Here is an update on ashley

Four months is a long time, but it seems like its only been a few days or a few weeks. I promise that is what it feels like.
I'm glad the mission home called you to let you know of the ice storm. Every thing has been covered in ice, then snow, then more ice again, and more snow. Its been a lot of fun.
(I'm going to give you an overview of what happened this week.)
So on Monday, right after P-day we couldn't go out after 7 because the storm started. It was a snow fall, so the cars were grounded on Monday evening. Of course we couldn't get to our appointments so we needed to cancel them. Which is completely unfortunate.
Then on Tuesday we went a walking. That was fun. I seriously mean that. We walked I think about 6 miles that day. We were walking on Ice just above the snow and when we step on it the ice would break and we would fall through. Oh Sister Vanderhooft and I loved it so much. We had a lot of fun breaking the ice. On that same day we had a great lesson with a homeless guy named John. He is amazing. We serve with him at the Christen Center (I have pictures!), and he wanted to learn more about our religion. He is a very great guy. We absolutely love him. And then after our lesson we just decided to do some service while we were there so we didn't have to go back out in the cold. When were walking home sleet began to come down. Oh it was so much fun.
On Wednesday we were told that we should stay inside the whole day, but if there were appointments we could get to by foot then it would be fine, so we went to our investigator Shawn's house. She is so awesome. When we arrived she was reading the Book of Mormon with her son. She is such a wonderful spirit who definitely wants to learn more.
On Thursday we went back out walking, and this time everything was just covered in ice. It was extremely hard to walk, but we made it through. We were able to have dinner with a member that night who is from Jamaica. She makes wonderful food, and after that we saw a less active member of the church. During that lesson my testimony of Joseph Smith grew. My prayer was answered that evening. In the morning during my study I was praying so hard that I could be reminded of why Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that lesson we had definitely reminded me of why I love and adore him. He brought the restoration of the everlasting gospel! I was so extremely happy to remember that especially during a lesson because I could testify of it.
The next day, Friday, was even more special because we went up to Kokomo to a meeting with the district leaders and President and Sister Collins. It was amazing of course because our Assistants and President are amazing.
Anyway, it was about Sister exchanges and how we go about doing them because a lot of us sisters were going on exchanges that day. So after the meeting Sister Vanderhooft and I drove down to Fishers where we switched our companions. I stayed in Fishers with Sister Latu, and Sister Vanderhooft went to Anderson with Sister Little.
I had such an amazing experience in Fishers. Sister Latu (I have pictures also) is just amazing and I learned a lot. I definitely noticed after the first lesson that we had that I was lacking something and that something was love for my investigators. I didn't love them. I thought I did, but I didn't. Not in the slightest. I was able to see that love though. It was seriously amazing. She told me as I asked what I could do to listen better and be able to talk more because that was my goal for the exchange, and she said "There are two options for what could be wrong. Option A is you don't have a connection with your investigator. You don't have an interest in them and you don't love them, so you don't want to talk with them. Or option B is that your companion won't let you talk." I figured it out from that. I have a problem with Option A. I never thought about it before. So the lessons we had for the rest of the exchange, I kept thinking in my Head "Do I love this person? If I do, what can I do to help them? What can I share with them from my experiences?" and it really helped. I was able to show genuine concern for these people. These wonderful children of our Father in Heaven. I know that he loves them and that I must love them too. That is definitely one goal I'm going to work on through out my whole mission. I'm really happy to serve a mission. I'm learning a lot. It may be disheartening at times, but that's part of the process. I'm learning to overcome each trial with faith and love. I'm going to tell that its hard!, but well worth it. I'm looking forward to learning more and being able to change. So I ask that you save the emails that I send to you. That I may remember everything that has been going on in my mission. I keep forgetting to write in my journal. I'm usually tired by the time I come home that I want to go straight to bed.

Anyway, I want to tell you my record number of falling down this last week: 7 times.
Yes that's right Almost everyday this week I fell down. Its been awesome. I fell twice Sunday and Saturday. I fell once Tues, Wed, and Thurs. It's been fun, although Ice not so much.

Alright. I love you lots. Let everyone know I miss them and you can read this to them since I don't have time to write more emails to anyone else. I LOVE YOU!!! MISS YOU!!

Sister Ashley Freer