DIS PLACE IZ ON FIA

Man Im going to miss Elder Burgess. This has by far been the best change I have had in my entire mission. we ended up (in 5 weeks) sitting down and teaching at least one lesson to 43 different people here in this little pueblito. I LOVE THE GOSPEL AND SHARING IT WITH OTHERS! Haha My new comp is named Elder Bean (I hope he likes puns. we eat a lot of beans here), and on the way Elder Burgess took of video of me walking down the street just talking about how amazing lascano is ("DIS PLACE IZ ON FIA" (Fire in gangster form)). He's going to show it to him at the bus terminal in Montevideo and get him stoked.

It's rained a lot this week, but we've pushed through. There were really good days and kind of rough days. Because of easter sunday, Everyone takes the week off of work and goes on vacations. The hardest day was Saturday. We had done a hard leg workout the day before, leaving our legs a bit sore. On top of that, no one was at home and it was drizzling. This lead to waddling around trying to find people to talk to for a long time.

On the flip side though we have had some amazing Charlas! We finally found Aniable again and have begun teaching him a bit more. He wants to get Baptised!!!!! The only opposition is the uncertainty of whether or not he will work on Sunday. He can totally Talk to his boss about not working that day, and I really don't think it will be that big of a problem for him. He just needs to do it. Pray for him please:)

We've had some really good lessons with these two sisters (Jessica and Erica!) we just need to help them come to church! However the branch is going to start up mutual, which I believe will help a ton. haha this past sunday, the Stake President came and visited the Branch. After the meeting one of the hermanas and her son came to me and asked if the stake president was still there. Upon affirming the question and inquiziting as to why they asked, They grinned ear to ear and said, "Mesa de Ping pong" (Ping pong table). Most branches have one here in Uruguay. I joined their cause imidiately and ran with them and my comp to petition the stake president. This next change is going to be sick.

Speaking about Church this week I had a super spiritual experience. Right before the Branch president stood up to begin the meeting, he came over to me and asked If I could give a 15 minute talk in the meeting. I accepted but was freaking out a bit inside. Something Ive noticed in the mission many times, that when I get super nervous about something, then pray like crazy about it, it normally turns out really well. Well such is the case here. I litterally had no time to prep on paper due to the fact that I was officiating the Sacrament. So I prayed, thought a couple seconds, then stood up and gave opne of my best talks I have given on Ether 12, using the story of when Brittany and I hiked Old Rag. At times we couldn't see the arrows behind us, nor up ahead, but We Knew we had seen that arrow in the past, and had great hope that if we kept pushing forward, we would find the next. That was cool.

On top of all that, We headed to a little pueblito that's in our area this week called Velazques. We contacted a bunch of people and found an incredible lady who has since texted us to tell us thank you for passing by, and that she read the pamphlet and has begun to read the Book of Mormon. We're hoping to start up a group there soon!

I LOVE THIS PLACE 

Well I love you all a ton!

Elder Eliason

It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood

So with only one week left to kill it, this has been a really cool Transfer. Definitely the best of my mission. I am so glad that Im an Elder and still have until September to use and practice what I have learned these past few weeks. It's really weird. All the Sister's from Elder Burgess' and my group are ending their missions this coming week. THAT'S SO SHORT! I am amazed how fast a year and a half has passed and how different I have become.

Some highlights from the week. We found 16 new investigators to teach (we have gotten really good at just getting comfortable with people right off the bat , sitting down with them and teaching them. This is one of the things Im stoked to keep practicing.) Finally we're starting to have second and third charlas with people!!

One of our best investigators is This super chill 22 year old called Luis. Super chill guy who, when we came for the third charla, had read all of 3 Nefi 11 and was saying how great it was. he doesnt have a ton of background on religion and is stoked to be learning. We just need to help him come to church.

We also found this really cool 20 year old girl named Jessica, her 14 year old sister Erica, and their 13 year old brother Augustin. We started off just teaching Jessica, but someone else has joined every lesson:) It's an interesting mix. Jessica has never believed in God and is starting on this path for the first time. She is a bit timid with the whole situation, but really enjoys learning more. When we came for the second charla, she had read the entire plan of Salvation Pamphlet . It was really cool. Erica is very spiritual and goes to this evangelical church twice a week. She actually has a Book of Mormon and is helping her sister take on this path. I love Families. They really can help one another.

Yah, this week has been a lot of working and meetings. Last wednesday, we had a multi-zone conference, in the which we talked about how to ask questions so that the investigator comes up with their own commitments, then we commit them to that commitment. I've learned a lot about this in the mission. I have the problem of wanting to solve everyone's problems for them. I can see an answer to the question, see how it would help them, and naturally want to tell them DO THIS! and your problem will go away. However, the Ideas of one in making decisions for themselves is infinitely more powerful than the imposition of other's ideas in the same decision making process. When they think of their own plan, it means they have thought about it, considered how it will help them, and have weighed if it is worth it. My tell them to do something and trying to commit them to do my will many times is an empty commitment. They say yes because they don't want to disappoint us (the missionaries), but may not fully understand what they are even saying yes to. This has been a struggle for me, but little by little Im getting better at it. The zone conference really helped me.

We also ended up being the only priesthood at church this week (other than a 16 year old priest). We are so blessed to have strong wards in the states. I love this branch and would love to see it become a strong ward. Im just not quite sure all the time on how to bring that to pass.

Well on top of that I have the best comp ever. Every night as we're going to sleep he tells me an episode of his amazing, hilarious pre-mission life. Remind me to tell yall some of these stories when I get back.

I love you all so much and hope yall have an amazing week,

Elder Eliason 

I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful!:D

March 14, 2016

Holy cow this week has also been crazy. The entire zone of treintitres is coming alive. This has been incredible. 

One of the cool things I have seen is how much I have changed. Yesterday I gave a talk in church then proceeded to give an hour long lesson in sunday school (got to love branches:D). A year ago, I would have never been able to do that.

Better than how Im feeling though is how much animo the branch is getting. It's been in a kind of low place for a while, but you can see everyone just starting to gain hope and spirit more and more. This is the most incredible place!

We have had a ton of cool experiences this week.The big struggle has been getting in second charlas. Elder Burgess and I have found that it's really easy to talk to people in the street. It's really easy to sit down outside with someone, pray and teach them, sparking a bit of interest. The hard thing is finding them again and getting them to progress. There is one really cool investigator that we found this week named Luis. THE GUY IS A BOSS!!!! please pray for him. He is a 22 year old, ex army, really humble guy. We have taught him twice now and there is a lot of promise. He spent 3 years on a peace mission in Haiti and has seen the most humbling things. I love how we met him: We saw him sitting on a porch swing (not super common here) outside his house, and walked up. He immediately, before we said a word, Stood up, asked if we would like to sit down, and motioned to the swing. He then sat on the ground and began talking to us. I really am impressed with people that immediately desire the comfort of others over their own. 

We found a bunch more people to teach and are feeling ready to have a nice P-day.

Well I love yall so much and hope you guys are having a great week:D

Sooo... My legs are tired:D

over 150 contacts, over 48 future investigators, and 13 new investigators this week for Lascano. Both Elder Burgess and I have agreed that although none of the new investigators came to church, this was the best week of missionary work in all of our mission. Ouch.

So just some stories for some of the news:

1)It all started off on Monday where we tried hitting up a menos activo's house. Elder Burgess had never met the people that lived there, but had heard about it once and felt we should go there. Upon knocking, a 17 year old mom opened up with her baby. We talked a bit then asked if she could sit down with us outside to chat. It was a great charla where we committed her to baptism (her mom is the less active) and helped her remember the relief that can come through repentance and baptism. Upon leaving, Elder Burgess was super stoked and exclaimed "DUDE! Shes gold. no wait, she's better than gold, She's Kryptonite (more rare than gold). since that moment, we have refered to her and her baby as Kryptonite and super baby. 

2) We also began teaching her (Kryptonite's) dad. He is probably the most excited out of all the news we found. 

3) Her name is Marìa (hahah pretty much everyone here is named Marìa. Honestly, If I don't know someone's name I often just guess Marìa). This was probably one of my favorite successful contacts I have had. We walked up to her (we have become bosses at contacting people and asking if we could sit down now and teach them, or setting up times to pass by) she looked at us and said: "Im sorry, Im in a hurry. My name is Marìa and I live at ******." "okay, can we pass by tomorrow at 3:30?" "Yes" "Can was leave you with a pamphlet to read?" "Yes" and then she was gone. We came to her house the next day at 3:30 and after formal greetings, were met with "I have 15 minutes and want to know what you guys do." Super good spiritual charla. I honestly felt like I was part of the district videos. Things like that dont happen often, but we always practice for them. It was great:D

4) We also had a really spiritual charla with a woman who's 15 year old daughter  drowned a month ago in the nearby river. We taught about the Plan of salvation and testified of the healing power Christ can give us. Next time we go I want to share the scripture about how Christ can take away the sting of death.

There were many more, but it sufficeth me to tell those. 

So Im actually sitting at the border of Brazil and Uruguay right now listening to the guy next to me jabber to his kid in Portuguese. This is interesting....... I feel like I kind of know his language, but at the same time, no. 

I love yall so much!!!!!:D

Elder Eliason