Blueberries for Sal

Hi family!

I had some pretty rockin' experiences this week!

First off, I don't know if I told you this, but every Wednesday and Friday Sister Shin and I volunteer at the library. The library isn't actually in our area, so it's not ideal for finding, but I'm just trying to do some sort of service so I can be helpful to someone in someway. 

On Wednesday we were shelving books and I saw our favorite- Blueberries for Sal. It made my heart happy to see that wonderful book. I kept shelving and out of the corner of my eye I saw this cute little girl, her little brother, and her grandma. Her grandma was telling her to hurry up and pick out a book already. So I went back and grabbed Blueberries for Sal and asked her if she was looking for a book. When she said yes I handed her the book and said something like, "this is one of my absolute favorite books. Would you like to read it?" She replied, "yes please!" in this cute little voice. Then she ran right over to the nearest chair and started reading it out loud! It was seriously so cute! So I listened to her while I kept putting away some books. It seriously made me so happy to share that book with this sweet little girl. So happy!!!! 

After she finished I asked her how she liked it. I started talking to her family. I started talking to the grandma and I asked her if she liked to read, too. I ended up giving her a Book of Mormon and talking to her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was awesome! She said she lived in San Bernadino and sees "the boys on bikes all the time." She said the next time she saw them she was going to flag them down. 

Will she ever talk to missionaries and be baptized? I have no clue. But I learned a very valuable lesson from this. Sharing things that we love and that are important to us brings us happiness. It made me happy to share that silly book and it made me happy to share the gospel. Being a missionary is the BEST because I am constantly sharing something that I love with someone else! And whats so awesome about it is that you don't have to be a full time missionary to do that. Anyone can in their own small way. Yay for missionary work!

I had another cool experience on Sunday. There are two YSA in our ward getting ready to serve missions. One of them just got her mission call so she bore her testimony at sacrament meeting. She's going to the Independence MI mission at the visitors center. The other guy gave his farewell talk and he is going to Boise ID next week. I was listening to these two people and thinking to myself, they are going to learn so much and grow a ton on their missions! I must have been thinking out loud because the Holy Ghost (a.k.a. Sister Shin) leaned over and whispered, "so are you."

My mind immediately went to the girl with snot dripping down her face in front of the whole ward. Six months really isn't that long to be a missionary. In fact, I actually started freaking out a little bit because I feel like 18 months isn't a long enough refining process. I need more time to develop Christ-like attributes! I have been thinking a lot about who I used to be before I came out. Every time I think I've grown a little bit, I realize how much farther I have to go! I seriously feel like when I learn more about the Savior and I try harder to develop Christ-like attributes, the more I realize how far away I am from being like Jesus Christ. Luckily I have my whole life to become like Him, but I don't think that's even enough time! 

Also in that sacrament meeting, the bishop got up and talked about missionary work. Hmm. Missionary work. What an interesting concept. Every one that serves a mission serves where Heavenly Father knows they need to be. So I started thinking to myself, I am serving a mission in Fontana, California.....

WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING IN FONTANA, CALIFORNIA! 

These people don't need me. Pretty much no one wants to hear the gospel anyways.

The response to that was almost immediate. "You are here in Fontana, California. You are here for these people. They need you and you need them. You need to learn a lot of things, but right now you need to learn humility and patience."

There's nothing like a punch in the gut from the Spirit to keep you on track. I am here for these people and I need to serve them more. Sometimes I get a little discouraged because I have only had 1 baptism on my mission. All my friends are in some cool foreign place and I'm just here in America. Yup. Here I am.

But that is not only dumb, that's selfish. I have been selfish my whole life and for once I can just focus on other people. So that's what I am working on this transfer. Serving my ward and helping them do their missionary work.

The Book of Mormon is true. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. The Priesthood is restored for the last time on this earth. Jesus Christ will come again. When he does I'm going to fall at his feet and probably just cry because I love him so much.

I love you all! Thanks for all of the pictures, mom! I can tell that everyone is happy and that's making me happy. You are all the best and I'm so lucky I get to be with the greatest people forever!

Love, 

Ashlee

These are all of the wonderful sisters in the Fontana Zone. (accept for Rivera and Peterson. They had lessons so they couldn't make it) Sister Stalder is training this transfer!

The lady with the glasses is Wanda. She got baptized right before I got here. She is so cute I love her to death!!!! 

Yay for service! We had a stake pioneer day activity and all of the missionaries in the stake served the food.

Yes. There is a street in my area called Knox. So I  attempted to take a cool shot of it and the cool sunset and the really gorgeous park that we weekly plan at.

Me and my distant cousin Sister Wright :)

These are my roommies aka my bffs! Hermana Wright is the one that's a descendant from Ernasnus Bingham that I told you about a few weeks ago and her companion last transfer is Hermana Ipson. Ipson is still my roommate. I love them! We all go home together! Well Sister Shin goes home in October.... but myself and the Hma's all go home together :)