I Promise That I Am Safe!

Sorry that it took so long to get back to you all! I promise that I am safe. I made it to Chicago last Monday, which is P-day so I was not able to write. I tried to text a picture of me and my new companion on Tuesday, but it looks like it didn't go through or I just don't know the phone numbers anymore. It was hard to think of them, when I haven't used them in so long. We had dinner at the Mission Home Monday, interviews with President Woodbury and then on Tuesday got to meet our new companions and be told were we were going.

My companion's name is Hermana Smith, she is from Highland, Utah. And no worries I totally fell in front of everyone when I went up to the front to meet everyone. It was super embarrassing... O well, I guess that is life, and it would totally happen to me. We are serving in Rensselaer, Indiana. Of course I would be sent out of the beautiful city first chance, but I think that I will have my chance in the city. I hope so, or maybe I could ask for a refund or something. Just kidding. :) To make things a little better we are serving in an English Branch... which is very strange. We are still Spanish Missionaries, but in an English Branch. The end goal seems to be to create a Spanish Branch in the area, but currently they only have one current active member that speaks Spanish. They keeps saying that we are opening an area like never before. The work seems really overwhelming at the moment, but I know as we put the time and effort in we will be blessed in many ways. 

As this is a brand new assignment we also got a brand new completely empty apartment, which I think has been really hard for me. All the documentation says to avoid homesickness it is best to completely unpack, well I have not really be able to do that, but hopefully today someone from the mission home comes and purchases us some items, so that I can settle in a little bit better. I did get the package that was sent and a few letters so thank you so much! That helps a lot. The pedometer doesn't seem to work though... It may be I just don't know how to work it, but I could not turn it on for the life of me.

On Sunday, we of course were the speakers for Sunday, so that was fun I guess. One plus side of being in an English branch is the fact that I got to give my talk for the most part in English, so that everyone could understand. Mostly, we have been planning and studying a lot to get out and bring the Spanish population into the church. We did go tracking some and that was an adventure. My companion is real nice and she lets me handle the door step and things. I know that as I put for the effort my Spanish will improve and I won't be to extremely lost. I have been able to get the jest of most conversations, but don't completely understand everything. I wonder if my companion is impressed with how much I know, or thinks I should know. She keeps telling me she isn't fluent, which is frustrating to me, but I guess we can all only try our best. She has been out about seven months now. 

On other great thing about Indiana is all the Spiders!! I really don't think I have ever seen so many spiders in my life! I don't like them, I don't like them at all! 

Things are going great, and I am just trying to figure this whole mission thing out. I keep thinking there is nothing I could have done to prepare for all of this! Thanks to everyone who either emails or writes me! It really means a lot! The mail seems to work really great now that I am in the field and get wait to see more mail in my mailbox! :) Love you all!! It sounds like there are a lot of fun things going on back at home!! I got Brittney's picture from the dance! I always loved homecoming week at school! By the way I love the MC t-shirt! I wear it like every single night!! :)

Ashley P!