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