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

 

WEEK 16 - The One with The Clinic

      This week I spent most of my time in the hospital! That's right my companion was very sick. We were in the clinic for four days. The first two days they didn't have any room for us so we started in the emergency room. and I'm not sure I can describe the emergency room here in Bolivia to you.  Anyways my companion had an infection and I stayed by her side the whole time trying to do everything for her. I sang to her, read to her, helped her when she needed to get up, lay back down, you name it I did it. And The whole time I was trying to figure out why are we here; what do I need to learn from this. I had no problem at all taking care of her, but I wanted to learn something, I'm just wanting to learn something. and what I came to the conclusion of was sometimes there isn't a big lesson to learn, sometimes we just have to be apart of life.  Sometimes we just have to take care of someone, have to help, love them, and just do it. You just have to sleep in a chair with cockroaches falling from the ceiling, and people coughing up lungs and just be okay. Just live, just be here. 

    My companion is doing much better and we are happy to be out of the clinic. I have such a fire to get back to this work, I look at my ward and know there is so much to be done, but more importantly I look at my companion as well and know that she is my investigator too. This cambio has really been hard.  My companion has had a lot of problems and we've been trying to work through them. Everyday we grow a little more and I know that I am here for her. 

    But on another note the clinic truly was fun and best of all the Lord always blesses us right when we need it. As I was sitting there in the emergency room something marvelous happened, I looked up for one second and what did I see... that's right Monica and Rachel from Friends on the TV next to us. I had no desire to watch TV, I promise but, this was just the thing I needed. I think its the first time I've been close to crying on my mission. ha! It was the scene where Ross moves in with Joey and Chandler and Ross does the hand signal for them to be quiet... ya you know the one.   This was the short scene I saw and it was perfect I just needed there voices and faces haha... oh the Lord knows me so well. I love this work with all my heart and I grow everyday. 

    I want to be the best person I can be, I will do everything for the Lord, I will refine myself till I am what I always needed and was supposed to be. I am a daughter of God and I will not stand in front of the Savior at the last day and allow him to ask me, "why did you give up, why did you give in?" 

 

Thus we prepare all the days of our lives and as we grow, death loses its sting, Hell loses its power, and we look forward to that day with anticipation of joy when He will come in his glory. Elder Bushe

 

    Hermana Ellison 

WEEK 15 - The One With the Micro!

This week I went to the Ramada! Its a crazy place, they sell everything there, and there are so many people. Everything is in these green tents and you walk through the middle of them and I kinda feel like I was in a James bond movie when he's running through some kind of third world market, ya know? It's crammed and exciting. They have these little clothes huts and a lady stands on a table and you hold something up and she tells you how much it is and its all so fast.. haha and they have so much food, I wanted to try it but I knew I would get sick.  I almost got hit but a micro! literraly so close.  I though I was hit and I accideintly said something bad I need to repent. My companion hit me on the head haha and said I wasn't allowed to cross the street anymore.

 

The work is hard but its great. Im fasting today so I studied the importance of fasting and wow, its the greatest thing ever! If we really studied the scriptures, if we look at the lives of all these ancients heros fasting and prayer is the key to everything.  Our soul, who we are, are spirit does not hunger, only our natural man, our body hungers and when we fast we give our soul the chance to overcome our body.  Fasting and Obedience break the bands of the natural man. What an amazing thing. Read Isaiah 58. Let the body hungry and let your spirit overcome.

Hermana Ellison

 

some pics of my day at the market;

 

 

Week 14 - The One With All the Breakups.

This cambio has been crazy! I have to show my companion around and introduce her to everyone so i have to use a lot more Spanish but it is great! my companion is from Peru and has so much love. It is her last month on the mission so its two very different perspectives! She has been having a hard time dealing with the thought of leaving, but i try my best to uplift her. It seems I'm always giving her pep talks and making her breakfast and trying to make this cambio as fun as possible for her. We laugh a lot, and she laughs a lot at my Spanish. The other day i read a scripture in English and she said, wow its really beautiful to hear you speak English, you sound intelligent. hahahaha Wow thanks! but the Spanish is coming. Sometimes in the mornings when i am tired i forget they don't speak English and accidentally speak to them in English.  Their faces get really funny. Its fun though because sometimes if they get frustrated with my Spanish I just speak in English to them. And i have this fun song i sing in English and its just all my thoughts and no one even knows. its a hoot. My companion is very touchy and lovey and well that's never been one of my strong suits. so it was hard for us in the beginning, but she loves when I sing to her in English, so i always sing Lead, Kindly Light in the streets to her.

The work is hard here, missionary work is like dating. I remember the first time an investigator called and broke up with us. He called and said I'm sorry i wasted your time i can't do this anymore, and then hung up. And the other day we went to an investigators house and she told us she couldn't take the lessons anymore because her husband wouldn't allow her to (symbolizing another man) and well every Sunday we get stood up at church. But my all time favorite is when they send there kid to the door to tell us they are gone or sleeping. And we say did they tell you they were sleeping or are they asleep, and without fail they say they told me. haha. But we knock and we knock and we share the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone we meet. I have so much love for these people. Its hard for me when they close the door on the words of the Lord. Your salvation is knocking. But I'd knock forever, get made fun of, yelled at and ignored every day of my life for the lord. This work truly is amazing and honestly really fun.

With all my love,

Hermana Ellison

sweet girl 

They feed us so much food!