Hey Everyone! So this week Ashley didn’t have time to write, but she send a copy of her journal pages, so I typed up what she wrote there!
4/5 Monday was a great P-day! We played soccer with our zone and it was so fun! I scored like 4 goals! My little soccer background is paying off! Haha! That, and the majority of our zone are gringos! And it doesn’t matter how good you are because we just laugh! And I can do that! Just about everyone we talk to says how young I look, or that I look like a doll, or they pinch my cheeks or touch my nose! It’s so funny!
4/6 Yesterday, miracle, P. got home just as we went to visit her so we got to teach her! And she is awesome! She has such a strong testimony of Christ! It’s amazing! Me and her were laughing so hard over silly little things! She knows so much! I hope she can accept the gospel because I think it would be so good for her! We left a Book of Mormon with her. But apparently she’s a little mixed up with maybe some witchcraft....It’s weird. Machali means land of witches! But, we’ll see!
We did service this morning. I love Elder Merias y Cabanay! They are so funny and I can finally understand them better so I actually get their jokes now! Haha! The Machali Ward missionaries are getting along great. So much fun! I love it here! It’s getting cold because it’s fall now! We really need to find more people so PRAY HARD! I’m working hard! I love this place! Oh, also last night Hermana Al-Malki short-sheeted all of our beds as a late April Fool’s joke—SO FUNNY!
I love divisions! Today I had them with Hermana Cook! We had an AMAZING lesson with an investigator. He is AWESOME! And it was the first time I taught Lesson 3. It was awesome! And I shared an awesome scripture and left him a chapter to read! Man, he is amazing! And we had a lesson with P. The lesson went in a totally different direction but it was awesome and we all felt the spirit! Even P. said she did when we talked about miracles!
Today was our first rain! And my coat is BOMB! And we look sick on our bikes with trench coats, neon construction vests, helmets AND hoods. So sweet. The sun poked out for a GLORIOUS sunset! I swear it was like the 2nd Coming! Seriously! It was a glorious day!
4/7 Yesterday was one of the strangest days of my mission! We had a GREAT zone meeting! And I learned a TON! So that rocked! But we didn’t do much proselyting because we had to plan Roberto’s baptism! So we did! And then we went to work! But this guy stopped us and took our picture for his community web page thing and basically interviewed us! And then… we were heading back to our area and…. I had MY FIRST FALL! Yes, it’s true. I thought I was invincible, but clearly I’m not! Haha! It was probably funny to watch! I tried to get back on the sidewalk, and there’s that little edge and my bike decided to keep going forward…but my body decided to dive onto the cobblestone! Haha! It was so funny! Scrapes and bruises, no mas! And a nice man helped me get my chain back on! Mini milagro, for sure! J So we went back to the house early because I looked like a bloody and bike-greasy zombie! But it was so funny!
And last night I had a dream AGAIN where I got home from my mission and I didn’t remember/learn ANYTHING! In my dream I was like, Okay, I know this is a dream, so I tried to wake up, but in my dream I woke up at home and I was like, NOOOO! It was SO REAL, but it’s like Scrooge! I have a second chance! Thank heavens!
Today has been AWESOME! I went on exchanges with Hermana Fowers! I love her! And I had my first real sopapilla today! And I’m seeing little sopapilla stands popping up everywhere as we are entering invierno! There are like little scones! SO GOOD! But I’m going to get fat. Dang. But today was awesome and we taught two whole lessons without natives! BOOYAH! And it was a miracle because I got to see C. again. Oh, I love her! And little Emilia. She came over and sat in front of my Jesus picture and just stared at it. And man. She knows Him, I know it! It was such a sweet moment! I loved it! We got to serve C. and clean up a little bit! Anything to ease her burdens. She has so many right now.
4/9 Yesterday I was with Hermana Giraldo. She only has 2 more weeks than me in the mission, but she is Colombiana. We went and saw Hermana L.! And we had such a spiritual lesson. She told us all about her husband and how he died and it was so moving because we testified of eternal families and that she can see him again. She was so happy that she started crying! And she wants to do temple work for her ancestors! It was so good! She is such a good lady! And said, “Every time I feel alone, the missionaries always show up!” Ah, I love her! I hope she comes to church on Sunday!
And FREAKIN’ HERMANA GIRALDO KNOWS AUSTIN BAKER! Like what?! And he took the picture of her family that she brought on her mission and she showed me! Ahhh! Crazy! I have been asking everyone from Columbia what part they are from because Austin told me there was a hermana that was going to my same mission around the same time. So I asked her what part and she said like 5 hours from Medellin, so I was like, Oh yeah, I have a friend there! And she asked me what his name was and I said, Elder Baker, and she was like, Baker…Baker… Ya! I know him! And I was like, WHAT?! Yeah! Really! He was on splits one day and they went to her house and then she said she was going to the Chile Rancagua Mission and he was like Wait! I have a friend going there! Ya, weird. She also saw him at a conference and he took a picture of her family and that happens to be the only pic she has with her! Ah, so cool! The world is so small! So I showed her some of my friend pictures that he’s in and it’s him! So we took a picture and we are going to send it to him! SO COOL! Man, South America in a small world when you are Mormon!
Last night we had a lesson with M. and it was amazing! Hermana T. is awesome and she came with us. We taught Lesson 3 and it rocked. I felt the Spirit so strong! And it was one of those moments where you never want to leave, ya know? And a little victory: I have a really hard time understanding her dad, but at the end of the lesson, we asked what they now understood, and I really didn’t understand what he was saying, but he kept saying “Well, like she said…” and pointing to me! So even though I was feeling like I wanted to cry because my Spanish was struggling and I couldn’t express everything I wanted to express, the Spirit was able to work through me, and something I said was able to touch his heart. Just doing the best I can is enough!
(End of journal pages)
Here is the quick note she sent to me:
Hey Mom!!! So this week was super funny! Yes, I am way happy!!! But here’s a quick summary because I have no time. I crashed on my bike, but just got scrapes, and we were in the news, and so we are like celebs now! Haha! And R. is getting baptized this Saturday and I couldn’t be happier for him! M. is amazing is starting to understand the atonement, but she hasn’t accepted a date yet. I love Machali and I hope I don’t get transferred! And its fall here and I LOVE it! Two falls in one year! Woooo!! Love ya!
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