A Letter Home

[We received letters from Sister Ashby this week.  They arrived on Monday, July, 9th, but they were written July 3rd.  Here are some snippets of what she shared.]

JULY 3, 2018

Tomorrow is July 4th!  It's so crazy.  It seems like only yesterday I was waking up to leave for the Airport and hugging you all goodbye!  And then getting to the airport and discovering a mysterious chocolate stain somehow made it onto my dress and then I spent like 30 minutes trying to get it out.  Anyway, that part was irrelevant but funny.  My voice is doing better and feeling better.  Vocal rest is so, so hard!  I love everyone so very much and just want to talk to them all and laugh with them24/7!  I addition to that, I have serious FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).  But everyone is so good and helpful.  I would not be able to do it without their support and aid.  They take really good care of me here.  Everyone always says that I have been such an amazing sport and always have a good, positive attitude and smile.  Some have even told me I am a great example and they can't imagine how hard it must be.  Sometimes I don't feel like I am being very positive in my head, but I try my best!  It also doesn't help when my companion and others (especially Elder Hernandez) makes it hard to be on vocal rest.  They always groan when others remind me of vocal rest because they say they love talking to me. Ha, ha, ha. I'm glad they do because I love to talk to them, too.  Dad's art came and everyone loved the prints.  I was told to say a HUGE THANKS to Dad from the YPMs.  This weeks theme is patience in the Lord's plan for us.  It's been hard with my voice, but I know it will be healed in the Lord's timing.  Ther have also been many other moments this week where I have had to practice patience in one way or another.  We all have.  Sister Nelson is so funny.  She always says, "I didn't even pray for this!"  I am normally a pretty patient person so it hasn't been too difficult.

Opening mission calls has been so fun, especially in the Seventies Hall. [It is a tradition for the YPMs to open their proselyting mission calls in this place because that is where the early Saints opened their calls.] We have so far been able to open up three calls:  Elder Call to Brazil, Elder Mcmeen to Jacksonville, Florida, and Elder Hardy to California.  Now, Elder Goodwin won't be too far behind if President Lusvardi pulled some strings like he said he would!  There are even rumors he may have his mission call by NEXT WEEK!  Pageant practice has been so much FUN!  The core cast is awesome and so nice!  The choreographer, Jonathan, is so cool, too!  The family casts arrived on Sunday.  It has been so fun to get to know them a bit and now that they are officially here, I see Mark and Ginger more, as well. [Uncle Mark and Aunt Ginger go out to Nauvoo every year for a month to help with the family casts.] The pageant stage is so steep!  It's been so scary working on it, but way FUN!  We have all of our dances learned and "Gallant Ships" is my favorite one!  The Irish dancing is also WAY COOL!  I'm way glad that I still get to perform some. 

Sometimes, I feel like maybe someone is singing for me.  After the Sunday concert and some other performances, I had band YPMs (who sit right below us) and stage YPMs come up and ask if I was singing.  When I replied "No," each of them said they swore I was singing.  Kinda' cool, huh?  I really have been thinking a lot about what Elder Hatch said to me after the blessing I received...how "my ancestors are here with me."  I think that is just so amazing and cool that they are helping us with our missionary work on the Earth.  I have also really been thinking about Suzi and how much I really, really miss her.

Sister Johnson (one of my favorite Senior sister missionaries), was talking to us about her rebellious days when BYU had a curfew for only girls.  Funny!

I continue talking with my Heavenly Father and asking and listening. And, I really appreciate your amazing Mom advice.  It is true!  Sister Hoagland and I are having WAY too much fun together here.  Definitely making some awesome memories together.

Love you and miss you all.

Love, Sister Ashby

***

To her sister, Makenna:

Thank you for your prayers.  My voice is slowly healing and making its way back.  I have had to practice FAITH a lot during this time.  Your awesome letters make me so happy and I love hearing about your summer.  I am so sad that I couldn't be there to stay up late and gossip about your first date and give you tips..."sister things" like that! But, Nauvoo is amazing and I can't wait to share it with you.

To her sister, Dakota:

You are such a tough girl, Doda.  I am so proud of you! You inspire me daily with your strength and happy positive attitude.  I know it's not easy most of the time, but you are truly a fighter!  I am sorry you've had to miss out on some things this summer due to your surgery.  I hope you can find another EFY week to attend.  Heavenly Father is aware of you and loves you so dearly.  I know that to be true!

To her sister, Oakley:

Thank you for your prayers about my voice!  It's starting to heal,and I know that part of that is because of you prayers.  One of my favorite songs we sing in Nauvoo Singers is "A Child's Prayer".  It is so beautiful and testimony strengthening.  I can not wait for you to hear it.  Some of the lyrics (as you probably know) are "Heavenly Fahter, are you really there and do you hear and answer every child's prayer?"  I believe and know He does!  That includes yours!  So, thank you for that!