Thursday, November 27, 2014

....Thanksgiving wishes

Another text from Boise, Idaho
 
They are rolling out the door after thanksgiving lunch to thanksgiving dinner!!! :)

Monday, November 24, 2014

When did 50 get to be warm?

 Hey ya'll! so this week pretty much rocked! We had a great time! We met this name who goes by Boots and he is Catholic but he is willing to talk with us, which is exciting! He's not super interested...he says that when his brother, who is a minister, joins the church he will!!! hahahaha BUT he brought up the 6 precepts of the Catholic church but couldn't remember them...so when we go over he is going to share those with us and we are going to share the Plan of Salvation! A little trade off!
    On Wednesday day we were able to plan the Cuellars baptism and they asked me to give the talk on baptism, which I'll send to Ma so she can type it up and put it on my blog ;) We also got to see Payton and set a baptismal date with her for the 20th of December, maybe even make it a white Christmas! For mutual that night the whole stake got together to watch the videos each ward had made. They turned out pretty cute! The stake leaders even did one that all the missionaries in the stake were in. Bro Smith should be sending the link of that one to Ma some time so hopefully ya'll can see it ! hahaha It was really good and funny!
  Friday was a super busy day! We were able to see Betty and talk about the Savior's life and ministry and she was really interested about the family proclamation! So we will show her that next week! We really enjoy going over there and teaching her and seeing her understand things, even if we come out smelling like chain smokers! hahaha. She's a sweetheart! We went over to Tamara's house to help her move her TV out of her room but ended up feeding her horse and goats and chopping some wood! I can swing a pretty mean axe! I love it!!!! She said that I can shop wood better than anyone she knows! hehehe I just HAD to include that one! :D!
   The baptism of Juanita, Aaliyah and Nick Cuellars went soooooooo good!!!!!! Juanita's granddaughter said the prayer and thanked Heavenly Father for the desire her Grandma and Aunt and Uncle had to get baptized. She just got baptized about a year ago herself. I gave the talk and it went great, the APS (assistants to the president) were there and they said my talk really helped their investigator understand baptism! That was awesome to hear! Talk about being in the right place at the right time! All three were baptized and man was it amazing! Afterward, Sister Delahoyde  talked about the Holly Ghost and she usually doesn't get emotional but she did it was cute! hahaha Bishop gave some remarks and had all the RMs (returned missionaries) and full time missionaries stand up and then had everyone but those that taught them sit down and he talked about our love for her and that the ward will take care them! It was really sweet! He also invited them to bear their testimonies and Juanita went first. She had mentioned that she never wanted to get baptized when her daughter Maria got baptized but her thoughts had changed over the years. And then when I asked her to be baptized on the 22 of Nov, it felt right! Everything in her life was leading up to this point that she would accept the gospel and be baptized. She shared with us that her daughter Maria had been diagnosed that day a year ago with cancer but now she is cancer free! So this day has a sacred meaning to it, now with the hope of a brighter future. I was REALLY touched! Not only their prayers had been answered but so were mine! I had felt for a long time that I wasn't receiving revelation for my area but this experience has given me new light and helped me sooo much!Ii love this family! They are soooo great! When people get baptized the missionaries give them a present and the Cuellar family actually gave us one too! It was so sweet! They were confirmed the next day. 
   Some super exciting news! President said we can go with new converts to the temple for their first time going..... the youth have a temple trip on Dec 9th!!!........what a tender mercy! :,)! I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ so much! and I know they are always there for all of us and will help us no matter what, even if we don't ask but times will be easier when we do ask I promise ya'll! My love goes to ya'll! Have a great Thanksgiving! If you all could email me back with a few things you are grateful for that would be the coolest thing EVER! LOVE YA!!!!!

<3 Sister Ashley Clawson
 
Pictures
 
Don't they look GREAT in white?!
 
 
All the missionaries that taught this wonderful family that are still here on missions!!! This was Elder John's first area and leaves New Year Eve and got to see this wonderful event and confirm Aaliyah!

Sunday, November 23, 2014

... Text from Idaho

I received this text from a sweet someone of my daughter and I am almost going to guess and say it is Sis Wilkes but I am sure I will be corrected in the morning, lol! It said,

'Greetings from Boise! We are at the community Hymns of Thanksgiving-beautiful music to come!'


It put a tear in my eye and a smile on my face!
(okay, more than just one)
Love this girl!!!


(I was wrong. It was Sis. Smith! My bad!)

Monday, November 17, 2014

Stupid white stuff!!!!!! 9 months!

Okay so for all of you that told me that Boise Idaho was the banana belt of Idaho I've got a bone to pick with you. It snowed all day Thursday and Friday and there is 8 inches of this cold white stuff everywhere! hahaha AND there is another storm coming this week on Thursday! ugh! But it's all good. I've learned that this is very not normal for Idaho! They usually get this much snow all year but it usually comes in January! I am just glad this is my only winter in the snow! hahaha I was talking to some ladies in my ward and told them that there was NO WAY I was going to marry someone that wanted to live in the snow....Sorry, guys! hahahaha  So yes, this Arizona girl learned how to drive in the snow. I've driven in the snow before picking up Cort from Logan but didn't know that you aren't suppose to brake while you were turning, I almost got that poor fire hydrant! But luckily I stopped the car in time hahahaha The people in this ward are so sweet they all asked how I was doing driving in the snow and ice and gave me several tips and pointers ha! So I now drive like a grandma, sorry for those grandmas out there, and many people behind me don't like it but oh well, they can get into an accident if they want to then :) hahaha
   We had SOOOO much success this week! We cleaned the church house for FHE on Monday that was pretty cold we were sent outside to do the windows. It was fun though and a little boy came up to us and said that missionaries are the BEST!!!! And he's planning on going on a mission too! How cute! That makes the cold SO worth it!!! We have a new investigator and her name is Payton. She  is such a cute little girl and she wants to be baptized sooo bad! Her dad is LDS but her stepmom is Catholic so she won't let missionaries into her home so we teach her at her grandparents, who we are helping them prepare for the temple! 
   So Ma knows that my enamel on my teeth that it is super weak so I chipped a tooth, which I don't know how that happened but my Stake President is a dentist so he fixed it for me then found a cavity and fixed it without numbing it! It was awesome! I'm so happy he did it! That is the second cavity on my mission without being numbed to fix! hahaha Have to be happy about something right?! Find the joy in everything! haha
    We had a great lesson with Sister Rowe. She doesn't know very much about the Gospel and she was telling us how she believes and it's exactly what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is! hahaha She is starting the Book of Mormon and she really enjoys us teaching and talking with her! She's a great lady, just needs to stop smoking. We smell sooo bad when we come out of her house. I feel bad for going into member's houses smelling like that but it shows that we take our missions seriously and we do our best! Poor Sister Lassen hasn't been in a house like that before so she was having a real hard time breathing, poor thing!
   We taught Hunter and his parents this week about the Restoration and the Priesthood. He is really excited to go to church and get baptized. He changed his baptismal date to January 14, his birthday! How sweet! We are hoping that his desire will help his parents get back on track too!
   The most exciting news, though, is that Juanita, Nick, and Aliyah had their baptism interviews on Saturday and will be getting baptized this Saturday at 1 pm!!!!! We are so stoked for them to be baptized!!!! They are so ready!
   I want you all to know that I love this Gospel and know without a doubt that it is the Gospel that Jesus Christ taught, restored back to the earth with His authority to do ordinances and to make promises the correct way! For the past 6 months I have been reading Jesus the Christ and just finished! It is an amazing book that helps us understand Christ's life! I invite everyone to read it! It will change your life! I love you all so much and pray that you will all feel Christ's and God's love for you every day!!!!

<3 Sister Ashley Clawson
 
pictures:  
So much snow!
 
 9 months baby!!!!! I love this tradition as a sister missionary!!!
 
First time shoveling snow!
 
Look at all the snow on that tree!!! There was much more after that picture was taken!
 
 
All bundled up just got my coat the monday before it started snowing! yay!!! and its green!!!!
This was way too much fun!!!! hahaha
 
I was excited about the snow when it first started to fall ....now not so much.....
 
 
First snow angel!!!
 

Monday, November 10, 2014

Training!!!!

Sister Lassen is my new and I mean brand new companion straight from the MTC! (Missionary Training Center!) She is pretty awesome! Camarillo, California!!!!! She's pretty awesome! 3 out of my 4 companions have been from Cali....I wonder why? haha She is just barely 19 and she's already a fantastic missionary! Sister Delahoyde's new companion was Sister Lassens MTC companion! How cool is that? So in the mission we do this thing where your trainer is your mission mom or dad, off coarse, for Elders. So Sister Lassen is my "daughter" and since me and Sister Delahoyde got split up to train, which usually never happens, her "daughter" is my "God-daughter" and visa versa! hahaha I love mission lingo! It's fun! We have had a great busy crazy week!
   Monday, me and Sister Delahoyde were still together and we went to the transfer meeting and the training meeting and then went about our P-day. That night we got lost in down town Boise trying to find her new area since she is taking the spot of Elders in that area. Her District leader was trying to give us directions but we all know how well that goes when GUYS give directions! hahahaha JK! Not really! hehe We finally just parked by Walgreens and gave them the crossroads and had them find us so we could follow them to the apartment that Sister Delahoyde would be staying in! She said her goodbyes and in the morning we went back and got the key to the appartment to move her in and to clean....so Elders had lived there prior and man was it a mess....maybe we are just spoiled to live with Sister Wilkes..yup that's it for sure! hahaha But we got all that taken care of and headed out to pick up the new arriving missionaries! We were waiting till lunch started in the mission office. All the trainers and I was so nervous that I asked if I could go hide in the bathroom jokingly! hahha but half way meaning it! We had a great lunch and took pictures and me and one of the AP's (Assistant to the President) had a fun time kinda skipping but with our legs kicked out in front of us, dont know how to explain that very well, all the way across the gym and it was super fun! Wish we got it on tape- it wasn't planned or anything and we were right together! hahaha  We were assigned our new companions and started off on our day! It was a really good day but a bit overwhelming for Sister Lassen so we went home early and unpacked and got to know each other!
    Wednessday we were able to see a lot of people. Sister Lassens very first spiritual thought was perfect! She used the things that were around her in the house to seek inspiration from and listened to the lady and knew exactly what she needed to hear right then and there! I'm so proud of her! In a good way! ha! We went over to Lacie's and see her and her kiddos and Sister Lassen invited both of the boys to be baptized and they accepted! Her second night out, folks!!!! They are still praying about a baptismal date. 
   We were able to have a lot of success this week! Sister Lassen had a very good first week in the mission field, thats for sure! We had dinner with the Laytons and they invited their friend Lynn over, the one that we mow her lawn and we were finnally able to meet her and to share a message with her and build a friendship! It was a really good night and we found out that brown cows are very delicious! You take vanilla ice cream and put chocolate milk in with it, delish!!!!! After dinner we went over and taught Juanita, Nick, and Henry, the dad, the Law of Chastity! I told you she had a very good first week! hahaha No more comfort zone for her! hehehe Brother Hatcher is a magician and he put on a show for Juanita's family nad invited us over and it was a blast!!!!
   Sister Hubbard finally found an apartment in the ward to move into and so we got a couple of guys from the ward with mini vans and trucks and caravanned over to the storage she had and from there hauled things to the appartment. We had a really awesome talk with her about her divorce and the situation she was in with trying to go back to church and to read the Book of Mormon with her kids again.  
   Guess who came to church on sSnday?! That's right, most of you don't know who, it's the Barnes family!!!!! They havn't come to church in such a long time but Hunter wants to be baptized so he needs to go to church and Brother Barnes is starting his quitting smoking process, which is awesome! 
    I love ya'll and miss ya'll a ton! But I know that this work is so very important to the salvation of man and that's the reason that God changed the age requirements and has allowed so many people that didn't think they could serve serve! I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true and does have the fullness of the Gospel back on the earth today with a living prophet guiding us through revalation from Heavenly Father today! Have a fantastic week this week!!!!!
 
<3 Sister Ashley Clawson

pics!
 
 
This is Sister Lassen and magic man Brad! hahaha
 
 
So the one next to me is Sister Rice. Her daughter just got married and her twin sister, next to her whose son, Elder Capps, is in this mission and was in my last district back in Meridian. It would be so hard to know my mom would be only 20 mins from me!!!!  

Monday, November 3, 2014

Hey Ya'll!!!

  So as you all know by now i am training a new missionary! So nervous and excited! I met her tomorrow so ill let ya'll know next week who she is and all about her! In the scene of a mission im going to be a mom! whoot whoot!!!!!
   This week was pretty fun but im going to send out an email that my uncle David would appreciate this week and more words next week! enjoy the pictures!!!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
<3 Sister Ashley Clawson
 
 Yes, that is a washing machine that the strong elders are moving up the stairs and this is a LONG flight of stairs!!!! they are beastly! hahahaha
 
 First snow of the season! 
 
  This is Ursula and us on a regular basis! hahaha
 
Her daughter Mercedes did our hair! Ain't it cute!
 
Me and a creapy rat! OH halloween!
 

Love this costume! This is Sister Barnes at the trunk or treat!
 
 Little allision and her sister Jazzy!!! Look closely at their faces! Pretty awesome!

 Sassy bunny and harry girl! hahaha Thanks Ma for the Mesa High Jackrabbit costume!!!
   

Sunday, November 2, 2014

.... Letter from the Mission President

31 October 2014


.... We received this email on Saturday morning. Ashley is now a trainer!!! So proud of my girl!!!



Dear Sister Clawson:

We are so pleased with your call to serve as a Trainer in our Idaho Boise Mission.  Your dedication, obedience, success, and work ethic have made you worthy of this critical and important responsibility in the mission.

This is the most important calling any missionary will ever have.  Your influence on your new missionary will have a great deal to do with the eventual success of her mission.

As a Trainer, you must be exemplary in every area of missionary service.  You must be absolute in your observance and compliance to mission rules.  You must make effective use of personal and companion study time, and establish the skills, attributes, work ethic, and other characteristics that help successful missionaries.  You must demonstrate absolute loyalty to the Lord and to your mission leaders.

You will make all of the difference in a new missionary's life.  I encourage you to display an extra measure of love, confidence, faith, and patience during this training and development time.

Please know of my great admiration for you.  I know I can trust and depend on you making the very best of this sacred responsibility.

Sincerely yours,



President John Q. Winder
IDAHO BOISE MISSION