hola, como estas?

August 1, 2014

WHAT? Am I speaking Spanish? Must be...  I´m pretty sure that God wants me to learn spanish... because my new companion is from MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!

For all those keeping track at home, I´ve had a companion from Paraguay, a companion from Argintina, and a companion from Mexico. All in a row. So yes, I´m learning a little bit of espanhol. 

Anyways my companion´s name is Sister Loyola and she is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can´t love her enough! I am actually still training- this is her second transfer, so I am finishing up her training. Actually I was a little bit nervous and felt very unqualified because today is her birthday (happy birthday to her) and she is turning 24! WHAT?! Yeah, she already graduated from law school and quit her job in a law firm to come on a mission. I feel like I don´t have to sacrifice very much just to be on a mission. I am learning a lot. 

This week was pretty good. We found a bunch of new investigators, got cut by some, and only had 1 in church yesterday. I was feeling pretty down, but then my companion told me to not get disappointed- we still have a lot to be grateful for. 

Then later that day we went to some investigators who went to church in a different branch (had a friend/member who invited them) and we marked some baptismal dates for this next sunday. I´m excited!!!

Ok- can I give you help of what NOT to do during church. So yesterday was the fifth sunday (duhhh) and thus the men and woman were combined for priesthood/relief society. Do you know what the lesson was on? How to clean the chapel and how to properly use the cleaning equipment. It was less than spiritual. I´m not going to say more about that.

haha ok- story I forgot to tell last week: We turned the water on to fill up the font for the baptism of Samara (who is doing geneology work to prepare to go to the temple this month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D) And then left to go to lunch. Usually the fonts here take about 3 hours to fill up. Well here we have a new chapel, and I´ve never filled up this font. Who knew that it only takes 1 hour? Not us... Anyways we were at lunch conversando with the other sisters and they said mentioned that the font only needs 1 hour, so we called someone who was at the church to turn off the water. When we finally got bacck to the church, he told us that he turned it off, but when we went to see how the font was, we realized that he didn´t know how, and that the water was still going. And may or may not have flooded the woman´s bathroom. hehe. and we may or may not have had to spend 45 minutes taking water OUT of the font and cleaning the bathroom.... hahahahah oh well. the baptism was WONDERFUL!!!!

Yesterday we sang in Sacrament meeting (the sisters) It was lovely.

Ok, I don´t have anymore navidades. (new news) 

Just know that I know this work is of the Lord- I see his hand in my life. I am so grateful to serve!!!!

Love ya all!

Sister Eliason




Tender Mercies
August 25, 2014

This week was absolutely amazing! First things first on my mind:

SAMARA WAS BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!! I don´t want to pick favorites or anything, but I have never been so grateful to teach someone like her. She has a love for us and the gospel. She tells us this a lot. Yesterday she bore her testimony in Gospel Principles:

"One night I had an argument with my mom about the church. She doesn´t want me to be baptized... it wasn´t very pretty, this arguement, and I left and entered my room. I started praying to Heavenly Father if this really is his plan for me, if it is worth it to continue learning these things. Right when I was at my lowest point, the missionaries called me to see if how I was. They comforted me and told me to continue reading and praying and that this is the path to happiness. I know for certain that Heavenly Father answers my prayers and he loves me. Yesterday, my mom even came to my baptism."

THIS is why I am a missionary. I cannot even express how I feel to help change the lives of people like her for the better. I don´t think I´ve ever felt so much happiness in my life.

That said, this work is EXTREMELY HARD!!!! (We had like nobody at church yesterday, and all of our investigators are turning wishy-washy.... nobody is progressing.) But I have faith for this next transfer.

 Today is transfers, and I will stay here, but my companion just got an email saying that she will be transfered... I´m sad, I´ve really grown to love her, but thus is the life of a missionary.

Hey, give references to your local missionaries!!!! They will love you! If you don´t have any references, pray to find someone. Like it says in Preach My Gospel, maybe you talked to someone who needs the Gospel YESTERDAY. 

This week it is getting SUPER DUPER HOTTTTTTT!!!!!!!! time to pull out the sunscreen...

How are you all? Good luck bros with school- and Tyler with sophmore year of college! Don´t go on TOO many dates- you´re not allowed to get married until I get back, ok?

Pray with faith. 

Love,

Sister Eliason