Ashton blog: Week 1: Street Contacting and Stiff Arms!

Ashton is LOVING life as a missionary and her emails are funny as ever!

MTC District with MTC teacher

Well Hello friends and family!!!!!

I haven't been able to write for awhile!!! Well heres the deal (Ben Nelson Reference anybody?)

1) Was in the MTC making final preparations for leaving to Wisconsin

2) woke up at 1:30 AM to go to the airport on May 5th!!!! Couldn't think of a better way to spend the beloved holiday of Cinco de Mayo....hahaha!! Nah it was great though! Met so me WICKED COOL people in the airport!!!!!

3) got to Wisconsin and met President and Sister Cutler (They're INCREDIBLE!) and then we go.........STREET CONTACTING!

4) went street contacting (Talking to people on the street about the Book of Mormon) and its really helpful because the Book Of Mormon musical is coming to Milwaukee next month and so its a good way to just tell people "Hey! We don't endorse that! They're kind of making fun of us! But we would love to explain to you what the Book of Mormon really is!" it was great!

5) went to bed BUT FIRST celebrated ELDER LOTTS BIRTHDAY! (Hes like my brother!!!)

6) woke up and met SISTER GREEN MY TRAINER! Shes from Seattle and has been out one year next week! and I basically think shes the greatest thing since sliced bread! (Or cheese in honor of my people here in Wisconsin!) and turns out I would be staying here in the same area that the Cutlers (My mission president and his wife) live...and where the mission office is...and where all the senior couples live! So its great!

7) So its a little daunting to be in the same ward as your mission president.............BUT he is great!!!!! Such awesome kind kind kind KIND people and we have a dinner appointment with them next week and we will be teaching them....what to teach we knoweth not! But the lesson will be "Tight like unto a dish!"

8) okay fuuuuunnnnnyyyyyy story! Sister Green and I went to one of the city libraries last Friday to meet up with the West Allis Ward Elders to get a better feel for some of the members of the ward...and we were just sitting in the library talking and a man comes behind me and I say "HELLO hows it goin?" And he just freaks out and says "You have Jesus on your nametag!!!" and so He just goes ON AND ON AND ON about how hes been saved and I should be too! and so Elder Standifird gives me a look and we TAUGHT THIS GUY! and sister green slid a Book of Mormon on my lap and we taught him about it! and THE FUNNY PART IS THIS!!!!!!!! Right in the middle I just said "Hold on! We never asked your name!!!" and he said "James!" and I said (With my hand out for a handshake) "Well James my name is Sister Wise!" and he stands up and says "OH IN MY CHURCH WE HUG!!!!!" (for those of you who don't know one of the mission rules is no hugging anyone of the opposite gender....haha) and so James is about to hug me and so I just kind of stiff-armed him (I learned from Chandler! She taught me well!) and I said "woah woah woah in my church we don't!!" and then Elder Standifird said "Heck! Get over here james!" and gives him a huge hug.....and this story was probably 100 words too long....sorry...haha but it was funny!!!!!

9) anyway!!! cool story! Between some appointments sister green and I just went knocking on doors trying to spread the word right?? and people were just rejecting us right and left...which was fine because its their choice! BUT I was just getting really discouraged!!! and I had a Book of Mormon in my hand and just thought "is this all worth it? For a book?? and if so...am I even good enough to teach about it???" and I opened up to Alma 42 verses 29-31 woah! its basically talking about how I should "let these things trouble [me] no more" and how its my duty to teach and to share this gospel and cry repentance unto people who want to hear it, but just don't know where to find it! Amazing! GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!

10) LAST ONE! Last Thursday we had an AMAZING LESSSON!!!!!! WOWZERS! with a lady names Ali! And Ali has been through a lot of TERRIBLE things!!!!!!! and she is one who is prepared and desperate need of the knowledge of the restored Gospel of Christ!!!!!

OKAY FOR REALS! If you read my emails I hope you read this!!!!! THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS FOR EVERYBODY!!!!! weird concept huh?? It is for EVERYBODY!!! It's not just for the righteous, it's not just for the wicked it's not just for those who are poor and it's not just for those who are rich AND ITS NOT JUST FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T CONTENT WITH THEIR RELIGION or HAVE NO RELIGION! It is for EVERYONE!!!!!!!! The worst thing to my ears when I am teaching someone is ; "Oh that sounds niceBut it isn't for me!" ACTUALLY IT IS!!!!! and I know that, because you're here in front of me! And you being in front of me now is evidence that a long time ago before anyone came to this earth, you chose the gospel of Jesus Christ and dang it you should choose it again! hahaha SORRY IM PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS!!!!!! THE WORK IS TRUE LADIES AND GENTS!!!!!!!!!! COME UNTO CHRIST AND DENY YOURSELVES ALL UNGODLINESS!!!!!! His arms are ALWAYS extended towards us...may we reach back and be His! I LOVE YOU ALLL!!!!!!!!!!!!.....and......by the way........I really like letters.....and Junior Mints....i like those too!

"Because I Have Been Given Much, I Too Must Give"

-Sister Ashton Louise Wise