NEW BLOG

Hey, just a heads up that this blog.spot thing isn't working so good so a friend mentioned a new place to put Braidens stuff. From now on everything will be on missionsite.net. Just type his name in "find a missionary" and it should bring him up. Let me know if there is a problem. Thanks for all of your support. I think the reason that he isn't homesick is because he is getting so much mail that he feels like he's here. Thanks again.

Earthquakes and Hurricanes

Hey All,

That is a crazy story!!! I can only hope that I can touch someone the way that Dad did. (Paul had an investigator from his mission 22 years ago find him last week. She had been looking for him for a long time and when she found him she was so excited that she flew in from Parker, Colorado.)I keep thinking I don't have any amazing stories, but as I look back on the greatest 3 months (AHHHHHHmoving too fast) of my life, I have been blessed.

This week was really busy. The SWEETEST thing that happened is we found a family. I think I might have mentioned them last week, but I will go over the story again. We were coming back from corilation to our apartment for dinner. It's about 30 minutes, but with rush hour, broken down buses and accidents, it took us around an hour to get home. As we neared home we got a phone call from the Don Valley elders. They told us that they had a BBQ invite that they couldn't make it to and wanted us to go since it was in our area. I will admit it, we didn't want to go. We wanted to relax and then head out to see Collin (new convert). We looked up where they lived and they lived in the area of Collin. Figured, what the heck, let's go. We took another 45 minutes to an hour to get there. Buses usually are really fast, but for some reason they sucked that day.

When we got there we met Ryan, a man from Vietnam who is being taught in Markham. He was way cool and introduced us to the host, JP and his wife, Alice. They are both Canadians and JP is from Quebec. They have 2 daughters, Marrissol (13) and Evelynne (11). They work for a Utah based company called Monavie. Monavie is gospel based or it has to be anyway. Translated it means tree of life. They are super prepared for the gospel. When we went and taught them the first time I was worried because they gave us a tasting for Monavie, but we taught them a little about our church and invited them to attend. Alice said they had been looking for a church for a while, that was close and they would come and check it out.

They loved church. We are metting with them on Wednesday and we are going to get them BAPTIZED!!!!! JP also offered to help us if we wanted to do this Monavie thing when we get home. Not a bad idea. Check it out online some time. I know Alexandra will love it. (I googled this also and it looks like a nutritional supplement thing).

Earthquake...I was on a bus and that always feels like an earthquake. A member in Weston that I talke to said he had just finished a lesson on the signs of the times when it hit. I laughed so hard. I guess the hangers started jumping around and the doors were opening and closing on their own. They thought they were in a haunted chapel. This is the second earthquake here in two years....divers places, eh?

Hurrican....On its way. We had a sweet storm not long ago that reduced visability to zero. I have heard that this one (I think it's called Irene?) is supposed to be a tropical storm when it hits Toronto. I'm going tracting, just for fun. Maybe we will have success because of mercy. Ha. Ha.

We had some kind of fesival going on last weekend called Buskerfest (I googled it and Buskerfest is a street performer festival that raises money for Epilepsy research. Performers come from all over the world so it sounds like a big thing). I don't know exactly what it was but we got to go down and "soapbox" outside of the carnival. It was so much fun. I talked to somany crazy p0eople. I also talked to a woman who has wanted to be a Mormon for so long but hasn't been able to find us. There are only 4 that work in her area and they typically avoid it because it's commercial.

Residential is better for finding and teaching. She was so excited to finally get a Book of Mormon. Made me think. How much to I care about this book? I know I can get more attached to it, but I really love the Book of Mormon. That is what makes us different. We have the truth.

Mom, you forgot something verrrrry important. WHAT WAS THE SCORE FOR FRIDAY NIGHTS GAME!!!!! (Salem lost to Payson by one point 38-39. Park had a great game. Gammons teams lost to Payson the next day in overtime. Two very well matched teams across the board.) I know it's football season! Now I have to wait 2 weeks and I can't even call Elder Meservy unless I find a referal for him!!!! How can I live without knowing how the Skyhawks are doing!?!?!? Ha. Ha. Just kidding.

Parker: I hope you're doing good in football. Kicken trash and all that good stuff. Keep up the good work. Prepare yourself for a mission and make sure if the missionaries call, you go out with them. Take Alec with you too.

Lyza: I met a Liza the other day. Made me laugh. She was from the Phillipines. I love Phillipinos...and their food. We get to eat at the Souters on Thursday. That should get me through the rest of the transfer. Keep being awesome. Stay away from the boys:{) Ha. Ha. He has a mustache.

Special (Gammon): You still special? Just had to ask :) Sounds like you are beginning to cook a little. Be careful. Don't light yourself on fire. He. He. More about that later. Keep working hard and let me know when you start games, eh?

Jex: I am going to get in trouble for reading "unapproved literature". That joke book is terrible. I am sending it to Elder Duce so I can be rid of it. Ha. Ha. You make me laugh, kiddo. Stay out of trouble, K buddy?

So.....fire. This morning I had a string that was bugging me on my shirt. I didn't want to go and get the scissors and there was a lighter within reach. Lighters work really good for getting fuzzies off of your ties. Elder Bode was talking about his studies. I just lit the end on fire. Little strings burn fast. Luckily I got it put out before it burned a hole in my shirt. That is the second time I have lit myself on fire on my mission. At this rate, I will probably light myself on fire 17 more times, or once a transfer. Fire is fun.

Well, I gots to get going. You all have a wonderful week and know that I am praying for you. I love you all.

Down the road, eh!!

Elder Ashton

Friends With An Iranian

Hey All,

This week has been crazy and amazing. Just plum full of miracles. We are now meeting again with Michelle and Devyne. They will be getting baptized sometime in the coming weeks. It is only a matter of time with their Uncle working with them. He was a Baptist Minister who converted to Momonism and now preaches to congregations of Baptists about the restoration. Just what we needed.

I had a really interesting experience this week. I met a Pentacostal preacher on the street. I began to discuss gospel principles, prophets an so forth with her. I don't have any idea where the scriptures were coming from, but every time she would bring up a point, I could use a scripture, then testify. It was amazing. She wasn't getting it at all. All of the sudden, I felt the Spirit begin to withdraw. Just like a candle burning out. It just faded and then exingruished. I sat there as she ranted about soemthing, I had no idea what she was talking about, and felt so empty. I just couldn't understand what had happened. It dawned on me that I had done all that I could do. I bore my testimony, offered to visit another time, and excused myself. As we left, I was pondering why the Spirit had left me. I was ging over things I had said right beore, trying to figure out if I had offended the Spirit by saying something stupid. I couldn't figure it out. Then I felt the Spirit come back and I learned a very valuable lesson. I will fight for as long as I feel the Spirit to save a soul. I will not give up, but there is a scripture that talks about how if you don't have the Spirit, you shall not teach. When I feel the Spirit leave, that's my que to shut my mouth. The next day, a similar experience happened. In the middle, I felt it stop me. I turned to Elder Bode, who doesn't usually say much in a discussion on the street and he took over. He confounded this man. Valuable lesson. Teach by the Spirit, but if you don't have it, let the one who does speak. Without the aid of the Spirit, I am a fool.

Yesterday we were getting ready to go out and visit a recent convert and I decided to look outside and see what the weather was like. The clouds to the north were black and I could tell it was going to rain. No big deal, I have been out in the rain before. We checked again before we headed out and the building in North York had disappeared. Pretty soon, we could see a wall of rain moving our way. It was cool to watch. The next thing we knew, the rain was blowing sideways and coming down so hard we could not see the buildings across the parking lot. The roads filled up with water...and trees. It was so funny. Then it stopped and the sun came out and dried up all the rain (and the intsy, wintsy spider...ha ha I'm so funny:) Weather patterns here are strange.

Parker: Sounds like you are getting some playing time. That is sweet. Even got a sack! Way to go. You guys hung with Juan Diego better than we did. Keep up the good work. It will pay off. Remember what you are learning too. It will help you in the mission field.

Lyza: I haven't heard about much going on with you. Are you going to do the plays this year at the high school? You and Alexandra should. It would be fun and get the both of you busy. Stay out of trouble.

Special: (In Gammons last letter to Braiden he said, "I'm not Special. I'm just better than you!") What's up? When do you start your football games? I want to hear about all your adventures. Shoot Cade for me eh? (airsoft) By the way, I am saying eh instead of huh now. Don't you make fun of me when I get home.

Gex: He he he, I know you hate that. So guess what? Chicken butt! Ah, ha, ha, ha, just kidding. I have a friend in Scarbourogh named Elder Langston. He called the other day and was really bored so I read him that stupid joke book and we laughed so hard. Thanks kiddo.

We had a really cool experience with ESL this week as well. We always talk about church with our students. Five came to church yesterday. Son Jin and Kelly adn from Korea and Elder Jung and Elder Payne are working with them. Angela is from China and is Catholic. She came to our ward once and like it so much she said she would have to ask the God if she needed to change3 churches. Tha's fine by me. That's all we ask anyway. The best is my good friend Talebi. He is from Iran, and was an officer in the Iranian Nathional Air Force. He worked on the Tom Cats long ago. He is Islam but doesn't like it. Elder Davis, a farcy elder, and I taught him yesterday. He is getting baptized on September 18. I never thought in a million years I would be friends with an Iranian. I have also made friends with a couple from Russia and they are teaching me some Russian. I can say "hello" in quite a few different languages. I am also learning how to say "feed me". It works too. I am getting fed twice this week. I have also picked up an interest in Spanish and can now have a minor converstion in Spanish. Can't teach, but I can bear testimony, ask for a number, and introduce myself as a missionary in Spanish. Figured I could help the Spanish find some investigators. (When Braiden was set apart a full time missionary by our Stake President he was blessed several times with the gift of tongues. What a wonderful thing in such a diverse place!)

Well, I got to take off and get somethings done. Thank all of you for being such a great support for me. Remember, nomatter what happens, no matter what you suffered through, someone has been through worse. Don't whine and complain, it's just not worth it. I love you all so much. I can feel your prayers. Thanks for everything.

Elder Ashton

Miracles!

(Apologies to everyone waiting for me to post this. It came, I read it, and then I proceeded on my way and wouldn't have even remembered to post it if Grandma Ashton hadn't asked me why he didn't write. Opps!)

Hey Everybody,

I have had the craziest week. It started out pretty crappy. Azim had the Jehovah Witness come over. Any friend of Jesus is a friend to him so he let them in. They saw his Book of Mormon and freaked. He is childlike. Not childish, but childlike. He believes everything anyone tells him. He is still on good terms with us, and we are still welcome, but he won't be getting baptized any time soon. I have faith that he will turn around and come to a knowledge of the truth.

From then, we have not taught many people. We taught a recent convert, Doug Bristow, who is the man. Doug was in Canadian Intelligence and has been through a lot. He found the church in Ecuador and wanted to get baptized there. He had to wait because of his history in the intelligence. His wife "googled" the church and got offended about what she saw. That is sad. He worked for two years to get baptized and was finally baptized in June. He is meeting with us so he can learn how to teach and better use his priesthood. We are going to take him teaching with us. I am stoked! He knows so much about the church and he cannot be antied. Love it!!!

We had a slow week this week but we worked hard all week. We were always on the buses, talking to people on the streets and trying to get appointments. It didn't look like we had any hope at all. We were disappointed, but not discouraged. We had a goal to get two baptisms this month. I wanted it really bad, and so did Elder Bode. We had kind of lost hope, when a miracle happened.

We had a fireside last night with a member of the stake presidency. We didn't know if anyone would show up for us and we debated on even going. I am so glad that we didn't. Donavan and Karla Kerr, former investigators with a baptismal date, came to the fireside. They are way cool. Donavan is from Jamaica and is one of the top massage therapists in Canada. Karla is suffering from type 2 diabetes, but they both want to be baptized. We are going to meet with them later this week and set a date for, hopefully, September.

I was so excited about that, and then it got better. We had another former investigator with a baptismal date show up. Michelle and her 9 year old son, Devyne. I didn't really think anything would come of it, but guess who happened to show up.Her Uncle is a member in the Weston Ward. SICK!!!!!They talked for a long time and her Uncle has agreed to help us get Michelle to become a member of Jesus Christs church. She is now meeting with us again and is so much more serious. I was so excited last night. We needed this after that long week we just put in.

Funny story for you. We got a referral from the Spanish Missionaries fro a man named Omar. He is from Yemen. We went and spoke with him and it turns out he is a Muslim missionary. He tried to convert us!!!!! that is the third.....no wait.....fourth time I have tried to be converted to Islam and the fifth or sixth that someone has tried to convert me. Makes me laugh. We are meeting him again this week. I got him thinking when I understood the Koran. It always confuses me how they believe the Bible, and say they are not Muslim if they do not believe the Bible, but they do not believe the teachings in the Bible. They only read the Koran. Don't ask me. It is easy to get them to think about it though.

Parker: I just laugh at you driving my car. I thought I sweated a lot. (The truck rotors need to be replaced so Park is driving Braidens car but the windows don't roll down and the AC doesn't work) So what is wrong with the truck now? I know the rotors on my car were bad. I should have replaced them when I did the brakes a year ago. You can figure it out. By the way, It's a 10mm allen to get the caliper off. Didn't know if you knew that:)

Lyza: How is everything going? Are you excited to start high school? You are going to do great. Make sure you keep Park in line and stay away from those boys! I would hate to have to fly home and kick you butt!!! (can missionaries write that word?) You're doing great. Keep up the good work.

Special (Gammon): How is football going? Are you still playing wide receiver? Are you guys doing any airsoft? I can tell you, I miss airsoft. I found some bb's the other day in the old apartment and it was like a smoker smelling tobacco. AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I need it!!!! Ha, ha. Keep it goin eh.

Jex Edward: Your words are really big. (It was Jex's turn to write our email and he wrote it in some seriously big font) You're a good kid Jex. I read your joke book to a missionary in Scarbourogh. We laughed so hard because they are terrible. They really aren't that funny, but when you are bored it makes for a good laugh.

Well, everyone, I thank all of you for your letters. I received letters from Aunt Becky, Grandma and Grandpa Spencer, Alexandra and Thomas Hayward. Thank you all. You're the best. Love you all.

Elder Ashton

Forgotten:(

Just a little background. It was Gammons turn to email this week but he forgot until this morning. He only wrote one small paragraph because he didn't want it to miss Braiden. I told him that Braiden never writes this early so I proceeded to write a little more and sent it. As soon as it was sent at 8:53am I saw that he had sent his at 8:54am. This is what it said.

I get on the computer today and I have been forgotten:( It has only been 3 months!!! Ha.Ha. Hope everything is good anyway. All is well here in Don Mills. I got a letter from the family last Friday at Zone Conference. Looks like you are all doing well and you are probably really busy getting ready for school to start.

A lot has happened this week. We are working very hard to find new people to teach, but everyone keeps bombing on us. It was so frustrating! We had 3 bomb in one day, all of them really good potential investigators. So instead, we spent a lot of time out on the streets talking to people. I feel alone when we do that. Elder Bode is an excellent teacher, which helps me out a lot.

Azim Moloo is the best. He is still set for baptism on the 21st. He came to church yesterday and "bore his testimony" in Sunday School. I was laughing so hard. He just went on and on about how he was an abused kid and how Jesus had found him. Then after church he called me and ranted for an hour about how his mother is driving him crazy. I was just laughing. He wants his mother to leave him alone because they are Muslim and want to run his life. He is such a good guy. He doesn't want to bring his troubles and put them on the ward. He is a really good guy, but I think the alcohol went to his brain.

I talked to a man ion the street who we are going to be teaching this week. He was so happy and as I talked with him I began to wonder why. He is legally blind because of a coma, and now is fighting cancer. He was certain that he would get through it though. We talked for a while and agreed that we could come over. I look forward to meeting with him.

Another potential investigator is a man named Marvin. He approached us and wanted to learn more about Mormonism. His concerns are so much easier (right now) than what I am used to. Things I expected in the MTC. Things like no more prophets and no other book besides the bible. I am looking forward to the break from the crazies.

Parker, getting excited yet for football? I know it is getting close and that you are probably exhausted. That is funny now as I look back on it. Two a days will help you with missionary work. I know that. It has helped me. You default to those things when things get tough.

Lyza, how are you doing? I keep looking for spoons for you (Lyza collect them) but it is hard to find them anywhere. Especially when I spend hours on the buses and subways. Keep helping Alexandra out and stay out of trouble. I look forward to jumping on you when I get home:) (Lyza told him the thing she misses the most about him is at bed time when he would come out of the bathroom and run into her room and jump on her.)

Special (his nickname for Gammon), How are you? You're getting excited for football too aren't you? That is a good thing. Keep working hard. I will look for you a key chain (he collects them). I don't know when I will send it but you will get it....eventually.

Jex E

(This is where the email ended. I think as he was writing our email came through and he left to read it and it sent his. It seemed like forever before we got the continuation)

Well, I guess I am not forgotten. When I got that email, my computer freaked and it sent the mail I was halfway through typing. Sorry. Where was I...

Jex, how are you, Squirt? You staying out of trouble? What is going on there? Are you picking on Lyza for me? You are so dead when I get home. That joke book drives me crazy!!! ha. ha.

Sounds like Dad did a marriage last week. That's fun. I laughed just picturing dad with a bible, marrying people. Ha. ha. Oh boy did I laugh! Your getting old, Dad.

Funny story of the week. I was talking to a man on the street who turned out to be a former drug dealer. Made me laugh. (He sure laughs a lot. Glad he's happy) He is now taking the lessons from Elder Peterson and Elder Raikes in the south area. It was funny when he just straight up told us he used to run drugs. Sorry, not the funniest story. I will get a good one this week for sure.

Well, we are all going golfing today for P-day. Just the driving range but it will still be fun. Oh, I almost forgot. At zone conference we were role playing with the Whitby companionship. The Elder I was role playing with was Elder Kilmer from Morgan, Utah. I knew that sounded familiar. Turns out it is the Kilmers cousin (the Kilmers are in our ward). It was awesome to meet him and laugh at how small the world really is. (It is a small world. I don't think he realizes that Elder Kilmers family rented the home we bought in Salem and built the home across the street before moving to Morgan)

You would be so proud of me. I am COOKING!!!!! I am also spending more time in the bathroom, but soon that will even out. Ha. ha. Seriously though, I am cooking. It is great fun. I'm getting better too. When I get home I will have to cook mojo for all y'all. I laugh thinking about the looks on your faces.

Alrighty, I guess I had better sign out and get some other things done. Say "i to everyone for me. I can feel your prayers and I hope that you can feel mine. Talk to you next week and hopefully I have a couple of really good funny stories. See you later eh!

Elder Ashton

What A View!

This view is from Braidens 17th floor apartment window. Pretty cool.

Comments

We have had some problems with Braidens blog allowing posts. We may have fixed the problem for anyone who would like to try it. Also, here is the picture of Braidens 1st baptism of Pricilla Port-Louis.