Gooooo Richardsons!!

I miss Suz.

BUT, lots of great experiences this week, ups and downs and some tears, but that's just how the mission goes! That is the wonderful thing about a mission- best Real Life Prep EVER. As Elder Holland would say, "This is the realest life you are ever going to get."

For starters, a miracle to share- I have FINALLY received the package that mom sent me when I was in the CCM. Merry Christmas to ME, I honestly don't know if I was more excited about the post it notes or my favorite pens, yeah I am SO weird. But it was wonderful, smooshed, and full of love and drawings from little girls, a beautiful moment.

One of our investigators, Benjamin, was having some trouble with his prayers. He would pray when we asked him to in the lessons, but other than that, no. I invited him to make a goal to pray every night before going to bed, and to make it more of a conversation with a loving parent than the general idea of what is a "prayer." He told us that he wanted to, but that he didn't think he would be able to remember at night when he is tired and just wants to go to bed. So I told him that, if he wanted, we would call him at 10:00 every night for the next two weeks to remind him, until it is a habit.
THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY. Silly excuses don't work with Hermana Harkins. We have been calling him every night since Thursday :) Woooohooooo!

My fellow Hermanas in the pension have started addressing me as "gringa linda." Which I am ok with. "Rubia" is also very common between the four of us. I just love love.

Ok, an absolutely hilarious and slightly blush worthy story- this Tuesday, we were on splits with the Hermana Leaders. When this happens, it is basically an evaluation of how well we are working in our sector and our personal and companionship progression. It is a tad important. So we are all splits and go to visit Alex and Fransisco, to teach the law of chastity. I know, cringe, right? I wasn't expecting there to be any problems- in the first, blunt lesson, they both asked the church's stand on being a virgin before marriage, if we think that is good or bad, because they both have this crazy opinion that that is something you should save for marriage.

I know. They're golden.

So I wasn't expecting difficulties. And the lesson was going great when Alex said "I have one question." He is the more blunt and crazy of the two, so I was bracing myself, but I couldn't have possibly, adequately prepared myself for his question. "So, do you believe that you can do this for enjoyment, or is it just, "Ok, lets go procreate"?" For real. That happened. Vamos procrear. I couldn't handle it. And with the Hermana Leader and all. I mean, WOW! Adventura cada dia!
Another lovely heart lifting story- we stopped by Francisco's house on Saturday, didn't have an appointment just felt we should stop by and say hi maybe share a scripture, and it turns out that he was having a hard time, just lots of little things that built up to an all out, classic bad day. So we sat and listened to all of his little stories and reasons as to the suckiness, shared a scripture, simple stuff. But he told us afterward that he truly felt better after our visit, that he had prayed for something good and happy to happen, and 20 minutes later, we are at his door. Just one of those things that reminds you why you are here doing what you dooooo.

All in all, the week was good and uneventful (except for the vamos procrear moment)...and then, Friday night came, and along with that, one of those experiences that can make you or break you as a newbie missionary like me.

Alex called to tell us that he doesn't want to be baptized on December 22nd.
He told us that he still wants to be baptized, still wants to take the lessons (sounds like a breakup, right? bleh), but that he just doesn't feel ready to stop smoking right now.

Ouch...my heart.

I know that this probably happens a lot, but it was the first time for me. And when you teach someone about the gospel and see spiritual change in them and they are excited to learn more and invite you into their home and you invest so much TIME into studying for them, pondering how to teach lessons and scriptures and find answers to their questions and have true happiness is guiding them to Christ, and one day Hermana Velazquez and I walked down an especially messy street to find an unbent cigarette box and we decorated it with pictures of Jesus and wrote scriptures for overcoming addiction and comfort and rolled them up to fit perfectly and when he is tempted to go for OUR cigarette box, not his box of camels, and you acquire a small portion of Gods love for them, you truly come to LOVE them, when you do all this and it doesn't...work...

Ouch...my heart.

I had a little cry fest that night in the middle of daily planning. Thank goodness for Hermana Velazquez, I truly adore my companion, she was so sweet and understanding and tender in comforting me to know that there was nothing more we could do for him; that at some point, he would have to put in some real physical effort on his part to stop smoking, to do this ONE LAST THING to make himself worthy to be baptized, and he is not ready. Now.
That is the beautiful thing, the ray of light in this sad story- he truly wants to be clean. He wants to be baptized, and he knows the church is true. We haven't lost him, he just isn't progressing as smoothly as we would have liked him to. But patience is a Christ like attribute, and I am here to become more Christ like.

Another nice story...as we were leaving the lesson with Alex after finding out his news, so Saturday, Hermana Velazquez told me that my Spanish is perfect when I am testifying and inviting people to do something- to pray, to repent, to read the Book of Mormon, any of these things. In the lesson with Alex, we were gentle but direct, and I invited him to put in a little more effort. That we want to help him, we will do whatever we can to help him, but we need his help in this as well. And Hermana Velazquez told me that the spirit was strongest in that moment. Thank you, gift of tongues, appreciate the help :)

Aaaaaand I spoke in church on Sunday.

WHAT?! Ashlynne spoke in Sacrament meeting for 15 minutes in Spanish?! Without her companion there to help her in times of need? Whaaaat?

Yeah, that happened :) Bishop Calderon asked us to talk about the mission work (that's bad grammar, but I can't remember how to translate la obra misional into English) I talked about The Book of Mormon (because I can actually talk about that for 15 minutes) and how we can better study and apply it in our lives. It is my favorite thing to talk about right now. Also, this morning I finished reading it in Spanish for the first time! The first of many :)

Well, I am signing off for today. thank you all for your love and excitement for my little stories, this really is the best experience of my life, and I love sharing it with as many people as I can. One favor...please pray for Alex and Fransisco this week. Fransisco is really nervous about his baptism on Sunday, and Alex just needs strength right now. Por favor? A Christmas present for Hermana Harkins, your prayers for my investigators? I would really appreciate it :)
Stay rad, be bold, love y'all :)

Hermana Harkins