WEEK 25 - The One with Sandra

The Change of all Changes happened and nothing changed for me... No transfers for my companion and I.  I'm still here in San Pedro finishing the training of Hermana Viera. That means the change is in our hearts and the way we work. We have high goals this week and we are working really hard to accomplish them. Our zone leaders weren't to crazy about our high goal to baptize people this transfer, but I rallied up the rest of the zone and we all fasted together to find families. Sandra was finally baptized! She was my first lesson in the mission and she is now a member of this church. She even bore her testimony the next day in sacrament meeting, she is a true convert, its been a blessing to watch her grow and learn, I truly feel like she is my sister and I promised to teach her about the gospel here on earth.

     Lots of photos....so enjoy!

Mormon 9:21 my scripture for this cambio.

    Hermana Ellison

WEEK 24 - The One with the Seventy

Not much to say! Everything is great! Elder Grow one of the Seventy came to speak with us! it was amazing, I want to just soak up every word he has to say.  He called a few random people in for interviews and I prayed so hard to have one! but I didn't get one... I was very said.  But he knows my name! He says He knows Ellison's in Idaho? Mark Ellison, ring any bells?  During the conference I stood up to say something and he was like okay and know well hear from Hermana Ellison and then later in the conference he was like, "like hermana Ellison shard".  Yeah that's right the only name he every quoted or said, and he shook my hand with such intent, so great!!

      This week I had some really amazing personal study time. I was studying Doctrine and Covenants 52:16 ...that's right I spent a whole hour studying one verse, I don't know if that's allowed. But it was so beautiful, it says our spirits need to be contrite and our language edifyth  and I just was so captured by that word, edify. Edification, to edify, enlighten and uplift others. How beautiful. I truly want everything about me to edify others and myself. I was thinking a lot about my actions and my words and I want to master my language, mannerisms, and total way of being. I want to refine and edify everything about me. I want my words only to be sweet, gentle and uplifting, never rushed or with haste, my actions to be kind, powerful and sincere, never with un-thoughtfulness.

 
        I'm so grateful for this opportunity I have to learn. I want to learn everything! I know that's out there, but the mission is so short, life is so short, I want to master everything that I can. I was reading my patriarchal blessing and it was talking about my example and the qualities that I have that help others, and I was so disappointed in myself! God gave me these amazing qualities and I don't use them. I'm not taking them and making them better. So I wrote down every quality he described in me and I studied them, and I'm going to continue studying them for the rest of my life.  I have to do everything for him. The lord is my everything. I'm so grateful that you work completely under the influence of the spirit to guide this mission. I'm so grateful to know with surety that everything that happens is because its the will of the Lord. I will do, the things the Lord commands, because I know if God had commanded me to do all things, I can do them.

  President says this cambio (change) is the cambio of all cambios, its going to change everything. Whatever that means. I'm excited!

   Hermana Ellison

Week 23 - The one with No Blog

Well...we heard from Hermana Elise today via email, but I guess the hour of internet time got away from her and we did not receive an email to post on her Blog.  We have learned that one hour of internet time is not a lot of time to get all her stuff done.  She reads all emails from family and friends, she responds to us in live chat mode and she also has to write to her Mission President of how her week went.  She always seems a little overwhelmed so she never gets to all of our Parental questions, but for the most part she does a good job.

Her mold issue has not been taken care of.  She sleeps on the floor out of her bedroom so that she is not close to the mold.  It is wet in Bolivia most of the time and extremely hot and humid so nothing dries fast.  She requested a quick drying towel, so we purchased one from REI and are sending this week.  We have also had to send her more shoes as the ones she has are wearing quickly...again due to the wet and mud.

We have realized that after 5 1/2 month in the mission field that Elise has truly made a difference in the people of Bolivia's lives.  She is committed and love the people.  She never complains and even when she tells us about these that she would need, she often says; don't worry about though as she is just fine.  She has caused our family back home to be blessed more than we can say.

We love her and miss her, but know she is where the Lord needs her to be.  We ask you to pray for her safety, her health and most of all, to keep sharing the Gospel to people that will listen to her.

She loves hearing from her friends and family back home.  Thank you all for the support.

Dad of Hermana Ellison

Week 22 - The One with the Carnival

I haven't been able to write in two weeks so this might be crazy and terrible! But wow thanks for all the birthday wishes! My birthday was spent inside the house. It was the first day of carnival! and Carnival is something crazy! its just a giant paint/ water fight outside. Its like call of duty but real life. People camp in spots or on top of roofs and when you walk by they just nail you with water guns and paint and the kids wear helmets and walk around with water guns, its supper funny. WE live right by the church so all the kids that were playing by the church were throwing water at the kids in the street, so my companions and I decided to fill up some water balloons and attack from above. So we waited for the perfect moment when all the kids were in the perfect spot and we attacked!! It was pretty funny till all the kids realized it was the missionaries and took all their balloons and attacked us! They soaked our apartment. The members took good care of me. They brought me a mountain of soda, saltanas, empanadas, and bon bons, and cake and flan! It was all well.

   My new companion finally arrived! She is from Honduras! and she is just like her mom. She wants to learn and do everything and man does she have faith.  I know how hard it is to have everything be so new and this person just telling you what to do.  She is such a great example of learning.  Every time I help her learn something she always changes right away and is just so amazing.  We had some difficulties getting to bed on time; so I explained the sacredness of our schedule and then the next night she was on her knees praying at 10:28 while I was still brushing teeth! Training is changing my life.  I was so nervous that first day but we went out and I prayed that the spirit would guide me and well...did He ever.  We had so much success and so many miracles.  I did so many things I didn't know I could do.  I lead lessons and people understood me...what a miracle.  We have so many amazing new investigators and new dates and less actives. I feel the Holy spirit working through me.  The other day I wanted my companion to make a decision so I told her our two options of two families we needed to visit.  I said take a deep breath and listen to the spirit.  She choose one family and walked to her house.  The only person there was the mother so we began to talk about what she liked...she loves music, so I lead her to the LDS webpage and put on church music and the entire environment changed.  She opened up to us and told us she was a member!  We talked with her and  she said, honestly I feel like Christ is in the middle sitting with us right now.  I said Hermana...He is and can be here forever.  We bore testimony of this church and are excited to work with the miracle. 

 

I'm in love with this work!!  I ask everyone to be baptized, on the door, in the street and it's amazing, hilarious and my favorite thing.  We just talk to everyone and I'm amazed.  Our work here is incredible.  I really feel like I'm doing the Lords will.  What a blessing.  I know that my Redeemer Lives!

 

Hermana Ellison

 

 

 

WEEK 21 - The One with NO EMAIL

Hi everyone!

Elise turned 21 yesterday and we thought about her a lot!

Last week she told us that Bolivia was having their Festival and it lasts several days and is pretty much not a good place to be; so all the missionaries in this and surrounding areas had to be homebound for the 3 to 5 days.   So she missed her Monday Email and Blog post.

I hope you are enjoying the blog as much as we are.  We love getting her posts and emailing her on Monday morning is our favorite thing. 

We are hoping that her Mold issue got taken care of and her health returns to 100%.  Please pray for her.

We love her dearly and are proud of her daily.

Ryan Ellison

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