What a week!

 

This week has gone by so flippin slow!!!! hahaha So can I just say that tracting if super awesome!!! I love it!!! We talked with this really sweet lady Colleen. We shared a message with her and talked about the family history center. She seemed super interested in it, which is really exciting! So we are going to go back this week to see her and see if she wants to go there with us!

 We have this less active who has been through a really bad divorce, starting with his wife cheating on him with his best friend, who was the reason he is a member of the church. How sad.... he has three little boys  that are adorable!!! His heart is very hard towards God and it's really sad. He thinks he's a lost cause when it comes to going back to church and regaining that faith that he once had. All because of a choice that someone he really loved chose. It made me really think about the choices I have made and how they would effect people and strive now to make the choices that will help people on their path through this life back to our Heavenly Father. So me an Sister Archuleta are working on softening his heart with our testimonies and teaching him that God really does love him. We were talking about agency with him and he brought up the Choose Your Own Adventure books and compared that to life! I have NEVER thought of it that way before!!! But it is SO true!!!! With every choice we make there are different outcomes! And we have to realize that God has given us our agency and everything that happens is because of a choice we or someone else has made in our lifes!

 What is really funny is that we have a lady that missionaries have been seeing since December and she has told us that she doesn't want to take the lessons because her friend said they were boring...so we invited Bishop over to meet her and she started asking him questions that she has never asked us about the Gospel! I think she felt more comfortable because he was older then her...idk but we ended up teaching her the Plan of Salvation, which is one of the lessons we teach and so she has FINALLY become a new investigator!!!!!! She is so stubborn I love her!!!

 Ok so the best little Argentine restaurant is located within 20 mins of where we are! Sister Bremmer owns it and she took me and Sister Archuleta to it. It's called Tangos! They have delicious Empanadas!!!! I know Kaylie would enjoy that! hahaha. Definitely a place I will have to come when my mission is over ha!

 We met this guy Roy while tracting a couple weeks ago and we went to see him and got to see his kids. He is also going through a divorce but this one is definitely smoother than the other one and we told him that we were there for him even though we are only 20 year old girls, that we did care about him. So we had a lesson with him a couple days after about the Restoration and he already knew a lot and had many quesitons for us. We taught it on the doorstep because the kids were sleeping but the Spirit was still there and supper srong! I love this work! He agrees to come to church not next sunday but the following one. I am so excited to be able to teach him more and help him learn!

 The stake had a roadshow this Wednesday and we as missionaries in the stake sang a medly of primary missionary songs! It was great! Everyone loved it and many members said that they could feel the Spirit! :) We were pacticing right before we went on in a small little rooom with 14 missionaries! That room was exploding with how strong the Spirit was present! I will never forget the way the sound of worthy preisthood holder's voices lightly topped with Sisters voices echoing off those four walls!

  So there is this super cute kids Aiden from the ward that the Matsons live in that came over and had dinner with us! It was a blast!!! We told the Matsons about how we were tracting and this guy answered the door and said, "I have never seen such beautiful missionaries before!" After we told them Aden said "That's what I thought when I first met you!!!" What a sweetie! And that if we were younger or he was older he would totally marry us!!! hahahaha love that kid!!! He reminds me of Joey!!!

Oh so are you ready for the exciting news?! I have yet another cavity.....I guess I had chipped my tooth on something and a cavity worked its way in! Oh and I can almost fit my retainers again! OUCH! My teeth hurt so bad! ha!

 I think people have just realized how strange I am! hahah I love it though! I love being Sister Ashley Clawson and wouldn't give it up for anything! Well i love you all and the church is true so nothing else matters!!!!

 

<3 Sister Ashley Clawson!

PS. Happy Mother's Day to all those mothers out there!!!

Still in the low 50s!!

Hey ya'll!!!

 So yes it is still in the stupid 50 here! While all ya'll are swimming I am freezing! ha! We had a huge storm come in this week so it was in the low 40s. Even though I complain about the weather I love it up here in Idaho!! Such a great place to live and raise kids..not that I am thinking about that...hahaha. So some things I forgot about last week! Elder McChesney had his 21st birthday so we had a suprise birthday party for him! It was great! I have grown so close to him considering everything that happened at the MTC.

 We played Volleyball and soccer for pday last week! It was sooo much fun! Quamo would be proud of me! I ran into like 3 elders and knocked all of them down (i went down too). I am just super clumsy when I'm looking at my feet and not where I am going ha! These Elders are just super fun! One of them Elder Gunnel is from Gilbert! We almost went at it! Haha, just jokingly going to tussle! haha

 I got a package from home that made my day! It was my easter present from ma! i loved it!!! I got a minion towel!!! It's my favorite thing ever!!! Hahaha thank you Ma!!! and Dad!!

 So since there is a spring up here there are little baby animals everywhere!! We saw a mom and her ducklings trying to get through a fence to get to the water where a family of geese were. There was one little geese stuck on by the gate as well so I went to rescue it! I LOVE ducks! So I picked up that cute little geese and took a picture then let it leave the fence to join its family! I loved it!!! That morning we did a service project for the Simons, this cute old man who use to raise llamas and had a farm once upon a time. We took down 5 huge wild rose bushes! I wish we would have taken a picture of them before we cut the all down! It took 3 hours to get rid of them! He had told us to wear pants and long sleeves which Sister Archuleta didn't listen to... we have soo many scrapes on our arms from the gigantic thorns and her legs are soo cut up! It's crazy! As we were cutting these suckers down we started to talk about our past lives before the mission and things that we had done and our testimonies of the Atonement. And we decided life was like these bushes! We sin and let things sometimes get out of hand, just like these wild rose bushes! And it takes time and hard work and sometimes it hurts to repent and to change from our old ways to become clean. It doesn't end there. Brother Simons told us he wanted them cut down to the ground and be thrown away so he could put poison on the roots so they wouldn't grow back. How badly do we need to do that to our lives. to get rid of those sins and not put ourselves back into those positions again and to turn away when the temptation comes back! I loved this experience. It felt in  a way that I was getting rid of my sins and doing the work to forgive myself of the things that Heavenly Father has already forgiven me of.

 So we had a great experience with Josh Olmstead. we were headed to see a different family and he walked by on his way home from school so we walked with him and got to know him. When we got to his house I asked if he knew who lived across the street from him. And he said no but he knew the lady next door to that house, and asked us if we have met her. He asked if he could introduce us to her! He did fantastic! He was really nervous at first but just plainly said 'I wanted to introduce you to the sister missionaries who serve in this area' and then handed it off to us! We didn't get anywhere with the lady but it did show her that he cared for her enough to introduce her to us! Such a great example! And its super easy to do ! I challenge all of you who read this to go introduce a neighbor to the missionaries in your ward! Do it!!! You will be shocked how easy it is!!

  WE also biked this week for a whole day! I have so much more respect for the Elders now!! Man did our behinds hurt!! haha but it was fun and worth it!

 We had a great week this week! Kinda slow but we got to talk with a lot of less active members which was great! I have been working with Glenn Smith since I've been here and his desires have grown sooo much! He wants to work on praying in public, thats what he told me! And he came to the church building for church this week!!! There is a service at the retirement place that we have in the mornings but he came to the actual church building! His confidence is growning soo much! I am so happy for him!!

 Sister Archuleta had a baptisim in her old area that we went to. Her name is Sue! She is the sweetest lady and her laugh is so contagious! Just like sister Archuletas! We saw a couple of the little girls that were at an Easter party we went to there! One of them recognized me and jumped into my arms!!! She's is the sweetest cutest little thing! I love little kids sooo much!!

 One last thing i want to mention. I had a priesthood blessing from my District Leader who is such an inspired missionary! I have learned how a priesthood holder should act and treat people. These Elders here on my mission care SO much about us sisters! They have only known me for 2 1/2 months now but we are family now! I would seriousely do anything for them and visa versa! I think being on a mission you realize God's love for all his children soooo much more than ever before! I can't tell you why I love these Elders and Sisters so much but I do! And I love my Savior and Father in Heaven! They watch over and love all of us here on earth! And give us so many opportunities to grow and change (repent) and learn from trials and oppositions that we will face here in this life! I love you all and feel your prayers for me and all the missionaries serving!!!

<3 Sister Ashley Clawson!!!

ps. I send more pictures just to Ma because its easier and then she posts them on my blog! Go check it out!!

 

 

  This is a pic of me riding my bike to a service project with elder McChesneys bday balloon on the back of the bike :)

 This is Mia the little girl that was at the baptism that jumped on me!

 

 This is Aubrey Andrews our ward mission leaders daughter! with a huge crazy strawberry! love her!

  Service project with the elders and Sister Archuleta wanted to give him a ride in the wheel barrow but this is what happened instead! haha

  Why do I always get put into the garbage bins! hahaha

 We have way too much fun!!! hahaha

My favorite towel!!!

  Me opening my Easter present!

 My name tag

 Sister Archuleta and 2pok! That's how she spells it haha!

.

 

....More Pictures from Sis Matson

We received another email from the family Ash is staying with!

I took these this evening out in front of our house. They were waiting for the Elders to stop by so I got a few shots you might enjoy.

 

Tiana

 

Happy Easter!!!

Hey Ya'll!!!

 This week has been super long. But great! We talked to the activity day girls about serving a mission as a sister of the church. It was really good. Tuesday we had leadership exchanges so I was the senior companion to Sister McClellen who had been out a week...no pressure right?.. So we finished up tracting one area and saw these construction workers and so the motto is talk to everyone. So we stopped and they were really nice guys. One was from AZ so that was awesome!!! They were both very interested about "the Mormons"  and they seemed very genuine. So we taught a lesson had a prayer gave them both Book of Mormons and one of them, Juan, wants to learn how to pray..so to continue my story the next day when Sister Archuleta was back Juan texted us so we were going to meet him at the park where he was working at to teach him. Then he asked if we could just hang. So we talked to the Elders to see if they would come and right when we met up with our district leader he sends a text asking for a picture of me...... So disappointing and really hurt. But the Elders that are in my district are so sweet they helped me through this and helped me realize that people will be people.

 So Sister Archuleta is obsessed with llamas so we found about 5 while on exchanges and the lady that owned them told us to come back later so we did. She wasn't home but her son was and let Sister Archuleta pet the llama!!! She was so excited!! She got to check it off her bucket list!!

WE have both found a deeper respect for these Elders that ride bikes everyday!!! We decided that it would be "fun" to ride bikes so we borrowed 2 from the Matsons, the people we live with, and off we went. At first it was fun when we passed the Elders all confused then I realized it wasn't... man our behinds have never been so sore. The Elders say you get a callous sooner or later...I don't want one. I like my car hahahaha! We are going to bike again on Tues if min eis fixed. The handle bars came loose while I was riding down a huge hill the scariest thing ever!!! But it was fun ha!

 So not much progress this week with teaching people but me and Sister Archuleta have grown so very close its great!!

 We did service for Brother Christanson, Elders Stark and McChesney live there, we weeded and dug out a really annoying tree. There was another set of Elders that came and helped us. We all had so much fun and I never realized how much I like doing yard work and dishes for that matter. After every meal I wash my own plate at people's houses and help them wash the dishes too. I love being a missionary. I have high standards that I have to live by but honestly I love it! There are set here to help me become the best person I can be and to help those around be change and become like Christ as well. Easter was great! The easter bunny found me and Sister Archuleta at the Matsons house! He is a really smart bunny! haha! The Matsons are the sweetest things for sure and I am so blessed to be living with them. I love you all and pray for you every night! Stay true to what you know! Just like President Millet says, "Is the church true? "  "YES"  ' Then nothing else matters!"

<3 Sister Ashley Clawson!!!!

 

 We are bunnies!!!

 

We found a tire swing!!!

 

 

  This is Sister McClellen. She's the one  I did exchanges with - love her!!! Oh and I got sunburnt that day! And its still cold here so I don't know how Cort, Britt, and Danni went swimming!! hahaha

 Sister Archuleta petting the llama!

....An Email From Ashley's host Family

We received this email today from the family Ashley and Sis Archuleta are staying with. We wanted to share with everyone.

Hey Brother and Sister Clawson,

 

I just wanted to let you know you have a wonderful daughter and she is doing great work here in Boise. We are so blessed to have her and Sister Archuleta staying with us.

 

They had some fun the other night and wanted me to send you this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaEo94y7wnU&feature=youtu.be

Hope you enjoy it.

 

Much love,

Tiana Matson

Companions!!!!

 

Hey ya'll!!!!

 So I have THE best companion!!!!! Sister Archuleta is so freaken awesome!! We get along so well!!! This week was so much fun we went tracting every day and we got 9 new investigators because of it!!! I love it!!!! And we met soo many amazing people and learned so much about ourselves!!! It has been a blast!!!! Sister Smith ,the one that left to get her gallbladder removed from the mtc is here and Sister Gummow is training her ,my third comp, and shes in my zone!! So I was the first to see her the first day she got here!! I love her so much!!!!

 So 7 weeks out and I am driving now for the mean while till we can figure out why sister Archuleta cant drive. I love the Elders in my area!! We have a new District leader Elder Madrid who is just Prenominal! Sister Archuleta was having a hard time with being here and he came over and gave her the most personal blessing that helped her sooo much!! I loved being there to witness this 19 year old who is worth to have and use the Priesthood the power of God to help out his sister!! Please always be worthy to help others when they need you all you priesthood holders!!!

 This week I have felt the love of the Lord so strong because of Sister Archuleta's struggles. I feel a bit of His love thats sooo overwhelming when I am talking with her trying to help her!

 Okay so everyone always says they have that one family on their mission that is THEIR family!! The Macolas are mine!! They are hilarious and loud!!! They have an older son Eli who is 19 and should be going on his mission...and he forgets my name so he calls me Sister Guns and Trucks!! I love it!!  I think i wrote that last time.. haha oh well!!

So I will send pictures out later tonight we have an appointment that we have to go to ! love you all stay strong and cleave unto your Father in Heaven in all things and he will direct your path for good!!!

<3 Sister Ashley Clawson!!!!

 

These flowers have a very beautiful story to them! We got them from a lady we are teaching. She gave them to me cuz I told her I loved them and she works at a flower shop so she just gave them to me. We got in the car and the thought who should I give them to. It came to mind and I thought of Sister Hale at first because her husband has cancer but we ended up going to Sister Rowley whose husband had died from cancer 3 weeks before I got here and she was taking out her trash and crying because she hated to do it so it was always his job. She really needed the flowers that night and I am so thankful we followed the Spirit to take them to her instead!!

 

Me and my new companion sister Archuleta! She is just fantastic!! love her! We were doing comp inventory and we had written things we like about each other and posted them on each other's foreheads hahaha I love it!!!

We went and taught at an Easter egg party it was really fun we taught about the real meaning for Easter the atonement of Jesus Christ and then hid eggs and we also took eggs to our District and zone :)

I really liked my outfit and sister Archuleta did my hair! Super cute and old fashioned! I was definitely born in the wrong era! hahaha

 

Sister Archuleta LOVES llamas!!!

This is Eli the one that calls me sister guns and trucks and sister archuleta thinks he looks like thor! hahaha

 

 

I am not sure if I sent every one the other pictures so if you want I have a blog that you can look at as well! love you all ask ma about the blog! haha have a great week and until next time!

<3 Sister Ashley Clawson!!!!

Transfers!!!!!

So yes this week is transfer week. My new Companion is Sister Artchuleta! She is pretty awesome so far! I am super excited for this transfer. Hopefully we can get some new investigators! Monday we went to the Old Penitentiary which was pretty awesome!! It's crazy to hear what the criminals had to go through back then....really makes me wonder why they did what they did. Haha. WE did a lot this week - taught 26 lessons and visited a lot of people! I really don't wanna go back down to just one ward.

   SO we went to lunch with Don after helping him clean his house. Before we went to the restaurant he let us climb into his model T and take pictures!!! It was AWESOME!!!

  General Conference was just fantastic like always!! It was really nice not to have to yell at siblings to sit down and be quiet, hahahahaha, I love them tho!!! My mission has really opened my eyes to how important families really are and how much I just absolutely LOVE mine! and I am sorry everybody but mine IS the best.. :D! hahaha

  One of the investigator families in Sister Gummow's ward are just fantastic! We went over around 8 to catch them and we sang with them shared a scripture with them! They are so ready but there is that language barrier...I even sang a song with them in Chen their native language! It was pretty awesome!! They said I did really well but I think they were just being nice! Haha its a hard language!

  I hate unpacking! Packing I'm fine with but unpacking.... we had to pack everything up again and I moved back into the Matson's house. By the time I get home I am going to have some nice arm muscles! (well nicer then they already are ;P ) One of the Senior missionaries at the mission home always tells me and others that whenever he needs to weigh luggages or move anything heavy he is going to call me!! I helped him with Sister Thompson's bags and he was quite impressed!! Haha love it!! Moving furniture with Ma really paid off!

  I am sooo excited about tomorrow!!! Sister Smith, the Sister from the MTC that went home to have surgery, is going to arrive!!!! I can't wait to see her!!! I swear I am going to cry!!!

I love you all and hope and pray the best for you!!! Stay strong to the church! With Christ on your side you can do everything!!!!! and anything!!!! Pray for missionary opportunities and help those missionaries at home with referrals. This work can't be done unless the members become partners with the missionaries!!! Love you all!!!!

<3 Sister Ashley Clawson!!!!

 

 I've been a bad missionary and they decided to just lock me up!

 

 This is in death row! in one of the cells it says Arizona!!!! crazy huh?!

 

 

This is the penitentiary.

  

 The elders have been bad!! haha

  A bouquet of flowers that I got from an less active member we are teaching and we took them to a sister in the ward whose husband passed away a couple months ago. They brought tears to her eyes! I am so thankful that we can be guided everyday by the Holy Ghost!

 The awesome Model T!!!