Week 18: Centerton 2nd Ward

This week has been so good!!

It's been fairly cold, so shout out to my mother for sending my coat!!

We have been very busy sometimes, and sometimes we are very open.  It's interesting to see the differences in culture here, and to learn more about them!

This week we were teaching a guy from South Africa, and at the end of the lesson he prayed in Afrikaans!!  He's a very interesting man!

We also are teaching a man who is Muslim.  He told us that our bodies are Islam and then prayed in Arabic.  He'll change - eventually! ;)

We went to a car show this week, it was a great place to contact people and share a message, because you have tons of people who are just standing there waiting for people to talk to, and you also have something to start the conversation with - cars!!

Something that Jeffrey R. Holland promised in his 2001 talk "Witnesses unto Me" is "I promise you that something in what they say will always highlight a truth of the gospel about which you can bear testimony and about which you can then offer more."

We used that a bunch in the car show and had so much fun looking at cars with people and talking about Jesus Christ!!  I strongly suggest using this as a contacting method in the future, it's a lot more enjoyable than tracting!!

Love, 

Elder Eliason

 My favorite car EVER, the Nissan GT-R R32

A baby hedgehog at a members house

Week 17: Centerton 2nd Ward

This week was very good!!

Elder Dike and I tracted a LOT, and we got 6 new investigators this week!!
We are putting all of the potential investigators and former investigators that look promising into the GPS, so that we can visit them if we are in the area.  We are calling them on the way to appointments so that we can set up more appointments!!

We are working hard, and praying harder!!  We have found the most success when we pray for guidance, then plan where to go, or who to see, or where to tract, and then pray to know if it's right, just like in Doctrine and Covenants 9.

Whitewashing an area with a companion who has been out as long as you (3 months) is a very interesting situation, but I love it!  We are having so many great experiences that build on my testimony and strengthen my conviction!!

I love you all!

Elder Eliason

New activity: Stud or Dud moments.  I will occasionally put out a "Stud or Dud moment" section where I tell moments that I think were studs or duds!!  (Idea stolen from my trainer)

Stud: I bought a ukulele
Dud: I have very little money because of said ukulele
Stud: We left the apartment fairly clean for the sisters
Dud: I left a bunch of stuff at that apartment
Stud: We went through old records and found 2 people to teach
Dud: We get bashed more here for "quitting" polygamy than for "starting" it!
Stud: We have tons of activities planned for P-days
Dud: We forget about all of them
Stud: I have y'all in my weekly letter loop ;)

Week 16: Centerton 2nd Ward

This week was transfer week!!  I rode the transfer loop to Centerton, AR, where I met Elder Dike!! He's from Mesa, AZ!  We're in an area that was previously in possession of sisters, so the apartment is intact, the fridge didn't have moldy food in it, and it doesn't smell like gunpowder or superglue!

My life is good ;)

It's interesting whitewashing an area, or as they call it down here "shotgunning".  You use the area book a lot more, you use the ward mission leader more, and you tract more (in our case).  We have been tracting a lot, and the population is not what you would expect for Arkansas!! Most of the actual houses are very nice two level brick buildings, owned by affluent businessmen who work for walmart, and there are HUGE apartment complexes everywhere, and they have a great mix of Indian and American culture.  I suspect there are lots of people from India because they work at the call center for walmart.  They're all Hindu, and it's been interesting trying to increase their faith in Christ when they believe in Vishnu and other gods!!  

Our congregation is very large, with two quorums of elders, and it's like a mini Utah!!  It's a very family-friendly town, and most people are nice and talkitive!!

We have one ward mission leader, two assistant ward mission leaders, and approx. 10-12 active ward missionaries!! Most of the people here are young couples from BYU who graduated within the last 10 years, so they all have a missionary mindset and all are eager to help us!!

We live next to some missionaries who work at the mission office here in Bentonville, and they are the best!! They bring us fruit and always check in on us!! 

It's been a challenge to find people to teach, but if we knock enough doors, and have enough faith, if it's the Lord's time then we will find those who are prepared to hear the message we have to share!!

I love all of you, thanks for all of your support for me!!

Elder Eliason

PS Sorry about the huge e-mail this week, it's just so exciting here!!

Me and my new best bud!!

Me and my old best bud and Geoff Kerr, the most awesome honorable mention WML!!

Week 15: The Times They Are A Changin'

I'm getting transferred :) :(

I'm going to Centerton 2nd, right near Bentonville, AR

Elder Morris is going to Webb City, MO, near Joplin!

I'm super excited to go to "the city", but I'm also super sad to leave Camdenton, which is a great ward and area....I love the lake!

Since we are both leaving, we are preparing the Area Book and stuff like that, because Camdenton is getting SISTERS!!!

One of the Sister Training Leaders is going to be training a new sister in Camdenton, which is going to be awesome!!!

We're super excited to continue our missions, but it's sad to leave!!

Catch ya next week!!

Love,

Elder Eliason

 Transfer Day: Elder Eliason and Elder Dike

Elder Eliason and Elder Dike

Week 14: Camdenton, MO

 Hello!!

To start off, General Conference was AMAZING!!

We had two baptisms this week, an older couple :)

They have gone through many trials and once they committed, they were rock solid!!  

It was easy to see that they took pride in their word, and they wanted to know enough.  I was reminded of this principle this conference, when Elder Neil L. Anderson said "You don't have to know everything, you just have to know enough".  

Another cool experience is we got a media referral for a guy about 40 miles away from us. We decided to visit some less actives in the area while we dropped off a Book of Mormon and a Bible.  It seems like the Lord knew who we needed to see.  I knew the names of people I wanted to see, but as we were driving my thoughts subtly drifted away from the people we had designed to see.  Even though we had a plan, we visited a different family, a father, who hasn't been to church since he was 15. His daughter wants to learn more, and we want to teach them and bring them back!!!!

The good message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will benefit everyone who seeks!!

Elder Eliason