Hermana Egbert in Osorno Chile

Okay so basically I have been keeping notes all week of things that happened I want to tell you about! Ill start with Sunday

On Sunday there was a really cool experience where the branch presidency gave all there talks in Spanish. They are speaking faster since it is our 5th week here... well I had such a hard time understanding his spanish! So I just tried to focus on my feelings- meaning I tried to listen to what I was hearing in my heart from the spirit and not all the words the speaker was saying. It was amazing. I felt the things I needed to hear. The language of the spirit is so strong and when we try to tune into it we can learn things because the spirit is the true teacher!

Sunday is just a great day so there is a lot about it!

Week 3 we had a MTC presidency change. President Tenorio finished his 3 years here so Presidnet Bennet from Bountiful Utah came. He is amazing! We all learn so much! Well we had a lesson on the priesthood and they specifically made sure hermanas and Elders were taught this lesson together. I realized how much the priesthood completely blesses my life every single day. Many of the things that are most important to me come by way of the Priesthood- eternal family, the scriptures, fullness of the gospel, temple and baptismal covenants, patriarchal blessings, the sacrament and missionary callings. The priesthood involves worthy men to bear and excersize the priesthood and worthy women who understand and support the priesthood. I am so grateful for the priesthood on the earth today. 

So that night we had a lesson taught by Pres Bennett about faith and repentance and wow! I love the CCM because it is comparable of BYU to BYU hawaii, it is very small (about 300 missionaries)

so get so much learning with the presidenct with great discussions. Its a joke in my district that I participate a lot. Not many Hermanas talk because there are so few of us but I just get so excited about what I am feeling and learning that I raise my hand to speak haha. 

Every Sunday we sing Hasta Ver- God be with you till we meet again to the departing missionaries (That is me next week!) So we have a rule no whistling, humming or singing that song because we are just a little sick of it but we all know when it comes time for us to leave we will all cry during it so...we have mixed feelings about it. 

Speaking of leaving... I leave the CCM in 10 days! I have been here for a month today. Crazy but completely exciting! The CCM services a lot of missions but mostly Mexico and the United states. Its pretty uncommon to meet someone going to a different country. There are 6 missionaries in this 6 week transfer going to Osorno chile! Hermana Dougle and Hermana Romey. Then 3 Elders. One of the Elders in Elder Oldroyd he was the kicker for the BYU football team fall 2015 (dont worry Dad I dont hold it against him haha) We will all fly out together. It is a farther distance from here to my mission than Alaska to Mex! Crazy! 

Tuesdays are great because its devotional! Elder Canstenados spoke he is an area seventy here. Funny story on Monday he stopped me and my comp on the way to class and talked with us and we had no idea who he was but he told us to memorize a certain scripture in D and C then left. We did and we constantly remid each other the scripture just in case he stops us and asks us to recite it! He got us to speak on Tuesday and we realized who he was.

I am in the CCM choir and I met the cutest Hermana from HOnduras. She let me practice my spanish with her and was patient! I love meeting people from all over Latin America. I am out of my comfort zone all the time but that is where the learning happens! When I am getting a too comfortable I know it is time to step out and practice spanish.

Hermana Barton and I were called as Sister Training Leaders on Monday. So we will be doing that for two weeks! Kind of a short time but really fun and a great experience. 

Last thing! We had a world wide training conference! It was a broadcast from the church admin building on temple square. It was with the Missionary council- Elder Oaks, Elder Bednar, Elder Anderson, Sister Oscarson and a couple members of the seventy. 

They announced a change in the mission sched. 

-Missionarys go to bed a 930 now for extra sleep

-P day is 8am to 6pm with no language or comp studu

-lunch is30 min. 

-There is no designated time to do things we are asked to make our schedule accoring to our needs so 10-9 we are supposed to language study, proselyte, eat, comp study and plan we decide when

-Planning happens in the morning 

Also there are now only 4 key indicators and not 9 so thats cool

It was a great broadcast! I am grateful they trust missionaries to use there agency to be effective missionaries and for those that use it correctly I think it will be a huge blessing.

Well sorry for a super long email! But I had so much to tell you all! We are going to the temple to do a session and I am so excited! The temple has been closed for cleaning but it opened this week so we get to go! 

Love you all! Thank you for your support and prayers! I know that we have a living prophet on the earth today. I know that as we listen to his council it can personally help us in our lives and in our testimonies. I know that God knows each of His children by name and His purpose is for us to find true joy and to live with Him again someday.

Love Hermana Ashlyn Egbert

Hola! 

This week has been one of the fastest of my entire life! It has also been one of the busiest. We learned so much this week I didnt actually know that much learning was possible. There is so much going on it is almost funny. We learn the language, the scriptures, how to teach effectivley, how to teach with the spirit, how to fill out reports and forms, how to make and keep goals etc.. But it is all so great. 

This week we learned a lot about the power of the Book of Mormon in conversion. It is essential. For our conversion as well as investigators. We did a lot of practice teachings in how to present the Book of Mormon. Befor I came on my mission I was so nervous about just randomly teaching people but it is actually wonderful! I get so excited to share the message of the Book of Mormon. 

We started TRC on Saturday- I have no idea what it stands for- but it is when we teach members or investigators that volunteer to come to the CCM to be taught by the missionaries. Hermana Barton and I taught a member who was babtized 1 month ago about faith and how we can continue to strengthen our relationship with Heavenly Father through prayer and scripture study. The spanish was choppy because he knew very little english so the whole thing was in spanish. 

The next person was a "investigator" so I thought but here is the quick story

He has so nice and funny. He had a tattoo on his arm and a nose ring so I got nervous because I was like "its a real investigator" but then I remembered oh wait I am a real missionary ( i have been the ccm to long haha). So we teach him a lesson about faith and the spirit was so strong. We taught him briefly the doctrine of Christ 2 nephi 31 and then I asked him he had faith in Jesus Christ, he said he did. My heart was racing and I look over at my companion and gave her the "should we invite him to baptism look?" she had tears in her eyes and said smiled so I invited him. He said that he usually says no but that this time he felt different. That he didnt want to give an answer until he had time to think. 

Okay so I am sure he is not a real investigator probably a member playing the part but still it was an incredible experience. I loved teaching with my companion and having the Holy Spirit present. It is not all about the baptisms at all it is about the change people make in their hearts. Baptism is essential but so is the change in their hearts. 

I can promise that my heart is changing. My love for the Savior is increasing. My heart burns with the desire to share the gospel so I try to work my hardest everyday in order to  be ready when the time comes. 

Sorry my emails have typos. This is being typed a spanish keyboard so its all a little different. 

Love you all! Think and pray for you! 

ONce upon a time on my first day in the CCM we had to open our emails to find a password. the teacher used mine for an example... guess what everyone saw? A lovely email with subject header

"Hey Sexy" 

the end.

See that spanish? Pretty crazy!

First of all, Thank you all soo much for your emails it means more than I can say! I opened my email this morning and was so overwhelmed with happiness!!! I just am so grateful for each one you! That is the real Ashlyn talking not just some Sister missionary trying to be sweet. Haha I am still very much me. I laugh about the same things, get worried and nervous occasionally and it is all great! I blessed to be in a companion ship and district with people who laugh with me. We just went to the Mexico City Temple. It was beautiful. We got to go outside the wall. Haha the CCM is surrounded by a huge wall with barbed wire. We havent quite figured out if it is to keep the bad people out or to keep the missionaries in. Still up for debate. When we got on the bus the Senior Elder said "Dont stick your arms or head out the window or else you will lose them..." he was being dead serious. People here drive crazy!

This week has been great but also hard. We are teaching a new investigator (our teacher) the first lesson went great and the spirit was so strong. He accepted to baptism. The next lesson...well he didnt keep any commitment and it was just a hard lesson. I couldnt speak in spanish very well and it was just hard. Then comes the third lesson. I had this wonderful scripture about faith picked out and we were so excited to share it... well he starts reading in El Libro De Mormón and he looks confused- spanish is hard for me but in the scripture its harder...so i wasnt sure what he read but it didnt sound like the same scripture I looked at the reference and lo and behold I gave him the wrong scripture so instead of him reading a scripture about how to nourish our faith he read about Destruction being thrust down to the bad place. Yup. I was so embarrased. Oh well it all worked out. Kind of a funny experience but also super awkward. Im grateful these lessons are hard here because it will be more like this in the field. And you just keep going knowing this is the Lords work and he has promised to direct my path and all of our paths as long as we put faith in Him and work dilligently.

One of the best earthly things about the CCM is they have nutella in the Cafeteria so nutella toast is something I count as a major blessing. I am serious. It is fun to see how little things can just make us happy:)

Okay so three things I am so very grateful for and want to share with all of you this week are

The temple, Family and the Book of Mormon

The Temple- I was there today and although it was closed so we couldnt do a session, the spirit was so strong. I love the temple with all of my heart and have missed it so much however I realized that at my time in my life I am helping with spreading the gospel to the living so that people can experience the blessing of the temple. Both doing work for the dead and missionary work are spreading the lords work on the earth and I have a testimony of both

The Family- Oh family how I love you(and friends) 

The Family is a major reason I am on a mission. I love my family and I want others to experience the joy the gospel brings families. The family is central to the Lords plan. It is the whole point. I know that families are not perfect but we all try and that is what the Lord expects. I know our family is eternal and that Heavenly Father is aware of ALL of you. He loves you more than you know. I know the Family is of God. 

The Book of Mormon- On Sunday they showed us a video call " How rare a possesion" I was touched by the message that the Book of Mormon is a true gift from God. I love and respect the Book of Mormon. I know that we can do as it says in Moroni 10:4-5 and know it is true. But do not stop once you get an answer, discover the Book of Mormon over and over! I know that when we read from it everyday we are given protection and safety. Life will not be easy but it will be manageable and joyful! I testify that when we read from the Book of Mormon we are reading the word of God. Whether we read from the war chapters or the Allegory of the Olive tree we can find answers to questions because we are in a state of mind where the spirit can clearly speak with us. The Holy Ghost is the greatest companion we could desire to have with us. He will lead us in truth. He is a member of the God Head. He is the same spirit that spoke truths to the hearts of prophets in the scriptures.

Sorry for the long email I just have so much to tell you all! Have an amazing week! I am so grateful for all of you. Thank you for your prayers and support! I know that this church is true and my testimony grows all the time. 

Love 

Hermana(Ash) Egbert

I miss you all so much! I am doing great! The CCM (MTC in spanish)  is an amazing place:) Haha it feels like I have been here for years...and it has only been 11 days. Mexico is great! Well all I have seen of it is the part between the airport and the CCM.. p.s. that was the craziest car ride of my life. The people here drive crazy! There are so many cars and they all drive so close together on all sides. It was insane. When I got to the CCM the first thing I did was put on my name tag. It was incredible. It is such a little thing but I felt like an actual missionary. I was put into a trio with Hermana Jackson and Hermana... EGBERT. Crazy right? She is from Salem OR. We arent sure how we are related haha. Well that companionshipt lasted less than 24 hours. One of the Hermanas that was supposed to fly in with us never showed up (she is fine) so I was asked to changed districts and companions. I am now with Hermana Barton. We are in a district with 10 other Elders. She is a really great compainion. Very dilligent and hard-working. 

These past 10 days have been some of my hardest and some of the GREATEST. ( i think i just summed up a mission). The spirit is so strong. My relationship with the Holy Ghost, Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ have grown so much. The language is hard but I feel like I have been able to pick it up. I know most of what my teachers are saying...its the speaking that I have trouble with. 

I have really been learning that the gift of tongues means much more than learning a new language. More importantly it can be used to help us learn the language of the Holy Ghost which how true conversion happens. 

I love the missionary purpose. 

In spanish it 

Invitar a los personas a venir al Cristo al alayudarlas a que reciban El Evangelio Restaurado mediante la fe in JesuCristo y Su Expiacion, el arrepentimiento, el bautismo, la recepcion del don del Espiritu Santo y el perservar hasta al fin

Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them recive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, recieving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring the end. 

I think the thing I have been most amazed by is the the Missionary Purpose is not new. It is found over and over in the Book of Mormon:)

I love learning so much about the gospel in such a simple way. We have had to teach an "investigator" Carlos... its our teacher. Haha no one told us the investigator would be our teacher so we went into teach and at the end he shook our hands and was like Hi I am Hermano Rodriguez. Teaching in spanish is hard. it is easy to get frustrated but it coming slowly but surely. 

The food here is okay. Sometimes it is like we are eating in an authentic Mexican restaraunt and other times we are pretty sure they are feeding us dog...jk..kind of:)

The best thing that has happened while being here is that I truely feel I am at the right place doing the right thing for my life. I am so grateful for this confirmation because I never really knew if going on a mission was the right thing but I knew I wanted to so I just went for it knowing I would be led in the dirrection I needed to go. 

It is hard because sometimes I feel inadequate but when ever I feel that way I remember that I am just a human and that Heavenly Father doesnt have people serve mission just for a body to go share the message but also for our individual personalities and traits that can help us connect with the people we serve. Some times I think I have too much fun so I make sure I can have the spirit with me but I do laugh and am growing a lot. 

I dont know how to hook up my camera to the computer but next week for sure. 

I love you all so much. I know with all my heart this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I testify that Joseph Smith truely did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I know thaty we have questions or need help in areas of our testimony we can call upon God for help. He desires nothing more that for His children to be happy. I miss home however I find so much comfort in knowing I can still talk to my Heavenly Father just as much as before. He knows each of us so well. 

Love you all so much. I am so grateful for all of your prayers. I feel them everyday. 

Love, Hermana Egbert