Dear Family,
Well Hello again. Can you believe another week has pass and gone? I can, but at the same time I can't time here is going by so fast! Just so you know I love getting your letter sent right to my apartment it makes me so happy to come home after a really long day and see a letter from my family in the mail so thank you!!!! Dad I was wondering, did you ever get the package I sent you? I was just curious. Oh so Sister Hudson and I are most likely moving apartments soon, so in the near future I will give you our new address, but until then you can keep sending me stuff to my apartment.
So this past week has been pretty good, President Simpson and his wife came to our companionship study last Thursday and they ended up letting us drive Sister Simpson's car which is the nicest car in the mission. We just have it until Monday, but it has been super nice, because as you know I have been just walking around for the past 5 months pretty much, so it has been such a blessing. We are able to get a lot more done and its just fun. My mission is making me appreciate everything that I have so much more. I realize that sometimes I am ungrateful. That's something that my mission is helping me work on. I believe that it is very important to be happy with what we have and not always want more, because if we can just see the blessing that we already have been given then it makes Heavenly Father want to give us more because he sees that we can see. If that makes any sense what I am saying. :D On Sunday I taught a lesson on missionary work in Gospel principles and it went really well. One thing that someone said that I want to share will you, is that we need to stop praying so much that the missionary's will find someone to teach, but that we as the members may find someone for the missionary's to teach. Member referrals are the greatest thing ever. 2 of the 3 three people I have been able to teach and help them receive the ordinance of baptism have been member referrals. So family start thinking who you can find for the missionaries to teach. I know you all have a lot of friends that are less active or non-members. So I want to challenge you to share a little bit of the gospel with them. Mom, dad, Jo just so you know a little more about the Shawn thing. Pretty much he was writing me letters telling me that he missed me and wished I was there, but he was always supportive and wanted me to stay on my mission, but come on the love of your life telling you he wishes you were home! What are you going to pay attention most definitely not the latter. So I started to really think about coming home. I talked with my mission president and then stake president and even the branch president here in Halifax. And I really did want to come home to get married, who wouldn't want that. But even though I thought for sure that this was what I should do, the Lord showed me that what I want really isn't always what is best for me. I am so glad that Shawn was open about his relationship, because if he hadn't been I would most likely be home right now in a terrible mess. But I am still here in Halifax and to be perfectly honest. I am doing really well. I am handling this way better than I ever thought possible, maybe it is because I am so busy and I am worrying about everyone else that I don't have to worry about my own problems, but really family, I am strong and what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger. Because of this heart wrenching experience I have learned to rely more on the Lord. I like to think of it like this: I heard a story once of a man who saw a beetle crawling across his kitchen floor, he could see in the near future that the beetle was going to run into a wall and was going to be a little lost. The beetle finally did run into the wall and it kept running into the wall until it finally found its way around the corner. now we can compare this to our lives, because we are like that beetle who could only see what was right in front of him, but the man who stood above had the big picture and could see what was up ahead. Its the same for us and our Heavenly Father. He has the big picture and all he wants us to do is ask and he will help us know which way we need to go, so that we don't get hurt or lost. Sometimes I am like the bug and I run into the wall a couple times, before I will ask for some help. But I am learning that if we are wise we will ask for help even before we find ourselves in a predicament.God truly does care about each of us and our indivdual issues and problems. You can always true to him and he will be there to help. But I must say family I LOVED the treats you sent! Mom you are so wise to call a bakery here it was so good so thank you so much!! My companion Sister Hudson says she loves you! So thank you!
I just want you to know that I am so grateful that I have this blessed opportunity to be here on a mission. I am learning so much and I really love serving the people here in Canada I love it also because a lot of people that I am teaching right now are not even from Canada, but from India and China. Vivek Hari is doing well. He told his parents this week that we has been learning about this church and his parents were not to happy well I should say his mom, because he hasn't talked to his dad yet. Hari's parents are Hindu and they are very rooted in there beliefs so it has been really hard for Hari to tell them, but he did and hopefully as time goes on his family will be more excepting of it. I am sure you haven't learned very much about the Hindu religion, and to be honest I don't know that much either, but they believe in many gods and they choose one and worship that god. Also they have many many traditions which are very routed in there culture. But Hari is a really amazing person with a lot of faith. I will get a picture soon so you can see him. When I come to the computer sometimes it is really hard to think about what has happened this past week. Did I mention that almost every night this week we have dinner appointments!!! I love free food! Peanut butter and Jelly gets really old after eating for the past three months, but things are looking up. Also I am super excited because all the students are coming back so our YSA is going to be big again which will be awesome! Sorry I am just rambling about nonsense. one more thing that I wanted to share with you is a quote from one of my favorite authors which is....J.R.R. Tolkien "Other evils there are that may come....Yet it is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule." I really love this quote and I am sure you can inturprit it how ever you want, but what I got out it is that this life is short maybe a 100 years if your lucky. But really we need to not sit idley by, but we need to grab the bull by the horns are do as much as we can to bring good in this world so that those after us, may prosper. We will not know what weather may come their way, but we can take care of what we have been asked to do and be okay with that. I understand that not everyone will listen to my message, but I know there is someone who will. I love this gospel! I know with my whole heart that is is true! Thank you again for all your love and support!
Love,
Ash
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Waking up to a fog horn! I love Nova Scotia
Dear Family,
HI!!!!! This morning I woke up to a fog horn and it made me so happy! I love that I am right by the ocean it is so much fun! Alright so I am sure you are dying to hear about the exciting life of Sister Crofts and let my tell you it is exciting! I have accomplished about a full week of training Sister Hudson and it has been great!! She is from London ENGLAND!! I love her accent and I just love her. She is 23 and she is so fashionable! I just love her style. It makes me look like a little hick from the sticks...oh wait I kind of am. :) And I am proud of it! But she is doing really well. I think it is so crazy that I am training 2 in a row! President thinks that I am a good trainer, when really I am just blessed with really good missionaries. But I love it! Things in the mission are going well. This past week has been kind of crazy with transfers and getting a greenie and just everything else. But life is good. We had a baptism this past weekend. He name is Allison Surette. She got baptized in a different town, but I still count her as my own, because we taught her. So that was sweet. I must tell you at the end of this month we are having a sisters conference and I am stoked!! We are going to P.E.I and I can't wait!! It is going to be three days of just sister and I can't wait!!! So this past Sunday we only had 5 sister in relief society which was strange. I am super excited for September when all the students come back from summer vacation. But yeah things here are just dandy :) I love Halifax and I feel so blessed that I get to stay here so long! I hope that things are going well and I am excited to hear more about Orderville. :) I love you all so much and I pray for you daily
Love,
Sister Crofts
HI!!!!! This morning I woke up to a fog horn and it made me so happy! I love that I am right by the ocean it is so much fun! Alright so I am sure you are dying to hear about the exciting life of Sister Crofts and let my tell you it is exciting! I have accomplished about a full week of training Sister Hudson and it has been great!! She is from London ENGLAND!! I love her accent and I just love her. She is 23 and she is so fashionable! I just love her style. It makes me look like a little hick from the sticks...oh wait I kind of am. :) And I am proud of it! But she is doing really well. I think it is so crazy that I am training 2 in a row! President thinks that I am a good trainer, when really I am just blessed with really good missionaries. But I love it! Things in the mission are going well. This past week has been kind of crazy with transfers and getting a greenie and just everything else. But life is good. We had a baptism this past weekend. He name is Allison Surette. She got baptized in a different town, but I still count her as my own, because we taught her. So that was sweet. I must tell you at the end of this month we are having a sisters conference and I am stoked!! We are going to P.E.I and I can't wait!! It is going to be three days of just sister and I can't wait!!! So this past Sunday we only had 5 sister in relief society which was strange. I am super excited for September when all the students come back from summer vacation. But yeah things here are just dandy :) I love Halifax and I feel so blessed that I get to stay here so long! I hope that things are going well and I am excited to hear more about Orderville. :) I love you all so much and I pray for you daily
Love,
Sister Crofts
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Family oh how I love you!!!
Dear Family,
Where do I begin, OK so first off I just want to apologize for my terrible writing skills. I have not been able to write as much as I have wanted and I am sure all of you are super mad at me. Just so you know I will be staying hi Halifax another transfer and I will actually be training again!! I am super excited/Nervous. I am so sad that sister Johnson is leaving me she is like the worlds greatest and I am going to miss serving with her, but you never know we might serve again some day. I can't believe that I will be staying in Halifax for half my mission. This is madness. I can't even believe that I only have a year left here in Canada! Time truly is flying by. And I am loving it so much and I am learning a ton. Thank you so much for all your support, and love it means everything to me.
I wanted to give you my address so that I can get your letter faster so here it is:
3135 Joseph Howe
Apt. #2
Halifax NS, B3L 4H2
Canada
So this past week has been really good but at the same time really bad. I am sure that you have heard already what has been going on but if not I will tell you. So Shawn has been writing me all letters and emails and it has really made me want to come home and marry this guy and I was actually planning on coming home tomorrow, but I got an email from him last telling me that he is dating another girl. Dad you were so right. I of course am staying on my mission, but I can't believe that I got dear Janed. It hurts really bad but it's like you tell me mom guys are just head aches and heart breaks. So now I can just focus even more on my mission and you know when ever one door closes another one opens. It has been tough, but I am learning from this experience and that is what life is all about is to learn and grow and gain that wisdom. I am just grateful that Shawn was open and honest about things so that I didn't come home to a mess. Cause I know that I would have regret coming home early. But hey I am still here and the work is going great!! I am working really hard and the Lord is truly blessing this area. We are teaching a lot of people right now and just a few that I want to mention are Allison Surette. She is getting baptized this Saturday and I am so excited for her!! She is amazing. She is 26 and a Marine Biologist. I just love her! Also we are teaching a guy named Vivek Hari I have mentioned him in one of my last emails, but I totally spelled his name wrong. Anyways, he is so amazing! He grew up in India, is 22 and is working on his Masters in Computer Science at Dalhousie. He came to church last Sunday and really seemed to have a great time. I am so excited for him and someday soon I will try to get a picture so that I can send it to you. He has a lot of faith and I know that he feels that spirit when we teach him, because he is a very faith filled guy. Also we are teaching another guy named Neil. He is a really cool guy with tons of good questions. I am excited so see how things go with him. He has a lot of potential. Like it says in the scriptures we are to gather the elect because the elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts. And that is how I feel about all of the elect people we are teaching at this time. I am so grateful to be here serving a mission and I love this gospel with all my heart. It is true and I know it is!! No one can ever take that away from me. For I am built upon the rock of my redeemer how is Christ and I shall not fall. Let the winds and the waves come against me. I am truly doing the Lord's work and I know that we will all be blessed because of my sacrifice.
So How are things back home? How is grandpa? Jordan are you stoked for school! Your going to be a big bad senior! Live it up that all I have to say. But things here in Halifax are going swell. I am sad that summer is soon going to be over but fall and winter "might" be fun? j/k I am excited for them I just hope that I don't freeze to death. Also at the end of this month all the sisters in the mission which is twelve are going to go to P.E.I. Or price Edward Island!!! I am so excited and don't fret I will take a ton of awesome pictures!! Well Family it has been a pleasure talking with you today. I miss you all so much and I am so happy to have a family like you! Have a great week and until next time remember to do the small and simple things. This week pray for an opportunity to help someone.
Love,
Sister Crofts
Where do I begin, OK so first off I just want to apologize for my terrible writing skills. I have not been able to write as much as I have wanted and I am sure all of you are super mad at me. Just so you know I will be staying hi Halifax another transfer and I will actually be training again!! I am super excited/Nervous. I am so sad that sister Johnson is leaving me she is like the worlds greatest and I am going to miss serving with her, but you never know we might serve again some day. I can't believe that I will be staying in Halifax for half my mission. This is madness. I can't even believe that I only have a year left here in Canada! Time truly is flying by. And I am loving it so much and I am learning a ton. Thank you so much for all your support, and love it means everything to me.
I wanted to give you my address so that I can get your letter faster so here it is:
3135 Joseph Howe
Apt. #2
Halifax NS, B3L 4H2
Canada
So this past week has been really good but at the same time really bad. I am sure that you have heard already what has been going on but if not I will tell you. So Shawn has been writing me all letters and emails and it has really made me want to come home and marry this guy and I was actually planning on coming home tomorrow, but I got an email from him last telling me that he is dating another girl. Dad you were so right. I of course am staying on my mission, but I can't believe that I got dear Janed. It hurts really bad but it's like you tell me mom guys are just head aches and heart breaks. So now I can just focus even more on my mission and you know when ever one door closes another one opens. It has been tough, but I am learning from this experience and that is what life is all about is to learn and grow and gain that wisdom. I am just grateful that Shawn was open and honest about things so that I didn't come home to a mess. Cause I know that I would have regret coming home early. But hey I am still here and the work is going great!! I am working really hard and the Lord is truly blessing this area. We are teaching a lot of people right now and just a few that I want to mention are Allison Surette. She is getting baptized this Saturday and I am so excited for her!! She is amazing. She is 26 and a Marine Biologist. I just love her! Also we are teaching a guy named Vivek Hari I have mentioned him in one of my last emails, but I totally spelled his name wrong. Anyways, he is so amazing! He grew up in India, is 22 and is working on his Masters in Computer Science at Dalhousie. He came to church last Sunday and really seemed to have a great time. I am so excited for him and someday soon I will try to get a picture so that I can send it to you. He has a lot of faith and I know that he feels that spirit when we teach him, because he is a very faith filled guy. Also we are teaching another guy named Neil. He is a really cool guy with tons of good questions. I am excited so see how things go with him. He has a lot of potential. Like it says in the scriptures we are to gather the elect because the elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts. And that is how I feel about all of the elect people we are teaching at this time. I am so grateful to be here serving a mission and I love this gospel with all my heart. It is true and I know it is!! No one can ever take that away from me. For I am built upon the rock of my redeemer how is Christ and I shall not fall. Let the winds and the waves come against me. I am truly doing the Lord's work and I know that we will all be blessed because of my sacrifice.
So How are things back home? How is grandpa? Jordan are you stoked for school! Your going to be a big bad senior! Live it up that all I have to say. But things here in Halifax are going swell. I am sad that summer is soon going to be over but fall and winter "might" be fun? j/k I am excited for them I just hope that I don't freeze to death. Also at the end of this month all the sisters in the mission which is twelve are going to go to P.E.I. Or price Edward Island!!! I am so excited and don't fret I will take a ton of awesome pictures!! Well Family it has been a pleasure talking with you today. I miss you all so much and I am so happy to have a family like you! Have a great week and until next time remember to do the small and simple things. This week pray for an opportunity to help someone.
Love,
Sister Crofts
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Finally I am writing you!!!
Dear Family,
HI!!! I am so sorry that It has taken me so long to write, but lets just say that things have been a little crazy here! But just so you know I am doing well! The work in Halifax is moving a long and I love it! We have a girl getting baptized on the 14th which is going to be awesome! Her Name is Allison Surett. She is 26 and a marine biologist. So a funny story a little of lady sang us a song the other day and so did an old man and a gay guy it was quite the funny day! The weather here is still nice, but it is starting to get a little colder. By the way I finally got the pictures and I love them!!!! Thank you so much. I just want to thank you for all the love and support you give me! I am so grateful for a family like you! So much has happened these last three weeks that I don't even know where to begin. To be honest I can't even remember what has happened. We have been really busy and we have been teaching a lot of people which has been awesome! I love teaching! How are things in the Valley? And is there anything I can do to help? I love you all so much and I am very proud of everything that all of you are doing. I hope that I am making you proud as well. Transfers are coming up and I am excited/nervous to see what happens. I am not very excited to loose my companion Sister Johnson because she is the bomb.com but hey what ever happens happens. :) I must say that I am sad to see summer slipping away before I know it I will be up to my knees in snow. Anyways I am sorry that this email is every where, but I guess I just have a lot on my mind. Man I don't even know what to say! We knock on doors a lot everyday which is pretty fun you meet a lot of people that way. I was thinking the other day just how many people we do meet a day and it is a lot. Missionary work is truly awesome and I am so grateful that I am here. Thank you for all your love and support.
Love,
sister Crofts
HI!!! I am so sorry that It has taken me so long to write, but lets just say that things have been a little crazy here! But just so you know I am doing well! The work in Halifax is moving a long and I love it! We have a girl getting baptized on the 14th which is going to be awesome! Her Name is Allison Surett. She is 26 and a marine biologist. So a funny story a little of lady sang us a song the other day and so did an old man and a gay guy it was quite the funny day! The weather here is still nice, but it is starting to get a little colder. By the way I finally got the pictures and I love them!!!! Thank you so much. I just want to thank you for all the love and support you give me! I am so grateful for a family like you! So much has happened these last three weeks that I don't even know where to begin. To be honest I can't even remember what has happened. We have been really busy and we have been teaching a lot of people which has been awesome! I love teaching! How are things in the Valley? And is there anything I can do to help? I love you all so much and I am very proud of everything that all of you are doing. I hope that I am making you proud as well. Transfers are coming up and I am excited/nervous to see what happens. I am not very excited to loose my companion Sister Johnson because she is the bomb.com but hey what ever happens happens. :) I must say that I am sad to see summer slipping away before I know it I will be up to my knees in snow. Anyways I am sorry that this email is every where, but I guess I just have a lot on my mind. Man I don't even know what to say! We knock on doors a lot everyday which is pretty fun you meet a lot of people that way. I was thinking the other day just how many people we do meet a day and it is a lot. Missionary work is truly awesome and I am so grateful that I am here. Thank you for all your love and support.
Love,
sister Crofts
Sunday, August 1, 2010
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