I Am So Blessed!

Kingsbridge Zone, Bronx NY, New York, NewYork North Mission 

Hello from THE BRONX!! I am still in the BX!! I am so blessed! 

I have a new companion, Sister Dunn! Who is from my hometown!! Springville!! 

Sister Barlow has gone to the English program and is serving in Stamford, Conn. She we be awesome there! 

We had transfers today and they are always stressful. We have spent the last few days saying goodbye to members and packing. 

Today I got to go on a split with Sister Barker who is serving in my old area of Inwood! It was so fun. I love the mission because of it's awesome perks of new friends! 

Our whole district has changed! We have 4 companionships in our district and one from every companionship has gone! 2 are training! It is going to be fun to get new ideas on how we can help the ward and work together in unity. I AM EXCITED!! 

This is going to be an awesome cycle. I will also be hitting my year mark this cycle! Crazy!!! I can hardly believe that I have been here for a year. It is really mind blowing. I love it so so so much. 

Remember to read the scriptures and pray everyday!!! It is so important! I love the analogy that Elder Gamble gave us. He told us about how when he played basketball as a freshman, he didn't get much playing time but when the coach did put him in, he showed him how much he had improved and had worked hard to be better! Now is our time to prepare and get better so that when the Lord needs us to "get in the game" we are ready. 

I love you all so so much!! Thank you for all your prayers and love. :) 

Love, Hermana Lancaster

Lots of random pics!

Ashley and a past companion, Hermana Skinner

Elder Bartlett and Ashley

Maybe when Ashley comes home she will tell me what this is??

Goin to the Zoo!!

Everyday sights in the Bronx

This has something to do with Ashley's birthday (August 4th) but it will remain a mystery to us until she explains it.

Time Warner building off Central Park

Central Park

Beautiful view in Central Park

In Central Park

A challenge to you!

Hola family and friends,

I am first going to apologize because there have been no pictures in the last 6 weeks. Yes, that is true, and yes I am at the library and it is counting down from 45 minutes to 0 and it is stressful! hahaha I am really sorry though. I have been taking a lot so I will make sure and get them to you! 

We have a new investigator! Her name is Ivonne Pena. She actually doesn't live in our area or our ward. A little bit of drama is going down while we figure out what will be best for her. She can only attend church at 9:30 (our ward) because of work. but she lives in the boundaries of the 1:30pm church. This is the drama that we go through here on the mish. :) 

This past Monday I broke down in district meeting because I realized that I only have about 6 months left in my mission. CRAZY! To all you pre-missionaries reading this, treasure every single day of your mission! and write it down in your journal. :) 

We had an awesome lesson with a young woman this week. Her brother past away about 2 weeks ago, and she had just come back from the funeral in Kansas City. She asked us to bring the elders so she could get a blessing. We talked to Elder Jensen and Elder Wilkins and they said they could. When we got to her apartment it was Elder Wilkins and Elder Price. They had gone on a split! And it was un milagro! (miracle) As she started talking about how she felt having lost her brother, my mind went right to elder Price who lost his mother to breast cancer 2 years ago. He was able to give her the comfort that she needed and it was truly so amazing to feel the spirit in that room. We are having a youth temple trip on the 24th and she is really excited to go and feel the spirit of the temple! 

Elder Price

Last night we met with Sulenny! She is just really awesome. She is 17 and was baptized a year ago. We have been working a lot on my companions Spanish, and so Sulenny made her teach the plan of Salvation to her in Spanish! It was so much fun. Just to talk about life and spanish and the gospel. 

I love my mission! I am so so so blessed for everyday I get to spend here. I love the BX. The Bronx is so much fun! I never ever in my dreams could have pictured me walking around the streets here but i do it every day. :) 

We are having transfers next week! I honestly don't know what will happen. I am just going to be happy. :) 

Oh yeah!! I want to challenge all of you to something amazing!!! We have the evidence of the restoration in our hands! The Book of Mormon! I challenge all of you to have read the Book of Mormon by January. I KNOW it will bless your lives. All aspects of life. I have seen in the lives of the people here, and so it can't be any different in Utah or where ever else you are. READ THE BOOK OF MORMON AS A FAMILY! And read it by yourself for your own personal revelation. 

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages#book-of-mormon-an-introduction

I love you all!! Have an amazing week! 

Love, Hermana Lancaster

Radiating Sunshine or Something

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY WISHES! I love you all so so much! Thank you always for your prayers and thoughts. :) 

Friday: We talked to an investigator we haven't seen in a while and she told us she was moving, so we volunteered to help. Hermana Barlow and I thought there would be a lot to move, so we called up Elders Gleason and Durham to help. She was moving just barely out of our area, and into theirs. They enlisted Elders Encarnacion and Ordaz to help too, so we were set. When we got over there, she told us there wasn't anything else left to do! The elders put her air conditioner in the window, and had to leave for another visit. Hermana Barlow and I stayed and asked her how things were going. She has a Gospel Principles book from church, and showed us what she had read. She made it to the page that showed "la Expiacion" and told us she didn't understand this chapter. THIS IS MY FAVORITE CHAPTER! For those of you who do not speak Spanish, la Expiacion is the Atonement. She has a catholic background and unfortunately for many catholics, they don't understand the amazing power of the Atonement!! I told her the Parable of the Bicycle and she was amazed. She said she never understood it that way. THEN SHE TOLD ME I SPOKE LIKE A PROPHET! And that I was full of the Holy Ghost and calling her to repentance. She told us that she was living with her boyfriend, and wanted to be married immediately. That was a pretty legit lesson. 

Saturday: We went to our investigator Luis's house to have his baptismal interview. Elder Critchfield, our district leader came with us. After the interview, Luis told us he was still drinking coffee and beer, and that we wanted to be done with it before his baptism. We are going to be setting a new date this Friday. Prayers would be awesome! After that we went to look up a less active. We buzzed his door and a woman came on and told us that she knew no one by that name. We sat down and looked at what else we could do. The thought to "knock it" (knock on all the doors in the building) came into my mind but I really don't think knocking is an effective contacting method...thoughts go to my mother whenever someone would come to the door we didn't know...we said a prayer and Hermana Barlow said, If someone comes to the door in the next 2 minutes, let's go in. So within 1 minute someone was at the door and in we went. We knocked all 6 floors and didn't have one door open. hahahaha I love when that happens. It really just makes me laugh. :) We left cards in all but one door (because she said she didn't want it.) Then I asked where Hermana Barlow wanted to go. I am pretty sure she is taking over the area...She told me Jarome. I was like, uhhh Jarome is ummmm good. But in my head I'm thinking that it is probably the scariest street in our area. We walked to the bus stop and looked at the schedule. After 2 minutes of waiting, I told her "we can just walk, what street do you want to go to?" She said "Kingsbridge." Kingsbridge is about 4 train stops up, not within walking distance. Then my thoughts went to the diner that is on Kingsbridge and Jarome. "OHHH" I said, "Let's go up there." We walked in and there were the Elders. THEY THREW ME A SURPRISE PARTY! hahahhaahaha!! I love these guys so much. They are like my best friends! This is something that I love so much about missionary work that I had no idea about before. Other missionaries become your best friends! 

I got a bacon grilled cheese. Yes I know. It was my birthday dinner so yes I can get whatever I want! :) They each gave me 2 dollars and a card. For those of you who have been missionaries, giving any money for a birthday is kind of out of the budget. I LOVE THEM! :) best birthday. :) 

Sunday: MY BIRTHDAY! We had ward council at 8 am so I took a shower the night before so I could have dry hair and curl my hair. :) I did my make up, and put on some nice clothes. Everyone at church told me I looked so nice! hahaha it was so nice. 

Sister McNairy, a senior missionary, returned a pan to us and loaded it with my favorites! hahaha dill pickles, black olives, and crasins. :) wrapped up in target bag strips because that is our favorite place to go! :) I love her so much and I am so thankful for all she does for us!

We came home from church and Hermana Barlow made my favorite brownies, with the chunks, and we took a nap. (don't tell anyone.) Then we went out and visited Sulenny who just got back from the DR. It was a chill day which was good because we got a break from the crazy missionary schedule for a little while. :) And in other words, I am now old in the missionary world. I AM 22! 

Monday: We went on a split with the Sister Training Leaders! I stayed in the area with Sister Keanini! She is a cycle older than me and I met her in the MTC! We had so much fun. and 4 lessons! 2 member withs! that's what's up! It was nice to talk and let her know what I am feeling about the work in our area. 

Ashley and the famous Hermana Blosil from NY, NY South mission

Tuesday: Yesterday we went to visit a sister who is headed to Honduras soon. We had an awesome lesson about sacrifice and how blessed we are to live here. And also how to take the bus to the temple from the Bronx. :) 

Wednesday: We got to go to the city!! I used my birthday as excuse to come down to 59th street H&M and J.Crew. I bought a new side bag (backpacks are no longer allowed) and that is it so far. I almost died when I saw the prices of things at J.Crew and Zara! But I think that's because I only have been shopping at the sale racks of gap and forever 21. :) I am trying to find something good!! It's my only birthday in the City!! 

Times Square

Everyone, okay every guy lately has gone out of his way to tell me how beautiful I am. one even held my hand! Yeah I must be radiating sunshine or something. I just know when I go home, my self confidence is going to plummet because I wont have people telling me I am beautiful anymore! hahahaha 

I love you all so much! Thank you for all that you do! You are so awesome! 

I hope you all have a great week!! 

Love, Hermana Lancaster 

Legit!!

Here is the rundown for my past week:

Thursday: Jorbey and Kevin came to church for the first time in 2 years! Well, they didn't necessarily come to Sacrament Meeting but they came to basketball on Thursday!! That's a start!

Friday: Luis, our investigator, set a baptismal date for August 10th! Prayers are welcome for him! :) Wendy, another investigator, set her date for August 31st! Prayers for her too. :) They are LEGIT investigators. Never have I worked with people who are so ready to change their lives and follow Jesus Christ. It is amazing to be here and to serve as an instrument in the Lord's hands. To know that He has faith in me to teach these people is beyond me. I love Him so much. Legit. :)

Saturday: In the morning we got a call from some English elders who also work in our area. They found a lady who just moved here from the DR. She has 4 nieces and nephews who want to be baptized. LEGIT! Again, God's hand in our lives. To have this trust, again, is awesome.

Sunday: We had an appointment at 7:00pm and from 4:30 to 7 we went to about 7 different less-actives apartments to visit them. Not one was home. Also, it was like, Dominican Days Parade, and Grand Concourse was COVERED with garbage and, just people weren't wearing very much clothing, and there were a lot of Dominican flags. It was pretty interesting!

Tuesday we had zone conference. It. was. amazing!! We talked about working on commitments and asking direct, clear, simple, thought provoking questions. Then, we had an amazing training from our Mission President. We talked about the talk, "A Consecrated Missionary." Boy. I know I have a lot more work to do now. We have set a goal as a mission to be a consecrated mission. Not just a few consecrated missionaries, but we all have to do this together. I am excited. because I think this is going to be AMAZING. It is what we all need. I love it.

http://scottsdalemission.wordpress.com/2013/04/28/becoming-a-consecrated-missionary/

Thank you Scottsdale Mission!

IT IS AMAZING! Give it to every preparing missionary you know! It will change their lives! It will make them into the people they need to be! also, that reminds me of our district meeting. Oh was it great!

http://speeches.byu.edu/index.php?act=viewitem&id=873

READ IT! Just really, super awesome.

I love you all. I spent all p-day doing laundry. yeah. i know. so fun. :) the price we pay for clean clothes!

Have an amazing week! remember to pray, read your scriptures, and Preach My Gospel, and these awesome talks linked above. THEY WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Love love love love love ya'll.

Love, Hermana Lancaster

The Life of a Missionary in The Bronx

Hello ya'll! This past week has, yet again, flown by. 

This past Friday we met with our investigator Luis. He sat wide-eyed as we told him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and why it is important to be baptized and then after that, to come to church to take the sacrament. Then he started asking about the temple trip on Saturday and if he could go, we were like, "as soon as you're baptized you can go!" So he said, "okay well I want to be baptized next month." LEGIT! We just want to help guide him. We still have a bit to teach him but he seems willing and ready. 

Saturday we went with the ward to do baptisms for the dead! We went there and saw a missionary celebrity! Her name is Sister Jen Blosil and she is serving in the New York, New York South mission. She sings a song on an EFY CD called 'Take it Home'. It is beautiful. She was like, you're from Springville? Well we have to be best friends! hahah she was so cute and needless to say, we clicked and will be besties! hahahaha listen to the song here:

https://www.lds.org/youth/music?lang=eng 

Sunday was kind of crazy. On Saturday, I was asked to give a talk about family home evening. (mom i know what your thinking) So I mostly talked about the responsibilities that we have as family members to each set our own example and find our own personal desire to come unto Christ. If we don't want to personally, then how are we supposed to help our parents, siblings, friends, etc. :) 

Monday we went out and had about 7 lessons planned for the day. 3 happened and one of them was a back up to a back up plan. Oh the life of a missionary in the Bronx! Like I always say, we have a lot of less actives so whenever an appointment falls through, it is contacting them. But it ended up being a great hardworking day. 

Tuesday we went to visit Leslie (recent convert) and her little sister Lyandra who will be turning 8 in September. She has learned a lot from coming to primary and has a lot of questions. She is actually pretty interested in God and in coming to church. Her 4 year old brother was in the background saying, "Church is boring." Hahahha made me think of my brothers and how often they said that. REPENT! hahah just kidding. I really have always loved church and the way it makes me feel. And how it makes me feel for the rest of the week! 

I invite you all to read the words of my new favorite sacrament reading hymn. 

Reverently, Meekly Now #185

1. Rev'rently and Meekly now,

Let thy head most humbly bow.

Think of me, thou ransomed one;

Think what I for thee have done.

With my blood that dripped like rain,

Sweat in agony of pain,

With my body on the tree

I have ransomed even thee.

2. In this bread now blest for thee,

Emblem of my body see;

In this water or this wine,

Emblem of my blood divine.

Oh, remember what was done

That the sinner might be won.

On the cross of Calvary

I have suffered death for thee.

3. Bid thine heart all strife to cease;

With thy brethren be at peace.

Oh, forgive as thou wouldst be

E'en forgiven now by me.

In the solemn faith of prayer

Cast upon me all thy care,

And my Spirit's grace shall be

Like a fountain unto thee.

4. At the throne I intercede;

For thee ever do I plead.

I have loved thee as thy friend,

With a love that cannot end.

Be obedient, I implore,

Prayerful, watchful evermore,

And be constant unto me,

That thy Savior I may be.

Text: Joseph L. Townsend, 1849-1942

Music: Ebenezer Beesley, 1840-1906

I love it so much. It really helps me remember why I am taking the sacrament in the first place. 

I hope you all have a fabulous week! Remember to pray and read your scriptures! 

Speaking of prayer, I have a great talk for ya'll to read! 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/04/using-the-supernal-gift-of-prayer?lang=eng 

LOVE ELDER SCOTT!! he is a boss. 

Love you all! 

Love, Hermana Lancaster

New Investigators, Heat, And Getting Stuck in an Elevator

So this past week has been so so so so hot. 96 degrees but with the humidity it feels like 104. yuck. 

This past Friday we met with an investigator Luis. He found us on the internet. legit. We watched the restoration with him and he was like, wow those are the exact questions that I have! He came to the baptism on Saturday and asked if he could be baptized now or if he had to have more lessons with us. LEGIT! Sunday, he paid $5 to temple funds. I hope that we can do our best to let the Spirit speak through us to him! 

Leslie was BAPTIZED this saturday! It was awesome. We are going to be doing baptisms for the dead this Saturday! 

We have the niece and nephew of a member who are really interested! Well basically they are the only ones not baptized in their family. Unfortunately their mom and grandma are inactive and luckily, their uncle is just coming back into activity! They are awesome youth in a city where most the youth are focused on worldly things. 

 

So we had our first experience being stuck in an elevator. We had to climb out! It wasn't super bad but half the door was showing and the other half, cement. hahaha let's just say a slight panic attack occurred but all is well. 

They are filming a movie in our area! In a members building non the less! We even gave a pamphlet to a security guard after he told us what was going on. the street is just lined with trailors! We are like, looking for famous people all the time. but, he told us it was a horror movie coming out in jan 2015. that will be legit to see it and be like, oh that's my area. but i don't think i can go into that building knowing a horror movie was filmed there... just saying. 

Yesterday we had a sweet young woman come out with us! It was so so so hot and, of course, everyone canceled on us! She said it was better than sitting in her house. But, we felt so bad. We are hoping to do this more with the youth! It will be a great experience for them I hope! 

I can feel of all your prayers! I am so so so thankful for this opportunity to feel of God's love for me. it is so crazy that i am literally finding myself as i am losing myself. LOVE IT! THE SCRIPTURES ARE TRUE! 

I invite you all to read D&C 84:88. It's a legit scripture. :) 

Have an amazing week!! 

Love, Hermana Lancaster