Ashley Ltr: 2012-08-27

Hola mi familia!!

Thanks for the letters and pictures!  That's a really good picture of grandma and her kids.  It sounds like the wedding was a huge success!!  That's so exciting, I'm so happy for Val! :) No I hadn't heard about the whole Mormon interview thing...  Ugh that's so frustrating, you know they seek out those people who will bash on the church or who have left for some stupid reason.  Thanks for the heads up though so we'll know what people are talking about if they bring it up.  We do have a gps right now but it's Sister Walker's and when she leaves I'll need one to get around, thanks for keeping your eyes peeled!

This week has been good!  We found not 1, not 2, but 3 new investigators!!  Heck ya!!  It was exciting!  Aaannnddd all of them were there for our set appts, which NEVER happens.  That was awesome.  And we found them all tracting, so I guess there is some good that comes from it haha.  Their names are Dennis, David, and Evon Turner (maybe her family too).  I'll keep y’all updated with what happens there, hopefully something good!

Christy is right on track for her baptism this Saturday!!  She really is so excited, and loves church!  Hopefully everything will actually work out this time around.  We were also finally able to get a hold of Josh yesterday!  He has finally found work and has been busy with that, but he is still reading from the Book of Mormon daily which was so good to hear.  And he also would still like to get baptized, so we'll probably shoot for next Saturday.

We had a bit of an adventure a couple of nights ago, it had been a long day of tracting and finally we were heading back to the car.  We get there and Sister Walker starts looking in the back windows, at first I was like whatever maybe she's paranoid but she kept looking so I asked what she was doing and she's said looking for the keys...  Are you kidding me?  She locked the keys in the car!  Talk about a scary feeling, out in the middle of nowhere, it's dark, and our gps is locked in the car to so we're not sure which way is home.  So we're trying to call some people but no one could come help us then.  Luckily we had met a great couple a little earlier that night so I suggested we head back over there so we could at least use their phone book to call a lock smith, so we head over and they were so nice!  They offered to let us spend the night or to give us a ride home, so they drove us home and made sure we got it safe.  Tender mercy from the Lord right there, what could have been an awful night was totally turned around because of that nice couple.  The Lord definitely watches out for us missionaries.

So funny story yesterday at church.  The bishop had asked a recent convert to say the closing prayer in sacrament meeting and we were standing right there when he asked.  The first thing he said is well I haven't prepared anything, the bishop told him not to worry, just to make sure he closed in the name of Jesus Christ and he would do just fine.  So it comes time for the closing prayer and he gets up there and grasps both sides of the pulpit and starts preaching to the ward hahaha!  Loudly.  He's like "I have 6 things I'd like to say, first the Lord is great!  and loves everyone!" The bishop stopped him before he got to into his sermon and was like "Just a prayer" and he's like oh!  so he says a very interesting prayer and closed in the name of the Father.  Hahaha it took all I had not to bust up laughing.  The prayer of a baptist convert... haha oh man.

My poor feet took a beating this week, I guess I have really tender feet, they are a mess.  So many blisters!  Which has made walking very painful.  The band aids and tape I put on just fall off because my feet get all sweaty...  Any suggestions on what to do?

Sorry this letter isn't very long not a whole lot to report and I spent most of my time reading all your letters...  Keep them coming!  Good luck with school everyone!  I love and miss you all.  xoxoxo

Love,

Sister Bedke

p.s.  I finished my first journal already!  Can you believe it??  I Ashley Anne Bedke actually finished a journal!! :)

Ashley Ltr: 2012-08-20

Helloooooo family!!!

Thank you for the letter! Haha I love how it always says it in the top that it gets sent at either 1 or 2 in the morning, mom you're the greatest! It sounds like you're having a fun weekend! I'm so happy for Val! Take some pictures for me por favor. And tell the whole family hey for me! As for the package you're putting together, I could use a couple more pairs of those sockie things from pay less I can't find them in Walmart here, a few more cd's would be awesome! Like Jericho Road, Josh Groban, instrumental, we can listen to anything uplifting. Also this doesn't have to be for awhile but I just found out that missionary's should have their own gps if possible, I assumed it was something the mission provided with the car but it's not so if you wanted to keep an eye out for one on KSL or something that would be great. I can't really think of anything else I really need maybe some copies of dad's missionary journal entries from when he was in Dalton, that would be cool! And pictures are always great!!

This week has been pretty great! We had our zone conference on Thursday which was fun and so good! I LOVE President and Sister Irion, they are amazing! Especially Sister Irion, she gives the most incredible hugs, kinda like a mom or dad hug, of course nothing can top those, but she makes me feel so loved! :) The focus of the conference was on the BOM and using it when we teach, how important it is to be studying from it and teaching from it daily. Our musical number went really well, I love that song I know that my Redeemer lives, so much! And like it said in my blessing I really have found comfort in that hymn. I'm still trying how to figure out how to send pictures... I don't know if I have all the right cables, at this library they don't have a memory card reader. Hopefully I'll figure something out soon I guess if not I'll print some off and just send them to y'all. Then on Friday we did exchanges with the sisters from Signal Mountain, TN. That was fun! I got to go up there and work with Sister Mickelson. She's such a sweetheart! And so easy to talk to!! It was such a nice change of pace actually being able to laugh and joke with someone! The work up there is very slow though, I guess they just recently opened the area back up back in March I think, but things just aren't really happening up there it's sad and gets really discouraging for the sisters serving there. They live with members in this SMALL one room, everything they have and do is in that tiny room, oh my lands I would go crazy!! It's a gorgeous area though! I loved how different all the homes were, I'm definately going to have a southern style porch in my dream home! Rocking chairs and all. While there Sister Mickelson took me to a place called signal point, which is a gorgeous view of the TN river and you can see downtown Chattanooga in the distance, everything here is sooooo green!! Exchanges are great and I look forward to more in the future!

Speaking of exchanges can you believe I've already had my first 6 weeks! 2 months ago today I left home... Crazy! In some ways it's like 2 months! Already!? And in others its like only 2 months down... haha. Our whole district is staying the same for this transfer, I don't know if I've told you about them... whoops. We have Elder Howell, he's from Utah and he is training Elder Ready who is from California. Elder Howell heads home in December. They are over the Dalton East area. Then Elder Neubert is our district leader, he's from Utah (Kaysville actually and he went to Davis), he heads home in December too, and his companion is Elder Robinson who is also from Utah, it's kinda funny he looks exactly like the kid off of 'Meet the Robinsons' I think he's been out about 8 months. It's a fun group for the most part, and we have fun.

Josh's baptism didn't end up happening... He is almost never home when we go over and rarely returns our phone calls so I don't know exactly what's going on there, we need to just sit him down and ask what's up. He was able to find a job though! Downer is it's in Dalton and he lives in Chatsworth and has no transportation... So I'm not sure how that's going to work exactly but he's deteremined to make it work even if he has to walk (which is about a 4 hour walk). Please keep him in your prayers so we can know how best to help him. Christy wasn't able to come to church yesterday because she got dehydrated and had to be taken to the hospital. But she told us she loved church and she is really working on getting her family to come. Keep them in your prayers also. We found a couple of new investigators this week! Hopefully they'll actually be home when they say they will and it'll go somewhere.

Yesterday we had dinner with Bishop Griggs and his family, they are great and we had fun with them and their 4 boys. We're starting something new this week, each Sunday we're going to give a Book of Mormon to a sister in Relief Society and ask her to write her testimony in it then give it away to someone. We started with Bishop and his family and he thinks it's a great idea, we're really trying to get the members more involved. Members are key!! If Amb is really serious about a mission encourage her to go on splits with the missionaries, I really wish I would have and it's a great oppurtunity for the members to see how sharing the gospel doesn't have to be a scary thing and she'll learn a lot! After dinner with them we headed over to the McKenney's home to watch President Monson's birthday celebration. What an amazing man he is! And the music was incredible!

I guess those are the highlights of the week. Slowly but surely I'm seeing Sister Walker through different eyes, I've been trying to compliment her on different things and try and boost her self confidence. She really is a great missionary I just wish she'd loosen up and learn to have a little fun every once in awhile. We're limited on our miles this month so I think we're going to just hang out here for the day. We do have dinner tonight with the Blacks and the other Elders which will be fun, the Blacks are an amazing couple! They also have a son on a mission, and it was fun when we were there last they had just gotten a letter from their son and they got so excited! Sister Black was like I can guarentee this is how your families are every Monday too haha and that made me feel good. I left my ear phones at the apt dang it so I can't watch your video message until next week, but I'm so excited for it! I hope you all have a great week! Good luck with school Courtney, Brooke, Jace, and Madi! And Amb have fun with Addie! I'm so jealous of you two, you're going to have soooooo much fun! I love and miss you all!

Love,

Sista Bedke :)

Ashley Ltr: 2012-08-13

August 13, 2012  10:03 AM

Heyyyyyyyy family!!

Thank you so much for all the e-mails this week, I was surprised when I opened it up and found 10 unread e-mails!! That's always a great feeling. And I loved the video e-mail!! I think I'll be okay, it made me really happy not sad or homesick. Now I just need to get some head phones so the entire library doesn't listen in haha.

It sounds like the reunion was a huge, fun success! I'd love to see pictures from it! And mom!! I'm so proud of you for doing all the stuff!! Woohooooooo!!! When does school start there? Do y'all have any more plans before then?

This week was a lot better. It had a lot of highs and one major low... But such an improvement from last week!! Tuesday we met with Josh and he was so excited and ready to get baptized, he seriously is golden investigator to a T! I guess before he had a smoking/tobacco problem but as soon as we taught him the Word of Wisdom, he stopped that day. He told us, "I'm not going to tell you it's been easy, because it hasn't but it's been worth it. And you sisters make me want to be a better person, I don't know how I can ever thank you for bringing the gospel into my life." I almost cried I was so happy, and I told him the best thanks he could ever give us is just to be baptized and keep living the gospel, and he said that he definitely would! So we met with him a couple more times that week to get all the lessons taught which he completely accepted and committed too and we had everything ready to go for his baptism on Saturday. I was one ecstatic missionary! I've always wondered how missionaries back in Bible times or even in Joseph Smith's time could leave their families for years at a time to teach the gospel but if they were baptizing all the time and felt like I was feeling I could definitely see how they stayed out! Then Saturday morning came... And we get a text from him that says, "I can't make it today... sorry." That's all it said, no explanation or anything, so we tried calling but no answer so we hurried over to his house and on the way there saw him biking along the road. We pulled him over and said what's up is everything okay? And he said that his uncles had just called him and told him his grandma was sick and that they were coming to get him today in TN...  I asked him though are you having any doubts? And he assured us that he's not he just needed to go see his grandma. Talk about a let down. I know he had a legitimate reason but I was so upset and didn't understand why this would happen on today of all days.

Then we had an appt right after that, I think I faked it okay but still my head wasn't in the lesson the whole time we were there. When we came home I broke down and cried, I got on my knees and just asked Heavenly Father why?? Why now? I felt like I was failing as a missionary and that I was just wasting my time out here. Sister Walker kinda tried to comfort me in a very awkward kind of way haha which was sweet but I just wanted to talk to my family or be left alone. So I went into my room with my patriarchal blessing, the words from my setting apart and fathers blessing and my scriptures. I decided to just start reading and guess where I turned to I think it was Alma but it was all about faith. It was just what I needed, that simple reminder of faith. There is definitely a reason why it's the first basic principle of the gospel. Without faith life would be impossible. Then my patriarchal blessing backed it right up that I needed to be tested first before I'd see results. Man... I was humbled right up, got on my knees and thanked Heavenly Father for that simple reminder of faith, then I got up and did as President Hinckley's said and got to work! :) So that was the low of the week but you know I think it really turned out to be a high because it was a trial of my faith and I got an answer to my prayers. I love prayer!!

Now the highs of the week!! I don't know if I've said much about Roy but he is someone else we're teaching (he can't get baptized though until 2016 because he's on probation) but he's been taught all the lessons and loves reading from the Book of Mormon. His only hold up is he's having a really hard time quitting smoking. He calls us every night just to make sure we're okay and then tells us what he's read from the BOM and Wednesday night he calls and there was something different in his voice, he sounded really happy and excited and he told us he'd just finished reading Mosiah 3 and how he had it confirmed to him that the BOM is true!! And he doesn't care what any one says he knows that Mormons are Christian and that Joseph Smith was a prophet! Talk about an amazing phone call!! He also said that money is really tight right now so he doesn't have money for coffee or cigarettes! We'll see how long that lasts but he definitely took a big step this week!

Aaaannnnndddd Christy came to church yesterday!!!! Oh my gosh that was so cool! She was super nervous but the ward welcomed her with welcome arms in a non smothering way, it was perfect. When we asked her what she thought she said, it's different (but she said it with a smile on her face!). So I'm anxious to hear what she says when we meet with her this week.

I also had my first cottage meeting this week, which is when you teach investigators in a members home. Which is the BEST way to teach!! And the people we were teaching were this lady, Sister Arhart's, family. It was a really good lesson and we taught the entire family! We walked in and there was 8 people sitting in there ready to listen haha at first it was a little nerve racking but then we said the prayer and jumped right in and the spirit was so strong, it was incredible!! Sister Arhart texted us afterwards and said thank you so much, her mother really enjoyed it and the whole family is planning on coming to church!! That family is awesome and I'm excited to hopefully get to work with them more.

Guess what else happened yesterday?? I experienced my first baptist church meeting! Haha ohhhhhh man, when Christy said this is different, she wasn't kidding! We met a lady Laura, who took us as her guests, we walk in and there is some serious gospel music going on! Then the choir got up and sang at the top of their lungs!! It was cool, and then this lady I don't know if she was just over come with the spirit or what but she just went off for seriously 10 min just praising Jesus and shouting Hallelujah! It was kinda weird and I had to try hard not to start laughing. And the preacher shouted at the top of his lungs the whole sermon, I don't know how he did it for that long but by the end I had a killer headache. People kept going up to the front and kneeling at these benches then got up and would praise the Lord and hug those around them. It was definitely an experience! We're going back Wednesday with her again. If you ever have to opportunity to go to another church do it! Just to see what it's like and it'll make you appreciate our church that much more.

Well I gotta get going. Keep the letters coming. And tell the ward thank you so much for their prayers and concern for me and that I love them. What an amazing ward!! :) I love you all!! xoxoxo

Love,

Sister Bedke

p.s. can I get Brielle's address please? And will you ask her if she got my letter? Thanks!

Ashley Ltr: 2012-08-06

Monday, August 06, 2012  9:26am

Hello to the best family in the entire world!!

I was so excited to show people in the ward those pictures!  Bro. Thomason, Bro. Denman, and the Beasley's all said they remember Dad and Sister Turner from the picture is still in the ward here!  She wasn't at church yesterday, but I'm excited to show her them next week.  Sister Cox was so excited about the pictures especially of the old church, she said she's been trying to find a copy of that picture for years, but no one's had one.  We're planning on getting together with her next Monday and she's going to show me the binder she's putting together.  I'm excited to read those mission journals when I come home Dad.

Thanks for all the suggestions Dad, I really appreciate it and I'm excited to do a few of them.  I hope things keep going well with work and bishopric stuff, know that I love you so much and I'm so grateful for all you do for me and the family.

This week has been kinda rough...  Almost all of our teaching appts fell through and we tracted a whole lot of hours and only got 1 or 2 return appts.  It's just frustrating that we're trying so hard and not having hardly any success.  Also, Joshua's baptism didn't end up happening because we could never get ahold of him (he has a very limited amount of min on his phone) and was never home when we went over...  Hopefully this weekend it will happen.  Christy can't get baptized this weekend though because she hasn't been coming to church and they have to have gone at least 2 times before they can be baptized.  Darn agency... haha.  I wish sometimes that God would temporarily take it away so that we could teach more people.

Times are really tough here, in Murray and Whitfield county the unemployment rate is over 70% right now.  Can you believe that?  But so many people here are just lazy and have no desire to find work so companies don't want to bring their businesses here because no one really knows how to work effectively and if they pay them by the hour people will drag it out so nothing ever gets done.  It's sad, people down here have to have the desire to change or this part of the US is going to be in a world of hurt.  It's just frustrating...

Sorry for the little venting session, but really it's only through e-mail and journal writing that I can get it out.  Sister Walker is so hard to talk to.  She is not a people person at all.  She told me flat out that she doesn't really trust me and that she wants to live alone when she leaves the mission.  I'm trying hard to love her, but she just doesn't know how to socialize so it makes things awkward.  The other night though she did tell me that I'm a really good listener so I guess she's opened up to me more than she has any of her other companions.  I'm just kinda ready for a change but that won't happen for another 8 weeks so until then just pray for me that I'll be patient with her and understanding.

Man re-reading through this it's kind of a depressing e-mail sorry, but like I said it's been a rough week.  Because this week has sucked though I decided to start listing at the end of each journal entry a tender mercy that I've seen that day and you know I think it’s helping.  And it can't be the same thing I have to think of something different each night, some nights are harder than others but it's been good.

On a bright note we should have a fun pday today we're having a nerf gun war and playing steal the flag haha honestly I'm just glad to be getting out of the apt last week we were stuck there ALL DAY because the car was in the shop at least I got caught up on some letter writing.  And Brooker, I'm so sorry babe that I haven't written you back yet!!  Fail on my part.

I'm excited to hear about the reunion!  Who all is going to be there?  I want details of the whole thing, have fun and tell everyone I love and miss them!

That's so exciting about Suzanne and her baby!!!!!  Ahh I'm so happy for them!

And thank you for the cd's!  All Sister Walker had was classical music and I honestly thought my brain was going to melt if I had to listen to them one more time.

I wish there was more to tell from this week but unfortunately not much has happened.  Oh actually there is one thing.  We are having our zone conference on Aug 16 and I get a text from the zone leaders asking me if I would sing at it... a solo!  I told them I'd sing with a group but I'm not ready for a solo I kept thinking of Dad's experience when they had to sing the star spangled banner and the girl pitched it way high haha, I can totally see myself doing that.  So they put me in charge of putting together a group to sing, we're singing "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" and there will be me and Sister Preston singing alto, 2 other girls singing soprano, and then a tenor and a bass, so hopefully it'll be good.  We won't really have a chance to practice it before then haha.

Well I guess I better sign off.  Thank you for the letters and words of encouragement they mean a lot.  I love and miss you all!  xoxoxo

Love,

Sister Bedke

p.s.  I wanted to give you a challenge that you can either start now or at the beginning of the year.  But go and get everyone a brand new copy of the Book of Mormon (just the paperback one.  Go to seagull (and tell everyone hi while you're there!)  Anyway, but with that new copy in four different colors mark:

          1.      Each reference to Jesus Christ (any of His names or pronouns referring to Him)

          2.      His words (spoken by Him or by prophets when they say, "Thus saith the Lord")

          3.      His attributes.

          4.      The doctrines and principles contained in the Book of Mormon.

I'm doing it right now and I think you'll be amazed!  :)

Ashley Ltr: 2012-07-30

Date: July 30, 2012 9:35:46 AM MDT

Subject: Hey Y'all!

Helloooooo family!

So good hearing from you! I look forward to Monday every week to hear how things are going at home.

To answer your questions...

1. A typical day in the life of Sister Bedke is wake up at 6:27 and work out (Sister Walker is very much a morning person and as you all know I am not so mornings are still an adjustment), work out, shower, eat breakfast, then at 8 we do personal study, 9 companionship study, and 10 training, since I'm still a "golden" we get an extra hour in the morning for mission training. Then after that we either have lunch or an appt it just depends on the day, this last week was really slow teaching wise :( So we got in several tracting hours in the 100 degree weather! Oh my heck, I was so sweaty I seriously don't think I've ever sweat that much in my life I was literally soaked! Then we do phone calls, meet members, dinner appts. it just kinda depends on the day. Then we're usually back in our apt by 9 and go over to visit our neighbor John, who is a recent convert to the church he got baptized almost a year ago. I'm starting to think of him as kind of a third grandpa :) He keeps us updated on what's going on especially in the Olympics which is fun and then we read from the Book of Mormon with him. It's always a great way to end the day. Then around 9:30 we plan for the next day and write in our numbers for the day. Talk to our district leader, ward mission leader, and Roy every night, then I get ready for bed, write in my journal (I haven't missed a day since I left! I love writing each night I've found its very relaxing and helps get things off my chest. It's like I have to do it or I can't sleep haha you never thought you'd hear me of all people say that huh?) Then 10:30 it's lights out.

(2.) My apartment is very small. I've never been one to get claustrophobic but if I'm in there to long I start to really bad. But yah it's nice enough, it's right off the highway and if you weren't looking for it you'd drive right past. But I feel safe there and our neighbors are all nice. 

(3.) Laundry is actually going pretty well! I haven't dyed anything a different color yet! Thanks for the tip my poor clothes are so pit stained it sucks. BUT I learned from someone here that if you use a white bar of soap and scrub them out it should work! I tried it on one garment top but it took forever so I haven't done it since but its something you could maybe try.

(4.) John is explained above. He lives just 3 doors down. 

(5.) We do our e-mailing at the library about a mile or so from our apt, we only get about an hour on the computers.

(6.) Yah we eat with members pretty often, its great! We ate last night with the Youell's and the Mckenny's both older couples in the ward and they are awesome! And they sent us home with sooooo much food haha, Bro Youell was like you're to skinny! We need to fatten you up so you can be a real southern woman hahaha! I get that a lot from people in the ward. The southern cooking is pretty great but I have yet to eat some that's better than grandma Bedke's.

(7.) Yes we do have a car. Its a brand new grey 2012 Toyota Corolla. But... Right now it's in the shop because I think I've mentioned before Sister Walker is not a good driver, seriously I turn into Mom when I'm in the car with her I grab the side door handle bar and try very hard not to suck all the air out of the car, because a lot of the time she doesn't watch what she's doing! Anyway so yesterday when we went to go pick up the Elders for church we were backing out and she was not backing straight and just as I was telling her to watch the side she hits the car next to us. Denting the front of our car and leaving white paint marks... Luckily the other car wasn't damaged at all (definitely a tender mercy!). She just said, “Well I guess I'm going to lose my driving privileges now”, and that was it. So needless to say I'm now the designated driver haha which makes me feel a lot safer. But now we are without a car for at least 3 days. Which sucks because everything is so spread out here, I don't know what we're going to do. We already had to walk a couple miles back from the mechanics... The joys of being a missionary haha.

(8.) The only service we've gotten to do so far is we are now the official bingo callers at the nursing home! It was so much fun! I loved every minute of it and it reminded me of playing with grandpa :). So every Wednesday we go hang out with the old folks. Oh and we also helped this lady in the ward clean her house oh. my heck. it was the most disgusting house in the world. I wanted to throw up. Just thinking about it grosses me out.

(9.) We haven't had to go to Knoxville yet but when we do I think members usually drive us up.

This week has been better homesickness wise yesterday I was fine all day, which I was so incredibly grateful for. Heavenly Father is watching out for me and knew I really couldn't handle another Sunday like the last one. Last night we had a baptism! Her name is Gloria and the Elders taught her but it was so cool to be able to go and experience that, I think that was my first convert baptism I've ever been to. I'm so excited for when our investigators get baptized, it'll make everything so worth it! 

Like I said this week has been pretty slow... We had several appts bonk us which is always discouraging and frustrating. I just wish people would tell us up front they aren't interested or just call us and let us know instead of us driving clear out there. But Christy and Joshua both are progressing steadily, it's exciting to watch.

Yesterday Pres Irion came down and spoke to the ward and he mentioned that Dad served here 30 years ago, several people came up to me afterward asking about you dad. It was so cool! Do you remember the Satterfields, Beasley's, Turners, or Denmans? Bro Beasley wanted your number so I gave it to him so if you here from him let me know. Sister Cox from the ward (her maiden name is Satterfield) but her family were some of the first members in Dalton and church was held in their home. So she was talking to me and wants you to send a picture of you when you were on your mission as well as any pictures you may have taken while out here. She's putting together a book and so she'll have your picture and mine in the history of the Dalton ward book right next to each other! How awesome is that!? So anything you remember please let me know.

Well I better wrap up here. Thank you so much again for the letters I love them! And tell Amber her reply is coming soon. Oh one more thing can I get Emily's mission address please as well as Grandma Bedke's and grandma and grandpa Kinghorns addresses I'd really appreciate it. I love and miss you all! xoxoxo

Love,

Sister Bedke

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.)

Photos: Airport/Mission Home & Office Arrival

Knoxville Airport Arrival

Luggage Gathered

At Mission Office

Dinner Time

Devotional Time

Trainer Sister Mary Walker from Santaquin UT

President & Sister Irion with Ashley

Orientation & Assignment Day

Ashley Assigned to Chatsworth GA (same area as her Dad's 1st Mission Area)

Ashley Ltr: 2012-07-16

July 16, 2012 12:30 PM

Hey family!!

Oh man it was so good getting your letter, I've been a little homesick okay a lot a bit homesick these past couple of days and that letter really helped me out. So thank you thank you and please keep them coming! Don't forget about hand written letters too! It sounds like everything is going great at home! I'm praying for you Dad as you are spending a lot of time at the bishop’s office... Dad I have so much more love and respect for you being the bishop, I never really realized how much a bishop does for the ward and how much responsibility you carry. Bishop's are seriously amazing and truly do receive revelation for the ward.

I can totally relate with the heat holy smokes you don't know heat until you have 90's and humidity on top of it, I sweat like a big fat man! But dad I'm in the Dalton ward!! Chatsworth is just like 14 miles outside of Dalton. So who all do you remember? Where did you live? Tell me everything! What did your mission president say to you again as you were leaving?

Chatsworth is great! I'm literally in the middle of nowhere though, our apartment is right off the highway like you'd never see it if you weren't looking for it. And man oh man am I in the boonies haha we're talking everything you've seen in those e-mails about fat, sweaty, shirtless, smoking, trailer living people that's where I'm at. Sooooo different from Utah, well the west period. There are no sidewalks, there are homes right next to businesses, it's like there's no town really everything is just all mixed in together. No two houses look the same, if you can even call some of them houses, a lot of people live in trailers, and are very poor. And the streets here are crazy! They are so windy, if we didn't have a gps we'd be lost forever... seriously. And the bugs!! There is one bug here I don't know what it's called yet but it is really loud, it's like a creepy loud chirping noise. Anyway it'll just take some getting used too.

My companions name is Sister Mary Walker, she's from Santaquin, UT and heads home in November I think. She's a cute girl, really quiet, kinda shy, but she's not afraid to let people know what she believes which has been good for me to watch.

Tracting out here in the South is hard. Everything is so spread out and once we get there most everyone says that they are baptist and are happy where they're at. It gets really discouraging going door after door with no success. But then I see all the new members in the ward and have to remind myself that it is possible they are out there, we just have to look really hard for them. The members here though are great to help out though and they love to come teaching and tracting with us which I love! I've gotten to know so many amazing people, the ward is awesome and so loving and inviting, I was hugged so much yesterday at church. :)

Being out here has really gotten the whole every member a missionary concept in my head, seriously without the members the work would come to a standstill. So don't forget that! Even in Utah there are people who need to hear the gospel and need to be fellowshipped. Go on splits with the missionaries, invite them over for FHE and for dinner, it seriously means so much.

Right now we're teaching a guy named Roy who has already had most of the lessons and wants to be baptized but he is on probation until 2016 so he can't be until then and he is having a hard time quitting smoking. But he is a really good guy who is honestly trying to do the right thing, he calls us every night just to check up on us and read us something he's learned in the Book of Mormon.

We're also teaching a couple named Kristy and Jimmy, they are great too. Kristy wants to come to church really bad but won't come without Jimmy and he still isn't sure on everything. But when we taught him on Saturday I guess that was the first time he's actually sat in on a lesson, which is good! And he was really listening, I really hope they start coming to church and let us keep coming. Keep them in your prayers please.

We go on splits a lot with a recent convert named Keyaundra, she is amazing! She's a 28 year old black lady who was baptized almost a year ago, she absolutely loves going out with the missionaries and is preparing to go on a mission herself as soon as she loses a few pounds, but she is great and has the light of Christ shining in her eyes so strong.

Today is pday so in a little bit we're going to head down to Dalton to hang out with the Elders, then we have dinner and FHE with the Black family in the ward. Tomorrow around 4 Sister Walker has to go to a leadership conference so I get to head up to Chatanooga for the next couple of days and teach there, which will be fun!

I'll try and figure out how to send pictures soon but I'm running out of time today. Like I said keep the letters coming, pictures too if you can! Thanks for all the prayers they help me out a lot. I love and miss you all!! xoxoxo

Love,

Sister Bedke

p.s. If ya'll wanted to send me some burned cd's with church music on them, it would be greatly appreciated! Piano music, mo tab anything!

p.s.s. I just realized I didn't say anything about Pres and Sis Irion! Holy cow they are amazing!! I love them so much already. When we got off the plane she was there waving and shouting "You're here! You're finally here!" at first none of us knew who she was because she has gray hair now instead of blonde so we're all like uhh.. who is this lady. haha! But then we saw the tag, she came and gave me a HUGE hug and made me feel so welcomed and loved. And Pres Irion is the same way, they are such a great couple and I hope I get to work with them more. That night at the mission home was really hard for me I got so homesick and just cried and cried. So Sis Holsclaw and I went up to ask for blessings. It was so nice to be able to ask for one even thought I'd just met them a few hours before. It was a great blessing of peace and comfort and made me feel so much better. Don't worry about me. I still get homesick from time to time but I'm doing okay. :)

Ashley Ltr: 2012-07-10

July 10, 2012

Hey Family!

I made it to Knoxville safe and sound! My mission president and his sweet wife are the best! When we were getting off the plane, she was running toward us waving and smiling then gave me a huge hug. It made me feel so good and loved, which is just what I needed right then. And Pres. Irion was so warm and loving as well. You pronounce it Erion like Lake Erie. Anyway, they are amazing and I’m excited to get the opportunity to work with them.

Holy cow Tennessee is beautiful! So green and humid – oh my heck, my hair is like a big frizball – haha! Our mission office is like an old log cabin here in Farragut – it’s so cute! And the mission home is big and beautiful, and it really is a home – haha! I guess I didn’t really know what I was expecting, nothing like this though. It’s right in a neighborhood, not set out somewhere by itself. Tomorrow we get to meet our trainers and learn where we’ll be serving. I guess there are about 100 of us in Knoxville, about 20 of those being sisters. It’ll be interesting to see what tomorrow brings. Please keep me and my future companion in your prayers that we’ll be able to get along and work hard together.

My new p-day will be on Monday so I’ll be able to write more then about what’s going on. I’m excited to finally be here and I’m anxious to get to work. We have a mission goal of each companionship having one baptism each month. I’m going to take that challenge to heart and work hard to achieve it.

Well, I’m going to close and get to bed – I’m exhausted. It was so good talking to you! I love and miss you all! Xoxo

Love, Sister Bedke

Ashley Ltr: 2012-07-09

Hey family!!

How's it going?! We had a little free time this morning so I decided to send you a quick e-mail. Today will be the last time I get DearElder's so don't send them here anymore because they don't forward them to us after we leave. Can you believe I leave tomorrow?! I can't wait to talk to you all!! I'm wondering what that conference call e-mail is from dad though? I don't get it... Will you be conferencing in from work? Anyway, so much has happened these past few days and I'm excited to tell you all about it, and trust me it'll be better over the phone so I won't write much. All of our district except for Sister Holsclaw and I left this morning so it's just the two of us... :( That was hard saying goodbye last night, I bawled like a baby. We had an awesome testimony meeting and took lots of pictures and we also sang hymns last night in the quad it started out with our district and then a whole bunch of other missionaries joined in, it was really cool, those will be memories I'll treasure forever. Those Elders and Sisters were really like my family these past few weeks and they are some of the best people I know. We have to leave really early tomorrow morning, 4:00 a.m from the MTC so I'll probably call around 6:00 or so. Won't that be the best wake up call!? :) I love you all and can't wait to talk to you in less than 24 hours WOOHOOOO!!!! xoxoxo

Love,

Sister Bedke