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

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 :)

Attitude of Gratitude

last pday i forgot my nametag at home :[ during the day we were STARVING so we decided to eat at jimmy johns. i parked by this SUPER raised truck that had fatty tires. i noticed i parked kind of clsoe to the truck so I scooted through. Bad idea...I got nasty black grease all over my skirt just before going to eat. THEN as we walk outside after eating I notice I spilt some sauce on my shirt hahaha i was trying to look like a representative of christ but it wasnt workin for me that day. probably why my nametag got left at home haha God knew.

This week I came across a story about a mormon pioneer. His story of what he suffered through to get to salt lake touched my heart. And through all he went through he expressed his gratitude for his trials. for during that trial of  trecking to the salt lake valley in the blistering snow is where he said, "I came to know God". I felt impressed last week to start working on being more grateful in life. for as I look back through the 22 years of my life I realize that I have come to know my Father in Heaven more during my trials. How incredibly grateful I am, first and foremost, for my parents and ancestors, for because of their righteous actions and choices I am here today. Because of you and them I want to be a good person. Because of my Savior I want to be like him. 

As I was reading last weeks email from my brother Elder Jaeger I really like what he was talking about sitting in a battlefield. Haha I feel like I'm there too, and Im sure we can all relate to that one way or another. Life wasn't meant to be easy though, we weren't sent here to dance merrily through the flowers and live in innocence. We came here to be tried and tested. But why? The answer to this goes ALL the way back to our first ancestors/parents on earth "After (God) had created our first parents...it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other" (2 nephi 2:15-16). 

We could not act for ourselves unless we had two choices, the good and the bad. THATS why we needed to come to earth :] to try and test our agency. God hopes that all his children will return back home to him. That is why he sent his son Christ, so that through him we may be forgiven. But we must do our part to receive this grace and mercy. How grateful I am for my heavenly fathers love! Even with our imperfections He loves us! He does not expect us to become perfect here on earth, but he does expect us to try. How grateful I am for this moment in life to help others come unto Christ. 

I love you all so much :]

love-Hna Jaeger

Patience Pays-Off

Me and my Comp Hermana B.  Representing our TEAM!

This week was a pretty normal week, we visited a lot of member. I've come to a conclusion of the different ways members react to trials. The conclusion was that those members who have already been through the temple bear their burdens with more strength in the Lord then those who have not gone to the temple. Our goal for the rest of my time here in H 1 is to get at least a temple picture into every one of our members homes, so they may remember where they should be heading in life.

 A couple of members have been asking me why I decided to lengthen out my mission for a month. I told them its because I have a great desire to help others come unto christ. And its true. I have VERY specific people here in H 1 that I want to help them progress towards baptism before I leave. I know if I have enough faith in God and work to my full potential I will be able to see these miracle baptisms happen. How grateful I am for this time I have to be here. Thank you mom and dad and grandparents for all the sacrifices you go through to help support me here on my mission. It is the best decision I have ever made in my life. 

this past sunday we had stake conference. As I looked and said hello to familiar faces I went up and talked to the M couple, the first of my investigators that got baptized. As I talked to them and reminded hno M that he said hed share his testimony before i left my mission he replied back that he was sharing his testimony that day in sacrament meeting and how nervous he was! Haha it was so incredible hearing his beautiful testimony of how his wife had waited 27 years until he was baptized. He said how MANY missionaries would come and go but hed never want to listen. He expressed his gratitude for the patient sisters who worked with him for so long to help him get baptized and he named off each sister, sister k, m, j, and jaeger. My heart filled with gratitude for the tender mercy I had to be able to listen to hno m testimony and to see how the gospel has changed his life. I know this gospel can change lives, for the better. Now him and his wife are working to be sealed into the temple :]

I know the importance of being patient in life. SOmetimes the lords timing isdifferent from ours, and in these moments we just need to wait and remember that he is waiting with us too. i like the lyrics of an EFY song that explains of how we need not rush things "I dont need to rush or wait for my future, He knows I'm strong enough and he has a plan...for the girl I am"

I know He has a plan for me and each one of you. Trust in him and believe in good things to come :] be patient and faithful until he calls you home.   love- hna jaeger

New hair cut & Making cupcakes with little A  ~  The S Family

Waiting at church

Booming Week!

Mi Familia :]

Wow this week has been a miracle. We had to combine our bike area with the other sister area in out district because hermana s companion left to Argentina. So we were in a tri companionship and it was AMAZING!!! We never had down time, we were always teaching! I've never had so much work and so much fun ever since I've came out on my mission! All I can say is how grateful I am to the Lord for sending me here to B, TX. The branch needs a lot of help. But in our district this past transfer we've been able to see a lot of miracles because we have been so united and unified and a district. Also on a personal note I've have seen the blessings of paying a full tithe. After I sent that letter in I've been able to see many miracles here as well as see dad have enough work to support the family and 3 kids on a mission. 

An investigators who's mother passed away a week ago. Her mom found out she had cancer a little after Y met the missionaries which was about 5 weeks ago. We went over to her house that night and had an amazing lesson on the Jesus Christ and the power of the Atonement. We were able to share a few scriptures to help give her comfort. We also gave her the picture of Christ walking out of the tomb. We explained that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ all those who live on this earth will be resurrected. We promised her that someday she'd be able to see her mother again and all other family members who've passed on. She put the picture of Christ in a place that she could always look at it. We also pointed out how God put the missionaries in her path just a month ago for a reason. It wasn't by chance she's been taking the lessons right before her mother passed.

A has a date for Nov 16. He is so prepared and ready. He has no doubts. He's a golden investigator.

M the mother of two daughters in the branch finally accepted a date for December 14! We taught her 3 nephi 11 and focused on baptism. The spirit was so strong the whole time and she expressed her feelings that she knew The Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. She loves this church.  Isabel and her kids are wonderful and we have FINALLY been able to meet her husband! Weren't able to teach him yet but we have an appointment with the whole family this week. They were able to meet some members in the ward who live on the same street. The same member family is coming with us to the next lesson.  Also were able to meet and teach M a friend who lives at their house!!! He was sad he couldn't come to church this Sunday cause of work but promised to come this next Sunday! hes excited to read The Book of Mormon and help the family, especially the kids, go to church.

We were able to teach 26 lessons this week! It was a miracle because normally we get MAYBE 14 or less. I know I will be helping SO MANY people to be baptized by the end of this year. I know I need to help 6 more people to be baptized this year, by the end of December. I pray and have faith this is possible. thank you for all your support and love!!! Hwo grateful I am for my savior Jesus Christ. He is my everything.

-Hrmana Ashley Jaeger

Singing in the RAIN

Hola mi familia :]

This week has been full of unexpected situations. We were planning on having our investigator R go to an FHE at a members house last week. 30  minutes before we were suppost to have the lesson it started down pouring! The ground on our appartment complex flooded because the storm was so bad!! Sad to say R couldnt make it to the FHE activity because its super dangerous to drive in standing water. But we were able to teach Hermana A and her 3 little grand babies!!!  So to make them focus I taught the first vision of jospeh smith using sour patch kids HAHAHA. I wasnt being disrespectful I just wanted them to learn about the first vision. I promised them after the lesson they could have some sour patch kids and they were sooo attentive after that :] and they understood the first vision.

We were able to teach a new lady T who accepted a baptismal date right after we taught her the first lesson! it was so cool and she really wants to learn more. :]

R is good but a hard investogator. We taught him the law of chastity and he easily accepted to follow it! then last night we taught tithing and he had a problem with it because he belives we should just give as much as we want. but its okay hes progressing little by little and i know someday SOON he will be baptized. Hes a great guy.

Panchito the old member is funny. he bikes to see our investigators. everytime he sees me he goes "Jjjjaaaeger!" Haha hes happy he finally is able to pronounce my name :]

This week we've had a hard time teaching people. We talked to EVERYONE but very few would let us in a dn teach. My comp and I went to knock a house which the person was taught awhile ago, her name was E. This 23 year old kid with an eyebrow piercing opened the door hahaha.  I said, "Hi um does an E live here?" He said no and kept looking at us so I thought well heck what a good opportunity to share the gospel! So as I started to explain that we were missionaries his friend comes from the other room, no shirt on, skinny as a stick, long hair and you could tell right away he was smoking something. He stood behind the otehr guy and looked at me and said, "You have pretty eyes" HAHAHA I instantly said, "Oh thanks. Okay well have a great day!" And we walked away. Later that night I told Hermana O'Neill, "People are going to remember you by the girl with the glasses" she laughed and replied "and you are going to be remembered by the girl with the pretty eyes" Hahaha i cannot tell you how many times weird guys have complemented on my eyeballs. 

I know the work will not go forward without the help and support of the members! We are not suppost to knock doors anymore. We are suppost to receive new people to teach through the members. this week we have a few lessons set up with members which i pray will go well.

This past week had an amzing family drop us. We walked in the hosue and all the kids were excited to see us. We sat down and the mom who is super catholic explained she respects us as missionaries but because we believe differently and read from different books she doesnt want us to teach her family anymore. This was hard because a few weeks ago we had an amzingly spiritual lesson with the dad and kids. As the wife spoke the father just sat there with his head down. I know he wants to learn more about this gospel, but also doesnt want contention in the family. They handed us back the book of mormons and my heart just dropped. I told them i respect their beliefs and just like them, my religion is my life. We left with a prayer and said goodbye. The kids were sad and so were we. But I pray one day the mom will have an open heart to hear of this gospel again.

Two hours later we were teaching another lady, there we met her 20 year old daughter M. The spirit was so strong in the lesson and she asked for us to come by her house and teach her more. At that moment I realized, God knows exactly which people are ready to listen and change for this gospel and which aren't. God allowed at that moment for L and his family to stop seeing us so we can have mroe time to teach M who is ready to change. I know this is the lords work and its important to follow his guidance to attcheive,

The past week it has been extremely HOT.  As I bike down the looong roads in the hot Texas sun with my super grande backpack I cant help but imagine my savior when he had to carry his cross, alone, down a long lonely road. My testimony of my savior grows more and mroe as the days go by. I know he suffered for all of us so we dont have to suffer alone. Hes felt our pains, afflictions, difficulties, temptations. Hes been there! But through it all he loved those that cursed him, bore his pain with patience, and did the fathers will. He is the perfect example of enduring to the end. when times are rough he's there to lift up my spirits. He's the reason why I keep moving forward. I keep biking the extra miles. Keep visiting the investigator who has no time to listen. Keep acting on my faith in God.

I love this work. I love being a representative of christ. I know things happen for a reason. Some days the sun shines brighter then others. But even as the storms of life pass over me, i still find myself singing in the rain!!!

Great Blessings

This past week we were at our investigators house & guess who we see!  P biking to see our investigator!!!!  He BIKED about 1 1/2 miles to come say hello.  He is an amazing member!

For branch conference in Brazos Hermana O and I were able to get R to church! We had a member call and invite him to church and then another member went and picked him up! I know it means a lot more when a member of the branch calls and invites and investigator to church instead of us missionaries doing it every week. The meeting was very powerful and during President P's talk he pointed out R and how blessed he is to have the chance to live in America right now and have the chance to learn about the gospel. R had a great time at church, so many people were talking to him and making him feel welcome. After church President P asked if we could go visit with him and R and have like a simple lesson. We were able to have a member with us too and we taught him at the park. It was amazing to see how President P taught with such simpleness but power. Without telling President what R needed help with, President P spoke about everything R needed to hear to understand more about Joseph smith and other topics. I could tell R's mind was enlightened and he wants to be baptized. right now he just is praying for himself what day he feels god wants him to be baptized on. 

M is the grandma of some members in our branch. She loves learning about the gospel. We have an FHE set up this week at the members home. Hopefully hearing the testimony of her kids and grandkids will make her feel more excited and understand the importance of baptism and going to the correct church. 

L and his family are new. We were able to teach the dad and 3 of his kids this week. The mom and other daughter were not home. The lesson was really good we used alot of the how to begin teaching points and invited the spirit in with a prayer. We were able to teach the restoration and watch the restoration movie. The family really liked it and L is really interested in learning more about the church. They accepted to read and pray about the book of mormon. Invited them to church. We are visiting their family this monday to teach them more.

A for I we are praying to know what to do with her. She had a blessing from the elders which afterward she said during the blessing she felt no pain. she loves our visits but we are worried shes not remembering what we are teaching her.

S has been taught for about a month now. Shes going through a lot which is the reason why she was open to talking to us. this last lesson we taught the restoration. we had a member family the J's with us. the lesson was good and S was open to reading the book of mormon. at the end of the lesson Hermana J asked if S knew the mother of Hermana Juarez. She said yes and they gave each other a big hug! We found out that S is the god mother of Hermana J and they lost conact with each other at least 10 years ago!!! we were shocked and because of that we were finally able to talk to the husband of S. He was so excited to see Hermana J again and he told us that him and S would try and make it to church sept 1 to see what its like and since they have friends who go to the church!! :)

My Companion Hermana O with our bike helmet/lights :)

I am starting to understand how important it is to stay on the Lords time and do things the way he wants them to be done. When R wasn't able to be baptized on the origional date he accepted (aug22) i was really upset and wondered why couldnt God just make him not have work so he can go to church! But after the lesson with President P I understand know why R's baptism fell through. I feel it was more the date I wanted R to be baptized and I didnt go and prayer with all my heart to God to know if that was his will. I know I cannot be do this work without the help and guidance from my Heavenly Father. 

-Hermana Ashley Jaeger