Ashley Ltr: 2012-06-28

June 28, 2012

Helloooooo Family!!

Yes I've received all your e-mails and dear elders and they have made my whole week!! My p-day is on Thursday so that is the only time I can check e-mail and respond but I can get letters whenever so keep 'em coming! I don't have a lot of time but to answer a few of your questions yes I'm finally better!! But I feel bad cuz it's spread to a couple of the elders in my district... But on the upside I can breathe and have been sleeping much better! A typical day at the MTC... We wake up usually around 6:00, sometimes we go to the gym and other times we just lay there until 6:30 haha. Then we get ready for the day and eat breakfast. Then depending on the day we either head to class, teach investigators, or have personal study time, on almost any given day we have those things happen just in different orders. After that is lunch, and more  class, more teaching, and more personal study time. Then dinner and the same thing, sounds pretty monotonous (spelling??) but really it feels like there is never enough time in the day to finish preparing lessons or study! Preparing lessons and trying to receive revelation for investigators is HARD! Man... I under estimated the kind of work I would have to put in while being here. But it's good hard work, the kind that I know is making me a much stronger and better person. Yes I've run into several people I know! Elder Cragun Liston from Pleasant View, Brielle's husband Matt's brother, and a few friends from school. My dorm is a lot like Amber's except there are four of us in a room and yes the shower's and bathroom are just down the hall. The food here is actually pretty good, I can't even imagine how much food they go through here, the other day we had pizza and we were thinking that they would have had to order over 2000 pizza's to feed us all! My district is awesome!! Seriously you couldn't meet a better bunch of people, we have a lot of fun but we also have great discussions about the gospel. We got to go to the temple today, it was a really cool experience and the spirit was so strong. Sister Holsclaw and I joined the prayer circle and it hit me hard that literally people all over the world are praying for us missionaries! That is so cool you got to meet Elder and Sister Nelson! We had a devotional this Tuesday by Elder Perry and 10 of the 15 apostles were there! All of them except the first presidency and the Elders Hales and Packer were there! Well I'm running out of time but I had a quick question... where are all the fires?? There is a lot of smoke and ash here, but we haven't really heard anything. Thanks again for all the letters and to the Dames for the money! I love and miss you all!!! xoxoxoxo

Love,

Sister Bedke

Ashley Ltr: 2012-06-24

June 24, 2012

Hey Family!

How are y’all?  I’m doing great!  The MTC is awesome.  I’m learning so much everyday.  The MTC is like Seminary and Institute on drugs (in a good way!).  For the most part, everyone here is really striving to become better and it makes following the rules and studying a lot easier. 

My companion’s name is Sister Megan Holsclaw.  She’s from Cedar City, Utah.  She’s pretty great.  She’s been through a lot and has a strong testimony. 

Our district is awesome.  We have 4 elders and 4 sisters – Elders Jackson (Burmingham, AL), Fielding (Indiana), Racioppo (Toronto, Canada), and Parkinson (Rexburg, ID).  He knows Nate and his dad was my boss on campus – small world!  And the other sisters are Sister Hendricks (Logan, UT) and Sister Nawrock (Virginia).  They are all amazing.  We all work hard and get along great and have lots of fun.  They are all going to Colorado Springs.  Sister Holsclaw and I are the only ones going to Knoxville.

This isn’t very missionary-like, but our teachers (Bro. Miller & Rassmussen) are so good looking – holy cow!  I’m thinking I need to transfer to BYU when I get back!

Anyway, I’m doing great except that I have a head cold, which has sucked – hopefully it’ll be over soon.

Don’t worry about me – I’m learning and growing so much and I’m excited to get going and get my feet wet.  The work here is hard and I feel inadequate to be teaching sometimes, but I know that I’m in the right place and teaching the gospel is what I need to focus on.  Sorry my thoughts are kind of scatter-brained – I had to write this fast.  I love and miss you all! Xoxo

Love, Sister Bedke

P. S. I’m the only missionary in our district who hasn’t gotten a letter from home . . . remember DearElder.com.  Also, my e-mail address is Ashley.bedke@myldsmail.net.  I can’t remember if I left that with you or not.

Thank You!

We just returned a few hours ago from dropping Ashley off at the MTC.  While a piece of our hearts are still on the curb near Station 14, we are grateful she is where she is and our continuous prayers will be with her.

We want to express our appreciation to each of you for all the kindness and love you have expressed and shown to our family.  We have been truly touched by your goodness, and pray that we will be able to pay it forward someday.

Again, thank you so much for all you have done to bless Ashley's life and ours.

Why the Title, "Tennessee Needs Ashley"

As we tried to think of a name for the blog we would use to share Ashley's mission with everyone, we decided on Tennessee Needs Ashley, because as Ashley was preparing for her mission (and up until she left) she was serving as the Primary Pianist. After she received her call to Knoxville Tennessee, the Primary Chorister (Meg) made a large card for Ashley with the words "Tennessee Needs Ashley" written on it, and had all the Primary kids sign it.  When they presented the card to Ashley, Meg had all of the Primary kids chanting:

                    Tenn-e-ssee
                    Needs Ash-ley

The kindness brought tears to Ashley's eyes then as it did many times in the weeks that followed as the Primary kids chanted, "Tennessee Needs Ashley".

Thanks Meg.  Ashley truly loved it, and loves and admires you.