Ashley Ltr: 2012-07-23

July 23, 2012  8:43 AM

Helloooooo family!

Thank you so much for the letters mom and dad, they seriously mean so much to me. Dad, yah, you can try the video e-mail at least once and we'll see how I do or if it'll even work here, the internet is very slow but I'd like to try it out.

This week I'm finally starting to kinda get into the swing of things, getting to know more members, we visited a lot of them this week which was fun! The members here seriously are so strong and most of them have missionary work engrained in their hearts which is great and help us out so much. We're still working with Roy, right now he's looking for a place to live and not having much success but he keeps telling us that he knows God is watching out for him and it'll work itself out.

Christy has a baptism date, Aug 11!! Her husband Jimmy hasn't been around again since we were there last but she is loving it. We brought an older couple, the Mckinney's from the ward with us, when I say older I mean like in their 90's, but they are both still going strong and driving. They have served 3 full time missions and Bro. Mckinney bore a beautiful testimony about the Plan of Salvation, when we invited her to be baptized she accepted immediately, seriously there was no hesitation at all, it was great. Now if we could just get her family to listen so she'll have a support system...

We have another baptism date for a guy named Joshua for Aug 4. He just loves the gospel and has accepted everything so far whole heartedly, and talk about humble living wow... He lives clear out in the boonies in a trailer that really isn't very fit to live in.

Being out here has made me realize how incredibly blessed I am, I've never had to worry about where my next meal will come from, not having clothes to where, and having such an amazing support system behind me, I know I couldn't do this without you all praying for me at home.

We've run into a lot of interesting people this week, one lady was absolutely convinced that Joseph Smith is a con artist and there is no God at all. It took all I had not to be like "Are you kidding me? Look around you for heavens sake!" She basically called us liars and that there was something wrong with the way we think and believe. At first that hurt but after I got to thinking about it, it just reaffirmed my testimony that I know that what I'm telling these people is true and really nothing she could have said to me would have changed my mind.

Most everyone here is Baptist and very much set in their ways, for the most part they are nice to us and just tell us they're not interested but some people get offended that we'd have the nerve to share the gospel with them. I still struggle with tracting.  I get so nervous at every single door and still haven't found a good way to do the door approach. I'm usually fine when we're teaching, but it's the whole door approach that makes me so nervous! Any suggestions? Dad how did you do door approaches?

Last pday we went and played frisbee golf as a district which was fun, but it was so stinkin hot this week some days have been in the 100's and I feel like I haven't gotten a deep breath of air outside since I left Utah. Most people have said you don't get used to it either haha oh well I guess.

Exchanges in Chattanooga were cool! I think I told you about one of our Sister missionaries, Sister Preston, who’s stake president I met on the plane flying out here who is from Rexburg. Her dad teaches at Sugar. Well she was my companion! She's great and it was fun having a change of pace. They are a lot busier than we are out here because they are in the city, I wish we were busier sometimes it feels like time just drags. And while there I experienced my first southern thunder storm! It was insane. The thunder literally shook the apt and the lightening lit the entire room it was kinda scary but cool.

Last night we went around and met all of our neighbors at our apt complex which was fun, our next door neighbor is very eccentric haha it was an interesting conversation but we talked to her for awhile. And we still meet with John every night, I kinda feel like he's a grandpa to me and I love ending our nights talking to him.

Sister Walker and I get along just fine, she is very gospel oriented which is good for me because I tend to just want to get to know people and she's able to direct it back to the gospel which is why we're here. Today we're going to go hike Fort Mountain (Sister Walker loves to hike... and you know me and hiking!) but we're doing it.

I got really homesick again last night, I don't know what it is about after church, but so far every Sunday has been really hard for me.  I really wanted to call you just to hear your voices and seriously considered doing it, but I stayed strong and turned to my Heavenly Father, he is definitely watching out for me and helped me remember why I'm here, sometimes it just feels like I'll never be home... But then I remembered the saying from Brielle, "A missionary is someone who leaves their families for a short time so others can be with theirs for eternity." That helped me put things back into perspective and I was able to make it through the night.

Keep the prayers coming I need them, but most of the time I do just fine and I'm able to stay focused. Sorry this e-mail is kinda all over the place. But I gotta get going. Thanks again for the letters and prayers. Tell everyone hi for me. I still haven't figured out pictures because the computers here don't have memory card readers and I don't have a plug in cord. I'll have to print some off soon. I love and miss you all so much!! xoxoxo

Love,

Sister Bedke :)

p.s. Remember to send CD's please! We only have a couple and they are getting really old... :)

p.s.s. I still haven't heard from Madi!! :(

p.s.s.s. I can't believe Bekah is married... Crazy!  Molly was actually my Relief Society president last semester but that's awesome!! If you wanted to forward that to me that would be great. And congrats to Val!!! I'm so happy for her! (I'd like one for her to.)