We had this awesome lesson on the Plan of Salvation with Pam, an investigator. It went really well and I asked her to be baptized then she over analyzed EVERYTHING, and said probably not, after she said yes, might I add, and that she rather take the chance of being wrong and only making it to the Terrestrial Kingdom....WHAT?!? That's one thing I don't get is that we teach about this wonderful plan and tell her how easy it is to achieve, living with God and she wants to settle for less. BUT she loves the LDS people! We are still working with her and gave her some things to study. She loves to study...that's confusing too!! hahaha We had another Nerf war at the Tolman's for dinner. It didn't last very long because Calen was attacking me for my bag so I sat on him. His mom gave me permission though, kinda like I would sit on Joey and Zach! Ha! We went to the Relief Society meeting that night where they taught how to sprout things...ya I had NO idea what was going on! Everyone was eating these sprouts and I looked everything over and picked up a cucumber and said that I know what this is and ate it and Sister Farnsworth made fun of me for it the REST of the night! Ha Just like the good ol' days back home!
Wednesday we helped clean this really sweet guy's house. He has the same camera I have at home so I got to play with it for a bit and then he took some "action shots" of us cleaning! It was great! Then we went and taught Neiva about the Priesthood and the organization of the church and how important missionary work and service is. The lesson was SO great that we were late for zone choir practice. Then we went to institute with Alex again and she was there early sitting next to Josh, who is in her ward! YES! It is awesome to see investigators be independent! Dinner was a GREAT adventure! We showed up at the wrong Grover's. This one, his wife isn't a member so we went in and stayed 15 minutes, then rushed to dinner 20 minutes late! Ha! So awkward! We have decided if a college had a class on being awkward, me and Sister Schulte would teach the 400 class!!!!! We are PROS!!!!!
Thursday was our Zone Conference! It was great, like always! hahaha We learned a lot about not giving up on people and to stay focused so we can let our mission change us as people and not just as missionaries. We had some GREAT lessons these last two weeks!!! We had to pass Samuel off to the YSA Elders though, kinda sad, but he's doing pretty great we hear! Which is sooo exciting!!! We went over to the Ayads house and had the most emotional talk/lesson that we have ever had! Sister Ayad is dying and Bruno is having such a hard time with it! He is also having a hard time getting answers from God and feels so alone! We told him that he is never alone and that maybe his question is being answered in a way that he doesn't comprehend.....in a way that he doesn't realize...maybe through others and the ward? We were all in tears.
On a bright note we have another investigator and we taught him the Restoration at the Brown's house and it went SOOOO well!!! He has had such a hard life and really wants to change and not be selfish anymore and put God first. At the end of the lesson I asked him if he would be baptized and he said yes!!!!! We are so excited to teach him two times a week and get him prepared to enter the waters of baptism! He wasn't able to come to church this week like he said he would so we will see how we can help him get there. That is one of our goals that we are working on is to do our best and pray for ways to help our investigators get to church! Oh! Two of our less active members came together to church this week!!!! It was sooo exciting seeing them both help each other get there!!! It's true if they have a friend its easier to go back to church!!!!
We also had leadership exchanges where all the senior companions go together and the juniors go together. I was with Sister Shepherdson and we had such a great time! We talked a lot about much deeper things then I would talk to anyone about. She also goes home in a couple of days so she understands where I'm coming from and visa versa. The training that we had was great! We were challenged to teach a one minute lesson on any of the lessons that we teach and use things around us to connect to the people that we would be talking to. President Winder gave each of us a rock that said Be a little Bolder on it! How cute huh?! It's so true and let me tell you if we just open our mouths the Lord can and WILL make miracles happen!
We were able to go to the temple on Friday! I love the temple soooo much! I wish I could go more often and just be closer to my Heavenly Father! Ya'll should go as MUCH as you can! We will NEVER stop learning from the temple, never! After we went with Sister Cluff to the new Meridian temple site and saw the progress there. There isn't much you can see but they are doing a lot with plumbing and digging holes as well. We went to Café Rio for lunch and there was one Elder there. weird huh? just 1. He just got back from his mission and then it hit me - I have 5 1/2 months till then! Wow! It will be nice to be home but I don't want to leave the mission field! I have decided to give it my all, more than my all! To give even more than I have and then I have been giving! Go and do no matter what! Never giving up!
We have a baptismal date for Alex for March 26 and her baptismal interview with President as well!!! It is going to be SOOO great!!! We are super excited!! We had a great lesson with Cynthia! She is so excited and ready to be baptized but because her dad made such a big deal when her mom got baptized she is scared to ask him for permission and to disappoint him. My heart hurt so bad for her when she had to excuse herself to go cry! We are praying sooo hard that his heart will be softened when she asks him, when he sees how important it is to her!
We were able to hear From Elder L Tom Perry this Sunday and it was so eye opening! First off, Sister Marriott spoke and she spoke about loving everyone and understanding how to love people by understanding how God loves them! It felt like she was directly talking to me! Mom had brought up letting grudges go and becoming a forgiving loving person like Jesus Christ and that is one thing that I have been working on a lot lately and then Sister Marriott talks about it! Apparently it need to sink in that I need to try harder and fix things at home as well!!! So that is exactly what im doing! Elder Perry gave us 4 things to work on
1.) Keep our Body's pure and clean and healthy
2.) Value truths and the sources they come from and seek for them
3.) Become a trusted generation and a foundation for others - be that example like the Savior
4.) Learn eternal truths by studying the Scriptures!
Honestly is sucks to be away from family! I receive the strength to do it from what Doctrine and Covenants 31:3, 5&6 has to say! Read it!
3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.
5 Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live.
6 Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.
I know that the Gospel is true and that it WILL change peoples life's if they just let it! I love you all sooo much!!!!!
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<3 Sister Ashley Clawson
Temple time with cluffs at the new site
Temple Time!
I stole sister schultes glasses! hahaha
Sister Workman's last day! She came in with me a year ago!
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