Hermana Ashlyn Jorgensen: One of the driest missionary weeks

April 28^th, 2014

This week. hahha seriously one of the most driest weeks of missionary work for us! We worked so hard but saw such little outcome of our work! We only got in 11 lessons this WHOLE week! BUT we talked to SOOOOO MANY PEOPLE on the street!

Me to a man, "ohh Hey where you going?"

the man, "My house...?"

Me, "Where you coming from?"

the man, "uhh city hall... I'm the mayor?..."

SO FUNNY. He was so offended we didnt know he was the mayor. classic. Hopefully he checks out mormon.org haha

I seriously love missionary work... And at the same time I hate it. Did I just say that? haha Everything we do I have the most mixed emotions.. I'm sure everyone can attest to that, those who have served a mission. Its like one day you are like oh my gosh I love this we taught so well together, people wanted to listen to us, we only got fed once... I got a letter in the mail.. hahahha and then another day its just straight opposite. My Spanish just went a-wall, our unity.. what even is unity? we had 3 meals and ITS BEEN WEEKS SINCE IVE GOTTEN A LETTER! hahah am I complaining? NO! Its all worth it though! Its like I almost feel accomplished when I get rejected because its like well hey at least I'm trying to help these people but they just don't want it!

Still in shock brad is getting married? what is happening to this world? Julia? gabby gabby? brad? I mean Spence and Ali are already done and married! Whens nick getting married? Tell him to wait.. no not wait for me but for me to be able to be there HELLO! Literally I swear if lexi is hooked before I get home.. I quit I'm flying home real fast and getting her back out here on the mish!

I read Pam honey's talk that she read. INSPIRING. Like wow The Eldorado Valley Ward is unreal. Missionary work sounds incredible there. The missionaries sure are blessed. That leads to thee uhhh LACK of missionary involvement here. I don't want to toot mine and Sister Dukes horn but I would consider extending the call of Elders Quorum President to Sister Duke and I if there was ever such a thing! This week, all we needed was the least of help from our branch. Our investigator Alfonso was moving, remember I told you all. Well he was moving on Wednesday and we knew on Sunday. Literally starting from Sunday on, sister duke and I had called EVERY MALE SPECIES in the branch to help us with this move, 1- because someway or another our mission leader couldn't find anyone, and 2- because no one would offer or say yes to helping us. We had anxiety. Like do you think I'm kidding? no. Tuesday night we literally have called everyone. There is no way that we were going to be able to help him like hello we drive a little 4 door Chevy cruise we cant fit anything in our car, and needless to say WE ARE WOMEN! Wednesday we called our last option, well not last option just someone that didn't answer that we tried again. He said sure! But we have to push it back so he can make it back from work! OKAY WE'LL TAKE IT! We get to meet him at quick check because our investigator doesn't even have a car but our GPS couldn't pick up where he lived. So the members followed us to the quick check. We asked the members if they could just drive him to his house which was super close by the way.. but that was almost, to say the least, too much of a burden to ask.. (we were thinking in our mind wow great opportunity for our members to befriend the investigator) hahah sometimes you just gotta laugh at what happens before you are just straight mad... drum roll please.. they put the 6'4 investigator IN THE BACK OF THEIR MINI VAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?!!!

HAHAHHA seriously SIster Duke and I just couldn't stop laughing because we didn't want to be mad!!! .. then to top it off we get to his house to move the stuff from his house to the car and literally no one helped but me, sister duke, and alfonso.. they just stood there... uhhhhhhhh I don't really understand how any of this was appropriate. well okay now just to make it even better, after we dropped everything off at his house and moved it in (we called the elders to come help cause.. well no one else would) which might I add took us a total at MOST 45-50 minutes not even. So I'm talking with the members and my companion and the Elders are talking with the investigator as we are talking the members and I.. The man (ex-branch president and missionary) says, "I really don't like doing service. I only do it because letty (his girlfriend who is a member) told me to do it. And I only do what she says." hahah uhhh..... awkard silence... I didn't understand how I was supposed to feel after that comment... to make this WHOLE experience worth it.. It truly did mean a lot to Alfonso and he could truly see the help from the church.

Paulo and ALfonso came to church! They LOVED it! Paulo felt so welcomed back into the ward, people were hugging him and he literally LOVED IT! He got a blessing for his health and literally he just feels like he's on cloud 9!

Goodness gracious this week was a little hard personally. Ya know I LOVE missionary work but its like I HATE getting changed. I don't want to leave this area. Ive cried the past 2 nights because I'm so sad to leave these people. I'm literally so sad to leave the percinos. Especially Sammy. We had an appointment with him and his friend Sergio on the beach last night.. BEAUTIFUL!

it was so fun!! I really cant wait for you to meet them! They literally are so good to sister duke and I. Like we were there on Saturday and I just started crying at there house. Sammy is so funny haha hes like "ya know what jorgie no matter where you go we will be friends forever okay silly. Hello forever. You really have changed our lives." Of course I just lose it. Spanish is also a struggle. its okay though I try to have patience I've been studying it a lot I just ughhh I'm not the smartest so it isn't coming as soon as it is for everyone else.. or else this whole gift of tongue thing just isn't working on me! Family I almost know Spanish but I just actually don't at all. If that makes sense, since there are so many words to learn.

Hey I love this mission. I literally LOVE the mission. I get sad to think lexi is going home soon, but to see her finish faithfully and strong to the end has been such a blessing and more than anything an EXAMPLE. I am so grateful for a LOVING Heavenly Father that answered my prayer to stay on my mission. Some days aren't easy, and nor are they in real life, but when we understand that it is only stressful or hard for our mortal life, we may have a better hope and understanding to CONTINUE looking forward to eternity.

I love you all sooooo muchhh! 1 year on the 1st!

love: hermana jorgensen xoxxx