April 16, 2014

I'M IN NAUVOO!!!!!!!!

Saying goodbye to everyone in Texas was a little sad, but for that last week, I had this overwhelming sense of peace about that whole six months. I felt very strongly that I had accomplished what God wanted me to do in that area. I had my exit interview with President Ames, which was a little different since I wasn't actually ending my mission. He said he normally didn't do exit interviews with reassigned missionaries but felt he should do one for me, since he said I had become a part of the mission. :) He asked if I wanted a blessing or for him to say a prayer at the end of the interview, and of course I asked for a blessing because how often can you get one from a mission president? It, right off the bat, reaffirmed my feelings that I did actually accomplished all He wanted me to do (and I hadn't told my president about that at all. The power of the priesthood is real!).

My favorite member, Sister Evans, picked us up Thursday morning and took us to the mission office. We got so lost because the freeways in Texas are crazy plus they had construction. A senior couple picked me up and took me to the airport. While waiting for my flight (side note: I was starving but didn't want to leave my carryon bag with anyone and even more did not want to take it around the airport with me because a) I shoved everything I couldn't make fit in my suitcases in there so it was mega heavy and b) I had a prime seat in the terminal) I noticed a guy watching a video on Paso Fino horses on his phone- of course I had to be nosy and butt in. He was really surprised I knew what Paso Finos were. He was from Colombia and worked at a Paso Fino farm in Florida and was going to St. Louis to see some other Paso Finos. Long story short, I ended up giving him a Restoration pamphlet (which he read!). It worked out well. 

Something was up with the plane so we switched terminals to another plane and ended up leaving an hour late. I was in the last group of people to get on and I was shoving my way over-stuffed bag into the overhead compartment when I hear "Hey, Sister, come sit over here." What?! Whoa, someone is a member on this plane? Lo and behold, an 18 year old girl invited me to sit with her and we talked about BYU and horses the whole hour and a half flight. It was prime.

The airport reunion with the Nauvoo sisters was SPLENDID. I saw them (there were only like 7 there at the time) in the distance but got my luggage first. I was walking up to them and yelling "Sisters!! Sisters!?" And they didn't hear me. One happened to look in my direction and BAM I had seven sisters running and screaming and tackling me all at once. SUCH a happy reunion. My new president, President Gibbons, was very calm about all of it. hahahaha. 

More next week!

Love, Ashley

Me and a cat on the doorstep of a house we were knocking.

Bluebells, the state flower of Texas. They're illegal to pick or I would have sent like 10 home already.

The port-a-potty in the front yard of a trailer says "Office Of Obama"

Mercedes was baptized April 4th! 

Forever ago, I mentioned the church tour outline that President had me make. It was awesome! Sister Gentry and I typed it all up and sent it to our President for him to discuss with the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. We should hear how it went on Wednesday, at our zone training. 

That couple (Tony and Marisela) with the DUI and CPS coming after them? Well the past few times they've been trying to come to church, things happened to keep them from coming. The first time, CPS called them while they were ON THEIR WAY to church and told them to turn around and come back. The second time, they were all dressed and ready to go, got in the car, and bam, car wouldn't start. Ugh. So they were taking the car to get fixed and it ran out of gas on the road. A guy pulls over and gives them $20 for gas and then offers Tony a job! What! But guess what else? The guy was LDS, from a ward a couple towns over in Cleburne. Tony told him they were talking with missionaries (us) and the guy tells them to keep listening because what we have to say is true. Wow!! 

Mercedes, the woman who was going to be baptized on June 2, just got baptized on April 4th. :) I had an interview with my President and at the end, he prayed that, if it be God's will, I would see a baptism before I left Texas. A few days later, Sister Cooper picked us up to go see Mercedes. It was the visit right after we set June 2nd as her date. Sister Cooper was talking about how she was praying that Mercedes would move up her date so Satan would have less time to work on her- we decided that would be the focus of the lesson that day. We go in, have an opening prayer, and immediately after, Mercedes says "I have news for you guys before we start. I've been going back and forth between being baptized and not and I think it's just Satan getting at me. So I would like to be baptized sooner- before Sister Munro leaves." Ahhhh!!! So we set it for April 4th and it was done. :) 

We asked our President if he would speak at the baptism but he had a scheduling conflict, so I spoke instead. Our district also did a musical number. It was a beautiful baptism! :) Mercedes was so happy all day- the Spirit was really prevalent. 

Chris, the one who had the date for April 5th, dropped his date for now. He hasn't come to church yet. He'll get there someday soon. :)