Feliz Navidad Everyone! Okay so this week I have some stories for yall! So I think I have mentioned that Hermana Monroy is one of the Sister Training leaders. This means that she has to go on splits with some of the other Hermanas. Well this week we did our first overnight split. I went and became Hermana Del Pino's companion and her comp came to our area and was Hermana Monroy's comp. Well Hna Del Pino and I went to one appointment. IT was this older couple. The wife is a less active member and the Hermanas are teaching her husband. Well they are an interesting couple... I dont really know who to discribe them but lets just say I was having a really hard time following the conversation because they would just start talking about random things. I think I have mentioned that some people here find my name really hard to say. I have learned to respond to everything from Hermana to Hermana Ash to Hermana Aaakdlañkeetlhlf. But thanks to this Hermana I have a new name to add to that list.... Hermana Güera.... which basically translates to Sister white-girl..... thanks Hermana...... So after the lesson the Hermana goes, "hey Hemana Güera, my husband recieved a letter, but it is in english. can you help us read it?" I tell them that I can try, thinking that it is a personal letter or something... but no they pull out a letter from the Social Security Administration!!!!! I guess the Hermano lived in Texas for a while and is recieving money and he needs to fill out this form to make sure that he still qualifies for the benifits or something.... WHAT!?!?!?! It was difficult but I finally get the answers we need, and I turn over the paper and read the part about it being pergery (i have no idea how to spell that...) if you knowingly put wrong information on this form.... man I sure hope it was all correct!!! Another story: So Hna Monroy and I were walking down the street one day. She was on the phone with someone in the office and we walk past this lady standing on the street corner. I say good afternoon to her and she starts talking to me! Okay noone ever talks to me, they always talk to Hna Monroy. So Hna Monroy walks away a few steps have a proud mama moment because her little girl is contacting by herself... So the lady tells me this story about how her brother is in the hospital and she wants me to buy nailpolish so she can help pay for stuff. I explane that I did not have any money with me (it was in my other bag) but that I had an invitation for her. I then explaned that we were missionaries and invited her to church. She starts telling about her brother again so I respond with "We (meaning Hna Monroy and I) can keep him in our prayers"... I guess that is not what came out of my mouth... what I actually said was "We can pray for him." to which the lady goes "Okay" and closes her eyes and bows her head!!!!!!! Okay I dont know how I would tactfully get out of this situation in English let alone in Spanish!!!!!!!!!!! I send a panicked look at Hna Monroy and she is busy ignoring me.... SO I prayed with the lady on the street corner......... yep. I. did. oh foreign missionary problems When Hna Monroy found out what happened she was laughing so hard I am suprised she could breath. and when I tried to tell the Elders later that night I was laughing so hard I was crying! Everyone I am so greatful for all of your support, love and prayers! I miss you all, but I am also really greatful for the chance to be with my "mission family" this season. And I really do have a family here! I have a mission mama, brothers, sisters and a grandma. I am even an aunt! But even more than that I have a Heavenly Father who knows me perfectly and who I can be in constant communication with and an older brother Jesus Christ who knows exactly how I am feeling. I hope we all remember the true reason for this season. I love all of you! -Hermana Ashcraft

Hola!!!!! Man I cant believe another week has gone by! Guess what!?!?! Today is my 2 month aniversario of being on a mission!!!! Crazy right! It is going by so fast! Yesterday we had a really cool experience! Our zone had a goal of having 40 contacts this week and if we met that goal then we got to go on a "field trip" today. Yesterday we needed to have 11 contactos in order to meet that goal.... and we had about 15 minutes to do it. We were determined! We just started going up to litterally everyone introducing ourselves and inviting them to church next week. We stopped outside an Oxxo (a 7-11 type place) and when we looked in we noticed that there were no people in there except for the 2 ladys working. So we went in and did the samething we had been doing a million other times except this time was different. As we were talking one of the ladies would not look at us, and then she started to cry. I was kind of confused because we did not do anything different. Hemana asked her if we could help her with anything. The lady explaned that her 4 grown children were members in the church, and that her husband was a mamber as well but inactive. Then she told us that one of her sons recently died. But one of the last things he said to her was that the church was true. We were able to explane to her a little about the spirit world and how because her son was a member he is in spirit paradise. We explaned that God loves us and that he wants us to be happy to, and that families are important to him as well and that our families can be together forever. It was one of those moments where you know that God has his hand in this work. I am understanding so much more spanish!!!!!!! more often than not I understand what is going on in a conversation.... it is responding that is difficult. But that is coming too. Sorry this is so short, but we have people to see and a gospel to preach! :) I love you all!!!!!! LOve, Hermana Ashcraft

HEy yall! It is kind of weird to be writing again so soon! So this week has been a bit crazy. My Comp is one of the Sister Training Leaders which means that sometimes she has to go to meetings or go visit other sisters. This week she had a meeting with the mission leaders, which ment that I went to "day care" with Hermana Schaser (her comp is the other Sister training leader) ("Day care" is better known as Splits, but sense it was our Mission Moms who were busy we decided that it was day care)! I was kind of nervous to be with a new comp for the day in a new area. But it was really fun! The hermana that I got paired with was really excited to practice her English with me and was more than willing to help me with my Espanol. So the weather here has been CRAZY!!!!!!!!!! Earlier this week it was so hot that I was wearing short sleeves and sweating and then on Saturday it was 2ªC!!!!!!!! (and yes i am doing everything in C. because I dont know how to convert it and I dont really want to spend the time to learn) Saturday we did a service project at one of the members houses where we cleaned out her whole kitchen. And then on Sunday we did a service project with our zone where we went to a local hospital and stood outside and sang christmas hymns, and gave out hot chocolate and sweet bread. It was so funny! Hermana Monroy was talking with one lady and got her contact information. She went to give the lady a folleto and all of a sudden there were like 15 other people reaching for a folleto too! IT was kind of crazy!!!!!! We also watched the Church Christmas Broadcast yesterday. It was really weird to hear all of the Apostles "speaking" in spanish! Expecially President Uchtdorf! He did not have a German accent! So just a little more info... the house that we live in is really big! there is a bed room and a study room and a living room and kitchen and bathroom..... but there is no furniture in half of the rooms!!!!!!! I will have to send a picture! literally the only thing in our living room is the ironing board and our christmas tree on the wall! :) Thank you all so much for your Christmas cards!!!!!!!! I open one every morning!!!!! It is so great to start my day like that! Love you all! Hermana Ashcraft

HEy Everyone! first off I am going to say sorry. This keyboard is really wierd so i keep hitting wrong keys.... and because i am writing in english the computer is telling me that everyword is wrong... so this might be a little interesting. So I got here in Mnterrey on Monday and the hermanas spent the first night at the mission president´s house. Tuesday we met our companions! My companion is Hermana Monroy. She is from Sonora, Mexico. She is shorter than me, but not as short a Hna Schaser :) . She has 1 sister and 2 brothers. She does not speak much english. She knows some words so sometimes she can help me come up with a word, but not always. Honestly our communicaton is so funny! If people saw us sometimes trying to communicate they would think we were crazy! we use hand motions, other more simple words, sound effects, pointing... you name it we have probably tried it! Right now our house is covered with post-its that have what the object is in spanish (for me) and english (for her). She has been serving for 13 months. We were assigned to serve in the area Anahuac B in the zone Anahuac. We are opening a new area. Before we were here there was just one area called Anahuac with one set of elders, so the area was split and we are in area B and Elder Soto and Elder Humiston (from my district in the MTC) are in area A. We see them a lot! Expecially because we actually live in their area. We have been visiting the members and trying to build a friendship with them. This Barrio is awesome! Everyone is really into missionary work and want ot help us! We eat at a members house everyday except p-day. Speaking of p-day. NOrmally p-day is mondays, but when we have transfers it changes so we can go to the temple on wednesday. Here are a few experiences: -We had a baptism of Luz, a lady that the elders have been teaching! We were the ones waiting to help her after and watching from the side! It was SOOOOOO awesome! -I have been stuffed into a metro that was so full that I could have not fallen over if I had wanted to!!!!!! Welcome to mexico :) -I have no idea what people are saying! I feel like I am back in the MTC those first few days wahen people are talking to me but I dont know what they are saying.... only this time they are not talking slowly and clearly.... that is hard. -We started teaching a young man, Antonio. He is awesome! It is so wierd working with real people! -My camera disappeared the second day here :( ...... Welcome to Mexico.... guess what my Christmas Present is going to be... -There is not really sidewalks so we walk in the street and cross where ever we want.... that is wierd -you can tell who has spent time in the USA by if they buckle their seatbelt or not.... I always do! The driving here is CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there has been a few times where i thought i was going to DIE!!!!!!!! -I have 7 moskito bites on my legs at the moment....... it has been in the 30°´s here the past few days.... and will go back down to 5° by the weekend OK I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!! Love, Hemana Ashcraft