WEEK 65 - Special Birthday Blog

I just wanted to give the biggest shout out to the most wonderful birthday people of December!!!! Ryan, Olivia and Lynsey!

 

How much i love you all!

 

Ryan: My dad, I love your funny jokes and pranks and your love to make other people happy! That's the gift to share joy and laughter. Thanks for always making me laugh with your happy spirit. I love that you have so much passion to live and to appreciate that world and the smaller things. I love that you love to read the best books and discover the secrets to life. I love you. My favorite dad and my favorite hugs. 

 

Olivia! The cutest one of all! Who's not so little anymore! I love your Christmas Card and that your mom tells me that you pray for me. I love your sweet nose and your cute smile. I love that you too are a little jokester and always make people happy. I love our time we share to together. Thanks for always making me feel happy to be around you. 

 

Lynsey: My best friend since the 6th grade! I think there are very few people in the world that have a best friend that long and I am so grateful to have you. And I know you'll be there for me for all the years to come as well. You've became more of a sister to me. I love you so much and love your passion for health and everything good! I love that you always look for the good in others, in the world and in every situation. I love all that you teach me and share with me. I love having so many of the same interests as you. So different, but so similar are we! 

WEEK 65 - The One to Come See the Lights

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Thank you so much for all the Christmas cards! I loved hearing from all of you! Unfortunately I left all the bookmarks and cards you sent me in the window and yesterday it started raining and thundering super hard! I was a little nervous but I thought everything would be okay, but when we got home our entire room was flooded and the outside hall too and all my books and cards and everything were soaking wet. Luckily we cleaned everything up and were able to save everything so that's a miracle, only one of my things has a weird smell now... 

   Christmas was wonderful! We had a reunion de zona the morning of and then afterwards we went to do service that I planned. We went to an old folks home and sang to them and gave them cake and it was really amazing, there were only like 12 of them, but not one of them had a visit of a loved one  that day so it was wonderful to be there with them. One woman in particular touched my heart so much. She had the light of Christ so stronger in her eyes. I know that the Lord loves her so much. I loved hugging her that Christmas day. 

  Here in South America they celebrate Christmas at midnight the 24th with fireworks and parties! This is my second Christmas in the mission but it's the first for the other three sisters in the house and one of them is American so I know that she had never seen something like this because we don't celebrate like this; so at midnight I ran to wake her up and when I woke her up she had such a  scared look on her face and I just said, "Its okay, Come and see, you don't want to miss this."  She looked at me not understanding and I just took her by the hand and took her to the balcony and when she saw the fireworks it was so beautiful! It reminded me that one year when Santa Claus came to our house and I woke my sister up up to go see him and she too was so scared, but we crawled out together onto the balcony to see and when we looked down she saw him and her eyes lit up and she immediately ran back to her bed to be a good girl. Love you Rileigh ;) What a blessing it is to be a big sister! I hope we can always invite the people we love to "Come see the Lights" The lights of Christ! It's something we don't want anyone to miss!!

 

Hermana Ellison 

 

Pictures:

Christmas with the Gold plates
Christmas tree
My companion and I
"Picana" Tradition food from Bolivia that they eat only on Christmas

 

WEEK 64 - The One for Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to all.

 

How I love you all so much and wish you all the best this beautiful day. I hope it's a white one. I love the warmth of this day. Even though it's cold outside there is such a special warmth to this day. IT could be the warmth of blankets and hot chocolate, fire and family hugs. It could be the Christmas lights or the sweet Christmas music, but I think it's something different. It's a warmth that can't come from material things or chocolate or fire, it's the warmth of the warm arms of our loving Heavenly Father, of which He has wrapped around us so tightly this day.  It's his warm hands that we feel guiding our lives. It's his sweet fire that gives us light and heat in times of need. And it's his greatest gift, Jesus Christ, The Son of God, That he sent us this Christmas to save our small souls. He is the Gift and He is the reason why. I love my greatest and most prized gift from my Father above, even my Savior Jesus Christ. May we all feel his warmth this Christmas morning and feel his loving embrace. Find the gift, accept the gift, share the gift. 

 

May your Christmas be merry and bright.

  Hermana Ellison

 

 

WEEK 63 - The One with the Bug Bites

Well I'm not sure what to write this week. There are a lot of bugs here in Bermejo and yesterday I forgot to use my Fexon cream and so I came home with a lot of blood dripping from my legs and a lot of white blochy marks. I'm super pretty!

 Its been raining a lot this week and its super cool because it rains a lot! All of our streets are dirt so when it rains they become mud and that's pretty cool haha. At night the thunder storms are incredible. It's like nothing you've ever heard before! They are so strong and loud!  It's little like the sky is cracking open and the world is ending. I think its left over effects of when Christ died and everything was destroyed in the Americas (3 nephi). But I love it. 

  We had alot of miracles this week! Don't forget we have a God of miracles. He loves you and is aware of you. Like Henry b Iyring quoted, 

"President George Q. Cannon said this about how God has prepared you  and me and our children for the tests we will face: “There is not one of usbut what God’s love has been expended upon. There is not one of us thatHe has not cared for and caressed. There is not one of us that He has not desired to save, and that He has not devised means to save. There is not  one of us that He has not given His angels charge concerning. We may  be insignificant and contemptible in our own eyes, and in the eyes of  others,but the truth remains that we are the children of God, and that He has actually given His angels—invisible beings of power and might—charge concerning us, and they watch over us and have us in their keeping.”

He hears our prayers and he loves us. Its so amazing seeing people pray for the first time. Alwasy remeber who you are and that the lord answers prayers. Pray on my dear brothers and sisters. :) Because he lives and has ears to hear. 

 Hermana Ellison

 

WEEK 62 -The One with Bermejo

   This last week we had transfers and I got transferred to Bermejo. Which is a little pueblo on the border of Argentina. I only have to cross the little river next to me and I'm in Argentina. I had to drive three hours from Tarjia to get here. The drive was so beautiful! It's super super hot here and December is the hottest time of the year. So a lot of people leave for December to go somewhere to get out of the heat, good news for the missionaries ha ha.  We are the only zone and missionaries here in Bermejo, so there are 10 elders here and only 4 sisters. I'm still sister trainging leader but there isn't much for me to do since there are only 4 of us, but I'm a "magnify your calling" kind of girl so I hope the sisters don't get overwhelmed by me since I just went from taking care of 8 sisters to 3. I'm in a Branch now not a ward, branch means there aren't enough members or priesthood holders for it to be a ward. So I'm in a branch and we are a District not a Stake. The members are really wonderful, I'm excited to work with them. My companion is super awesome. Her name is Hermana Garcia, from Peru. She is Alena Tuttle and Lynsey Carpenter mixed together, so I'm wonderfully thrilled to work with her. This Sunday was fast Sunday and wow you haven't fasted till you have fasted in Bermejo. Wow its hard. We started after lunch Saturday and we went to a lesson with a member at 6 and with the heat and not eating or drinking your body gets so tired and I was totally falling asleep in the lesson and the investigator wanted to give us water and I was like... oh Im sorry we are fasting and the member was like oh no sister, we are in Bermjo, if you don't drink a little bit of water you'll die ha. So I had a little cup. I really tried to make it but it was so hard. Maybe the next time I'll prepare myself better. 

   The people here talk really slow so they think that my spanish is fast haha. Which is funny. The members say my spanish is perfect but the elderly and the people who live in the campo still don't understand me. I have a lot to work on with my grammer. 

  It's so hot here that people fall asleep in our lessons. The other day we taught a lady and we watched my favorite video "because of him". And at the end I was totally in tears because I love it and then my copmanion and I look at her and she was asleep! We just started laughing hahaha. 

  By the way; a few things that happened in Tarija that I forgot to mention. The other day I antagonized a goat and it chased me for like 2 blocks on this cobbled street and there were a lot of kids on the side of the raod laughing and watching me.. so that was funny. 

  Also we had a conference for only sisters. And Hermana Willard asked me to lead it, which was really cool because Ive never done that before. But when I got there President wasn't there and so a sister said President had to leave and that when the time came I should start and invite some sisters to share their scriptures; so that's fine.    So we started and then President sends me a message that says, "go ahead and start and invite 3 or 4 sisters to share their personl study and then afterwards you speak with them as if you were President; what you think they need..." so my stomache dropped. Thanks President that's just great. He knew it would turn out okay, I ended up sharing the same scripture that Hermana Willard was going to share with us, the spirit works in many ways. 

 

Hermana Ellison

 

Some photos of our last day in Tarija and our drive to Bermejo.   Also, my new companion and my new friend Mr. Turtle.  I love it here!

 

 

WEEK 61 - The One with Joy

    This has been one of the most blessed weeks of my entire life. I don't know how I got so blessed.  I don't know if it was for obedience, for this 40 dias de ayuno, or just the sweet grace of the Lord, but I have been blessed beyond meaure. I can't even begin to describe the work, the happiness, the miracles that I have had this week; because I don't deserve it. I can't imagine any mission better than mine. The things I have done and seen here with this Ward... I have been so blessed. They changed my life, The Savior is changing me everyday. I always ask in my prayers for salvation, that I can be saved, that I can come home and he's doing it. I saw a less active become active in pretty much two weeks. I watched her change her children. I watched her take them by the hand and show them how to pray, I watched her look for Christ and show them the way. I saw a family baptized and rescued and now finally say "yes" to preparing to go to the temple, to be sealed for this life and the next. I've seen so much affliction and trial and happiness and blessings and mercies in this ward. I watched one of the most special people I've ever met, Fernando, get rescued this week and receive the priesthood. I watched a hermanador de oro become not only a friend but a sister and angel and a guide. We visited him one last time last night before he was rescued. It was the most amazing lesson I've ever had. I remembered the first day we met him and to watch him change has been a miracle. He's like my son. We taught about missions the other day and he said he might want to go but that he wasn't good enough and that he couldn't do it. We left him with our testimony and then the next day in church we were in the class and the teacher asked, "Fernando what kind of preparation are you going to do this week?" and he said, "I'm going to prepare for my mission." And then in that last lesson we talked about how the mission changed our lives, I shared my testimony of my mission and he smiled and I knew it was true. We got down on our knees and he said the last prayer, and he asked the Lord to bless us and he asked in words of true joy and peace that the Sisters (my companion, Eli and I) could please always be with him, if not in person.

 

I didn't do a good job, I failed at a lot of things, I'm still learning. I didn't reach a lot of my goals, but the Lord is correcting me, he's changing me and is showing me what's more important. I know what true joy is. I've felt it. I know there's a heaven. I know its all true and I feel the light of Christ everyday closer and closer. I can't thank Him enough. I don't think there is a gift I can give him for Christmas. There's nothing I could do to thank him. But I love Him. More than I could ever describe and for this Christmas, though it be small I think I'll give him my humility. Something I know I need to work on. I want to give him a more humbly servant so he can have more miracles. I just want to be more like Him. I think I'll give him my pride. 

 

The church has a new initiative, called. "He is the Gift" I'm sure some of you have seen it. But it's incredible. He truly is the Gift. How wonderful is our Father in Heaven, That he gave us his only begotten son, as our first and only real gift. 

 

Hermana Ellison

 

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-launches-he-is-the-gift-christmas-message

 

http://www.mormon.org/christmas

WEEK 60 - The One with the Sacrament

Quick email this week.... Yep that's it. 

 Hermana Ellison

 

Ha ha kidding. But I really don't have a lot to say. I learned a lot this week. The lord is so wonderful. And he never gets tired of being a God of miracles. The other day I was on an exchange with a sister and we went to visit one of our investigators that is progressing to baptism and the member that was going to go with us failed, so I was a little sad and when we got there, she opened the door and said she was washing her baby and if we could return in 30 minutes. So I said okay and when she closed the door I said a little pray in my heart that it would be so nice if a member could come with us because she is so wonderful. So we went a little ways up the mountain to see a less active member and she didn't answer, but while we were up there a member passed by and we said hi and said what are you doing?  She said she passing around so we invited her to the visit with us and she said yes! We went and  had a wonderful lesson with the member and she even made friends with her mom who hasn't wanted to listen really and it was a miracle.

 

The father of the member that we live with passed away yesterday. It's weird to see someone and say hi to that person everyday and then to not see them anymore. He was very old and died of natural causes. He was one of the oldest high priests here in this Ward and he hadn't come to church for a really long time because he can't hear very well.  Then this last fast Sunday, he got all dressed up and came to church. He took the Sacrament and bore his testimony. And then this Sunday he passed away. The Lord taught me a really good lesson, that the Sacrament is so important to God. He wants us to be clean. We need to take the Sacrament, and he prompted this man to do so before he entered his presence. That day in church he went to class and the sister that teaches the class said that he asked her what hymn they were going to sing and she said number 40 and he said great; next Sunday we will sing 41 ("how great thou art", his favorite) well... he didn't make it to church the next Sunday but we sang it for him yesterday and I thought that was pretty cool. 

Also; I cut my hair to give to kids with cancer. See the photos below

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hermana Ellison

 

 

WEEK 59 - The One with My Sisters Song

Good day everyone! I'm just sitting here listening to the recording of Morgan and Rileigh singing "I Stand All Amazed" and I'm not sure what to write, I just want to sit here and soak it up. I just sang super loud trying to harmonize, my companion looked at me weird. Haha gotta practice! So My dad ask me some really good questions today so I'm going to answer those. 

I'm in my fifth transfer here, and my second transfer with my companion Hermana Hincapie, and she is the best. The only problem is that we both have that laughing sickness, where you laugh at inappropriate times and you can't stop... So were working on that. We repent a lot for that one... But I love her! We never knock doors, we just talk with everything we see in the streets and that's how we find a lot of people to teach, we ask everyone for references, like members or less actives and that's how we find a lot of people that the Lord is preparing to be baptized. Our goal is 1450 active baptism and rescues this week. Our President really stress retention, they aren't just numbers they are conversions and they need to be nourished and active.

  I told you about Fernando a little bit, he will be rescued this week and then next week he is going receive the priesthood and he is preparing to go to the temple in January with the ward!! We are so excited for him. He is such a great example. 

   This last week we taught about family history work and work for the dead in the temples and one of our converts recently, Nelly was there who is just wonderful and she seemed excited about the whole theme, and I felt such a strong feeling that I had to help her do her family history work for her parents. I felt like that was why I was still here to help her do this work. So we had a visit with her Thursday and I was so excited to help her fill it out and then she said and my granddaughter... could I be baptized for her?? And my eyes just filled up with water and I knew it was her that we were here for and I said yes!! Nelly started to cry and said I'll never forget her. She passed away about 4 years ago in an accident at the age of 15 or 16. She showed us all these pictures of her and is so excited to do her work. She has an appointment this Friday with the family history lady, so I'll keep you updated. 

  I'm sending you a picture of me and Marvin, He's my favorite little kid, I'd adopt him if I could, but the mission manual says we can't. He is the son of a less active Diane who we are working with, but I can't even describe the life Marvin has with his parents; oh this sweet boy, but through it all he is still always so happy and his spirit oh so sweet. Whenever he sees me in the street he throws down his bike and runs to me and yells Hermana Ellison! in his cute little accent. Then he always try's to give me a hug, but he knows he can't haha. But oh how I still love him.

   I have a goal to study the Atonement and oh how wonderful it is. I love my Savior and oh how I need him and how I need repentance. His grace saves me and sets me free. Alma 7:15 says, "Come and fear not" What sweet words, he really does love us and he has done everything to save us. Never forget to pray. This is my favorite line from I Stand All Amazed... :)

  "I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine, to rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine, that he should extend his great love unto such as I, sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify. Oh it is Wonderful, Wonderful to me." 

 

Hermana Ellison

 

 

WEEK 58 - The One with 50 Years in Bolivia

      This week has been a busy week of a lot of activities for the church here in Tarija! We celebrated 50 years of the church here in Bolivia! and it was amazing. Thursday we all got up early in the morning and went to the main plaza in the center and we had a performance that they had been announcing on the television all this week. We were going to have three musical numbers and the 50 missionaries that are here in Tarija were all going to sing together.  So we had been practicing the days prior. So that's exciting and if that wasn't enough, Wednesday night before we were to sing, one of the zone leaders of the other zones calls me and says sister Ellison you've been selected to sing a duet with Hermana Crandell for the other special number.... Yeah that's funny. But anyways we did, we sang first and sang "I know that me redeemer lives", it was okay...(But we did sing it again at the Stake Conference and we did much much better.)   Then all the missionaries sang and then this other sister who sings like an angel sang. Then we went around and passed out pamphlets and invited everyone to the ceremony the government was going to have in our church to recognize us for our service and beliefs for 50 years here. The event was so cool! They gave the church these cool plaques and recognized us for all our service and our Christ like beliefs; it was so cool. The next day one of the government lady's came to the stake conference with her family of 7! All because the President's wife, Hermana Willard invited her! They're such amazing people here in Bolivia and I truly know that the church is true and that one day the whole world will be converted.

    Speaking of Hermana Willard, the President's wife. She's amazing and Yesterday after the conference I went up to talk to her and she said sister I'd like to go on a transfer with you and your companion! How about that? hahaha I was so nervous and so excited. So she came up to our area and we went out proslyting with her and she truly is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. I want to be just like her. She is one of the most kind, sincere, virtous and pure people I have ever met in my entire life. And her faith, wow don't even get me started. When she prays everything comes true. We had such an amazing lesson with her and one of our investigators and she barley said anything and at the same time said everything! I know that this investigator will be baptized purely because she got to meet Hermana Willard. It's rare that sisters get to go on intercambios with her and I was so lucky.

Hermana Ellison

 

WEEK 57 - The One Where you Shouldn't Wait

   I don't know if I've said this but we had transfers and I'm still here! In the same area! That's right... 5 transfers here!!! That's a ton! That's 7 months! 5 transfers ago I opened this zone; La Vina with a group of 18 other missionaries and now I'm the only one left of those originals who opened this zone! But that's okay I really love it here.  

 

   This week there was a hug hail storm! Here in Tarija this is very common. And usually I've always had pretty good luck when the rain or the storms come I always happen to be in a lesson, but this time nope. We were walking to a lesson and it hit... It was crazy! The hail is so big here and so dangerous. My companion got hit in the head! and now she has a bump. So we just had to stand under a roof thing and wait till it passed. 

 

   As for spiritually, this last transfers we met a less active named Fernando and he is just a light and such a wonderful spirit. We knocked on his door one day to find his sister and he answer, so we asked if we could visit him and he said yes. So we returned to visit and he was not only there, which is rare, but he was waiting for us! We brought a hermanadora de oro (a member) Eli Romero and the lesson was so good. I still remember that first prayer he gave that night; as we got on our knees and he prayed and asked God for forgiveness. It was so amazing to see someone so humble and ready to repent and return to God. The lord has so much mercy and he loves us. It has been amazing to watch him grow, from the first Sunday that he came in jeans and a t shirt, to the next he came in a shirt and tie (a daisy duck tie because its the only one he has, it's the coolest) and then to these last ones that he comes in a full suit! He's the first at every activity, conference and devotion and he is a true example of the believers. 

 

  We can always return to the Lord, His forgiveness is always there. Today I was reading in Matthew 18 about a king who was taking accounts of his servants. It was the turn of one servant who owed the king ten thousands talents. The servant said that he had not the means to pay... I imagine that these words were so hard for this servant to say as he knew the punishment which was to come as the king said... then you and your wife and your family must be sold until you can pay it. 

The servant then got down on his knees and begged, "Lord Have patience with me and I will pay thee all." The following verse gives me so much comfort as I imagine Christ saying the same to me. "The  Lord of the servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt." 

Our savior Jesus Christ has payed our debt, he loves us and will always have compassion on us when we come to him in humble repentance. 

 

As Jeffery R Holland says, "Don’t dwell on old issues orgrievances—not toward yourself nor your neighbor nor even, I might add,toward this true and living Church. The majesty of your life, of yourneighbor’s life, and of the gospel of Jesus Christ will be made manifest atthe last day, even if such majesty is not always recognized by everyone inthe early going. So don’t hyperventilate about something that happened at9:00 in the morning when the grace of God is trying to reward you at 6:00in the evening—whatever your labor arrangements have been through the day.

 

We consume such precious emotional and spiritual capital clinging tenaciously to the memory of a discordant note we struck in a childhood piano recital, or something a spouse said or did 20 years ago that we are determined to hold over his or her head for another 20, or an incident in Church history that proved no more or less than that mortals will always struggle to measure up to the immortal hopes placed before them. Even if one of those grievances did not originate with you, it can end with you. And what a reward there will be for that contribution when the Lord of the vineyard looks you in the eye and accounts are settled at the end of our earthly day.

Which leads me to my third and last point. This parable—like all parables— is not really about laborers or wages any more than the others are about sheep and goats. This is a story about God’s goodness, His patience and forgiveness, and the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a story about generosity and compassion. It is a story about grace. It underscores the thought I heard many years ago that surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it.

I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable, but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.

Please listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit telling you right now,  this very moment, that you should accept the atoning gift of the Lord Jesus Christ and enjoy the fellowship of His labor. Don’t delay. It’s getting late. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Hermana Ellison

 

WEEK 56 - The One with the Brother of Jared

Esteemed Colleagues ...

 

   Hahah I don't know how to spell that word.  This week has been amazing. I've seen miracles in a very different way. We are striving to be obedient with exactness and trying to service this Ward. We know that we have so much time and so little time and its important to use it wisely. We are visiting and serving as many members and people as we can. I saw a miracle this week with the revelation that the lord has given me. I Don't think my mind as ever been so open and effective. I feel the Lord teaching me in every moment and giving me ideas and help. I feel him helping me be diligent and helping me discern the needs of these investigators. I see the miracle of family history, the questions of gold (baptismal question and references) and the members. Today I was studying in Ether chapter 3 and I know I need to be more like the Bother of Jared. I love the Brother of Jared!! (my dad and the one in the scriptures hahha) He was prepared before he came to the Lord, he was diligent and I know too that if I am prepared and come to the Lord in humility and faith he will answer our prayers for these people here and touch their hearts! The investigators are like these stones! We have to help them and prepare them and then pray for them with all our faith saying "Lord I know you can do these things", and he will touch their hearts and we will see miracles, why because I've seen it before! He's touched the heart of so many people in my mission already and I've seen it, I've seen his hand touch their hearts and I know he will continue to do so. 

   The more we search and are obedient, the more the Lord teaches us and enlightens our mind and we can know the truth of all things.  

Everything for God is spiritual and this world is amazing! Its incredible. Go outside. Its really pretty out there. Appreciate the world and everything he has given you. Study! Study from the best books, read! Dance! Be good. Learn and grow and always always repent.

 

Hermana Ellison 

 

I know that the revelation you have received is true and is of God. I know that we are servants of the lord, we are unworthy yet he loves us and has so much mercy upon us. 

 

Photos

1. Micro

2. My cute companion and my old companion traveling to Santa Cruz

3. Soup. Thats called Bori Bori. Super good. 

 

 

WEEK 55 - The One with The Birthdays

That's right I remember your birthdays!

 

Happy birthday to all you October babies.   My favorite thing about you is....

 

Trenton.... That ever since I was little I only wantd to be just like you! Rocky.. yep. Star Wars.. You bet cha. Grease... Go grease lighting. Thanks for letting me follow you around as little kids. Thanks for teaching me how to be a hill billy and thanks for being my big brother. I love you more than you know!!! 

 

Savannah.... I love your passion for style and your desire to help others. You have great motivation and do great things. I'll always remember that cool club you started in high school. You are a dreamer. I also love that you only eat ice cream and pizza for breakfast and you're still the same size (smiley face)

  

Tiffany... I love your drive to do your best and always give all of your self to all your projects! You have dillengence! You are so awesome and spirited! I always know that you can do anything you put your mind too. 

 

Connor... I love that you always have a great sense of humor and are always laughing. I love your passion for riding bikes and being the best in whatever your circumstances. You have a special spirit. Make sure you share it with others. 

 

Hamiliton... I love your love for your family. Its always my favorite when you call and we all get a chance to talk to you! I love that you're the only kid in our family that has actually written me a hand written letter... haha your the best!!! I sure love you and your passion for the gospel and hunting haha. 

 

To all...the funnny thing is that you have all probably changed so much or maybe not at all, but this is what I remember of you... haha. Sure love you all! 

 

Hermana Ellison 

WEEK 54 - The One with Some Quotes

"If you dedicate your gifts and talents, you only return to Him (God) what He already has given you. If you pay tithing, you only return to Him a tenth of what he has already given to you. Everything that you have to give to the Lord, has its origin in Him, EXCEPT ONE THING... YOUR WILL. He does not have your heart, nor your mind, unless you give them to Him. It is the only gift you have to offer that He does not already have. And so when you give yourself, you truly give everything to Him."

 

"He will create you a Master piece. You will create of you only a smudge. You will create an ordinary man. He will create a God."

 

These quotes changed my life... and the talk "The Fourth Missionary" changed my life.  

 

Give it up!!! Don't try it your way. Do it Christ's way and be happy about it!!!! Be happy to serve him and to serve him. Charity is everything. 

 

Hermana Ellison 

WEEK 53 - The One Because of HIM!

    This week has officially changed my life. It took the whole week to do it, but it's been done. Starting off first with the leadership meeting that changed every part of my life. The assistants took our numbers and graphs of all our work and wow! This meeting, looking at the facts, the numbers, the possibilities changed my life. It hit me. It all became real, I felt my faith building. As the week went on, unfortunately it seemed harder to reach the goals than I thought. I tried to put all I learned and knew into practice and I think I overloaded myself and went into beating myself up mode, as we all do. I felt disappointed and a failure and that I had failed the people the Lord put into my hands and then the General Conference came. 

   Every talk changed my life, one by one, but what changed me for all is the revelation I felt as I realized our need to trust the Prophet and the Lord. The world is about to change, our faith is going to be tested and we are going to need to prove ourselves. This morning as I study D&C 1 I realized the promises of the Lord... that every soul, every ear shall hear and feel this gospel! That no one can escape it. We have to trust the Lord. He will not stop his work, he will not lower his standards, we have to be stronger then we are, we are not sufficient yet. We have to love and trust our prophet more then we ever have before. The Lord will not lose. He will not fall and we have to be worthy to be in his army and to wear his name. I know that he is the captain of our salvation and as days and years come I have to put my trust in him, and I will not fall. 

   We are baptized, and living in the covenant. We have the holy ghost; which is the fire of God!! We should be filled with fire!  This is the truth, this is the way there is no other. 

  I'm about to hit 1 year and I'm ready to give even more then I ever have. I'm giving it  all because I love him. Pray for me! Pray that I will do my work. Don't worry about the day I come home, but worry that I'm doing all I can. Pray for the world, pray for the missionaries, make sure we stay strong and we do our job. Let us bring the world this truth. 

  I testify that there are no limits! The possibilities are endless, we are the most creative creators in the whole world. We are children of a god! We are infinite! Death can not destroy us. The enemy cannot overcome us, sin cannot take us. We can change. We can always start over. We can always be different. We can always be who we always wanted to be. We can go where we want to go, know what we want to know, do what we never thought we could ever do! This is it! This is your life; take control of it! Don't let anyone tell you, you can't, The world is yours! and Its because of Him. It's because He died, It's because he lived! It's because He loves you. Its because he knows you, he wants you. He saved you and you are his! So be his. Be his child. Be obedient and faithful. Be fearless. Be brave. Stand up for truth and what is right. Live in his light and his protection. Let him guide you and you will make it safely back to His arms. 

 

I am a disciple of Christ and I am forever changed. You wouldn't see the same person come home, because this is it and it's because of him. 

 He Lives!

 Hermana Ellison 

 

 

Click here and watch for 2 minutes!  Great stuff!!

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/because-of-him?lang=eng

 

 Big Spider from last Weeks Blog

Reunited with Sisters.

 

  

WEEK 52 - The One with the Spider!

This weeks email is going to be a little short. But I still love you.

The first thing that is really the most important, is our temple trip. I said in my last email that I want to go on a family temple trip when I get back. So I hope we are all preparing! Ways to prepare:

 1. Visit with the bishop and make sure you have and are worthy to hold a temple recommend.

 2. Start to prepare spiritually. Have personal study EVERY DAY! Personal study time, especially in the MORNING is crucial to lives! We need to dedicate personal quite time to listen to the spirit and to invite revelation into our lives. So get up early and talk with the Lord. (don't forget to start and end with a prayer)

 3. Start to do your family history! Family history is salvation! Let's take our ancestors names to the temple and do their work! How cool would that be.

 4. Remember who you are. The world always looks inviting but Satan doesn't stay with his children, and the Lord will be with us in the end. Follow Him!

 

I love you all very much.  Remember to do these things and you will be blessed!  Remember to stay positive and grateful! I come home in April so lets get prepared. And more than that; The Christ comes soon as well so let's really get prepared.

 

This week we had a zone conference about personal study that touched me so much and the next day I woke up with so much happiness and energy, I started my exercise like never before! Truly I really worked out!! I got myself ready and clean and I was ready to change my life with the personal study and revelation that I was going to receive. I got down on my knees, prayed and felt the heavens open. I sat down and started to read the scriptures and I really felt so much power in his words to the point that of course I needed to write down my feelings so I went to grab my purse that had my notebook in it and as I moved my bag, out came the biggest spider I have ever seen in my entire life! I thought it was a rat. As I screamed my companion and I thought it was best to get rid of it quickly, as we two frighten sisters tried to get it to go outside it jumped and with fear we kicked it out the door. To our surprise even more, we had scared the poor spider and so it started to release its eggs in our house! Then of course we had to water down the floor. When it was all said and done we sat down to study and that's right, thirty minutes had passed away and this spider had taken away our time. We learned a valuable lesson that Satan will always be there distracting us, trying to keep us from receiving revelation and talking with our God. But we can't let him win.  He is strong but we our stronger. Don't worry we had a great full personal study the next day. Don't let him get you down guys!

 

Pictures of the spider to come.

 

Hermana Ellison

WEEK 51 - The One with the Keepers of Faith

   So many things happen everyday and I want to tell you them all, but every moment that I sit down at the computer to tell you, I forget... hehe. This week we have been so busy. It seems like every second we are doing his work and the Lord is putting us in the exact spot and in the exact time just to tell one of his children he loves them. I realized that so much this week that the Lord really loves his children and if we are worthy and listen to the spirit we can be the means by helping those that need help.  We can be the hands of the Lord and help him answer the prayers of his children.

  For example two weeks ago we went to visit an old investigator and well she wasn't home and we could have just left right there but we stayed for a second and talked to her mom and asked her how her sick mother in law was doing. She said she was resting and not doing very well. So I asked her if she wouldn't mind if we sang to her. She said of course. We entered her room and the spirit was so strong and so quiet. I flipped through my hymn book and had no idea what to sing, and then it hit me, "All is well".  As I got to the last verse of this song, the spirit hit me so strong. The grandma had fallen asleep and we decided to kneel down by her bed side and offer a prayer. About four days later we saw the granddaughter (our old investigator) walking in the street. She came up to me and said "hermana, I have to tell that a few days ago my grandma past away. My mother said you guys went and sang to her... she paused and said, could you visit me tomorrow?" The Lord put us in the path of this family to teach them the Plan of Salvation to help them in his time, to let them know their family can be eternal and most of all to let them he loves them and he is always with them. As he is always with us.

 We had so many tender mercies this week. I really like the Lord pushing me long and guiding me to his children that need him.

 Remember to always share the gospel, its the only thing that will matter in the end. Don't be afraid, He is with you and its never to late.

"At some moment in the world to come, everyone you will ever have met will know what you know now. They will know that the only way to live forever in association with our families and in the presence of our Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ, was to choose to enter into the gate by baptism at the hands of those with authority from God. They will know that the only way that families can be together forever is to accept and keep sacred covenants offered in the temples of God on this earth. And they will know... That you knew. And they will remember whether you offered them what someone had offered you."

       -Henry B. Erying

To all who read my blog... I know this church is true. I know these are the ultimate days and that we are the last generation. We are the youth that sang and danced at every new temple, we are the youth that accepted the call at the change of the missionary age and we are the youth that will need to raise and protect our children more then ever.

  We must be "true to the faith that our fathers have cherished, true to the truth for which matters have perished, we must be keepers of his light."

Hermana Ellison 

WEEK 50 - The One with Fasting and Humility

Hey! 

I'm doing great, another cambio! And I'm loving it. My companion is so amazing and I;m learning so much from her. Her name is Hermana Hincapie (which in English means emphasis hehe) and she is from Colombia! Another Colombiana. She is such a wonderful missionary and we are so excited to service our sisters here in this zone. Its her first time being sister training leader so its fun to show her the ropes and come up with new ideas together for the sisters. 

I'm still in the same area and the same zone.  La zona la vina is the best zone in the entire world. We are going to see so many miracles this transfer. We have a theme of fasting as a zone this transfer and as Hermana's we are going to work on our humility, because fasting and prayer brings humility which brings faith, which brings miracles. 

  To start off our transfer my companion and I fasted together to get our investigators to church and to start the transfer off with miracles,... and yep you guessed it, none of them came to church. But we had faith, we knew we were obedient and that there was still so much time to see miracles, and they came! We found two new menos acvitos, had amazing lessons with them, and their families aren't members and are ready to hear the gospel. We know that if we do all we can we will have the blessings of the Lord and we wouldn't be able to stop his work in our area.

  It finally happened! I got bit by a dog! Now I'm in the club. but don't worry I'm doing all good. Little sucker got me in the knee.

  Anyways; remember to keep sharing the gospel with all you meet. I love this work so much. I love you guys and I know the church is true.

  I  have a dream that when I get back we are going to have a family temple day, I think even Livy can go in and do baptisms! so I love you all so much and lets get ready for that day. Its coming quickly, cant wait to see you all in the temple :)

 

Hermana Ellison

WEEK 49 - The One with Hodge Podge

Its an amazing thing to watch less actives and recent converts stand in the Sacrament meeting and be sustained by the Ward to a calling and new Priesthood holder. My heart was so full this Sunday as I watched a less active member stand and be sustained to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, I was filled with joy to see his newly converted wife and son sitting next to him as I thought of the many blessing that their little family will now receive with this worthy priesthood holder. I thought much of the worthy priesthood holder in my house, my dad :) I am so grateful for you! thank you for baptizing me! thank you for confirming me a member of the church! Thank you for giving me a fathers blessing every first day of school and blessing our whole family. My mother gave me birth and my dad baptized me, letting me be born again. How wonderful!! Thank you my wonderful parents!

  This week my companion and I went to Santa Cruz for a leadership meeting, and that's right, you guessed it,  my backpack with all my things... got stolen. I can live with out my favorite Patagonia backpack or my makeup or a few clothing items, but did they really have to steal my journal??.... yes they did. I can lie and say I wasn't devastated to the point of wanting to wear black to show morning and a good 24 hour fast, but I trust the Lord and hope that it will one day get back to me so I can have the most life changing experience every. 

  Better news: Remember Sandra and Elizabeth! Their brother got baptized and guess who baptized him, our Mission President! That's right I was so overwhelmed these were my words to the President:

 "Presidente, I have more, lo siento.
I heard that one of your best friends that was baptized was Alcides Mariscal. I can still remember the first lesson we had with him and his sisters. I know I didn't do much but they are one of my best friends too.  I can't believe how far they have come and where they are going. That family means everything to me and I want to thank you for doing that ordination for him. Its hard not to be there with them and miss these moments but I know I'm where I'm supposed to be, thank you for sharing that he was baptized, I prayed so hard that the next sisters that came to that area would take care of them and I would be able to plant maybe one or two seeds for them to have some success. I'm more and more convinced of the strings we have together as brothers and sisters and how well we knew each other before this life. I know that one day the whole world will be converted, I'm sure of it. Thank you again for baptizing him. What an honor to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord and help people like the Familia Mariscal."

  We learned so much about family history this week its been amazing and sad that I lost my journal at the same time. But that's okay. We had to print out our family tree and it was so cool to print it out and see names that grandma Astrid and I found together! I was so filled with the spirit to look at their names! Family history is going to change that world!!! Don't forget about it. Family History work is our salvation and the salvation of our ancestors. And if your the first member in your family (Sheryl) You have a lot of work to do!

  I have been thinking a lot about Lot this week and his story. How the Lord told him and his family to leave the city, running from destruction and what did he say to them, "Look not behind thee" Genesis 19: 17 and what did his wife do?.. for some reason she looked behind her and so she turned to a pillar of salt!! So remember to keep going forward, don't look to the past, we can always change and be someone new. We have a Savior and he loves us so look not behind you. (Genesis 19) (mormon mesaje: Look not behind thee)

 

Hermana Ellison

 

Family Tree

A Great Family