Week 45

Greetings from Arizona!!

June 16

Today I found out that I am going to be a District Leader in Prescott valley! I'm pretty excited. P-day was really good today we went to the transfer building to hang out with everyone and played some basketball and chair soccer. We had Priesthood visits tonight and Brother LaMunyon took me to make a visit but they weren't home so we went to Sonic and Brother Huff met us there with Elder Melsen. Brother Huff then gave us a ride home.

June 17

Today was pretty stressful. Brother Antie drove us to transfers.

Transfers went as expected. It was hard saying goodbye to Elder Madsen who goes home in 6 weeks so I won't likely see him again. With being doubled into the area it was really hectic and we didn't know what was going on when we got to the area. We had dinner with the Hoggard's and they had an investigator friend over and we taught him the first lesson which went really well. He will have to be referred to the YSA Elders. We then taught a Spanish speaking family the Hererra's because Elder Smith is a Spanish Elder which makes us a hybrid companionship.

The mother and two kids are on date for baptism on my birthday not the father though. Then we visited another one of our investigators and went back to have the Zone Leaders train me on District Leader stuff, but as all of those trainings go they really don't do anything but see if I have any questions, so Elder Smith will be a big help to me in helping me with anything I'm not sure about. Then we unpacked.  I hope everything settles down.

June 18

Today was good. We got groceries. Afterwards we went to the Church to check out how the Ward has been doing with Facebook and to talk a lot about where the Ward is at. We had dinner with the Call family. We had Coordination Meeting which was good and good to meet new people and get familiar with everything. We had splits where Brother James took me to a new member lesson with John Kristman. When we got back we went and talked to the Bishop for a bit which was really good. There is a lot going on and its been kind of crazy to absorb everything that is coming my way. I'm a little stressed about District Meeting tomorrow.

June 19

Today we had District Meeting which was nerve racking, but it went really well and I fell like I earned the trust of my District a ton and they all came away better off! Afterwards we went and taught Eduardo Herrera in English so he could help teach the rest of the family later that night in Spanish! Both of our lessons with the Herrera's went well! We had dinner with our Ward Mission Leader's family which was really good! I am picking up a lot of good information and philosophies from Elder Smith and am really happy to have him as a Companion! We made some visits to end the night.

June 20

Today was so awesome! After our language study and stuff we had a Coordination Meeting with Brother Jeffrey and Sister Schultz from another ward for the Stake social media fireside next Sunday which was really good and I was glad that the Zone leaders asked us to come. We talked a lot of logistics and this area is basically revolutionizing the online missionary efforts right now which is a lot of responsibility but also very exciting! We had dinner with the Joe family who is a single mom and three kids which was really good authentic Navajo tacos! Afterwards we went and counseled with some members on how to advertise the Stake Fireside and we got a really good idea from Brother Kleinman, the first counselor, to put little invitations in the closing Hymn of Sacrament tomorrow! So we ran the idea by the Zone Leaders and it became a zone wide initiative! We made up a sweet invitation and went to the Church and printed them and copied them and took the time to place them which was really exciting!

A whole new way of missionary work is coming forth from this Zone and I feel really blessed to be a part of this in a leadership position and feel the trust from President Griffin who is coming to speak at the Stake Fireside!!! After we placed the invitations we had a Coordination Meeting with someone from the Stake High Council for tomorrows Stake Coordination! And finally our day was over!

June 21

Today was really good! We had Stake Coordination which was nerve racking because I'm expected to have things to discuss about the other areas which I don't know too well yet but it went really good! Church was good, Brenda and Eduardo Herrera came to Church! During Priesthood we were asked to go to the Beehives class and talk about Priesthood Keys which went well! During Opening Exercises Missionary minute was so cool and we should have a referral coming in when they get back from vacation! We got a really, really good and huge mint brownie for Fathers Day! We had lunch with the Reeds and their non member friend which went well we didn't teach but had good discussion. We went to Ward Council but it had been canceled due to Fathers Day. We had dinner with the Wimber's. We met with Bishop to discuss the Stake Fireside a little more in depth with what the Zone Leaders talked to him about. We went and did some advertising for the Fourth of July activity with the Zone Leaders as well before heading in and calling all the Missionaries in the district.

It has been a great week here in Arizona.  I am so glad that I am busy doing the Lord's work!

Love you all,
Elder Ashby

Here is the brownie

Week 44

It is hot here in Arizona!!!!!

June 8
Today Pday was a lot of fun we played basketball with the missionaries and a couple of members. Then a lot of members came and we played volleyball which was a blast! Our lessons with the Arboleda's and the David's canceled so we made visits all night.

June 9

Today was good I was on exchanges with Elder Timm in their area. We made visits all day. We had dinner with the Reep's and our lesson with Beth and Jaimie cancelled. Pretty good day though.

June 10

Today we made visits all afternoon. We took a nice break at the park in between visits. We had dinner with the Marble's who are awesome!!!  Probably one of my favorite families! We had a really good Coordination Meeting tonight! The ward is really starting to get behind the Ward Mission plan! Our lesson with the Olivarez family canceled so we made a couple visits to end the night. Today in the mail came my Zagg keyboard case for my iPad Mini!!!

June 11

Today we had weekly planning which was probably one of the best weekly planning sessions I've had on my mission! We had dinner at our apartment. We had splits where I went with Brother LaMunyon to make some visits. We visited our investigator Sean Frazier and kind of had a lesson even though it wasn't super formal. We set up a lesson for next Thursday! Brother Marble took us to our appointment with David but his wife answered and said that he was sleeping so we weren't able to teach him. Pretty good day though.

June 12

Today we went on exchanges where I went with Elder Safford to their area! It was a lot of fun and I respect Elder Safford a lot! We had to run some unexpected Zone Leader errands then we had District Meeting which was pretty good. We had a lesson with a girl named Tyre which went well. Then we had dinner with the YSA Elders Quorum president, Julio, who is awesome and hilarious! We made visits the rest of the night. It was a really fun day today!

June 13

Today was a really long day. We didn't have any lessons. We made visits all day. We didn't have a dinner which made the day have a lot of biking.

June 14

Church was pretty good today. Richard Keefer gave his homecoming talk which was good. We were asked last night to teach Gospel Principles but the only person that showed up was the Relief Society President, so we went to Gospel Doctrine! We had dinner at our apartment again and afterwards made some visits, but realized my back tire was messed up so we took it to the LaMunyons and he looked at it and I'll probably get a new tire. We headed home after that.

June 15

Today we walked to Walmart and the bike shop to see if I could buy a new wheel. As we got back to the apartment to take my bike to the bike shop we go the transfer news which included me getting transferred so with the chance of being in a car area we put off getting the new wheel. We had our lesson with the Rivas and David Valenzuela both cancel. Got home and got everything packed for the upcoming transfer.

June 16
I just received a call from President Griffin and he has called me to be a District Leader in my new area.  I will be in Prescott Valley and the Glassford Hills Ward.  I have heard from other Missionaries that this is an awesome ward and area.  I am really looking forward to the transfer and the new responsibilities.  My new companion will be headed home in 6 weeks (next transfer) so I will have someone else coming in then.

 

I am excited that Ethan got his mission call.  He is going to be a great Missionary! 

 

Hope you all have a great week.

 

Love,

Elder Ashby

My last Zone....we called it the TestostroZone....no Sisters in our Zone.

 

Week 43

Hello from sunny Arizona!

June 1
Today was really awesome! The tour of the courthouse was really cool! Judge Watts took us to Jersey Mikes for lunch which was really tasty! We got back home and played volleyball with the Zone which was a blast! We shared a message with Sister Rankin and got to our lesson with David Valenzuela and nobody answered so we were talking to brother Baxter for a bit and then David came out and we had a super good lesson!

June 2

Today our lesson with Richard canceled. We visited some potentials and then at three we exchanged and Elder Timm took me to get my toenail fixed which went well. Doctor Thomas is pretty cool! We had dinner with Bishop and his wife they took us to Big Heng's. Afterwards we visited potentials and talked to Sean Frazier and scheduled lunch with him on Thursday so now he's an investigator! We made a couple visits to end the night.

June 3

Today we were supposed to have a lesson with Chino but he had to reschedule for Friday. We had dinner with the Eaton's. Brother Pearson picked us up to go to coordination which was really good. We made some visits the rest the night.

June 4

Today we did weekly planning. We shared a message with Sister Tovar. We had dinner with the Mortensen's. We had splits where a Brother Thacker took me around making visits. Pretty average day.

June 5

Today we finished our weekly planning and went to make some visits before dinner and the rain forced us to a pavilion. We had dinner with the Sharp's. As we were heading to make some visits we got drenched by the rain and figured we should get dry for our health and went home freezing and took a warm shower and found productive stuff to do from the apartment.

June 6

Today we had Zone Meeting which was really cool! We got Facebook back today! We now cannot message people outside of our assigned area without President Griffin's permission. So Aaron talk to Taylor Engan I had talked to her back in February and she was going to take the lessons from me see if she wants to take the lessons from the missionaries there and stuff. We had dinner with the Willings which was good. We made visits the rest of the night and set up an appointment with former investigators the Olivarez family.

June 7

Today Church was really good. Ethan Miller, a Priest, gave us a really cool shout out during testimony meeting! We had dinner with the Jayme's. We visited the Cook's, Burk's, Herrerra, and the Welsh's.

I hope everyone is doing well!

Love you all,
Elder Ashby

Candy from Grandma's package she sent...

Rainy days in Arizona.  This is from June 5...

Week 42

Greetings from hot Arizona!!

May 25

Today was a pretty good day. P-day was fun especially with Zone activity! It was nice relaxing today. We visited some part member families and visited with the Burks who are an interesting couple to say the least, haha. It was pretty sad to get the email about Cullen being killed tonight but I know he's in a better place now.
**Cullen was a North High Student with Trent.  He was wheelchair bound, but he loved football and baseball.  You could find him most every game day cheering for the Huskies.  On the news that night in Wisconsin it showed a picture of Cullen and the Varsity baseball team from last year and we got to see Elder Ashby on the news.

May 26

Today we taught Richard Barido and our lesson was really good with him! We contacted potentials and formers. We had dinner with the Baxter's which was really good! We talked to Lori Miller, a former investigator, which was good but really frustrating. Pretty good day though.

May 27

Today Elder Owens and I were in my area on exchanges which was a good time. We taught brother Koutz, our appointment with the Anties canceled. We had dinner with the Hardt's, and a good coordination meeting. We then visited Sister Rankin and went back to exchange.  Pretty good day!

May 28

Today we had Zone Conference and interviews which were really good! We had dinner with the Rivas and then we had splits. Brother Reeder and I visited Sister Terry. We went home a little early to start packing for the move, which I hate and put me in a bad mood for the night.

May 29

Today we moved everything into our new apartment which took the whole morning and afternoon. It was so stressful and everything's cluttered right now. We took a lunch break and went to Chik fil A. We had dinner with the Stowell's which was good. Our lesson with Melissa canceled so we visited some formers and a referral who is no longer at the address we had listed. I had a huge headache the whole night which made the night not very fun.

May 30

Today we did some weekly planning. During lunch I made some good progress on my scripture case for my quad! We had dinner with the Carmichael's which was really good! We got a return appointment with Chino today, so now he's a new investigator! We visited formers and potentials all night it was really warm today!

May 31

Today was awesome! We had Ward Conference and Tarryn and Carson Hagensen had an awesome violin piece in Sacrament Meeting! Third hour was awesome, after a short lesson President Williams did Q and A and got some hard questions and answered them like a boss! After Church and lunch we shared a message with the Bond's and then went to the LaMunyon's for dinner. After dinner Brother LaMunyon took us to Stake Priesthood Meeting which was also really good! After that we visited David and set up a lesson for tomorrow night! We have four investigator lessons scheduled for this week!

It was a great week.  The work is really beginning to pick up.  Elder Melson and I are excited for next week so we can see some investigators progress!

Hope you all have a great week.

Love you all,
Elder Ashby