Departure

Hey!!! Well, I'm leaving tommorrow at 8 A.M. and I get to write to you today before my departure. I might be able to call home at the airport before I take off for Montana!! :) I'll probably call sometime in the morning. I just absolutely loved the MTC, my teachers, and my district! I'm really going to miss all the friends I've made from my district and from other districts. I've just grown to love the Elders and Sisters. Hopefully I get to be companions with the Elders from my district some time in my mission.

So, something sad happened this week. I dropped my camera and so when I turn on my camera I get a blank screen. :( So I'll just send home my SD card, but I was wondering if I should send my camera home to get it fixed and you can send it back, or you or I get a new camera? Or should I try and get the camera fixed in Montana? That's the sad news this week.

I had an amazing experience this week during my personal Study Time. I just had this prompting to pray, and I gave one of the most sincere prayers I've ever given. I was praying for all the things I was and am grateful for in my life. Then I found myself asking if Joseph Smith was a prophet, if the BoM was true, if there was a God, if Jesus Christ did suffer for our sins and that if it was possible that I could dwell with my Father in Heaven. That if what I was doing is right and what my purpose is as a missionary. I don't know why I asked those questions because I thought I already believed in all those things, but I felt like I was prompted to ask those questions. And I recieved an answer, I felt the Spirit answer and confirm to all those questions that I asked. I felt this peace, comfort and joy. The Holy Ghost was so overwhelming that I started to cry with joy. I've never felt such surety and comfort in my life before now and I'm so glad I listened to the prompting to pray and to have the Holy Ghost reveal the truth to me with reassurance. I believe that Christ is my Savior and that he did die and suffer for me. I am so grateful for the atonement and that without it we can not dwell with God again. I know that there is a God, and that he does loves us and care about us, which is why he sent his only begotten son to the earth and died for us so we can live with our Father in Heaven. I know that through Christ Joseph Smith was able to restore Christ's church back on Earth and that we have the proper priesthood again. And with that proper priesthood we can be baptized and have our sins washed away. That we can also partake of the sacrament once a week to renew our covenants of our baptism. I am truly grateful for all these things and I know with a surety that all these things are true. And that you can also find the truth for yourself by reading, studying, and pondering the scriptures and by praying with a sincere heart the truth will manifest itself to you by the spirit.

I am so excited to help others to find that truth, to find purpose in their life, and to find comfort and happiness. I am so glad that I chose to serve a mission and to serve the Lord. I love all of you guys! :)

Elder Ashcroft

Gym Closed

So to answer some of your questions, Elder Chappell is 6'1" and there is just the three of us in a 6 man bedroom. Which is nice because we get more space. As for my teachers, It's Bro. Davis, Bro. Rudd, and Bro. Nate comes in sometimes. Also, everyone in my district is going to Montana.

I'll start off with what happened during GYM time last Thursday. I was playing soccer and I got kicked in the back of my left heel in which I got a big bruise and was left limping for two days, but I'm fine now. I really don't have much option for Gym time because the Gym was closed last week and won't open till next week because they are redoing the Gym, so I've been playing soccer out in the field. Beside the Gym being closed, the Temple was closed last week because they were cleaning the temple, however it opened today so I was able to go this morning. :)

I'm really loving my companions and I hang out a lot with Elder Burrows. I love my district and we all get along well. I also like Elder Burrows and Elder Thawleys roomates Elder Handley and Elder Thompson who are in my zone. I'm not sure if I mentioned about my zone leaders from last week, but they are really cool and have been here a month and have another 3 weeks to go, since they are going to Finland.

It's crazy how much I have learned in two weeks, Bro. Davis and Bro. Rudd are just really great teachers!! They help us to really understand how to help investigators and to recognize how they feel and to teach to their needs. We aren't teaching lessons we are teaching people! We have zone teaching pretty much every day so since Friday I have been teaching an Elder who has been here for only a week and tommorrow will be my last day teaching since I'll be leaving to Montana Tuesday. Which reminds me, I'm in charge of our flight for my district. The Traveler Agent!

I can't remember who spoke Sunday at the fireside but he gave a really good talk. He spoke on Hymn #30 "Come, Come Ye Saints" and how it related to us. How we are pioneers as missionaries. I really wish I had my notes on me since I can't really remember much of it. Then yesterday, Elder Colesman of the Seventy spoke at Devotional. He spoke also of us missionaries as pioneers. He also talked about converting others and that we will convert at least one soul, which is ourselves. He also spoke a lot about coming unto Christ. Did you know on average, every 1.7 verses in the Book of Mormon it mentions Christ? That is a lot.

I guess I'll talk a little more about my district. I don't think I ever mentioned the Sisters. There's Sis. Larson, Sis. Renfro, and Sis. Pattullo. Sis. Larson is quite hyper all the time but is nice. Then Sis. Renfro is nice and relaxed and is a 2 year convert. Then there's Sis. Pattullo, she is nice. She can sing and play the piano really well. Anyways, I've never laughed so much in my life just hanging out with Elder Burrows, Elder Thawley, Elder Landry, Elder Chappell, Elder Thompson, and with Elder Handley. They are just an awesome group of people.

Elder Ashcroft

MTC

To start off with, my p-day is on Wednesday. I guess I'll start off before I went to the MTC, so I had lunch with Grandma before going to the MTC but because I was so nervous I threw it all back up. So, the first day at the MTC I was starving haha. I'm loving the MTC! I can definetly feel the spirit and I love my companions. I actually have two companions instead of one. So it's kinda tough sometimes because we have to wait on someone. Haha. Besides that, I love my companions, I wouldn't ask for anyone else. I have Elder Chappell who's from Utah and Elder Landry from Arizona. Elder Chappell has a great sense of humor and we like to tease each other a lot. He grew up on a farm and is such a great Elder. Then there's Elder Landry, who's 6'9"!!! He is probably the biggest Elder at the MTC. He's a cool missionary and can be very funny. However he's having a little trouble getting used to the schedule here, because he used to work at Home Depot from 10 P.M. to 3 A.M., so he's having a hard time staying awake during the day.

I also love my District. There are 8 of us in the district. Besides us there are 3 Sisters and 2 Elders. We all get along, just after two days you would think we have all been friends for a really long time. The other two Elders are Elder Burrows and Elder Thawley. Me and Elder Burrows get along very well and we hang out alot. Elder Burrows is from Ogden Utah and Elder Thawley is from California, somewhere in the bay area. The sisters are great too.

I've learned so much, I feel much more confident and I feel like what I'm doing. I love my teachers, I have three teachers each day. Brother Davis, Brother Rudd, and Brother Nate, they all teach during different times during the day. They have taught me so many things that I never knew or thought about before. We do a ton of role play here. I was freaked out at first, but as I said, I'm becoming more confident. I've already had 5 different investigators. My main Investigators are Jack (Bro. Rudd) and Farren (Bro. Davis). I've learned so much teaching them lessons. I've also changed alot, before I could barely carry a conversation with strangers, and I never really talked alot, but now I find myself talking alot and I can express my thoughts better, I'm still not that great expressing my thoughts, but I'm definetly alot better than before.

I love my zone leaders, Elder Murray who's from Scotland so he has an awesome accent and is a convert of two years. Then there's Elder Glegg, and he's super awesome and willing to answer any question. Our zone leaders always drop by during the night and give us a hug and a mesage. They are super awesome. The food here is great too. I seriously think I'm getting fat haha. Things are GREAT! I love the Fireside and Devotional here. Sunday Jenny Oaks Baker (President Oaks daughter)  spoke and played the violen for us. Then Vaughn J. Featherstone of the seventy spoke Tuesday. Well, times running out since I only have 30 min to write.

Elder Ashcroft

Departure & Small Miracles

Devin flew out of Fresno on Tuesday and what an eventful experience that turned out to be. He was scheduled to leave at 12:45, so we left the house at 10:45, picking up Ethel on the way, who was supporting us as Marvin had had to leave for San Ramon on business early Monday morning and wouldn't be back until Thursday. When Devin checked in at the Delta counter he was told that the flight was overbooked and as he didn't have an assigned seat he would be the one to be bumped if no one volunteered to go on the later flight at 4:45. If someone volunteered they would get a voucher for a free flight, but the agent told us that if Devin was unwillingly bumped he would be compensated in cash for 4 times the price of his ticket. (I made sure to tell Devin to not volunteer for the later flight!)

So, after he was all checked in he was able to visit with his friends who had come to see him off, which he really appreciated. At 12:15 he went through security and after he had walked out of sight his friends left. Ethel and I waited to make sure he got on the plane. After a while I texted him and he said he was just waiting at the desk. After a longer while he ended up walking back out with an agent. No one had volunteered for the later flight. We went up to the front desk where we waited again, this time for someone to bring him out a check, which turned out to be for $1036! It wasn't 4 times the amount of his ticket price, but it was good enough!

By this time Devin was finally hungry. He had been too nervous to eat in the morning, but he was ready by then. We went to one of his favorite places, Dog House Grill. We then went home for about an hour until it was time to leave for the airport again. Before we left I thought to call the optician again. Last week we ordered glasses for Devin and they hadn't arrived by 10:30, but by 3:30 they had! We were able to stop there on the way, get them fitted and get to the airport on time. I dropped him off at the curb, parked and when I got in he was already through security. We waved goodbye and I watched him walk down the hall. I waited for his plane to leave and then went out to the parking lot. As I got to the parking lot a man asked me if I could help him jump start his car, so I drove around to his aisle, he pushed his van out, and we got it started. 

I am just amazed at how things worked out. Instead of being a bad experience, being bumped from his flight brought us blessings.

MTC Mailbox # 99
MT-BIL 0731
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

This will be my mailing address from July 11 to July 30 for when I'm in the MTC. The mailing address that's on the blog is for when I'm actually in Montana and will be used for the continuation of my mission.

Well, this is my first and last time I'll be posting on this blog since I'll be leaving Tuesday for my mission, which I am super excited and nervous for! So I'm just going to tell you what my mom will be posting on here for the next two years. My mom will be posting my emails which I'll be sending once a week so that all of you guys get to find out what I'll be doing on my mission, all the experiences, miracles, and all that fun stuff! I will most likely be sending some pictures too, so there should be some pictures up on this blog. That is pretty much it. I'm super excited and can't wait to serve the Lord, the people in Montana, and all the companions I'll get to meet and have!

Love, Elder Ashcroft

P.S. I hope you guys write to me, my address is on the top left hand corner of this blog. :)