Guardo il mare, e vedo te. Guardo il sole, e vedo te. Guardo il cielo, e vedo te. Forza, spostati!

Ello, all! Alright?

 

It has been an interesting week. I went on exchanges with Elder Winward, from Holladay Utah. He went to skyline, the poor thing, but he's a great missionary :) haha smiley face. We worked super hard and did a lot of good here in Darwen.

 

but we talked to a lot of weird people this week, as well. This one man just grabbed my arm while I was talking to him, and it was weird. This other lady tried tickling Elder Readhead under his chin, and I about died laughing, it was so funny.

 

The work here is going well. We met a lot of people this past week who really seem prepared by the Lord for us, so hopefully we'll be able to finish the job.

 

We went to the temple yesterday for P Day, which was just an awesome experience. Usually the Temple isn't open on Mondays, but it was a Bank Holiday, which is like a national holiday over here, I guess, and they open the temple. But it was great. I love the temple. It is there that you can feel the closest to God, so all of you should go to the temple as often as you can.

 

Last night, we talked to a less active woman and her husband that we met while tracting. Their little baby girl is very sick, and the mother feels as though God is punishing them for things that they've done, and so we told her that God will always love her, and he wants her to come closer to him. We were able to spark her husband's interest in the church, and he asked us for a Book of Mormon. So we're teaching them again on Saturday, and hopefully everything will go well.

 

So recently I've discovered these treats here called Hob Nobs. They're pretty much the best thing ever. You should go to the British market on 7th east and see if they have some. I lie dem ( to be said like Esqueleto from Nacho Libre when he's talking about how he doesn't hate orphans anymore. sorry, random.)

 

Well, I've got to go, but I know less than half of you half as well as I would like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. Just kidding. I love you all and thank you for everything! Have a great week!

 

Loooooooooove,

Elder Ashcraft

Everybody, Everybody ( a little Homestar Runner Throwback, for ya)

Howdy y'all!

 

This week was crazy. Training camp, transfers, plus missionary work = madness. But good madness.

 

My new companion, Elder Readhead is a BOSS!! I love him! He is one of the missionaries that really knows how to find Joy in the Journey (joy in the climb. Day of Celebration. Cell phone dancers, holla back). We worked really hard these past couple of days, but we had a lot of fun as well. It's been great serving with him and i am really looking forward to the rest of this transfer.

 

Well, We talked to some weirdos this week. One man kept ranting on about how we persecute the Jews, and something about a desert, another man tried to tell me that it was widely accepted American History that Brigham Young Slaughtered 400 people in a wagon train and blamed it on the Indians, and someone else just started talking about how "Obama will sort it out." Haha I actually just laugh out loud sometimes.

 

But the work here is progressing. I absolutely love it here! It's beautiful, the people have terrible teeth sometimes, and many of the women have facial hair. But I absolutely love it! Missionary work is incredible and I know that this is where I need to be and this is what I need to be doing.

 

Sorry these are short sometimes, but time is of the essence. haha really though, time runs out quick. But I love you all, and you are in my prayers, so keep me in yours! I love you!!!

 

Love, Elder Ashcraft

Thyme fly's win yore have in phun!

Holy Smokes!

 

The end of my first transfer already! I can't believe that it has already been six weeks since I came to Darwen! Well, I am still in Darwen, and my new companion is none other than..... Elder Sebastian Readhead (yes, pronounced "read-head", like a childish insult to a young lad who loves books). He is great! He is from Pool, England, and He kinda looks like Clark Kent...Well, a little...well, not really, but he has glasses and dark hair. Also he's tall, and has a great accent. However, I must say that so far, the most beautiful English accent that I have heard so far is that of Elder Joshua Stevens, from Sussex, England. He was an AP this last transfer and is now headed home. As he spoke, it was like honey, coated in chocolate, slightly chilled and lightly dusted with powdered sugar, all being poured into my ear. I made him say "I love magic!" from Harry Potter, and I giggled like a school girl (you're welcome, Kylie Neslen). But Elder Readhead is money and it's going to be an awesome transfer with him!

 

Well, the baptism on Saturday...WAS PERFECT!! Everything went according to plan and the Spirit was so strong as I stood in the font with Joseph. He is going to be such a strength to the Blackburn ward as well as the church. We actually have an appointment tonight with one of his friends that he has talked to and is interested in learning more, which is sweeeeeet! It is so amazing to be apart of something as incredible as missionary work. As the scriptures say, "How great shall be your joy" when you bring souls to the Kingdom. It truly is joy, and it truly, truly is great.

 

This week has been an interesting one. On Tuesday, all of the newer missionaries like myself went to Training Camp in Stretford, and they just reviewed with us some of the things that they talked to us about our first day here at the mission home, and then just helped us with things we're struggling with and such. And Elder Weidmann and I needed to be in Wythenshawe for transfers on Wednesday, and so they didn't want to make us make the Journey to Manchester twice in one week, so they had us stay at the Assistants' flat on tuesday night. So that meant that Monday was Elder Weidmann's last day, and we spent most of it packing. It was kinda wierd, but you know. Whatevs. It's kinda sad to see him go. I have learned a lot from him, but he has served the Lord well these past two years and it is time for him to go home.

 

So anywho, it's been a busy day today. Elder Weidmann and I were with Elder Stevens helping him get things ready for the transfer, because there are 18 new missionaries that got here today! That's a ton! so that was pretty exciting. I got to see my good friend Elder Jeffrey Moss, which was great. He is hilarious and an excellent missionary. But my whole district is pretty much gone. Elder Readhead is the new District Leader, and some sisters are whitewashing into Chorley, replacing Elder Chris Sorensen and Elder Giovanni D'Oppido (the true Italian Stallion, from Crotone), and Elder Tanner Hanks got transferred as well. So it's just myself and Elder Jager, the german firefighter with 10 siblings, that are the same as last transfer. Sweetsauce. We had a great district last transfer, and I'm sure we'll have an awesome one this transfer as well.

 

Well, I've got to go, but that's what's happened! I love you all and I hope that everything is going just swimmingly! Stay true to the faith and you will never, ever go wrong! I love you all so much! Keep praying for me! I love you!

 

Sincerely,

Elder Ashcraft

Hey You! Yeah, You!

Hey y'all!

 

This week was kind of hard and lame, but it's alright. A lot of our really solid appointments fell through, and it was tough finding because everyone's on Holiday, and also, people were just jerks, haha. That's okay, I still love them. Also, Elder Weidmann got sick, so we had to stay inside for a couple days, which was tough. But I did a lot of studying, haha. It just didn't feel the same as getting out there and teaching the heathens.

 

Well, in other news, Joseph's baptism is this saturday! He's super excited and so are Elder Weidmann and I. He's ready, which is awesome. He'll be a great strength to the church.

 

Well, the copmuter is screaming at me because I'm out of time, so I love you all! Love you all! Love you all!!

 

Love, Elder Ashcraft

Mai mishun iz gowing greight! Thenx foure asckeeng!

hey y'all!

 

Whew, it's been kind of a long week, because a lot of people are out of town on summer holiday, but we're trying.

 

Let me tell you about Joseph. He is one of our investigators and he is awesome! he is 19 and has been investigating the church on and off for about a year and he has read the Book of Mormon 42 times!!! are you serious?! yeah! That's what I'm talking about!  In the past he has struggled with some stuff but now he is doing great and he's gonna be baptized on the 14th of August! His parents are not members and won't let us teach him in their house, so we teach him in a park by the library here in Darwen. He is golden! He knows everything, probably more than I know, and he knows that it is all true! We're so stoked for him and excited for the Church to get him!

 

We were tracting earlier this week, and we knocked on the door of a man named Stan. He used to be a Jehovah's witness, but he decided to take a break from that and has been interested in what we believe. he let us in and we taught him, and he's excited to learn more! AHh I love the Gospel!! Such an excellent thing!

 

Well, it rains a ton here. like a ton. yesterday was the first time I saw the son in forever, so I'll probably become like albino. not really. But we'll see.

sorry this is so short.

 

I love you all! the Church is SOO TRUE! Don't you ever forget it, and if you don't know yet, pray to know and you will! It's the greatest thing on earth! I love you all, and keep praying for me!

I love you!

 

Love, Elder Ashcraft