Sister Mary-Ashley Esplin: “How is the Asian Sister Doing?”

HELLO my dear family and friends :)

I hope that y'all have had a wonderful week. I know that this week has been awesome. It was so so so filled with service! It was awesome. As an explanation for my subject line, I called my former companion, Sister Vaitai, this week to see how our recent convert, Sherron, was doing and she told me that she was doing well. She also told me that she asks her about me all the time saying, "How is the Asian sister doing?". The first time she asked, Sister Vaitai didn’t know who she was talking about, then she had to cover her mouth because she was laughing so hard. Sherron also lovingly refers to me as sister E-S-P-N. YAY! I just love how no one can remember my name.

This week was awesome. We have really been trying to build up our teaching pool as well as contact the referrals that the elders sent us. It has been a great week! We have been praying so so so much and trying to listen to the spirit to understand what we need to do to be in the right places at the right times to be able to find Heavenly Father's elect. This week was pretty awesome, we actually went to a neighborhood that I had really wanted to go to and felt like we need to knock on some doors and I was with sister Anderson-one of my very favorite people!-and we knocked on some doors. When we got there I pointed at a house and I said, "that one. We need to talk to the people at that house", but then I felt like we should go to the house that Sister Anderson suggested. So we knocked on the door and a 19 year old guy came to the door and talked to us for a little bit. He told us that he was agnostic and that he wasn't interested but that his dad and his little sisters might be interested. When we walked back to the house I wanted to knock on, a car pulled into the driveway and we were able to talk to the man there, Jason. It was so cool! He said that he hadn't been able to go to church for a while and he had moved to the area about a year or so ago, but he always worked weekends. But recently, he started getting Sundays off. We told him that, perhaps it is a sign from God and He is trying to tell you something by us being here at this time. He nodded his head and said, maybe it is a sign. We nodded, but in my head I was like, “No Jason. It is a sign. Come to church.". He said he would come to church-spoiler, he didn't- but we will go try him this week.

We were able to do service for lots of people this week and it was AMAZING!!! I love being able to serve those around me, for when are trying to be more like the Savior? I got to paint a room this week which was awesome. Family, it took me two days. Maybe 8 hours. I could have painted my room at home. I am-as the member told me- A MASTER PAINTER!!! Just call me Michael Angelo, because I'm ready to paint the world. Just kidding. I'm here to share the gospel. We also got to help a sister in the ward move a bunch of furniture-my weak baby bird strength arms are getting stronger!

I am almost finished with the Book of Mormon!!! Oh my goodness, time flies! This will be my second time reading the Book of Mormon on my mission. I have absolutely loved it this time, because I have gone really in depth and tried to REALLY study the Book of Mormon to see how it can truly help us in this time. I read it along with the institute manual and it was so good. It definitely took longer to study it though. I should have been done on June 3rd. Oops. It's okay though. I am thoroughly pleased with it. Some things from my study this week:

I read some cool quotes from president Boyd k. Packer. He said:

"Ordinances and covenants become our credentials for admission into his presence. To worthily receive them is the quest of a lifetime; to keep them thereafter is the challenge of mortality". (General conference- April 1987)

"Good conduct without the ordinances of the gospel will neither redeem nor exalt mankind; covenants and the ordinances are essential". (General conference- October 1985).

As I read Moroni 1:3 I thought to myself, I, Sister Esplin will NOT deny the Christ. So because of that I will declare the truth of the gospel to all that will hear and tell them the glad tidings of Christ's church being restored to the earth today.. I have learned this week that there are very few things that bring the spirit quicker than speaking about Christ. Also, I have loved going to doors and telling them, "WE are representatives of Jesus Christ and we have been called of God to be here to share a message of Christ with you". I have felt so much love for those people and I have been able to testify boldly of God's love for them and for the great plan that he has for them. I know that this work cannot be frustrated for I know that it is HIS work, and God cannot be stopped.

I have a challenge for y'all this week. I want you to read an article from Elder Holland (one of my very favorites. I just love how he gets in your face and tells you doctrine! It's the best!!). It is from the September 1975 Ensign and it is titled, the Lengthening Shadow of Peter. I just loved it. I learned so much and I just suggest that y'all read it.

Here is a great snippet of it:

"Jesus prepared Peter as quickly as possible for the call that was to come.

“Launch out into the deep,” he counseled this fisherman one morning in Galilee, “and let down your nets for a draught.” (Luke 5:4.) After an unsuccessful night of effort, Peter’s expert judgment told him a final effort was useless. But this was a man of genuinely childlike faith, and he lowered the net. The number of fish taken in that single attempt strained the strings until they began to break and filled two boats until they began to sink. In that small ship Peter kneeled, stunned, at the feet of the Master. Jesus said lovingly, “Henceforth thou shalt catch men.” (Luke 5:10.)

Launch out into the deep! Peter could not have known the ever-widening circles that single command would make in the stream of his plain and simple life. He was launching out into the expanse of godliness, into the eternal possibilities of redeemed and celestial life. He would be learning the mysteries of the kingdom. He would be hearing unspeakable things. To launch out into that limitless sea of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Peter brought his craft to shore, turned his back on the most spectacular single catch ever taken from Galilee, “forsook all, and followed him.” (Luke 5:11.)

From that moment on Jesus taught and trained Peter at every opportunity."

I know that this church is true. I know that Joseph smith is a prophet of god. I know that Christ's church has been restored and that it is on the earth today!! I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it is the word of God. I know that through Christ all things are possible. I also know that He loves me and that he loves each and every one of you and he has suffered for everyone of you, even if you don’t want him to. He did it for you, because HE LOVES YOU. I love y'all so so so much! I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve here and I am so grateful for my parents and all that they do to help me and make it possible for me to be here. I know that I can be together forever with my family and that brings me so much peace. I hope that you have a wonderful and safe week! Love y'all!!!

Love,

Sister Esplin

Ashley

The "Asian" sister

A representative of Jesus Christ

Someone who will speed walk towards people to talk to them

MASTER PAINTER! 👩‍🎨