Thanksgiving Week

 

We have been hearing from Elizabeth since she's been in California through letters and emails and are so THANKFUL that everything she says is positive about her missionary life.  She loves California, she loves her companion, and she loves meeting new people. As you can imagine, she faces some rejection while she's working, but always seems to turn it into a learning experience for herself.  

She is still in the same area and is still with Sister Unga.  Transfers occur every six weeks in their mission, so they will find out whether they are staying or moving next week.

She has had the opportunity to work with other missionaries in her area

 

 

and is even meeting some movie stars!

 

 

She has yet to mention any real stars, but has heard a rumor that Britney Spears shops in the same grocery store...

 

We are so THANKFUL that she has decided to dedicate her life for this 18 months to something that she really believes in.  Her testimony of the work she is doing is growing each day.  We are THANKFUL for the person she is becoming, not only the missionary but the talented, outgoing, wonderful person who is trying to improve herself every day.

 

We know that she is THANKFUL for the emails, cards, letters and boxes she has received from home - she can really feel the support from those that love her!

 

THANK YOU!!

P-Day, Finally!!

We FINALLY heard from Elizabeth today!  She has been in California for a week, but we didn't know exactly where until we received her email this afternoon.  She is serving in the Newbury Park zone, in the Dos Vientos ward boundaries.

Her training companion, Sister Unga, is also 19 and has been out for a whole 3 months!  They are lucky enough to be living in the guest house in the backyard of one of the members there, in a very nice gated community.

 

 

 

She spends her days finding people to teach and says she is lucky to have dinner appointments every night, with members and non-members who like to have the missionaries over to talk to.  Her struggle is that it is hard to find progressing investigators there.  Though most of the people are very nice, they are happy with their lives as they are and are not interested in learning what Elizabeth has been trained to teach.  I'm sure that she is meeting all kinds of people from different backgrounds there!

She is working hard and learning the ups and downs of missionary life.  I know that this is an awesome experience for her!

California Here She Comes!

Sister Ashworth called me from the airport right before her flight to Santa Barbara, CA this morning.  She is excited to get to her new home and meet her training companion.  She is also excited to be somewhere warm!  I'm not sure where exactly she will be serving and probably won't know where she is until she can email us next Monday.

Someone who was with the missionaries at the airport sent this picture just before they boarded the plane. 

First Week Out!

Sister Ashworth has now been in the MTC for over a week!  She emailed us today with details about her past week - it sounds like she is loving the Missionary life!

Her companion is Sister Kemp and they have been called as Training Leaders, which involves helping other Sister Missionaries and doing orientations for newbies.  I knew she'd be a leader right away!  She is also the Flight Leader for her group's trip to California on Monday - she'll be in charge of making sure 20 missionaries in her group make it!

She also had a funny story - She was going for a walk early one morning with her companion (they have exercise time), and as they passed by a dumpster, they saw a Llama peeking out!  It was a brand new Llama piñata, full of candy!  Of course, she had to take it home with her!

 

 

 

 

 It sounds like she is having fun, but also working very hard and learning as much as she can.  As I told her right before she left, she was made for this!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTC!

Sister Ashworth entered the MTC yesterday, October 9, 2013.  She was so excited to get started, and will only be in Provo for 12 days.  She sent an email today saying that she is alive and well and that her P-day is on Thursday while she's there.  She leaves for California on October 21st.




Provo Temple, 10 minutes before she entered the MTC

It's hard to believe it was a year ago today that she was saying goodbye to Elder Odom, who is serving his mission in the Philippines.  You can see his mission blog at jtomission.blogspot.com

 

I love to see the temple...

On August 31, 2013 I went through the temple for the first time! Temples are sacred houses of the Lord where we can be sealed to our families forever. The Atlanta temple is so beautiful and I'm happy I got to share this special day with my family :) 

Ventura Bound!

My friends and family guessed where I was going to serve (come on guys, Africa?) and we marked the guesses on this map...so nerve-wracking! I guessed Salt Lake Temple Square. Nope! 

After weeks of waiting, the call...