My letters

Awesome night! Why do I stress out so much? I know they will all turn out. They always do. And it helped that I was just the person helping, not the person in charge.

Maybe because at the very end of the day what was really important was the letters I got to come home to. And as wonderful as they were, they did not hold a candle to hearing Ashley's voice and the voice recorder and her telling me how much she loved me and how thus really was the best time in her life so far. And listening to her get so excited about serving others and watching people find their way to Christ!

I wanted to share a few letters with you. Just three. One was from a Sister Hessing. I do not know who she is but I know she is a member in the Summerset ward. Another one is from Sister Wilkes, whom opened her home for the sister missionaries and was wonderful to my sweet Ash. The last one is from the Bishop of that ward. I have more but I will post those on her blog.

For Sister Clawson's mother,
I imagine that you are everything that a mother should be because the example of your daughter. I am sure that you are a big part of her becoming the beautiful young woman and missionary she is today. We have loved her in our ward. Unrelenting in her missionary work, service and compassion. She is a reflection of goodness!
We so enjoyed having her in our home for dinner and conversation. I am occasionally involved in feeding the missionaries during zone conference so I am able to observe most of the missionaries. She was the one sister that came to my aid. Without asking she was at my side cleaning up and helping in the kitchen when most of the others left. I love that she is so conscious about acts of service.
We enjoyed listening to her play her flute during our sacrament meetings. You can feel her testimony as she plays with great emotion and love for the instrument. This brought much joy to all of us during Christmas. Her music brought the spirit into the meeting with her gift and there was a feeling of reverence that permeated the room.
As I watched her, I can only hope that my girls and granddaughers will have the same kind of love and devotion of the Savior. Thank you for sharing her with us. I don't even know you but I love you because of your daughter.
Sincerely,
 Sister Cheri Hessing

Dear Sister Clawson,
Your daughter Ashley lived in y home for six months where I learned a lot from her. She is friendly and bold and her smile can melt the coldest hearts. I have lived in the Summerset ward over 30 years and in a few months she knew every inch and member of the ward much better that I did. She spoke often of how much she loved her mom and your chose relationship/ I'm sure you're proud of her as many more in the Boise, Idaho misson do and we love her too.

Helen Wilkes

One last one that the Bishop of the Summerset ward sent
.
Sister Clawson's mother:
Happy Mother's Day! My name is Skye Root and I am currently the Bishop of he Summerset Ward where your daughter served for six months as an outstanding and committed missionary. You and your family should be very proud not only of her qualities as a missionary but her qualities as a person, a daughter of God who knows who she is. While she planted plenty of her own seeds her in the Summerset ward, she was also able to do substantial harvesting. We appreciate her efforts to effectively harvest, for it became our harvest. You no doubt raised her to be an effective teacher, communicator and "inviter" and those skills greatly blessed our ward. Her testimony is strong and her faith great. However, I think what makes her most effective is her genuine love for the people she teaches and serves. This outspoken love allows her to be bold without offending, a rare combo. You've raised a wonderful daughter who blessed my ward, my community, my family and me as she served here. We were sad to see her go. I would be very happy if she was one of my daughters and treated her as such while she was here. Thank you for loaning her to the Boise Mission, and specifically the Summerset war, for a season. She';; be home before you know it!

Bishop Skye Root

Great night! Sometimes it is nice hearing that I am doing a good job at this mother thing, especially from people I do not know. I am grateful for the example Ashley is to me and for her willingness to do HARD THINGS! :)