From the Letter to the Mission President:
My last week in Santa Paula has definitely been a very blessed week! I feel so grateful for the time that I have been given to work here. I am going to miss Santa Paula and the people here. However, I know that there are people waiting for me in Santa Barbara! I am thrilled to be going there. I am also humbled and excited for the opportunity that I now have to be a Sister Training Leader!
As always, my family is receiving so many blessings. I know that they are all praying for me and that gives me strength. They are very supportive of me and I am so grateful for each and every one of them! :)
This week the heavens were opened. It rained out blessings, and even actual rain! We were able to meet with Z. We were having a lesson with her about the importance of baptism when all of a sudden she blurted out, "I am going to be baptized!" Hermana Young and I looked at each other surprised. She continued, "I am going to be baptized! I know it's true! I want to go to the celestial kingdom." The spirit was so strong! It was such a miracle! Before the lesson she had been talking about how she did not want to join our church because she did not want to be labeled as something. Hermana Young and I are SO grateful for the Spirit. The Spirit is the real teacher. He can touch the hearts of those we teach. We set Z with December 6th for her baptismal date. Although I wish I could be here, I am so thankful that I was able to be an instrument in the Lord's hands and help one of His daughters come back to him. Z is a very special girl and I know that she will be such an example to many of her friends!
I have absolutely loved working with Hermana Young! I have learned so much from her! She has helped me to really slow down in life and take time to enjoy it. I am so proud of her and everything that she has learned in the past 12 weeks! She is a fast learner and often times she was teaching me. I am so grateful to Heavenly Father who knows exactly we need at exactly the right time!
We got to glean oranges in Filmore with the Elders for a service project this past week! It was such a fun activity to do! I am definitely grateful that each week we have the opportunity to serve those around us.
I know that this is the Lord's work! Never before in my life have I witnessed so many miracles! For that I am eternally grateful! I know that exact obedience does bring miracles! I know, more than ever before, that Heavenly Father has a perfect plan for me. His plan is always better than our plan. We just have to put our trust in Him. I love this gospel! I love this work! I love being a missionary! I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am eternally grateful for the Atonement. I love my Heavenly Father! I love life! :)
MOM!
Yes! Transfers!!! I'm going to Santa Barbara! And I am going to be a Sister Training Leader (STL)!!!!
So many new changes huh!?!?!
And guess what?
Haha proposal #2
So we were teaching a lesson and we have been teaching him about eternal marriage. Last Sunday at church, the talks and classes were also on eternal marriage. Anyway we were talking with X about learning English one day after his lesson and he said to me, "Marry me so I can learn English."
I started laughing so hard. I couldn't help it. Hermana Young (who hadn't been feeling very well that day) didn't hear what he had said. So there she was kinda laughing, pretending she knew what was going on, but she was just really confused. Meanwhile I am just dying of laughter because the whole situation was crazy! X then said he was only joking. I am not sure if he was joking or not...
Don't think I'm terrible because I was laughing, I couldn't help it...
But anyways, there you have: Proposal #2
Gorgeous sunrise!
I love Hermana Miller! :)
Hahah picking oranges with the Elders! Elder McKay and Elder Simpson.
Elder Lopez!
Elder Moreno, our District Leader, hiding.
Our Halloween costumes. I was Elder Young, and Hna Young was Hna Old. haha
Hello rain in California! We have all been praying for rain.
Recently I had forgotten to pray for rain. The day I remembered to pray for rain, it rained! I can't take the credit, but I know that Heavenly Father was listening to all of our prayers! :)
So funny story... We decorate our planners every transfer. One day I pulled out my planner and Elder Jones pulled out his planner and put it right next to mine. Then Elder Hunt slipped his planner out of his pocket and Hermana Young took out hers. We discovered to our astonishment that we had used the exact same pictures of Christ on our planners! It was so funny!
What are the odds of that happening to both of us?!?!
Hermano G from the Branch!
He is awesome! He and his family are converts! They are so strong in the Gospel!
So yesterday we had dinner/ learned how to cook Mexican rice with JM. She is D's mother and she is an angel! For some reason she loves me a lot too! She also calls me "Mija de mi corazon." Daughter of my heart. It's cute. Anyways we learned how to cook awesome rice and then had dinner. We had fish, rice, beans, zucchini with corn and chilis and tortillas. We didn't even have forks or any utensils. We just ate everything with the tortillas! It was really good, but I was so full! It is so fun to eat in exactly the opposite way I was taught. Haha I love Hispanic culture!
D, me, and JM
I (behind us)...at our birthday party! (It was no one's bday but we celebrated together because we won't be together for anyone's bday) They all loved the potatoes that I brought! Haha they want the recipe! I told them I don't have one! Hna Young make some really good cake!
Thanks so much for your letter! I love you! I have to pack everything today which will be crazy! Hopefully I'll be able to write you a letter next week! I love you all so much! Thanks for your prayers for me! We are seeing so many miracles! I'm doing great and loving life! Have a great week! :)
Love you
con amor,
Hermana Ashley Killpack :)
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