Sister Ashli Nicole Stringer

Dear Family and Friends!

I have received such an outpouring of love lately and I have to express my gratitude.  If I could I would give you all a big hug (in Hawaii its ok for us to hug everyone because its cultural haha).  I will try to get letters in the mail soon....the Open House ends on Saturday.

My sickness is back again....man I was doing so well.  My doctor is getting ready to send me to the hospital for more tests if we don't see more improvements in the near future.  I've been thinking a lot about Pres. Uchtdorf's talk about simplifying and slowing down and I just keep thinking "well how in the world am I supposed to do that on a mission?".  Have I come to any real conclusions?  No.  I'm still working on recognizing that my best is good enough and that I can't do any more even though the expectations of others may be higher than what I can give.  I'm still working on doing my best and then giving the rest to the Lord.  Somedays my best is just getting out of bed in the morning.  Somedays my best is just smiling at everyone in the VC and telling them that they are loved.  Sometimes, if I'm lucky, I can actually stand long enough to give tours.  My best is my best and I'm always willing to serve in any way that I can.

Cool story.  So last week Friday we heard rumors floating around that Elder Holland was in the temple giving a tour.  I was down at the VC and I was so sad that I wasn't helping with the Open House for that shift so that I could see him.  An hour later I was sitting in the chair reading my scriptures, I look out the window and start having a heart attack because it looked like Elder Holland was walking down the path towards the VC.  I wasn't really sure if it was him....he was by himself...but as he got closer I knew without a doubt that it was indeed Elder Holland.  The doors opened and I greeted him with a big aloha and he came up to me, shook my hand, and then gave me a hug and asked me about my mission.  He kept his arm around me (he said it was ok even though I was a missionary :) ) as he met the other sisters.  Wow.  I have documentation to prove it!  I know that he truly is called of God, that he is a special witness of Jesus Christ, and that the Lord is mindful of me and loves me.