"Expecto Bautismo!"

Hola,

Subject line this week comes from one of the notes I found from mom. Definitely is going down as a classic line. And it's relevant for this last week cause Gustavo just got baptized and confirmed! It may have taken him 4 times, but he's definitely clean from sin now. It was all such a great service. He is gonna help our little branch out so much especially since he'll be able to receive the priesthood next week and we don't have many priesthood holders. 

It was an interesting week in our pension... we woke up one freezing morning and there was no power. So we exercised and then had an interesting time preparing breakfast and showering in the pitch black. Literally. My hand was touching my noes and I still couldn't see my fingers. By the time you could start to see the first bit of sun rise the power finally came. Just in time for us to start our studies, which was pretty neat. And then the next day water started falling from our bathroom ceiling... but not just dripping... literally a waterfall falling from the ceiling. It was still only like 7:30 and we couldn't get ahold of our landlord, so for about 40 minutes our pension started flooding. We filled 3 large buckets nearly twice and then were using my towel and all our rags to try and sop up the water. Finally we were able to find where to turn off all the water (which my companion had known all along, but I guess she didn't understand what I was trying to say when I said 'we need to turn off the water, where is it?!') By the way, no, I don't have a new companion, it's still me and Hermana Obando from Columbia. But we have 2 new elders in out district. One is actually from Draper Utah and went to Alta funny enough. 

I still haven't sent my letter... the post office is only open till one and is on the opposite side of town and we study until 12 and have lunch at one... so I'm gonna see if the Asbell's can send it for me. Which by the way, have you gotten the e-mails from Hermana Asbell mom? I gave her your e-mail cause it's the only one I have memorized. Send her an e-mail of thanks or something if you have. You can E-mail her if you want and she will send you more pictures. By the way, everyone who sees the pictures of our family doesn't believe that you and dad are your age. They all say that my mom looks way too young. 

Thanks for the letter Natalie, and you did tell me you weren't going to write, so there are no hard feelings here haha (I included that 'haha' just for you:) ) And holy cow!! Bear is the cutest thing in the world!! He already looks so different and old! Thank you so much for the pictures!! I love to see pictures of all of you. 

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes, Be sure to thank grandma and give her a big hug and a kiss for me too. Dad's re-gifting of my harry potter books is very fitting with my topic this week. And it works too since I'm pretty sure I've never taken the plastic off yet cause it's all just too pretty and wonderful. 

A great scripture that you all should read is Jacob 3:1-2. It's short and simple, but I really enjoyed it this last week. 

Also... you won't believe it, cause I can't even believe it. But my boots have a big hole in them. The seam ripped open at the outside of my toes on my right foot. The inner layer of fabric is still in tact though. It's about 2 and a half inches though... I think I can make them last for this winter, but I don't know about the next one... So much for clarks great quality. I already look like I have over a year in the mission walking in these shoes. 

I've got a great video to show you guys when I get back of a great song that my companion and I made up and filmed us singing hahah. Totally random- but as missionaries you aren't suppose to dance, and we were with all the other missionaries in our district and one of them and I were joking a bit about dancing and another one said "no dancing". So I replied that we weren't dancing, simply "caminando con gozo".Okay, so probably not even funny. But trust me when I say it was one of my greatest lines and it's definitely the joke of the week for us. I know, I know, now you're thinking how pathetic missionaries are. But I love it:) 

Love you all so much and thank you all again for everything! 

Hermana Ashcroft

Please tell Madeline Scoville and chelsea carruth Thank you so very much for the package! 

Gustavo's Baptism!

First transfer complete!

Hola!

So today marks the first day of my second transfer in the mission. I survived my first 6 weeks haha. This week we went to Bariloche for a zone conference, but we didn't really get to see much of Bariloche... we left monday in the afternoon in a colectivo and about 6 hours later we made it to Bariloche at 9pm. We spent the night with 2 other hermanas, and then tuesday morning we got up and went to the church for the conference (about 24 people) which went till about 2 and then we went straight back to the station to catch a colectivo at 3 for Esquel and from Esquel another to Trevelin. All and all it was a lot of time spent in colectivos haha. But the conference was really good, and it was great to see other missionaries. And Bariloche looked really pretty from the little bit I saw.

It was super funny trying to catch the colectivo from Trevelin to Esquel, Hermana Obando (who only has 3 months left in the mission) and I were walking to the stop and were about one block away when she says "nooo.... i hear the colectivo!" and I think she's joking cause we still had nearly 10 minutes till it was suppose to be there, but then we see it pulling away!! and Hermana Obando say's- what do we do?!? So I say- We run to the next closest stop!!! NOW!- Now keep in mind, we have our sleeping bags and bags so that we can spend the night in Bariloche and its pretty early in the day and we are running as fast as we can with all our stuff to try to beat the Colectivo to another stop all the way in the center of town like a mile away. So meanwhile the colectivo is making other stops mas a bajo and we are running so fast to cut it off and catch it mas arriba. Long story short, we're one block away with me now carrying all of my stuff plus Hermana Obando's bag cause it was too hard for her to run with it, when we see the collectivo arrive at the stop. So I start full out sprinting and reach the back of the bus when it shuts it's doors, so I start banging on the side of the bus hoping it doesn't pull out. And THANKFULLY the driver heard/saw me hahah. I looked so ridiculous as a gringo with all the bags chasing down the bus! I guess my practice of chasing busses in middle and high school really paid off though cause we made it!

Our investigator Gustavo is totally ready for his baptism this Saturday!! I am so excited for him! We had the baptism of Ambar already, but I feel like Gustavo is my first real baptism cause I was there for the whole process with him. It was my first Sunday in the area that I asked him if he would be baptised if he learned that these things were true for himself. And now not only does he know about the gosple, but his testimony is incredible! His progress has been such a miracle to witness and he will continue to be such a blessing for trevelin cause there aren't many priesthood holders here. It's so incredible to see how much this gosple blesses the lives of people.

We also are going to start teaching two sisters. I'm so happy about these 2 sisters, cause they are so nice! And they have kinda been "eternal investigators" for past missionaries, but I really think that we are going to be able to teach them now and help them to be baptised. Our tiny branch of about 12 people that come regularly on sunday is slowly but surely growing!

So we just had transfers and Esquel is a zone now! It incudes Trevelin and another place called El Bolson. So we wont be traveling to Bariloche anymore. My companion and I are both staying in Trevelin, but an Elder slavens left along with the mini missionary, so there will be 2 new elders in Esquel, and it's possible that soon there will be Elders in Trevelin with us too. Which would be so great to have more missionaries in our area!

Overall, things are going well! As always some days are better than others, but I'm loving being here. I hope you all are doing well! I'm finally sending my letter today since I wasn't able to last week.

Lots of love!

Hermana Ashcroft

P.S.- please send my regards to the Gardner Family. I loved Lisa Cook so much and she was such a great young women´s leader to me. I learned a lot from her and she was such a happy and sweet person. Please tell her daughters that I know, Kennedy and Madi, that they are in my prayers, as well as the rest of the Gardner family.

This Week- Wet and Frozen

Hello All!

First of all, I got all 4 of your post cards dad, as well as both letters with the pictures last tuesday. Thank you so much!! However, it was super strange, the letters didn't have the stamps in them... but super weird cause they didn't look like they had been opened at all. Some sneaky person magically took them out haha. It's alright though, I don't think I can use them her after all... sorry about that. I got all the pictures though and I love them! We're basically the best looking family ever. I'm going to be sending a letter to you guys either today or sometime this week.

So this week was super wet. It rained for the first 3 days, litterally non-stop. The streets started flooding. It just changed between either raining hard or raining softly, but it never stopped for just a bit over 3 days. Needless to say, we were drenched, like to the point that is looked like my hair was raining cause there was so much water dripping from it haha. I enjoyed the sound of the rain though, especially since most the roofs are tin. It was nice once it finally stopped though. Although, after it stopped the temperature dropped a lot. I stay warm enough though. And it's super great to see my companions reaction every time there is frost or ice cause the is from colombia and has never seen anything like that before.

Sounds like the reunion was great! So glad you all were able to go! My 4th of July was pretty great too! We had our first baptism- Ambar! And then later that night the Asbell's invited us over for a real American meal! Hamburgers! With corn and fries and all hahah! It was delicious. A great way to celebrate the 4th of July:) But then this friday I found out from the Asbell's that they thought that I was going to be the one completely teaching the English classes on Saturday. Talk about losing a lot of information in translation! We've been planning on these classes for a while now, but I thought that it was something that my companion had discussed with the Asbell's previous to me arriving, so I just thought that I was going to be a helper and they had it all planned out... nope haha. When they told me the night before the classes that I was the one directing it all, I nearly threw up with fear. Honestly. I was so scared and seriously would have thrown up had we not been in the middle of a lesson with our investigator Gustavo (who is imrpoving so well by the way!). So Saturday came and so did the people for the classes in the chaple, and honestly I was praying so hard the whole time. It worked though, cause Somehow I made it through the hour and a half. And I think people actually learned something haha. Anyways, now I've got to plan and teach and english class for every saturday from now on. And then on saturday again, in the evening we went to Esquel for 2 baptisms from the elders. And as soon as I show up our district leader hand me a music book and says "you have to play this song for us to sing at the baptism" (in spanish). Oh and by the way, the baptism was going to start in 15 min.... totally wanted to through up again hahah. No one else could play the piano at all, so I had 15 minutes to learn this song. Again I was praying so hard. And it wasn't perfect, but the fact that I was able to play at all was such a blessing!

Anyways, that's kinda my topic for the week- The lord gives us exactly what we need to get by. I've noticed it with the language and with so many other things. He will always bless us with what we need.

Language problem this week- I had my first ñoquis and I accidentally called them moquis and ended up telling the member that was feeding us that her boogers tasted really good.... oops haha.

Thanks for everything and I love you all so much!

Enjoy your summer!

Hermana Ashcroft

This is my district after being in the rain a bit haha!

It's Definitely Winter Here!

BURRR!! It's definitely starting to get cold here. I'm jealous of your

guys's 103 weather right about now... The muddy streets are starting

to ice over and it rains a lot here. But when we walk really really

fast it helps to not realize how cold it is. When there's lots of

puddles in the streets it's like a dance trying to walk around the

mini lakes and avoid them haha. The other day we were walking and I

hopped over a big puddle onto the sidewalk and then realized that

there was a big wire line thing that I NEARLY clotheslined myself

with. I quickly did some crazy back-bend dive to avoid it though. I

was super proud of myself for avoiding it, just to at that very moment

stomp into the biggest puddle ever! I splashed water all up my legs

hahah. Good news is my boots are nearly water proof... my feet just

get a little wet.

So apparently I have to more 'photos' (pretty sure they're post card 1

and 2 from dad that I never got) and one card waiting for me. I'll get

them later today though cause the mail gets sent to the district

leader who is in Esquel. Our cyber place got shut down in Trevelin

though so we had to travel to esquel to write, so I'll be seeing him

later to get my letters. But thank you in advance!! Bummer of a news

though... I found out that we actually don't have the church pouch

mail in my mission... So I can't send letters home using american

stamps... haha sorry. Guess I'll just be holding onto those stamps

that are on their way. And can't remember if I told you or not, but

any packeges, get sent to the mission home as well. But packages

aren't the best cause I have to pay half the price of the worth of the

contents in the package to recieve it. Just to let you know.

So starting this Saturday I'm suppose to be teaching English classes.

Definitely am scared for that. It was my companions idea, but we've

been passing out invitations for it and it's scaring my how many

people are super interested and want to come. And lots of adults too.

So it's way good cause hopefully it will bring lots of people to the

chaple, but I honestly am scared cause I have no idea how to teach

english haha! Especailly since some people want to learn enough to

helop them in their tourism jobs... what do you need to learn and how

do you teach that?? haha oh goodness... I'm just praying that I can

teach at least something to these people that I can't even talk to in

the first place haha.

Funny thing- My companion and I were studying the other day and she

says something to my in spanish and I ask her what one of the words

meant. The sentence was something like "it's because your mind is like

a (word I didn't know)" So she looks it up in the dictionary and

sounds it out and then says boldly "whorehouse!" Yeah, by this point I

was totally in shock slash lost haha. So I ask her "really??" and she

says yeah, so I walk over to look at the dictionary and realize "no no

no no no!!! hahahah That says warehouse!!!" haha it was super funny!

So don't let your mind be a whorehouse, but rather a warehouse full of

good informantion people.

My feet are feeling a lot better and are totally good now. It helps

that my shoes are completely worn in now. However, the other day I

kinda slipped in the mud and tweaked my left knee somehow... it feels

like it wants to snap backwards sometimes. I've been wrapping it

though and taking lots of Naproxin. After awhile of walking really

fast though, I'm able to kind of block out the pain. I don't know...

let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas of what it could be.

Gustavo is progressing so well! We were able to get him in the church

yesterday! And he undertands and believes everything we've taught him

so far. WE have ambar's baptism this thursday and if all continues to

go well gustavo will be on the 20th. Last night was funny though. We

were teaching him the 3rd lesson and the law of chastity too. My

companion explained the law of chastity simply enough and then I go

and add in a thought or two and get ready to close like I usually do

and I say "and I say these things..." and look at my companion and she

gives me the look like 'no don't close yet!' So i look down and see

the word faith on a paper and say "And I say these things.... with

faith... (shucks!! what am i suppose to be saying with faith

hahah)...um... that every commandment from god will bless our lives"

hahahaha oh it was ridiculous. But other than that the lesson went

well haha.

Yes mom I am getting your e-mails. Haven't gotten a letter yet though,

Just got my letters from the district leader and they were dad's post

cards and a letter from a friend, so maybe next week though. Sounds

like girls camp was way fun though! And I hope you guys have fun at

the reunion and califormia!!

thanks you to all that wrote me!! Lynette and Chealsea were a nice new

addition this week:)

Things are going well and I-m understnding more, but I still don-t

feel like I can say anything. Im studying everyday though.

Love you all so very much. And I pray for you always.

Talk to you again in a week,

Hermana Ashcroft