Ashley Pics: 2013-12-23

Ashley, Sister Huber, Debbie and Hunter Baptism

Ashley, Sister Huber, and Hunter Baptism

Ashley and Sister Huber Christmas Card Photo

Ashley and Sister Huber Christmas Candy Train

 

Ashley Ltr: 2013-12-30 ===> THE LAST LETTER!!!

Subject:  Bring it on 2014!!

December 30, 2013

Helloooooo family!!

Man this seriously is the most surreal feeling sitting here in the Kingsport, TN library for the last time writing to y'all... Honestly it still hasn't really hit me yet I don't think that I'm heading home in just a couple of days. I'm totally and completely at peace with it all though, I know that Kingsport is going to be in great hands with Sister Huber at the reigns.

Yesterday was hard. I HATE goodbyes ugh... Thank goodness for Facebook though right? :) The bishop had me bear my testimony which I was grateful for. I had so many people come up and hug me thanking me for my service, I'm really going to miss this ward. I have met so many incredible people who truly have changed my life for the better! I thank Heavenly Father every night for sending me here.

I'm with y'all it's hard to believe that Christmas was this week... It feels like forever ago, this whole week has been just crazy, it's flown by but also dragged on. Holidays as a missionary are hard, most people are gone or are busy and have family in, they all say come back after the Holidays, so it's been kind of a slow week work wise.

Remember Shelley that I told y'all about last week though? She came to church yesterday! We had a lesson with her afterwards and committed her for a baptismal date! She's set for February 8th. :) Shes' such a sweet lady and the gospel is just what she needs in her life right now, she's had it rough, really rough.

It's hard to believe that 18 months has already come and gone, I'm definitely not the same person I was when I left, I've learned and grown so much. It's kinda scary to me that I wasn't going to do this, I wasn't going to serve a mission, I've wondered a few times where I'd be and what I'd be doing. I'm just so grateful that Heavenly Father stepped into my life when He did and let me know what it is I needed to be doing. I've been able to do things I never thought I could, I've been stretched in ways I didn't think I could be stretched and come out on top and I've come out a much better person because of it all.

I can for sure stand on my own two feet now when it comes to my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I know it's true without a shadow of a doubt. I know that through Jesus Christ and His infinite Atonement anyone, anywhere, anytime can change. I've seen it and experienced it myself. I know that the Book of Mormon really is the word of God, another testament of Jesus Christ and I know that in its pages you can find peace and solace to your heart, I know that because I've experienced it time and time again. I'm so grateful for the prophet Joseph Smith for the courage, strength, and faith he had to go through what he did so that we could have the gospel in our lives today, can you imagine what the world would be like today if we didn't have it? But we do! And for whatever reason I was blessed to have it my whole life, I don't know why but I'm going to do my best to try and keep paying it forward so that others can experience the same joy and happiness I've had. The gospel is true and I'll be forever grateful for the chance I've had to let others know that.

Thank you all for the love, prayers, and support you've given me. I honestly couldn't have done it without y'all. Love, love, love you!! :)

See y'all in a couple of days!!! xoxoxoxo

Sister Bedke :)

p.s. Mom if you maybe wanted to drop a hint at Seagull Book that I'm coming home, I'd love to work there again! Also if I could get back on with I think it's called Aventguard where Brother Garner works that'd be great too, dad maybe you could drop the hint there. :)

Ashley Ltr: 2013-12-23

Subject: Two more people have entered God's kingdom! We had an AWESOME baptism!

Yo yo yo it's letta time!!!!!!!!!

Hey family!! So good to hear from y'all! Glad to hear things are going great! Court I loved yours and Brooke's pictures!! The two of y'all are going to have to teach me how to be stylish again haha I've kinda lost it on the mission...

2 MORE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Doing it at noon should work just fine for me! I think I know my gmail account...

Man we had such a great week! The Shorts got baptized on Saturday! Seriously one of the best baptisms I've been to. Family baptisms are where it's at! Debbie has been working towards this for about 3 years now and because of Hunter she was able to kick her smoking addiction and finally do it! They had several family members there who aren't members, Kallie just cried through the whole thing, the spirit is definitely working on her and she should get there soon. I LOVE that family! And now they're working towards going to the temple! The church is so true!! I got to speak on the gift of the Holy Ghost, everything just went perfectly! They were confirmed in the Kingsport ward yesterday and the ward just fellow shipped them right on in! They're going to be just fine and they're going to be strong active members! :)

We made some more headway with Patty this week, we decided to go back to the basics and taught the Restoration again we really focused on priesthood authority and how she can find the peace and comfort she's looking for by being baptized. The spirit was really strong, we had brought Debbie Smith with us and she bore testimony of how she came to know. And she committed to praying about a date in February, it's so far out because she is going out of town again for a couple months dang it... But at least she is willing to do that! :)

We had some good news from Kim this week too! She texts us and was like I have an early Christmas present for you, I haven't drank sweet tea for 2 weeks now and I have no desire to! We're not sure what changed that but we're hopefully going to find out tonight! Keep them in your prayers, Bobby has been sick again.

So we had a pretty cool experience this week! I think I've told y'all a little bit about Sky Byars we've been seeing her pretty regularly the whole time I've been here, so we get there on Thursday and she's like I have a surprise for you! It's someone to teach, right here right now! Her name is Shelley and she is dating Sky's uncle. Basically Shelley was like I would really like to be a member of this church, is the first step baptism? What the?! Haha so we talked to her a little bit about the church then went back Saturday and taught the Restoration, which went really well. She's got several things she needs to overcome so please keep her in your prayers but she's pretty golden! Heavenly Father is blessing us a lot right now! 

I have been pretty sick this week, I've had a nasty head and chest cold but it's on its way out and I'm feeling much better now. I've passed it on to Sister Huber though... :/

Man I can't believe it's Christmas this week!!! We don't have a hint of snow here and I don't think we're going to get any, I think it's going to be a pretty wet and rainy Christmas. But it should be good, the ward's taking great care of us! Yesterday the Primary kids sang Christmas songs to us missionaries and then gave a us a HUGE box of wrapped food! :) It was so nice and will keep us fed for awhile.

Things really are going so great! I am going to miss mission life so much but I've still got a week left to make the most of it! 

Again can't wait to talk to y'all so soon!!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Love, love, love y'all!!!! xoxoxoxo

Sister Bedke :)

p.s. yes Sister Colwell's name is Valerie.

p.s.s. For grandma B.... 1. Her hugs 2. the quilts she makes 3. Making you feel like you're #1 whenever you talk to her. 4. her food!! 5. her love of the gospel 6. long talks. The list could go on and on. I'm sooooo excited she'll be there! She started it with me and now she'll end it with me! :)