e-mail Oct 25, 2010

Dear all

Well, another week has come and past. It is amazing how fast time goes. I have been tired this week, but we are still working hard.

Not too much happened this week. My comp and I are working to have more love and understanding between us. We haven't been having too much success because if there is not love and excitement in your companionship, you will not have success. It is sad but true.

We have a lot of news right now. (Note: I’m not sure what this means.) We are working to find out which ones are positive and ready for baptism. We are teaching only a couple right now that are positive and look like they are ready for baptism. It is interesting.

After, well almost 8 months, I think I have learned a lot about the mission and what I need to do. Then, one day, the spirit comes and tells me all the things I am doing wrong and teaches more about what I need to do. I think this happens, or happened in real life before and I just didn't realize it was the spirit. All of my breakdowns were really the spirit humbling me and tell me to stop relying on myself and to change things. I really just realized that I need to do a few things better in the mission and that especially right now, I don't have enough energy for two people. Often times my comp is sad or mad or frustrated and 10 steps behind me with a frown on. I have to be happy and have energy for two of us so that the people don't think we are depressed. That has really been draining for me this change. I am just refocusing myself on the mission and what I need to do better. We are working hard and trying to have a few baptisms these last few weeks. We shall see how it goes. Thank you everyone who continually write me. It is great to get mail. The one thing that did happen is that in Tonala, the other area that I am DL over, had 7 baptisms this week. They finally baptized someone other than musas. They baptized seven with two families. It was cool. One lady was really crazy and wouldn't go under the water. Every time they went to go put her under the water, she freaked out and let go of her nose. After about the 8th time, with both missionaries in the water, they put her almost there, and then one missionary had to just about jump on her to put her under real quick. Needless to say, she came up coughing water, but clean of her sins. It was quite the event. But it was a good week. The church is true. Always remember that. Do your Home and Visiting teaching. It is more important than we realize.

Keep the commandments. They're not that hard. Attend the temple. It's close and at least we can afford to go. Just be thankful every day for the good lifestyle that we have. I miss carpet. Yes, I know it's simple, but carpet. Oh and a pillow. Alright that's enough. Thanks and the church is true.

With love,

Elder Ashby

Q & A Oct 18, 2010

1. Does your companion speak English? and do you know if he gets any other e-mail. I don't want to take up his time if he has other people to write.

Yeah, he speaks a little English. He is learning and told me that he is practicing when he writes to you. He told me only his sister writes him and she isn´t a member. Other missionaries might write him, but who knows. I just told him that if he doesn´t have time don´t worry about writing or reading yours. But I don´t think he has that much.

2. Are you out of any personal hygiene items: foot powder, razors, shampoo, etc? Just so I know for your next package. (If you ever get any of the packages I send!) Christine gave a bunch of boxes of contact solution, so I'll put one in each package I send.

Well, I jsut started using my last box of contact solution that I brought from the states. I think that should last me another 4 months. Don´t worry about too many personal items. I can buy everything here for fairly cheap. The only expensive thing is the solution.

3. Do you still have the cash you left with or have you used it already? I couldn't remember if you had to pay that and if it came out of your $100 cash or not.

No, we didn´t have to pay because our flight allowed 2 bags. Most of the gringos here use their 100 dollar fundo emergencia in the first 2 months but I still have 40 dollars from that left in my money. Money seems to go alot faster when you are senion comp and especially when you are training.

4. How do you say "Elder" in Spanish? Never mind--David says it is the same.

yes it is the same. Only Elders is differenet. It is elderes.

5. I notice you wear your white tie when you are baptizing. Does it go in the water? I thought that would ruin them.

No, that tie is special. It is the best tie I have ever seen. That white tie is called ¨The washabale one¨. It drys great.

6. Has there been any sign of your birthday package yet? Do you only get packages at Zone Conference? When is your next one?

We usually only get packages at changes meetings. The next change meeting is in 4 weeks.

e-mail Oct 18, 2010

Dear all,

There might be a few mistakes in this email because I need to write quick. I don´t have much time left and a lot happend. (Note from Mom: there are always lots of errors, but I have been trying to edit them before I post them here. Hopefully, I caught the errors and made paragraphs so it is easier to read:))

First, I have really been working with my comp to get along better with him. I have been trying different tactics to laugh with him and help him focus on the good things.

On Thursday, I went up to Tonala. We had some trouble catching the bus with the other gringo because he doesn´t have very much time there and we missed the first one. We were going and the bus broke down, so I took advantage of that and contacted the bus. It was a first for me, but it was good. So we were up there and I got to know a lot of their possabilites for baptism. We are trying to actually get that area moving and baptizing. There are so many testigos de Jehova (Jehovah's Witnesses?) up there.

In the night, the power went out. Not that it mattered much becuase their lights don´t work anyway. Their toilet up there is just concrete and the shower is water in a bucket with a bowl. It is pretty funny. So we used candles for the night.

I did my first hard interview but that was good and we got it all figured out with how they were going to baptize him. The next morning, we hitched a ride back in to Chinandega.

We had our baptism this Saturday. We had a family Pineda. We have been teaching them for about a month. They were my first baptism from a contact and not a reference. They were so ready and it was a very neat experience for me. We had a little problem with the clothes, but we got it all figured out finally and got them married and baptized.

We had one more kid that has been half running from us and then telling us that he had to go do something. It was weird. But in the night, we had to go look for him to baptize him. So we went and he wasn´t there. We talked to his cousin and she said that he knew that his sister has been saying things that aren´t true about him and he was embarrassed. My comp didn´t think we should go look for him. He asked two members what they thought because we were disagreeing. Needless to say, we went to the house to work some things out. I told him that we need to talk about things between us and not the members and that we HAVE to go look for the kid because Satan works extra hard right before the baptism and if we didn´t go look for him, Satan would surely win. He just sat there and didn´t say a word. The ZLs called about 15 minutes later and told us to go out and look for him and baptize him, so we left and my comp was a little irritated.

We got to the house of the kid and it started raining, HARD. It was a big storm. The street turned into a river. We talked to Guiermo, the kid, and he said that he wanted to get baptized, he just wasn´t sure if he was ready and he wanted to wait. We told him Satan would only work harder in the next week and that we had to do it that day. He said, OK-- miracle number 1. We went to go look for a taxi. Oh, by the way, the power went out too while we were talking. We went to go look for a taxi and they told us we wouldn´t find one in the area we were at. We told them they didn´t have the faith. We left, went half a block and a taxi came-- miracle number 2. We went to the Stake center. I called some other missionaries and they said everyone had already left the stake center and that it was closed. I just prayed that there was someone there. We pulled up and the gate was open-- miracle number 3. We went in and there were three guys getting ready ro leave. We went in and started getting ready. I realized we needed another priesthood for a witness. I went and asked one of the guys if he was an Elder and he said yes and he told me that he could stay for a few minutes--miracle number 4. So, with no power, we had a baptismal service with him, me and my comp, Guiermo´s cousin, and these three guys, out in the hall where there were emergency lights. We did the baptism by the light of 3 cell phones to make sure everything was done right with the baptism. We finished and went home. We ended up spending 150 cordobas in taxis. But we did it. We also had to work hard to get him confirmed on Sunday too. He said he had no clean clothes and only sandals. After 30 minutes of trying to convince him, I lent him a pair of jeans and a pair of shoes and we went to church. Everything was good. It was just a night of miracle after miracle to baptize him. It was really good.

We threw water balloons for p-day today. That was good. I think that´s about all for this week. My comp has learned a lot and is starting to adapt better. Thanks for the support from everyone. I love you all and thank you for your prayers.

With love,
Elder Ashby

E-mail Oct 11, 2010

Dear all,
Well, I´m not sure I have quite as much to share as I did last week, but I will try to share some of the experiences. So first, I am sure learning a lot with training. Every day is a struggle and a test of patience. I amagine that this is what it is like to have a real child. lol but everything is good. We are getting along a little better.

On Thursday, we had interviews with Presidente Arredondo. It was good. After, Pres´s wife drove with us to our houses to see how clean they were. Luckily, we usually keep our house fairly clean and we had a little bit of a warning in the morning that she was going to come. We also watched the District 2, the video or how to do missionary work perfectly ha ha. It was filmed in like Long Beach California and we were seeing all these nice houses, missionaries with cars, leather couches, and CARPET!!!! It is wierd, but yes. We miss carpet. The ability to be able to walk barefoot in your house without getting muddy!! So Thursday was a trunky day. I was thinking about the states a lot. We don´t get trunky for our families or our girlfriends here. We miss the good ol´ United States of America.

Well, I got my first experience as DL this week. I did my first three interviews. It was easy. The first one, I forget to ask about the word of wisdom, but it was a 11 year old girl that is pilas, so I didn´t worry about it too much.

I also gave my first blessing. I have done the uncion, the umm.... anointing, before and I´ve given blessings of consuelo, but never sealed the uncion. So we had to give a blessing to this lady that was really sick. Right before the blessing, she told me she wanted to die. It is some disease with her nerves. So I did the sealing and the blessing. I think I actually did a good job. The missionary I was with said it was good. It is hard becuase you have to talk in Tu, which we aren´t allowed to talk in and we didn´t really ever learn it. But it was good.

We had a baptism this week. We had to marry them and baptize the wife. The husband is a less active and they just moved in to the town from the coast where he fishes on a boat. So she is awesome. Her name is Ilda and she is awesome. She learned fast and came to church all on her own. So we married them and I got to baptize her. We had 3 of the people that we are going to baptize at the baptism as well. So we should have another wedding and baptism of 3 for next week. We will see how it goes. But things are good.

The rain has virtually stopped and the sun is getting HOT. I thought it was hot before and it is only getting worse.

The days are flying and we are working hard like normal. To my brothers and sisters, thanks for your letters. It was great to get the postcard from Boston and some updates from a few of you. Thanks for all of the support that you give.

The mission is going great. I have been really tired this last week. With having to report numbers and everything, we have been going to bed late and waking up early. So i have to try going to bed at the right time. So for those of you who are curious what this greasy rice is doing to me, I weighed myself today. I weigh....136. That is a 16 pound gain from when I left my fachenta house in the US of A. But all is well and my shoes are still trekking along. The shoes I had for 4 years before the mission are the ones that are most comfortable and are working the best. Well, that is all for now. Until next week...

With Love
Elder Ashby

Q & A Oct 11, 2010

!. Did we get this correct? You are still in Chinandega, but your comp moved, or both of you moved?

I am still in Chinandega Oeste. Elder Quintero is now a DL in Chichigalpa, in the Zone of Chinandega Chinandega.

2. Is the last picture you sent last week of your new companion? (Is he the one with glasses?)

Yes.

3. Is your companion having better luck this week?

Yes, he is having better luck, but he has been complaining A LOT about blisters. He is adjusting to a lot of things still, but things have been a little better.

4. Have you heard anything about your mtc comp, Elder Ellis? I heard from his mother once when you first arrived in Nica, but I haven't heard anything from her again. She was on the Mish mom sight, but she never comments.

Yeah, he has transfered a lot. He also trained last transfer, but they didn´t baptize at all. They were in Chinandega Chinandega. I don´t know where he is now.

5. I'm hoping to send your Christmas package this week. Is there any last minute things for your Christmas list?

I don´t really think so. Some apple Cider would be good. Apple cider and hot chocolate would be awesome. Anything from the United States of America. Let me tell you. You form a whole other perspective of your country when you live in a different one for two years.

6. How has it been going as DL? I'm sure it keeps you very busy.

It has been going good. In my first week. I did my first three baptismal interviews. I also have to report numbers everynight which stinks.

e-mail Oct 4, 2010

Dear all,

Well, I have demasiado de escribirles. It has been quite the week. It´s been crazy. Well, first, we had changes. I didn´t have my contacts and I couldn´t see when they put the names of the trainers on the screen. Everyone had to tell me that I was training. So that was first. I have my first kid in the mission. He is Elder Celis from El Salvador. More of him will be contado más tarde en this email. Then, when they showed who were DL, and in what area, I couldn´t see either. My DL didn´t have changes, so I assumed that everything was the same. But then after everything was over, someone congratulated me on being DL. I was really confused. So I had to go ask the AP if I was DL. He said yes. lol so yes, I am training and DL. It is exciting. My comp from last change, in his third change is DL too in Chinandega, Chinandega. It was exciting for the two of us. Anyway, so that was that.

When we told our 2 families that we are teaching that my comp had changes and that he was leaving, they cried. It was soo funny. One lady that we had only visited and taught the day before, cried. That same lady is going to get married to her husband, who ya is a member , and she is going to get baptized this Saturday. So I now have to do interviews and report numbers and things like that. I have DL over Tonala, an area that just barely opened last change. So the church is new and there are only 2 members there, the two musas that they baptized last change. So they are going to baptize a bunch.

Conference was awesome. I got to watch it in English in an air conditioned room on a nice, soft couch. I was just like home with all of us gringos. All of the guys that we baptized last change came to conference!!!

So, my comp is really interesting. All I can say is this change is going to be an interesting one. He is suave. He also has bad luck. This is a slightly long story, but necessary. So, first, someone took one of his bags from the bus. So when we got here, he didn´t have hardly any shirts or garments. He had to wear the same shirt for 2 days. So the first night, he started crying because he doesn´t like being dirty. I tried to console him, but anyone that knows me knows that I´m not so good at that soft kind of stuff. The second day, he was dying because he had blisters all over his feet.

Yesterday was awesome. We got a reference from some other missionaries and went to go visit them. We met them and they told us that her baby had died four months ago. We got to know them some more. My comp went to go teach all of lesson 2, but I felt different. We answered what happens to infants after death and then we talked about baptism. We read Juan 3 where it talks about baptism. The husband read it and towards the end, he just started crying. It had touched him and I could feel the spirit. Anyway, so we talked about baptism and how it is the first step to take to see their baby again. We set a baptismal date and they were very positive. It was one of the most powerful lessons I have had. They were truly prepared.

So we went to leave, and in Nicaragua, in front of the poor houses, they have a big hole where all the dirty water from washing goes. He didn´t see it becasue it was dark and he fell right in. It was only up to about his knees, but it was nasty water. So that was sad. We went to go walk home. He had to change shoes and pants. We changed and went to go eat dinner. We were walking. It started to kind of rain. He doesn´t have a rain jacket or umbrella. So he was mad that he was going to get wet. All of a sudden, he said dang it. I looked back and in the rode is sitting the sole of his shoe. The sole just came unglued. So he had to walk with it in his hand. It was sad. He has just had some bad luck. I am trying to teach and help him. I had to ask him the other day if he was afligido o enojado o triste. Our cooking mom asked him the same thing.

It is just interesting that now that I have a new missionary, I can see how much my attitude has changed on the mission and how I have come to truly love it here. This change will be a lot of learning, growing and developing patience. It will be a good. one. I think that´s about it. The church is true. If you can´t see, look harder. If you can´t feel that, pray and read harder. Go to church, help the missionaries, and pagen su diezmo!!!!!!

With Love,

Elder Ashby

e-mail Sept 27, 2010

Dear all,

This is going to be quite the letter. I don´t know why so much happened this week, but it was quite the busy week. So first off, we were trying to work really hard to reach our goals for the month of baptisms and retention. No, we didn´t get any baptisms this week, but I feel good about what we did this change. We had the second most baptisms under the ZLs. 3 out of our 4 sacerdocios, priesthoods, received the Melquicedec priesthood yesterday. We worked hard. As we come to the end of this change, I learned sooo much this change. It is amazing how much one can learn in just 6 weeks. I learned alot and changed a lot. We will see what happens with changes. I predict.... my comp leaves and I get put as DL, but we will see. That´s kind of what the rumor is.

So I had my first rob attempt. So it was like Wednesday night. We were on divisions with two 18 year olds. We were on our way back to our meeting place. We turned the corner and a drunk walked up to me. Now, I know that when a drunk comes to me, I just walked faster, right on past him. The 18 year old that i was with, stopped. I was about 10 feet away and they were talking for about 15 seconds when all of a sudden, I saw that he had a machete. Before I knew it, he took off running.The second I saw his take off running, I knew it was time to get going myself. So he took of running in one direction and I took off running in the other direction because the drunks were inbetween us and I wasn´t going to try to run around them. So now he is a block away in the dark and I´m a block away in the other direction. I was close to the house we were going to meet at, so I started walking to the house. A taxi came who saw everything came and told me ¨sube¨, get in. So i got in and he drove me to the house. He asked me what I was doing in that part because it is peligroso, dangerous. I told him we are usually there and have never had problems. Anyway, so I finally got to the house and got back with my comp. It was really weird to be by myself. So we headed back to the house. As we were about to leave the little part where this happened, we ran into the kid I was with. Aparently, he knew the kid. He was just too drunk to recognize him. But he had to push the two guys that where trying to rob him away. They told him to give them everything he had, which here, isn´t that much. I was the one who had 25 dollars on my. But it was quite exciting. when I saw that machete, my heart sure jumped a mile out of my chest.

So in the pictures I uploaded this week, there is one with my comp and hair all over his shoulders. That is because he let me cut his hair because he is pinchy and didn´t want to spend money. It turned out quite well. I cut mine as well, without a mirror, I might add. It turned out good as well.

As for the hurricane that many of you heard about, we did get some rain. It started raining on Friday night and rained most of Saturday. Sunday, O Sunday. What a day it was. The Evangelicos had their Day of the Bible. It was pouring rain and the streets were pretty much rivers. The water was up to the knee. So we had organized it all so that the jovenes from the ward were going to meet us at the church and at 700, we all had our assignments to go visit and bring the recent converts to church. at 710, no one was there, so we left. We took off walking and tredged through the rivers in the streets. It was raining and my feet and legs were soaked. i was actually really mad. But then, I realized that I could either be mad, or just enjoy myself. So I was happy and we went skipping down the river. So we went to the house of a family of recent converts. We had to wake them up and wait in their house. I even helped them planchar, iron, and we took them to church. So I got two pairs of shoes soaked yesterday. Needless to say, I am sick and tired of rain!!!! And then yesterday, our recent converts recieved the Sacerdocio. That was cool.

Today for p-day, chinandega came and we played some games and had some activities. It was really fun. We played dodgeball with dirty socks wrapped in packing tape. That was original. But we will find out about transfers tomorrow, so we shall see. O, you will all be happy to know that my mission mom, Hermana Fran, the member that cooks for us, made my pants bigger. She is amazing and they fit me better than before. They are perfect. I think that´s all. It was an exciting week and you will hear about transfers next week.

With love,

Elder Ashby

Q & A Sept 27, 2010

1. Did you know that Devin is competing in the Miss Wyoming pagent this year? I just found out tonight. You'll have to tell her to e-mail you some pictures.

No, I don´t know anything, because she never writes me either. I sent her a letter a month ago threatening her to wrtie me, but nothing. yeah, that is crazy.

2. Sister Holman wanted me to ask you if you used your own sheets in the MTC or if they had some there for you. Also what about pillows? Did they have some there for you?

Yes, they give you sheets, a pillow, and blankets. But in the mission, probably not going to have a pillow unless he buys one, or finds one.

3. Are you warm enough at night?

yes, remember, I have Aleena´s blanket and I am in the hottest area in the mission.

4. Did you have any effects from Hurricane Matthew? Maybe it was just a tropical storm. Lots of people were worried about you and asking about you this weekend.

YES!!! I am soooo sick of the rain. We didn´t have anything but non stop rain for the past 2 days and wet shoes every day. My large email will coment more on Yesterdays extravaganza, wow my english is so bad. I have a lot to write about.

e-mail Sep 20, 2010

Dear all,

Well, this week was quite the interesting one. Not much happened. We did have a baptism on Saturday. It was really good. A kid from the ward got baptized and our baptism is awesome. He is really smart and knows the bible almost by heart. But he just accepted what we taught him. So he is awesome.

I sent pictures of a scorpion that I found in our bathroom. I tried to catch it, but I was too much of a girl.

We have been working really hard this week. We have been waking up at 5 and not going to bed till 1030 or 1045. I has been killer. We have one recent convert who was a drunk, but stopped and got baptized. This last week he started again and we are trying to help him stop, but we can´t sit there with him 24/7. I sent more in my handwritten letter to mom and dad. One morning we were at his house at 600 to stop him from leaving early and drinking early in the day. But we have yet to keep him sober for a day so we can actually talk to him. It is really sad. Our zone did this thing where the first Domingo we needed to have 25% retention, the second, 50 and the third, 75 and the forth, 90. If we didn´t reach the goal each week, we couldn´t have pday. We only had 2 normal pdays this month, so it didn´t really affect us, but our ward has a big problem with retention, so next month, I don´t think I will have any pdays to relax. We will see if they do it again. We have a lot of primary and teenagers that don´t want to come to church again and so our retention right now is only 32%. We are trying to figure out some things we can to do get our ward going again. But we are working hard. Sometimes it is really hard. We work and work and work, and don´t see any evidence from our work. Like with recent converts, we visited all of the recent converts but only a few came. We can´t choose for people. We would like to, but we can´t. So that is our trial right now.

We have changes a week from Wednesday. I think my comp is going to be transferred, but we will see what happens. So today, we had to wake up at 5 and take a bus to Managua again to immigration. I got my ID. I am now a resident of Nicaragua. After that, we went to the distribution center to get some movies, pictures for teaching and books. It was a good day, but we didn´t get to rest at all. I got to see a few of the missionaries that came with me that are in the south mission. That was cool.

I think that´s about it. All I can say for this week is to do your missionary work. Help the missionaries. Don´t sit around. This recent convert that started drinking is one of the smartest people I have met in Nicaragua. He dosn´t have a job and can´t find a job. For this, he is just sitting around, doing nothing. Satan starts telling him how horrible his life is and he has nothing better to do than to go and drink. Idol time is the tool of the Devil. I hope I have better, more positive news next week. But the church is true and it isn´t all that hard to see. The states are actually very prepared for the church. In the states, it isn´t that hard to see that the church is true. Here, Satan is working really hard to make church look fun and easier in the other churches. The people have to work every day just to get by. Satan makes it very hard for the people to come to church on Sunday. But it is true and always remember what the Gospel means in our lives.

With love,

Elder Ashby

e-mail Sept 13, 2010

I have to preface this by saying that if you have a squeamish stomach, don't read the second paragraph. It is a bit gross and very graphic. I included it because it is part of the experience.

Dear all,

Well, it was quite the week. Last Monday night was fun. We did a big family home evening with like 5 families and afterwards, I showed everyone how we roast marshmallows in the states. It was really fun and they enjoyed it alot. or maybe that was 2 weeks ago. I don´t know. And then we did it again last night with a couple families that are investigating. We couldn´t write yesterday because we were all day at a conference with Elder Clark, the area 70 over central America. It was really good. We got told a lot of things we have to do better. We got told that we needed to have 50 % retention this last Sunday. We tried to visit everyone before Sunday, and then we passed by Sunday. We just have so many teenagers and primary kids on the recent convert list that don´t want to go to church now. So we only have 27% retention right now, but we are trying. We didn´t have any baptisms this last Saturday, but this Saturday, we will have one. The member we live with has 3 bikes, so he lent us 2 to use when we have to cross to the other side of the area. We rode those Saturday afternoon, and then Sunday in the morning to visit everyone. My butt hurt so back. My comp and I get a lot pretty well. We have our times, but for the most part, everything is good. The funny part is we are the youngest companionship in the zone and we have baptized the most this month. We are working hard. This is week #5 for this change. We only have 2 more weeks left until changes. that´s crazy. We will see what happens, if my comp gets changed, If I have to train. We shall see. Right now, it is the day of Independence. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow in the mornings, they have parades with all the bands from every single school. That gets kind of annoying. They have been banging on their drums, practicing all day till 9:00 at night for the past week. I have really changed in this area and learned alot about how to just do the work. I have been forced to do a lot of things that I didn´t have to do before. But everything is great. I heard that Elder Geddes is a ZL in the South Mission. I have had 1 interview with Pres, Arredondo. That was like 2 months ago. He isn´t going to do interviews for another month or so. He is trying to get set and get everything going in the mission. Thank you to everyone who has sent me dear elders (mostly only Emily) They get here fairly fast and I love being able to hear everyone´s adventures.

Now, for my big story of the week. Now, last Monday was rough. There is this drink made of chocolate called Cacao. It is really good. Some missionaries said that it´s a lot cheaper off the street. I had never tried it off the street. So we went and bought a bag of it and I drank this decent size back of Cacao. I also ate a hot dog off the street for lunch. So later that night, i didn´t feel very good, but I went to bed. In the middle of the night, I woke up feeling very bad. I slipped on my sandals and ran to the door. I unlocked the door and turn on the light in the back. I swung the door open when it all came. The fountains opened up and Old Faithful came spewing. I threw up all over the wall. That wasn´t all. My bowls just opened right up. So I was throwing up and I had poo streaming down my leg. I tried to walk to the bathroom as I continued to throw up and soil myself. I finally got to the toilet and finished my work. I had to go to the shower and wash everything out. I washed my pajamas and my interiors. I dried off and put on clean clothes. I went back to bed. About 2 hours later, I felt sick again. I lipped on my sandals again, and ran around the throw up, around the poo and barely made it to the toilet in time. Again, my bowls opened up and bad stuff came out of both ends at the same time. Now, this has only ever happened one time before. It was at boyscout camp with the lasagna. But if you have ever experienced this, it is not fun. So, I finished again and took another shower. I washed out my clothes yet again. I dried off and this time, I didn´t not replace my unders (as Aleena calls them) for fear of soiling another pair. So I went back to be again. I made it the rest of the night. My comp woke up and I laid in bed feeling bad still. Now, just so everyone knows. My comp did not wake up once, with all the throwing up and everything. But I laid in bed. The member that we live with went and bought some anti dehydration stuff called suero. I drank it too fast and threw up again. But this time it was in a bag. Now, while i was laying in bed sick, my comp, what a champ, cleaned up all the throw up and poo. He was really helpful and I felt so bad that he had to clean it up. But he did it. I had diaria all morning long. I started to feel better around 10. So i took another shower and got ready. We went and eat lunch. I only ate 8 Ritz crackers. We went out and worked for a little bit and then we came back because i didn´t have very much energy. We didn´t do much that day.that night for dinner, I had 4 bites of a casadilla. That is the picture of us eating dinner. My comp had a huge nice meal while I couldn´t eat anything. I went to bed that night, and the next morning, i felt fine and we worked like normal. Now, I´m fine again. Hermana Arredondo called us on Tuesday to see if I was alright. Anyway, all is fine.

I think that is about all for now. I will talk to you all next week. Thank for your continued sup`port. The church is true. Always share the gosple. Don´t have fear of sharing the joy!!!

With Love,
Elder Ashby

Q & A Sept 13, 2010

I had a hard time coming up with questions this week, so this is kind of lame.

1. How are your feet doing? I have heard lots of the elders have trouble with their feet if they don't have the Ecco boots. Just wondering since we didn't get you those.

My feet are doing fine. I´ve had a few spots of athlete´s foot, but have been using that cream. I´m trying to prevent ingrown toenails is all. But my feet are fine.

2. Did the lady get your suit pants fixed yet so you can fit into them? Can you buy a suit there if you need to?

I could find a place to buy one if I needed to, but I wouldn´t. I had to just wear my suitcoat with a pair of black pants because she still hasn´t fixed them. I think i will take them to her today. The other problem is that with all the humidity and sweat in the suit, when they sit for like 3 or 4 weeks, they get mold all over them. So if you have any ideas, let me know.

e-mail Sept 6, 2010

Dear All,
Well, it is true, we are already half way done with the change. I can´t believe it either. Much happened this week. I don´t even know where to start. First, we the area is a little bit harder because we have to focus on the people who are actually going to keep their commitments and want to find out the truth. We have had to really focus and think about who actually wants to find out the truth.

We also spent a lot of time with our possibilities for baptism. We had 4 possibilities. One, Henry. He is 31. He is awesome. His friend is the bishop of another ward and he is the uncle of a recent convert. He was just in the house the first time I went to get to know the RC. So we taught him and he was positive. We had his date for baptism as next week, but he was ready. So, we talked to him and baptized him saturday. Juan Juarez is the spouse of a member. He is 22. He was really positive and was easy as well because all of his inlaws are members and they all supported him and helped teach. Francisco is 20. He is the granchild of some awesome members. anyway. He was possitive as well. His grandpa baptized him. We were going to baptize Francisco´s little brother, but his dad is really catholic and won´t marry his spouse, who wants to get ba`tized and wouldn´t give us permission to baptize his son. So we couldn´t baptize him.

So the baptisms were actually easy. Everybody came on their own. This was the first time we didn´t have to bring our investigators to their baptism. It was really awesome. That was the easy part. The hard part were the confirmations. Henry came on time. Juan can at the VERY end of sacrament meeting and we had to do it after. We talk to francisco before church, then, after the sacrament, we went to go get him, and he said that he was waiting for a friend and then we could come. He never came. We went again at the begining of Priesthood meeting. He wasn´t at his house. He needed to bring him to the church. So we started off walking to his mom´s house. I felt like we should pray to find him. We needed more that luck. So I told my comp we were going to pray right there on the side of the rode. He looked at me kind of strangely, but we did. We kept walking and not 3 minutes later, I saw him turn the corner about a block ahead of us. We put on the pilas and walked fast. We started making some ground. He turned around and saw us. He kept walking. So we ran a little. And then we ran until we caught up with him. I asked him what was up. He said he didn´t like that we were following him. He didn´t like that we were like chasing him. I told him that we were just trying to help him complete the baptism and recieve the Holy Ghost. He was mad and ran off. It was really sad and my comp took it really hard. I was sad, but I´ve experienced things like this. I was in San Ramon. It was just interesting to see how fast and how hard Satan works to stop people from doing what they need to. We have never seen him act like that. He turned really fast and we think something had to have happened. But his grandparents talked to him and we are going to try to do it tonight or tomorrow. We will see.

But 3 baptisms, 3 sacerdocios and 1 completion of a family. It was a good week. But now, we have to really look for new people to teach and people who are positive. It is just interesting how different the people are here. Yesterday, we contacted a family for the first time and they invited us in, and gave us tortillas, guajada ( like cheese) and Pinolillo. They are just so loving.

My comp and I are getting along really well and working hard. He is really easy to get along with and it is always easier when both people want to work hard. Not much else has happend. It has been alot easier to forget myself here. I haven´t hardly had time to think about myself with all the people we have to teach. Things are good and We are working hard. It is hot like normal and rainy. My eyes has been better. I don´t think there is as much sand in the air here. I haven´t had to wear my glasses.

Well, thanks to everyone who has given me support. Thank you for your prayers. The church is true. The work is true. Share the gosple. If we are truely converted, we will want to share the gosple with everyone we meet. We need to remember that this is one of the purposes of the church is to spread the gosple. Read, pray, go to church, and attend the temple. We don´t realize how easy it is to go to the temple in the states. It only costs the people 25$ here to travel for 2 days in bus just to get there, but it is hard for many just to save up 25 dollars. so go to the temple. The church is true and you will here from me next week.

With Love,
Elder Ashby

Q & A Sept 6, 2010

1. How are your garments holding up? Do you think they'll last? I wonder if we'll have to send you more.

No, don´t send me more! Mine are fine and Elder Ensign gave me a couple pairs of his. If I ever need more, they are about 75 cents a piece at the distribution center in Managua.

2. What is the best thing about your comp.

He is really willing to just going out and work hard. I have pushed him pretty hard and he just keeps on trecking. And he understands spanish.

3. How close are you to the ocean? It looks close on the map.

Yeah, it is about 20 or 30 minutes in bus. We have an activity to go baptize in the ocean the 25 of Sept. but we have to baptize 5 before and 5 for the activity.

These questions and the comment are from Emily:

4. More time to write? does that mean you have more time to write and READ emails or just more time for you to write so still stick with the dearelders?

No, we don´t have more time to write. It´s just that no one writes me, but I don´t take as much time reading. It is just nice to get emails from people. But for you Emily, stick with DearElders. I don´t have THAT much time to read lol. Just short little things or pictures sometimes is cool.

5. Do you have a cook and a maid in your new area?

Yes, Hermana Fran is like a mom. She washes our clothes and cooks far too good and far too much. Her son just got back from A misison in Guatamala my first week here. She will be trying to fix my suit pants this week because they don´t fit anymore. She is going to try to make the bigger in the waist.

6. Last week you said you're doing your "workout". What exactly do you do for your workout? Climb a tree? (hee hee)

ha ha ha very funny. I do sit-ups and crunches on my bed (because the floor is really dirty) and I do pushups. I also have those elastic things I bought before the miss.

last week scott told us that he now weighs 133. Do you think it would make him feel better to know that that's what I weigh now 8months pregnant? haha Or maybe to know that at one point in Nate's mission he got up to 200 lbs?!! (don't worry he lost most of it before he got home!)

emily, no, that doesn´t make me feel any better. One, you are pregnant. Two, could you imagine me at 200 pounds. All my weight from before has now gone from my legs to my waist. I am going to work had not to eat as much and more than anything lay off the sugary drinks.

Q & A Aug 30, 2010

1. Remind me again what kind of batteries you need for your camera.

I want Energizer Ultium Lithium. They work the best. There is an 8 pack and that should last me the rest of the miss.

2. Is that your new apartment in the pics you sent last week? There was a pic of a bathroom and a big room with orange-yellow walls.

Yeah, that´s our house. We live in a sectioned off part of a recent convert´s house. He is also the first counselor in the ward bishopbrick.

3. We're also trying to decide which missionary is your new comp in the pictures. There's a picture of you in a van with two other missionaries. I saw the same missionary was in a lot of your other pictures last week. Is that your new comp?

Yes, he is from Panama. He is the one who is in most of all the pictures.

4. Was it hard to leave San Ramon?

Yes, I had really grown a bond with a lot of the members there. It is easy to do since we were so small. We even had people come to the church that weren´t members that came to the church to tell us bye. We knew everyone in that little town.

5. How does your apartment compare with your last apartment?

It is nicer. The water isn´t freezing. There aren´t bats living in it. But we have less furniture. We don´t have anything to put our bathroom stuff on, just our study table.

6. Are there other missionaries in your apartment besides you and your comp?

There were going to be because they opened up a new area and the missionaries didn´t have a place to live, but then they left the second day with all their things.

7. What kind of lizard thing was in the pictures from last week that was decapitated? What happened to it?

It was on a farm thing. This kid had trapped well it is like an Iguana, but different. They made soup out of it. They told us the soup is really strong.

8. Do you have lots of mosquitoes there and if so are you using insect repellent? I hear there is a lot of dengue fever going around the missionaries in Honduras.

O, no. there aren´t that many mosquitoes. And not that many missionaries that I know have had dengue here.

For the package, get passalong cards of Christ and put them over the openings of the box so that they don´t cut into it. I don´t know if the last package got lost.

e-mail Aug 30, 2010

Dear all,

Well, things here in Agateyte are good. This week has been quite the week. We are working hard in trying to find, teach, and focus on those who are going to progress. That is the hard part. We can teach almost anyone, but we had to focus and see who is actually progressing and teach them. We should have had a baptism of 2 on Saturday, but it didn´t go down that way. Two weeks ago, the lady didn´t want to get married and husband did want to. Then the DL came and talked to her. She wanted to get baptized and married. We had to go talk to the husband to make sure he was still good. We went to talk to him and said that he had to talk to her because last week she didn´t want to get married. For two nights he said that and then she finally told us that he said that he didn´t want to get married. So we couldn´t baptize her. This week we are going to work on it and baptize her two boys too plus a couple others.

Our zone is doing something cool to encourage the missionaries to baptize. We have to baptize 5 with at least one family in the first three weeks of September and then the 25, we have to have 5 more with at least one family to be able to go to the beach to baptize. We are working hard and trying to get lots to baptize.

This week has been a lot of learning for me. I realized a lot of things that i need to improve. Before, my trainer did most of the stuff and I didn´t do much. Now, I have to do almost everything. I talk a lot more. I usually start lessons. We are learning together and working hard. We get along really well. He is helping me with my Spanish and he is actually pretty good at English. He is learning fast. He is just pretty easy to get along with.

I am doing my workout so I don´t outgrown all of my pants.

We had to go to Managua today by ourselves so my comp could get his ID for the country. So that´s what we spent today doing. It was quite the adventure. Nothing big happened, we just didn´t know where we were going and luckily got there. The people are just really friendly here. The give us stuff all the time. Our member, Hermana Fran feeds us so good. Her son just got back from his mission last week. He is awesome.

They changed our schedule around. We now plan for the next day not at 900 at night. We plan at 12:30pm after lunch for the next day. We are in the house at 8:00PM to report numbers, write in your journal and everything like that. We will see how it goes. They also changed the rules. We can listen to music as long as it brings the spirit. So music like EFY is OK, as long as it brings the spirit. Anyway, so slowly things are changing on the mission. They are really trying to focus on baptizing families on the mission. We are working hard and I continue to learn things about myself and the Gospel everyday.

Now, after finishing 6 months in the mission, I can´t believe it´s actually been 6 months. If feels like just yesterday, I came to Nicaragua. It still feels like I can´t speak Spanish and I can´t speak English anymore either. I have learned a ton about the importance of the Gospel in our lives, and how it really is the only thing that will make us happy. It is the most important thing in our life, It is the purpose of even living on the Earth. Our lives are less without it. We do not fulfill our purpose without it.

On the physical side of things, the body is holding up well. I haven´t been too sick lately. I weigh 133. I think a couple pounds have shifted from my legs and arms to my waist. That is the only bad news. I working on that, though. I do have a few requests, though. I would like to hear more from my brothers and sisters and what is happening in their lives. I dont know if some of them are still living ;). I used to not have enough time to write and now I have more than enough time becuase everyone has cut back. I can only imagine after 18 months!! lol But everything is going well. It is weird to be in a Ward again and to have leaders to work with. We are working hard and will continue. Thank you for all the letters and all the prayers offered for me.

With love,

Elder Ashby

last pics from San Ramon

I think this might be the transfer bus.

Dear all,

First of all, I am no longer with my trainer anymore. He is now sleeping peacefully in his own bed in the United States of America. Luke Ensign, I am sending you my weekly emails, but if you dont want it let me know. Yes, transfers were this last wednesday. I was told on Tuesday that I had transfers. I was so sad when I had to leave. I really had great bonds with the members. They changed both of us in San Ramon. I´m sure the two new missionaries had an interesting time finding their way around.

I am now in Chinandega Oeste. I am in a area called Agateyte. It is a ward of about 100 people, a lot different than 20 in our branch before. My comp is Elder Quintero. I prayed for a latino comp and I got him. He is from Panama. My spanish has already gotten a lot better in the 5 days I´ve been with him. I am trying to teach him English too. Yeah, so he has 3 months in Nicaragua and I have almost 4 months in Nicaragua. That means. I have 6 months in the mission and he has a little under 4. So I am technically the senior comp, but we are learning from each other. It is a lot different work here. It is just refreshing to have people so caring. Everyone says hi to us in the street and we can stop and share a message with everyone. Anyone will listen to our message. But this also is a problem. It is still hard. Now, we have to focus on people that actually want to act and change because of the message. The message is so important and it will change their life and thier eternal progression, if they want it to. So I have to learn how to work with members now.

But we are working hard. I don´t want to seem prideful, but I think my spanish is better than I give myself credit for. I can communicate and teach and I continue to learn more and more. My comp is cool. We get along well. It is really hot here in Chinandega. I went from the coolest place in the mission to the hottest!. I am just trying to enjoy everyday of my mission more. With Elder Ensign going home, I was really thinking about my time. It has gone by so fast and if I don´t enjoy everyday and treasure my time, it will pass me by. I can´t look forward to things. This is for everyone in every aspect of life. We must treasure every moment and experience. We´ve already given two blessings in the 4 days I´ve been here. We have a member that cooks for us. It is such good food. I might be putting on a few more pounds. We will see.

So both me and my comp just left our trainers and now we´re together. It is crazy and I am going to learn a lot. We are working our tails off and will continue to do it. We will see how everything goes. Thank your for your continued prayers and support. The work is true. Help the missionaries. Give them references. Talk to all your friends about the joy that you have recieved from the gosple. That´s about all for next week. I hope I can tell more next week. Remember the purpose of life. We must live the gosple of Jesus Christ with all we have or we are losing our chance to return to our Father in Heaven.

With love,
Elder Ashby

Random pics from San Ramon

Random pics from San Ramon

e-mail August 16, 2010

Dear all,

That is interesting that you are going to get a job. Is there is reason? Are you running low on money for the mission or are you just bored? I hope to get the package when we go on Wednesday for changes.

We have been trying to run around and visit all of our members in the last few days. It has been crazy. It was been crazy to think about even being close to go home. It´s like the dream I had the other day when I was home and everyone was congradulating me for completing my mission. They were all telling me I had been out for 2 years and I was freaking out because I had only been out for 6 months. I told everyone that I had only finished 6 months and everyone told me I was done. It actually made me sad. It made me realize how much I need to treasure every moment. There are a lot of things I will actually miss, so I need to love and treasure everything, even the things that stink.

We are working hard and have worked hard this whole change. We don´t really have any investigators. Changes are on Wednesday and I am really hoping I get a Latino comp. We will see. So today for p-day, we went to a park that costs 15 cents to enter. The have monkeys there in the cages that you can feed. It was actually funny and quite fun. Those are the majority of the pictures from this week. We also had the party for Elder Ensign.

This week, I kind of got a machete from the sprit. I realized this week that I can´t teach very well. We don´t have very many investigators and we don´t get to teach very often, so i haven´t gotten very good and teaching. So i really realized that this week I need to mejorar my teachings. So i have been working on that. Plus, president Arredondo has changed how we do a few things. and how we teach.

Anyway, what else. O, so we did exchanges wth the ZLs this week. I was at their house sleeping. They are the one that have Wana. She is a member and cleans their clothes, the rooms and just takes care of them. But she kind of scares me becuase she is very demanding too. anyway, I have been sick all week and i was coughing that night. She came in and gave me some herbal tea and a pill of some sort. Then a few minutes later, she brought in some icy hot stuff. She told me to rub it on my neck and then she went and started pulling up my garment tops. I didn´t really know what was going on, but she pulled my garment top up and started rubbing it on my back. It was so funny. It felt just like having a mother. She rubbed it on my back and I could actually feel the menthal. It was good. It was imbarrasing too. anyway, that was the funny thing for the week.

I have daily occurances with misunderstanding spanish. I can´t even tell all of the funny misunderstood spanish things. I think that´s about it for this week. I will tell you who my new comp is next week. I am pretty sure I am staying, but anything could happen. We will see.

Thank you everyone for your continued support, your letters and your prayers.

Q & A August 16, 2010

1. How do transfers work there? If you stay and you get a new comp, do you have to go to Managua with your comp and bring a new comp back with you?

yes, I will go to matagalpa with all of the other missionaries from Matagalpa to Managua and come back with him and take him to San Ramon. We will rent a small bus that holds like 20 people for the day.

2. You said you got mail last week. Did you just get dearelders or did you also get regular mail? I wondered which of the addresses that I used made it to you. Let me know if you get my post cards also.

I got one postcard, the Saskatewan pastcard, a couple dear elders and a couple letters. Your dear elder and your letter that you raced got here the same time. But from the looks of it, if the bag doesn´t get lost, dear elders are actaully faster.

3. Do you know when the rainy season ends? I wish we would get some rain this week.

I thing i heard it ends here in Nov or Dec. I think I am going to go get a rubber rain slicker with some of Grandma´s gift seeing as how my umbrella broke. I sent a picture of it last week.

4. Did you get to have a party for your comp before he leaves? How did it go?

Yes, I get 10 dollars to one of the members to plan a party for him. It was good. Not very many members came, but the few good ones came.

5. I'm getting a package ready to send for your birthday. What do you want in it? Do you want those batteries this time? What else?

The batteries would be good. Some Mike and Ikes!!!! If you could send two crocheting hooks. Maybe you could send two in a letter and they would get here faster. I have a sister who wants an aluminum one from the states.Her husband had to try and make her one our of melting plastick into a needle. Umm, a journal, a normal one that just says journal on the front. maybe some more pictures of the family. I want to have some more pictures of things that we did together, that doen´t look rich either. People love to see pictures but i don´t want us to look rich in them either. Anything is welcome. I don´t really have any music i can listen to either. We can listen to mormon tabernacul choir. if you could send one or two CDs, that would be cool too. I think that´s about it.

e-mail Aug 9, 2010

Dear all,

Well, this week has been good. We are working hard and doing our best. My comp only has a week left, but we are still working hard and trying to find investigators. I am probably going to stay here for one more change. I don´t think they are going to shut the branch down and i have to train the next branch president.

umm, things that happened this week. Well, first, we found out that Sorayda, our recent convert got a job. We fasted with her about 3 weeks ago that she could find a job. She actually went out to look for a job and after about a week, she found one right down the street. It´s not a lot. Just 25 dollars for the month. But that 500 cordobasis atleast more than nothing. It was really cool for me to find out because we had talked to her about fasting and praying . She asked us if we would fast with her and she was able to find what she needed. It was a true answer. Anyway, we went to go see her and we found out that she has to work everyday from 6 to 6. We aren´t supposed to leave the city after dark, so we technically shouldn´t go visit her. Anyway, we need to go have a lesson because the Lord blessed her with a job but if she isn´t going to be greatful and keep the commandments too, the Lord won´t bless her for long.

So yeah. We had an activity with the teenagers of the district. They really are the strength of the District. They are often the ones who help the missionaries and help with activities. So we did an activity to animate them to help us and strentgthen their testimony. It was good.

I got like 12 letters from people last week when the bulsa finally came. A lot of your´s, mpm, where the coppies. But i think that´s because the bulsa didn´t come for like 5 weeks. Thank you Despains for your letter and Sister Key for yours as well. It is great to hear about everyone. Emily thank for your letter as wel. Sorry if i can´t write you all back. I can´t even find time to write me own family besites the email.

So for p-day, we went to this jungle park place. It´s called Salva Negra, Black Jungle. Anyway, they had monkeys, and a little museum. It was 35 cords just to get in.

But things are going good. We are trying to plan a little party with the branch for my comp before he goes. We will see how it goes.

I think that´s about it. We are teaching and walking and trying to find investigators. It is a hard area, but we are working and doing what we can. I have really llearned a lot about myself and continue to learn more every day about people and the gosple. The church is true, no matter where you´re at, what people you´re with or how small the branch is. We need to continually pray and feel the spirit to strengthen our testimony always.

With love,

Elder Ashby

Q & A e-mail August 9, 2010

1. Emily and I noticed that you are wearing your glasses in several pictures. Do you wear them often? Is there a reason?

Yeah, my eyes have been going crazy and burning. I have had to wear them almost everyother day these last two weeks. I don´t know what´s happening. I think i need to rinse them more often. I´ve been trying to go every two days with putting fresh solution in the case becasue i found out that a bottle costs 13 dollars here. But i guess my eyes are more important than money. I need to start being smarter about that.

2. What will happen to the members of your small branch if they close it?

I think they would have to meet in a member´s home and have some sacerdocios some priesthoods from Matagalpa come and do the sacrament, but it´s not looking like they will shut it down anytime soon. It is still a possibliity, but i think i will be here for one more change to train the newt branch pres.

3. What was the highlight of your week?
umm, my hightlight was finding out that our recent convert found a job, which i will write about more in my letter. You can´t ask questions like that becuase then you take everything i have to write about for my big letter ;)

4. Have you and your comp managed to keep going these last few weeks in the area? Is there going to be a lot of work involved for you if they close it?

I don´t know. We are still working hard. We go out and work and try and find still. My comp is more concerned about quality and not so much quanity. We are tying to strengthen the members more than anything. I don´t know how much we would be involved if they were to shut it down.

pics from San Ramon 8/2/10

e-mail Aug 2, 2010

Dear All,

Well, things here in San Ramón are going well. Nothing much has happened this week. We are trying to work hard, contact and teach. We are not finding a lot of luck, though. But, we are working hard. We went and printed off some talks from conference session and It is funny how, when your on your mission, you can read any talk and it applys to the mission, even if it didn´t before or wasn´t meant to apply. I read the Patience talk by President Uchtdorf and it was really good.

We have our recent confert, Sorayda. She is the one that is having a hard time. She has three kids and no job. She has some health problems, none that are big enough that she can´t work. Anyway, she is really funny and has a good heart. She has just been living poor for so long, she doesn´t want to put a lot of work in to find a job. We gave her a bunch of ideas of things she could do just in her house, but she didn´t like any o them. There is a saying that is in Work and the Glory 2 I think. It says, God provides for those who provide for themselves. It is so true. God isn´t just going to give things to people that don´t want to use it. Whether it´s in misisonary work. We have to work hard to show the Lord that we want to work and teach those who are ready. If we don´t work hard, He isn´t going to give use the success. For her, she needs to look and be willing to take whichever work the Lord gives to her. The Lord´s not going to give her work if she isn´t going to take it. Or if there is someone who is trying to investigate the church. The Lord isn´t going to give the knowledge if the person doesn´t seek if, or if they don´t want to try. A person has to seek for the truth and want to know if the church is true. If we show God that we want to find out and put our strength and our part, God will help us and give us the knowledge. But we have to try with all our might in all we do.

Anyway, Some of the pictures from this week were from District/zone meeting. The ZLs got a piñata for the meeting to try and get spirits up. It was quite funny. I bought a sweet soccer jersey this week in town. I think that´s about it.

We have a bat that lives in our house every night. It is getting...stuff all over the floor. So I eat a lot of bread here. It is the cheepest and the fastest. I eat a lot of bread. I also have a bad habit of when we are just walking or jsut sitting, I am not teaching or doing something and I feel like I need to eat. I have just started eating too often and I think my metabolism has slowed. I started feeling fat and unhealthy. I know i´ve gained some weight around my waist becuase my suit pants are fiting pretty tight. Anyway. I had to kind of go on a diet and cut back on how much and how often I eat. I have had to increase my workouts in the morning. I feel more healthy now and and actually getting back a little bit into shape.e Anyway, I think that´s about all. We will see.

I think my spanish is pretty good. I can communicate for the most part with anyone. This is five months down. It has gone by pretty fast. This last month was a little slower with this 9, almost 10 week change. It is really long. We´ve had 2 emergency changes in the mission already in some zones. Well, the church is true. Share the happiness and the knowledge with everyone. It´s our duty to amonestar, to warn all our neighbors and show the joy and happiness that comes from the gosple.

With Love,

Elder Ashby