Hola ~ Happy Halloween!

Nothing SUPER excited has happened this week. I'de call this past week "the week before miracle week" haha. We only have about 5 investigators right now so we are in the process of finding new people to teach. 

This past week we have been spending a lot of time with the members. How grateful I am for the members in the church! without them missionary work could not go forward. this past week we helped bake halloweeen cookies with a member for the halloween party! she made the cookies by scratch!!! we made about 80 haha it was a lot of fun.  

Hermana R. made by scratch 80 halloween cookies!  :) 

At night on bikes here its been pretty sketchy. The other night we saw a guy walking by with a scary mask on hahaha. In our district we have 2 sister companionships. One of the sisters just left for Argentina today so now the three of us sisters will be combining our area together and working the car and bike area. And on halloween we have to be in the house at 7pm. 

This sunday the primary kids had a primary program!!! Theres only 10 kids in the primary but the program was so beautiful!! I got so emotional hearing the sweet songs in spanish!!

Sorry this email is SUPER short! I know the work will start picking up it'll just take some time and more faith :] i love you all so much! Have a great week and a happy halloween!

Letter to my BROTHER Elder Jaeger

Family-  

This week I feel a great urge to direct this letter to my little brother. Austin, I want you to recap and think about all the fun events that have occured for you these past few weeks leading up to your mission. Can you see and feel the love from those who you are surronded by? I want you to remember that all those people who wished you luck will be praying for you. Every day. You will be prayed for in the temples several times a week. Angels will be with you all day. Every day. To bear you up. To protect you. To watch over you. You're setting apart as a missionary is a real thing. You have authority to preach the gospel. elder godlen from the 70 shared an interesting knoweldge with us missionaries. Austin, did you know there are 3 main powers on the world today?

The power of faith. The power of the priesthood. The power of the devil. Many times I have seen and used the power of faith on my mission. Faith seems like such a primary/basic topic but its important. You will see as you are on your mission that you will be put through situations that will test your faith. Trust in God. As you are stretched because of trials you begin to use and rely on your faith and it starts to grow. Faith brings miracles.

You have the power of the priesthood. Austin always stay vitruous and clean so you have use this power to its full advantage. How grateful I am for the power of the priesthood in my life. Without the priesthood I wouldnt be a missionary. I wouldnt have been baptized. This church wouldnt exist today. One of the things we have in our church that makes us different from the rest is the power of the true priesthood. We teach the restoration as the first lesson with people because its what our church has that no other church has claim on. How blessed we are to live during a time where the true church has been restored back ont he earth.

And here is the reason why God has called you, Elder Austin Charles Jaeger, as a missionary of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Lucifer has power and is trying to destroy your precious brothers and sisters. But remember, Gods power is much greater. We know that in the end Gods team will win in this battle. You have power. Remember that your Father in heaven" worketh by power, according to the faith of [his children]" (moroni 10:7). Trust in God. Without his help Austin we cannot be successful in our work as missionaries. If you struggle with learning the language, trust in God. If you are scared to open your mouth to someone on the street, trust in God. If you are feeling homesick or like you dont belong, trust in God. He knows you perfectly! He loves you and knows what to put in your path for you to endure and make it back home to him.

How proud I am of you Austin to go and serve your mission. The people in Santiago need you. God is preapring people over there for you to teach and baptize. All you must do is pray for guidance from God, and go out and work HARD to find those who are prepared.  "And ye are called to bring to pass the ^agathering of mine ^belect; for mine elect ^chear my voice and ^dharden not their ^ehearts;" (d&c 29:7). The elect are waiting for you Elder Jaeger! So tighten up your tie, lace up your shiney new shoes,  and go to work. I love you with all my heart.

Love- your sister Hermana Ashley Jaeger

Miracles wrought by Faith ~ We had a Baptism!

Good morning :]

I cannot put into words my gratitude and appreciation for every single person who prayed and fasted for I... I am sincerely grateful for your help and your faith. This past week my faith was tested numerous times. But through it all my faith has grown.  And we had a BAPTISM!

Monday we talked to the Elders and planned on them going with us to the hospital so I... can have her baptismal interview. We waited outside the door anxiously. After 30 minutes Elder L came out of the room. She had passed! 

The beautiful pool where I... was Baptized!  She was so happy.

Wednesday we started the baptismal program. we went and visited I... at her home with a member, Hermana H. We got into the house to see Irma sitting on her bed in much pain. She asked if Hermana H... could help put chicken on the stove. Hermana went to town on cutting up the big chicken haha and she cooked it with tons of vegetables. Since the food was going to take a few hours to cook Hermana H... took her dinner out of the car and gave it to I.... I started crying at the kindness this member gave to I... She talked to I... about her baptism and what a beautiful day it will be! I... was more excited about the date, as long as she didn't have pain.

Thursday Hermana H and R told us they would be making the baptismal dress for I...! :)

Friday we stopped by I's house just my comp and I. I... told us shes been in a lot of pain and had an appointment with the doctors Saturday at 8 am. the day of her baptism. I didn't know what to do so I walked outside and started crying. I prayed to know what to do. I called the two relief society woman and told them we needed help. They stopped working on making the dress for I... and came to help us. Again they made her food, cleaned the house, we helped get I... ready, ect. After 2 hours of being there I... agreed to move her appointment to Monday!  :) 

All Friday night I could not sleep. I kept waking up with fear that I... couldn't get baptized or how she would get into the water, ect. I even started dreaming about the baptism!

Saturday morning we got a call from Hermana H... She told us I... is not well and we might not have the baptism. Right away I thought of calling the Elders. they were happy to go over to I's house and give her a blessing. All 6 of us missionaries and a few of the members showed up to the house of I... When the Elders started giving I... the blessing the spirit filled the whole house. it was an amazing experience. How grateful I am for priesthood holders. 

After the blessing I... felt better! The women helped I... get ready and after sitting at her house for 4 hours I... was ready! The baptism started over an hour late but miraculously it all worked out. Her baptism dress was beautiful and she was in awe that the woman made it for her. She was in pain getting into the cold water but she toughed it out. The three men helped her immerse fully under water and it only took one try! Branch president allowed her to be confirmed pool side because she is not able to go to church in her condition. I... was so happy.

So grateful of the Priesthood & the Elders

I was so touched by the Relief Society Sisters

I'm so grateful for this experience in my life. I've learned a lot but the thing that I've learned the most from this experience is trust in the Lord and never doubt his ways. God will put you through experiences that you don't understand why you have to deal with this situation or trial or difficulty. But I promise that as you are sitting in the celestial kingdom surrounded with your loved ones you will look back on your experience in life and appreciate and understand the trials you were put through. God knows us perfectly. He is our heavenly father and because he is our father he wants us to make it back home! He sent his son Jesus Christ here so through him we'd be able to repent and return home. I love my savior and am eternally grateful for his sacrifice for me. I know this is the true church on the earth today. I 

believe in miracles.

Our District celebrating after I's Baptism

For with God, nothing shall be impossible

what a wonderful week. I loved Conference. i received so much revelation during the sessions. When the prophet spoke tears came to my eyes. I know he is the one and only true prophet that lives today on the earth. How blessed we are to have a living prophet today to give us guidance and direction.

R has his interview with President Ashton to see if he can be baptized. He has a testimony of this gospel. R attended priesthood session, and both sessions of conference on sunday! AND between the 1st and 2nd session the other sisters in our branch had a baptism!!! Brazos branch has not had a baptism in almost a year and V was the first baptism of 2013. We know this is just the start of many more baptisms to come.

This past week we've been praying to know who is ready to be baptized this weekend (oct 12-13). We made a list of people who could be baptized. On this date my comp wrote MILAGRO (miracle) haha. We also have been giving up things to show the Lord were ready for a baptism. This week we decided to do a 9 day long english fast. Meaning we only speak spanish for 9 days.

During personal study in the morning a thought came to my mind, "I needs to be baptized". I thought what no way, shes still in the hospital and her condition is not good. Her name isn't even on the list of people who could be baptized. But the words wouldnt leave my mind, "I needs to be baptized". So I stopped what I was doing and offered up a simple prayer to God. I felt a peace after the prayer that this was possible. But how? Then the words came to my mind, "God can do anything". Then I looked right at my scriptures to the page that was open and this was the first thing I read, "For with God, nothing shall be impossible". I started to cry. I told my companion about this and she also cried. We prayed to know if this was His will and we recevied a confirmtion that it was.

Sunday during the 2nd session we drove to the hopsital to show I conference. Somehow I dont even know how but everything worked out and I was able to see the prophet speak. I started to cry again axplaining to I that we've been praying and know she needs to be baptized this weekend. She smiled and said she wants to be baptized. Even more tears filled my eyes. We went through all the baptismal questions and she had no problems. She has her interview this tuesday to see if shes ready.  She will leave the hopsital this thursday, be baptized amd confirmed this saturday and sunday and then tuesday she will have an opperation done on her heart.

For my family and Taylor I'de like to please ask if you could all individually and as a family pray that I will be ready physically, spiritually, and mentally for her baptism this weekend. I really appreciate all your help and support in my life.

I just want to share my testimony of my father in heaven. I know he is a god of miracles. I am a witness of this. Even when things dont seem logical, God understands perfectly and he knows all. I trust in my God with all my heart. I know I could not do this work with out his guidance, help, and direction. I am eternally grateful for his son Jesus Christ. I will always live my life in a way that brings him glory. He is my savior. My light. My salvation. Because of him I can be with my family for eternity. What greater blessing is there then this. i know this gospel is true. In the name of jesus christ, amen.

Peace in the Temple

Temple trip had to leave here at 6am to make it to the 8am session.  :)

family!  Sorry this email is gonna be short. We moved our p-day so we could go to the temple today on tuesday :] it was so amazing. When I got into the celestial room I started to cry. I havent felt peace like that in my life since the last time I visited the temple almost 4 months ago. The whole time in the temple I just kept thinking of how much I want to be there with my family. How I want ALL my investigators to work hard to make it to the celestial kindgom! They have no clue what they are missing out on.

Also happy birthday to my little cutie brother Austi :] I'm sending a letter hope it gets there on time! Your Mission pictures are so sick austin!! sent me an invite!  Chile is coming fast.

We had a miracle week and had A TON of lessons. I know we are going to have a baptism this transfer :] R has an interview with mission president tomorrow night to see if he can be baptized. The other day he told us when we come to visit him it  makes him feel at home. All his fmaily lives in ecuador and he misses them terribly. His kids are almost all the same exact ages as the kids in our family!! He told us we are good teachers and we are his good friends. He said we are like his daughters and I thought that was the sweetest thing ever!

Me and my Comp Hermana O

Know that I am doing really weel :] I'm excersising my faith more and seeing a lot of miracles coming from it. This week I made to personal sacrifices to show Heavenly Father I will give my all to have a baptism... one was Life cereal (i am addicted i eat that stuff every day) and naps haha 

One day it was pouring so bad.  My scriptures got wet and now they are moldy :(  Have a great week and rememebr while i am watching conference I will be thinging of all of you :]

Love- Hermana Ashley Jaeger

I havent felt peace like that in my life ...