Count your many blessings. Name them one by one....

Hello All!

How are things?  I hope all is well.  We taught and set a new investigator, Rob, for baptism on Monday, and met with him again on Thursday, but he missed the appointment on Saturday night and thus did not come to church. We are still trying to get a hold of him.  We found quite a few new investigators, including Bawi (pronounced "Boy") and Rem.  They are the children in a Burmese family (ages 20 and  18 respectively).  We talked to Bawi on the street and set an appointment to come visit him on Sunday, and when we showed up, his mother and sister as well as his father invited us in and said that Bawi had told them about us coming by, and they were all excited to listen.  They called Bawi, who was not home, and he rushed home to visit with us.  The parents were pulled away, and we were in a bit of a time constraint, so we proceeded and were able to teach the first lesson to Bawi and Rem.  They are very humble people and they readily accepted the commitment to read and pray about the Book of Mormon.  That was a great miracle that we saw this week.

I am continually reminded of the incredible love that our Heavenly father has for each of us, and the foresight that is His in directing this work. Now, a little background on this - When we are on the street, we see and talk to a lot of people.  Sometimes there are a few who get away before we have a chance.  However, if I see somebody twice, God is trying to tell me something, and I will go out of my way to talk to that person specifically. This happened while I was on a companion exchange in Stratford.  I was downtown with Elder Johnson (My 6 foot 10 inch twin - long story) and we crossed the street and began talking to Lorne.  as we were talking to him, another lady walked out of a store and passed us on the sidewalk.  So we finished talking to Lorne, and kept going on our way.  We walked for about a half hour, when we came to a cross, felt we should go left and did.  As we were coming up to the next intersection, who do we see on the other side preparing to cross onto our side of the  street?  The very came lady that passed us as we were talking to Lorne.  Now she was in a decent sized group, but I weaved through very quickly and started talking to her.  She told us that she was just on her way to work, but we got her information and an appointment to go back later.

It is truly amazing how the Lord works.  He directs this work.  He has a bigger hand in it than we realize.   We should reflect each day and recall the tender mercies and the miracles that the Lord has blessed us with.  They are plentiful.  The Tabernacle Choir sings a song that I particularly enjoy, in which the Lyrics teach us an invaluable lesson - "Now if you're weary and you can't sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep. And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings."  We have been abundantly blessed.  The Lord loves us and opens up the windows of heaven and pours blessings upon us so much that we don't have room to receive them.  I know He lives, and he loves each of us.

Have A Great Day!  I love you!

Your Obedient Servant,
Elder Austin James Ashcraft

Lift up your heart! Lift Up your voice! Rejoice! Again I Say, Rejoice!

Hello All!

How are things?  I hope and pray that all is well.  This week has been good.  One of the things I like most about Kitchener is that we live downtown.  If we want to find and talk to a whole kaboodle (I hope that is how you spell it) of people, we just have to walk out of our apartment.  We received recent instruction from the Assistants on making our finding more effective as well, so it has been fun to apply that and see miracles happen.  This is a blessed land.  I absolutely love it here.

One thing I would like to address today is the importance of maintaining a positive attitude.  That is something that has really helped me recently. There are, of course, the adages - "Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right,"  the "power of positive thinking," as President Hinckley put it, and one of my personal favorites, "Happiness is by Choice, not Chance" (Thanks Mom).  They are all true.  How many times in the scripture are we counseled by historians, prophets, and even the Savior himself to "Be of Good Cheer?"  2 Nephi 2:25 teaches us that "Men are that they might find JOY."  We are here to have joy and prepare to meet God, and oh how Joyful that will be.  The Spirit  brings joy.  The Spirit brings peace.  The Spirit brings happiness.  The ONLY way for us to experience true and lasting happiness is by living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have seen and realized that time and time again.

President Eyring has counseled us that Joy comes from Unity.  When we are unified with the Savior, we are becoming what He wants us to be.  We are living His Gospel.  Sometimes life may throw us challenges that seem difficult to overcome.  It is important that we learn, What Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin taught so clearly in the October 2008 General Conference - "Come What May, and Love It."  And when trials come, change the way they are viewed.  President Eyring, just a few short weeks ago counseled us that "The disciple who accepts a trial as an invitation to grow and therefore qualify for eternal life can find peace in the midst of the struggle."  The stumbling Blocks that we have are there for a reason.  We must be prepared to face them, as they are the only way that we can grow.

C.S. Lewis said, "We are blocks of stone, out of which the creator forms the shapes of men.  The blows of His chisel, which hurt us so very much, are what make us perfect."  We are being refined.  We are being tested.  We are being perfected.  I know that this is the Lord's plan for us.  He only wants what is best for us, and the things we receive from Him ARE what is best for us, despite what we might think at the  moment.  I look forward to the day that I will stand before God, and look back on my life and finally realize how each experience I had shaped me, and how My Heavenly Father molded me. I know that as each of us strives to be clay in his hands, we will become what he wants us to be.  Someone told me once, "If each of us could catch a glimpse of the person our Heavenly Father knew we could be, we would rise up and never be the same."  The Father has great things in store for us.  We just have to put our hand in His, and let Him lift us higher.  I love you all.  I know that you are all children of God with Divine potential.  You are my brothers and sisters, children of a Divine and perfect Parent, and I will love you forever.

Your Obedient Servant,
Elder Austin James Ashcraft.

P.S. - If there is ever anything that I can ever do for any of you, please let me know.  Please.

It may not be on the mountain height, or over the stormy sea....

Hello All!

I hope that everyone is having a good day.  Just a little update - I have been transferred and am now serving in Kitchener with Elder Peck.  It's a grand old place and I am excited to get to work.  I don't have too much time, I have been traveling and such, but I know that this work is true, and that there is work to do in whatsoever place we may be in.  In all our efforts to share the gospel, make sure that the people you share these beloved truths with know that you love them.  When we are motivated by Charity, all things will work out for our good.  I know the Gospel has been restored to the Earth.  I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet.  I know that Jesus Christ is the Son Of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world.  I love you all!  Have a great week!

Your Obedient Servant,
Elder Austin James Ashcraft