Derek J. Ashwill

I was born in 1985 in Kansas City, MO to my mother and father. When I was 2 years old my parents divorced leaving my mother to raise my older sister and I as a single mother. Feeling the need for a father figure for us as well as a husband for herself, she prayed and asked God for a man who could fill this role and who would also get us into church. My mother was raised catholic and didn’t have a strong religious upbringing and wanted this for us. 

 

Not long after this prayer this man came into our lives. They met in a chance encounter in a parking garage while going home from the circus and 2 months later they were married, blending together 2 families with a total of 6 kids. Not only did the Lord give us a Father figure and a husband for my mother, but through this man my sister and I came to know Jesus Christ. 

 

As a young teenager I was rebellious and tried to make my own path in life. I always felt that I would serve the Lord someday, I just wanted to do that later and enjoy my youth while I could. While going down this path of my own I ended up getting into some trouble. This trouble helped open my eyes to where I was headed on this path. The Lord gave me a choice to serve Him or serve myself. I knew I wouldn’t be given this choice again and I chose Him. 

 

I was called to the office of Priest in 2003 and called to Elder in 2008. I was set apart as a Seventy in 2010. 

I was blessed to have my wife Mary and our 2 sons, Alex and Ethan, come into my life in 2013. We were blessed with our 3rd Child, Eleanor, a few years later.

 

I know that all of the blessings of my life have been given to me to help me proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. I know that Jesus lives and that if we endure to the end, we will live with Him.