Sister Mary-Ashley Esplin: Justin Timberlake is from Millington, Tennessee?!!

Heeeeyyyyy y'all!!!!!!

Do you want to know a truth that I learned this week? God has a sense of humor. Yes he does. Do you want to know why? BECAUSE I'M BEING TRANSFERRED!!...AGAIN. Oh my goodness. I this is the fourth transfer in a row that I have been transferred. I am now going to my 6th (and hopefully last) area. I am going to the Arkansas side-didn't I say that I only transfer to different states?- and I am going to be serving in the Little Rock stake in an area called Arkadelphia. It is a branch, and I have heard nothing but good things about it. My new companion is Sister Black and I haven't really met her yet but she sounds awesome! Everyone tells me she is funny and she is a workhorse! YEEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! I. Am. So. Pumped. I am so ready to just work my heart out! I told Sister Anderson, when we were coming back from exchanges on Saturday night and she was asking for goals, that I wanted to leave fire on the ground because I worked so hard and fast…SKID MARKS! This transfer is going to be amazing. I just feel it. It was so crazy, I woke up that morning and I just didn’t feel stressed at ALL! I just felt peace, I knew that everything was going to be great. I talked to Sister Anderson when we were coming home from exchanges and I just turned to her and I said, "I dont know what is happening with this transfer but I know this for sure, I am staying in Millington. 100% sure." Hahaha. Ten minutes later I found out I was being transferred. Guys. God has a sense of humor.

This week was so amazing. I had exchanges with Sister Anderson again and she is AMAZING!!!!!!!!! THE BEST PERSON EVER!!!!! I went to Bartlett with her and we were able to find lots of awesome people. We even got bashed. All we could do was testify and share what we know. People can be funny. But I was able to also receive a big confirmation from the spirit of how true the Book of Mormon really is. I truly love when you teach and all of a sudden you start to learn things. That is when you know the spirit is teaching.

We also had a lesson this week with this awesome lady named Minnie! She ordered a Book of Mormon and she was so so so excited to hear about the gospel. I just loved being able to testify of Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith! After we taught the restoration she was just in awe. She loved it. Then she told us how her husband is a minister, her father is a deacon and she had 5 or 6 cousins that are deacons. HA. So that will be fun! We can teach a whole congregation! Hahaha!

Okay, I am so sorry that this email is so lame, the day of transfers are always crazy! I studied so much this week! I read an amazing talk this week by Marvin K. Ashton called “Adversity and You”, He taught, "In football or in life, the adversaries, the ones with whom we compete, the ones we oppose or resist--our opponents, our foes, our enemies, or our problems--are often the determining factors in our ultimate strength and achievement." He continued, "From Harry Emerson Fosdick we read, “The most extraordinary thing about the oyster is this. Irritations get into his shell. He does not like them. But when he cannot get rid of them, he uses the irritation to do the loveliest thing an oyster ever has a chance to do. If there are irritations in our lives today, there is only one prescription: make a pearl. It may have to be a pearl of patience, but, anyhow, make a pearl. And it takes faith and love to do it.” (In The Treasure Chest, ed. Charles L. Wallis, New York: Harper & Row).

Those who yield to adversity become weaker. To the valiant, adversity becomes a stepping-stone to increased power. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and God-fearing people worldwide will not pray for freedom from trials. They will not surrender or panic. They will strive to put themselves in condition to meet and master troublesome trials." I know that adversity comes into every one of our lives, but I know that through Christ and through the gospel we can overcome all. We can be who our Heavenly Father wants and knows we can be.

I know that Heavenly Father knows and loves each and every one of you. I know that Jesus Christ has died for us and that he has also lived for us and I know that he lives! I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of god and that we can come closer to christ by reading it. I love you all so so so much!!! Have a WONDERFUL WEEK!!!

I love yall!

Love,

Sister Esplin

Ashley

Someone going to her 6th area

Sad to leave Millington

Pumped to go ham!

Proud Arkansas missionary

Student of patience during adversity, believer in Christ

ALSO, Justin Timberlake is no joke from Millington, Tennessee! Man, I could have tried to find his house! That is probably why the Lord let me know right before I got transferred…ha! "Can't stop the SPIRIT!"