Monday, August 5, 2013

Ashley Ltr: 2013-08-05



Subject Line:  Pralines from the south are a thing.

August 5, 2013

Hey hey hey family!!

I've decided to switch up the topics of my e-mails a bit to make them more fun I guess haha Sister Burningham does it and I thought it was a cool idea. Some members went on vacation to Charlton and brought us back real pralines. Literally the best things ever.

Girls camp sounds like it was awesome!! Haha I loved all the stories! Way to go dad for giving Court a piece of her own medicine hahaha I loved that! I miss you guys! And mom, I'm so proud you are one brave lady.

Amb went through the temple. That's so awesome! I asked President Irion this week if it would be possible for me to see her and he said most likely not but he'll think about it and it'll be up to Heavenly Father. Maybe we could pray for that?? Haha no I guess not if He wants it to happen it will.

Yah I saw Sister Parkinson at zone training but I totally forgot to talk to her about it! But I'll see her again in a couple of weeks for exchanges.

Our mission leadership council went great! And I hope our little blip went good too. It's so cool to see the leadership of the mission in action. Seriously I have so much respect for people in leadership positions they really do love and care about us, a lot.

Zone training was great too, we're breaking PMG down chapter by chapter each month and studying them and this month is chapter 4 Recognizing the spirit and the trainings were awesome! That's one of my favorite chapters, you can learn so much of how the spirit talks to you individually and how to recognize it. Preach my Gospel is amazing.

We had another pretty good week! We had a lady Sister Tina Frost come to church yesterday she is a LA and hasn't been for 10 years! And she came!!!! It was awesome. AND her husband who has been totally against the church for a long time is having his heart softened slowly but surely. We told her that it was going to be up to her setting the example for him.

Pam has another new baptismal date for August 24th... We'll see if it goes through. She is a TOUGH one to read... She seems sincere and says that she's been doing her readings but then she won't come to church. I'm just tired of people promising they'll do something and then not. I can take a lot of things but being lied to is not one of them.

We got an awesome phone call from Gloria this week! She called and was like, "I've been reading the Book of Mormon and you know how up to this point I've had some doubts? Well I don't anymore! I know it's true!" It was way cool! Now if we can just help her get to church... She is a caregiver for a lady in the other wards mother-in-law and as of right now she's always scheduled to work Sunday's, dang it. So please keep her in your prayers that something can change there soon.

Sarah Lowe is doing great! She is so excited to learn and I think will progress fairly quickly. I love her!

David (Junior) Ennis sounds really promising as well! He is a LA's son and has been reading the Book of Mormon a ton. He was going to come to church yesterday but he got stuck in North Carolina. We're meeting with him tonight though to answer some questions and teach him the Restoration. He wants to be baptized he just doesn't know it yet.

Beth is doing great as well! She texted us last week and said the ward here is great but I miss you guys a lot. And yes she is in Amber's mission! She lives in Lilburn GA I think it's called... I miss her. She's such an amazing lady.

We had another great exchange this week! I went up to Greeneville (which by the way is where The Band Perry is from) and was with Sister Hatch who is from Plain City she said that her brother and family live in Pleasant View, the Shifmans (sp?).... I told her that name sounds way familiar. Are they in our ward?

I had awesome personal studies this week and wanted to share a few things with y'all...

First... D&C 64:33-34 read it. love it. apply it.

Second.... "As you consider the questions of what kind of person you will become, you must understand the dynamic process of life. You not only can change but you do change all the time. Sometimes people do not believe this. They excuse their failures and weaknesses by saying, "that's just the way I am." To believe that weaknesses and deficiencies in your character are unchangeable is to reject the central truth of the plan of salvation. You are not cast in stone. You not only can change but you do change all the time. You never stay the same. You cannot stand still. You are responsible for who you are and you are responsible for who you will become." -Elder Corbride (The 4th missionary)

It's kind of a duh quote but it really affected me. There's no excuse for not being able to change yourself or something about yourself you don't like and it's never to late.

Third... This was a thought that crossed my mind. "Obedience is intelligence." When we're being obedient the commandments of a loving Heavenly Father we're being smart. He's given us all that we need to be able to return to live with Him again someday, we just have to be obedient.

Well I think that about wraps up my week. I love and miss you all. A lot. xoxoxoxo

Sister Bedke :)

p.s. I just love being a missionary.

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