Baptism, Sheri Dew, Leaving Brazos Bike area after 7 months!

My comp took a pic of me praying

Wow this has been one of my most favorite and saddest weeks of my mission. Today I found out that after 6 months here in my Brazos bike area I am being transfered to somewhere new. I'm excited to see where is the next place God wants me to work but I am sad to leave the people I've grown to love so much

                       

Fixing a flat tire ... again!

This week I got another flat tire haha! 3rd new tires this transfer. My bike is ready for a break but I just want to keep going!

It's cold today.  Piled on the layers.

 I dont even remember all that happened this week. It just flew by! But I do vividly remember Thursday night. I'm pretty sure the weather got down to like the 20s thursday night. As we were biking over to see J's I asked my companion if I could grab some more clothes to put on. I walked out of the apartment with 3 scarfs, two beanies, 2 shirts, 2 sweaters, 3 pants, a skirt, and boots haha. As we biked to J's house which is 15 minutes away I had a moment to think about my situation. WHY would I put myself on a bike in the winter with 20 degree weather pushing through the wind blowing against me if I didnt know this church was true? As I started getting wind burn I started crying. Not becuase it hurt haha but because with all my heart I know this cuhrch is true. 've realized that I will do anything to share and spread this gospel to the world. We showed up to J's physically tired but spiritually strong. We talked about the Plan of Salvation and specifically about the spirit world. He was really interested in knowing about what happens on the other side after we die. As we finished the talk I started to bear my testimony. My eyes filled with tears as I tried to allow the spirit to speak through me to my investigator, J. As we left Jorge kept expressing how excited he was for his baptism tomorrow :]

Friday we woke up early to leave at 7am to go to the Sister conference. We walked out to the Hermanas to get a ride with them and one of the doors was so frozen over that we couldnt open it haha.   What a BLESSING that the whole day friday we were inside because the weather dropped down to the 20's! The weather was bad and my comp and I were unable to pick up Sheri Dew. I received so much guidance during the sisters conference!!! President Ashton talked about how he wants our missions to change our lives. He wants us to go home a different person. He said, "I dont want you to go through the mission, I want the mission to go through you". I've seen the mission change who I am. Its a daily process. He also mentioned how to "not worry about family at home! The Lord is taking good care of them". That gave me great comfort because I do naturally worry about my family. The world is a harsh place. People are critical because they are in the world. But those people need to be "in the world,. and not of the world". And to my loving sister who HONORABLY got released from her mission and served with all her heart, to you my love I say, "the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." (1samuel 16:7). Hermana Jaeger God knows you :] He has a plan for you. He knows exactly what you need to go through to become perfected. Trust in him like you are doing and everything will be okay :]

Frozen door.  Won't open.

So going back to sister conference, we had the priveledge of having Sheri Dew come and speak to our mission! wow she is amazing. Sheri Dew talked a lot about how we are the noble ones who have been saved for these days. She went on to explain that the prophets of old have been testifying of the last days and how bad they are going to get. Sister Dew then explained, "god knows all. He knows these last days are going to get rough. Do you thing he would just send ANYONE to preach his gospel in these days? No. He saved the noble and great ones for these last days. You are his noble and great ones. He knew you would be the ones to not fall into temptation, to stand up against the world and not be afraid to share the light and gospel of Christ. You were born of noble birth". At the end of the Sister Conference Sheri Dew had to leave quickly for a conference call. I was a lil sad I couldnt talk to her but was so happy to have listened to her! At one point I lost my companion so another sister and I went to go look for her. I saw her in Presidents office so I walked in. I noticed she was talking with Sheri Dew....hahah I was so taken back. Sheri Dew was so nice and I got to introduce myself and talk a little with Sheri Dew :]

J's Baptism.  A joyful day.  Comp Hermana C and I

After the Conference we got home at 6, ate chips for dinner HAHA then at 6:05 members came to pick us up to get everything ready for the baptism of J!! As we entered the church I heard the sweet sound of the font being filled with water. We walked into the room with J to get everything ready. J was so excited, adn nervous haha. He was so funny and giddy! As we were taking pictures all together J kept being funny and putting rabbit ears behind my head during the pictures.  The baptism turned out beautiful and the spirit was really strong :] J was so happy and took lots of pictures to send to his mom in Mexico.

Sunday we were waiting for church to start. As I was distrcted and waiting someone mentioned to me 5 minutes before church was about to start, "Where is J?" Ahh I forgot he was going to receive the Spirit that day and I didnt even think to call him!!! I freaked and started to call and text him but he didnt pick up. We hurry and got on our bikes and started to bike to his house. As we got to the home the lady who lives in the house said, "No J left. I think he went to work." My heart dropped. I couldnt believe I forgot to call him in the morning. As we were turning to go back to the church we get a text from one of the members, "Hey J is here at the church". Haha I was so excited that it made me bike super fast back to the church :] J received the gift of the Holy Ghost and is an official member of the church :] The temple president spoke in our branch too! He gave a great talk and shared an experience he had, "Well 2 weeks ago I actually had the priveledge of meeting J at stake conference! He explained how he was planning on being baptized and wanted to know more about the church. after talking for awhile I asked him, 'J do you have any ancestors that you want to the temple work for? To be baptized for?' J responded, 'Yes, my father". My eyes filled with tears again. I know J's dad helped with during our lessons so he could feel the spirit and know of the truth of this gospel. Now J has the chance to do the work and be baptized for his father. I know J's dad is just waiting with excitment, he's been waiting since 1994. After sacrament J showed me a picture of his father. They look exactly alike. We set up a time this week to start doing family history work to find his fathers info so we can all go to the temple together to do baptisms for those who have passed. So J can take his dads name to the temple :]

Hermana S and I are being transferred!  I'm gonna miss her.

I'm sad to leave the B area. I wont be able to keep visiting J and help him do the work of his Father. I wont get to see the familiar faces I've seen on a daily basis. I wont bike these same streets again. But I know and have felt like my work here in the area is done. On saturday after J's baptism we were biking on a normal road. Everytime we pass this specific road theres always a BEAUTIFUL white crain that just sits in the water. As we were biking we passed the same spot and I spotted that white crain I saw him lift his beautiful wings and fly away. That's when it hit me that I was leaving the area. Now its' my time to leave and find my new home. Help and lift others in another area. I know god is going to put me where I can help those in need. I'm ready and excited for the task :] I'll go where He wants me to go.

Another week in Brazos

Sheri Dew is coming to our mission this week for sister conference.  Guess who president picked to go pick her up from the airport....my companion and I hahahahha im so nervous!

Love her ... Hermana S

Woo hoo well this friday if everything goes according to plan J will be baptized :] We have been teaching him just for a few weeks but he is so ready! Just pray for him that he feels ready too :] This past week we taught him about the word of wisdom. He actually does drink coffee and thought it was weird we don't. We taught this lesson at a members house. Right after the lesson ended the member said, "Okay here you go I made you some cinnimon tea!" HAHAHA J was like , "Umm hermana we cant drink that!!!" We had to explain that we cant drink any tea from a tea plant. Those gray lines are hard for me personally I just stay away from all kinds of tea. But J has been keeping la palabra de sabiduria which is awesome! He had work this sunday so missed spanish branch BUT went to the 9am session and took the sacrament :] Hes a great investigators.

Met a new guy this week, G. Yeah he's name is pretty common haha. The first time we met him he was so excited and gave me a hug! HAhaha but he was exitced to see missionaries again. Our first lesson he explained how he was away for a year and during that time he read all the bible AND the book of mormon!!! I was so shocked! He knows the BOM is true and joseph smith is a prohphet! He said, "Sometimes I even watch the joseph smith movie that the elders gave me!!!" The only downer is he is planning on getting baptized in the pentacostal; church next month. What he doesnt know is we are planning on having him be baptized in our church next month haha :]

It was time to take out the couch :(

OH! So this Thursday we left the appartment early so I could go to the doctor, then get my new bike, go to the pharmecy, go drop off the loner bike I was borrowing, then go home. All during those 4 hours the housing inspector of the mission went and did a surprise check on our appartment.....haha what a blessing we werent there. He had a huge list of all the things we need to do to fix the appartment. He called us later that day and said, "Did you get my love note?" Haha referring to the list of to dos we have to do. He mentionedd how gross our couch was and we needed to throw it away cause its so old. He also mentioned that we need to have weather proofing on our doors so bugs dont come in. My comp responded, "Yeah cause the other week we found a dead mouse! Well actually maybe the mouse came form the couch" hahah it was so funny.  Long story short he wanted us to carry this HUGE old nasty couch our of the apparment to the dumpster which was so far away. We got the elders help and it was fine.  Dah i got to go! haha I love you all and will talk to you next week :}

Christ's Been There Before~ Trials...

My bestie Hermana S!!!

This week was a definetly trying my faith. I've had crazy bad bike problems that have been stressing me out. This past week a sweet member in the branch replaced my brakes. The day I got my bike back I got a flat tire as we were biking to a lesson! I was so sad, the investigators was nice and we rescheduled our lesson with him. We went to walmart and got a new tire. Then two days later I got another flat tire on the same street I had biked on the other day. This time we just patched up the hole in the tire but it was so stressful :/ then I tried to fix a part on my brakes and I made them waaay to tight and I struggled biking haha. I was so slow its like if you were trying to bike and there was a sock stuck in the wheel that was slowing you down. Plus the super crazy wind wasn't in my favor haha. As we biked long distances to a lesson and the investigators werent home or didnt have time for us I kept thinking to myself, "Wow, I wish they could realize the sacrifice I've made for them. They have no clue". As soon as I thought about that the Savior and his atonment came to my mind. I felt peace and comfort knowing that Christ has been there before, he knows exactly how it feels when you've sacrificed your all and more and people wont let you in. But still you love them. And you wont give up on them because you know how much this gospel can bless their life. I want to share the gospel with everyone, not because its my calling. But because there are too many people in the world who have no idea how much their Savior has done for them! They have no idea how much he sacrificed for them. In Luke 22 it talks about when Christ was praying in the Garden of Gethsemani. As he felt the pains and sufferings and sins of EVERYONE instead of giving up, he prayed more ernestly that he could complete his Fathers will. That he could complete the Atonemnt. This is not my mission. It is the Lords mission and I will keep going until I complete HIS will. I know it wont be easy. I know I will struggle. But I also know that I wont be alone. That is work is for the one who has felt my pains and bared them with love. To him I will give my all, and never hold back.

With our investigators this week it was both good and bad.  All this past week we talked to K about baptism and watched a video of when christ was baptized. We also shared a scripture in John about how we need to be baptized to enter into the kingdom of heaven. She said she would pray and talk to her mom about being bap[tized. We finally got to talk to K's mom, she is totally against K being baptized. After I heard those word my eyes filled with tears of sorrow. I couldn't hold my emotions in. I could barely speak but when I did I expressed how much all the members in the church really do love K. That she is a beautiful daughter of God and became such a good girl because of her mother. It makes me sad to see that she cannot be baptized right now. This Sunday she came to church again, for the 8th time haha. She bore her testimony! At first she got the the pulpit and stood their with fear. I was so nervous for her but knew I needed to let her build up courgae on her own to speak. Then, she spoke. She shared her favorite scripture which was the one we shareed with her in John about baptism. The spirit touched my heart as she finished her testimony. I know that even though K cannot be baptized now, someday she will be. She will always remember going to church and they way it made her feel. I know I have a special place in her heart as does she in mine. We are still going to be teaching her in hopes that when the day comes she can chose for herself to be baptized. K's brother also came to church.

J is a new investigator who is a "golden investigator" meaning that he is 100% for sure going to be baptized! He is so ready. He is doing all he can to preapre for baptism for the 25th of this month. He doesnt know a lot about religion but wants a change in his life and he knows that being a member of the church will change his life for the better. Our first lesson with him he said he couldnt come to church on sunday cause he had work, he felt so bad! He told us he really wanted to come but couldn't. The next time we saw him he said he talked to his boss and the boss allowed him to start work later so he could come to the first hour of church!!! I thought that was so awesome! We didnt even need to tell him to talk to his boss he just went and did it! He even gave us the info of his mother so we can send the missionaries over to her house :D

We have also been helping less actives come back to church and so far we've gotten two back! One we met this past week her name is R. Haha shes older but really funny. She has a quiet voice. She told us she was going to a different church. Then she shares, "During church I'll get up on the piew and start dancing! The pastor told me ,'R in church you cant stand up and start dancing in front of all the people' and so I responded 'Pastor..I'm not dancin for the people, I'm dancin for Jesus" HAHAHAHA I tried so hard not to laugh but it was just so funny to picture an older sweet lady at church dancing during the services. R actually came to church on sunday! No worries though there were no special dancing solos haha.

I love Brazos bike. I've grown really close to all the people in my area. Someone mentioned the otherday how long I've been her in B branch! I told them its been over 6 months and the member responded, "Good! I dont want them taking you to a different area". I said if I ever left I'de ask to be transfered to Hawaii haha. Thank you again for all you do. I really do have such an amazing family! I was so happy to see a package from mom today that had meds which I told her about 7 days ago haha I was shocked how fast the package came and that you even sent me something mom! I lvoe you all soo much and pray for you always :] I am doing really well! Weird to think next month I hit my year mark. My mission is going by to fast and it making me nervous! The amount of time I've spent here in Brazos is the amount of time I have left utnil I come home...I love you all so very much.

favorite scripture 2 corinthians 12:9-10 "For my strength is made perfect in weakness...I take pleasure in..persecutions in distress for christ's sake, for when i am weak then i am strong"

Week 2 MTC done! "Walk By Faith" - & Elder Faust visited

Protection while cleaning our room

So I just finished my week 2 at the MTC! It's been such a growing experience. To anyone who wants to serve a mission at a young age or as a senior companion mission may I offer some advice, prepare now. Read the scriptrues daily, pray daily and always, and know that the mission will be a humbling but rewarding experience. I know the gospel of Jesus christ is true and I will live the rest of my life sharing its truth to others. Remember when you receive your missionary tag that you are a representative of your family, the church, and most importantly jesus christ.

 

(My District Hermanas ~ My Companion Hermana R and I)

Yesterday we had to teach a lesson to a member of the church but in spanish. So our first member to teach was guy who went on his mission 6 years ago. He was speaking spanglish so i could kind of understand him. Going into this lesson I did not feel prepared. As we were trying to teach he kept telling me to relax because i looked so tense and stiff haha. I tried so hard not to get nervous but it was hard to try and understand what he was saying. Then as we were teaching our lesson I guess my eyes started to water and right in the middle of my companion speaking he looks at me and asks whats wrong. I started crying because I was so sad I couldn't express how i felt in spanish! He was so kind and shared with me a scripture Exodus 4:10 :] read it, ponder it, love it.  Basically the scripture was about a prophet who asked God why he was poor in speaking and God said it was for his own good, that faith in him would give him the power he needed to speak. That's exactly what i needed to hear. After we teach the members they write about what we taught them. Our teacher said that because of us it made him want to go and serve another mission:]

(Pday/Temple Trip ~ NO Touching ~ Hermana M ~ Elder C from home/Zone Leader)

Oh and I can honestly say I have never prayed so much in my life!!! I pray atleast 6 times a day. I know the Lord listens to our prayers and answers them. But usually after we ask a question we receive INSTRUCTIONS first from the Lord before receiving an answer. Here's a story to back up that thought. When Lehi and his sons were in the wilderness and all the bows and arrows broke they started to murmur. Lehi went to the lord and asked him where they should go to find food. The Lord instructed him to look upon the Liahonna to find an answer. The Liahonna only worked when Lehi and his family had faith. Pretty interesting story.

Sister Missionaries from my Zone!

I love my time here in the MTC and even though it's not the easiest thing in the world I am grateful for the preperation it is giving me before I head out into the field. Today we are going to the temple today and I am so excited! I love the temple.

Sis Kelsey and I spotted each other far away during Choir.

 I love this gospel. How grateful I am for Joseph Smith and for him to have faith to pray to God to know what he should do. His example caused me to pray to my Heavenly Father to know if I needed to go on a mission or not. ALWAYS be intuned with the Holy Ghost! He witnessed to me that I needed to go on a mission. I like how James E Faust explained the spirit, "The spirits voice is ever present but is calm...listen to and follow the spirit. This is an ancient and eternal solution...This solutions requires pateince in a world that requires instant gratification. The voice is quiet, peaceful, and sudden. This solution requires you to walk by faith in a world governed by sight. Learn to ponder the things of the spirit and respond to its promptings...As you become atuned to the spirit thin ears shall hear a word behind thee syagin 'this is the way, walk ye in it'".

Me, Friend from home and sis Kelsey in MTC

I know if we follow all the commandments of God and be EXACT obedience we will be able to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Pray specifically to heavenly father, let him know EXACTLY what you need. The book of mormon is so true, that is one of the ways the Lord answers our prayers is through the scriptures, prophets, personal revelation.

I love you all so much and pray for you everyday. Thank you for the sweet letters and the packages! I am so blessed!

Love-Hermana Ashley Jaeger