Look Vertical for Help

{Ashlyn's letter today wasn't a normal letter. She said she had a lot of people to email today, including a longer letter to her new mission president. Because her time was going to be short, she just wrote in bullet points!}

Things are good!  I got a new companion! Her name is Sister Bl. And she only has 3 transfers left including this one. Sister Bl's great, though!! She's a really good teacher and we teach very well together which is so nice. That's probably one of my favorite things to have in a companionship. {Sidenote from Jana: I dreamed the other night that I saw Ashlyn and her new companion & I knew her name. When I woke up, I could only remember that her last name started with a B. Crazy!!}

Me & Sister BL

-President B (Our new GKLM mission president) got here this week!! Crazy. When we were at the mission office for district meeting, the missionaries that were passing through started putting little sticky notes to him on the office door. I made a little "welcome" sign with colored index cards. 

-This week I was thinking of a scripture that, if I could go back in time, I think I'd read to myself as mission advice. It's Alma 34:34. The things on which our hearts are set don't magically change when you're set apart, or arrive in the mission field. Yes, you do experience a lot of change and refining, but the price is high, too. It's really like Enos said, a "wrestle before God." So, here's my thought for the day: It's so important to purify our hearts and set them on only the most important things. In other words, we need to develop self-mastery so we will be prepared for a mission, callings in the church, our home, or to one day be in Heavenly Father's presence.

-This past Tuesday was AWESOME because we did Mormon.org time and got to see the David Archuleta interview. omgosh omgosh omgosh. Have you seen it?? It is so great.

  

                                                    David Archuleta's AMAZING Interview 

-Converts are so cute. K calls President Monson, "Mr. Munson" and I can't get myself to correct him. Too darling!!

-Sister B (previous companion) pointed out that we hit our 10 month mark on the 21st of June and I was so surprised!! I think, internally, I thought that once I hit my 9 month mark I would just stay at 9 months forever. But life moves forward.

-{Sora T (one of our ward friends) returned home from her mission in Romania last week. I was telling Ashlyn about her homecoming talk and then mentioned how sad she is to not be a missionary anymore. Here is Ashlyn's response to coming home from a mission:  I can't imagine going home. I remember one of my MTC teachers said that the two scariest days of his life were the day he got on the plane to fly home from his mission and the night before he got married. As far as crossing that bridge when we get there, I already dislike that bridge!!! Being a missionary is great. I can't imagine ever NOT being a missionary. Not that I think I could do this for the rest of my life, but it just seems weird to look past the next 8 months.

-I have no idea what the new president will have us do for the 4th. Last year, it was no proselyting after 6 pm. The E Family invited us over for dinner that night.  Our ward is having a breakfast that morning. Our District Leader was thinking about having the whole district go to that and then having district meeting afterwards. So we'll see! #onbikes  

-We had a sweet 3rd hour lesson on Sunday. It was all on the Constitution/what the BOM says about America. Here's a thought to ponder from some talk that got quoted: In order to tell if something is Constitutional, simply look at weather it adds or takes away our agency. I thought that was cool.

-One thing I've really gained a testimony of is Prayer. I can honestly say that there is no way I would've been able to stay out this long with out personal prayer.  Heavenly Father has gotten me through the roughest times on my mission through the gift of prayer. It's amazing how difficult it really can be to just stop, kneel, and pour out your heart to God. But it is SO powerful. I have felt his love in such personal, specific ways as I've simply prayed. It's amazing that at any moment, in any situation we can simply "look vertical for help."

Love, 

Ashlyn