Elder Ellis called our family today!
He is doing really well. He says he loves getting letters and thanks everyone that is sending them and the packages. :) He is transferring to Hatillo, Puerto Rico tonight.
Elder Ellis says the weather is humid and he's eating a lot of rice, beans, and platanos which is a bigger size banana that we don't eat in the U.S. Elder is looking forward to work his new companion, they get along really well.
For Christmas the missionaries made a pinata and hit it with a homemade bat (the handle of a toilet plunger...ew). And they were made a tasty meal in the mission home that he really appreciated.
He also wanted everyone to know that if you write him, he is very good at writing back. He loves you all and says to do what you can to share the Light of Christ and be a missionary! He also says you are all in the prayers of a missionary.
Merry Christmas! :):):)
Dec. 22
"Dear Family,
This week has gone by so fast. And this email place is getting pretty strict about only using the computers for and hour and so it makes it difficult to read emails and send everything out in just an hour. But here it goes. This week we worked hard had hardly any success but enjoyed it as well. There is a sister missionary in our district going home that was like a big sister to me in this area. Helped me enjoyed it and spoke English… it was great but more than anything her leaving, reaching the end of her mission made me realize how short it is and how much you learn in your short time here. It is sad but a wonderful opportunity. This week was a big change in my attitude about the mission. Rather than missing home I felt more fear for going home. I’m not looking forward to my last transfer here on the mission. I miss you terribly but like I felt at school I am finally getting comfortable and it scares me to think I will be leaving this wonderful work. THIS TRANSFER WENT BY SO FAST!
Already into transfer 2. AND CHRISTMAS! AHHH. This next week is going to be great christmas and a new companion. I am scared and happy all at the same time. We worked really hard this week hardly anyone was home and our numbers show it. Unfortunately we didn't have any lessons with a member we went out with a member but didn't get to teach an investigator with him. We sweat a lot and helped The son of Manuel move from el coto (government paid housing which is full of drugs and bad stuff) to a much nicer neighborhood. It was a great chance to meet him and share out service with him i feel like we've established a great friendship with him that will hopefully continue on and eventually he can accept the gospel with his family! Manuel will be a great example to that! GREAT! This next week we HAVE to teach him. It's easy to see the ways the adversary cuts into their lives while a missionary. This whole last week he has been out with Hno. Rodriguez which is great but in doing so we haven't been able to teach him. Luckily he continues to come to church and is always intrigued with the doctrine always trying to learn more and sharing what he learns with his "Friend" or esposa...
This week i had a wonderful experience of prayer, which i never feel like i deserve. I couldn't find my wallet and checked every pair of pants i have multiple times. My backpack desk everything over and over. Then decided to pray. I asked to help me calm down. I was having a hard time. Becuase Sister Turpin is leaving and thinking about her leaving and how fast this transfer has gone that in no time i'll be where she is scared me. I am beginning to love it. I dont look forward to that last transfer. Then after praying for comfort and strength and the ability to relax and find my wallet, and ultimately humbling myself before the lord i finished my prayer and stood there thinking of where it could be then grabbed one pair of pants. and sure enough there it was. The lord always helps us. Always. I had checked the pants several times but in haste and fear didn't find it. With prayer and guidance from my father in heaven i was able to search.
a small part of my week but made a great impact on me. not to mention the rest of the day went great!
Then this morning i was reading Alma 26 i have loved the chapters of the sons of Mosiah! and this chapter tops it off for me Ammon saying that he has recieved all strength from the lord! This has been the way i have felt and acted these last few days and maybe weeks as well. Realizing that i am nothing without the strength that i recieve every day to continue. THis work is not easy and as this chapter shares they were spit upon rejected and hurt. Luckily i have only been hit with words but they continued to go on in the cuase they knew was right. AMAZING! This this morning i also read the talk by Michael John U. Teh of the seventy in the January Liahona, and he talks about our faith and how at times it is shaken by the ways of the world. Little seeds of doubt. I have felt this as well but have been able to overcome it through the wonderful blessings we recieve daily. He shares the example of Joseph smith when he was tarred and feathered and how the next day he continued and preached to the people like he knew he had to.
I Love this gospel and i love the scriptures! I Love being a Missionary!
This week i dont really remember to many specific events but i remember that i enjoyed it. When we went contacting on Wednesday there was a lady that answered her door and said “shame on you” You’re mormons aren’t you”, in English too. And I replyed in English of course we are and what are you and she replied I’m born again Christian and I hope you guys see the light. And I replied I’m sorry you feel that way but that is why we are here. To share the light of the gospel with the world. And she said. Shame on you in a low voice and kind of creepy. Then I said well I hope god blesses you and have a merry Christmas. Then she said he does. And I said I know that’s our message that we can have more blessings. Then she said again I hope you see the light. And I said I hope YOU see the light good bye. And as we walked away she said 1 wife! I turned around and walked back up to her door. Then said Ma’am We don’t practice polygamy anymore but if you’d like we could teach you more of the truth and clear up the rumors you’ve heard. I felt strong in this moment as in alma 26. Then on the same street about 8 houses down another lady shushed us away and asked if we would give blood to our kids. My companion replied. Of course we would. Without a doubt. And the lady said well some people in your religion wouldn’t. and he said Senora No somos testigos. We are NOT Jehovas witnesses. We testify of Jesus Christ and are missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints “Mormones” she shushed us off again.
This street was filled with funny things like this. =) Made me smile!"
Past e-mails from Elder Ellis
Dec. 15
"Well This week. Started Monday with p day and sorry but eright now I don’t have too much time we are doing a zone activity and only have a short time to write and read. But Monday we Had p day and didn’t do much exciting just prepared. Today we are going to the Caves and you will have so wonderful pictures to look at when I send this card. =) I had a whole lizard for you this last week but in one of our big rainstorms I lost it.Tuesday we had interviews with president Martineau and those were wonderful! He is a Great mission president! Always plans everything to a tee …he’s a lawyer so it makes sense. But some of my concerns have been feeling the spirit and the book of mormon. I know the book of mormon is the Word of god and my problem was when I prayed I didn’t receive an undeniable manifestation that it is true. President said well. When you testify about it do you feel like you are lying. I of course said no. He said then you know it is true. It doesn’t matter how you received that answer just that you know its true. Then he said that the way that I know it is true is the same way about 90% of my investigators will know it is true as well. I know every time I read without a doubt that the are words written by prophets of God! I Know it. He helped strengthen my testimony of this. As well I was having struggles “listening” to the spirit and have been studying and studying on how to feel it more. He also helped me realize that I have a fear of not having it and fear and faith are complete opposites. SO this week I strived to have faith and not be afraid I didn’t have it or wasn’t listening to it. One night while teaching a 15 year old investigator My companion finished his part and I started talking. After I finished my part and we concluded the lesson my companion looked at me and said elder ellis. You just said everything that I was going to say. It isn’t a huge miracle but I said the things that came to my heart and my companion assured me that I had covered all that he needed to hear. I by the power of the spirit, taught the lesson that we had planned.
Nothing huge no huge miracle like many people look for and not even really the types of story where people say they said the perfect thing to baptize. No. I didn’t worry. Had faith and thoughts filled my heart. And filled the heart of my companion as well. I know this church is true! I know that by the power of the Spirit we can touch the hearts of the people. I know that The book of mormon is true and I know it is true because the assurance I receive while reading it!
I Love Being a Missionary! And I love our mission president! He is a great man! He is a man called of god!
He shared with me another thing that really touched me. He said. Elder Ellis… I don’t know much of your life before but I do know that you have been called into this mission for a purpose. The lord knows what leaders he needs at what times. He knows that there will be a change in this mission right at the end (sound familiar yet) He knows that the leaders in this mission will need to be strong and ready for the change of the mission president when my calling is over (sound similar to anything yet) Again elder ellis I don’t know much about your life before the mission but I know that you are prepared to be here at this time. For the people and also for the other missionaries. Don’t worry. Work hard and do you part as a servant of the lord.
I have been prepared to be here at this time. I know the lord needs me.
The rest of the week we were practicing a lot for a Christmas choir fireside thing that we had. It was… interesting… =) made me laugh. Beautiful!
Then this Sunday. Our investigator Manuel He came into the church and looked like a completely different man! Completely Different! He had a huge smile onm his face and just looked happy! Doctrine and Covenants 130 talks about the blessings from obedience to the laws upon which blessings are predicated. He obeyed the Word of wisdom and is now receiving blessings of health and happiness. WonderfuL! Also he has a moustache and since he has stopped smoking it has gotten much cleaner and the smoke marks are gone. He just looks so clean and new! I can’t wait till his baptism!
We also had Jack the 15 year old in the church this Sunday. I was kind of upset because none of the youth introduced themselves and none sat by him or talked to him either. And also as many youth do in our ward. Slouch! Aahhhh this is one of my biggest pet peeves. They didn’t look interested nor did they show the happiness and joy that we are promising to this investigator. The workof the members in missionary work is so important. We are working with the young mens president to help fix this and have a little training session. I understand many youth come because their parents make them but for a missionary its so hard to do our work when they aren’t paying attention. I love these people I love this area. Although we have a lot of work to do!"
Dec. 8, 2008
"Monday don’t quiet remember what we did Monday. I think it was the Night we met with our Investigator Jack. Jack is 15 and loves what we’re teaching on Monday night I believe we set his baptismal date for the 27th of December but now it has to be later because he didn’t come to church yesterday. We taught him then it ended up being 9. We are supposed to be in our apt at 9 unless we are teaching a lesson. We had walked to his house and it took 45 minutes. So we could briskly walk back home or try otherwise. So we began hitch hiking! =) No one would stop…then one guy stopped and asked where we needed to go and we told him and he said sorry don’t have time to take you there. So we kept walking and about a third of the way home someone finally stopped. We found out he is the nephew of a member and that’s why he stopped. He recognized us. We got home late but much sooner than we would have otherwise. We had a member lined up to go with us that night but cancelled an hour before and we couldn’t find anyone else. It is really hard here working with the members. They just don’t have time or don’t seem to understand how important this work is. Like I have said before I feel so bad for the leaders because they are the only ones that we call anymore.
Tuesday we had our District meeting and our CAR meeting with the ward council. That was good. My companion made me explain a little about our investigators and it scared me to death but wasn’t too bad. Then after he was said “elder ellis I’m going to talk with Hermano Morales you need to talk with Hermano Maldonado” So I did it. I was terrified but I understood almost every word he said which was great! I felt like I had been giving help in the moment I needed it. Then Wednesday we started our exchange for this transfer. Elder Luna one of the Zone leaders went with my companion and I went with Elder schaeffer the other Zone leader. I learned a lot about making the lessons simple and like mindy told me before I left that I should teach everyone as if they are a child. We did that and it was so much better than previous lessons. I learned so much about enjoying my mission working with members more and learned more about the culture and how to make rice =) Elder schaeffer is a great elder! His parent sent him a package with a present for every day of December and one for his companion as well! That’s a neat idea especially for elders with companions from mexico like mine or like his. Because it costs more money to send things from there. So they don’t get mail very often. I feel like a baby complaining about not getting letters when my companion hasn’t gotten mail in a few transfers. But I got a Planner calendar thing and a bag of cinnamon bears! =) reminded me of you dad.
Then on Friday we went back to our companions and worked. On Saturday we met with Manuel the man we were trying to get to stop smoking. Man that is a hard task. Especially when people have smoked for over 40 years. He has smoked since his was a kid and has tried many times before to quit. I wish there was just a way to get people to stop smoking. Well there is! One week 7 days and he is now a non smoker!!! It is so exciting! He bore his testimony in church yesterday and said that the first 4 days were the hardest days of his life but with prayer and help from the lord he did it! He completed his goal and is now smoke free! Coffee free as well. This program requires that they stop drinking coffee for the week as well and he said that now he has no desire to drink coffee. It is so wonderful to see the miracles in our lives. The lord can give us so much more strength! He stopped smoking! He did it. And on Saturday he asked us if he could had to be baptized to wear a white shirt and tie. His love for this gospel is amazing! He has now attended church 5 times. We really have been working hard and fasting for him to make the decision to obey the law of chastity. Please keep him in your prayers.Then we were teaching another lady and she was paying us no attention! I was so frustrated but we were teaching and I was asking questions to her and she wasn’t answering so I thought I was saying something wrong and she still didn’t answer so I looked at my companion hoping he would take over. He didn’t just sat there looking at me. So there were a few seconds…felt like a minute or two of silence because I had no idea what to say and my companion wasn’t helping me. So finally after enough silence I walked her through my question and taught the rest of the lesson without my companion. Not what I should have done but I didn’t want to be there anymore. She has no desire to change. She knows that it is true. She does. She has told us. But she doesn’t want to change. Her daughter is 6 and loves when we teach. Always asking questions always volunteering to read and everything else. It is so sad to see the love she has for the gospel. She knows prophets are called of god and are on the earth to guide us. But her mom has no desire to follow the promptings. I pray that she will be able to find the gospel and missionaries will continue to work with her when she is older.That has been my week. Not too eventful…no it was very eventful. But yeah this morning we were cleaning and I went on our balcony to get a bucket and we had 2 buckets stacked on the balcony I picked up the first one and in the bottom one was a nice little frog! Woohoo! I Love the animals here. It’s so funny to walk or ride my bike on the sidewalk and you hear all this rustling in the grass. Lizards everywhere. And don’t worry. Tails are nothing =)
Tranfers are Christmas eve and I don’t know what is going to happen yet. I should know next week. We have interviews with the president tomorrow.
Last night we got to watch the Christmas devotional. I love the Christmas season and I love Idaho and Utah! This feels nothing of the sort. We put up Christmas lights for a sister in the ward Saturday but when it is 80 degrees it just doesn’t feel like Christmas. I miss home and I miss the cold weather. HOT HOT HOT. I checked my Thermometer last night on my clock and I go to bed in 80 degree weather in our bedroom. Wonderful isn’t it! =) I love listening to President monson and his counselors as well. I know they are men called of god and I know that they have the authority to direct us. I am excited that in just about 2 weeks I will get to call you! Woohoo! I hope I get to go to a different area this next transfer. My companion is great but I’m ready for change. But who knows I will most likely be humbled.
Service service service. Wonderful key to happiness.
This morning I was studying in doctrine and covenants section 101 and I had never realized before that there were parables in Doctrine and covenants as well. 101 has a wonderful parable and help me realize the importance of obedience and I also read a story in my little missionary quote book about a Platoon leader; he had received specific instructions to arrive at the locations at 0200 hours and wait until 0210 hours. He arrived as planned and saw the enemy sleeping tanks dismounted and everything tranquil. He thought that the instructions were wrong and sent his men for attack at 0200 hours. They attacked and then in a matter of seconds the air was filled with artillery and everyone was dead. The platoon leader sitting up on his perch watched it all happen. At 0210 hours silence and the platoon leader thought “if only I knew what the general knew”This sections is very similar. We are giving instructions in our lives. Commandments that don’t necessarily make sense. But we need to follow them. Other wise the enemy can attack. We won’t be strong and we wont be able to do what we have been called to. The parable in this section is a Olive Tree and the Owner of the trees wanted them to be protected and commanded towers be built. The people building them didn’t uinderstand the purpose of the towers and didn’t fulfill the commands. Then the enemy attacked and all was lost. Life is so similar. We must obey with Exactness. As a missionary we are required to live with exactness and have been told we won’t be able to teach if we’re not. Wow.
I Love The Scriptures!
I Love My Family!
I Love My Mission!
With tons of love,
Elder Ellis"
Tuesday we had our District meeting and our CAR meeting with the ward council. That was good. My companion made me explain a little about our investigators and it scared me to death but wasn’t too bad. Then after he was said “elder ellis I’m going to talk with Hermano Morales you need to talk with Hermano Maldonado” So I did it. I was terrified but I understood almost every word he said which was great! I felt like I had been giving help in the moment I needed it. Then Wednesday we started our exchange for this transfer. Elder Luna one of the Zone leaders went with my companion and I went with Elder schaeffer the other Zone leader. I learned a lot about making the lessons simple and like mindy told me before I left that I should teach everyone as if they are a child. We did that and it was so much better than previous lessons. I learned so much about enjoying my mission working with members more and learned more about the culture and how to make rice =) Elder schaeffer is a great elder! His parent sent him a package with a present for every day of December and one for his companion as well! That’s a neat idea especially for elders with companions from mexico like mine or like his. Because it costs more money to send things from there. So they don’t get mail very often. I feel like a baby complaining about not getting letters when my companion hasn’t gotten mail in a few transfers. But I got a Planner calendar thing and a bag of cinnamon bears! =) reminded me of you dad.
Then on Friday we went back to our companions and worked. On Saturday we met with Manuel the man we were trying to get to stop smoking. Man that is a hard task. Especially when people have smoked for over 40 years. He has smoked since his was a kid and has tried many times before to quit. I wish there was just a way to get people to stop smoking. Well there is! One week 7 days and he is now a non smoker!!! It is so exciting! He bore his testimony in church yesterday and said that the first 4 days were the hardest days of his life but with prayer and help from the lord he did it! He completed his goal and is now smoke free! Coffee free as well. This program requires that they stop drinking coffee for the week as well and he said that now he has no desire to drink coffee. It is so wonderful to see the miracles in our lives. The lord can give us so much more strength! He stopped smoking! He did it. And on Saturday he asked us if he could had to be baptized to wear a white shirt and tie. His love for this gospel is amazing! He has now attended church 5 times. We really have been working hard and fasting for him to make the decision to obey the law of chastity. Please keep him in your prayers.Then we were teaching another lady and she was paying us no attention! I was so frustrated but we were teaching and I was asking questions to her and she wasn’t answering so I thought I was saying something wrong and she still didn’t answer so I looked at my companion hoping he would take over. He didn’t just sat there looking at me. So there were a few seconds…felt like a minute or two of silence because I had no idea what to say and my companion wasn’t helping me. So finally after enough silence I walked her through my question and taught the rest of the lesson without my companion. Not what I should have done but I didn’t want to be there anymore. She has no desire to change. She knows that it is true. She does. She has told us. But she doesn’t want to change. Her daughter is 6 and loves when we teach. Always asking questions always volunteering to read and everything else. It is so sad to see the love she has for the gospel. She knows prophets are called of god and are on the earth to guide us. But her mom has no desire to follow the promptings. I pray that she will be able to find the gospel and missionaries will continue to work with her when she is older.That has been my week. Not too eventful…no it was very eventful. But yeah this morning we were cleaning and I went on our balcony to get a bucket and we had 2 buckets stacked on the balcony I picked up the first one and in the bottom one was a nice little frog! Woohoo! I Love the animals here. It’s so funny to walk or ride my bike on the sidewalk and you hear all this rustling in the grass. Lizards everywhere. And don’t worry. Tails are nothing =)
Tranfers are Christmas eve and I don’t know what is going to happen yet. I should know next week. We have interviews with the president tomorrow.
Last night we got to watch the Christmas devotional. I love the Christmas season and I love Idaho and Utah! This feels nothing of the sort. We put up Christmas lights for a sister in the ward Saturday but when it is 80 degrees it just doesn’t feel like Christmas. I miss home and I miss the cold weather. HOT HOT HOT. I checked my Thermometer last night on my clock and I go to bed in 80 degree weather in our bedroom. Wonderful isn’t it! =) I love listening to President monson and his counselors as well. I know they are men called of god and I know that they have the authority to direct us. I am excited that in just about 2 weeks I will get to call you! Woohoo! I hope I get to go to a different area this next transfer. My companion is great but I’m ready for change. But who knows I will most likely be humbled.
Service service service. Wonderful key to happiness.
This morning I was studying in doctrine and covenants section 101 and I had never realized before that there were parables in Doctrine and covenants as well. 101 has a wonderful parable and help me realize the importance of obedience and I also read a story in my little missionary quote book about a Platoon leader; he had received specific instructions to arrive at the locations at 0200 hours and wait until 0210 hours. He arrived as planned and saw the enemy sleeping tanks dismounted and everything tranquil. He thought that the instructions were wrong and sent his men for attack at 0200 hours. They attacked and then in a matter of seconds the air was filled with artillery and everyone was dead. The platoon leader sitting up on his perch watched it all happen. At 0210 hours silence and the platoon leader thought “if only I knew what the general knew”This sections is very similar. We are giving instructions in our lives. Commandments that don’t necessarily make sense. But we need to follow them. Other wise the enemy can attack. We won’t be strong and we wont be able to do what we have been called to. The parable in this section is a Olive Tree and the Owner of the trees wanted them to be protected and commanded towers be built. The people building them didn’t uinderstand the purpose of the towers and didn’t fulfill the commands. Then the enemy attacked and all was lost. Life is so similar. We must obey with Exactness. As a missionary we are required to live with exactness and have been told we won’t be able to teach if we’re not. Wow.
I Love The Scriptures!
I Love My Family!
I Love My Mission!
With tons of love,
Elder Ellis"
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