Hello Family!!!

This week has been wonderful!  Nothing has necessarily been different but my attitude has changed greatly.  I sacrificed everything to the Lord and in less then 24 hours I couldn't stop singing praises to my Lord.  I thought to myself (and outloud) "I'm so excited for tonight, and tomorrow, and the day after that."  There is not anywhere else that I'm meant to be right now.  This won't be the greatest work I will ever do but because I went on a mission I'll be blessed when I do the greatest work I will ever do.

I'm excited to hear about Kyle and Todd going on a mission.  I don't know if they read my emails but best of luck to them!!!  I'm so excited for them to go to the MTC.  I wish I would have been able to spend more time at the MTC, it is one of the most wonderful places on Earth.  They are so lucky that they get to spend more then two weeks there!  I'm especially excited for Kyle, he'll love Texas!  The people are so nice here.  It will be such a wonderful experience for both of them.  I'm sad that I missed their Farewells but I'm so happy I get to go to both of their Homecomings.

The most eventful thing that happened this week is I got a new companion:  Sister Laurent.  I'm now in a trio so I haven't lost Sister Workinger yet.  I've attached a picture of both of companions.  Sister Laurent is the blond and Sister Workinger is the brunette.  Sister Laurent is a mini missionary which means that she'll only be here for six weeks.  She's from Las Vegas, Nevada but her uncle is the mission president so she's able to serve here.  She isn't planning on serving a mission (it never felt right) so this is her missionary experience.  When she gets back she's going to be an 8th grade English Teacher.  She also ran track at BYU.

One thing that I'm going to change for sure when I get home from my mission is that I'm going not going to let laziness imprison me any longer.  As I was laying in my bed last night I realized how miserable I was at home because of my laziness.  Just as you must feel sorrow to know happiness I needed to know what it felt like to lay down and feel so fulfilled to know how awful it feels to go to bed at night and feel like you had an uneventful day.  Most of my trials that I've had were caused by laziness.  I would be a lot skinnier, I would have more friends, I would have a had a clean room, I would have gotten better grades, I would have been able to afford more, I would have a lot less regrets, I would have had higher self-esteem, less depression, I would have been a lot happier.  I didn't realize at the time that Satan had literally trapped me in my room, that I was literally a prisoner.  I feel so much more free now.

I guess that my encouragement for you, especially since there's a stronger temptation to be lazy during the summer.  Don't let Satan trap you like he trapped me!!!  When you watch TV, use the computer, or things like that, please watch your time.  Before you get on say to yourself "I will use the [computer, tv, etc.] for no more then [time] so Satan cannot trap me.  I will not go longer because I know if I do Satan will surely be able to get hold of me."  Will you do that for me?  Better question, will you do that for yourselves?  Please, I'm begging you, take it from someone who has been trapped and now knows how awful that feels.  I'm so much happier when I'm working hard.

A hymn comes to mind.  It is currently my favorite hymn.  "Today while the sun shines, work with a will.  Today all your duties with patience fulfill.  Today while the birds sing, harbor no care.  Call life a good gift, call the world fair.  Today, today work with a will!  Today, today your duties fulfill!  Today, today, work while you may!  Prepare for tomorrow by working today!"  What a wonderful concept!

I love you all so much.  Texas is wonderful.  The people here are great.  I'm being taken care of so well here.  I love working hard, being obedient, and relying on the Lord.  It's so freeing!  I'm so happy that I have a family at home that is watching out for me, sending me their love from miles away, and praying for me.  But I wanted you to know you are no longer my main motivation for being here (in a good way).  I'm here because I want to be here.  My will is the Lord's will.  But you are still motivating me and I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful family.  I love you all.

I'm almost out of time but I'll write more about my investigators and more about members, less actives, etc. next week.  I'm also going to try to send letters today!  Wish me luck that I can do that!

Love,

Sister Ashley Naylor