Filling bags of potato chips with salt

Dont worry, the title of this weeks email will make sense soon, but Im not going to start there. This letter will be mostly spiritual things, for those are the words that have come to me this week. The pictures however will show the other side of the story. (also, I think Im going to do the list of things that happened again. that is an easy way to organize my thought).

First off: SHARON IS FINALLY GETTING BAPTISED!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness that girl has had so much opposition come at her. She alone is the reason for my wrench shop analogy a couple weeks back. After she gets baptised, I will tell her whole story, but for now Im just stoked that her mom finally agreed and might in fact follow her with the rest of their family in the coming future.

 

Next: Thank you so much to Mom, the Winters, and The View Point Scouts for the letters I received this week! They made my day! Yall are amazing

 

third thing Ive been thinking about: so Elder Pope left during changes, leaving us with a new roommate named Elder Sircable from Texas. The guy is super amazing and cool. I have had some super spiritual discussions with that guy that have caused me to think a lot. One quote he gave me that I found kind of cool was "When you pray before you do something, you are consecrating the proceeding actions to the lord. This means if you concentrate on it and work hard at it, well the lords attention is on you and he will help you." Fascinating huh?

 

4= okay, this is where I get to the title. This is something Brandon Blake will understand from his cooking. I have come up with an analogy between potato chips, salt, and our spiritual progression. The number of potato chips is how much our testimony and faith have grown/are growing. The salt is spiritual knowledge/doctrine that we come to know/receive. If you try feeding someone too much salt at once on their potato chip, It will taste unnatural and will be confusing if not overwhelming to where their testimony is at. I tried to explain intelligences to a guy this week who we had never taught before and explain that God doesn't create our personalities. He was really confused. Well its just some things you learn.

 

fifth is that people have the ability to change. If we try to take the standpoint of Javert from Le Mis, we are denying the power of the atonement. Now that sounds pretty intense, but its true. The hard part is erasing our impression of that person and seeing them solely as the changed person God sees them as.

 

Here is something fascinating Elder Bernett told me this week. Elder Bernett is the elderly missionary (as in he is a couple missionary with his wife and is in his 60s or 70s). We were discussing testimonies and he voiced a story that he had had and its analysis (the guys a genius). A while back, he had been talking with a lady about the gospel, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, etc. The following day, the Lady returned and told him that She wanted to be baptised. When she was in high school, a friend had also told her all the same things about Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, etc. She had felt the spirit, had recognized the good peace that comes. However, afterward, she had never felt that way until Elder Bernett had shared his testimony. In that moment, the testimony of her friend was brought back, and she recognized the feeling again. Moral of the story is that the Spirit can bring all things to your remembrance. EVERY time you share your testimony, that testimony WILL be remembered at the right moment; In this life or in the next. Bear your testimony often. Thank you to those who have emailed me with stories of doing so:)

 

I have also had a cool experience of where I have been thinking of the same ideas as Elder Mendenhall for our investigators (always when he asks me what I think we can do). Every time so far It has been a great idea that he has already put into action. He told me that Im learning to follow the spirit more. I havent felt that as much, but it was a really cool experience.

 

Finally, Elder Solano had a dream The other night. In it he was in some part of his mission in Uruguay that he didnt know when he saw the savior approach him. Christ told him "Elder Solano. Work hard. My hour is coming quickly." He awoke in a sweat, filled with the spirit. I just got shivers telling that story. It is so true. 

 

The work is hastening. 

 

I love you guys a ton!

La Iglesea es verdad,

Elder Eliason

pìchis (pronounced Peachys) are the gangsta guys you see on the streets here. I call this picture either Da Pìchi Nephite or Nephite from da hood

​I love Elder Salono and Elder Mendenhall. We thought this was pretty great

So any person at Physical Therapy is probably rolling their eyes saying I didnt learn my lesson when Chris dared me to. They would be right. These were pretty hot

​Elder Sircable eating his pepper. That was a fun night.