WEEK 20 - The One with the Letter

      This Week Started off with probably the greatest thing ever. I got a package from my parents and in it was a letter that I had written myself from the bottom of a crater in St. Kits, about a year ago now and I just about cried. I opened it and I didn't realize how perfect my own words would be at this very moment and I realized how much cooler I was.... maybe not cooler cause now I'm a missionary. But I was so calm, peaceful and just grateful. I am here to, don't get me wrong, but lately I've just been so focused and trying to find miracles and those that are ready; that I forgot who I was a little bit, I forgot to be grateful for the air, my lungs, my life. I forgot that everything is a miracle from God. I had been so sick and I woke up one night crying because of a dream that I had. I dreamed that My dad was with me and he was behind me hugging me about to give me a blessing and I was just crying because I was in his arms and then he lifted both his hands and placed them on my head for a blessing, but there was still one arm wraped around me that I was clinging to.  And then I realized that it was the arm of My Savior and I dont think I've ever hugged anything so tight. I remembered that I am in the arms of the Savior and that I am safe.  My health is getting better, ( thanks to the inhaler I have) and I am myself and my missionary self combined. I'm my best self right now. I'd like to share my letter with you, because as of right now I read it everday and it's my everything.

  "Hows the mission? Are you loving Bolivia? Im sitting here in the Bottom of a Volcano just enjoying the sounds. The view from the top was incredible. The hike down was narly! you loved it. I can't believe how beautiful the world is, especially the ocean. At night, at sunset. I have seen some of the most amazing things in my entire life here. I think about Bolivia everyday. I'm so excited to be a missionary, and when I get this I will be. Life is so beautiful. I can't believe it, I am so humbled at the life I have been given. I am blessed beyond measure. I can't believe the things I have done and seen, God is great!!   He is always there and he always answers my prayers. I feel his love and protection everywhere I go.  I'm filled with the spirit at this very moment. I'm sure the mission is hard and you might be strugglying right now but Heavenly Father loves you.   He showed you dolphins yesterday! What a blessing. And Jesus Christ is right beside you. Don't do anything without them.   Always be a humble mouth piece. The best things come from the spirit.  Push through the hardship. Don't you quite, you keep going. There are people that need you. Love these Bolivians with all your heart. The gospel is true, the scriptures are real accounts and Christ is all that matters. Love yourself because God made you. You are beautiful, you are right where you need to be. Look into everyones eyes like you would to skipper Harrys (pre missionary Hna. Ellison) The world is good. Remeber your family and the people you have met. Keep gratitude in your heart. Pray harder.

2 Cor. 12: 9-10,

Love, Elise Ellison"

Some photos I liked

 100 yr old women

WEEK 19 - The One with the MOLD

Week 19 - The One with the Mold

       This week I'm apparently supposed to be training! but my companion didn't come yet because she is having troubles with her visa so at the moment I am in a trio with Hermana Sarat and Hermana Villanueva.  We have had a lot of work to do between our two areas. Running around all over, preaching the gospel. We are trying to find a balance between the two areas and work effectively and diligently. Every week I learn something new and have a new desire to be better something in myself and the way I work.  The Ward San Pedro is amazing and the people are great, but we have had some moments here and there of gossip and what not, but who doesn't. I've realized that missionary work starts in the Ward.  I'm working hard for the Ward to know that a Ward is a family and we need to work together. We are working on humility, love and friendship. As for me I'm working on well everything. The members are always watching and as a missionary its not enough to just be on your best behavior, you have to be above and beyond your best behavior. I am an disciple of Christ and I need to show it, I need to let the light of Christ shine so strongly from my presence that the members know that my words are not my own and they can have confidence in the missionaries. I've learned if you think someone needs to be more humble, you need to be more humble, if you want someone to have more love, you need to love them more. If you want someone to work harder, you need to work harder. It doesn't matter what other people do or say, I have to be my best and always give love, always give everything. Always "ask what more I can do?"

     Last week I went to the Centro for P day and I just love it there. There was this man in the park that takes pictures with this camera that is 104 years old.  He was just so cool, I'll send pictures of him if this computer will let me and there is this place that has literally the most amazing fruit drink I have ever had in my entire life. This is a serious statement. I have a picture of that as well. As for me the work is a lot of work, but really amazing.

 

The mold is fresh and in my throat for 4 weeks now, but the empanadas and saltanas are good so all is well.   (she told us that she has gone to the clinic twice for her cough and she thinks it is because of the mold in her room.   They were going to work on cleaning it today and may have to move.  She asked us to pray for her and her apartment to get that issue fixed)

   Love Hermana Ellison

Cool man with 104 year old camera

 my photos he took

 

 Favorite Drink

 sweet Bolivian familia

Week 18 - The one with the Fall

We started off the week with an intercambio with our sister trainer leader hermana Faulk. She came to San Pedro with me and Hermana Ramos joined her companeria. During this crazy cambio at the end of the day we received a call that Hermana Ramos fell and was bleeding a lot so she needed to go to the clinic! I was worried for my companion and the poor companion of hermana Faulk who only had 2 months in the mission field. The next day hermana Ramos walked in, I saw her badly hurt face and she said, "I can't go out in the sun." I laughed and thought; well there is something that heavenly father wants me to learn and it isn't outside. I think I've spent more time in the clinic or in the house then outside. I've realized that Hermana Ramos is ever important to the Lord and I take great heed to the counsel of Jefferey R Holland when he says "you better come home with at least one convert and it better be yourself." I will do anything and everything for hermana Ramos to be converted for the rest of her life. She is so important to me and is my greatest investigator right now. We still have our problems and she is still working on things but I'm trying to handle as Christ would. There was one moment when Hermana Ramos had some hard feelings and said some things that she didn't mean, its the first time I've ever cried on my mission. My mind had all these things to say all these things to prove that she was wrong and the things that she said were not okay but instead I looked into her eyes and prayed with the all energy of my heart, and so I apologized for her difficulties, apologized if I wasn't doing enough for her and told her that I am here to wash her feet, I will do everything to help you. I've never felt more stretched or closer to Christ. 

      

       During the week while my companion needed to rest I took the time to read the Book of Mormon in Spanish to improve my Spanish, (i still have that dream that i'll read it all and know the language perfect like in "half way to heaven"), perfected the area book, and went through all the members and menos activos and played noche de hogars and for people to accompany us.  We have found lots of new miracles and had a miracle with Sandra, she had a reflection and she finally came back to church and we plan to make a fecha again for her tomorrow. We are still door knocking missionaries but we are trying to strengthen the Ward to help us. If you don't have a strong Ward you don't have a comfortable place for the investigators to come to. There are still days when everything falls through and no one does anything ha, but I just absolutely love it! I'm in love with talking and teaching the gospel. Yesterday everything fell through and we only had one lesson at 8 in the night and well it was amazing. We came in and this house needed the spirit. It was my favorite family the familia mendoza and they were all sick and feeling really evil spirits in there home. (Two things extremely common in Bolivia, sickness and evil spirits). We taught a lesson on the priesthood and blessings and set a baptismal goal, he humbly accepted and thanked us for our lesson and said it was exactly what he had needed. Even when everything falls through, there is hope. 

    

   Hermana Ellison

Companions

cooling down  

WEEK 17 - The One with MY Testimony

A lot of work this week. A lot of miracles and a lot of trials. But everyday is a blessing! I'm so grateful to be apart of these peoples lives and apart of their journey back home. The ward is small and not very active.  We are trying to really strengthen the ward so it can be a good environment for new investigators to come into. We had a 14yr old boy come to church with us; we knocked on his door and asked him to come and he was like; yeah sure so he came and he totally said "amen" after all the testimonies and sang the hymns! and it was just great. We had such an amazing lesson about the priesthood and he really liked it! We are looking forward to meeting his family and talking to them as well. We found a woman named Eva and she is such a light... she is just like this sponge.  Her husband passed away and wow the Plan of Salvation touched her to the very core and she accepted the invitation to be baptized. It was such a spiritual experience. She is amazing.

    I would like share something with you. My testimony. Simple yes but, its different here. I am set apart from the world and protected by the Lord here, I am wrapped so tightly in his arms. Yes bad things can happen to me but only if I allow it, only if I myself leave the arms of the Savior; leave the scriptures, sleep longer than needful, let my mind wander, but when I am exactly obedient I am safe. Obedience is the key to life, to happiness. Exact obedience brings miracles and breaks the bonds of the natural man! It makes us who we are supposed to be! It saves us from temptation, sorrow, pain and addiction. It is the way of the Lord.

      I know with every fiber of my being that this church is true. This is the only way. and the only way to know is through Jesus Christ.  You have to get to know him, read his words. You can read every book in the world, learn everything there is to know and say with the knowledge of man that there is no God, But to know God takes more than that. Takes actually love, takes courage and strength.   I Was reading in 1st Nephi and Nephi is describing the dark mist in the vision of the tree of life, the dark mist is temptation, sin, evil and well its real. It's all of the world.  It will always be there trying to blind us but Christ is our light, let him guide your feet, don't be afraid of the truth. It will only set you free. So just do it. Just make good decisions, give up your addictions and just be a good person. Because worldly things don't matter. Happiness is centered in Jesus Christ. The things your confused about, just stop it , don't do it. You know what is right and what is wrong. We can tell be the fruits. I don't know why I'm writing this but we just need to be better every day. Be different then you were the last. Don't be afraid and just do it, just live like the Lord wants you to, just have faith and keep going. Don't you ever quite, don't you ever give up, wake up everyday and be grateful. This is the way of the Lord, This is the way to Eternal life.

Hermana Ellison

 

Cake Baking

Important Phone call??

Elise & Companion

Companion, Sister Ramos last day