December 29, 2014....First time "Away for Christmas"

Email address: ashlee.young@myldsmail.net 

Snail Mail:
Minnesota Minneapolis Mission

5931 West 96th Street

Bloomington, MN  55438-1715

Area: Rochester Minnesota

Companions: Sister Roberts

Apartment Shared by: Hermana Jones & Hermana Smith

Sister Young's family taking a picture of her taking a picture!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!! Being away for Christmas for the first time was really strange.  I love my comps.  Hermana Jones (she and Sister Smith are Spanish speaking sisters) is teaching me Spanish again.  We have been cleaning the apartment when we can.  It has been the Elders apartment for the past few years. We can't reach anything.....okay, I can’t reach anything! Those Elders put stuff up high!

I am so grateful for my Savior and the time we have each day to represent him. I am so grateful for the opportunity we had to celebrate His birth this past week! I know that this Christmas was not about the lights, boxes, and bows, but it was truly about our Savior's birth, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for Him and all He has done for every one of us.

Family so excited to see Ashlee via Skype, time short but sweet!!

Love,
Sister Young

December 25, 2014 Christmas Day Pictures with Family!!

I Love You ALL!

Sister Young via Skype Christmas day

Kisses to my Tanky!

We've all been waiting  so long to  talk to you

December 22, 2014- Merry Christmas to All!!

Making Christmas Cookies with the Passow family!!

Email address: ashlee.young@myldsmail.net 

Snail Mail:
Minnesota Minneapolis Mission

5931 West 96th Street

Bloomington, MN  55438-1715

Area: Rochester Minnesota

Companions: Sister Roberts

Apartment Shared by: Hermana Jones & Hermana Smith

Merry Christmas to All!!!

         I am in Rochester! Things have been a bit hectic this past week with being transferred, but we are all settled in!! My comp is Sister Roberts. She has been out a year. We live with 2 other Sisters.  Hermana Jones and Hermana Smith. They are Spanish speaking and Sister Training Leaders. I know more Spanish than I thought!  Sister Roberts and I love Roch 3!!! It is so great! We live in an apartment and that is fun. Roch is great!!  Hey Mom, the Mayo Clinic is nearby, so don't stress.....I will be safe! lol

Sister Young with Sister Roberts

      We got a call from an Investigator named Danny. He wants to change his life.  He was upset and crying. He was telling us that he wanted to quit drinking and that he wants his family to stay together. He knows he needs to be baptized! Long story short, we went to his house and taught him a restoration. He is so thrilled to learn about the gospel! I am so grateful for the atonement and all it gives us. Danny ( our new investigator) called us, and came to church yesterday! He even wore a white shirt and tie for us! He is doing great! I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve here in Roch!!! I am tired, but that is a mission.

Love you both!

Sister Ashlee Young

love you...... "see"  you at 2!!!!

Seriously, she gets her artistic abilities from her dad!!  Can you guess what this is?  A camel!!

This one is a little more believable! An ice cream cone!! Great Job Sister Young!!

December 15, 2014 In COTTAGE GROVE "cHaNgEs"

Email address: ashlee.young@myldsmail.net 

 Snail Mail:  Minnesota Minneapolis Mission

                     5931 West 96th Street

                     Bloomington, MN  55438-1715

Area: Cottage Grove

Companions: Sister Pao & Sister Callister

Dear Family & Friends,
  

This week has been full of changes. As Sister Kitterman has been sick this week, we stayed in. I am grateful for the opportunity we had to spend so much time together. When we got the news that she would be going to the mission home we were both very nervous.  Then, later that day the Mission President called and told us she would be going home the next day. He also said I would be closing Stillwater.  I didn't know if I could handle a mission without my partner in crime.

Sister Kitterman and I have honestly become best friends. I have no idea how I have gone 19 years without her. She truly taught me everything about how to be the best missionary for the Lord's army. She has truly been my mission "Mom" and I am sad she has to go into a "coma". (Mission Lingo if you leave early sick you go into a “coma”, you “die” when you go home from your mission at the end)  I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us; most of the time it seems to be more surprising than we expected.

I am grateful for the Cottage Grove Sisters, Sister Pao & Sister Callister. They are my new companions as of Saturday night December 13. We are now a Trio! President Forbes is still praying about the situation, I don’t know what will happen…… let’s be honest I am a hard one to figure out!

 Sister Callister has been out 16 months and Sister Pao has been out 15 months. They are both “Grandmas” taking care of a “new born”.  (editor note: Strange MMM Sister lingo!) They are truly amazing STL's.  I am so grateful for them and for their love and support they have given me throughout this tough change!

Update on our investigators: Our 13 year old scheduled for baptism on Saturday went missing Friday night. Her Mother called the police and no one has seen her since then. She was not baptized this week unfortunately. Please keep her in your prayers so that she may return home safely. I know she has a strong testimony of this gospel and that she truly wants to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God.

I have honestly never been so exhausted in my life. It really has been quite a week. Definitely crazy……. but whatever it’s all part of Heavenly Fathers plan.

I have loved every second that I have served in Stillwater. I am truly grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve with such an amazing companion, the Hudson Ward, District, and investigators!! Stillwater will always have a very special place in my heart.

This week I have been trying to see things the way the Savior would. Seeing Sister Kitterman so sick was truly heartbreaking. She is the most dedicated person and missionary I have ever met. As I have had to help her with simple things such as walking, standing, ice packs, medicine and so on, I have realized how much the Savior must have loved us to suffer all of our pains, afflictions and heart aches.  Seeing my companion so weak and down was really hard. I know even when she felt alone and I felt alone that the Savior was with us and stood by our side the entire time. I know my Redeemer lives. I am so grateful for him. I owe him every breath I breathe and I will do my best to wear “His Name” with honor.

We had a Zone Conference this past week and I loved hearing from my Mission President and his wife.  What I learned most in Zone Conference was actually from the movie we watched, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Picking that movie to watch was truly inspired. This past week has been so crazy I have been able to think a lot and have realized the impact someone can have on others lives.

Just like George Bailey, Sister Kitterman and I are leaving Stillwater. I couldn't have imagined what it would have been like without her or without any single person that we came in contact with. I know that Heavenly Father's plan for us is truly divine, and I hope and pray that I will always remember that!!! I hope all of you have a safe, happy, and healthy week!!!

Love you,
Sister Young

December 8, 2014 “Remembering Christ, He is the Gift”

Blog : http://sisterashleeyoung.blogspot.com/    

 Email address: ashlee.young@myldsmail.net 

 Snail Mail:  Minnesota Minneapolis Mission

                     5731 West 96th Street

                     Bloomington, MN  55438-1715

Area: Stillwater

Companion: Sister Kitterman

December 8, 2014

Hello Everyone,

Ashlee with "Isabella"!

We have started our new focus on the “He is the Gift” initiative. We have seen many mighty miracles this week! As we have passed out cards we have shared our simple testimony of Christ and his humble birth. Our main focus this week has been to simply help others come unto Christ by remembering the true meaning of Christmas.

As we have served those in our area I have been reminded of our Savior and all that he has done for me and everyone else in the world.  I have had a better understanding and my testimony has grown of the Savior and of his perfect example. I have learned that as we turn our hearts towards our Father in Heaven and His son Jesus Christ, that we truly become more like Him.

This next Saturday our sweet investigator will be getting baptized!!! We are so thrilled! As we have been preparing her for this next step, the adversary has been trying their best to stop this beautiful girl from progressing, but her faith is so strong and she has been able to prevail. Her interview with the Zone leader did not come without help of angels. She was scheduled to have it Friday at 5:00 when we couldn't get a hold of her and no one had seen or heard from her, we panicked!!!! We prayed and asked Heavenly Father what we should do. He said to be patient and reschedule it for tomorrow. Saturday morning we still hadn't heard from her, so we prayed and asked if we should drive to her home and get her up!!! That is what we did. We found her next door babysitting. We then called a few members to see who could give her a ride. Finally we got a sister in our ward to come to the rescue!!! We were so relieved!!!

When we got to the church the Elders were ready for the interview!! We know the only way that our investigator was able to get there was through the assistance of the spirit!! It was amazing how hard the adversary tried to stop her from getting to her interview; but once again Christ's team won!!!! 

I am so grateful to be in this area. I truly love the people herein MN & WI. I love you all!!

Love,

Sister Young

December 1, 2014 Sooo Blessed!! No regrets coming!!

Area: Stillwater
Companion: Sister Kitterman

Alma 7:23

 Sooo Blessed!!  No regrets coming !!

Hello Everyone!

This week has been so great!!! Thanksgiving was good, but I actually got a little home sick.  I have so much to be thankful for. At Thanksgiving dinner we went around the table and said the “A, B, C’s” of what we are grateful for. Sister Monical fed all of the missionaries in our district.

We decorated Gma Severijng’s home for Christmas. It looks like Clark Griswald did a number on it! I went crazy with the lights! She said her apartment is going to burn down!!

With Thanksgiving this week, I am so thankful for all of you who are supporting me. You are truly amazing people, thank you!  I know that Heavenly Father has called me to do his work. I am so grateful for your testimonies and continual love and support for me. You have truly strengthened my testimony, and my love for the Savior and his work!! Thank you!!!!! Please tell people in the ward sorry I don't write them back fast, I try to write my family in the short time they give me.

We are truly blessed here in Stillwater, our members and investigators are all so wonderful!!! We just love them to pieces!!!! We have really been focusing on our most progressing investigator, who is getting baptized on December 13th!!!! One of our goals for her this week was getting her mom to sign her baptismal record. As we have been praying for her and her family, we felt confident that everything with her mother would run smoothly. As we taught her a couple of times this week we set up a time to go see her mom and get the paper signed and answer any questions she may have about her daughters decision. As we knocked on her door her mom was there and she was thrilled to see us!!! She said that her daughter is so excited to be baptized and she talks about it ALL THE TIME!!!! We then asked for her permission to have her be baptized and she was more than thrilled to sign the paper!! We asked her if she had any questions or concerns and she said no, because she can tell that this is changing her daughter for the better!!! We were so happy to hear that from her mom!!! Hopefully as she keeps progressing her mom will allow us to teach her too!!!

We had an 8 year old boy be baptized this past Saturday. We wanted to invite our candidate for this month to come and see an actual baptism so she knew what it would be like for her in two weeks!! We had to convince her older brother to drive her to Hudson for the baptism.  We ended up bribing him saying we would buy him an ice cream if he drove. Of course he said yes! When we were at the baptism, her brother had a lot of questions that we were able to answer during the baptism. It was so neat to see both of them light up when they saw the cute little guy baptized!!! Her brother said he would be happy to take her to her baptism and stay to watch!!! As we left the baptism and got them ice cream we knew that he will be a prime gator, he just needs his sister to take the first step and share her testimony with him. We know that she will be the key in her family coming closer to Christ.

John Axtell is all over my area book.  It’s funny, I looked through the Watsons family scrapbook and John was in it! Lol!!  In the area book under one person he wrote “you need a magic wand to get into that apartment!”  Hahahaa!

 Good for Madie! She will be an awesome missionary! It will be interesting to see where she goes……..Tell her to start doing the schedule NOW INCLUDING STUDIES!!!!!

I am so thankful for all that I have learned these past 2 months being on my mission!!! People are so crafty here, everything is homemade ha-ha!! (Just like Ann said) ha-ha! On Friday I was sick... so was Sister K. hopefully we don't have the flu.... awk!!! I ate goat this past week. I think that is what made me sick the next day. The Osborne’s took us to the Lowell Inn for dinner yum yum!!!The funniest thing is when Minnesotans try to say “bag” like we do lol …..They have no idea how funny they sound……Seriously accents here kill me, but I must have one too, cuz they all think I’m from the south???

On a serious note we have seen victims and people suffer like I had never ever seen in my life. It is sad to see first-hand the effects of abuse, hunger, poverty, financial issues, even “hoarding”….. Just like on the show “Buried Alive” literally! (There are dead cats in some houses I think....) There are people starving, people actually scrounge for food here.

 I have no regrets coming out!!! I know that this is where I am supposed to be serving the Lord. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the Savior Jesus Christ and that through him I can live with my Father in Heaven and my family again for eternity. I love you and wish you a happy and safe week!!

Love,

Sister Young