Sister Ashley Marie Clawson: Three Months Today!

Its been 3 months already!!!! Crazy how time flies! It's true what they say about missions - days go slow weeks go fast! Our bishop's son got home from Honduras, however you spell that, last week and we finally met him on Monday when we had Family Home Eveing with them! They are such a great cute family!

So dentist news here we go; I went in Tuesday and the tooth that I had chipped only had a small cavity in it. I really didn't want them to numb my mouth so I asked if they could do it without numbing me. They said they could if I really wanted to and to let them know if anything hurt really bad. So I did and the stupid numbing hurt more than them drilling on my tooth! I was so proud that I did it without the numbing stuff!! Then he looked over the other side just to make sure there was nothing bad.....well he found a big cavity that he did have to numb for so the tender mercy from this story is that I only had one side of my mouth numbed not both! :) hahaha

We had exchanges this week which was an interesting experience, not my favorite. This sister is going home in a few months and is super trunky! It was hard BUT I got to sleep in a yert!!!! What is a yert, you ask? Well it is a oxygen building that has a kitchen, very tiny, and a bathroom. It's pretty cool! I felt like I was camping! hahaha

We talked to a lot of people this week and got into some less active members houses that we havn't been able to in a long time, which was great!

Me and Sister Archuleta spoke in church yesterday. I always seem to speak on Mothers Day! hhaha It was really good. We talked with the RM (returned missionary) and we had 2 investigators come to church and they said they really liked it and they would have stayed the whole time if they didnt have a Mothers Day lunch they had to be at. I am so excited to teach them more!

Transfers are this week on Saturday! I am soo nervous! I don't want to leave my area or my companion Sister Archuleta! I pray we stay together. If not Heavenly Father has something different and better in store for us.

I loved talking to my family yesterday on Mothers Day and if any one knows my parents there were alot of tears but happy tears of coarse! I love this work tho! I was really scared of becoming homesick after I talked with them but I didnt. The Lord blesses his missionaries thats for sure. My first thought after I said bye was back to work! I can't express to all of you how much the Gospel helps with life!

Well dad asked me to explain in my own words some chapters out of the Book of Mormon found in Ether. so here it is:

Ether 3: The Lord asked the Brother of Jared what he would have him do about the darkness in the barges that they built so in this chapter the Brother of Jared brought his solution or answer to the Lord to see if it would work and to ask God in faith to make these stones shine forth. The lesson from this story is that he didnt just go outside his tent and find rocks that would be fine. He climbed the tallest mountain and uesd his skills and time to make these perfect white stones. Thats what God asks of us when we have decisions to make - to really study and ponder and do research then decide and bring that decision to him in faith that if it isn't the correct choice that you will change and do what he wants of you. Because of the Brother of Jared's faith he saw the finger of Jesus when he touched the stones to make light eluminate from them. Jesus then showed himself unto him and ministered the same things that he would tell the Nephites. He told him to write down His words and seal them up to the Lord. He wote them in a language no one knew with the power of God and Jesus gave him 2 stones, the seer stones, to hide up with the writings so when its time for the people to know the full truth again they could translate using the stones depending on their faith and by the power of God.

Ether 4: These are my thoughts, tell me if I'm wrong but here Moroni sealed up the words of the Brother of Jared and hid them and because they are not writen in the Book Of Mormon, just talked about. They are still hidden from us because of the lack of faith in this world because Moroni says that when we are faithful the Lord will reveal these revalations that Jesus gave to the Brother of Jared to us. So there is still more that we can read and learn if people would loose their pride and become faithful rightouse people.

Ether 5: Simply that the Lord will show the plates to 3 witnesses at first for a testimony that the golden plates are real and are true scripture from God because NO ONE can deny or defile someone's testimony, something that they know is true deep down with all their heart. And that the Book of Mormon will testify of itself, which it does several times through prophets revelations and prophecies.

Ehter 6: It took them 344 days to get to the Americas, which is the promised land. When the Brother of Jared and Jared were about to die the people wanted them to annoint a king but the Brother of Jared said that that would only lead to wickedness and captivity, which it did, but did it anyway because the people asked.

I really love the Book of Ether! it has fantastic chapters that are full of wisdom and guidence for our lifes! Everything is going great here and its finally getting warm! ha! I know that my Savior Jesus Christ came to a young 14 year old boy named Joseph Smith. And because of his humility and restored the fullness of His Gospel back to the earth. And I am so thankful for that and to be in HIS church! I love you all and hope you have a great week!!!!

<3 Sister Ashley Clawson