Sister Crofts

Sister Crofts
Sister Crofts at the airport when she arrived home

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

"...becaus​e of the spirit...w​hich has wrought a mighty change in our hearts... we have no more dispostion to do evil, but to do good continuall​y. -

Dear Family,

This week was AMAZING!!!!! I am not even going to be able to write half of the amazing miracles and blessings that occurred. First of all I just want to testify of the importance of having the Holy Ghost in our lives. He is the 3rd member of the Godhead, and we have a right to have him as our constant companion. We should never take this lightly. Because of the Holy Ghost I know that my Heavenly Father is real, and so is Jesus Christ. Because of the Holy Ghost I am here in Atlantic Canada. Oh, so many reasons for things. Really I just wanted you all to know how important the Holy Ghost is in my life. He testifies of truth and will tell us all things what we must do.
Satan tries to do everything in his power to make us unworthy to have the spirit. Knowing this should motivate us so that we do all we can each day to be worthy, so that we may make the correct choices and come closer to Christ.

So I am sure you are so excited to hear about this past week! First of all I finally received the package you sent, it was perfect!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I couldn't stop smiling the whole day. I loved the pictures and the food. And Jordan thank you so very much for your letter. It made me so happy! Before I opened the package I was reading on the outside what was in it, and I saw the word cheese! I was like whaat?! I was relieved to find that it was just the easy cheese stuff and not "real" cheese. Ha...ha... Thank you again. I love you!
This past week was the last week of the Transfer and I forget to tell you that I am being transferred to Prince Edward Island!!!!
Ha..ha... I'm just kidding :D I am staying here with Sister Davis! I am sure I will stay here for the rest of my mission. This week was full of tender mercies of the Lord. I have felt so blessed and I don't know why He loves us so much. Just so you know I am getting way stronger on my bike. I am so grateful for them. And just so you know mom my Mission President is the best! We didn't have to pay one penny for them. The only problem so far is that my skirt got caught in the tire and it ripped a hole in it. Good times. :)

-Cool Stories of the week-

On Easter Sunday we were out knocking doors. We came to a house with loud rock music playing. We knocked on the door and out walked a grungy skater named Jesse. As we began to talk to him he stopped us and told us we were wasting our time. There was no hope for him.Now you know me I just pretended like I didn't hear him and bore my testimony of how much God loved him and what divine potential he had. We gave him a card for our website and as we were walking down the street I told Sister Davis that I just wanted him to feel the spirit...So yesterday we were running out the door to go to an appointment when I noticed that we had a text. I checked it and all it said was: " Is this the church at the end of Massey street?" I was like Sister, Who is this?! I called the number and Jesse answered. He said he had been looking at the website and that he wants to come check out our church. I was so excited I didn't really know what to say. Ha.. ha... it was so awesome!! This truly is the Lord's work. Me I am nothing.

Also on Easter Sunday we had stake conference and we had Elder Golden a member of the Quorum of the Seventy present. We had a General authority here. He asked if he could meet with all the recent converts in the area. Sister Davis and I were privileged to sit in the meeting while he met with all of them. As I looked around the room 4 People from Fredericton were there and also Joe Xue from Halifax was visiting. I was such a sweet experience. My heart was full. And my eyes were wet. Just to see these amazing people all together who had recently accepted the Gospel. SO AMAZING!
So after the meeting Joe reaches out his hand to Bo and starts speaking Chinese to him. I just thought, yeah they are both from China they both speak the same language. Well come to find out Bo Xi and Joe Xue went to high school together in CHINA! Do you know how big China is??? It was so cool! I couldn't believe that I was able to meet and teach two amazing Chinese guys and that they would know each other. What are the odds.

Can I just say that Fredericton is a GOLD MINE! I love this place. We are teaching Bo's Friend Xiao Han now and he is so cool . His only concern is that his mom thinks religion is a waste of time. I wish that Hari was here to share his experience. Also this weekend we are going to start teaching Brother Breau's mom! I am so excited. what else....man so much has happened and I always forget most of it. The weather is finally starting to warm up! Happy days! I am so excited to hear that I will not only get to talk to you but see you this Mothers day!
Thank you again for everything. Keep on keepin on and I will see you in no time!


Love,

SISTER CROFTS

Monday, April 18, 2011

“… Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives”

Dear Family,

My heart is full. The blessings that I have received and am still receiving are endless. Dad I am so happy that you have not only 1 but 2 jobs now! And that you are preparing to enter the temple. I am so excited. I really can't explain the way that I feel right now. I am just so happy that I can't help but tear up. hold on I have to go blow my nose. Okay I'm back whew....
I survived my first week on a BIKE!! I'm not going to lie it was quite the adventure. Lets just say I slept like a baby almost every night. I am definitely getting back into shape which is awesome! I never realized how many blooming hills there were in this place, but its good for me, it only makes me stronger. Don't worry I will send some pictures of me on my bike. The weather has just been so wet and nasty that I don't really want to ruin my camera. The weather this week has not been the best. I am getting sick of being soaked all the time, but at least it's not snow. :) Things could always be worse. But you know what you should pray for...pray for the wind to stop blowing! riding a bike in a skirt is bad enough. Ha ha!
Oh, before I forget dad happy birthday Tomorrow!! If I am wrong I am really sorry. Also next week my P-Day is on Tuesday just so you don't worry about me.
Sad story of the week
Jing Ye one of our current investigators is planning on getting baptized this Friday. Well she called her dad excited to tell him the news that she was getting baptized, and everything went down hill from there. Now she is going back to China soon to talk to him and then when she comes back she might get baptized. I am really sad about the whole thing, because she wants to get baptized and she knows the Book of Mormon is true, but of course like all of us we want our parents approval. At that moment I wish that Hari was there to share his testimony. You should hear it sometime. Its amazing! I have been praying to know what to do, and I feel peace that someday Jing will be baptized it may not be this Friday or even next year, but she will. I am learning so much about trusting in the Lord's timing. Its not always easy, but its always the best.

Miracle of the week
Bo Xi brought his friend Xiao Hah to church and we are planning on teaching him this coming Saturday! I am super excited. I just wish that I spoke Chinese! Also the next miracle is that I didn't die on my bike. Sometimes riding on the road is scary on a bike, but thankfully the drivers here are super nice and share the road. Also I know that angels are protecting us here, so don't even worry about me!

Must say I am so excited to talk to all of you on Mothers day! I feel like so much has happened since Christmas. Just so you know we as missionaries can use skype, so maybe you should think about getting that?

This past week felt like a year, it was hard and I had to rely on the Lord even more, but I liked it! I am excited for what the following weeks hold. I love all of you SO SO MUCH! keep up the good work. I know that all of you say how proud you are of me, well I just have to say I am so proud of all of you!

Love,

The one the only

Sister Ashley Crofts

Monday, April 11, 2011

I love to see the temple....

Dear Family,


Where do I even begin!?
DAD!! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!! YOU DID IT! YOU ARE NOW AN ELDER! I am so excited to see you and give you the biggest hug of your life. I know that it hasn't been an easy road, I am proud of you for your diligence and hard work. DAD I LOVE YOU! Finally we can be a forever family! Just so you know mom I will be coming home on July 15th. So you can book off work so we can party!

This past week was amazing! Let me tell you why....I went to HALIFAX!!! I never thought I would be there again while I was on my mission. It was amazing! Before we left for Halifax which is about a 4.5 hour drive, we went to the bike shop (Savage's) and bought our super cute green bikes! We even took them on a test drive around the city. It was so so much fun! We are picking them up today. After that I was just so anxious to get to Halifax that we just left. We drove to Moncton and picked up another car and Sister Davis and I drove all by ourselves down to Halifax, it was nice being alone, but at the same time I was a little bit bored.
When we finally reached Halifax I wanted to jump out of the car and wanted to kiss the ground! I love that city. It felt like I had never left and it made me smile.
We then went to institute and I loved it! I saw so many people and it made me really happy. They are like my family here. Also I was able to finally give Hari his scriptures! Mom you should see them they look so good. But I still think its funny that you have his name of your scriptures now. You should just leave it on there for memory sake. Oh man the whole weekend felt like a dream and I still have to wonder if it really happened.

The next morning we went to the temple and it was perfect. I love the temple, but this time it just meant so much more. Just seeing those who had recently excepted the gospel being in the temple was the best thing ever. Brother Breau was there with Katrina and Christina, and Vivek Hari came as well! It was awesome! I was so happy because I was able to see Hari get baptized several times. It was so much fun to talk to all of them as well. Hari explained that he felt such peace, Brother Breau was nervous, but soaked it all in. Ah.. I am just smiling thinking about it. This truly is the Lord's work I just don't know why I got so lucky to be a part of it!
After the temple we went outside and took a ton of pictures, I will have to send you some. Andrew Connell came to see me, and later in the day we went and saw him and Cathrine. It was amazing to see how their testimonies have grown and just how great they are doing. Andrew told me this past weekend at General conference he received a witness that President Monson is a prophet of God, and his testimony was strengthened about Joseph Smith being a prophet. How neat eh!
I remember meeting them and Cathrine was inactive and Andrew wasn't a member. With these people that I have taught each of them have said that I was very persistent. Cat and Andrew reminded me of a time when we went to their house to have a lesson. When we got there they were fighting and Andrew left the apartment building anger and Cat was in tears. I hated to see them sad so I sprinted down the stairs grabbed Andrew and told him to go back and talk to Cat. The crazy things I do, but apparently it really touched them. most of the time when I do things I have no idea that I am even making a difference, It was really nice this past weekend to hear that What I had done really touched some lives. We never really know all those whom we impact.
Cat and Andrew are planning a temple marriage this coming winter and I would love to be there.

So after the temple and pictures we went to a fun restaurant called Cora's It serves breakfast all day! I love breakfast...Anyways, six of the 12 sister were there which was awesome. I was able to see my __________ Sister Hudson, I hope all of you get to meet her some day she is so cool. Also I was able to see President Moses I just love that man. I know that I am just going off on all those that I saw and I am sure all of you are super confused, but just bare with me.
Pretty much that was the best weekend ever!
Now I am back in Fredericton living the life. yesterday was the most perfect day weather wise. There was no wind it was warm and it was the sabbath. It felt great to be out walking I sure have missed it. Being in a car makes me lazy and fat. But now that we have bikes we will be out among the people everyday. I am stoked.

Oh, before I forget. The other week Sister Davis who is from California was talking about the Panguitch Quilt Walk. I was like Whaat?! Apparently her great great Grandfather Alexander Matheson was part of the group of men that did the Quilt walk. I was like no way! My great great grandfather Jesse Lowder was part of that too! How cool is that. Over a hundred years ago our great great grandfather's were working together to save people's lives. And here we are as there great great granddaughters working side by side to save souls! I thought you all would love to hear that!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Love,

Sister Crofts

Monday, April 4, 2011

"You cannot give a Crust to the Lord, without receiving a loaf in return."

Dear Family,


Do you know the song: "I like to ride my bicycle" by Queen? Well.....we are getting bikes! Our car is getting taken away and we will be back to hitting the pavement. I am super excited to be honest. I love to be out and about among the people, and plus I can get some super good exercise. I am not sure how to ride a bike with a skirt...but I will figure it out. I had an interview with my mission president and it was so good! I just love that man. He always teaches me so much and I love learning. I talked him into letting us have bikes and also something else that I will talk about next week.
Mom about those shoes that I was going to buy, I found some old ones that another sister left so I am just going to wear those. I really don't feel like spending any more money on shoes right now. I would rather spend it on someone else.

General Conference
Oh my heavens, I was blown away by this General Conference. It was SO GOOD! Every talk that was spoken touched my heart, and arouse in me a greater desire to be more Christ like. I am so happy that I get to spend everyday all day helping and serving people. It truly is the greatest!! There were many different topics taught, but all of them were for me. I have many many ways I need to improve, but that is what is great about life. If I was perfect I would be so bored! I am just excited to be able to apply everything into my life.

April Fools
Dad do you remember two years ago when I got you so bad on April Fools Day!? Well If you don't let me remind you. I was driving mom's truck at the time, I called you up and told you in the best sad voice I could that I had wrecked the truck. I will always remember the way you responded. It wasn't yelling or chastening, it was a voice of concern for the safety of you daughter. Dad that really touched my heart... But I couldn't lie for very long so when I told APRIL FOOLS! you and I both laughed really hard. Thanks for being a good sport. This April Fools God played a pretty funny one. It snowed 20 Cm. in a very short period of time. Cars were sliding off the road, snow everywhere, it was a mess. After parking the car we put on our big coats and went knocking. It was a great day.

The Miracle of the Week
We were out knocking doors the other night when we get a phone call. It was Jeff who came into church the week before asking for a copy of the Book Of Mormon. Sister Davis and I sprinted so fast. He is such a cool kid. We are finally teaching him today. Its during our P-Day but I don't even care. I has really good questions and he wants to find God. He came to the right place. :D

I know that so much more happens every week, so I am sorry that I am so vague. But just know that I love doing the Lord's work. I know this truly is His. I am so grateful for this opportunity and I am so grateful again for all of your love, and support!

God Bless

Love,

Sister Crofts