Snow 11/21/16

Well what a week. Like all last week was super great and warm and enjoyable!! Plus this past week has been super crazy! First the rest of Monday we had a lesson with a preacher. It was nice to have a civil conversation about religion and to see what each other believed. The only hard part was the wife told us we were believing in a filthy lie while pointing at the Book of Mormon. It hurt so hard because I know with all my heart that the Book of Mormon is true and it can change lives! Then we went to the Sullivan's house to make ourselves feel better after being so brought down. Then we had a good laugh and talked about her son in Utah preparing for the Winter Olympics.

Tuesday we spent the night at Channing talking about her mission and just talking life through. Wednesday was exchanges which was super fun as normal! The funniest part was we do a new thing where we pray before we knock on every door so we were getting ready to pray and Sister Fitt was like whose turn is it. So I was thinking about it while she started to pray and right after she had started to pray I yelled no! Hermana Spencer and Sister Fitt were like way to go interpreting her prayer! We laughed so hard! Then Thursday was zone training which was super good! We meet a less active's husband and we asked when we could come back and he said how about never with a smile. We just kind of laughed and were like what? The funny part was Hermana Johnston ripped her skirt which was actually one of the ones I gave to her! It was super funny! 

Then on Saturday we learned about tickets and raked leaves. Then Sunday night while we were knocking doors it started to snow! It was no fun hardly at all. I was so cold for a whole hour! My fingers about fell off! Then this morning we went and took Christmas pictures in the cold!

I want to share a feasting scripture as we come to the biggest feast of all year! Especially as a missionary where you get like three thanksgiving dinners. The scripture is in 2 Nephi 9:50-51:

"Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One
of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness."

So I must say that there are many things in this world that make me happy and that I enjoy however there is only one thing that brings the most joy in all the world. That joy comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ by feasting on he words of Christ through the Book of Mormon. I know the Book of Mormon is true and is part of the path back to our Heavenly Father.

I hope everyone has seen my companion's and mine posting of gratitude for the past couple of days! I would encourage each of you to post what you are grateful for each day this week!

As well I will be sending our Christmas cards next week! If you would like to receive one pleas email me back your address so I can get you on the list! I love y'all! Have a great week!

11/14/16 Fall in in the air!

Well this week we have spent so much time at meetings I don't know how to be a missionary anymore. Anyways the funniest thing this week was we raked the leaves for the Martinos and then jumped into them this morning! It was a blast! I think this week will be more full of pictures than of words! We had mega zone meeting last week where we saw the Christmas initiative for this year! I am super excited! We spent most of the week trying to come up with ideas on how to spread this
message! So yeah super fun week!

So this week I would just like to share a picture message.

 

11/8/16 Flat Tire in a Trio

Well we are in a trio now!!! The exciting part is our trio member is Hermana Spencer from the CCM! It had been so much fun this past week! I am loving the trio life! So the most exciting day was Friday! It was a day of adventures! It all start with us driving to Southampton to have a lesson with a pretty golden investigador! On the way it started to sound like their was a helicopter near by and I kept looking around when I realized we may have a flat tire. So we pulled over and got to work! With the help of Hermana Johnston having watched her dad change the tires so many times we were able to change the tire in 15 minutes! We were fast! I was impressed plus it was super fun to laugh and make fun of each other as we changed the tire. 

Then we headed on our way and called the car person for the mission and he was super impressed
that we had already changed the tire. I can't believe everyone was so shocked! Then we went to Mcdonalds after our lesson for a bathroom stop and we were talking to people as we waited for each other. So we talked to one guy who is the uncle of Zach Galafimacus, some famous guy from the movie the hangover, no clue. Anyways him and a different nephew or grandson some family guy, moral of the story is they came and talked to us about catholic religion history and pagan rituals. It
was the craziest conversation I have had in a while. Well not really we get them a lot. Anyways then we drove out to East Hampton for some lessons Latter that night. However on the way the car was sounding funny like something was off or like a tire was still flat. So we kept stopping and checking the car making sure it worked fine. So we called the elders and were telling them we had some technical difficulties about our car. Then the funniest part was when we were hanging up with
them, a Zone Leader I won't mention his name, **cough**cough** Elder Hardy **cough**cough** said love ya bye as he hung up. We all looked at each other and were like did he just say love ya. It was the funniest thing! Then we went to he beach and took pictures and enjoyed the beauty of fall! Then we did have lessons that night I promise! It was the funniest day I have had in a while!

This week as much fun as it has been it has been a struggle. We still feel like we are running in circles trying to find someone to teach or trying to help the ones we want to teach and getting a hold of them! It has been a struggle! Although as I was reading over a the talk "What Lack I yet?" from October 2015 general conference by Elder Larry R Lawrence for a less active there was something that just stuck out to me and hit me hard. I want to share a portion of it.

"Let’s consider the New Testament account of the rich young ruler. He was a righteous young man who was already keeping the Ten Commandments, but he wanted to become better. His goal was eternal life.

When he met the Savior, he asked, “What lack I yet?” Jesus answered immediately, giving counsel that was intended specifically for the rich young man. “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and … come and follow me.”

The young man was stunned; he had never considered such a sacrifice. He was humble enough to ask the Lord but not faithful enough to follow the divine counsel he was given. We must be willing to act when we receive an answer."

The part about this parable and his talk that took me back was when he says "he had never considered such a sacrifice." Sometimes in life we go about doing our daily life not ether noticing the sacrifice or
noticing that we can sacrifice. As a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and as a representative of the Lord Savior Jesus Christ I want to sacrifice the things that most people
won't think to sacrifice or do want to. I want to give my mission and my life to the Savior! I love from this past general conference when president Uchtdorf said "What shall we give for so much?" We have been giving everything in our lives what can and should we give back to the Savior and our loving Heavenly Father. No sacrifice is too small or too great! I love my Savior and I am grateful he gave me so much so that I can sacrifice the things I never considered to sacrifice. I encourage each of you to find a new to sacrifice something more to the Savior! He is waiting for you with open arms! I love y'all! Have a great week!

Discouragement is of Satan

I have to say the beginning of last week we were both feeling down and out. We couldn't find people to teach and we have been working so hard to build the area. We were feeling pretty sad. Then Wednesday we were at the Martino's house for dinner with a less active and Sister Martino gave us a good pump me up talk. So Thursday we hit the ground running. We worked so hard and were more focused then ever. That night we went to bed so exhausted and so worn out! It felt good! We are super excited to continue this routine because we are staying together! We are just becoming a trio! Super excited for a threesome! 

On Saturday we went party hoping. First we helped decorate for the branch Halloween party. Then helped decorate for our less active member's granddaughter's first birthday party! Super crazy! Then we went back to the church to judge the chili cook off at the branch party! Super good! Then last night my lovely companion thought our phone needed some Chinese water torture, I mean go swimming for an hour in the rain while we were in an appointment. So yeah now we are out of a phone for a day or so. Hopefully no one will call us.

The miracle of the week well there were a couple of them. The first was Wednesday the person we had set up to have dinner with at the Martino's canceled on us. Well the less active member and Elder
Martino had the thought to go wash their car. So they both go and end up running into each other. They both had thought it was strange that they had the prompting to wash their car. In the end it was a blessing for us because then we got our pep talk from Sister Martino and free food. Plus it was felt good to testify to the less active on the blessings of doing temple work for our ancestors as I got to testify of the experience my family had when my grandpa was baptized! It was the best feeling in the whole world! Then Friday night we were out nocking in East Hampton and we meet a newly wed couple from.......San Antonio Texas!!!!!! They are super interested plus he thought it was awesome that I am from Texas. Hermana Johnston just thought it was crazy that us Texans can bond so fast! I am super excited for this couple and I hope to see them make some progress in this next transfer.

This week as I was studying I came across this scripture that is beyond true! It is in Alma 36:21. It says: "Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite

and sweet as was my joy."

I really liked it because it can be used in my context. First it can be used with the atonement which is what Alma is talking about. That with sin and errors our guilt and pain is so big it causes us to
shake and want to fall. However with the power of the Atonement we can be made strong again to with stand the world. As well we will feel a great joy then ever felt before. I know I have felt that joy this week as the times were rough yet there was still a smile and laugh as Hermana Johnston and I pushed through the week!

The other way the scripture can be taken is in our day to day life. There will be days that are crazy and busy and just plain hard. But when we taken a minute or more to simply pray or read our scriptures the blessings will come. It was fun to hear from a member how when she listened to the scriptures as she got ready the other day she saw so many more blessings that day! As well she received so much revelation on some of the things she needed to do! I know the power of just
reading is true and it can bless our lives if we just do it! So I encourage each of you to find some time each day to simply read from the scriptures and to pray.

I miss y'all and love y'all! Have a great week!

Con Amor
Hermana Ashford