Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Ashley Ltr: 2013-08-19



Subject:  Sometimes we get random calls and go to sketchy neighborhoods for people who want to learn about the church

August 19, 2013
Hey family!!!

Man what a great letter! Best. Family. Ever. DAD!! That's way cool about hiking the Tetons and losing all that weight!!! That's my daddy! PLEASE TAKE A CAMERA AND TAKE PICTURES!!! That'll be way fun! I'd love to do that someday!

So glad to hear work is going good mom, I loved doing customer service too, I really hope I can get on at Seagull Book again... Or doing something like that. That's so crazy y'all are praying for rain and we're praying it'll stop! Maybe I'll start praying it'll be sent that way.

Basically that's the story, my ward mission leader literally eats out of a dog bowl during dinner... hahaha!! 

It's been another good week! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! Seriously life is just so good.

Debbie wasn't able to come to church this week because she has some major family problems going on. BUT she is getting baptized!!!! Her date is for Aug. 31st! It was so cool! She is so ready now! Hopefully her family won't hold her back... I just can't get over how incredibly blessed I've been in my life! Some people really have it rough. Yes she's the one that made us the wreath :) One of the members came by the other day and was like "It looks like you're having a baby boy" hahaha!

Gloria and Sarah both are out of town for the week so nothing really to report there unfortunately...

Patty is doing pretty much the same. We had an incredible lesson with her a few days ago and when we asked if she'd be willing to set a date for baptism this is how it went down...
Us: When you know these things are true will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God?
Patty: Yes.
Us: Will you set a date to work towards?
Patty: I already have one picked out.
Us: Really?! That's great! What is it?
Patty: I'm not telling.
Are you serious right now??? Man that was way frustrating. She refused to tell us what it is and I guess she doesn't want to tell us because she doesn't want us or her husband to be disappointed if she doesn’t make it. We assured her that we wouldn't be but she still wouldn't budge. She'll get there eventually it's just going to take some time.

We didn't really get the chance to see Pam this week we're seeing her tomorrow though and most likely having a drop lesson.... :( I think the hardest part about being a missionary is knowing that someone has had a spiritual confirmation that the gospel is true and having it testified to them over and over and they still refuse it. It is absolutely heart breaking.

I haven't written Beth yet... I really need to! We tried calling a couple of times but she hasn't answered. I hope everything’s going alright. I miss her a lot.

So really cool story of the week! We've been working a lot with a LA Cindy Harker who really wants to get to the temple, she's been making leaps and bounds to get there but one big hold up she's had is smoking... (I HATE CIGARETTES!) So we learned about a quit smoking program that we figured we'd try out for her. The first lesson we talk about the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement and commit her not to smoke for 24 hours. Then we go back to see her every 24 hours (this is kind of a big deal for us because she lives several miles away but we really felt like it was something we needed to do for her). We started Friday went back the next day and she had smoked 3... Which isn't great but it's better than what she'd done in a looooong time. So we tweaked the program a bit for her and committed her to only smoking 2 the next day, she agreed. We go back Sunday and she said all I've had is one puff and I put it out, I couldn't even finish it it grossed me out so bad!!! WAHOOOO!! Dang it was so cool!! She's going to get there!

So story about the subject of my e-mail... A lady from the Rogersville branch called us and told us that she had talked to a lady in the grocery store parking lot Friday and that this lady had been praying to be able to find a church to attend, so she got all her contact info and passed it to us. We had a women's conference on Saturday (which is awesome!) and invited her to that she said she'd love to go. That's really all we knew about her so we go out with a member to her house which literally is in the middle of nowhere in a wayyyyy sketchy neighborhood, we really had no idea which trailor was hers so we just went up to one randomly and it was hers! She came and loved it! Her name is Amanda Stone, I think she weighs maybe 80 lbs and I think does some drugs but she came! And really has a desire to do something different with her life! So still not exactly sure how that one happened haha but hopefully there will be more to report on her later! :)

Thought for the week...

"The realization of your amazing, astounding, and true potential happens only in the hands of the Lord. But you and only you can place yourselves in those masterful, loving hands... Trust Him that He will make of you immeasurably more than you will ever, ever in all eternity, make of yourself. He will create of you a masterpiece. You will create of you only a smudge. You will create an ordinary man; He will create a God."

Well I think that about wraps up my week. I love love love y'all!!! xoxoxo

Sister Bedke :)

p.s. Maybe you could send some pictures next week?? :)

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