We are officially survivors!

Humor happens just gotta see it! One adventure after another. If my mission were a t.v. show it would get some pretty high ratings I think. With Hna. Marchant, its even better. I swear we have been friends since the pre-exsistence because we can already read eachothers minds. I love to laugh and im laughing alot with my new greeny. Shes such a doll. and is so very entertaining to me because shes so worried about a few bug bites she has on her ankle and worried about getting dirt on her skirt and she makes me laugh. So we have bikes now and we put pics of christ on them so we have luck with not getting them stolen from us haha... but let me tell you that just when we think we are pro and riding all smooth the funniest things happen. My comp was worried about the leaves touching her helmet when we passed under a tree on the sidewalk and she put her head down but looked up too late and screamed all high pitch and her left handlebar took out the bark of the tree and she amazingly and gracefully landed hands down without getting her skirt dirty haha she just hopped up and looked at me like... uh oh im sorry, but look im okay, and look my skirt doesnt have a spec of dirt on it! haha shes so funny! Well the news is we have gotten lost less, we are having lots of success and working very hard each and every day but its like 200 degrees plus humidity and rising. Sometimes its so hot we have to pause in the middle of studies and step into the shower with our clothes on just to cool off. (air conditioning doesnt exsist) Except this week as we were washing all of our clothes in the sink our water stopped... we were completely out of water for almost three whole days! We couldnt wash our dishes or shower or anything. We would come home so tired from working all day and so hot and sit down and laugh at eachother for how horrible we looked. So I just told my comp, dont worry hermana, not having water will one day be a story for us to laugh about and we can tell our kids... sooo back in the day... haha. She eventually went to our neighbors yard who wasnt home and she stood there with the old hose in her hand and her hair all a mess she said... hermana im serious this sucks and I want to shower so bad. im going to figure something out! haha I love her! so we got creative and endured through the drought haha we finally have water... and you can bet that we rejoiced over it! Water ... BLESSING!

So Jesi is progressing incredibly! her family is now active again as of this last Sunday!!! whooo! Jesi will be getting baptized this coming weekend. The ward council was completely shocked that we helped this family back in the church because they said for over 6 years everyone tried and no one could get through to them even once. We care so much about them though that it wasnt hard, we just love them enough and then the work is easier. Also we contacted a reference from a member in the ward his name is Ignacio and he has lost his father, and brother and had lots of trauma in his life. He came to church this sunday and he has a baptism date set for feb. 11th. The same day we are baptizing Emiliano which also came to church. And all of family Diaz is progressing now! They all came to church together and are reading the book of mormon together as a family. We have a lot of progressing investigators that we love and care about. We worked hard all week to have them all in church this sunday and they had a great experience and came to all the classes. We have two couples planned to get married in the month of looooove FEBUARY! Valentines is my fav! and im so excited to see these families completed. SPEAKING OF FAMILIES COMPLETED!!!! guess what!? Family Medina from the first of my mission with alexis david maria and luis and them .... THEY ALL TOLD ME THEY GOT SEALED IN THE TEMPLE this last week!!!!!!!!!!! nothing better than that news! I feel so happy to know that family is so strong. David leaves on his mission when I get home! and another David from almagro leaves right before I get home! SAWEET! We are seeing lots of miracles.

Elder Foster from the 70 came here and spoke to all of us and it was so amazing! President Gulbrandsen is getting more and more inspired by the days because we are really growing as a mission. I feel the impact all of the teaching has made on my life and im amazed at how much ive learned. Elder Foster spooke about the billions of numerous galaxies in the universe and our relationship to God and our potential. We studied our Personal blessings and we all learned so much about selflessness and focusing on all of our generations to come and the generations here that we are saving. We expanded our vision. He asked if we were visionaries in all things of this work and if we were doing right. Real growth of the church, strengthening everyone around us in all of our conversation and deeds. How important it is to be mindful of our value and relationship with Heavenly Father. He spoke about knowing each and everyone of our investigators by name and knowing them deeply like the savior knows all of us. It was some really great stuff we learned.

Anyway... we have another training meeting coming up this week in san fernando and interviews with president.... my last interview until I go home... crazy... I look forward to it. Im learning a lot in this last of my mission. I feel like it all sinks in different now.

I really miss all my converts so bad though. I wish they could all come up here for my despedida and they cant. I really miss Natalia. I really struggled when i had to say bye to her. She will have to come see me in the states though sometime. Im so excited for the day that she gets married in the temple! The mission is so amazing!

So Mom, im glad you got my flight plans but please dont tell anyone because I really just rather have the family there at the airport. Ill talk to everyone else later. Jocelyn you should totally try out for that dance audition and tell me how it goes! Im so proud of you! and depending on school and stuff mom but if I have to Im pretty sure i can fit a trip to Disneyland into my schedule haha. Especially for joces birthday! I wanna spend every second with the fam! I miss you guys like crazy! It will be wierd to be home and not have a companion 24/7 haha. Mom please check with the temple and see about a session that day! and I know you wanna run around and do a bunch of stuff but Im exhausted at this point so we all need to hit the spa first and then the gym then we can do whatever you have planned. Thanks for your emails and questions and all your love, I hope I answered everything. LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!! have a great day and keep being missionaries! Its the best thing to be!

Love,

Hermana Ashley Ann Gillum

New Gratitude: American Street Signs

What an adventure this has all been...

So ill be happy to update you all on the latest news by starting off this way... ive never been so lost in an area in all my mission. Its the little things in life that we as Americans can easily take for granted. Such as organized addresses, phonebooks, street signs and so forth haha. The majority of our area is made up of dirt roads and the regular random housing of Argentina, we are lucky to find numbers on the houses or fences or sometimes spray painted on their trees but more then half are without the name of the street. Our area is pretty huge so we were given permission to use bikes. Im not sure if bikes were a blessing or not because the chains are always falling off and these are not bikes made for mountain climbing so its an interesting way of travel... especially when my sweet new companion has all of the boys in the street yelling blonde woman at her. (not the typical latin hair color) haha shes a great sport. Getting completely lost so many times now has actually led me to get the hang of this place a little better. Ive found all the ways NOT to go so now im narrowing things down to the correct streets to get to our destination. Apart from the disorder in addresses the majority of these streets will cut off on a dead end and have a huge field in between until the same street continues miles away... thats what makes the altura or numbers even more tough to find haha. I dont see why they dont just go around putting the names and numbers on all the same places and changing the street names when they cut off. No because that would make sense. haha Gotta love it! Its an adventure and no im just that much more greatful for the things we have at home. We need to see how much we have. Ill never complain about being lost again. I feel like I can find my way around anywhere with the experience of the mission.

So heres some news... the last two weeks have been full of changes and new things. Last week with Hna. Gonzales I kept complaining for how white I am from being in the south so long and so when we were doing studies out on our back patio I chose to bask in the sun while she stayed in the shade on her half of the table.... I figured Its going to take a week or so before I actually get enough sun... wrong.... I have never been so burnt in my life and Ive got the pictures to prove. I have quite the nice farmers tan mom you would laugh. My comp was laughing when I had to sleep all wrapped up in frosted towels from our freezer. Shes like "I told you not to sit in the sun" haha thats sooo like me, not listening and then finding out why I should have! I always have to find out the hard way. BUT its finally tanned out this week and im so glad! Hna gonzales and I were just focused on our baptism of Diego the first week, the next week was spent teaching him and his family and going to training meetings in San Fernando and then San Isidro to get our greenies to train. Ofcourse I should have known I wasnt going to have to JUST open the area, but train at the same time.. that made things fun.

We all marched in singing "called to serve" and it was crazy watching my comps face and remembering my first day and how lost I was haha. She is so much MORE than I ever could have hoped for in a companion. She is loving and full of life and love and ready to get to work. She has had lots of life experience and is similar to me in many ways and she is always asking questions and wanting to progress and learn. I love her with all my heart. I feel as if we were friends before the mission. She grew up in Michigan, (near aunt teresa) and moved to BYU Idaho for school, then went to L.A. (where our family is) for hair school and now her family lives there too. Her name is Abby Marchant and I am doing everything I know how to do to be a good example and loving companion for her. She has struggled just a bit with the big culture shock and missing her family but I bore my testimony to her that the mission is the best thing in the world for her life and family and after a few quick pep talks shes up and at em and ready to work again. I love her energy and we are seeing so many miracles. Its hard but its kinda fun training. Hard because I have to translate 75% of the time for her and pay attention to everything going on, but its fun because I know that I can greatly impact her and help her to become the missionary the Lord knows she can. In the beginning we just dont know what we are made of exactly, and in the end we have a much more clear perspective. Its also fun because she notices things that are NORMAL to me and she says how strange they are haha. I remember when I used to think those things were all strange and now im used to it. She was really suprised at how many wild dogs are roaming the streets all the time  and how crazy the bus drivers are. Shes always wanting to take pictures but i told her that she will have plenty of other time throughout her mission. She comes from a very sweet family, her father served here yrs ago and her mother served in the states. I am more than happy to be her companion and this companionship has been very great for me. Its keeping the fire of my testimony going. But nearing the end of the mission is a very emotional time... for your guys´s info, I have kept myself from crying to be strong for her and focus on our time here and now so I havent let any of this emotion show dont worry. But it is a very wierd transition. I have dreams about when Im going to come home and its a wierd feeling but Im going to love being with the family again!

So our new zone is awesome, E. Bruce, Arrowchis, Stronks, Pino, Lemo, and Burga and me and hna. marchant!

We have seen many miracles. We have been talking to everyone we find. We have been focusing on gathering whole families as President has asked and we have had tons of success. We went to contact a family that was a reference from the bishop and THEY ARE SOOOO AMAZING! They have a date to be married on feb. 17th and be baptized with their 8 yr old son on Feb. 18th! Then we have a couple with a marriage date for feb. 10th and baptism Feb. 11th! They are progressing greatly! whooo ITS ALL ABOUT FAMILIES!!!! We found a ton of new ppl this week and we are super stoked to work with them. The members are gaining so much confidence in us and giving us references everyday. We are working really hard! Last night was one of the most spiritual nights of my mission. So theres this guy named Guillermo, hes been less active for 6 yrs and used to be a great leader in the church. Him and his whole family stopped going to church 6 yrs ago and their daughter was never baptized. Well in our ward council we asked our bishop to pray with us all on our knees for families that need to be completed and who we all need to work on bringing back and the family of Guillermo kept coming into our minds. After much prayer and discussion over this family my companion and I walked all the way to their house share with the entire family how important they are to the ward, to the Lord and to us. It was a very spiritual lesson. I was so impressed with what the Lord had me share with them. I could feel the saviors love so strong for this family that we were all in tears. I asked the father to read Doctrine and Covenants 6:20 and put his name in the beginning and he could hardly read it because his emotion was so strong. It built up my testimony even more to hear him say, "you know hermanas, we have felt all of the prayers for us this last week, we have truly felt each one of them, so thank you." I was so happy that Heavenly Father heard our prayers. Then I asked the little daughter (not a member) to come stand by me. The spirit prompted me to have her express how she felt about her father while she looked at him... then her mother... then how they felt for her.... all of them were in tears and full of gratitude for one another that I knew it was the time to commit them. I said, " familia, this is not me or my companion asking you, but this is the Lord inviting you with open arms to return back to him, to forsake your sins and renew your covenants you made with him by attending church with us this Sunday and every Sunday that follows so your sweet family can be eternal!" They all said that they wont miss another sunday and that they want their daughter to grow up in the church. We have faith that the Lord will help them recieve the answer in their heart that she can and should be baptized this weekend according to the will of Heavenly Father. We will be seeing them tomorrow and asking them to pray to know if its right and we will make sure that she is well prepared and has met the bishop and his counselors so they will be welcomed back with great love! We are also very excited for the progress we are having with Diego and teaching his children that he brought to church this last sunday. Also the daughter of Zuni finally came to church and we are seeing her progress more each week.Theres a lot of work to be done and we are always trying to improve and find more to do.

Damian is a great help to us, flia. garcia, flia. maidana and flia. chen are all such a great help because they are all married returned missionaries and they are awesome when it comes to helping us out! We are seeing the work grow each and every day! Keep us in your prayers so we can continue finding these families!!!!!!!!!!!!

I miss you guys so much. I love you tons and its been hard being away from you all but I also love the mission and its made so much more out of me than I could have alone without it.  ITS THE BEST! ill see you soon anyway! Well I love you guys tons! keep being missionaries!

 

love hna. Ashley Ann Gillum

SARMIENTO

Bueno dear loved ones of mine, hows it going this week? Hope all is well. Sorry I didnt have time to write last monday because I just had to write President and then print off my itinerary for my flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires. Leaving Rio Grande after 4 months of hard work, was harder than I thought. I cried like a baby when i parted ways with Natalia. I gave one of my plaques to Flia. Tello because they are for sure a second family to me and I love them with all of my heart. They said they want to build me an extra room in their house their building haha. I left waving bye to Hna. Milmont and Hna. Gutierrez out of the bus window and oneof our really important investigators came running up to the bus to give me his guitar pic and tell me thank you for everything and goodbye. And because Elder Christensen and I have been in the same zone since july I was sad to say bye because hes taught me a lot. I just wrote on a sign "thanks for making it hit!" (talking about Gods love and the atonement) and he just gave me a thumbs up and they all waved bye. The poor lady next to me watched me read what everyone wrote in my diary and bawl like a little baby. I went through a good 5 packets of tissue or so and she just kept looking at me like, wow, what happened to her! but I could barely muster the words "im fine im just really sad to leave some of these people here because I really love them." Then I closed my book, and started teaching her about the Book of Mormon. Ushuaia was welcoming as usual. Its so pretty! Christmas was a good time. We baked all kinds of goodies, sang tons of christmas songs to everyone, exchanged christmas gifts within our zone and watched the best two yrs (which is a lot more funny as a missionary) Then after skyping the Fam we went out to work and we saw some amazing miracles that Ill never forget. I love sister Malhue and Shelley so much! They are kapa missionaries for sure. Ushuaia was so heavenly because the weather was absolutely perfect!

AIRPORT

Elder Smith and Elder manjarres dropped me off at the airport and I started teaching this grandma sitting next to me. She kept hugging me and kissing my hand because she was glad I speak her language haha. Then one stop in Calafate where I switched seats and taught all of lesson 1,2, and 3 to a guy named Daniel who sat on my left. The gentlemen on my right was a nice father and husband who spoke english and has been traveling for work. I gave him a card with our info on it and he helped me with my baggage to meet the elders in the airport. I hope to see him one day and see how his family is doing. He lights up when he speaks about them. He speaks highly of his kids and his wife. It makes me happy. I want the same for my family one day.

TIGRE

Elder Johnson and Elder Neilson, picked me up and we drove off to Tigre! seeing all the big city again was like being HOME because thats where I started the mission. and seeing them was good company. Elder neilson had to go home and return because of an accident he had and Im so proud of him for finishing. Tigre is the place I always wanted to go my whole mission! YES ROMO I THOUGHT OF YOU THE WHOLE TIME! love you! I just was there for a day with Hna. Salas whos in my group and a greeny Hna. Allen whos from utah also. They are cute girls.

MISSION HOME

Then in the morning I was off to the Mission Home where all the zone leaders were having a meeting and President called me and Hna. M. Gonzales into his office. "you two have the responsability of opening an area today and I have full confidence in the two of you to get the job done okay, Hna. Gillum will be waiting for her jr. comp in a couple weeks for the area." I LOVEEE hna. Gonzales and we work super hard together so this was great news to me. President told us of the revelation he recieved for this and asked us if we could feel the spirit as strong as he could... it was surely present.

OPENING AREA IN SAN MIGUEL SARMIENTO WHOOOO!

So having the experience of opening an area before now, this was easier... but this time starting from scratch, no carpeta, no materials, no map, no chairs or bedding we moved into our brand new cute little house and made due with what weve got. We organized anything and everything we had and went out in search for what we lacked. We as hermanas tend to organize in detail so you better believe that we have everything colored, tabbed, filed, and in alpha-betical order. haha. We work better that way. Less stress later. Elder Leiva (1 yr in mish) and greeny Elder Winward FROM ST. GEORGE UTAH whooo! met us to show us around the new area of Sarmiento, San Miguel. Let me tell you, this area is HUGE! I am really wanting a pedicure because my feet are all bandaged and blistered from walking so much. Its like 60 quads both ways. The elders have bikes in their area so we have also been given permission to have bikes for our area.

We have seen thousands of miracles in just these 6 days here! I wish I could share them all with you because its been so amazing! I absolutely love this area! Its golden for sure!

MIRACLE/ BAPTISM/OUR WARD

We were working on wed. and prayed to find someone who has attended church enough times that could be baptized this weekend... sure enough just for opening our mouths to talk to everyone we found in our path, miracle after miracle we came across a man running into his house and right before he went to close the gate on us, I caught him and asked if we could share our message with him.... As we began teaching through the fence we thought he was just a man who had probably never seen missionaries before... but our prayer was answered... he had gone to church many times, he had even had a baptism date before in his life... He was a miracle. So right before we wanted to asked him to follow christ and be baptized we thought it was a better idea to ask greeny E. Winward if he wanted to... he got a big smile and looked a little nervous but sure enough...he did just fine and when Diego said Yes E. Winward looked so happy we all said good job buddy! You did great! He was like wow... he said yes! haha Elder Winward is a very good missionary. Very humble. He is always writing things down in his notepad and askes a lot of questions. Hes a good example. So since Diego lives in our area we were responsible for teaching him all the lessons and commandments and then on Saturday December 31st at 2:30 pm Diego entered the water of baptism and came out a new person. we all felt the spirit really strong in his baptism. "He has recently seperated from his wife and said, I need God more than anything else in my life and if I want an eternal family then I need to change myself first for my family and kids, thats why I want to be baptized. I need a new heart to have an eternal family!" HOW SWEET! We were obedient in all things and getting to know the Bishop. He is from China his name is Bishop Chen. His wife is a return missionary from Argentina and their kids are DARLING!!! We had lunch with them one day and their love story had us all in tears. They look at eachother like they are still getting to know eachother because they are so in love and so happy in the church. She converted him to the church by taking him outside the Buenos Aires temple blindfolded and after he saw where he was she told him how important it is to her that shes married in the temple to have an eternal family. Then she left on a mission and he learned more about the church, and waited for her. When she returned He would talk to her on the phone with the dictionary so he could speak in her language better. Now he is the bishop who was recently called only 3 months ago and they are happier than ever. Honestly EVERYONE in our ward is super happy because there is a huge variety of age groups and youth. All the couples are return Sister and Elder Missionaries with beautiful kids and everyone that didnt serve missions who were converted later on are all WARD MISSIONARIES! The organization here is perfect! We are Preparing 2 other families to be completed within these next two weeks! There is a couple who has a date to be married for feb. 10th and they are preparing for baptism! Also we felt the need to sit down on a street corner and talk to three teenagers about 19 yrs of age and they all appeared sad about things. long story short we taught them a great lesson, they felt the spirit, they turned their frowns upside down, we read scriptures together, and they are preparing to be baptized on the 28th of this month! Their golden! Sunday was AMAZINGGGG!!!!!! Getting to church was interesting haha... we were stopping by the houses of our investigators to get them and at one house the uncle whos about 24 yrs old said, they are not here but I need to go to church... so we told him we would see him there... but walking behind us there he was... following us and pleading DONT LEAVE ME I NEED TO GO TO CHURCH TOO!... by the way he was walking and slurring his words he was wasted from the new years partying all night. (which in Argentina all parties start at 1am and goes til 10am) We were praying that he would just go another way or something but he followed us the whole way. So I said a prayer as we walked that went a little something like this... "oh dear heavenly father, thou art ALL powerful... please make this man instantly sober before we get to the church!" haha Well as we entered we explained to him, that the house of God is sacred and he must respect it and sober up. Seeing him slouched over laughing all goofy one minute has us worried, but ill tell you that our church is powerful haha because the second he entered the gate and walked inside and shook the leaders hands who greeted us at the door this kids spine shot straight up and wide eyed and very collected he shook their hands and said very clearly something that would translate more or less like "good day sir, beautiful sunday in the church of the lord." We just laughed to ourselves and let them know someone needs to watch him. The leaders took him to the bathroom to splash some water on his face and give him water to drink and he was happy as ever singing hymns and participated in everything just fine. Infact Diego (our new convert) was lecturing him on all the reasons why he shouldnt drink haha. DIEGO´s confirmation was absolutely beautiful! He has a light now that he didnt have before. I loved walking into the sacrament meeting as everyone whispered "ooo look we now have sister missionaries too!" haha we sang a special number and bore our testimonies about why we decided to serve and I just kept smiling as I looked into the eyes of all of our investigators that all came to church! And just as we were counting how many people came, I felt sad that Charly (a rehab recovered investigator who lives with a member) wasnt here. He has a mental disorder and so we just like to teach him slowly while we teach the whole family he lives with and he promised every day this week that he was excited for church but didnt show... The family was, but not Charly... and just then while we were singing... a knock at the window in front of the whole congragation he had a HUGE grin and waved at us all dramatic like saying, " HERMANAS! AQUI ESTOY! AQUI ESTOY!" (sisters, im here im here) I got teary eyed and we ran to the door to greet him. He rode his bike pretty far to get there and walking through the door he took his hat off that he wears everyday, combed his hair with his hand and sat with his family. I WAS SO HAPPY!!! the people in the ward all had smiles and kept telling us, great work hermanas!

NEW YEARS 2012 WHOOO

Taking the sacrament with all of our investigators is the best feeling! Especially for the new year 2012!

New yrs. night our neighbors were lighting off fireworks and had a lot to drink and when we woke up at midnight from all the noise and sirens we stepped on our porch and I just saw this huge firework from the groud flying right towards me from their yard! That thing hit me straight in the knee exploding in between my calves and I had to go to the hospital... just kidding... about the hospital part... im totally fine but my pj pants have a burned hole in the leg and my companion died of laughed when we ran back in the house. haha. She told me a was dancing like a leprechon and looked so scared. I just told her im glad I was the one that could take the hit haha My garments protected me because my skin wasnt harmed at all but now ill really never forget this new years and Ive got the pjs to prove it! The next morning we just heard how everyone had a bunch of fires and accidents... argentina for ya haha its just a lil crazy.

Our Zone leaders right now are Elder Bruce (frm cali whos parents are mission presidents in Chile right now) And Elder Nueffer (who goes home with me in 11 weeks) , and then we have Elder Brown (frm arizona) and Elder Rodriguez (frm Uruguay, whos our District leader, he goes home with us too) Elder Leiva (kapo de chile) y Elder Winward (from st geezy)

Anways... you guys all asked about the weather... bueno... im dying of heat... just like I like it. Im FINALLY GETTING TAN!!!!!! back to my normal color! its beautiful right now!

welp people, this is my update for now, ill have to send you guys photos later but ive taken a ton. I think I have 7 pen drives full now and 5 cds from my whole mission. I love you guys so much thank you for all your love and support! The miracles just keep coming so thanks for all your prayers!!! have a great week! I send you my love! BESITOS!!!!!!!

love ash

Beautiful

whats up guys!? Hope all is well. Its surprisingly hot today! I hope you are all enjoying the snow this Christmas Season. Right now my comps and I are here in GORGEOUS USHUAIA! We have a conference with our Mission President tomorrow so we are here for a day and a half. Let me tell you how amazing it is here..... AMAZING! So beautiful! The huge mountains with a little snow on top, the huge forest trees, all the different colored houses and San Fransisco up and down hills that go all the way down to the green ocean! All the ships docked and all the different tourists sure do liven this place up a lot. There is a ton of diversity. There are plenty of hippies and artists that paint all over the walls. Im pretty sure that EVERYONE here has sunshine in their heart. These are the nicest people ive ever met. We were able to go site see a bit, and get some stuff to take home! There are bright flowers everywhere! and everyone is smiling.... very different then our area in rio grande. This place is happy. im seriously considering buying a little house here one day... when im rich. haha. I want to come back here so bad to visit. The people here are very prepared to recieve the gospel. President said he didnt want me to travel north during christmas. Im greatful he thought of that. So we will be working here with the sisters here tonight. Tomorrow, is our meeting with President Gulbrandsen. We will get back home at night. This week we will be calling our mothers on skype for Christmas!!! Then Im ready to head north when the Lord makes the change with me.

Im very happy to have recieved great news today! mom!!!!! YOURE AWESOME!!!! IM SO PROUD OF YOU!!! We can go to the temple together when I get home!!!!

Hailey Wailey HAPPY BIG 5YRS dollface! You are so beautiful just like your mama! Tal thanks for everything! I LOVE YOU! Robin wish you were here to share this with me right now! I miss you! Ill be home in 13 weeks or something. I cant believe how fast time goes. I was talking with my companions on the way over here today and said, looking back over my life, out of ALL of the fun adventures ive had, the mission tops it all. It is the hardest, most frustrating, fun, crazy, difficult, amazing time of my life. Loosing myself in the work, and finding myself in the eyes of these Argentines that the Lord loves so much! Its so incredible. I will be making the most of these last two transfers FOR SURE giving this my all. The work is rolling forward and we have been doing divisions with members to get more of our area covered in shorter time. We are learning and progressing each day and greatful for the atonement that gives us the strength we need to do it. I love you guys so much! Thanks for all you do, hope you like the pics, but even the pictures dont do it justice. The mission is the best. Everyone thats preparing to go... soak it up, its the best decision in the world!

LOVE YOUUUU GUYSSSSS CHAO

besos

hna. Ashley Ann Gillum

 

PICTURES!!!

All Good Here

Hey Family,

I dont have any time to write and fill you guys in on everything but this last week we have seen some amazing miracles. This family that we are trying so hard to complete is an amazing family and we have to have them baptized all together in white for this christmas. I have plenty of faith that they can be with the Lords help. Missionaries have been teaching them for like over 15 years and they said they have never felt the spirit as strong as they did with us sisters. So we are going to try and help them see that their committments are not to the missionaries but to the Lord and we are just simple and imperfect guides trying to do his will and complete their family. We are going to be doing much fasting and praying every week. This family means a whole lot to us. We want the best for them. And then The other incomplete family is famous with our mission, they desire that their other brother gets baptized so we will talk to him and see how he feels and help him recieved his answer. Im just doing what I know how to do and constantly looking to improve. Out with the old in with the new. The work is going absolutely amazing. Elder Gillette had his bday today so we all went and made tacos and played futbol and now we are going to meet up with natalia so she can buy a skirt for this sunday for church. Most days im like, wow I never want this to end, and there a few days... im just like... wow... a mission.... is loooooooooong! haha I love it though! Theres always alot to tell you, but I cant think of much right now. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the christmas season, its getting hot here! Jocelyn, GREAT JOB on your dance recital my dear! Awesome job!!! Thanks for sending me that little clip of it mom. Pray for Family Marcos and Family Segundo please! THANKS! Well everyone, I love you bunches and Im confident that the Lord is watching over each of you while im away. Have some fun for me but be patient and save some fun for when I get back too! PORFAVOR ;)

chao loves! Send me some pics they always liven up the week.

Take care,

Love Hermana Gillum

p.s. its nice not writing long letters... haha love youuuuu guys

Baptism!!!

This week has been a little stressful. Im still in the south waiting for a flight out to the north. So we are doing the trio thing right now and training hna. Gutierrez from California. Shes wonderful in every way and we love her. This week has been very successful and we are very grateful for the new comp.who has brought great things to our companionship. We feel blessed to work with her. The Lords hand in the work this week brought us to have the faith neccessary to bring a 9 yr old to the waters of baptism. The majority of his family being active in the church made us think that he was surely baptized by now but when we were teaching the mother in the middle of a service project that we were doing for her (we intended to recieve references) We ended up finding out that her very own son was still not yet baptized and they didnt want to baptize him until their grandmother could come down from the north of Argentina someday and at least until his brother (whos serving now in chile) could finish his mission and attend his baptism. Well we didnt feel the need to push them on getting him baptized right away up until we recieved revelation. When Hna. Milmont and I were talking about why we think im still here in this area and that there must still be a reason for it. Hna. Milmont said "hermana, im terrified to train, I have learned so much from you and I still feel like I need you here because I still have yet to learn so much and I dont think I can train without you." I knew she was sweetly trying to help me feel some closure or reason in my waiting here and then she said... "Hermana, I dont think you are ready to leave right now, I feel like theres something more you need to do here before. I dont know why, but Familia Tello is coming to my mind and I feel that you will play a big part in him being baptized." Just in that moment, the spirit spoke ever so clearly... saying Lucas Tello needs to be baptized without hesitation, he is priority! So we focused on him. We spoke with his parents. Did service for the family. Obtained many references. Taught lucas very throughily and careful and tested him on what we taught. Im proud of his great efforts of studying what we left for him and practicing THE OLA!!!!

Which was our Mission presidents revelation on the step and process of faith. That we need to ORAR, LEER, Y ASISTIR to act in faith! This has brought us wonderful success teaching such simple and important doctrine to these people. Lucas knows and is overly excited to recite the OLA and all of the steps of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He now understands where he came from and where they are going as a family. It was a miracle week. The lessons were very spiritual and I believe they touched the hearts of his family deeply. For him to recieve an answer of the Book Of Mormon, I asked an inspired question... "Lucas, how do you feel about your father?" he glanced down at the book of mormon, and his lip quivered... and he barely mustered "I love my dad." tears filled his eyes and his fathers. He ran to his fathers arms and hugged him. I saw a vision of him and his family running to Heavenly Fathers arms. It touched me. The spirit spoke through me again and I said.. "Lucas, the love you feel and the love your dad feels for you, is only a small part of the love your heavenly father has for you both. Do you want to run to the arms of your Heavenly Father?" "yes I do. and my papa too. and all my family!" "ok" I said,"He wants that for all of you also... so when do you need to be baptized?" "este sabado! Puedo?" haha so it was a special experience to be a part of. His brother on his mission ended up sending them a dvd clip of congrats to his little brother with all of his companions in the video. It was really special because it reminded me of when I heard the news of my little sisters baptism while I was also serving. It was very very special. I feel that they are all very pleased. It was beautiful to see all of their family, less active and active come together and feel the Saviors love in this one boys great faith to follow the Savior. We are starting anew this week, contacting all of our references and we are going to cover the whole area for Hna. Gutierrez to get a feel of things. Its funny watching new greenies come into the field.... they are so fresh outta the world and every little thing catches their attention. Its fun to see the change the mission brings. We have met the bishop the first night that she was with us and his whole family had us eat the famous Argentine ASADO and it was good. They call it a sin to be here and not try it haha. it was a fun experience but Im just going to have to be vegetarian again when I get home because this stuff is SO unhealthy! We plan on visiting him again tonight and kneeling in prayer for continuing to strengthen this area. We are happy. We are grateful. We are obedient. And we are working hard. WE ARE LOVIN IT! thanks for all your prayers and love! i send you all my hugs and kisses via email until I see you in a little while. CHAO!!!!!

 

love

Hermana ashley ann gillum

I"m Leaving On A Jet Plane...."

Hello everyone! whats new what up!? Just another week in the south... but not for much longer....

 

HARDSHIP... its part of life :D

So heres the low down on all the new stuff. This past week everything seemed to be working against us and we could feel the pressure. We knew that there was something big coming up and the adversary didnt want us to get to it. Long story short our baptism fell through after teaching him for three months. It was the hardest thing for us. We truly went the extra mile to pray for him and help him to recieve an answer that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. And once we knelt and he prayed to ask if the Book Of Mormon was true it came! There was a long pause of silence and then he spoke. Tengo mi respuesta... he said, as to say.. I have the answer. He said how peaceful he felt and how he knew God put the answer in his heart that its true. We were like... finally! he knows and cannot deny that he recieved an answer from his Heavenly Father... He knows that his Father loves him and wants to reach out and communicate with him and now he will desire to be baptized to make the covenant to follow Christ.... well it didnt go quite that way... He said he would like to prepare to be baptized but that he wanted to do some more reading that week. We ended up coming back and we felt very strange teaching him. We felt that he had walls up for the first time with us. Walls that werent breaking down. He was running us in circles of confusing responses that really didnt even make any sense at all and we felt a very bad feeling. We tried explaining the basic principles of the gospel that Faith leads to Repentance and that leads to Baptism and Recieving the Gift of the Holy Ghost so we can follow Jesus Christs exmaple and persevere until the end. We informed him that he was going way off track of what he had come to learn and he didnt even know himself what he was trying to say. He had zero direction or back up of source for the doubts that were coming out. We asked him what had changed after he had recieved an answer from God that this is true. His answer was this... "I cant deny what I felt in my heart when I prayed... I know that The Book of Mormon is true, I know that I feel really good around you missionaries and in your church on Sunday, but I have no desire anymore to be baptized at all. I know that God probably wants me to follow this but im telling you that this just isnt my time to do that." We asked what changed in his heart... he replied, "no, nothing changed in my heart, i know what I felt was good and that it was an answer but...." and then the truth came out... "Ive been reading this book on this hippie guy thats all into science and stuff and I just kinda feel like my life in my life and I should be able to do anything I want and if im a good person, thats sufficient."  Trust me, we went the extra mile with this investigator and nothing else was entering his head. We had a very heavy feeling follow us out of his house and it worried me a little. I was so sad for him that I couldnt stop thinking about all our time and effort preparing him. Our zone has really struggled down here in the south. We have really tried all we know how to do and have gone to God to ask what he needs of us because we are just imperfect missionaries that are striving to do his will but cannot complete it without learning through trial and error. WE HAVENT FAILED.. we have just found a thousand ways that dont work! and there are miracles waiting to happen soon. We just know it. We have prayed fervantly for him though and we know that one day he will be baptized.

 

Miracles

 President Gomez is seriously one of the greatest people in all of my mission. I respect him so much and have a great love for him as a leader of the church. He has truly touched my life with inspiration and I know that God sent me to serve here in his branch to learn from him and express my gratitude for him because he was also struggling a little with feeling a little burdened at times. He was very happy to have us sisters working here with this branch. He was able to meet with us and give me a blessing and I will never forget the words that man spoke.

Lets just say... that Satan has never tried so hard to attack us as he did these last two weeks and pressing forward on through the trial has brought us to recognisze the pure saving love of the Savior. What a contrast it is. Misery vs. Bliss. I will just tell you guys that after I recieved my blessing, some very special things happened that are too sacred to mention through my blog email. I will just tell you that I have such a firm testimony that Christ lives and he manifests his power to us in miraculous ways according to our faith in Him. I was blessed to feel my testimony enlarge a great measure. I testify that I know the Savior knows us by name, individually and knows our thoughts and actions. He is more near to us than we could ever imagine and the Heavens are open to us to speak with our Heavenly Father one on one about our hearts deepest desires and concerns. He comes to us when we are calling on him.

The sacredness of feeling his everlasting love is an unforgettable sceptor of truth and light. I have felt this so profound in my mission.

 

GOODBYE Hna. Milmont...

Sooo this is something a little funny. My companion Hna. Milmont thought she was being transfered to the North. Actually to be honest EVERYONE thought that she was going to be the one to go north... so she ended up telling our whole area goodbye because she wont see them again and she had them all write in her journal and they gave her gifts and hugged her and the tears just kept coming from her eyes with every persons house we went to. We went to say goodbye to Natalia, and she ended up showing us a DVD slideshow that she made of us and our photos together here in the south. Then we all were crying like little sissy la la's because we really felt the difference we made here together. We watched as all the photos faded to the other and the faces of all the people we love so much and we couldnt hold back the emotion. The greatness of the mission captured in picture with these families who have impacted us perhaps more than we have impacted them. Nati said she ended up putting the video on Youtube through her account when we left for our families to see. Im not sure how to find it or if it would have our names or not but you guys can try to find it somehow.

 

Finally... the call we've been waiting for... dun dun dun

... "okay, who am I talking to? Hermana Gillum? Alright so this is the change you guys will be having.."

After clearing all the confusion... the results of our transfer is my lovely companion Hna. Milmont will be recieving a new companion here in Rio Grande in the south tonight or tomorrow. (we do not yet know her name) we will be a trio for this week up until Thursday. Hna. Milmont will be TRAINING HER!!! I will just be here helping them along until Im ready to catch my flight to go back to the North where I will be getting.... MY DAUGHTER! Ill be training this transfer also but in the North! (and we do not know what area ive been called to yet nor do we know my daughters name yet) All we do know so far, is what ive told you. So im very happy for my companion and I because we really worked hard here despite all the hard things that happened and we feel that the Lord has watched us closely and knows what is best for the work. He has called us both to train with all we've got and teach all that we have learned. Im excited. Im going to love my companion and do my best to be all that the Lord expects of me.

 

SIDE NOTES TO THE FAMILY ABOUT SOME THINGS...

 - Michaela THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR YOUR LETTER! thats awesome that you were able to do humanitarian work in India!!!! amazing! miss you!!!

  - "17 miracles" ... Robin, about this movie... yes thank you so much for sending me this movie. We were able to watch it as a zone together on our preparation day and we all loved it! But actually we just found out this morning that we are not able to watch ANY other movies besides the teaching videos. None of us down here in the south seemed to know that. Infact all of our leaders here in the branches were saying how its important for us to watch that movie to remember to keep going in the mission and give it our all but President Gulbrandsen has asked us that we dont watch any other movies in the mission without calling for special permission. So good thing I was able to see it beforehand and the next time will have to be at home. It really made a difference for us though. Thank you so much!

- NEW BABY NEWS!!! ... WOOG im soooooo happy for youuuuuuu! I knew it was a boy because you were feeling all kinds of different feelings that you didnt feel with Hailey and I am so excited for you guys! I told you that he just needed more time to prepare in heaven to finally come down here! Im so happy and cant wait to see the ultrasound pics! Ill think of some names or something but what ever name you guys come up with i know Ill love so congrats woman! Love you tons!

 - Hailey, WOW ANOTHER NEW ADDITION TO THE ANIMAL FARM! I am just loving that miniture horse you guys got hailey! It looks just like the one on "Rob & Big" haha I laughed when I saw the pics because its too funny and too cute with Hailey and her precious little model photos! Shes one lucky little girl! Halloween looked like lots of fun for all of you guys! I loved all of your costumes! Jace looked pretty realistic haha! Loved all of the costumes! you guys are the best. im glad you all dressed up! Way to keep it fun! I was a missionary for Halloween... it wasnt too hard to find the right costume... it wasnt too scary or anything... at least for those that have seen us before... the Jovahs witnesses get a little scared of us though. We just smile really big and wave at them and say hi... and they just walk faster and cross to the other side of the road haha They are funny. For those that know us and what we do, they gave us candy because they knew it was Halloween in our country. They dont celebrate it here much, Thanksgiving (same)

-THANKSGIVING however for us was very wonderful! We are soooo blessed to have Hna. Downs and her amazing cooking here in the South! She made a Thanksgiving dinner for all of our zone and it was BOMB diggity! SO yumm! And we all recorded what we are grateful for and what not. It was fun.

-JOCELYN..... hey baby girl... thats not fun im sorry to hear your "new news" painful yes, but part of life my dear! I have to tell you though... I as your big sister was not wanting to hear that on my mission... haha you need to stay little and not keep growing up so fast! I cant believe you will be 14 after I get home! Your huge now! Im glad you told me though joce, I like that you keep me updated in all of your life still! Love you bug!

-THE PICTURES, thanks mom for all the new pictures of the family at Thanksgiving, looked fun! I cant believe how big Rosannas baby Brooke is!!! She looks like a mini-Rosanna and Branson looks like a mini- Ryan!!!!!! THE KIDS ARE GETTING SO BIG!!! AHHH! cute as ever though! Im going to smother them with kisses when I get home!

- OFFICIAL UPDATE OF COMING HOME, okay so you all have been confused about when Im coming home and some of you have asked if ill be able to make it to some things that are happening in March... heres the sitch...... My time of serving 18 Months is actually up on March 15th... so people have the option to go home a transfer before or transfer after their time depending on when there time is up and different circumstances at home.... I had thought of going home the Transfer of Feb. But at this point in my mission I would rather stay an extra 2 weeks and finish april 1st! (april fools I know but its the truth) So ill be flying into the new airport in St. George or Las Vegas... depending on my mom and the flight booking. Sorry DYLAN I LOVE YOU BUD YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND IM SO PROUD OF YOU THAT YOUR BIG DAY IS COMING UP AND YOU WILL BE GETTING BAPTIZED!!! I WOULD LOVE SO MUCH TO BE THERE BUD BUT YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE! I WANT TO SEE ALL OF YOUR PHOTOS WHEN I GET HOME OKAY!!!! 

I love all of you guys (friends) but Ill see you later on, I really dont want anyone else to be at the airport besides mom, joce, Robin, Brooke, Tal, the kids, laura & mike, Cam & hailey, Nikki, Ry, Geral & Rick, the main family, just more personal but we will figure all of that out in another 12 weeks or so... right now im Argentina... and Im lovin it! 

- Mom thanks for the info on school but I need to know that info on the spring semester!!!!! and the dance team stuff!!! its important!!! Thank you!

 

 

WELL... im going to really miss the south... its been an amazing experience all together and im so grateful for the time ive had here, with my amazing comp, with the wonderful Downs, and with all of our converts! I loved the time here and i have not doubt ill love the area im going to and the comp that Im going to be training. Im excited for what ahead! CHRISTMAS is around the corner!!! crazy! Ill be seeing you on skype!

 

keep being kapas I LOVE YOUUUUUU! besitos for you all!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Hna. Ashley Ann Gillum

100% focused and happier

Dear EVERYONE that I love, 

SICK AND GRATEFUL

This week I was extremely sick. There was a bad cough going around. Three in our zone had it and lucky me... I caught it too. I was in bed with a 101 fever Monday night until Friday. I could not breath at all. It was miserable. I had like 6 blankets and still felt freezing. It wasnt too fun but my companion is extremely caring & was the best nurse I could ever ask for. Im so grateful for her. You know what, Im actually so grateful for weak moments like that because we can reflect more on the things we are grateful for. I think its awesome when we are struggling or sick, to see the tender mercies of the Lord and all the amazing people that want to help out in all the simple ways they can. The members of our branch knew how bad I was feeling and they brought me food. Let me tell you how grateful we all are to have the best senior couple here in our zone! Hermana and Elder Downs! They are from California and have been here like 9 months or something now. They are so sweet and always take care of us. Hermana Downs brought me some medicine. love her.

SORRY FOR NOT WRITING LAST MONDAY/   OUR INTERVIEWS WITH PRESIDENT GULBRANDSEN

 Sorry for not having enough time to write you all last week again, I actually had a really long email to write President Gulbrandsen and it took up too much time. It was very good that I did though because he came to see us Saturday and we had our interviews with him at 11a.m. in Centro with our Zone. I cannot explain to you guys how lucky we feel to have him as our mission President. Hes seriously the best! I started our interview with hardly any excitement, kind of just feeling like... darn it, I wish I could say ive been doing everything perfectly but I havent been and I need some advice, what else can I do? Ofcourse after our prayer the spirit was present and He told me the best advice that I can possibly apply in my life right now. He also told me to be proud of my progress all this time. I couldnt have understood his council that he gave me if it were 9 months ago. I really feel how much ive changed and im so grateful for my mission. I was so stubborn before and now I see all the wisdom in being teachable and meek and humble. You cant fill a glass thats already full, but you sure can be filled if you choose to be. Anyone in the world can teach you something if you let them. He said hes really proud of my courage to always admit my faults and desire to keep being better than before. I also used to be satisfied with where I was before but now I have this desire to progress in everything. Ive learned that you cant progress without admitting your flaws and things you need to work on. He says Im growing a lot in the mission. It was nice to hear that from him. 

Heres what he said to me: "Hermana Gillum, Im so proud of you and your courage and your progress. Look at you. Look how far you´ve come now. Look at how you listen to the spirit. Now that you are at this point, heres my advice to you from this day forward and forever more, the only thing I think is difficult for you, is to completely leave the past behind. I ask that you do all you can to leave everything thats behind you completely behind you for good and dont ever look back. Because you are now a brand new person and you´re finding yourself. You keep going. You´re doing great. Dont let the past effect you, and let the future unfold when its time. You wont be home until what, Feb? March? so until then, just know that everything at home is in the Lords hands. Right now just keep doing the simple, day to day things neccessary and the things of tomorrow will take care of themselves. The Lord will bless you for it. Keep up the good work. You are a baptizer Hna! And you still have a lot of work to do here okay!" 

This time, coming from him it hit me differently this time and it was good for me. I told him that is all I want to do and im going to do exactly that. President is truly inspired. Having him in the south with us all weekend was comforting. We felt like it was the Buenos Aires mission again haha. Sometimes in the south we feel like our own mission. 

IS THAT MY VOICE? IS THAT MY VOICE?

Saturday I lost my voice completely! My voice is way raspy and I squeak when I talk now and its so funny. But despite the fact that my voice had left, We were still able to really get a lot of work accomplished Saturday and Sunday because we had (stake conference) District Conference with President Gulbrandsen involved in everything. He really dropped the cane on everyone to get to work and do more to increase the converts here. He was only running off of 7 hrs of sleep in the last 3 days and he still did everything he could to enforce the progress. He dropped the cane firmly, but with a lot of love and organized everyone into groups to vote on how everyone should reslove problems in the branches. The bishops finally came to a conclusion and it was a great idea. I think something actually clicked finally for our branch because everyone was alot more excited. I could listen to President speak for hours because his stories are the best. He spoke about the importance of following the promptings of the spirit as quickly as possible before we lose the power to recieve promptings. He said "its this simple, if you are living right, and the spirit puts a feeling or an idea in your heart, you need to follow it. We recieve PROMPtings to PROMPTLY act on them. When the Lord sees that we are trustworthy of his promptings, we recieve even more." He told us a lot of stories to give examples of different situations and different promptings. Things as small as writing or phoning someone that you felt prompted to and havent spoke to in a while. It could answer their prayers. He said that once he had this feeling to call an old professor of his to just tell him how much the Lord loves him and how great he is. Coming to find out that this man was in bad condition and needed to hear this as if it were an answer to his prayers at that time. I really think its the most important thing Ive learned from President and I have done all I can to increase this ability. Im grateful for all I have learned in the mission. We can make a difference in this world. And we can, and we HAVE TO! One step at a time.

THANK YOU FOR THE BDAY/CHRISTMAS PACKAGES EVERYONE!!!

Wow first of all thank you so much! I just barely was able to enjoy my wonderful birthday/christmas package from my vaughn fam and the wonderful Seely´s!!! Robin, Tal, Brooke I love you, you guys are seriously the best and so are all the little ones that putting paintings and pics in there! I have never seen so much stuff in my life! I only was able to take out like three or four things from the box before I started to cry because I cant believe you guys would do all that! Well I CAN believe it because since ive known you, you have always been that way, helping everyone and giving more then neccessary because you guys have the biggest hearts in the world and always want to be involved in the work of the Lord and supporting missionaries! I promise you that I have been sharing all of what I recieved with the less fortunate and they have all been very grateful. Plus the other Elders were pretty happy that they were able to be a part of opening it haha. Ill attach some pics for you to see. The families here never see that kind of stuff so their eyes got all big when I showed them the things you sent for me to share. You guys are so wonderful! THANK YOU!!! and Gavin is SO BIG now what happened!? Hes so handsome! And Hailey and Trey and Dyl and Ki!!! I cant believe it! Robin you are such an amazing support and I love you with all my heart. and thank you for sending me my favorite Red Velvet cake to celebrate. Love the roxy sweater and its very warm. You guys know me so well its scary haha. Sorry I got sent to the south right before recieving it in the mail, but it didnt matter to me, it was still very appreciated! More than I can tell you! I love you all so much!

Also I recieved a package from my friend in Brazil who sent me a new Argentine fútbol jersey with brazilian clothes, braclet, board shorts, and flip flops! I loved it so much thank you! Everything fits great and I loved it but you seriously didnt have to do that. You are so great though for all that you do and thank you so much for such a great birthday gift!

Also my dear friend serving in Chile at the moment sent me a wooden keychain carved with my name in it and I LOVE it! Thank you so much Elder Leaño you´re awesome! 

And my companion Hna. Milmonts amazing mother secretly ending up sending her and I two seperate packages with PEANUT BUTTER and really awesome scrapbooking sharpies that we use to mark our scriptures and write in our journals with! SO SWEET! Thank you so much Gloria you are an amazing woman and I cannot wait to meet you after the mission! 

The thing is, I never ever expected even a card for my birthday you guys!! But I ended up celebrating my birthday with our zone and got a really great birthday card thats like one in a million haha and then I was able to celebrate my birthday with my zone here in the south all over again and you know what... im really glad. This zone here is so much like family its a blast and we are really growing as a team and helping eachother to have success. I never expected to get anything for any birthdays or holidays on the mish so really you guys... thank you so much! It was humbling. 

MY NEW GOALS 

 Alright so I just want all of you to know that this Thanksgiving I have set quite a few goals and one was to finish the Book Of Mormon Challenge and I only have 20 pages left!! woot woot! The Book Of Mormon is so amazing to me every time. This will be my third time reading it all the way through from front to back so Im learning a lot this time around. 

-Another goal that I have is to completely stop writing everybody except my mothers (Vicki and Robin) because its a rule to keep writing our parents but to limit all other emails. I will still have my blog email that you all can read on my blog about our progress I just want you all to understand that I cant be responding to your emails specifically. If you want to send me hand written letters that would be great and I could write you back, but not through emails. Not because I dont love you, because I couldnt do this without your support all this time. its just so that I can really only focus on my mission 100 percent and focus on our investigators because they are the most important at this time. I love all of my other family and friends so much but you guys know that I will see you all soon and be hugging you all at the airport before you know it. Right now I can sacrifice anything and everything that doesnt have to do with my purpose here at this time. So until I get home and I can talk to you in person, Ill only be responding to written letters. 

THIS THANKSGIVING

We have transfers this next coming Monday so we are blessed to be able to spend Thanksgiving at the Downs home where Hna. Downs is cooking us all dinner and we will be signing journals and taking photos because we dont know what changes will be coming until Sunday night. 

I would just like to say, that I am so grateful this Thanksgiving. Thank you for the wonderful people that you are. Thank you for your positivity and your support and love that never fails to comfort me out here in my mission and at home. Im so grateful for my mission. 

A mission IS a sacrafice & in my eyes a great privilege. Forgetting myself for this time as I strictly serve others, has been the best decision of my life. The greatest learning experience and the most full of love. On the days I feel weak and insignificant these angel children flock to my arms and bring tears to my eyes. Its a dream come true to be here doing this. I love obedience, and the blessings that follow it. I love how happy I feel to be confident that the Lord is proud of what Im doing. I love my family and my friends that support me, and those people that have greatly touched my life. And because I love them I will give my whole heart to serving my heavenly father so he might bless those I love according to his will. The other day I was laying on my bed telling my companion who still has a year left in the mission that she needs to make sure she never looks back, but that she takes in every moment of this. I started to cry when I explained the change my mission has brought my life. I cried so much. I told her, "Hermana Milmont, I love you, I thank you for what good you have brought my life. I pray that ive left you with good also that has taught you whats important in the mission. The little things that are so special. I want you to do all you can to never think of home or anyone there. They are all watched over and in the Lords good hands. Your friends will still be there and wont change too much, but you will change more than you can imagine. I want you to think of your wonderful mom and dad, and how much they LOVE you.... then I want you to think of your siblings.... how much THEY love you... now keep that love in your heart and let that push you hard to work and never give up. Now as good as all of them are, not even all their love put together compares to the love of the Savior Jesus Christ. Their love will push you, but His everlasting love will keep you. His pure love will change you for the better. His love will carry you when nothing else seems to be aware of your circumstances. The mission is a time to be wrapped in the arms of His love at all times. That is the greatest feeling in the world. And we are here to bring that greatest love of all to all of Argentina. So trust the Lord, do your part, and the Lord will open the future for you when its time to go home, but to all that you can to feel this love and let it change all your thoughts, your words, your actions, and let it change everything that you are."

I hope that each of you strive to feel this everlasting love and I hope that you truly let it change you for the better. I hope you let it push you to complete your goals, Lift you to higher living, teach you to be humble, and empower you to leave your mark in the world and make a difference for those around you. 

PRAYERS

- We have baptisms coming up! and one this weekend! PLEASE PRAY FOR Cesar Olmedo. He is very special. We know that the Lord sent us to him for a great purpose. we are going to fast for him this Friday and his date is Saturday. Each and every one of your prayers make a huge difference! THANK YOU!

 IM THANKFUL FOR YOU, FOR MY MISSION, & FOR LOVE :D

Is November Here Allready??

Hi loves! Sorry for not being able to write last week. The internet is very limited here in our area and we got ripped off even though the computers were frozen and not working properly so we had to get going. Sorry again. Well as always in the mission, there is always too much to tell you but not enough time. I will sum it all up and tell you that I have learned some amazing life lessons in these last two weeks and ive really grown in my testimony of the Savior. I have been such a clutz lately and been through some physical pain thats not too fun haha. For example, I have a second degree burn down my leg. That was fun! I have been through a lot lately but its all good. Elder Christansen and Hales are great zone leaders and we have learned a lot from them and laughed alot too because they always keep the zone cheery. Once when I was struggling E. Christansen told me to remember Smalls in the movie The Sandlot and how I just need to be patient, put my hand up, and Heavenly Fathers love will hit. It was so funny. He said you just need to imagine yoruself out there, with your dorky little trout hat in left field, and who cares that people are all laughin at you, you just do your part, run your route as you have been and IT WILL HIT!" So Hna. Downs later this past week helped that love of Heavenly Father come. She helped me talk my walls down that I havent fully realized I still had up. I must have have the words: (Id like a pep-talk) stamped on my forehead because just about everyone that we talked to seemed to start in giving me a pep talk and I was like.... am I on some reality t.v. show? haha but it was way good. I recieved a lot of revelation. Its wierd being in the end of the mission. Like one foot at home and one foot in the mission, you miss your fam, but you love these people and dont want to leave them. Its a weird feeling. I love my mission and even though its stressful, I am so emotional thinking about all my experiences and how grateful I am. Theres a great family here, Flia. Herredia and the dad always calls me his daughter. They are super great. I learned a lot about Patience from them this past week, they are a less active family that we are reactivating and they told me a little analogy on patience.

Patience is how we see things clearly... its necessary to achieve our goals. Our goals and dreams are like golden coins. If we image walking with the golden coin and suddenly it falls into a deep pond and we watch it go with anxiousness because we know we need that coin (goal) then its tough to wait... but if we jump in and swim down to it and wrestle in the water the dirt at the bottom will cloud the water and our view. But if we swim back up and WAIT... we will see our goal as it really is again... we will remember just how important it is when we see it shine... and then we will go down to get it with patience and caution... to pick it up and it will surely be ours again. I need to be patient with all the mission work, with my dreams, my goals. I cant have everything right now and without time and hard work. That was a good lesson for me.
We also had a great meeting with our Branch President. He is super inspired. He read my mind. He could feel that I was hiding something behind my smile. He asked me inspired questions and told me that he was so grateful for all my love here that is changing this branch. He asked me if I had even noticed all the good that I do. Long story short... he called me out on all my weaknesses telling me that I was a sponge for everything. I soak up a little of everything around me. Thats why when others hurt, I hurt, and when things dont work out I take the blame. He told me that Heavenly Father wants me to learn from this and learn how to change this mindset that I cannot change anyone or make them accept this gospel. But that I need to accept that others have their agency and the results are not because of me, but just that their hearts are not ready. He knows that my difficult past and dramatic things ive been through have led up to this problem I have. He told me to truly soak up the Atonement each day. To let go of all my pain and continue to leave it behind forever. To teach only by the spirit by having the understanding of justice and mercy. I told him that Im kind of scared to go home to the world again where Im no longer a missionary. He told me, "well hermana, I wont lie to you... its the most difficult time. Its a big change. When I got home, I was happy to see my family, my house, some friends, but after a little I sat there stunned that I was no longer a missionary. I wondered what I was to do and everything I tried to do seemed meaningless. I felt so alone without my companion and the spirit constantly with me. I felt that my other friends expected me to be the same as before the mission and I wasnt. I was a better me. I didnt feel angels walking with me anymore. It is a very lonely realization, but that is why you need to keep studying and working hard and get married so you can always live worthy and stay focused in the world that wants so much to distract you." I was crying thinking of all this. I really love my mission so much.

At the peak of the conversation he asked me a question that seemed to hit me in the chest. He asked me... "Hermana, You are so full of love for everyone... a love that has even changed my life and I am grateful to see. Its inspiring to me. Now if you can think of all the love and absorbtion you have taken up for others and for all the pain and for all the unsolved mysteries and loneliness... you can imagine that you have soaked up so much in your lifetime and in your mission. Hermana... I want you to ponder this... if you are this kind of sponge... can you imagine the sponge that your Savior Jesus Christ is?"

I am pretty sure I used a whole role of toilet paper. Poor president seeing me crying like a baby. The love of the Atonement always comes at different times in the mission but this was a peak of it hitting me hard. I was so filled with love and gratitude!

We dont have many investigators that are sticking with their commitments well... but we have a small few who are doing amazing! we have plans to baptize them this month for thanksgiving! Im excited for our interviews with President, because ive been stretching alot in my testimony and his wisdom really puts things in check for me. We have to go pray for us to find new investigators thats our focus this week! I love you guys you da best!

Happy Birthday comin up mama! Joce looked so cute for halloween! Thanks for the pics. Mom, dance tryouts are in april so can you look up the requirements and any info on the across the floor stuff for me. Thank you! I cant remember what else I needed to tell you but love youuuuuuu chao

love ash