Week 42: Transfers, "I see Ikea and American Restaurants" ( Feb. 2, 2015 Ashlyn's Birthday )

Hola todos!!

This week has honestly been the wildest week of the mission!!! So Tuesday was transfer day.  I'm headed from San Cristobal to my new area near the Capital (exactly where...I don´t know).  The house I live in now a lot different than the one I've been in.  It is tiny in comparison.  Us 4 hermanas share one big bedroom and it has a really high ceiling so it feels like an orphanage.  What´s a bummer is that I am now back to bucket showers... yay!!  But what kind of makes up for it is that when we do have running water, we have a hot water heater so that is cool.

On Wednesday morning, the Elders came and helped us paint the house, that meant that basically everything that I had unpacked and organized we had to take out to paint :P  On Friday, the bishop who always takes care of the problems in the hermanas´ house decided that the house needed to be painted again, so after organizing everything for a second time, they came and made a mess of our house again.

The area is completely different.  I feel like I've changed missions all together.  The other day we had a stake activity to find less actives and I went with an Hermana in the other ward and as we drove on the highway I felt like I was in the states.  We passed Ikea and a bunch of American restaurants and it was freaking me out a little.  There are some giant houses here too.  My are is full of apartment buildings.  They are quite nice as well.  It´s not as crazy as I thought it´d be.  It actually seems calmer than San Cristobal because there are not so many colmados and drunk people and the streets are not so tight.  I actually kind of like it.  But what´s weird is that there are basically always a billion people out on the streets doing who knows what, but the streets are always full.  They are a lot more intense here too.  Contacting is weird because some people won´t even open the door, just ask who it is and have us pass the contacting card under the door.  We contacted this one dude who was really intense.  We started to explain how our message helps people find more happiness in this life and the next and he started going off about how there i so much bad in the world and throwing stuff about Satan at us.  At first he wouldn´t let us in, but after the started arguing with us and wanted to prove us wrong, he let us in haha.  We actually got a return cita so we will see how things go with him.

My companion is awesome!! She is from the Capital in the East.  I am her Step-Mom (her second companion, right after training).  She is an amazing missionary and cooks sooooo well.  She is teaching me how to cook and dance bachata :) and I am teaching her English and the Napolian Dynamite dance ;)  her cute laugh reminds me of my lovely aunt Lisa Titensor ;)

Spiritual thought for the week:  We had a special Stake Conference (for the whole Caribbean actually) where Elder Packer, Elder Holland, and other general authorities spoke and it was awesome.  It was especially awesome because it seriously was just for us!  The stake President also talked and one thing he said that was awesome was how we can have a true conversion.  We must Know (or come to know), Feel, and Act.  That hit me pretty hard and helped me really thing through my own conversion and the conversion of my investigators.  We decided that we are going to use this in our teaching to help our investigators understand the process of the their conversion.  Something another speaker said (I think Elder Wilford Anderson--he as just released from being Area President of the Caribbean):  Faith does not mean perfections.  It means Endurance.  It was over all a wonderful conference and I think it really helped our members here.

Thank you all for your birthday wishes!!! It has been an amazing day!!

Love you all!! The church is true!!

Love, Hermana Perry!! 

(La Yuca my ward, I live in San Geronimo)


Hermana Perrry loved all of the notes from family and friends for her Birthday, she said it was amazing seeing them all as she opened her email yesterday. She loves all of you!!!

In San Geronimo, Hermana Ashlyn Perry, Hermana F, from Ashlyn's first area, Hermana V, (Ashlyn's comp), Herman Apelu, (trainee from Hawaii)

Mom is going to be sending a new camera, as you can see her's is dying.

Note to Mom ( Marsha )

I have to go, but one thing I want to tell you.  Something that Elder Holland said in his talk was ¨By way of the spirit we are in the same room¨  the conference was a broadcast, so he said it referring to that, but I thought of you when he said it.  I love you so much!! Despite the fact that we are thousands of miles away means nothing because the spirit keeps us together.  Love you soooo much!!

love your missionary

Week 41: Headed to La Yuca (Jan. 26,2015)

Whey KLK?

This week went soo flippen fast.  But is was awesome.  

I really learned the power of fasting this week.  My comp and I have been having a little trouble with success in the area so we decided to fast on Wednesday.  Not 2 hours after we finished our fast we get a call from the Elders in our district and they tell us they have a reference for us.  But not just any reference.  They were traveling from the capital in a Guagua, coming home from a meeting, and decided to contact this lady sitting next to them.  She explained that she is Adventist but they proceeded to explain anyways.  After talking for a while, they had her read Alma 7.  When she finished, she asked for a Book of Mormon and said she wanted to learn about the church.  We went to visit her the next day and she is awesome!!  During the rest of the week we had a lot of success, especially with references (which is the best finding method).  We ended up getting 6 references from people in the ward and investigators.  That is ridiculous because we have trouble reaching the goal of 2 each week.  But what a blessing!  I really feel like the work is going to take off.  We have quite a few solid investigators who are progressing towards baptism! :)

So this Saturday was the end of the transfer.  Our house felt pretty sure that we were going to stay the same so we were not so worried.  My comp and I were mean and decided to play a trick on the other Hermanas in the house.  While they were gone, the Elders from the office brought us a new washer (ours broke...) and we asked about the transfers.  They unfortunately didn´t tell us, but tricked the Hermanas into thinking that we knew.  We told them that 2 of us were going and they two that were staying were going to train.  We let it sit for a while, then the guilt got to us haha so we told them it was all a lie.  Like an hour or so later while we were making lunch, President Nuckols called.  We all freaked out because he only calls personally if you are going to train or be an Hermana leader.  When he called, he asked for me and my heart began to race.  We talked for a second, then he said, ¨Hermana, we are going to transfer you.¨ My heart sunk.  He then told me that they needed me in another area but wanted to call because I told him in my weekly email that I didn´t want to leave the area.  But I guess he and the Lord have different plans.  San Cristobal is my home.  It was sooooo hard to say goodbye to everyone here.  Harder than in Azua.  I´m now headed to La Yuca in the captial (which is funny because 1) I have always said I don´t want to go to the capital, and 2) because that is where my comp just came from and she joked with me that that would be my next area.  I´m going to have a Dominican Companion which means I´m going to learn to cook like una jefa!! (a boss).  Super pumped for that!! :)  But still really really sad to leave this area and Hermana Paul.  This transfer has been the best transfer with the best Hermanas.  Pe na.  Palante.  Thus goes mission life.

Love you all,

Love, Hermana Perry

This is the lady that reminds Ashlyn of Sister "V" in her home ward, her personality, mannerism, etc. Ashlyn says she is the Dominican Sister "V".

Ashlyn is being transferred to La Yuca, and this is Yuca. This is in a members house.