Grateful Day 10

I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon!! I have such a strong testimony of it!! Can't wait to share my testimony on my mission!

Grateful Day 9

I'm grateful for my awesome stake president and bishop! Both have been so supportive of me the last several months! So lucky to know such wonderful people!!

Grateful Day 7 & 8

Day 7 :

For all the many blessing I have received in my life. I truly have been blessed!!

Day 8:

I'm grateful for nice warm winter boots!

Grateful Day 6

I'm grateful for answers to prayers.

Grateful Day 5

I'm grateful for my brother today! He has always been one of my best friends and biggest fan!!

Grateful Day 4

I'm grateful for the gospel today. It has brought so much peace to my life.

Grateful Day 3

I'm grateful for the weather today!!!

Grateful Day 2

Today I am grateful for food!

Grateful Day 1

Something I am extremely grateful for today is great friends. I have the greatest friends I could ever ask for! They always know the exact things I need to hear to help me out. I know that I can always count on these awesome people for anything.  

Things To Do Before I Die...

A while ago, I wrote a list about things I wanted to do before I die and I wanted to change the list with a few things.

*The things in red I have done.

1.Travel around Europe
2.Get married in the temple
3.Be a mom
4.Go to the San Diego Temple!
5.Ride a roller coaster
6.Run a 5K!
7.Serve a full time mission
8.Learn to play the piano
9.Run a half marathon
10. Own a van
11.Learn to drive a stick shift
12.Write my own history
13.Learn to speak another language
14.Overcome a fear
15.Go on a vacation by myself
16.See a Broadway play
17.Visit Hawaii
18.Learn to paint
19.Serve a mission with my sweet heart
20.Wear contacts
21.Visit New York
22.Ride in a hot air balloon
23.Meet a famous person
24.Do my family genealogy
25.Attend a session of general conference!

Mission Paper Update...

Those of you who read my blog know that I have been working on going on a full time mission. It has been quite the process! I have had to do some things that were extremely hard for me, but I made it through them. I will be meeting with my stake president next week! I will hopefully have my mission call very soon! I will keep you all informed!

Facing Fears

I have been thinking about how much I have changed over the past year. There are things I wouldn't have done a few years ago. Here are a few examples: going on wild roller coasters, walking up to someone and starting a coversation, public speaking, and jumping into a 9 feet pool. I have finally learned to face my fears and do things I am afraid of. By doing all this, I feel so much more confident and a happier person. I found a couple qoutes I really like and wanted to share:

" Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon

" You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ' I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
- Eleanor Roosevelt

" The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one."
- Elbert Hubbard

Facing fears can be really hard but well worth it!!!

Lagoon

On Saturday I went with Heidi to Lagoon. I hadn't been for many years and ending up having a really great time. I faced my fears and went on a couple of roller coasters. If you know me, you know that I am really afraid of roller coasters. Years ago you would never get me on one. One of the first roller coasters I went on was the Jet Star. I was way nervous for this one. I had to hold on to Heidi for dear life, but she didn't seem to mind :). That is my favortie ride there now! Never thought I could over come my fear of a roller coaster, but I did!

So funny story! When Heidi and I were getting on one of the haunted house rides, one of the cars came out with nobody on it. The workers were freaking out! They were pretty sure there were people on it. What was so funny was how freaked they were! Heidi turned to me and said, " Are you sure you want to go on this?" It was so funny! I'm glad I got the chance to go to Lagoon and I will be going back in a few weeks!

Half Marathon

I have decided to run a half marathon this October! I started training for it last week. So far I have ran 6 times. It's hard! I really like running though. It gives me some time to think and relieve stress.

Well wish me luck friends as I train for this. Hopefully I don't die while in the process!! :)

What I Have Been Up To...

This past Saturday I treated Heidi to a pedicure. She had been wanting one for a while so, I decided to have that be my birthday gift to her. After pedicures, we went back to her house to chill for a while and ended up going swimming at farmington pond. I hadn't ever been there before. It was a blast! We swam for a little bit then walked around the trails. It was an enjoyable Saturday!

I took the 24th of July thru the 27th off from the service mission. I had a great week! I went running 5 times with my dad, got a test I needed to take out of the way, and just pretty much relaxed.

That is what's been going on as of late!

The Temple

On Thursday I had the blessing of going to the Bountiful Temple to do baptisms for the dead. I LOVE doing that! The spirit in the temple is so strong and makes me to never want to leave. I am going to make going to the temple a priority until I leave for my mission.  I am so glad I live in area where the temple is so close. I know some people don't get that chance as much as I have had growing up. 

Thoughts Over The Week...

In my last post I was pretty frustrated and sad. We all know that life is really difficult many times in our lives. I have learned something though recently. The hard times are what will make us better people.  They are what makes us stronger. There have been times in my life when I didn't realize that. I would always be negative and bitter about the trial I was going through.  I would wonder why me? Why do I have to go through this? What did I do to deserve this?I had those thoughts in my head for many years and because of that,I got myself caught in a very deep depression.Something I really don't recommend getting yourself into! I will be honest and say I'm still a little sad about the trial I am in right now but know that whatever happens, it will all work out. I need to just trust in the Lord. He knows what he is doing and when the time is right everything will fall into place.

The Sad Post

Over the past several months I have been trying to improve myself in every way possible. And it seems like no matter how hard I have tried its never enough. All I really want is to find my happy ending. I don't know where I will find it or when it will happen, but I HOPE that it is out there for me. It's really frustrating trying as hard as I have and nothing good becomes of it. I honestly just don't know what to do anymore. I feel confused about what I thought was the answer for me and just isn't working out how I thought it would.  Sorry about the depressing post everyone but I just needed to write these things down.

Institute

Tonight I went for the first time to a institute class that I am taking with a friend. It was AWESOME!! The lesson was on how we need to put our faith in God and he will provide for our needs no matter what they are. The spirit was really strong in the room! At first I felt kinda of awkward being in this class, after a while that changed. It's so amazing the effect the spirit can have. You could be having a crummy day and not really want to be there but, then the spirit turns that around. I'm really grateful I went tonight and for the sweet spirit I felt there! Can't wait til next week!

Past Week Experiences

This past week I have a had some pretty amazing experiences with the spirit. I would like to share a little bit. As many of you know who read this blog I am currently a service missionary. Everyday at my mission, I have a devotional with some of the other missionaries I work with. This one particular day, we were singing an opening hymn "I'll go where you want me to go." While I was singing the spirit told me that wherever the Lord needs me to be, I will be. Some of you know that I'm still working on my mission papers. If it's out on a full time mission, then that's where I will go. I have learned recently just to trust in the Lord and his plan for me.
Another experience I had with the spirit happened last night while my visiting teachers were over to visit. At the close of our visit, one of them gave a prayer that I really needed to hear. The spirit told me during this prayer to always share my testimony with others around me. To always be willing to share the gospel with those around me. That hit me really hard. I think that's what will really prepare me to be a missionary. To be a missionary before I go. I now realize how important it really is.
I'm so grateful for these experiences I have had over this past week!

I...

Saw this on my sister in laws blog and thought I'd try it out.

I am Ashley Juliene Challis
I am happy when I'm with my friends and family. Love them all!
I have two nephews and one niece that I love more than anything!
I miss being a kid sometimes.
I fear I won't ever get married or have kids. I am crazy I know, but I really worry about it.
I feel full. I had a big lunch today.
I smell nothing at the moment.
I usually toss and turn in my sleep.
I search the Internet looking at stuff I want to buy but can't afford.
I wonder what my future will hold.
I regret not having more confidence in myself over the years. Really big mistake!!!
I love junk food! I'm quite the sweet tooth!
I care about my family and friends.
I tell people I care about how much I love them.
I worry bad things will happen to people I care about.
I am not as shy as I use to be.
I remember good times with family and friends.
I believe having confidence pays off big time!
I sing in my room when no one is home.
I don't always remember things. I'm quite forgetful.
I don't like when people are mean.
I write very rarely in a journal.
I win games very rarely.
I lose my keys alot.
I dance when no one is around.
I wish I could speak a different language.
I never appreciated my dad growing up as I should have.
I listen to the radio almost everyday.
I don't understand why bad things happen sometimes.
I can usually be found at home.
I need to get more sleep than I do.
I forget how blessed my life is now.

Thoughts

Lately I have been very frustrated and stressed. My mission papers aren't going in as fast as I thought that they would. I'm trying to stay positive about the whole thing but its been really hard. I may be now waiting a few more months than I planned. Over this past weekend I had the opportunity to watch general conference. The talks really helped me fight the frustration and stress I have been feeling. I learned over these past few days to trust in the Lord and his plan for me. No matter how long it takes for me to get a mission call, I will wait!!

Thoughts Of Lately

Lately I have thinking about how much I have changed over the last few months. Serving as a service missionary as really helped me grow. I wasn't sure why I needed to be there, but now I do. I needed to be there to be surrounded by good people who are helping me prepare for my full time. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have had to be serving over the past 3 months!!!

Confidence

Lately I have been thinking about how more confident I have become. Those who know me really well know that I haven't always been the most confident person around. Not being confident in myself was a BIG mistake! For many years I let people make me feel less confident and I'm not going to let anyone do that to me ever again. I stumbled upon a few quotes that I would like to share.

"The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do." Author unknown

"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent."
Eleanor Roosevelt

"Confidence is the companion of success."
Author Unknown

"Your chances of success in any undertaking can always be measured by your belief in yourself."
Robert Collier


"You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through."
Rosalynn Carter

Having confidence in yourself can be really hard sometimes but well worth it. Don't ever sale yourself short everyone! I know I won't ever again.