I have arrived in New Jersey

June 17, 2013

HOLA!!!

 Holy cow my first week and I'm done... LITERAL LONGEST WEEK OF MY LIFE. I get off the airplane and it is POURING RAIN.  Then we went to the mission home ate dinner and had to get interviews from the mission president, he is an incredible man. His brother ran away when he was a junior in high school, and then his dad killed himself when he was a senior in high school. He went on a mission and a month into it the doctors amputated his leg because he had terminal cancer and was told he has 2 months left... AMAZING RIGHT?!! I LOVE HIM. He is the coolest human being ever.

 I met my first companion Hermana Larsen, she is from Holiday, Utah. She is the BEST. She has only been out for 12 weeks.. So we are struggling on the Spanish but she is very good!

 I had never felt so homesick in my life than my first couple of nights. I see airplanes EVERYWHERE. I always think of the family.  My companion and I wave every time we see one. My bed is literally right in line with a window and the airplanes always fly by so I always think of the family right before I go to bed. Its pretty cool here. My companion and I are teaching 2 sets of girls that are kind of my age but when they taught them before they never listened but ever since I’ve met with them she says she’s never seen them be so interested or loved a missionary so much! Maybe the 1st blessing of the mission.  NO ONE SPEAKS ENGLISH HERE. I will use Spanish my whole mission. I’ve taught 7 different nationalities here so far and an elder left his mission teaching 107.  The usual number is in the 80's so its hard to get used to the accents. I’m struggling with Spanish but that’s okay.. Last night we ate at a member’s house and there was a cook there who didn’t speak English at all. He said if I learn Spanish he will get baptized! I told him 2 months and we shook on it! I am going to read the BOM in Spanish in 2 months so I can watch him be baptized! I read 10 pages last night :) only 9 pages a day! Pray for me!

I woke up this morning sick  because who knows what I’m eating here, there are so many different nationalities! I could be eating a different kind of food every night.  It is so green and different here it is insane! I am the MINORITY! It is rare here for you to see Americans I cant wait to bring you all back!!!  OH ALSO there are about 5000 different churches here and really pretty ones, makes me think of you every time dad. I take pictures of them so I can show you :) OH also when it rains here... IT POURS!!
 i LOVE YOU ALL. 
This work is hard and sometimes discouraging, but worth it :) xoxooxxo

I saw Blake Goodfellow before I left the MTC.  I guess he will be keeping my seat warm there now.

Saying Goodbye to the MTC.

On the airplane looking at the rain.

Outside my window in Garfield, NJ.

One of the beautiful churches.

The neighborhood.

Our church building.

Another church.

Yes, this is how close I am to New York City.

Ready to take on my first week.

Watch out MTC here I am!

On May 1st, Hermana Ashlyn Jorgensen entered the MTC in Provo, Utah.  She is preparing to serve the people in the Morristown, New Jersey mission.  She will be in the MTC for 6 weeks and hopefully be able to learn enough spanish to get her on the road to speaking it fluently.  Thank you to all of our family and friends who have supported Ashlyn and Lexi as they strive to know their Savior better and then share it with those they meet.

At the St. George Temple to be set apart.

Being set apart by President McKay Stevens.

Family Hug

St.George temple visitor's center.

Ashlyn, Heidi, and McKay

Last big night with sister and her doll!!

Dressed and ready for the day.

Lunch at Guru's with Abbey (Gabby Gabby)

Family minus Hermana Lexi

Good luck love and kisses

Hermana Jorgensen,Abbey, and Jeff

Hugs all around

Dropping off at the MTC

God be With You Hermana Jorgensen

See you in a year and a half

My last letter in the MTC!

OKAY! HOLA FAMILY!! 

I love you guys! First off I memorized the first vision in Spanish! yeah say what?!!!! Then the next great thing is that I bore my testimony in spanish to 11 elders in Spanish... I know I'm shocked too!! THEN I taught 4 elders that are going to Germany about the first vision in Spanish and I nailed it! I translated it as I went so they could understand! I did it cause I have a hard time teaching elders.. like really hard time I get super nervous and I have no idea how to teach! So its been helping! 

This past Sunday was good. The other district, that is leaving on Monday, sang child's prayer and of course just tears flowing down my face. Temple walk is always great! We had a great devotional by the guy who helped write the Preach My Gospel, and it was incredible. The main thing he said was DONT GIVE UP! its true!! Then after we watched Sister Monsons funeral... President Monson looked terrible. My heart broke. But the spirit was so strong!! All of us missionaries watched it at the same time it was incredible! 

Okay family I have so much to write but they are very spiritual and personal, so I just want to wait and actually talk about it so you can hear my voice because I absolutely love this place. I LOVE YOU ALL THOUGH!!! Thank you for writing me everyday momma and papa! and thank you for always telling me about my baby and bubba!! I LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT THEM! 

I have so many friends here its unreal, it makes me sad to leave! You can only imagine because I'm not social or anything.. haha kidding dad I am just like you and I literally know everyone and love everyone here! I got lexis voice recorder and of course as I write this now, and as I listened to it I was crying. She is a literal angel. Just a little heads up for you to expect in my voice recording and letters are that I have a testimony of the book of Mormon. I have read 41 pages in 2 hours i absolutely love it. 

Oh i saw Steph Lyon yesterday she is so great! So happy all the time! She is also so sweet and loving she just gives me great advice! On Tuesday we got to hear from a quorum of the seventy, Zwick is his last name I believe and he talked about his son with autism, and special olympics! Of course I think of AUBS! tears instantly roll down my face as I heard his stories, then afterI bore my testimony to my whole district about how special those children are to our Heavenly Father, and to me! They are so Christ like. Aubrey is literally a choice daughter of our Heavenly Father. 

This week the atonement truly clicked for me. I actually understand it and I am SOOO happy!! I cant wait to tell you everything in my voice recorder!! I get to host again on Wednesday! It was great hosting! Ya know that kid Braden that lived next door that is going to my misison? Well he is here and we leave the same day!! whoo hoooo!!! Something cool go look up in the bible dictionary "war in heaven" and a cool part that I really loved said this, "The nature of the conflict however is such that there could be no neutrals, then or now." I LOVE THIS. To me this means that you either believe in the church or you don't. This puts in so plain and simple. Since I've been reading the Book of Mormon I have truly come to find this out! BUT I wont ruin what my voice recorder is all about so i will just wait! Family, i love you all. you are my life, my everything!! xoxxx muah

Hermana Dos

Hermana Jorgensen leaves for Morristown, NJ on Monday June 10, 2013

Elder Summers and ME

My AWESOME district.

My Companion and I

Shane who lived next door to me in college.

Sad faces when the rest of our district left for their missions.

Cleaning Hermana Mahterians room.

Hermana Stansel and Me with our Host Stickers.

Hermana Plowman, my teacher, I love her!!!!

Oh yes, still cleaning.

Dress up day.

Or twins day :)
You would be surprised how often this happens.