Then Is My Soul Filled With Joy! ~ 2 Baptisms! ~ Last letter as a Missionary!

My companion Hermana B and I

Wow, my last letter to send home as a missionary. I cannot put into the words all the good and sad emotions I have felt the past few days. I think at church on Sunday it really hit me that I am going home (especially after having to say a closing prayer or bear my testimony in each class or meeting haha). I love the Hispanic people, every time I see one I just want to talk to them and just help them feel of the love their Savior has for them :] they are a beautiful people and I have been so blessed to work with them throughout my mission. 

good bye cake  ~  hispanic tradition to "mordida" or bite the cake 

(so they can push your face into it)haha

How grateful I am to have followed the prompting of extending my mission. The few weeks before the extention and during the last 4 weeks that I extended my mission were probably some of the most hardest weeks I had to face during my whole mission, actually during my whole life to be honest. But I have grown from those experiences, and I am who I am today because of what I have gone through and grown through :] A few weeks ago I had a normal interview with President Ashton of the mission. As I expressed to him my concerns about my area and going home he simply said, "Stop stressing. Just put your trust in the Lord". That has been something I have been learning even BEFORE my mission! To trust in the Lord, replace my fear with faith. 

Our investigator C has been progressing so well! The other day we stopped by to say hello and found her mom and grandmother came to visit from Mexico. We shared a quick message about families and left. I put my trust in the Lord that things will be fine :] and she will be baptized when she is ready. She called us later that week andshe said she was ready to be baptized:] We also have another investigator J who has been progressing so well in the gospel! The only things holding him back was that he just wanted to know more before baptism. J didnt even have his baptismal interview until sunday morning before church started, he passed:]

C and J Baptism  :]

Hermana B  and I were able to be apart of the baptisms for BOTH C and J!!!!!!!! My heart was filled with so much joy!!! How grateful I am to have been able to see the fruits of our labors, especially right before I head home :]

"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy. And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent,and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy;then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, eventhat he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember hismerciful arm which  he extended towards me."(alma 29:9-10)

I testify to these words, all the good that has occured on my mission has not been because of me, but of the Lord. How grateful I am to have been an intrusment in the Lords hands for the past 19 months, the mission I've experienced has not only changed the lives of others but has changed mine as well. No joy has been greater for me then that of seeing others change for the better and follow Jesus christ.  I am forever grateful for my savior jesus christ, and will serve him for the rest of my life and onward. How blessed I am for my family in California :] for my parents who have supported me here on my mission through all I have gone through. How happy I am to also have another part of my newly found family here in Texas :] I know one day I will return to see all those who I have met on my mission, if not then I know in Heaven I will be able to see them with open arms and smiling faces :]

Forgot umbrellas...SOAKED  ~  Sister pic :]

Zone pic  ~  J took me here!  :]

I know without a doubt I have a Heavenly Father, he loves me. How grateful I am for ALL the good and bad I went through during my mission. It has changed me for the better. How excited I am to be reunited with my sweet family :] returning with honor not as a returned missionary, but as a released missionary :]

I love you all! See you all very soon :] Adios!

love- Hermana Ashley Susan Jaeger

Hermana P teaching me to cook  ~  Rainy days in TX

Payback for scaring her  ~  Last time I will see this

Houston Texas

My Testimony ~ You all are my family

Someone bought us smoothies :)

The weeks have been flying by. This past week I realized that Sept 7 would be my last fast Sunday on my mission, and i felt super impressed the day before church to share my testimony. We had a miracle of having C with her baby come to church, another investigators J H, M R, and a FAMILY A and Y and their kids and a grand kid. It was so fun sitting with the family.  The other day as we talked about the power of hope through Jesus Christ we invited them to church and they all came :]

As I walked up and sat in the chairs at the pulpit waiting to talk, my eyes glanced at all the familiar faces I knew and I started to get emotional. I've really grown to love the members of H 1. the people of the Hispanic culture have such a tender spot in my heart. As I bore my testimony I was filled with the spirit. I explained, "For those of you who do not know a lot about missionaries, we leave our families for 18 months to 2 years to peach the gospel of Jesus Christ. But every Sunday as I come to church I feel as though you are all my family. And we are, because we are all children of God and we are all apart of the same family". 

Its hard to think I only have 2 more Sundays here in Texas as a missionary. Through all the extremely hard trials I have gone through on my mission I would not change a thing. My whole mission, the good and the bad, have all brought me closer to my Savior. all that I went through the past 19 months have been for Him because I love him. I have grown to know him more and feel a LITTLE glimpse of what he suffer through for me, and for those here that i have been blessed to serve with. He has taught me the power of forgiveness. And though I have been rejected for preaching this gospel and hated for being a light I will never let down my standards, I will never stop letting my light shine. I am and will always be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am a daughter of god, I know that will never change. He loves me and I love him. I know he knows whats best for me which is why I trust in him, and why I am not quick to get mad at him when a trial passes through my life. I know my Father has my best interest in mind. How excited I am to return home with honor to my beautiful family. I believe when I see you all it will be the same feeling I will have one day when I am reunited with my Father, and his son Christ and with all those whos lives I have been able to touch because I am an instrument in the Lords hands. He works through me, this is his work, and his church.

-Hermana Jaeger

The other side of Houston TX!  Maybe cousin A can read this for us when she returnes from S Korea ... 3 days after me!

 I spy.... ~  Comp thought the shirt was a skunk!

Farewell, 4 weeks left

This is why they call me Nurse Jaeger

Hey fam :]

A LOT has been going on this past week and I'm surprise I can still remember my name haha. I will try and remember all that good things that went on this past week :]

MTC comp Hna R & MTC friend Hna N

On wednesday we had the farewell temple trip to all the missionaries leaving. It was such a nice experience and I loved seeing my MTC companion Hna R and N again in the temple :] it brought back flash backs of when we would all go together while in the MTC. 

The day before I was able to go on an exchange back to B for a day! Wow it felt so weird being back in my old area, it brought back a lot of good memories of Hna O and Hna S. I made a couple of the members tell Hna S I said hi and to email me haha shes so sweet and today I got 2 emails from her. 

My District!

Hermana O I trained & Hermana G ~ & MTC Companion Hermana R

Hermana T and a ton of Hermanas from the Mission

It was so cool to see I my first convert! At first she didnt recognize me and I thought,  well its okay at least I can see her :] Then when she finally looked up to see us she said, "Wow, what a miracle. I'm so surpired you are here!" It made me feel so happy to see she remembered me and was happy to see me :] because of her health she still kept falling asleep in the lessons but I knew exactly what to do to get her attention :] I realized that since I spent so much time with her I figured out a way to teach her to her needs. I also saw K O and her family :] It was so fun seeing them , K actually came out teaching with us. When I was leaving she said, "You and Hna S were my favorites". I was also able to see the J family who help me out so much driving us to different lessons when it was in the freezing winter. 

My MTC Companion!

sunday we were able to have 6 less actives at church!!!! It was so awesome and a recent convert of mine J :] it was the best thing ever! Monday night we had the farewell dinner with all 40 missionaries. It was fun talking with Hna R again, we had a lot of good laughs about our missions and our time together in the MTC. As we hugged to say goodbye i told her, "Sprint to the end!" And she replied, "Of course. We started and will finish our missions together :]". It was interesting at the farewell dinner, i didnt feel like it was my turn to go home yet. i know im supposed to be here for a reason. 

Last week Ca and G had their baby girl. Her name is A and we will hopefully get to meet her this week :]  hopefully before. 

I love you all so much! I know the last 4 weeks are going to fly by so fast and then I'll be home :] I love you all and hope everything is going well. Adios!

At the Dr again.

The Family

Haha This is the only animal we were allowed to pet!!

Duck lips with Hna B ~ Hna S

I Love my companion Hermana B.  Fun at the Zoo

I feel impressed to talk about families. I know Satan is really attacking the family unit because in the family is where we gain our most strength, belonging, and love. One thing I really want to stress is for the importance for men to stay worthy of their priesthood! I see that Satan attacks with so much greater force on the men today because they are the ones who have this authority to help the world make and keep covenants with God. Without the priesthood we could not do anything, take the sacrament, go on a mission, make covenants with God such as baptism, ect. Also I see the importance for woman to be virtuous and dress modestly. woman have a great influence on men and when we are woman of righteousness and goodness the men are also the same. 

This week we were able to read the Family Proclamation to a young couple we are teaching.  I understand and see the importance of waiting on the Lords timing in all things and following his counsel. How grateful I am for such a wonderful family. I am grateful for every fathers blessing I've ever received in my life. I am grateful for all the times my mom took me to mutual or any kind of young woman activity. I've noticed that the daily things my parents did for me really did shape me into the person I am today. I love each and every one of my siblings. I've always had a great desire to be a good example for them and even though im not the most perfect example for them, as long as they see that I put God first in my life thats all that matters. i love you all so much and am really grateful for everything you do for me.   love-hna jaeger

Looked up a former investigator and this was the door we were led to! ~ Comp calls me Little Mermaid cause of this skirt

Dress we got for the Baby shower

Frogs ... reminds me of my sis

 Heard a frog in a tunnel!  But hey a guy said we can stop by anytime to teach him!  ~  S & R kids :)

10 more to go

Texas Houston District  ~  Signing my TX flag

Yep walked like this

We got transfer calls today and I found out I am staying in H 1 with Hna B :] I am so grateful to have another 6 weeks here and I'm positive the extra 4 weeks President will just keep me here in the area until I am called home. I'm starting to get emotional with knowing how fast the last transfer went and how I only have 1 1/2 left. How grateful I am for this time in my life to find out who I am through serving others 24/7. In church today we heard a really cool story as we were learning about the sabbath day that I would like to share with you.

 Afraid of B's sweet bird  ~  friend on ground trying to get in our place

My friend kept following me  ~  made left turn this sucker scared me

 L teaching me how to eat a mango & I'm messy  ~  Service for sweet friend & it was worth it!

"There was a fisherman who lived with his wife and 5 children. This father loved his family and wanted the best for them. He went out to work hoping to catch enough fish to give him income to take care of his family. As the fisherman pulled the net out of the water he found that his net was empty of fish, but found 7 clams. In each clam he found 7 beautiful pearls. The fisherman was happy and knew that with these 7 pearls he would be able to give much to his family. As the fisherman walked home he passed by a man sitting on the road, begging for food. The fisherman had compassion on the begger and decided he would give this poor man 6 pearls, for with the 7th pearls the man could support his family for awhile and then go back to work. As the fisherman traveled home the begger decided to follow this fisherman home. The fisherman walked into his home and closed the door. The begger peaked inside the window and say the fisherman put the one other pearl on his nightstand and turned in for the night. The begger quickly reached through the window, took the 7th pearl from off the fishermans desk and walked away."

Now, what did you get from this story? Maybe not much at first but that the begger is supper greedy. In this story the fisherman is like Jesus Christ, he has given us 6 days out of the week to do what we need and want. But are we sometimes like the begger, greedily taking the 7th day and doing what we want with it? The Lord has asked us to sanctify the 7th day of the week to him. and when you think about it, after ALL that Christ has done for us, all he asks of us is to spend this one day out of the week in reverence to him. Are we doing so?

So happy to have a couch

I am grateful for Sundays. though on the mission it is far from a day off rest for me haha I am grateful for the opportunity to go to church and partake of the sacrament. I love H 1 ward and am so grateful and blessed to be in this ward. The members are so willing to help our investigators. I know in the next 10 weeks I will be able to see the fruits of my labors. I know god is a god of miracles and as i trustin him and do his will I will be able to see and experinece these miracles! i just need to be patient. I love you all :] And pray for each of you everynight.  love- herman ashley jaeger

Members, Missionaries & friends came together for a service project for Hermana P

 Deer in headlights ~ District Hermanas & J from ward ~ Service for Hna P

 We love Hna P  ~  1 2 3 smile and he kissed me haha

Cutting the grass with a machete