7/8/2013

For the 3rd and 4th we were down in Worthington on exchanges. On the 4th we went to a parade in Okabena. We wanted to get out in the community and try street contacting. Unfortunately it was unsuccessful due to everyone being busy with holiday activities. We had fun trying creative ways to contact people like playing bingo. Whoever we sat by we would try and talk to and see if we could fine someone with potential. Later, we went to the Lutheran ice cream social and tried the same thing. That night some members had a BBQ and ended up stuffed to the max. We also got approval to stay out and watch fireworks at the church, with the branch, in Marshall. We had to be in the apartment by 10:30 though, and what do you know...fireworks didn't start till 10:23 hahaha :)

 

I heard a cool thing about some missionaries that went to the Catholic church. The preacher had them stand up and tell the congregation how it feels to have the door slammed in there face all the time. The preacher said everyone should be more like the missionaries and were the name of Christ and be true Christians. A problem that we are having is the Jehovah witnesses come in and destroy the area. When we come in the people mistake us for them. So then some of the missionaries wanted to strap an American flag to there backpacks so the people would know and see them hahaha.


This is the van that the AP's drive. It goes one route.
 Due to the increase in missionaries they actually hired had to hire a van.
 It is a 15 passenger van with a trailer for the luggage and bikes.
One van goes clockwise around the mission and the other goes counter clockwise

 

Kelly Lingbeek (Investigator)
I'm wearing the tie that she gave me.
She is the one that her husband wont let her get baptized.  



April Wabeke (investigator)

She is the one with a date, but we are waiting till she has a testimony.
 

 



Brother Hale (Branch Mission Leader) Me, President Jones

 



Corban Crockett (Investigator)

He is the one that is on probation.
 

 



Marshall, Home of Schwan's Food Company 

 

 Minnesota state line
 

Parade in Okabena 

 

Elder Ashcroft

7/6/2013

The Zone Leaders called this morning and Elder Kidman answered the phone. I heard him say, "I'm staying in Marshall?" As soon as I heard it I started shaking thinking for sure I was staying too. Then they asked for me and said, I will be going to Chadron Nebraska serving with Elder Camp. Now my chances of training Taylor Sullivan are a lot higher. For those of you who had my old address do not send anything there. I will be letting you know my new address soon.

 

Elder Ashcroft

7/1/13

This week, on Tuesday, after our short informal District Meeting, we did service for 6 hours. As a district, we helped a family plant there garden. It was super HOT!!! I'm even rockin' the farmers tan!! When we got home that night my legs said, "I just walked through WW2." I didn't have any trouble falling to sleep that night!

On Wednesday, we went to have a little talk with Tomi and the whole crew was over. There was Tomi and 5 others haha.... He was making a fish that they cook whole and some cow skin, which I tried!! Yeah, it tasted like I was just chewing on a rubber tire that had no flavor hahaha.... The food looked disgusting and didn't taste so great but I have this weird desire to try it anyway. We didn't get to try the fish but he is going to make us another African dish called Moin Moin (they take habanero and jalapeño peppers, add them to a bean base and cook it in cans with chopped up hard boiled eggs. Then it becomes the texture of a cake.) Now that should be interesting!

Please keep Judy Olson in your prayers, and if you go, take her name to the temple. Thank you!

As for the rest of the week there was a ton of service which meant lessons this week were really low. I didn't mind its a different pace. It gets us out of proselyting clothes and into service clothes plus we get to do something different.
I saw a really heart touching video the other day everyone needs to watch and share with others. Go to mormonchannel.org and then hit Mormon Messages and click, "My Brother Hyrum." I almost cried when watching this.
I prayed to the Lord the other day, thanking him that I am led by the spirit. I don't care if I am able to teach or baptized a single person out here. As long as I am able to be the instrument in the Lords hands to be led by the spirit and find those who are searching for the gospel.
 Love Elder Ashcroft
Transfer's will be this Saturday. We thought it would be last week but looks like we get to hold out for a bit longer. Andy has been doing great and loving the work. He has reached the lonely stages of the mission and would love letters. As we enjoy knowing what is going on with him he cares what's going on with all of you. Thank you for all the prayers! We know he has been feeling all the love and support from home.

June 24, 2013

On Friday last week a Tornado hit just outside of Marshall, actually 2 of them!!! It was pretty awesome!! We had hail the size of marbles, rain that had no break, the sky turned green the wind was around 85+ MPH and the thunder sounded like a Jet constantly circling over Marshall. It made for a great journal entry!! :) I got some pretty good video footage of it. That night we went to Red Wood Falls to help the other set of missionaries in our branch and the storm was going on there too. We went and took a "Nature Bath." Yeah I was completely soaked hahaha! On Saturday Elder DeLaMare and myself were guided by the spirit to a Lady named Judy Olson which the Lord had prepared for us. We were definitely led by the spirit! We parked the car and just started walking. She was outside with her dogs letting them go to the bathroom. We asked her if we could share a message with her, she replied, "my apartment is messy." Then after a pause she said, "I guess it would be fine." So, we walked in and had an amazing lesson. We taught in unity and with the spirit and god gave me his eyes to see her as one of his daughters. I was able to understand the scripture: D&C 84:85 "Neither take ye thought before hand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man."

This scripture tells us 2 things. First, is that we will be able to teach with the spirit by number. Second, studying! The spirit cannot draw from an empty bucket, because I was doing my studies diligently the spirit was able to draw from my bucket and I was able to teach with the spirit and the lesson went amazing. That night I prayed to the lord and thanked him that I was able to be the instrument in his hands to teach Judy, and that I was able to be led by the spirit to her. (Judy was very receptive. We invited her to be baptized and she accepted. We  also committed her to read, pray and come to church. On, Sunday she called to inform us she couldn't make it. Investigators never do that so that is an awesome sign.)

 

Next weekend is transfers its gonna be crazy to see what happens, our prophecy is that 1. I will be training 2. Elder Kidman will be leaving 3. Elder DeLaMare will become the district leader. If I do end up training I will have stayed in Marshall for 7 and a half months!!!

 

Elder Ashcroft

 

I think he has finally gotten the hang of this whole blogging thing. He is "sorta" writing official letters instead of us piecing everything together. Thank you everyone for following our posts and keeping Andy in your prays. We appreciate it and I know he does too.

Love The Ashcroft's

JUNE 17, 2013

This week we had the lesson with Tomi and Dayo. We started teaching the restoration part all the way through and they bomb barded us with question. Some girl in there apartment tried their faith and they got frustrated because they couldn't answer her questions. Tomi had a meeting with Pres. Jones this week so we went over on Saturday Night. When he came to the door he had a beer can in his hand. First Kaiyoti answered the door, and then we told him to get Tomi and he came with the beer, we are really close with him so it will be easy to "rebuke with love. Elder Raia said he could smell weed too. Tomi told us he doesn't drink or smoke only when his friends do it (because he cant resist peer pressure.) On Sunday he promised he would be there for the meeting but he didn't show. He needs prayers, and/or his name in the temple. He has the potential to bring many into the gospel because he is such an amazing person. He just needs help having his feet more firmly planted on a sure foundation. Tomi is already a member and we were going to start the lessons over again but I think The Word of Wisdom is probably going to be the first one we teach next. These friends weren't his normal friends that's the hard part.

!!!Letter From Andy!!!

 

This week we finally got in with Tomi, when we went back over later in the week he had a new friend from Nigeria there named Dayo, he said he loves the words of Jesus Christ so We told him about the Book of Mormon and he said he would read it later when Tomi came back in from a phone call out in the Hallway, we had a lesson with him Dayo and Kaiyoti (not sure how you spell it) it was an amazing lesson we really felt the spirit and pointed it out to them. Yesterday (Sunday) all 3 came, they even stayed for sunday school and participated, I think that there is a really possibility that we could have a baptism from them. At our weekly meeting with Bro. Hale he said "Can you feel that something is going to happen here in the Marshall Branch?" "You guys are working hard and something is gonna happen soon" Thinking to myself i said "We are pushing against the dam with all our power hoping to break it or waiting for it to break, to release the floods of heaven" I heard someone say, some missionaries are Reapers and some are Sowers, but here we are plowing the ground hahahahaha. Its dissapointing to work so hard and not see "the fruits (of our) labors" they will come eventually, just gotta keep pushing against the dam. I would like to thank all of you for your prayers and letters.

Elder Ashcroft

06-03-13

 

Well...lets see bad news for the week, I'm starting to develop a "horse laugh." Like yours, (talking about his Dad) its soo horrible hahahahaha. April Wabeke, we haven't gave her a baptismal date yet, its gonna take longer than expected, she accepted baptism but not a date yet. Tomide, could use to be on the prayer roles. He came to us with a problem last Saturday and we haven't heard from him sense. We are really worried about him. He is usually always home and we have knocked on his door for 6 days in a row now and no answer. It's really hard trying to find new things to eat, especially for lunch and dinner. I have plenty of ideas for breakfast. We have a less active that wants to return to the church again. He is gay, but no longer active.  He was in the church but an "active" gay. So Pres. Jones said that he can't take the sacrament; got offended and stopped coming. Later things happened, and we heard he was interested in the church again. We went and talked to him and said, "what can we do to help you." He said, "help me get back to church." My heart was like "HECK YEAH!!!!!" I'm glad to have someone that actually wants to change their life. Unlike the "stiffnecked, hard hearted Minnesotan's."So we are going to try to bring the spirit to ever lesson and help him to have it back in his life. The elders love the HI Chews. I give them all to them, except the strawberries, and they were all instantly gone hahaha. Me and Elder Kidman are doing alright this week. I just remind myself not to say anything and agree with everything that he says even when he is 100% wrong. It's soo crazy ive been out for 3 months and that it is already the 2 week in the transfer.

 

Elder Ashcroft