I'M ALIVE!!!!

After recovering from a bad stomach flu virus, Sister Olsen was able to send us a quick email. (Awesome way to begin your mission!) 

Hi family!

So sorry for the scare! Looks like I got the flu even though I wasn't home with you!

There was a bug going around in the MTC and there is also a bug going around my new ward. Everyone here either was sick, is sick, or is getting sick. Poor Sister Magleby is starting to feel it too so there's that. I saw a doctor at the MTC; I have been eating a lot of greek activia yogurt and I talk to the Redlands mission nurse all the time. As of right now I feel great!

SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED! This letter is going to be short because it's not p-day, but I will do my best!!

Monday night me and all my MTC buddies stayed up snaking on chips and queso (thanks Moffitts!!:) ) and then we woke up at 2 am so that was interesting. Getting to the airport is such a blur. We had to get on a charter bus then take the front runner. It was so weird. I said goodbye to all my MTC friends. So sad :(. Right when we got off the plane all of the missionaries leaving were there to greet us. I was the first one off the plane and it totally took me by surprise.

REDLANDS IS SOOOOOO NICE Mom! The mission home is a mansion. Since our Mission President has kids in cub scouts, our first dinner was at the Smiley Ward's blue and gold banquet which was super cute. The VanCotts are really nice. They took such good care of me. I cannot describe to you how tired I was and they just took all 12 of us in their home and took such good care of us.

All the sisters stayed at a sister's home in their ward that night. Her house is 100 years old and looks just like the house from Doll House Murders- that sounds bad but it was so cool!

My companion is Sister Magleby from St George, but I see you already know that :) We are in the Banning area. It's pretty sketchy actually. It's weird because parts of it are super nice and other parts are kinda scary.

It really is so beautiful here. Amazing weather. Blue skies. Palm trees. Mountains.

ANYWAY. SOOOOO many spiritual experiences! Aaghh!!  I'm already like out of time!

I'll tell you about Monique. Monique is an investigator that Sister Magleby and the sister before me found. They just felt prompted to knock on her door even though we don't tract in this mission. She is definitely one of those prepared souls that you hear missionaries talk about. Last week we taught her about the plan of salvation and Sister Magleby did the "soft" baptismal commitment. In other words, she said that if she found these things to be true she would be baptized. YAY!

Oh my goodness I need to tell you about Jeni and Lenore. Lenore is Jeni's mom and they live in our apartment complex. Jeni's son committed suicide last April and their lives are just super sad. We went to talk to Lenore last week and it was soooo hard! But the spirit told us that she just needed someone to listen and to be her friend because she is super lonely. I bore my testimony to her about how Heavenly Father knows her and loves her personally and I did cry a little bit. I felt super stupid but she said she was so grateful that I cried because now she can trust me and knows that I'm genuine. Teaching them is going to be hard, but me and Sister Magleby can do it!

So Sunday night was seriously the hardest night of my whole life. It was like 4 am and I seriously just wanted to go home. Let me tell you something. I flipping hate Satan. I keep thinking of how much he's put me through in just the short amount of time that I have been here (getting the stomach flu twice already) and that's really significant to me. I really feel like I'm supposed to be here for a reason. He is trying sooooo hard to get me to give up. I feel like the more he tries, the stronger I get. I'm totally supposed to be here. I don't know why yet, but I can't wait to find out! I don't know what I would do without Heavenly Father because he is helping me now more than ever!

I hope everyone is feeling better! I love all of you so much!

Love, 

Ashlee

P.S.  I forgot to tell you, but the ward here is awesome! I don't have time for pictures today, but I can't wait to send you some Monday!