My first couple weeks in TEXAS!!!

Hello Texas!

So I land in the airport 20 minutes early and my mission president is nowhere in sight. I panicked just a little because I don't have a companion (I'm gonna be one of those weird RMs who can't be alone) and I'm in a new airport. So I just went ahead and picked up my luggage from the carousel and the next thing I know, I see a young elder and a senior missionary (that was a comforting sight after being in Nauvoo with 200 senior missionaries so for so long) are walking towards me. The older elder turned out to be the first or second counselor to the mission president (who is 45! I think I've mentioned that before) and the younger one had just been picked up fresh from the MTC and was deaf! We signed the whole way to the mission office- which was like 10 minutes.

I met my new companion, Sister Nelson- she's 19 as well and she came to Texas the day I went into the MTC, so we're only a few weeks apart in mission age.

I was assigned to the Mansfield 2nd ward area. You would not believe the size of the houses here. Sister Nelson says houses are cheaper than land so people build huge houses on little lots.

My first two or three days were out of the ordinary. But, then again, every time I do something new, it's out of the ordinary. IE- the temple was closed in the MTC, we arrived in Nauvoo in the middle of the summer, etc. I've heard the phrase "This isn't how it normally is" 80 bajillion times. :) Anyway so my first few days were full of meetings and conferences and whatnot. Finally we got to have a normal proselyting day. Going around knocking on doors is nerve-wracking! Except for the fact that everyone here loves Jesus. I mean everyone. Everyone loves Jesus and the Bible. It's part of the Bible belt and there are dozens of different mega-churches everywhere. You know what dozens of megachurches means? Dozens of pastors.

Sister Nelson and I were tracting and we ran into a pastor. When the words "I'm a pastor for ____ church" came out of his mouth, it was like... well, imagine on those Mario games when you run into a boss and the intimidating music starts playing? Pastors are the bosses of Texas. He started on the defensive but 45 minutes later we left his doorstep on good terms.

Have I mentioned that I love Texas?

So I'm in the Mansfield area and man oh man the problem is not finding people to teach, it's that people are over-busy all. the. time. Nobody ever has time to meet with us, and they have legitimate excuses too! There's a woman named Tamara who is super interested and said that God sent us to her, but she's a 7th grade english teacher AND coaches three sports AND is a mom. Another guy named Marcus is really interested as well (said he totally felt the spirit while reading the Book of Mormon and believes it's from God) but he's a business man and is building a hotel. People... Overscheduling is real.

Funny story for this week:

(knock on door, woman answers while looking down at her phone)

Sister Nelson: "Hi ma'am, we're missionaries for-"

Lady: (looks up) "Oh no. Yall them Jehovah Witnesses."

Me: "Nope, we're Mormons!"
Lady. "Oh NO. Nope. Not interested." (closes door)

Til next week, yall!

~ Ashley

(PS my first name is so foreign to me now)

I'm Famous!!

Look! I'm in a picture with Elder Oaks! :D

Here's the link to the article this picture was taken for:

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-apostle-illinois-law

Apples and horses and lipstick, OH MY!

This will be a picture post! :D

I took a carriage ride on one of my previous Preparation
days and I braided the horses' forelocks. They loved it.

Sister Etherington got some divalicious hot pink lipstick.
So naturally, this followed.

The biggest apple of my life.

Regular apple vs Big Bertha

When we don't have any tours, I make the senior
sisters take pictures of me in my pioneer dress.

Sister Searle and I after a long day of serving in the sites.