Valentine's Loves...New president. Yes, we are getting a new one. We just found out who it is today. His last name is Armstrong. They are Americans. Crazy! I will not have him as my president though because Pres. Da Silva leaves (or finishes) his mission the exact same day that I do. Weird, eh? Apparently I’m only supposed to have him as pres… says the Lord haha. I love him. I’m glad it’s that way.
The gang!This week has been good with the work. We have been trying to get papers to get people married this week, but it’s going to take way too long. They won’t make it for this month... ugh, there is just too much in the process to be done. We went to the judge here and I reminded myself of you mom, begging and begging for them to bend the rules! haha But she wouldn’t have it. I had to give up and accept it. We met with Jessica and Augustin and they told us they didn’t want to get married after we just paid out of OUR POCKETS the money to send for their papers. She said it was too fast, but they can’t be baptized unless they do. Everyone (bishop and pres) has told us that’s how it needs to be. So we told them to go home and pray and figure it out with the Lord. They did just that and with lots of prayers, they came to us the next day and said they were going to get married. I feel like a counselor as a missionary. But we are trying to see this as a blessing that they and Jackalin will have to wait because to prepare them we would have had to see them every day this week and that left literally no time for other investigators. We have been blessed to find many more we think will progress well. More on that in a bit.
Tuesday we had our Minute To Win It activity. Everyone loved it. They had a blast and so did we. Besides that, everyone was OBSESSED with the chocolate chip cookies I made. I finally got them to be good in the ovens we have here. Yeah!
Augustin playing games
Silly, cute boys!
Minute To Win It activity... so much fun!We have seen Maira a few times and she is behaving so much better. It’s a miracle! Her mom even said so too. We are very proud of her.
We taught two of our recent converts, Ariel and Lucia, brother and sister. Their mom has been a member forever, but her husband wouldn’t let the kids be baptized. Because of that they ended up getting divorced. So sad, but she decided to move on without him. She has an awesome conversion story. When we went to the lesson, she came in and said I have someone you need to teach right away. In the meantime, she also found someone else and he wants to learn more. He has already given up drinking and smoking and came to church on Sunday. We will see what happens with him. She reminds me of Aunt Tammy… she’s awesome. She deserves the best.
I have finally become the missionary I want to be. I have managed to be disciplined. I have gained a testimony of the rules. I know how to teach well and I can bear strong testimony. I have all the tools I need to have success. I have been blessed with high spiritual experiences this week. I finished the conference Ensign and the end was wonderful. I am constantly being reminded of why this church is true: The music, the magazines, the leaders, the scriptures, the youth programs, everything that Heavenly Father has given us so that we can have success in this life and return to live with Him. His great purpose is to bring to pass our eternal life, which means everything we experience or have is for our benefit. How quickly people seem to forget that. How do we thank our Heavenly Father for all that he has given us? Do we do what we are supposed to? Do we get on our knees and thank him? It’s hard sometimes, but one thing I have learned while being here is that our Savior gave his very life for us. He let people kill and crucify him so we can be happy, have the ultimate happiness. All he asks us to do is... read our scriptures. Pray daily. Talk to him. Go to church for three hours a week and then have all the rest for ourselves. Dedicate a little bit of our time and talents to him. 18 months is nothing from me. I wish I could do more, just to show how grateful I am. It is literally the LEAST I can do. I still struggle to find the words to express my thanks to him in prayer. Sometimes I can’t do it and that frustrates me too. But all I can do is try. That’s all he asks of us. Just to push a little harder, go a little farther and he will pour down the blessings. We will be happier. It’s all for our happiness after all.
We had ward conference yesterday. A group of ward members formed a choir and as I was listening to them sing, I looked at each person and I thought of the hardships that I know each one of them are going through: a women with a blind husband, a woman who gave up everything to join the church (and lost everything else), the homeless, the lonely, the weak, the hungry… There was a little bit of everything in that group. I literally stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers us. How is it possible that he is aware of each one of them, each one of us, that he is working in our lives, that he is blessing each one of us, trying each one of us, listening to each one of us. I have no idea, it’s not comprehensible. But my testimony today is of that… that He is in each of our lives, he is listening, taking care of and lifting us. HE LOVES US more than we can imagine. Please don’t take advantage of the blessings you have. Use everything, every resource, we have to further his work and lift others as well. This is my prayer today. I love you all so much. Be strong, hang on to the iron rod. Know my prayers are with you, but more importantly that your Heavenly Father loves you and is with you. I love you so much. You’re so important to me and I think of you constantly. Have a good week.
Love, me… Ash
P.S. Thanks for your constant love and support and words of comfort. I can’t wait to see you again!
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