Sister Mary-Ashley Esplin: Church signs, white houses, leaf storms and more

HAPPY THANKSGIVING Y’ALL!!!!!!

I hope that y’all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you are able to stuff yourselves with turkey. But in between the stuffing and potatoes, try and think about the things that you are thankful for and take the time to really reflect. As I was driving this week, I passed a church sign in Arkadelphia that was pretty funny, but also really got me thinking. It said, “Be grateful that God doesn’t give you what you deserve”.

This week was a pretty good week! We were able to have a lesson with Maria about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the lesson went really well. She understood it and as we talked about how it is important to have faith in Jesus Christ, she also told us that not only is that important but, we also need to have a RELATIONSHIP with Christ. So True! I understood that, but I loved that she talked to us about how important it is!

This week people have been so generous to us in keeping our stomachs VERY full. We got fed every night and we also had two lunch appointments as well. We went to Cracker Barrel twice and also a Chinese buffet. We are now so stuffed, by the end of this week we may start rolling to get places. Hehe!

On Thursday we went to Henderson State University to see if we could proselyte on campus. Sister Cordova helped us find who we should talk to and then she got us hot chocolate and she led us to the student relations guy. Well. It turns out that we cannot proselyte on campus, BUT we can spend some money and pay to have a table from 8am-5pm and give out pass along cards and proselyte if we want. So we left just shrugging our shoulders and deciding that that was that. Well, as we were walking back to the car, Sister Cordova turned to us and said, “If I get the cheddar, can you do it?”. Sister Black responded with “what is cheddar?” And I responded with an “Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, what?” We reached out to all of our mission leaders including President Hansen and also President Carter-the branch president- and they all said that it was great! We are going to do a “Light The World” table (hopefully) and give out cookies and light the world cards and also show the video and do a big thing with the LDS Student Assocation! YAY!! President Carter even talked about getting a committee together! Oh my goodness, I am so pumped to #lighttheworld this year!

On Thursday night we had dinner with the Skaff Seniors (There are two generations of Skaffs that live in the branch so they are Skaff Seniors and Staff Juniors). The Skaffs had invited several couples there and then us:) Well, we were just having a lovely dinner conversation when suddenly, Brother Skaff jumps up from his seat and goes to a secret compartment in his wall and just takes this long piece of wall off and pulls out a super old rifle and pistol. WHAT! We all were freaking out! What a crazy turn of events! I never in a million years would have thought that that would happen. One moment we are having a delightful conversation over tortilla soup, the next moment everyone is ogling over the old guns and passing them around as Brother Skaff Sr tells the history of them. Oh my goodness. I love branches!

On Saturday we had a walk day. Oh my goodness gracious! It got SO WINDY!!! I thought that I was going to get blown away. Seriously. Leaves where everywhere, my hair was everywhere, my skirt was everywhere (walking up a hill, waving to cars that are passing by you, keeping your hair out of your face, and trying to keep your lightweight skirt from flying up is no easy task. Only a sister missionary). We had walked that day and we had walked from across town to get to our apartment on time for our ride to pick us up. Well, we got to our apartment and she cancelled on us. The ride was to go visit the person picking us up! So our plans were also cancelled. I was so frustrated. I didn’t know what to do. I felt pressure because I am the senior companion, BUT I still don’t know the area as well as Sister Black! In that moment, I felt so discouraged and frustrated and like a burden. I was trying to be productive so I finally decided to hit my knees. I went to the bedroom and just prayed. I asked God to help me and to guide me and direct me as to what I was supposed to do. I just prayed and prayed and prayed. Finally the question came, “Will you do what I ask?”. Of course, I thought. Then I heard again in my head, “Will you do what I ask?”. I paused and I really thought about it. It was cold and it was getting dark. I finally answered yes. I felt that we needed to go to a white building on the left side of the road. I thought in my head of a place that matched that description. It was a pretty decent walk away. So I got up and grabbed my stuff and started walking. I’m sure Sister Black thought that I was crazy, but I just walked as fast as I could so we could get where we needed to be before it got too dark. As we were walking down the street, I saw a woman who was picking up her garbage and garbage can from the wind storm earlier in the day. I was going to walk past her, but then I remembered a scripture I had studied that day D&C 61:3 “It is not needful for... mine elders to be moving swiftly... whilst the inhabitants on either side are perishing in unbelief”. So I went and talked to her and even though she said she didn’t need help, I picked up some of her garbage and tried to help her. In my head I kept thinking, I need to get to the White House on the left side of the road! But then I just stopped and tried to focus on her. We finished picking up and she turned to us and asked if we would like to come and share a message with her. My mind kind of reset. It was great! We were able to talk to her and she shared her story with us. Her husband died when she was 21 and she had two kids. She is 64 now and she has not remarried. We were able to give her the plan of salvation pamphlet and we asked if we could come back. She told us that we were welcome to return any time!

At first, I was kind of frustrated because I never got to the White House on the left side of the road. But as I looked back I saw that HER house was white, AND that it was on the LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD! What a sweet tender mercy.

My spiritual thought goes hand-in-hand with this experience. Sometimes we have a plan in our mind and we feel like we are doing what Heavenly Father wants us to do and we get frustrated and possibly even angry when things don’t go according to plan. Heavenly Father is in control! Nothing is not according to His plan. It all works out the way that He wants it to. God wants us to be happy. So when we are doing what is right, obeying the commandments, and listening to promptings, don’t be discouraged if we don’t get the outcome that we think that we are going to get. IT IS ALL IN THE PLAN!!!! Trust in Him. I love Psalms 46:10 which says, “Be still and know that I am God”.

I love y’all so so so much!!!! I hope that you have a wonderful week!!! I have a challenge for y’all as well. I invite all of you to pray to be able to come in contact with someone to introduce the missionaries to by the time that I give my homecoming talk. I know that you will be prompted and guided by the spirit to find those people. I hope that y’all have a great week. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I hope that you continue to read it everyday!

Love y’all!

Love,

Ash

Sister Esplin