Mission mission mission mission mission mission mission mission mission mission mission

Hello everyone that I love!

 

It was a great week here in Chester. We had Zone Conference this week, and there is a missionary couple serving in Germany that are the mental health experts for the church in Europe. They came to Zone Conference to talk to us about managing stress. It was quite good. They gave us some relaxation exercises to calm us down and to help us focus. Quite good, quite good.

 

Well, England is amazing. But to be honest, this transfer I have spent most of my time in Wales. Most of our Ward's boundaries are in Wales, and Wales has some absolutely beautiful landscape. Boy Howdy. But there is a town called Mold, as well. It's a nice place, despite the name. And while we were in Mold in Wales, we met a wonderful woman named Anne.

 

She is the best friend of a Less-Active member of our ward, but we didn't know that. We set up an appointment to teach Anne and when we showed up, the Member Sister Roberts was already there! So it was pretty great. We had a great lesson with her and she even came to church yesterday! It was so great. She is really struggling in her life with one of her sons going off the deep end and going down a road that he shouldn't, and she's been really frustrated and sad. But she is so ready for the gospel. I love how the Lord prepares people and then allows us to find them and teach them. It's amazing!

 

I love this gospel so much. I know that the Church is true and that Jesus stands at its head. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of the Lord on the earth today and that God loves each and every single one of us. We are important to Him! I know it!

 

I love you all and I am so grateful for you! Have a great week and Keep the Faith!

 

Love,

Elder Ashcraft

Chest Hair sounds like Chester if you say it fast.

Hey everyone!

 

It was a great week here in Chester! I love serving here and I really love serving with a New Zealander. He's amazing! He is such a good man and a great missionary. We are having a lot of fun together and we are working hard. It's quite good.

 

Well, this week, one of our investigators, Richard, came up to us after Church and said, "Wife. I want one." That's all. It was quite funny. He had a stroke a couple of years back and so he has trouble communicating everything he wants to say, but just the way he worded it made it hilarious. I love being a missionary.

 

I have grown such a strong testimony of this work and of the gospel since I have been a missionary. I want to apologise to all of you for the stupid and inconsiderate things that I did before my mission and I hope that you can forgive me. I know that this is God's true church and that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is a real and powerful thing.

I love you all so much and I hope you know that!

 

Have a great week and Keep the Faith!

 

Love,

Elder Ashcraft

Greetings from...Birkenhead??

Hello Everyone!!

 

No, I haven't been transferred to Birkenhead again. But I am on exchange there right now. It's pretty weird going back to a previous area. Way weird. But everything is just about right where I left it. Except the flat. They have a new flat now. Weird.

 

Well, New Years was great. We had some great Japanese food and played some games. I can't believe that it's already 2012. So crazy how fast time has flown by. I really can't believe it.

 

But I'm excited for the New Year. The New Year is a time of new beginnings and fresh starts, and that is what the Gospel of Christ is. It's a chance for us all to have a fresh start. God is a god of second chances. It is never too late for us to change and become better. It's amazing.

 

Well, I love you all so much and I am so grateful for your support and your love. There is nothing like being a missionary! I pray for you always! The Church is true!

 

Love,

Elder Ashcraft

Manless Manchester

Hello everyone that I love!

 

This week has been an absolutely crazy one. Really crazy.

 

So on Monday, Elder Jones' family came to pick him up, so I was sent to stay with the Elders in Crewe for a couple of days. They are so great. Elder Francis, who is serving there is one of the best missionaries in the mission. He and I have become really good friends, and it was great to work with him for a couple days.

 

While I was in Crewe, I got a phone call from the Assistants to President Preston, letting me know of all of the transfers in the zone. When he got to Newcastle, I was expecting him to tell me who my new companion was. But instead, he said, "Elder Ashcraft, you are whitewashing out of Newcastle." I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. I was really sad at first because of all of the wonderful people that we have been teaching over the last while, and they are really progressing well. I have grown a very strong love for them. But I know that there is a reason for all things, a motive greater that what we can see.

 

I have been transferred and called to serve in Chester! I'm really excited. 'Tis a very beautiful area and very historic. A lot of our area is in Wales, so we're half in England, half in Wales, which is really exciting. Wales is Beautiful. My new companion is fantastic! His name is Elder Rapata, and he is from New Zealand! It's about time that I served with someone that isn't from North America. I'm really excited. He is so full of love and already we are becoming really good friends.

 

My new Address is this:

 

Elder Taylor Ashcraft

54 Wemyss Road

Blacon

Chester    CH1 5PZ

England

 

But it is going to be a great transfer. I'm really excited for it.

 

Thank you all for all of your prayers and your support and love. It means the world to me and I would not be able to do this without you. Thanks for everything. I pray for you always, and I hope that you all have a wonderful week!

 

Keep up the good work, and Keep the Faith!

 

Love,

Elder Ashcraft

Merry Christmas to All, and to all, CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!!

Hey Everyone that I love!

 

It was a great week here, and the Lord has blessed us with some amazing people and amazing miracles. fantastic. We had 3 investigators come to church, and they are great. One of them is Bianka, a Polish woman who is great. She has a very Utah personality, which is weird, but she's really good. She loved Church so much.

 

Shelley, one of our other investigators came for the 2nd week in a row and then came with us to have tea at a members home. Wow. So good. She is progressing so well and she has a great testimony of the Book of Mormon. Please pray for Shelley, Bianka, Josiah, and Brian.

 

Well, I want you all to know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Redeemer of all mankind. This Christmas season I challenge you all each day try to become more like Him in everything you do. Christmas is about Him, and what better way to celebrate than to try to be like Him! I love the Lord so much!

 

I love all of you as well, and I hope that you have an absolutely joyful Christmas! Jesus Lives and He loves you!

 

Happy Christmas!

 

Love,

Elder Ashcraft

Rejoice and Be Merry (but the good kind of Merry)

Hello Everyone that I love!

 

England is amazing! I hope you all know that by now.

 

It was a great week! The Lord is blessing us and being so merciful to us. We have witnessed miracle after miracle and we are so grateful for all of them.

 

Something that I have been pondering about this week is how skewed a lot of people's vision of reality is. Many people think that this life is it, and things that don't matter do, and things that do matter don't. They think that happiness comes in things, not in people and The Lord. It's very sad to see the state that the world is in right. now. But we have good news. We have good tidings. We know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings true happiness and peace and helps bring our perception of reality back into what it should be, namely that God lives and that He has a plan for us.

 

Isn't it amazing to think that we matter to Him? I truly know that we do.

 

I love you all so much and would encourage you to take a step back and analyze what really matters to you this season. I know God Lives.

 

Love,

Elder Ashcraft

Missionary work is the best thing ever!!!

Hey Everyone that I love!

It was an amazing week here in England, once again. Derek was Baptised on Friday and I went really well! Derek's nonmember roommate came as well as one of our other investigators! It was amazing. The Lord has blessed us so abundantly and I am so grateful for His mercy.

Our temple trip also went really well. Derek and Brian were able to come, as well as Roy, our 77 yr old Recent Convert. Everyone loved it! Mostly. Roy was a bit incensed that he wasn't able to go inside yet, and so we had to explain to him for the thousandth time that he needs a recommend, but other than that, it went really well! Brian even bought a quad! Amazing!

Well, I  want you all to know that this is God's only true and living church on the face of the earth. Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and the Book of Mormon is true! I love you all so much and I pray for you every day! I love you and have a good week! Keep the Faith!

Love,
Elder Ashcraft