Dear family,

 

I am so happy to be writing you for the second time.  Saturday is my P-Days at the MTC.  I only have 30 minutes to write you (I think it's 60 minutes in the field) so I'll have to keep it short.  Which is too bad because I have so much I want to tell you. 

 

The first thing I want to write about is my companion, Sister Thompson.  She is so wonderful.  I'll try to attach a picture someday but I don't know how to do that on these computers. She really appreciates me and I really appreciate her.  We work so well together.  I definitely feel a divine connection with her that only comes from God.  The funny thing is she's actually from Orem, UT and is a good friend of Nicole.  You'll have to tell her that Sister Thompson is my companion.  In my letter that I wrote on the first day I put her first name.

 

I have exciting news!  Sister Thompson and I were assigned to be Sister Training Leaders which is like the sister version of Zone Leaders.  We are actually in training right now since the current Sister Training Leaders are still here but we learn what responsiblities we have tomorrow.

 

This experience (even thought it's just been a couple of days) has been wonderful.  There is no better place where I could be.  I've undergone a lot of changes since I've been here.  Even though I have only been here for a few days.  You guys would be so proud.  I'm going to be a good missionary (with the Lord's help.)  I don't know if you guys had any doubts if I was supposed to serve a mission or not while I was at home, but I certainly did.  I thought "I'm too weak, I'm too lazy, I'm too unmotivated to serve a mission."  But I knew that I was supposed to.  What I didn't realize at the time is God doesn't ask for the perfect brothers and sisters to serve but he says "Send me your weak, send me your humble, I will mold them into what they need to be."  It's so true.  I've had desires I've never had before.  I desire to study more, I desire to serve more, pray more, and other things that I was only able to have the desire to desire before, if that makes sense.

 

If I had one complaint it's just that.  There is not enough time in the MTC.  I always desire more time.  More time to get ready in the morning, more time to get to meetings and classes, more time to study, more time to sleep, more time to eat, more time to do activities in class, more time to get to know Sister Thompson but there is only so much time in the day and I am slowly learning how to use time to my advantage.  I know that as my use my time to the best of my ability that the Lord will maximize my time and I will be able to get done everything that I need too.

Even though I've undergone so many amazing changes and I am so spiritually intune I need help.  I've having difficulty focusing on lessons, meetings, studies, etc.  I need you guys to pray for me that I might be able to pay attention.  Every time I "zone out" I miss so much.  But because I am working harder and I am tireder then I normally am I have such great difficulty.  I've been praying to get better but I need you guys to pray for me too.

 

I love you guys so much and I miss you.  Even if you have nothing to write or send PLEASE send me something either by email, or mail, or a package :)  I hope you're all doing well and I hope that you'll write.  I don't feel alone but I need to know that my family is thinking about you.

 

Love you all.

 

Love,

Sister Ashley Naylor