October 29, 2014

I have been transferred back to the same area I served in 3 transfers ago in Urick Graff 1, which is kind of strange, but I guess the Lord still has some work for me to do here and I loved this area so much, so I am excited. I have also been called to serve as a Sister Training Leader and my new companion, Sister Francis, who is also a Sister Training Leader, is from Virginia and has been serving for 1 year and 3 months.  She served for one transfer in Oregon before making it to Missão Brasil Natal.

I said goodbye to F. and U. and their sons – L., D., C., and J.  U. rebuilt there house recently after it fell down.  He rebuilt it really fast and now it has the foundation of Christ (F. and U. were my first family and investigators that I helped marry and baptize).  They were baptized on my 21st birthday (July 5, 2014).  But, I'll still be in the same stake as them so hopefully I'll see them again at stake conference when Elder Costa of the Seventy will come visit our stake in December.  I'm really excited!

Sister Dyer with young friends

Sister Ashley Dyer and Sister Pereira  with church member family at their home

Sister Pereira and I took a “bath” in rainwater the other day.  It was absolutely wonderful!  Mossoro is like a desert, believe it or not. As we were walking in the rain we found the iron rod, the tree of life, the great and spacious building, and the river of dirty water [see 1 Nephi 8].  We found out that the fruit far sweeter than any other fruit on the tree of life is “caju” – the fruit of the cashew nut.

I don't know why, but ever since I was little, I have always hated my middle name (Christine), but today (transfers) I was waiting at the bus station with my suitcases and Sister Lawrence pointed something out to me.  On my suitcase was a sticker that had been put on my luggage at the airport.  Sister Lawrence pointed to it and said smiling, "Hey Sister Dyer, your name has Christ in it."  I looked at the sticker and it clearly read "DYER, ASHLEY CHRIST". Seeing that sticker and thinking about what Sister Lawrence said, my perspective of my name totally changed. 

"Christ" in Sister Dyer's name (her middle name is Christine)

As missionaries, we have two names on our nametag - our last name and the name of Christ.  We give up who we are (our first names) for a year and a half to two years of our lives to serve as full-time representatives of the Lord.  I have always been proud on my mission to carry the name of Christ with me on my nametag every day.   I never recognized that I have been carrying his name with me my whole life, and never actually realized it.