. I also got the goodies from the bishop that you sent home with him, as well as the hug and all the very many kisses from Estela (bishop’s wife) that you sent. I’ll have you know, two wards from our stake saw and all laughed at her attacking me with love. But, I knew it was from you guys so I let her.My birthday celebration with friends: Enrique, Noelia and Damian & Natalia

Thursday... my birthday. It was great. I hung my own birthday signs that you sent, but it was great. All the packages were FABULOUS! I loved everything, but more of that in letters that are on the way; I don’t have much time. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! My comp made me breakfast, we went to lunch at a nice restaurant. Members gave us money to go to lunch. How kind, no? We worked our little tails off. It poured rain, my hair got ugly and then went to a menos activo family. They surprised me with a cake. Then we got to spend the rest of the night with our ward mission leader, his wife, and Damian and Natalia. That was my only birthday wish. We had a blast. It was great.
All the girlies at Zone Conference: Hermanas Hite, Lundskog, Kirkham, ME and Puentes

Sharon is becoming one of my best friends. I love her some much, and she understands well the gospel. She’s trying and she will progress. She will have an eternal family. I just know it. She’s the first person I feel like I can really express my full, sarcastic, funny, giggly personality with, while in Spanish. No, that’s not true, but she’s the first one I feel like the language isn’t a real barrier and she’s a friend just like any other English speaking friend I have. Only we talk to each other in Spanish. Weird... but like dad said, I will form some of my best friendships here on the mish, both with my comps and the people I bring to the truth. I love it. It is true.

Saturday... We had Pablo’s baptism without flaw. Well, kind of, the ward Hermana Hite is in didn’t have water for the font and so they joined us. So it was a little crazy. But all is well. Pablo has completely changed his life for this gospel and he sincerely desires to follow Jesus Christ. He has a strong testimony. The miracles of our Heavenly Father are here, they are present, they are visible. I can’t describe to you the things and feelings that have gone through my mind, my heart, my body. This week has been crazy, but we are doing everything we can to teach the truth to all who will accept it. I know this is Heavenly Father’s work, I’m just simply the person teaching his children. I love the gospel. The beauty and glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that we can be made whole, and change our lives. The Dedos t-shirt I drew for Maldonado Zone Conference

I drew the Dedos and the zone elders made shirts for our whole zone. Wahoo! It’s so cool. I feel so privileged. Enjoy. I know I sure did. I love you all so much. I hope you know how much I appreciate everything you have done for me. Thank you !!!! I love you, Ash
ZONE CONFERENCE: THE BEST!!