On Saturday we had the wedding (boda) of Marisol and Javier! They were so cute! It was great. There was just enough food for all the guests and the wedding went smoothly. We had to put everything together but it turned out really cute. 

Marisol has her baptismal date set for 4 de Feb which is coming up fast. However, what is sooooo awesome is that now, after years and years of being married, the father-in-law of Marisol wants to get baptized. His wife is a member and has been all her life, but after time went inactive. But with this whole blessing of teaching Marisol and how happy everyone is, and that now they are talking about how in a year they will get sealed, God has softened the heart of Carlos that he too wants to get baptized and in a year, he and Mirella will also get sealed. Can you imagine????? It is so amazing how the time of the Lord is so perfect. 

We had our reunion de hermanas this week and all the companionships taught a part.  Our part was "how do our 

testimonies help in the conversion of the investigatores?"   It was perfect.  Thank you all for sending your testimonies. I was able to understand better how to answer that question.  It is true when we hear the testimonies of others, our testimonies also get strengthened. I am so grateful for this gospel and I know that it is true! I would love to receive letters about your spiritual experiences more often.  When we write them we also are able to recognize them better. 

In the meeting, president Vasquez also talked about how we can use the organizations in the church to our advantage. He told us about how the priesthood is organized and so I went home and I read more about the priesthood and it is so amazing. It is the power of God. And it is given to 12 year olds. Do the deacons know how special that is? Do they actually think about what they have. It is the ability to bless others. Thanks to every office in the priesthood, we get to receive those sacred ordinances.  Do we realize how important it is?

I was thinking about how a lot of teenage boys don’t realize how their ordination is real. I think a lot of the time when we grow up with these things always around us, we forget how amazing and important they are. I want all boys to know how special it is to hold the priesthood.  They always have to be worthy of it. God has put his trust in you to always keep His commandments and maintain yourselves worthy of such a calling. 

I absolutely love Chapter 13 of Alma that talks about the priesthood and how those who hold it are prepared in the premortal world. It is so incredible all the things we have, due to preparation in that time. But now is our time of probation.  We are going to be tossed to and fro by Satan because he does not want us to reach our potential. He wants us to forget everything that is good. But if we pray continually, we won’t be overdone.  We are children of God.  That is the most important thing that we need to remember.  We are the KIDS of GOD.  We are so special. Absolutely every single person in the world is and has that potential. 

I love you allllllll!!!!!!!!!

Be good!

Love, 

Hermana Ashton