It's a Christmas Miracle!!!

December 23, 2013

First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH to the ward, the young women, the activity day girls, and Alison Bennion who sent me christmas cards! And also just to the whole ward who is just awesome! I'm pretty convinced that we have the best ward there is:) Love and miss you all! 

Also- I forgot to say, that picture i sent was of victoria on her wedding day the week before her baptism! I'm super sad though cause her and her husband braian are moving to buenos aires this week right after christmas. I wanted you guys to see her though, because she really is incredible and I just love her:) 

So it continues to be super hot here and it causes a few problems for us.... besides that fact that I am sweaty and stinky 24/7... we often don't have water.  It either gets shut off or sometimes it just doesn't work in our pension. We usually can get a little drizzle from the kitchen sink though, but only of cold water and we get none in the bathroom. So we've been taking lots of bucket showers lately. And the truth is i'm pretty sure I'm only ever about 50% clean haha. It's awesome:) Also I got a bit sick this week and completely lost my voice the point where I couldn't talk at all. I was left totally mute. Although I'm pretty sure you guys would get some good laughs out the reasonings of a lot of people as to why it happened....a few are.... 1- It's from the heat the sun is bad for you and makes you sick (that's a common one) 2- It's cause I drink cold water (if that's the case it's too bad, cause I'm definitely not switching to warm water). 3 (and the best one I thought)- It's cause you drink too much juice (this person was very convinced of this)

well, although they were all very good guesses from various people and my companion, turns out the mission nurse told me it's nothing more than a verry bad infection/virus. (which is too bad cause I was really rooting for it to be the juice reason). Anyways, I got some meds at a pharmasy (why does that word look so weird) and they're helping although not quite fast enough cause the infection now moved to my eye. So I called the nurse again and she confermed that my throat infection moved to my eye (which sounds weird) and I got some powerful eye drops now too. Although I'm thinking i just need to spoon my eye out and buy myself a very nice looking christmas eye patch. It would go along well with the man voice i have now as my voice is slowly coming back. Anyways, it should be all better in another 3 days or so, and if not I'll be making a nice trip to an eye doctor and hospital for christmas. 

OH, and I got another companion. She's a newby here to Argentina and came in early so she's in a trio now with hermana silva and I. She's Hermana Brown and crazy thing- She entered the MTC the same day as me, and she got called to go to buenos aires as well for the MTC, but the day before they called her again and sent her to provo. And she's been serving in Idaho waiting for her visa for the last 8 months! Which is awesome, but I'm personaly super grateful that I got straight into Argentina. Also it's crazy to hear from her how different the missions are. 

Well transfers are the week right after christmas, so I'll be learning soon where I go and who I'm with... Maybe Hermana Brown will stay here in Allen with me... I think I'd like that, she's got an awesome conversion story. I really do want to stay in Allen though, it doesn't feel like I've been here for nearly 3 months. so I'm kinda anxious to learn what will happen. 

So if all goes well, we'll be coming into the cyber the 26th at 12 or 12:30. And we're hoping that there will be computers open. If not we'll have to wait till one opens up cause there's only a few with cameras and skype. Sorry I cant tell you all a more definite time. But just try to be ready and free between the hours of 8-11 AM your time or 12 noon to be safe... or untill that night haha. but we really will be trying to get in early before the computers are all taken. 

We're participating in a nativity scene play thing tonight for the ward and us hermanas are going to be the shepards. If it was as hot in that time and if it was anything like the clothing that we'll be using, then I feel bad for the shepards and how thick the clothing was that they used. 

Well... Aside from all the crazyness and sickness that's been happing, I really do belive in christmas miracles! And I hope that you all recieve the best christmas miracles this year. Keep your eyes open cause I know they're there:) I've made this phrase a thing between our district and we all say it all the time now:) It makes me so happy cause we all are looking for the big and small christmas miracles here in Allen:) 

Love you all so much and talk to you this thursday the 26th!!! have a great christmas!!! 

Love Hermana Ashcroft

P.S. - FELIZ NAVIDAD AND A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!!

P.S.S- Although I may miss you a bit, I wouldn't come home for christmas this year... I'm just so happy to have this oportunity to celebrate christmas in the mission and try to bring a happier christmas to others:)