Maio....

First off, HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!!!!!!!! hope everyone is super excited for Family Home Evening tonight!!!! (but really... I think you should all start using/studying Preach my Gospel for FHE.)

Ok- this week we had a tons of good lessons and met a bunch of people really interested. They all were super excited about church and the Book of Mormon and everything, and when Sunday rolled around, almost nobody came! It´s really frustrating because I WANT to trust them, but I can´t. Yet again, I´m reminded to trust 100% in the Lord (but not in man.) 

Our difficulty this week was that all our possibilities for baptism are available to be taught after 6h30 at night- so we would spend our days finding and teaching, then once 6h30 hit, we used whatever energy is left to run all around our half of Sarandi teaching our possibilities the commandments. And then we ended up cutting 2 of them- (not progressing and going to church for the wrong reasons.) 

 

Thursday we had an activity at the church- integration night! It turned out really great! We had a bunch of member, new converts, and investigators too. Basically the bishop gave a short spiritual message, then we, the missionaries, took charge with the activities (which was a little stressful because as consequeces of a life of a missionary, you have ZERO extra time.) We had a couple of games, but the best one of all was this:

 

Everyone is sitting in a circle in chairs minus 2 people who are standing. They say something and if it applies to you, you have to move. (Like everyone wearing tennis shoes) But the 2 people left standing have to go to a table and dip their faces in water then dig for candy in a plate full of flour. Everyone loved it, and then at the end, we missionaries were pressured to do it too. (I´ll send photos.)

Friday we had interviews with President Genaro! He is really great and I know he is inspired and called of God.  He gives wonderful advice and I am constantly learning about obedience. Like I know that if I do as he says, I will be blessed and also, avoid lots of harmful situations. The same thing with our Heavenly Father and his commandments.  2 Néfi 2:41

Love you all!

Sister Eliason

P.S. We are sharing something with the members here called The 21 Day Promise- by Elder Robert E. Wells of the Seventy. Look it up and DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! POR FAVOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

happy belated mother´s day!!

First off, it was absolutely WONDERFUL to talk to you, family, yesterday!!! I remember it was really great, but really, what did we talk about?  I´ve been thinking about it a lot, and I realized that you all are still the same, and you all will still be the same people when I get back. It was like a waker-upper, like RIGHT NOW is the ONLY time I have to serve a full time mission in Brazil. 

Don´t waste it. Right now is the time to be a representative of Jesus Christ. 

For all those who are reading this but didn´t talk to me yesterday, here are some highlights of my week:

- had a SUPER great Gospel principle´s class yesterday in church!!

- One recent convert is doing amazing and loves the church. He was baptized 2 months ago and was called yesterday to be the ward secretary. 

- My companion is super amazing and I am learning a little bit of Spanish and Garanine.

- Rice and beans and rice and beans and rice and beans (I thought we already covered this, but yesterday my family asked me once again what we eat.) oh, and tons of fruit.

- 6 month mark!

Day to day activities: walk and teach and walk and walk and teach and get rejected and walk some more and teach and walk and walk and walk. 

anyways, love you all!

Love,

Sister Eliason

P.S. shout out to Brydon Anderson who got a mission call to Chili!!! (It´s so awesome to have so many cousins serving!)

P.P.S. TANNER I AM SO ANXIOUS TO HEAR WHERE YOU ARE CALLED!!!!

 

don´t know why everyone loves to wear the USA flag

lots of churrasco!

made it through 6 months

 

this week!

AHHHH! so this week was pretty good- I absolutely love my companion! She is really happy all the time and is SUPER patient with everyone, and yeah, she´s the bomb. 

Ok- we found a woman totally cool: we had a name in the Area Book for an Aline on a certain street, and we decided to visit her. Well it turns out the the house doen´t exist (not rare, people lie to us all the time.) So we decided to clap at the neighbors house to see if they knew an Aline. So we clapped and a woman came to the portão (fence.) We asked if she knew an Aline, and she told us that her name is Aline! So we said, oh Aline!!! You probably talked with elders... but she told us that she never did- she had never heard of the church and moved here about one month ago. But it was totally random that her name is the same as what we had. 

Anyways, she invited us in, and we shared a message about the Book of Mormon. We went back the next day, and she read a TON!  We learned that she knew NOTHING about Jesus Christ and so we taught the lesson: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was the first time on my mission that I taught someone who knew nothing about Him. But it was really spiritual and as we expressed the love that He has for her, she cried. She accepted a baptismal date and then she said, " I knew that you were going to ask me to be baptized, and I accept." Then Sister Solis (probably was prompted to say this) explained the law of Chastity (because her boyfriend stays with her on the weekends.) And Aline said that she will kick her boyfriend out of her life if it is God´s plan and will for her. AHHH SUCH FAITH!!!!

She went with us to stake conference yesterday.  (which was super complicated to coordinate rides and get people there, because it was at 8:00 in the morning in another city.... SUPER EARLY!!) 

But we had faith and it all worked out.

Mom- I got your package and my companions love you TONS because you sent maple syrup extract. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

love ya lots!

Sister Eliason

p.s. Elder Ayer is arriving in Brazil this week and I´m supppppper excited for him!!!! I love all my cousins serving missions!!!

I think we´re close to the wild west

leaving Maringá (where we had stake conference)

probably my favorite photo of the mission so far.... hahaha

MIRACLES!!!!!!

AND then there were miracles....

Ok, first things first:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON BLAKE ELIASON!!!!!! I can´t believe you´re 12 and have the priesthood! (and to quote grandpa, "more power than the pope")

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER TYLER JORDAN ELIASON!!!!!!!! Congrats on 21!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD! 22 years is a feat!

Ok, this week was AMAZING!!! We had 2 baptisms!!! Let me tell you about them:

1. The first man´s name is Geova. He almost was baptized last week, but flaked and drank coffee. But he kept all his commitments this week and told us that he was super excited and felt more prepared. He was baptized Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. He says that he is really happy. YAY!

2. Renan (pronounced Hu-nuh) is 16 and is the boyfriend of a recent convert. She brought him to church the 2 weeks before, and we made an appointment where we thought he would be there, but it turns out he was at school (the hours of public school are super weird here in Brazil.) But he came to church again the next week, so we tried harder to get in contact with him. Well we finally had a lesson on tuesday, and it was, hands-down, the best lesson I´ve had. At the beginning, we asked him what he wanted or expected from the church/missionaries, and he said that he wanted to know it´s true and also to be baptized. HE ACTUALLY SAID THAT!!!!!! THIS IS MY MISSIONARY DREAM COME TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Well we taught him the restoration and about Joseph Smith, and when Sister Solis began to invite him to be baptized, he responded with YES!!! before she could even finish the question. He then gave the closing prayer, so powerful, almost everyone was in tears. We then asked how he felt, and he said "happy- so extremely happy." I testify to all of you right now, that this gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way we will feel pure happiness! (Also, you should read in "Jesus the Christ" chapter 17 note number 2- it talks about happiness.) Anyways, for the rest of the week, we accompanied him, and then was baptized on Saturday by one of the priests in the ward who is his friend. 

When Renan was confirmed on Sunday and received the Gift of the Holy Ghost, he was also blessed that he would serve a full time mission. I am sooooo happy! I am so grateful that I can be an instrument in the hands of the Lord and help His work grow. 

We also taught a girl who was invited to church and went one time. We taught her once (the word of wisdom and the law of chastity) and invited her to pray about our message. Well we went back this week and asked her if she prayed and how she felt. She said that she felt really good-like this is the pathway for her. She said that when she prayed, she asked God that if this really is His will for her, she would have no more desire to drink coffee. Well we came 2 days later, and she said that during this time, NOT ONCE did she have a desire to drink coffee!!!!!! MIRACLES happen when we have faith!!!!!!!!

Really- I am so happy right now- not just this moment, but in this work. I know that no matter what, I have helped others come unto Christ. 

 The baptismal service of Renan and Geova was super complicated to organize! I think we used almost all of our credits on our phones to call people and organize everything, but it was worth it by far! Hey all you at home, do me a favor and help out the missionaries in their baptismal services!!!

I want to tell all of you that I know this is the Lord's work. It is hard, and yes lots and lots and lots of work, but it is SO worth it. Heavenly Father really loves all of his children. He loves me. He loves you. This I know.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Sister Eliason

P.S. You should study Preach My Gospel for Family Home Evening.

A Sister in the ward tells me that I look like Tinker Bell, so I took this photo and I think I´ll give it to her

Baptism of Geova

Baptism of Renan

zone!

Rejoice! He is Risen!

YAY! EASTER!!!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! People here are kind of crazy and eat a TONNNNNNN of chocolate! We, as missionaries, were given a couple of chocolate eggs (huge- the size of coconuts) and a ton of sweets! I don´t know if I´ve ever eaten so much chocolate in my life... haha

Well this week was good and a little disappointing. We worked all week with one of our investigators who had a baptismal date marked for yesterday. Butttttt he partook of coffee on Saturday (claiming that he didn´t) and so that was frustrating that he lied to us. And then his family visited him for the holidays and are heavily frequenting a different religion, and I´m pretty sure they persuaded him to not come to church because he didn´t come yesterday. But then after church, we visited him with the ward mission leader and have another date marked for this next sunday.

AHHH!! Out of time. ok, real quick:

-I gave a talk in church yesterday. It wasn´t my best talk, but then again, it was in Portuguese, so I´m at least a little proud of myself...

-We got a call from the assistants this week who challenged us to get 100 references this week. (crazy because normally our goal is around 70) And it was going pretty slow. On Friday, it STORMED LIKE CRAZY!!!! and so we got almost none! But yesterday, we slammed the books and hit the pavement working, because we ended up with 101 for the week!!! This is really a miracle because normally on sundays and holidays, nobody is in the street. But really, when we do our part, the Lord blesses us.

I love you all! I´m so grateful for our savior and that because of him and his resurrection, we shall live again!

Love,

Sister Eliason

 

WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

chocolate eggs for Easter!!!

I found the ugliest dog in my life.

we hit 101 references this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

lalala

I just learned that my cousin, Elder Ayer got his visa to Brazil!!!! YAYAYA so excited for him! 

OK, this week was a little crazy- as I stated in my last email, I´m now in a trio with the other sisters. THEY ARE SO GREATT!!!!!! They have attitudes super positive, and I am really happy in our work. Unfortunately, no baptism this week (again) but we are seriously working as best as we know how. (and trying to cover my area and their area is plenty of work too...) 

So story I forgot to tell last week: Last week we were teaching and I started feeling sick. Well you know the spiritual mountain in lessons, and when you are at the top, you invite the investigator to be baptized, right? Well... we got to the top, the spirit was strong, and right as my companion was about to invite our investigator to be baptized, I stood up and ran to the bathroom to throw up. I RUINED THE MOMENT! oh well, she´s not married and is living with someone else, so she has time to prepare for baptism. (aka, she has to get married first.)  

But with me sick, our president´s wife made me go to the 24 hour clinic. And OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!! PLEASE NEVER NEVER NEVER get sick here in Brazil because the hospitals are terrible!!! We were there for like 6 hours waiting, and finally they hooked me up to some sodío. but after I got half of my fill they took the needle out. And then they realized I needed more, so they pricked me 3 more times until they could find a good vein. NOT FUN.

But this week was fun! Found a bunch of new investigators, and had 4 new investigators in church yesterday, so this is good. And testimony meeting was SUPER spiritual! It was a place where you could really feel the spirit of the Lord. THIS CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!!!! If you are not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, please please please listen to the missionaries and learn more! It really is the church of Jesus Christ re-established today!

Out of time!

Love you all!

Sister Eliason

 

 

photos!! yeah I know it´s a lot...

sorry- no time to explain, just enjoy! :)

Switching it up!!

Hey everyone!!! Sorry I don´t have a lot of time- we have emergency transfers today, and what do you know, my companion is being transferred! after 4 months of 24/7, Sister Finlinson and I are being separated!!!!! AHHHHHH! :( not cool. (we only have a little time before she needs to go.) But guess what, nobody is coming to take her place, so I will be in a trio with the other sisters here in Sarandi. It will be interesting to learn from them, and also to not have anybody next to me to translate. Also, I´ve never been in a trio. 

Anyways, CONFERÉNCIA GERAL DE PODER!!!!!!!!  (trans: General Conference of Power!! Meaning- it pretty much was the best thing ever.) All those who don´t know, General Conference is a meeting transmitted all around the world where we get to listen to a PROPHET  and Apostles of God to us.) Yeah, well it was being transmitted to the stake center in Maringá (Sarandi is a suburb of the city Maringá) but our ride Saturday morning got a flat tire, so we ended up being half and hour late. And do you know who we missed listening to? Elder Jeffery R. Holland. I think I will try to print out his talk here in a bit, because I was obviously disappointed I missed it. Anyways, we watched the first session with everyone in Portuguese, but after it ended, some other American missionaries found us and asked why we didn´t listen to it in English with them in the other room. 

So all the other sessions we watched in English, which was fabulous because I could actually understand everything. Não verdade, I actually understood more than I thought I would in Portuguese, but it´s not the same. 

It was also really cool because the other Sisters had a baptism inbetween the sessions on Saturday. And do you know who spoke last in the morning session on Saturday? Elder Henry B. Eyring, who spoke about the magnificence of baptism. All the doubts of this investigator were calmed right before he was baptized. It is really amazing to see the tender mercies of the Lord.  

I know the Heavenly Father really loves us. He lives, and so does his son, Jesus Christ. I think sometimes the most powerful testimonies are simple. They are testimonies of the pure doctrine of Christ. I absolutely loved Elder D. Todd Christofferson´s talk, because to me, it was a 15 minute testimony of Jesus Christ. Ah, I love it! Please, this week, share your testimony of Jesus Christ with someone. He is what matters most. He should be what we think about all the time, because without him, life is pointless. I know Jesus Christ is my Savior.

I love you all!!

Much love, 

Sister Eliason