Merry Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas 2012!!!

Ashley displaying some of her Christmas gifts

Hermana Rogers and the scarf she made!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I loved loved loved loved loved talking to everyone yesterday!! You all are so awesome, and I am so thankful for the support you all give me in my life!  

Life with Sister Rogers is pretty awesome. She is way cool. I am already learning so much from her! I hope that things continue to go smoothly and that we can be BFF's forever!! 

This Christmas was pretty chill! We woke up and opened presents then headed to the Bishops house to Skype our families! At the Bishops, his wife Batania made us a Dominican breakfast of Pernil and Mongu. Then we went home and made some cookies and took some naps. Then we headed to some friends for Christmas Dinner and to Skype again! It was hard to be away from home but it was really great to see them all via Skype! 

I hope that everything goes great these next few days of no school! Things will be starting up again with us too! There is work to do! 

I can't wait to hear where Grandma and Grandpa are going! Please let me know ASAP! 

I love you all so so so much!! Thank you for all your presents and candy!  :) 

Love, Hermana Lancaster

Ashley with Hermana Richardson and Elder Kerr

Ashley with Hermanas Richardson and Rogers

Ashley with Elder Kerr

Transfers and Gratitude

Holllllaaa! 

Okay so much craziness has happened in these last few days. Today was transfers and on Sunday I thought that we, meaning Sister Taylor and I, were safe. But then on Sunday we got shot calls, they told us that Sister Taylor was being transferred to Yonkers. I was in shock. I thought for sure we would be together for these last 6 weeks of my training. But she had really known from the Thursday before when she went to a meeting up in Scarsdale. So basically she is becoming the A.S. Assistant Sister.

Guess who my new companion is? 

YOU ARE ALL GOING TO FREAK! The one and only......... 

SISTER ROGERS!!!!!  (we've been following her mission blog "kellyonamission.wordpress.com" for several months before Ashley left) 

I know right? I am in a state of shock about that too! I am so excited to see how this goes. :) 

I have received many packages and I LOOOOOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! Thank you so much Kristy for the awesome Christmas package!! I love opening a present everyday! and with the scripture it is so much more awesome! Lezlee, Oh my Heavens I am so thankful for my new watch! AHHH I love it! Holly I love the mittens and chocolate!! And the letters thank you all so much! I may not have time to write back but know how much I love you all! Julie I just got your package and haven't even opened it yet! Thank you so much! Mom I got your books and the clothes! Thank you so much! The green sweater will be super great! I haven't gotten any more yet...So let me know so I can make sure nothing gets lost! And Grandma I just got your letter! I haven't read it yet! But it looks good! 

This week has been pretty good! These last few days we have been saying goodbye to the folks Sister Taylor knew. But basically the investigator that we have a date for, well he isn't really living the way he needs too. Also, he was like in love with Sister Taylor so I hope we will be teaching him still. 

This past week with the shootings in Connecticut we have been able to talk to people about life after death. The area (Newtown) is in our mission, and there are families who have lost children in the wards there. It is so sad that these things happen. 

Jake happy birthday!!! I can't believe that you already have your permit! That is too crazy! It was fun to see the pictures of you guys!  Jake you are so tall!! Hopefully E grows some. ;) I know he will! Thanks for your letters you guys!! You are so sweet!! I have sent some birthday cards for you all! I hope you like them. 

I love you all so much! I feel of your prayers and I am so so so thankful for this amazing opportunity that I have to be able to be out here on a mission. I am learning so much about life and the gospel. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week!! I love you all so so so so much! Thank you all for your support! 

Love, Hermana Lancaster 

The following pictures are of the missionaries at transfers yesterday....

Baptisms and English Class

Hola family and friends!

This week has flown by. And guess what...WE HAVE A BAPTISM DATE! And we almost have another one! One of our toughest investigators has agreed to Jan 5. He is working hard on coming to church and keeping the Word of Wisdom. He didn't smoke or drink but coffee is another story for all the peeps here. And our other investigator is really close to a date as well! She hasn't come to church yet so we are waiting till then. But she has also agreed to keep the Word of Wisdom! She has a little problem with her husband though..he doesn't like religion in general. I don't think that he even knows that we have been meeting with her. But we have, and she has become friends with the bishop's wife. Her name is Batania and she is awesome. Hahaha this next week we are going to teach her to make cookies from scratch. Hope that goes well...

We are working hard to get the area members in on missionary work. Especially because after we help a person enter the ward we can't be with them every Sunday and stuff. Hopefully it should be even better within the next few months. 

English class is awesome. I love teaching it. Yesterday I taught the whole class. Like the whole duration of class. It was AWESOME! Preparation for the future? I think yes! Here is a photo of Hermana Taylor with Evelyn. She is the sweetest 6 year old whose dad is in our English class. She helps us teach.

It is definitely colder than when I first got here. It is like bone chilling cold. like way way way cold. But it is all good. I just get to wear a lot of layers. Which sometimes happens to be horrible when we go into peoples houses and it is burning hot. 

Well I hope that everyone has a great week! FELIZ CUMPLEANOS A MI PADRE! 46! That is pretty cool that you've lived that long! I love you so much and hope to hear from you soon!

(email ashley.lancaster@myldsmail.net)

LOVES! MUCHO MUCHO MUCHISIMO AMOR!

Hermana Lancaster

Getting ready for all of the new missionaries

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAA! Friends and Family:

This week has been one of great spiritual growth. We had a new missionary meeting on Thursday with President Morgan, and basically he told us that in Jan. Feb and Mar. with the number of missionaries leaving, we will be at 44 more missionaries than normal. Which means we will need more trainers. Which means that we will probably be training at the end of our being trained. I AM FREAKED. But, I know that whom the Lord calls, He qualifies. I still have 6 more weeks to get everything down. It is HARD. I've had to start answering the phone and, you think it is hard to talk face to face with someone speaking spanish, try talking to them on the phone. DIFICIL! But I am ready. If the Lord calls me, I will put on my big girl pants and be there for that new sister.

Then yesterday we had Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy come and speak to us. He was touring the NY, NY North and South Missions. He spoke about being ready to be trainers also. He told us that by next summer instead of having 150 missionaries, we would have 250 missionaries. Which is a lot more! So we are all on our toes. We talked about being "High Yielding, Low Maintenance" missionaries. That we don't need a lot to keep going, and we put out a good amount of "product."

We went and did an APF, (area proselyting focus) on 110th and Columbia. We ran into some pretty crazy folks. It is a lot different than our area because there are really only English speakers and they are not very nice. We were doing the APF for the YSA (young single adult) sisters. And contacting people ages 20-30 is probably one of the HARDEST age groups to contact here. We were walking down the street and all the sudden this guy is walking next to me and I just had this thought "talk to him." He looked in the age range of 20-30 so I was just like, "Hey how are you doing?" and he was like, "Good how you doing?" We found out he is studying at Manhattan Music college and plays the piano. He was cool and knew some of the students who are from the YSA ward who play piano there! I have come to find that you just have to talk to people. Either they completely ignore you, or they say not interested, or they listen and talk......it really doesn't matter. Because I have been called to share with everyone this message of the restored gospel. It reminded me when mom said you just have to be bold. HOLLLAA! I really love it here. :)

It has gotten COLD. But it is cool. Mostly I just need to get more ear warmers and scarfs and gloves. Yay for Christmas though! The city is beautiful with all the lights!

I didn't get to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, but I got to see the floats a day before. It was not worth it. It was like cattle being herded through a tiny corral. We wanted to go to the Museum of Natural History but, that didn't happen because of the float preview. 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANETTE...I LOVE YOU!

Have a great week! Scripture of the week! Moroni 7: 33-34

33 And Christ hath said: ^aIf ye will have ^bfaith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is ^cexpedient in me.

34 And he hath said: ^aRepent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved.

con amor,

Hermana Lancaster

What we did today:

Decorated the Elder's apartment door for Christmas! Hollla!

Pictures of Ashley's first apartment in Inwood

(I like the use of a Raisin Bran box as a garbage can!)

Ashley at the Manhattan, NY Latter Day Saint Temple

Manhattan LDS Temple at night

Pictures of the Rockaways from last week. It was such a great experience.

When you are in the service of your fellow men (and women)...

 you are only in the service of your God