APOSTLES ARE SO AMAZING!!!!!!!

Man It's been a good week. I dont have much time, so Im going to skip to the best things that happened

Guess what?!?!?!?!?!

WE MET ELDER DAVID A BEDNAR THIS WEEK!!!!!!!

That was the most interesting conference that I have ever been in. Why? Because it wasn't a talk. He gave us 3 talks to read in preparation for the conference. When we got therre (all 400 missionaries in Uruguay), he just stood at the pulpit and asked, "What was somthing you learned from the talks" Then people reaised their hands, people would come to them with microfones and they would talk with the Apostle while he taught amazing doctrine. I Raised my hand a few times, but then felt the answer to my questions. One of the things that Elder Bednar stated was that we dont need an apostle there to ask questions. At one point he asked us, how was it watching the conference in Argentina via technology 3 days before? one Hermana answered by saying that it was the same as now, only now we had the opportunity to ask him questions (he opened it up for Qs and As with the restriction of "please dont ask me questions like ´where is the sword of Laban?' I dont know, and I dont care." That's what surprised me, he was super open and talked profesionally, but with a casual feeling.) He told the Hermana that actually we did have the opportunity to ask questions. To learn we are to Prepare beforhand, interact to eddify (Interact with the spirit learn from IT not the teacher. He challenged us to only write down impretions. Not things he says. If we write down something he says, we will forget it. Haha at one point he said a scritpure then proceeded to say, That's in Doctrine and Covenants. Im not going to tell you where. If I tell you where, you will write it down and never look it up again. Go find it. ), then act! It was amazing

One of the big things he said that I want to get better at is how to qualify for the gift of Discernment. He said Observe the words that arent said.  Listen intently to what is. If you are worthy you will then have the gift of discernment and be filled with words. However you must first open you mouth before it is filled.The Israelites feet were wet before the water parted. However, DO NOT BEAT YOUSELF UP TOO MUCH ABOUT LITTLE THINGS! IT INHIBITS PROGRESS AND DRAGS YOU DOWN. repent quickly and move on.

 It was such a good conference.

Sorry Im out of time: The new area is amazing and my new Canadian is hillarious. Especially because we have already shared 6 weeks together in the CCM! IT's been fun and we are working like crazy. I hope not to break another.

LOVE YALL SO MUCH,

Elder Eliason

OH AND HAPPY LEAP DAY!!!!!!:D

Para Siempre Dios este con Vos (God be with you till we meet again)

Can I just say that I think it's hilarious that there is a hymn that talks in Uruguayan slang. Vos is not normal spanish, but is the gangsta language that exists only in Uruguay and Argentina. This hymn makes me smile.

Anyways, Yes it's true. My 7 and a half month streak here in Piriápolis has come to a close and I am saying my goodbyes. This has been my hardest area to leave due to all the amazing people. Especially Darwin. I love that guy so much.

 

My new area will be this little pueblito up north called LasCano (or something like that), and Ill be heading off to be with another Canadian!:D Elder Burgess, my new comp, is actually someone from my group (he was with me in the ccm), so this should be pretty cool.

This week has been both fast and slow. I dont have a ton of time today, but the best is 2 things

1) our Jewish investigator that Darwin brought to church is totally progressing!!!!!:D It's really fun having charlas with her due to her background.

2) Fernanda and Edwardo are getting married on the 4th of March and she is getting baptised the same day. MAn she is on this huge spiritual high this week. We got there yesterday for a family home evening and she was so excited! I hope I can find a way to come back for the baptism.

Anyways, I love you all soooo much and hope yall have a good week!!!!!

Love,

Elder Eliason

Fernanada y edwardo

                          Family Segura

Evolution of wards = Darwin + Boss leaders + WORK

Im not going to lie. It's been a loooooooooong week. When the doctor says not to go out and work so that you're comp can heal his knee, well you kind of get antsy. I have read sooooooo much Book of Mormon this week, cleaned a bit, called investigators, and invited them to have charlas in our front lawn. 

I have definitely learned a lot about how to work more effectively with the ward. recently we had a missionary and ward leaders training on how to involve the ward more in missionary work. I LOVE THIS TRAINING! I have done it/been there for it 3 times now. pretty much all of Uruguay is trying to change the focus. Missionaries dont baptise, the ward does. This gives a LOT more pressure on the DOM (ward mission leader). pretty much it is his job to set up charlas with members and investigators, call us and tell us that we have a charla such and such day with this person. Wait, you already have a charla for that time? Divisions with members! It's going to take a lot to make this take off, but once it does, Man Uruguay is going to skyrocket. We have received many promises for this plan. this biggest part though is that ward leaders really have to help ward members realize their responsibility and use us as a tool more that a separate organization. Im really excited to help with this:D

On the bright side!!!!!!!!!:D

Darwin is a BOSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!  Im telling you, he is reactivating like no one else. His profession is a privately hired Lawyer. I really look up to him for a lot of reasons. If there is a case in the which his client does something shady or lies, he immediately drops them saying I can't help you. Through this pickiness he has gained the trust and affection of many people. People feel comfortable telling him their problems and really listen to his advice (he cares more about helping them than their money). This week we learned that there is a family that rented out a house, the renter wasn't paying . he went to talk to her on part of the owners and ended up working out a plan with the renter in the which he has helped and will help pay for the rent until the end of the month. that's a very kind and generous thing to do right. give his own money just to help a person organize their life and ask nothing in return. well not only that, but he brought the lady, Elizabeth, to church this week. She is incredible! we had a really cool gospel principles class with her that turned more into a missionary charla. She is Jewish but believes that Christ is the Messiah (not quite sure how that works out, but I like it:D). What was really cool was to see the similarities between the Jewish religion and our own. I mean, at one time the Jewish faith was the correct on on the earth, and although they no longer have the full truth, there are many things that carried on. For example, in the Jewish faith, a Man cannot enter the temple until he is 12 years old. On top of that, they set aside one night each week to be with the family and do activities. (when she said that, our DOM almost started laughing for joy. FAMILY HOME EVENING!!!:D) Yah, we have a charla set up with her for Tuesday.

Darwin also took us to the house of another one of his clients to help teach her. Pretty much he sees how the gospel is the perfect solution to any problem and works it into his answers to people, they get interested because they trust him, talk with us, pray, and receive many many blessings. I love his system. Our goal is to help every member join the vibe!:D

Well we're in Montevideo right now about to go see a doctor. WISH US LUCK!!!! well........ better yet PRAY FOR US!!!!!:D

Love yall so much,

Elder Eliason

Snow Day

Tis a Snow day for multiple reasons:

1) in the movie snow day they say: "love is someone with whom you dont mind spending 10-15 minutes together at a time." I think it's the same for Charity, and saw it as a cool thought.

2) Christmas normally has snow (not here, but ya know what I mean), the entire mission's christmas gifts just arrived, and Tuesday will be our christmas!!!!:D

3) This is the best one of all #christmassmiricle  NICOLAS GOT CONFIRMED THIS PAST SUNDAY!!!!!! 

So with Nicolas, as it turns out, in 2009 when he was originally baptised, he never came back to church, leaving him without being confirmed. However, someone put into the system that he did get confirmed. This left him with a member number and everything, but without the gift of the holy ghost. Well, this time he was really ready to follow though, and (after receiving instruction from President( haha who actually had to call Church Headquarters to see what to do)), we learned it is unnecessary to baptise him again, and Elder Nielsen confirmed him a member this sunday in sacrament meeting!!!:D

SO other than that, this has been a kind of....... interesting week. So we have decided that there should be a rule that those over 6 feet cant ride the bikes. Elder Nielsen's knees are hurting now too. We ditched the bikes about 3 weeks ago, because he noticed it once, and my paranoia from my last two comps caught up to me. however, this past Tuesday we were walking and he noticed that the left was really bothering him. So we called hermana Paul. That was a funny conversation. I have talked so much with her over the phone recently because of my last two comps. The first thing I said to her was "Hey Hermana Paul, don't you miss talking to me?" She laughed and told me yah, and that she was kind of expecting this call when she saw someone so tall coming to Piriápolis.

Well we've rested his knee a lot this week in hopes of making it heal completely so he can just hop back into it. Im pretty sure it will, but yah.

Im out of time but I love ya all,

Elder Eliason

There can be miracles, If we believe

So this has been a really cool week. Thursday was a really cool day, I think Im going to tell yall a bit about it.

So  (backing up a bit) on Tuesday my comp had an intercambio (changes?) with another oro (yep 2 oros (people with less than 3 months in Uruguay) working together in the area). In a lesson with our investigator Nicolas, they invited him to try moroni's promise and pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true. Well in the charla on Thursday, we asked him if he received an answer. Yes he did! and now knows for a fact that the church is true. If all goes well, he will be baptised next Sunday. the only thing is is that a year ago he got baptised, but stopped coming to church (he never really had a testimony before) and never got confirmed. So we'll just see what needs to happen:D Im excited!

 Right after that, we headed over to Gloria's house to see if we could have a charla with her. Upon arriving, we found her looking down with her eyes closed. Upon clapping, she looked up, smiled, and invited us in. After a bit, she told us that she had been a bit down in the dumps and prayed that we or Darwin (the member who now is one of her best friends) would pass by. When she opened her eyes, we were standing there. On top of that, she told us that she finally feels like she is opening up to the gospel and understanding a lot more. She ended up coming to church with Darwin yesterday!!!!!:D

Haha, actually Darwin technically still is a less active member (he's still on and off and is trying to give up smoking), so she made a pact with him, that if he didn't smoke Saturday, she would go to church on Sunday, and that if he would keep not smoking, she would keep coming to church. I hope that she eventually gets a strong testimony of the gospel and goes for the right reasons, but for now....  this is good progress for her:)

So A ton more happened this week (for example, the entire hill next to our house going up in flames (everyone is okay, but it was just a crazy day)), but Im out of time. I LOVE YOU ALL SOOO MUCH!!!!:D

Love,

Elder Eliason  

the rest of the sacred story

Well in the charla on Thursday, we asked him if he received an answer. Yes he did. After he finished praying and reading the other night, he got in his bed to sleep a bit, and had a dream. In this dream, he saw My comp (Elder Neilsen) and me in the form of Angels coming towards him and heard a voice that said "Elder Eliason and Elder Neilsen are the Angels I have sent to bring you the gospel." He has gone forward strong ever since