Sister Mary-Ashley Esplin: Thank you for your prayers and fasting!!!

Hey y'all! How goes it out in the real magnificent world? I want to thank y'all for all of your prayers and fasting on my behalf. I really appreciate it and I truly believe it is because of your prayers, fasting, and faith that I have the outcome that I do for my ankle.

TENDINITIS!! Yep, the doctor came in and told me that he had good news and bad news. He said the bad news was that the MRI didn't really show anything. The good news was that I didn't need surgery. He told me that I have intermediate tendinitis on the peroneal tendon(s?), mild tendinitis on the tibialis posterior, and some degree of tendinitis on one more tendon whose name I can't remember. In a nutshell, I have tendinitis in all the tendons that I need for walking...you know, the ones you need to use everyday as a missionary. He told me not to walk on that foot, which is interesting because when I first went in I was told that my ankle would be strengthened with walking. Well, the next day we walked 11&1/2 miles and my leg got swollen and my condition got worse, which forced us back to the doctor's office. This time, the doctor told me NOT to walk on my foot. Confused, we asked why he would say it was okay and then change his mind. He told us it would be okay to walk on it if we walked like normal people, but we walk like super humans. That is what I am going to call missionaries now. Missionaries: Super Human walkers. 😆 Anyway, he told me that I needed to not walk on it and that it needed to stay stable. Well you know me, no brace can stop me from twisting my ankle! I've twisted it several times with the brace on. Oops. So he said the next step was a boot or a cast. A BOOT. I'LL TAKE THE BOOT!! NO CAST, PLEASE!! So now I have a super cute boot that makes me feel like iron man. I. Am. Clumsy woman. So the boot is my new fashion accessory. All the sisters are so jealous of me and my limping gait. She has style, she has grace, she is Miss United States. Yep, that's me. The newest member of the boot crew. Anyhoo, onto the next topic of conversation-I never was good at transitions.

This week, as always, has been filled with good moments and bad moments. Moments of beautiful joy and moments of confusion and heartache. But the atonement helps all. What a simple phrase with a large meaning behind it. I have come to love my Savior more and more each day. Alright, I am just going to give some highlights (or lowlights).

On Thursday, we went to lunch with Donna. We only went to Sonic and then back to her apartment, but holy cow, did that little outing make for an eventful afternoon! Donna wasn't stable on the curb and she fell backwards! Her walker flew up in the air and she HIT THE GROUND! I yelled and went hobbling to find some help, but since no one was around, we called 911 and a fire truck came. Well, I still had my Sonic drink with me when help arrived so I slowly lowered it to the ground so it didn't look like I was just enjoying the day watching Donna lie on the ground. Fortunately, she is totally fine, just a bit sore. When she fell, all of the people in her retirement community came outside and watched her, some with snacks. Geriatric theater?!!

We also had a lesson with Cyrstal (a recent convert) and it was amazing, the spirit was so abundant there. We were talking about the temple and it was such a beautiful moment that I just didn't want it to end. Even Cyrstal commented that it just felt wonderful there. It was such a beautiful moment relating everything to Christ and to eternity.

On Friday, we visited with Chelsea and she shared that she feels a lot of peace in her life, like she feels like things are just going to go well. I just love her. Plus, she is in 2 Nephi 30!!! I am SO proud of her!

On Saturday, we had a member, Sister Sandlin, come out with us. In fact, she actually called us up and asked if she could come out teaching with us. That never happens!! Unfortunately, one by one all of our appointments fell through, which was a total bummer, but we salvaged our time together by meeting with some of her visiting teaching ladies.

Alrighty, here is my spiritual thought. I was reading Elder Don R. Clarke's October 2006 conference talk, "Becoming Instruments in the Hands of God". Elder Clarke posed the question- "Do we really want to be instruments in God's hands? If so, our desire will permeate our prayers and be the focus of our fasts." He also taught, "When we receive promptings regarding God's children, if we write down the thoughts and inspiration we receive and then obey it, God's confidence in us increases and we are given more opportunities to be instruments in His hands". I would invite you all to pray for opportunities to be instruments in the Hands of God and then to write down promptings and to act on them. I know this church is true, I love it completely and will believe it forever. President Wakolo always says, I will never doubt it, I will never question it. I want to say that as well. I am still trying to grow my testimony each day, but I am surrounding it with truth and love. I love y'all and I am so grateful for your influence in my life!

Have a great week!

Ash

Sister Esplin

Lunch with Donna

Showing off our sonic stuff. Literally, seven minutes after this picture was taken she fell off the curb and we called 911. What a crazy turn of events.