Monday, July 27, 2015

Hey Ya'll!

This week has been a very long week and full of craziness...so picture time!

 
1. The Elders love sticking our car with sticky notes!

2.Look it's a minion mail box!!!

3.Yay for my first exchange as an STL! This is Sister Rabello. She is from Utah but born and raised in Brazil! Super sweet sister and she was trained by my MTC comp so she has adopted me as her mission aunt! hahaha
 
 4.To Urgent care we go! Sister Fancies has major issues with migraines and after 2 weeks of very intense ones she FINALLY let us take her to get some help! She didn't like the result of 3 big shots into her behind! but it got her sleepy and got her the rest that she really needed!

Monday, July 20, 2015

...pic from members

Another great pic from awesome members
 
Barb and Bob Lewis with Sister Clawson

No Empty Chairs!

This week has been one of the shortest weeks ever, yet jam packed with sooo much! The Transfer Meeting was great I LOVE Sister Pahulu! We have served around each other before so this will be a blast! SO our area now has Elders in it and so after the training meeting that the trainers for new missionaries had, I updated Elder Methvin about our area then went to give him the phone and I couldn't find it......I looked everywhere! Then Elder Hodgkin came into my mind about if I didn't have my head screwed on tight I would loose it...sooo true! We found it later on that day in Sister Pahulus bag! I just laughed!!!!!! What a crazy day! We live with the Torrels! They are such sweet people! She has taken on the mom role for us! She has put food for us in our fridge and made breakfast and even got me some honey and lemon water for my throat and watched me gulp it down and then tell me I was suppose to sip it! hahaha too funny!
 Tuesday was a big service day! We pulled weeds, for a less active member that is on his was back into activity, with the Elders. Elder Bowman is one of my Zone Leaders and we got talking about marching band, he's a trumpet. I love being able to talk to people about band of any sort! Then we get a call from some of the sisters we are stewards over and they had just moved into the Elders old apartment and, not to my surprise, because I've been in the old elder's apartment it was super messy and gross. So we spent 3 hours over there cleaning up and moving the sisters in. I'm proud to say this is my first time putting in the wrong type of soap! Needless to say there were many bubbles coming out of the machine! And yes I took a picture! hahaha We took them out to lunch at McDonalds and I found someone who loves the minions more than me! Sister Rabello!  Later that night we did Visit nights with the YSA ward and I met Bishop Vean Damerwe  and our Ward mission Leader Forrester. It was really funny we had no idea where any of the streets were and Forrester "dropped" his phone into our car to use as a GPS and then it locked and so we drove in front of his car before he left and he gave us his code! hahaha I learned how to use a GPS on an Iphone! hahaha things you learn on a mission! hahaha This YSA ward is the biggest! It goes from Star all the way to Garden City and includes Meridian Eagle and Boise!
   I had a new leadership training for my new STL thing....it went really good! Elder Cortes came out with me and is now the New Assistant to the President and he is just amazing! He went straight from District leader, skipped being a zone leader, all the way to an AP! As a Sister Training Leader we are stewards and servants for 5 sets of sisters. We do a lot of counseling and helping them learn how to fix their problems and get along. 
  Now to talk about the Title of this letter! I see my family all gathered around this big table in the Celestial Kingdom and my greatest desire of all is to have no empty chairs! I want all the members of my family to know how special they are to me an how much I am praying for them to be there with me enjoying the company of our Heavenly Father! I will do ANYTHING for ya'll to ensure that there are NO empty chairs!!!! You are my best friends and I can't wait to see you again and enjoy our life together as one big happy family! I know for a fact that is what Heavenly Father wants the most for us too!
--
<3 Sister Ashley Clawson
 Pictures!
 
  BUBBLES!!!!!!
 
Angelica got baptized and Elder Hann baptized her! what an AMAZING day! He is one of my favorite Elders!!!
 
My awesome comp! Sister Pahulu!
 
 Sister Rabello cleaning up my mistake. she said that she had done it before so she knew how to fix it! haha
 
 
Look who I found at my YSA ward! Kent aka Elder Craig! Crazy!
He is an Elder that served here and got off a couple of months ago
 
 

Saturday, July 18, 2015

...Message from a member

I received a text from a sweet member from the singles ward where Ashley is serving!


Hello! My name is Shelby Marlin and I am in your daughter, Sister Clawson's  ward. She and her companion stopped by today, she is doing wonderful. She is happy, and smiley. Her sweet testimony was very touching and was much appreciated. We're all excited to be her first singles ward! I hope you have a lovely day!!!
 

Monday, July 13, 2015

...From the Mission President

July 13, 2015
Dear Sister Clawson:

Congratulations on your call to serve as a Sister Training Leader in the Idaho Boise Mission.  Your faithfulness and contribution as a missionary has been exemplary and this calling is a further expression of the Lord's trust and confidence in you to bless, lead, and strengthen those to whom you have been called to serve.

As a Sister Training Leader, you must continue to be exemplary in every area of missionary service.  You must show absolute loyalty to the Lord and to your mission leaders.  You must continue to keep all mission rules and encourage the same from all of those within your stewardship.  You must work hand in hand with local leaders to develop trust and confidence.

As a Sister Training Leader, you are responsible for the training and welfare of the sisters that are assigned to you.  In addition, we ask that you maintain a vibrant proselyting area in addition to working with other sisters.  Please conduct a companionship exchange with the sisters assigned to you every six weeks.  Report the results of those exchanges directly to me.

Sister Clawson, this mission will never rise above the work ethic, teaching skills, obedience, and spirituality of its leaders.  I trust and depend on you to move this great work of "gathering" forward.  Together, I know we can perform miracles for the Lord!  Congratulations, once again, on this high and holy calling in the mission.  May the Lord bless you always.

Sincerely yours,

President John Q. WinderIDAHO BOISE MISSION

New Changes, Experiences and Lessons!

  I love new adventures in life! Me and Sister Dale were both transferred out of the Park Center and Liberty wards. It was not what we expected at all! It's definitely a huge surprise! She will be in the Meridian East Stake, my first stake I served in on my mission. The Cloverdale ward now has Elders tho...  and I will be in Meridian North stake and we will both be in the Meridian North zone, my first zone! Super exciting! Plus I will be her sister training leader! It's like a sister Zone leader. ha! I am now serving over a YSA ward and an STL, the two things I never wanted to do in my mission! hahaha but I'm excited for this new experience and challenge! It's going to be rad!  I have a Tongan companion from Cali! Sister Pahulu! Out of my 7 companions, four have been from Cali! hahaha We also have a family ward we cover!
  Angelica is getting baptized this Saturday, the 18th of July! AND Logan is hitting his year mark of being a member on the 19th! What  a great month!
  Jackie and Natalie are doing great! They are both sooo ready to be baptized they just need to realize it now! We were able to teach them the Plan of Salvation and Gospel of Jesus Christ this  week! They said that things are finally coming together and making sense!
   On Thursday we went as a district to Sonic for half priced cones because I'm a tad addicted to ice cream! hahaha While we were waiting for others to order, Elder Hann sees a Less active member that they are working with and her son and their dog walking and he told us that he was going to go buy them ice cream cones. So he goes over there, such a sweet kid!, and the next thing I notice the lady is booking it after her dog and the elders are right behind her. Her son is just standing in the parking lot..so me and Sister Smith get up at the same time and I give him my ice cream cone and she takes him to sit with her. Me and Sister Dale take the leash and start after them as well. We had no luck finding the dog or the elders so we head back to sonic and get in our car with the other sisters to go out to search for this dog. It could be anywhere! All of a sudden I think of the experience Sister Dale shared about praying with Tate and Tegge Boren about her dog being missing and so I ask Sister Smith to give a prayer and within the next 30 mins, the elders find that dumb dog! hahaha
 It has been really hard to say bye to Elder Hann and Elder Taylor because they have become family to me, like my little brothers! I love these relationships I have been able to make on my mission! and I love having the chance to create new ones in different areas!
   I love this work soo much and can't wait to meet and help the people I was sent here to meet and help! I love you all and wish ya'll could feel the love I have for these people here and have similar experiences!


-- 
<3 Sister Ashley Clawson

pictures:


Elder Taylor, Hann, me and Sister Dale! Some of my BEST friends!

Oh,  my I forgot this epic story! SO! we get a call from Carl, a recent convert, and he tells us that his tire blew so we call a ton of people and I finally decide to just ask the lady we live with and she sent us over to her neighbor and he had the supplies so we went and helped him change his tire on the side of the freeway! I'm so glad I know how to do things like this and to take care of myself! I miss having black hands!


We were talking about spirit blockers and Elder Hann used the gloves to signify things that would block ourselves from feeling and hearing the spirit. and then had sister dale play the piano and see if we could all hear it and understand what it is. it was  a great object lesson

Zach is for you!


We decided that we haven't taken enough pictures together!

Monday, July 6, 2015

4th of July!!! Happy Independence day!!!

  I LOVE the 4th of July! Not because of the fireworks, we got to see some from our bedroom window behind a tree. Or the parades, that we went and cleaned up for a service project with our district and I had to pick up the dead bird. But it's because of these inspired men that traveled over the ocean and risked everything for religious freedom that we may worship how ever we want. This great event paved the way for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to Restore the Gospel back onto the earth! And THAT my friends is the greatest blessing that we have received since the Atonement of Christ was made! How right would it be every 4th of July to watch the Restoration video?! :D!
   I have learned that humanitarian work is one of my FAVORITE things to be apart of! If you haven't signed up on justserve.org go now!!!.....have you signed up......stop reading.....go do it......it only take a couple of minutes......good job! You did it! And for those of you that didn't I'm still waiting!.... We have the opportunity every week to receive assignments of service opportunities to do all over the Treasure Valley, that's what they call the Boise valley! This week we were asked to help at a food drive for the homeless shelters. At firstIi was a tad uncomfortable with this but I have never seen so many people willing and determined to help people! We were only there for 3 hours and collected 2 carts full of food and about 70 to 80 cash donations! That is the person I want to be! To help when I can and even when money is super tight! 
   Wednesday was a great day! We helped move in a potential investigator into the Liberty ward! Liberty ward is finally progressing in the missionary world! hahaha She's super sweet! Then we got to go play Bingo again with the old folks. Sister Lawlis is this really sweet elderly lady who lost her husband about a year ago now and we try to see her every week! She is just the sweetest thing! Me and Sister Dale were talking about what happened when we went on exchanges for a day with the Sister Training Leaders and the sister that she was with would ring once then walk away. I told her that its good to take the time to let them answer the door before just giving up. So we rang, then knocked, then rang again and nothing but we took our time leaving and right as we stepped away from the door Sister Lawlis opens the door out of breath! She wanted so bad to talk with us! She was outside watering her flowers, so she didn't hear us the first 2 times but was so excited that we came over to see her! I love this principle of waiting and never giving up on people! Take Juanita for example, back in my last area! She had missionaries for 15 years in her home and she finally understood and was baptized all those years later! NEVER give up, just don't do it!  
  Natalie and Jackie are two new investigators! They are staying with their sister for the summer and going home in August. They have been going to church here and their whole lives! Sister Brauns, who is their oldest sister, was baptized when she was 18 their age! These girls are so ready to take this next step in their lives! They have some very good questions about the Gospel and some concerns like modesty, which will vanish when they gain a testimony of the Gospel! We taught them about the Restoration last night and they both felt the spirit so strong and believe that Joseph Smith really did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ! Plus, they committed to pray about baptism! I love this age group! This is the time that young people have to decided how the rest of their life will unfold! Those who are experiencing this now the only advice I can give you is to pray earnestly for answers and then seek them, don't wait till they fall into your lap. When you wait you put a pause to revelation for your life and guidance through the Holly Ghost.
  We had a great lesson with Angelica this week! We planned a baptismal interview with her for this Saturday and next Saturday she will enter the waters of baptism! Shes so sweet! She wants to serve a mission too! Speaking of baptisms we had our last lesson with little Tate! They are headed down to Utah for the 4th of July and then she will also enter the waters of baptism on July 11th! Our last lesson was so special! You could feel the Spirit sooo strongly when we talked to both of the kiddos about staying strong in their faith and reading their scriptures and praying every night to gain a relationship with their Father in Heaven! 
  We took Neiva and Isemael to Sister Farnsworth's house to learn about family history and how to do it because I'm still not quite sure how to work the system.. ha! The Spirit was there! Sister Farnsworth was basically teaching Isemael  the whole time and we got to talk with Neiva. They came to the point where they had to enter in their marriage date....they aren't married! That sparked a great conversation about marriage and when they would finally tie the knot! Sister Farnsworth makes wedding cakes and cupcakes for special events so I put a plug in theirs and told her that I'm done with my mission in August and I can come back up and help plan it and she liked that idea! Sorry Ma! Once a missionary ALWAYS  a missionary! My work is NEVER finished! Neiva also brought up that Jojo really wants to be baptized so we are going to start all the lessons over and teach to his level and hopefully this will be the thing we needed in getting both of them to feel the spirit and understand the fullness of the Gospel and what Heavenly Father wants for them!
  Bob and Barb took us out to dinner again and he gave me a huge stuffed duckie!!! I love that man! He's is the sweetest and funniest guy ever! So we went to Chuck-o-rama again, this is what he calls the birthday place, and I got him good! I told his friend that works there that it was his birthday this time then I told Bob that I set it up so it was Barb's birthday and he went along with it! They started clapping and then they put it in front of him! He got sooo red! and through his head back and then told me that I got him! hahahahaha 1 for Sister Clawson! Wahoo!!!
   On the 4th we went downtown and did a downtown pick up service day. I learned that NO ONE can learn the truth when all they want to do is argue. If the Spirit is not there no one will learn! We were able to pass out a Book of Mormon to a homeless man and talk to him about Christ a bit. I love talking to people now! Dad! I understand now! Lets go talk to EVERYONE!!!!!!!! hahahaha 
  I love you all so very much and want everyone to know that the prayers for Sister Taufa are working! That night she remembered Hula dancing and everything just clicked! She's a great dancer and taught for many years! That was the key to getting her memory of her family and home life back! Prayer is sooo powerful! It can help us find our lost keys and our not so safe safe spots and can help people heal from serious injuries! Our faith for healing can bring about great miracles like the ones that I have seen on my mission! love you all!!!!

<3 Sister Ashley Clawson

 My duck!

Downtown pick up day! It smelled sooo bad!!!!

 The garbage! Sooo many cigarette butts!

Love these kiddos!