Week 51: Parsons punching the petrol pedal!!

Hey what's good?!

I hope you are having a great week! I sure am. I got my new companion this week, Elder Hutchings. He's awesome! He has acquired a lot of skills over the last 23 months, and I am trying my hardest to keep up with him! He really is putting the pedal to the metal. It's always nice to get some fresh eyes in an area, a fresh perspective and most missionaries have a strong desire to start off on the right foot. Just like in a race, the start is one of the most important parts.

One thing that we are focusing on is really strengthening the members here. We visited a lot of the active members when elder Hutchings first got here, and they said things like "I'm sorry you got called here" and "I don't even remember when the last baptism here was." I think that a lot of the members here have become discouraged and burnt out, but we all need times of rejuvenation!! One of the things we are praying for is at least one baptism this transfer. Not for us, but for that person, and also for the branch. If the work can get a kick start, it will start to roll. So, that's what's going on in Parsons!!!

I love my mission! I love working hard, I love helping others, I love talking to people about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I love you!!

I hope all y'all have such a good week!

Love, 

Elder Eliason 

 The Bloody Benders

 Dirt in your life

 Wheat harvest has begun

Week 50: Transfers/Temple Week

This week was good. I found out I'm staying in Parsons! My new companion is Elder Hutchings, from Beaver, UT. This is his last transfer, so I'm getting ready to try to keep up with him as he sprints to the finish line! Also, our Mission President goes home in A WEEK!!! It's going to be an interesting time in the ABM.

We went to the temple this week, we were supposed to go on a bus but I guess our mission president miscounted, so we got to drive to Kansas City! It's quite a change of pace from the small towns I've served in! It's fun up there. We went to the indepence visitors center on the way home, it was neat! We also saw the Community of Christ spiral building. It was a great day!

Kansas is different, but it's good. If we can just harness the power of the members here, we will be in good shape!

Well, a short but concentrated weekly this week. I hope y'all have a great week!

District Meeting

Temple trip, Kansas City Temple

Temple trip, Kansas City Temple

                                Independence Visitors' Center Christus                                   

Williams, Franks, Eliason, Wakefield

Eliason, Williams, Franks, Wakefield

Community of Christ Temple, Independence Missouri

Week 49: Short n' Sweet

Hey!! I hope y'all had a great week this week! I sure did! 

It's super hot here, we rode bikes one day, and I have never sweat so much on my mission!! I think I'll stick to the car in the afternoons from now on:) 

We have a great park to street contact in town, it makes me feel like I'm in a big city hahaha!! It's fun to carry lots of different cards, so that you can share family history with one person, then go to share a Book of Mormon app download to the next person, etc, so that you can be the best at meeting people's needs. 

Being a missionary is always stressful but always rewarding. Preach My Gospel always gives me a million things I can be doing better, same thing at district/zone meetings. I have found, however, that starting with a foundation and building line upon line, precept upon precept has helped me grow so much more than if I would have just tried to do everything all at once!!! For me, the foundation is solid prayer and scripture study each day. For you, it might be something different, or something along the same lines as what I have done. Whatever the case, I can testify that as we consecrate our performance unto the Lord, He will multiply our efforts and consecrate them for our gain. 

I love y'all!! Have a great week

Elder Eliason

 Luckily I still remember how to ride a bike

Firefly

Turtle 

Flower

 Gorilla (Pittsburg state gorillas)

Turtle

Week 48: Welcome to the Grind

We did a lot of knocking doors, and a lot of talking to people on the street this week. It was a grind for sure!

We watched the Celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Revelation on the Priesthood, it was a ball! One of the best times on my mission. You should definitely check it out if you haven't already!

It's getting reeeeally hot here, so I'm not looking forward to the heat of the summer.  We went on exchanges with some other elders this week, and I got to ride a bike! I love riding bikes, and it was fun to be able to hand people cards as we rode past them.  I've not found a way to talk to people that isn't awkward when I'm in a car...

One quote that I've been hearing quite often this week is "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."  I think that the Savior is a great example of this.  When the woman was caught in adultery, Christ didn't throw a stone at her, he saved her from a stoning and then taught her and commanded her to "go, and sin no more." (John 8:11) I have found that when I serve people before trying to teach, they feel the love of Christ and want to know more.  

If you are a disciple of Christ and people know you, but not Christ, they will want to know you because they know Christ!!  Service is the way to the hearts of all men everywhere!!

This week was pretty normal.  

I hope you all have a great week!!

Love,

Elder Eliason

 The staff of LIFE!

"Where do you want to go for lunch?" 

    "I don't care"

  

The most blatant oxymoron I have ever seen - Liberal, MO (Pop. 759)

You couldn't get Kansas flatter if you steamrolled it!