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

 

 

 

WEEK 48 - The One with the Hymn Book

   This week two amazing families that we have been working with for as long as I have been here, finally were rescued! They are so amazing and I truly love them so much. One of the families were sealed in the temple a while back, but last touch with the church when work and life got to much. It was amazing to see them remember their covenants that they made with the Lord and have a desire to return and honor them. The other family, their Father was less active and the mother was one of our (the lords) recent converts! She is so amazing and the father will be receiving the priesthood soon and they have plans to be sealed in the temple this next year.

   Its been such an amazing transfer to see the truth and purity of the temple and the truth of the Plan of Salvation. We can be eternal! We can live with our families after this life, but its only through obedience and convents that we make in the Restored Church of Jesus Christ.

  We are really Set apart to deal with the problems and sins of the world. Not to take care of sins and problems (only the bishop can do that), but to listen to them, to help them find peace and to guide them to their Savior through living the commandments of the Lord. And its amazing but sometimes I forget how much the Lord is working through me! Because there is no way that little old normal Elise could do what I'm doing. Only the Lord is capable of this work. And I realized that so strongly last night. Yesterday as I arrived to church I realized I didn't have my hymn book, I thought; well okay I forgot it in the house. So we went through the day lifting hands, helping feet walk a little more, searching for the eyes that need a little light and looking for those souls that hunger for the gospel.  After a long day of miracles but weighted, difficult work we arrived home and I immediately looked for my hymn book, but I couldn't find it anywhere! I was depressed... (we all know my love for music and my hymn book is one of my most prized possessions).  So we planned and afterwards it was my turn to finish with a prayer. So we got on our knees, we prayed and at the end I asked the Lord to help me find my hymn book and I just started crying! I asked him to bless the person that found it that they would take care of it and it would return back to me. With tears in my eyes I finished the prayer and embarrassed to get up I stayed their for a moment. As I stood up my poor companion who thinks I'm crazy yelled; I found it! She lifted up the hymn book with a smile! It had fallen under one of the chairs by the wall. To rejoice we sang "count your many blessings" and I realized that maybe it wasn't the hymn book that made me cry but that we always try to be so strong, we try not to let the weight and trials of the world get to us, but they do.  We carry them to and I think  the Lord needed a moment to show me his hand in this work. The hymn book was something that was mine something that I could cry about. The lord really is the worker here, He is everything. He carries these people and there is no way I could do this without him. I am his instrument, and I love it! I love Him and I love his work, it is perfect and this church is true. The lord cry's unto the father for his lost sheep like I cried for my hymn book and asks that the people that find them (us) take care of them and return them to him through baptism and the ordinances of the church.

Hermana Ellison