this week.... of joy and gladness!

Hey yall!! I have 6 minutes to write about my week, so here it goeessssssssss:

Last week we had one investigator come to church (because her cousin who is a member from Brasilia was visiting.) Welllllll SHE IS SOOOO AMAZING!!!!!!

She ended up LOVING church, and when we went to her house she had already started reading the Book of Mormon.

I LOVE her so much!  She will be baptized this Saturday. (Her name is Samara.) She came to church yesterday, then stayed for choir, then we taught her. Here are some of the things that she told us yesterday:

1. Last night I was really tired, and I got home at 11:00 but then I remembered the goal I made to read at least one chapter of the Book of Mormon and pray every day. And I did that, and I felt better.

2. Tithing (we taught about tithing) is not a sacrifice; it´s a blessing.

3. I don´t get a salary because }I´m studying and not working right now. But my parents give me a little money every week. Would it be ok if I paid my tithing on that? Because I want to pay tithing and receive blessings.

4. Thank you so much for teaching me! I feel so good when you teach or when I´m reading and praying!

5. And yesterday I was telling my sister about OUR church....

6. I am a very different person, and I am so happy!

7. I don´t even want to do my school work anymore. I just want to read the Book of Mormon and study about the church.

Yup, she´s great, and I´m learning a lot from her.

So we talked to a crazy man this week (nothing new...) But he told us that we were being manipulated by some political reason to serve a mission. We tried to bare testimony, but to no avail. Whatever. This experience just increases my testimony.

Presidente Prudente is a beautiful city. It has palm trees and beautiful birds, and actually has people who clean the streets. But what´s even better is the Branch and the people who live here. It almost reminds me of Gainesville. :)))))

My blouse still smells like garlic. (Refer to last week´s email.)

Hope you all had a blast at the fam. reunion!!!

Love,
Sister Eliason 

I'm safe from Vampires...

Monday, August 11, 2014

Ok, to explain that title, I´ll backtrack a little. Mom, I GOT YOUR PACKAGE!!! ON MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! :D The LZs went to Londrina Tuesday, then came back, then we all had our zone meeting on Thursday (my birthday) and they brought back letters and packages. It was perfect! 

But I am absolutely CLUELESS as to why you sent GARLIC SALT!!!!! why?! I think we have more garlic salt in our apartment than what you sent... Anyways, it made EVERYTHING in the package wreek of garlic, including the blouse you sent me (which I really love (thanks!)) And I was asked to give a talk on Sunday (AGAIN!) and really wanted to wear it. So I washed it (I think more than 3 times...) but the blouse still smells like garlic. So yesterday, I sprayed it with perfume, but I the garlic is still noticeable. hahahahahaha! 

Also, why did you sent blue, purple, and green colored mascara? Ha! It´s really fun, but there is no way I can use it on the mission! We are supposed to wear very natural colored make-up....

Oh well, thanks anyways! :)

THIS WEEK WAS CRAZYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me go day-by-day.

Tuesday:

Indirect quote from Preach my Gospel: "One of the greatest difficulties for missionaries and investigators is discerning the gentle promptings of the Holy Ghost." This is so true! So the PAST Sunday, we taught Laiana (a woman who lives one floor under us) and she was telling us about how she has some problems with her bf (with whom she lives with :/ ) At one point she said something, and I didn´t know how to respond. It got really quiet and then I had a thought: I should talk about the Family: A Proclamation to the world. I explained it, and she said she wanted a copy. So later that night we passed by the church where we picked one up, then gave it to her when we returned that night. We went to teach her again Tuesday, and when we asked if she read it, she said Yes, and she loves it! She told us that in the 3rd-to -last paragraph, she cried. A LOT. She felt that the proclamation is of God and truly inspired. She feels that there exists a modern-day-prophet. WOOHOOOO!!! Only downer- she has to marry or seperate from her BF. Also she found out this week that she is pregnant. :/ Man! Satan works so hard right when we are working hard too!!!!

      Other story of the day: we were walking down the street and saw a woman at her gate. We decided to talk to her, but before we even said anything, she started going off about how she loves her church (universal) and how she´s going to be saved, blah blah blah. She told us that we are wicked, trying to force our religion on everyone, but I tried to explain that we are representatives of Jesus Christ and are doing what he commanded: to Preach His Gospel. Thus we are missionaries. She told us that "missionaries go to hell! Open your eyes!" I told her to have a good afternoon then we walked away. Ok- it is never pleasant to be told that you´re going to hell by someone who sincerely means it. But during this shore conversation, I remembered that I really am a representative of Jesus christ and if he were me, he would justlove her. I remembered what he taught: turn the other cheek. What´s surprising was that as we walked away, I didn´t have any feelings of hatred or malice toward her- I just felt sadness because she doesn´t understand what she´s rejecting.

Wednesday: 

9 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

halfway mark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We ate like kings. It was the day before my birthday and word got out in the branch, so we ate filet mignon. (I don´t know how to spell.) Needless to say, lunch was DELICIOUS!!!!!! 

Thursday: MY BIRTHDAY!!! IT was wonderful. Complete with a suprize party from the youth!!! 

Saturday: SUPRISEEEEEE. Suely had a baptismal interview, and yeah. THE TRUTH CAME OUT.

SHE HAS A HUSBAND BUT NOT LEGALLY MARRIED!!!! She was so ashamed to be living this way, she was so embarrassed, she never told us. Ok- HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE BEEN TO HER HOUSE AND NEVER SEEN A TRACE OF MAN!?!?! But yesterday in church, the lessons were PERFECT! In relief society, it was on eternal marriage. In gospel principles, it was on honesty. 

I´m out of time. 

I love you all! Hope you have great week!

Sister Eliason

 

9 months...

... of the mission!

 

The earth's rotation

FACT: The earth rotates faster around the sun the exact hour we are on the internet. This is a fact- because this is the FASTEST HOUR OF MY LIFE!!!

Ok- this week was a little disappointing. I´ll explain- remember Bruna that I told you all about last week? Well she and her friend Bianca had baptismal dates for this Sunday and baptismal interviews this Friday. But when we went to pick them up on Friday, they fell through. Let´s just say that they both LIED to us and then literally ran away. It´s kind of complicated and I don´t really want to expound, but yeah... I just remember what the Lord told Joseph Smith- All these things give thee experience.
 

My companion is really great- she said a prayer that was really comforting to me, and I really needed it at the time.

So Suely is still not baptized. We are fasting and praying for her. I just KNOW that she will be.... This is absurd that we are still teaching her- but she keeps coming to church, so we keep visiting her. At least now she is actually reading and praying more sincerely.

Tuesday was capitão´s (Ward mission leader) birthday!!!!!! I think I have already told you that he LOVESSSSSSSS Missionary work and us more than anything, right?! (Like he goes on splits with the elders in their own areas too...) Well his cake was RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING!!!! He put 4 flags on the cake (Brazil, capo verde africa (where his daughter is serving), the united states (because of me), and argintina (because of my companion.)) AHHHH IT was WONDERFUL!!!! Half the branch came over to celebrate, and when we ate it, it turned everyone´s teeth and tongue blue and green. Best cake I´ve ever etean in my life- it was so fun.

This week was all right- we need new investigators... I don´t really feel like talking about events, so let me share some of my thoughts:

One thing I´ve learned about the mission, but also in life, is that it is full of SACRIFICES. Like sometimes Io sacrifice my own comfort to let my companion be more comfortable. Also, when we learn how to sacrifice, we are learning how to be like the Savior who made the ULTIMATE sacrifice. Life is full of large and small sacrifices, but I think that through sacrifices, we learn to forget ourselves and love others.

Tuesday, we had a zone meeting. At the beginning, one of our zone leaders made a formal apology about  what he said a couple of weeks ago. I was pretty impressed/grateful he did so because I know it is never comfortable todo so. I also learned a couple things> each on e of us has mistakes of the past that nag at us, whether these mistakes are big or small it does not matter- true followers of Christ are trying to be as He is. I love how it says in Preach my Gospel how repentance is a blessing, because I know it really is.

Hey love ya all!!

Sister Eliason

the cake for Capitão´s birthday!!!!! He loves us (the missionaries)

surprises

BOM DIA COM MUITO ALEGRIA!!!!

Why hello there!

First of all, guess what?! We had a baptism this week! His name is Djalma and he actually became our investigator a couple of weeks ago when we did the open house for the new chapel.  We found his house and began teaching him- at first he didn´t want to go to church at all- pretty normal. He told us (along with a ton of other people too) that religion is in our hearts and that he can worship in his house... But we explained that you can´t partake of the sacrament in your own house, and that the sacrament is a COMMANDMENT of God. So we took him to church, and he liked it. When he went for a second time yesterday, he loved it. And he was baptized later that night.

Suely- I don´t know what to do with her. She is so good- she comes to church EVERY Week, but just won´t get baptized. I think she´s a little bit afraid. 

We are teaching a girl named Bruna who went to church yesterday. We planned to pick up her and her friend and walk with them to church, but when we passed by their houses, they had already left. We found them in the chruch when we arrived. I wished all my problems could be solved like this.

TYLER!!!!! YOU´RE GOING TO BE HEAD CHEF OF NOODLES & CO.?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!!? How in the world did you land that job?!  Hope you like to cook noodles... ps. don´t put any farofa on any of the noodles. P.s. did you even bring any farofa or other brazilian food home with you?

Something cool- we had lunch with an irmã who married an american. And his daughter was visiting from the states. Do you know what we ate for lunch? Salad, rotissery chicken, mashed potatoes, GRAVY, bread, and cooked veggies. I was in HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!! It was THANKSGIVING in JULY!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH All that was missing was the family, footbal (American), and fa-sleeping.

Also, I am tired of rain. Sorry if I´m a debbie-downer, but it´s a whole lot more fun to go outside when it´s not raining.

SOMETHING CRAZY!!!!! So tuesday we had divisions. But I stayed with my companion. It turned out that the assistants came and did divisions with the zone leaders and one pair worked in our area and one pair worked in the area of the other sisters. and we actually taught a couple of lessons together. WHAT!!?!!!? It was good and I learned a lot, but I NEVER thought that this could happen.

Hope you are all doing well!!! 

READ THE SCRIPTURES!!! O be wise, what more can I say?

Much love,

Sister Eliason

BAPTISM of Irmão Djalma!

I think I´m going to buy this skirt for my birthday.... Debating...

Irmã suely wanted a photo- no, she wansn´t baptized, but I love her.

After the trial of your faith....

SO THIS WEEK WAS ANOTHER BALL OF EMOTIONS!!!

I don´t think anyone prepared me that I could feel EVERY EMOTION POSSIBLE here on the mission. But really.

Let me start with Monday. WE SAVED A WOMAN´S LIFE!!! Well, not really, but I like to say that we did.. haha! So we got a  call from our ward mission leader telling that it was the birthday of his mother (who is not a member) and he wanted us to visit her. So we dutifully went to her house, and when we got there, she told us that she didn´t feel good, so we took her across the street to the pharmacy (there are almost as many pharmacies as there are churches (aka, one on every corner.)) Anyways, they took her pressure, and it was realllly low, so we walked her back to her house where she ate 3 green olives and called her daughter to come and take her to the hospital. It was a good thing we were there. 

After we saved her life, we passed by Suely (I learned that´s how she spells her name.) And started doing a pre-interview, but when we were resolving her doubts, her SUPER 7th DAY ADVENTIST friend came over. and it was time for us to go anyways.... :/  Super nervous. But we just prayed. 

Tuesday, I tried to explain Calvin and Hobbes to Sister Henrik, but she didn´t get it/think it was funny. 

Wednesday and Thursday, we taught and walked and taught some more. I just don´t like when our plans and back-up plans fall through...

AHHHHH!H!!H IT´S TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So we went to an investigator´s house, and after we taught him, I read out loud his telephone number to verify that it was correct. After I did, he asked if I could read it in English, and this is what I said:

nine-nine-seis-seis-five-seven-eight-nine-six.

Sister Henrik looked at me like I was crazy, and I looked at her like "duh! I´m right, I know English!!!"  Annnnnnd then I thought about what I said. Then I realized that it´s true: I´m forgetting english. 

Saturday was super hard on the inside because Suely had a baptismal interview, but when we passed by her house, all the lights were on, but SHE WASNT THERE!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH! And we called her like 50 times, but to no avail. We asked her neighbors if they knew where she was, but NADA. To us, it seemed like she was trying to avoid us and the interview. Like it was almost a reality that she didn´t want to continue anymore. 

But when we came to church yesterday, SHE WAS THERE!!!!! She explained what happened and why she wasn´t able to go. Then when we visited her last night, we marked another interview for TONGIHT!!!!!! AHHH I love her! She´s by far the most blunt investigator I´ve ever had. For example, I knew she had a question about tithing, so we prepared and taught her the law of the tithe last night, and when we finished what we had to say, this is what she said. "Ok, I understand. what else are you going to teach me tonight?" ummmmmmmm.... She promised us a cake this next saturday.

AHHH! Quickly. Remember Ademir. Well he came to church yesterday and we pulled him from a class to teach him the commandments. He told us that ever since he started coming to church, he jsut had a feeling that he needed to stop smoking.  So he did. And also he needed to stop drinking coffee, but he didn´t know why, so he continued. But when we taught him yesterday, he was like "ohhh now I understand why I felt like I needed  to stop." He will be baptized this Thursday. PLEASE KEEP HIM IN YOUR PRAYERS!!!!

love ya! I´m out of time!

Sister Eliason

 

I was trying to have the hair of my companion. It was hard to manipulate, and the photo turns out looking like she has two heads.... it´s weird, but hilarious.

 

My poor companion

So my companion is from Argentina. If you know anything about Argentina, you would know that they love soccer almost as much as Brazilians....

This week we had probably the best day of my mission!!!!!!!! Maybe. We had conferencia de zona! Where all the zones in our mission in the state of São Paulo went to Marília and President Genaro came and spoke. It was an all-day event, and so FANTASITC!!!!! CAN I JUST SAY, there is noone I would rather have as a president, than Presidente Genaro. I know without a doubt that he is called from God and when he spoke to us, it was so inspiring. I tried to write down everything, because every word is like GOLD!!!!!!! 

My faith of the priesthood of God grew so much. I KNOW without a doubt that Jesus is the Christ, and that his POWER is so REAL!!! And also, as with all things there is opposition. And with this knowledge of Christ, I also know without a doubt that Satan is also real. He also tempts everyone, and it is our duty to have faith sufficient to overcome him. I read about Nephi in the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 9) and how he had so much faith, that angels ministered to him DAILY while he was preaching repentance unto people. Cool right. UNDERSTATEMENT!!!

Something not cool- so Ademir didn´t come to church yesterday. (First time in over a month.) And naturally we didn´t know where he was. But strangly enough, his wife didn´t know also, and so she actually came to the church to look for him. She ended up interregating a member- first asking where her husband was, then condeming him for not keeping all the commandments. (That´s right folks, she´s a seventh day advenset, where they believe that SATURDAY is the sabboth, not sunday.) She told him that the church is an abomination and left him with pamphlets of her church. 

I think this week I will study "charity" in Preach My Gospel.

So I might have already mentioned, but the members here are SOOOOO GREAT!!! And the youth especially. Every Sunday we have an activity with the youth where we teach them how to be better missionaries and how to share the gospel with their firends. They love it, we love it, and normally we have good numbers every week of lessons with members.

Ok- Sueli. WHY WASN´t SHE BAPTIZED THIS WEEK!?!?!!? Well she had a baptismal interview set for Friday night, but about an hour before it was going to happen, she sent us a text saying that the mother of a friend passed away, and her friend needed her. So she went to the viewing. I´m not saying that this woman died because of Satan, but ohhhhhhhh!!!!! Of course the viewing happened to be at the same time as the interview. He (Satan) is so clever to put things in people´s way to slow or stop the progress of the Lord´s work!!!!  

Things before I go:

ELDER TYLER ELIASON!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETEING YOUR MISSION!!!!! Can´t believe it- 2 years!!! ok, what is your normal email?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANNER ELIASON!!!!! 18!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You´re an adult!!!!!!!!!!! And almost a missionary!! Uraguay is waiting!!!

Happy Birthday Grandpa! (I will not reveal your age!

Love ya,

Sister Eliason

 

 

 

This is winter?

Ok, this week was hot! My 4th of July was probably just as hot as yours... haha! So on the 4th, there was another world cup game where Brasil played and won. So anyways, we stayed inside, and I borke open the English hymnbook and sang all the patriotic songs hahahahahha! ANd my companion is great- she and I both dressed in Red white and blue and took pictures. (But unfortuently right now we are having dificulties opening our photos on the computer....)

Anyways, random funny thing:

bahahahaaha there´s a crazy old lady member in our branch who arrived in the middle of sacrament meeting yesterday (3rd hour) and went straight to the podium yesterday to bare her testimony. She got up there and congratulated some couple who got engaged, asked if the wedding was going to be at the church and if there is going to be a bolino (little cake.) Everyone laughed. Ahhhh, I hear this was relativly tame to what she normally says...

This week we saw a miracle- I really testify that the Lord´s hand is over this work and he protects us. So we were walking down the street to Capitão´s house (our ward mission leader) and a man stopped us in the street. He told us he wants us to teach him. (good right?!) But he was a little drunk (and maybe a bit more...) and he started trying to convince us to go inside his house to teach him. But we told that we couldn´t because there was no woman in the house. But he kept insisting and getting closer and closer and I was getting more uncomfortable every second. But then just then, the District President´s wife, Marcelene, happened to drive down the street and she saw us. She stopped and spoke very clearly with the man. We all walked down the street to the house of Capitão and the man went home and we went inside Capitão´s house. I have no doubts that Marcelene felt inspired to drive down this particular street, but I am so glad that there are people worthy who listen to the whisperings of the Spirit. I tell this story not to you worry you, but to help you realize how important it is to always live worthy to feel and act upon the holy spirit.

Last week arrived an Elder from the USA, and I totally remember what it´s like not being able to understand or speak portuguese. Hey all you preparing to leave on missions, the GIFT OF TONGUES IS REAL!  Just have patience and pray. (Fun fact: the prophet is blessed with ALL the gifts of the Spirit.)

Ok, about our investigators:

Sueli- she went to church again, is fulfilling all the commitments, and is living the commandments. She says she wants to be 100% certain that this is the correct church and doesn´t want to make a mistake. We talked a little about faith with her. Next time we will break out our secret weapon: Alma 7:15 baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look it up, feel the spirit, weep, and go help someone be baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ademir- that one man whose wife pulled him out of church. Well, he came to church AGAIN!!!!! (In case you´re counting at home folks, that´s 4 weeks in a row that he´s come- WITHOUT anyone reminding him to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) (CAN YOU SAY ELECT!?!!!!!!!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!??!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!/!?!?!/1!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!  I´M FREAKING OUT HE´S SO GREAT!)

Anyways, apparently his wife wasn´t in town and she didn´t know he came again. So what did we do? We pulled him out of priesthood meeting and taught him the Restoration. He told us that since he came the first time, he knows that the church is true. He told us it is so perfectly organized and has a peace here unlike any other church or place in the world. He told us he wants to be baptized because he KNOWS his previous baptism in another church wasn´t valid. But he told us he won´t tell his wife. PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!! We have zone conference this week (which I´m super stoked about) and I plan on talking to President Genaro about this situation.

Hey all you there!!! Go share the gospel with someone! Post of facebook what you know is true! Go serve someone. Also, interesting thing about keeping the Sabbath day holy- it doesn´t jsut mean lounging around doing nothing- it´s about serving others and strengthening your faith as well as others. If  your activities on Sunday aren´t helping your spirit grow, you should probably think twice about if you really are keeping the Sabboth day holy. (remember, this is one of the 10 commandments given to Moses.) Also, God NEVER EVER EVER changes his commandments.

Love you all!

Sister Eliason

 

 

Plate of food- very brazilian: little bit of churrasco, farofa, rice and beans, and mandioca (sp???!)