7/31/17--We're half way there! Livin' on a Prayer

May I just say, everyday we live on a prayer. But the half way part is because this transfer is half way finished and I am starting to freak out just a little bit!! Ahhhh! Anyways this week was a pretty good week! We had a lot going on and sometimes I feel like we were running in circles. Monday we had a pretty cool district activity. Because it was raining all day Monday we hung out at the church and played some get to know you games and then some of the games that I have like tenzi and spy it. It was so much fun! We just laughed and had some good old fashion fun! It was pretty sweet!

Then Tuesday was another crazy day like always! We had district meeting which was weird because we did role plays where Hermana Jofre and I sat out and we played the members. Then the elder's basically had to get a referral from us. Oh man it was so weird to hear the elders call me by my first name. I was like we are sinning, it is Sister Ashford to you and you misters and to everyone else forever and always! Uhhhhh.... So yeah I played Kelsey and they were trying to help me find a way to share the gospel with someone and it was pretty helpful. It helped me come up with some ways to ask people to give me there friends. Jk they do the missionary work and we sit along to enjoy the ride and help them along the way. As well, we saw my favorite people that night! This less active that I told you about last week who is my age and is amazing, well she is still pretty much amazing! She is really learning how to live the gospel each day and enjoy it in her life! Pretty awesome!

Wednesday I think I ran around town and back! We had service in the morning and that was super fun! There was extra help from out of state helping us serve food! As well, at the end of service they always feed us.  This time as we were eating we got into the TV shows that we watched when we were kids. Man we couldn't stop laughing! We talked about little Bill, Dragon Tales, Hey Arnold, Recess, Fairly Odd parents, Ruggrats, Wild Thornberrys, the little rascals, the sandlot, Angels in the Outfield, and so many other movies and shows. Man it was so good to walk down memory lane for a little bit. Then the sad point of my day came when we meet up with Hermana Spencer, now Andrea because it was her last day!:( We met up with her and her mom for ice cream and just talked! I love having someone that knows you so perfectly! We could talk with out even talking! She is amazing and I know she gave her all to her mission! We spent a good 45-60 minutes just talking. Then sadly we had to be on our way. I miss her already! Then we visited a less active and got busy doing missionary work for the night!

Thursday I took this medicine that made my stomach like start to attack me so I spent the morning on my bed reminding myself to breathe and to take everything one step at a time! Then miraculously I made it to interviews. Honestly I think President Reynolds is the sweetest guy ever but so sweet he kind of lies. He told me like three times how awesome I am and that he wishes he had ten of me and that I was staying longer. Now why would he say a thing like that? Little old Sister Ashford does nothing that the Lord gives her the strength to do. I am nothing but the Lord makes me capable to do everything! Anyways after interviews we saw a couple different people and enjoyed the night.

Friday we had exchanges! Yay! I love exchanges! Sometimes it is nice for a moment to do missionary work with out having a list of people you are worrying about. Just for a day you just worry about doing missionary work. Sadly I don't have any stories how we walked around Nigeria and to England and then go back to America like Hermana Jofre and Sister Snow did but none the less it was super fun! Then on Saturday we had an adventure! First we went home then meet up with Sister Peterson the mission nurse to go out to pizza at New York's best pizza place! Aw man that pizza was good! Plus it is always the best to be in companion with my other grandma! I love Sister Peterson!  Then as we were heading back to the bus stop I kind of walked in the wrong direction and we got lost in down town Brooklyn and ended up taking some pictures..... Yeah good thing we have smart phones to get us unlost and found. Then yesterday we took the less active to church again and had 5 hours of church! Yay! Church!

So this past week in the English ward someone was giving a talk and she talked about how we come closer to Christ! What I loved is she said when you get married you don't want to look across the altar at your future spouse and see anger, fear, greed, or obligation. You want to see someone who loves you and wants to show you that love forever! She related that to our relationship with Christ! We shouldn't look at him in anger because we feel he makes our life bad. Or out of fear because we fear the power and wrath of God. Or greed because we just want all that Heavenly Father has to give us which is more important to us than anything else. Or lastly out of obligation because we know it is good to go to church but our heart is far from doing what is right because we do it almost for show. More importantly we most go to church and read our scriptures and be obedient because we love God and we want to show him that we love him everyday and every second. I love Heavenly Father and my Savior! I know they are here for us! I hope y'all have a great week and don't forget the reason why we do everything! Love y'all!

Con Amor
Hermana Ashford

Picture 1: district unity in we all role for the same numbers!
Picture 2: Hermana Spencer❤️️
Picture 3-5: Just taking some selfies along the way:)
Picture 6: the Maldonado Family moved to Connecticut:(
Picture 7: exchanges!
Picture 8-9: pizza with sister Peterson!
Picture 10: Lost in Brooklyn
Picture 11: on the train to church!