She will probably kill me for doing this. This is hardly why she gave me rights to edit her blog. BUT, Ashlyn knows me very well, and she should have known that I always will use the full power given to me. Hence, why no one ever gives me power. I should be careful, as I don't have any idea who has access to this blog, but as they say "The friend of my friend is my friend." So if you are friends of Ashlyn, we are totally friends, and I can hardly wait to meet you (whether at the homecoming, or someday in Heaven at some huge "Friends of Ashlyn" Reunion.). 
As an introduction (not that you care/need to know) I am Lizzy Davis, I am Ashlyn's favorite 22 year old sister. My husband, Ryan, and I will be updating Ashlyn's Blog over the next 18 months with her Email's and some pictures. If you want to make any comments on the blog to say hey to Ashlyn, wish her luck, or give advice, please, please do! And I will make sure to forward them to Ashlyn. She will love it!
All of you know this I am sure, but Ashlyn is pretty much the coolest thing since sliced bread (why and how they EVER ate bread unscliced, I will never understand). She is one of the most talented people I know, and every talent is self made. She is a huge example of having a desire to be better at something, and going for it. Examples: She always wanted to play the piano, so she figured out how to get lessons, practiced a ton on her own, and is an amazing pianist. She wanted to learn how to be an artist, and spent hours upon hours of learning how to draw, sketching, practicing, and now she is the amazing artist we know. She wanted to learn the skill of interior decorating, same as ever - she read books, looked online, and practiced in her room, around the house, in apartments, and now I would pay good money to have her decorate anything I ever own. The list goes one. She is absolutely amazing. 
Ashlyn has overcome every single fear she has ever had. And that is a lot, for those of you who didn't know her when she was 11. My personal favorite is her fear of the ocean. She has had this her whole life. Up until age 17 she wouldn't even touch the ocean with a 10-foot pole, let alone her big toe. Unfortunately, this disrupted her life long dream of being a marine biologist and her intense love for Whales. You can imagine the dilemma for a young girl. Everyone I know would just pick a different path in life, and become pretty much ANYTHING else, as it turns out very few careers force you to reside in the ocean. But not Ash. She attacked her fear head on, and what would you know, less than 2 years later she was a certified scuba diver, attending BYU Hawaii, and literally (correct use of "literally") swimming with Sharks (at 3:00 am. No joke.) The stories go on, but she is a huge example of attacking a fear/weakness and making it a strength. She has done it in every area of her life and is now, as we say "practically perfect in every way" and we would all be jealous of her, if we didn't love her so much. 
The biggest talent I have seen Ashlyn achieve is in her knowledge of the gospel. She has sought after it day after day after day since she was born, but from what I have been able to watch, specifically since about age 12. She has a real and strong testimony of her role as a daughter of God, and she lives up to that every single day. She lives the standards of our Gospel not out of obligation or even habit of being raised that way, but because she KNOWS why we have any commandment, and she has made a decision to live up to her goals, covenants and potential. She shines in this way, and all who come in contact with her see this easily. Ashlyn is serving her Mission in Osorno, Chile. No one who knew her as a 10 year old would ever have believed it possible. All of the fears that she has overcome to get to this place in her life add up to a miracle. She is going to another continent, speaking another language, getting out of her comfort zone every single day to Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is doing it for all of the right reasons and has an intense desire to serve. All who know her can easily see her pure testimony and her strong faith. She has worked on it her whole life. She doesn't take her testimony or relationship with her Heavenly Father lightly. She thinks about it and focuses on it every day. She works on it. She studies her scriptures in depth each day, she talks to her Heavenly Father daily in prayer. She writes in her journal consistently (I don't think she has missed a day of any of these in about 6 years). And the most amazing part is she is humble about it all. She would never brag or show off, she simply does it and through that is a light to all around her. She inspires me to be better all the time. She is an incredible Daughter of God. The people of Chile are so lucky to be getting her. I can hardly wait to hear the stories, and to see the rest of her life unfold. We all know she has amazing, unimaginable things ahead of her. Ash, thanks for your example. Now go get 'em!