Sister Ashley Zwahlen: Happy Halloween

The beautiful Ohio

" If you really concentrate on trying to walk the way He walked- loving, caring, serving and obeying each step of the way- one day you will look up and discover that His path has lead you directly to the throne of God." -Elder Ballard. I LOVE this quote. I have been sharing it with families this past week. It is so true. Christ was that perfect example and if we follow that example he is going to lead us back to our Heavenly Father.

First off thank you family for the Package. The caramel apples were perfect and so delicious!! I am a huge fan of the Sister Zwahlen inspired apple!! yum! and the hat is adorable I love the color and I have been wearing it everywhere because it is freezing here and the wind just freezes my ears off!! Sister Love wants a bow on her hat and she wants the color purple or gray or black ha ha she isnt picky so any color works wonders. All the candy I already ate. ha just kidding. I havent but mmm the reeses are amazing!! Sister Love and I have been practicing a musical number for a baptism for the Elders but it got canceled so now we are practicing for sacrament meeting. Oh and I made the pumpkin bread and added chocolate chips and it is delicious! I have been eating it for breakfast and throughout the day too!! Heidi's family also sent me a package with some witch fingers and brownies and barbie bandaids. It was great!!

last weeks Hayride

In Ohio they dont celebrate Halloween on Halloween they just do it on Thursday, so obviously since it is on Thursday they do it on Thursday but normally they just do it on the week of Halloween. but yes we do work on that day but we are in our apartments early that night I think we go in at like 7. So that will be fun. We can eat candy and make ourselves sick. Oh yea and we can study and all that spiritual stuff. ha ha

This week we were able to put two people on date for the 16th of November. They are a Father and Daughter, and they are progressing so much!! We love teaching them and they have been coming to church and driving to members houses to have lessons. Its wonderful! We are even starting to kind of teach the son, He believes in Greek Mythology and isnt religious but he doesnt run out of the room when we pray now so that is good. Anyways, we are way excited for them. We are also teaching a man named Reynold he is probably in his 70's but he is stubborn but so wonderful. All we can see is him working in the temple one day. He is progressing but he wont come to church because he doesnt want to be around people ha so we are working through that one.

This week I have been reading chapter 4 in PMG and it is all about recongizing the spirit. It is an amazing chapter. I have been working on listening to the promptings and as I have listened I have been blessed with amazing experiences. I am also finding out what it means to "feast upon the words of Christ." I cannot get engough study time. I love reading the scriptures and studying for the resources I have. I hurry and eat lunch so that I have extra time to study!! It is so unlike me to like to read but I have been so blessed to have the desire to learn. I am finally really understanding the things I am reading in the scriptures! ahh missions are the greatest. I have only been here almost 2 months and I have learned so much. I am grateful I have 16 more months to continue to learn. I sometimes pray that they extent the time sisters can serve so that I have extra time here on my mission. ha ha

So Sister Love hasnt been sleeping ever since she got to Greenfield so that has been really hard. She functions amazing without sleep by the way. I wouldnt be able to do it. but anyway it is really starting to take its toll on her so we are going to see the doctor and see if we can figure things out, she has been having other health concerns too. I am probably the worst companion, because I just want to go, go go and she just wants sleep ha so we are working on it but I am grateful that we have such an amazing mission president and his wife. They are always there and they remember what is going on with each of us to they check in on Sister Love to see how she is doing. I am amazed how they remember so much!! Man they are so inspired it is amazing.

Oh and I saw the first snow for the season here. It didnt stick but I didnt like it. I told the branch that I was being transferred to Hawaii. Ha I wish right? Well anyways this week I have really learned that I didnt really have the talent of loving people. infact I didnt really love people at all. but I will just tell you I love these people. Its overwhelming the amount of love I have for them. The brach is my family and I love being around them. turns out im a people person! Its a miracle what happens when you push your self out of your comfort zone. "There is no learning in the comfort zone and no comfort in the learning zone."

I love you all!! Thank you so much for the prayers, support, and letters!!

love,

Sister Zwahlen