Week 28: Birthday in the Field

We did lots of tracting this week, and I am beginning to refine and improve my techniques for tracting, so that I can be a more effective teacher at the doorstep.  One thing that I have learned recently is that you can teach more than just a 3 sentence explanation of the Book of Mormon to lots of people, and they will most likely listen.  The more they know, the more intrigued they will be and the tools you give them will reap better results.  

Shout-out to my family for making my birthday interesting!! My family somehow got in contact with a member of the branch I am currently serving in, and she baked me a cake!! That was a great surprise.  It felt different having a birthday on my mission, not as much focused on me, and I liked it!  It always feels good to serve others at any time, and I know that it is what Christ would have us do.

One thing I have learned this week is that families are so very important!!

Families are a huge gift from our Heavenly Father, because as we interact in families we understand our relationship to Him in more detail and in a wider frame of perspective.  I am so happy for the family He has given me, and I appreciate their support so much!!

I know our Heavenly Father loves us, and He wants the best for us.  I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will allow us to continually align our hearts and minds with His will, and by aligning ourselves, we will be blessed!

I love y'all!  I hope you have good weeks this week!

Love,

Elder Eliason

 This little pup followed us around when we went tracting in a really small town.  He was fun!

We shared some cake with Elder Barber (from the MTC), and his trainee, Elder Angelbuer.  The day after that we blitzed their area and found lots of new people for them to teach!!

Week 27: Poteau, Oklahoma

This week I was transferred to Poteau, Oklahoma.

This area is a town of about 8000, which is a different pace from Centerton!!

The whole town smells like beef jerky to me, the people are so great.  Lots of people will let us share our message.

It's a branch, so there aren't as many members to help us, but they help us so much!  They are some of the funniest people!!

My new companion is Elder Hurst, who has been out for 20 months.  Some of his favorite hobbies are tracting and talking to people, so I am going to try to learn all that I can from him!!

I am excited to serve here, the work is good and I am ready to get to work!

Well, I hope y'all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Eliason

  A lady who was baptized this week.

The first hills I've seen in quite some time!!

This is southern country!

Week 26: New Year's Day & Transfers

This week was crazy!! 

We had so much fun here in Arkansas, it snowed!! We went out and made snow angels, it was so much fun!

Veronica was baptized!!!!  It was such a sweet experience, the speakers were all converts, and they shared so much love and support for Veronica.  It has been a long journey for her, but she is so excited and ready to receive all that our Father has to offer her!!

We went tracting a lot, the wind chill for today is -7 right now, and we are in a car share so bikes are the way to go!!  The wind just cuts right through you.  We have found a lot of good people to teach, who are ready for our message.  It has been a good time in Centerton 2nd.  I have grown so much in the last 3 months, and I am so glad to have served here!! However, we got transfer calls and I'm headed to Poteau, Oklahoma on thursday.  I am excited to go to a smaller town, I've heard from a lot of people that the small towns are where all the "stories" come from, but I'm just excited to serve God's children!!  

Well, not a lot to say in this one but finally some pictures!!

As always, 

Love,

Elder Eliason

Veronica's Baptism!!!

Alma 29:1-2

Elders Dike and Rosier

Wendy's selfie

Week 25: Christmas

This week went by quickly!! We had a wonderful time spreading the Light of Christ, and it was an amazing time!!

We knocked doors a little bit this week, and people were really receptive to the message, more than usual!! It was great!!

We were so blessed by everyone around us, we received so much love and support around Christmas away from home.  

I hope you all had a wonderful week, and keep Christ in your lives throughout the upcoming year!!  

Love,

Elder Eliason

Week 24: "Twas the Week Before Christmas

Hello!!

So much happened this week!!

First off, we are teaching at a steady pace!! That means that our teaching pool is gaining some depth, and I am so happy for that!  It is so wonderful to help people come unto Christ, especially around this time of year!!

There's a lady in our area who is getting baptized on Dec. 30th, what a great way to both end and start the year!!

It's a great way to end the year because, as we know, baptism washes away all of the mistakes, hurt, and pain that we have accumulated.  It's also a good way to start the year, because the Gift of the Holy Ghost comforts, warns, testifies, and leads us to do good.  I know that as we walk the straight and narrow path through life, we can all have divine help from our Heavenly Father, through the Holy Ghost.

In other news, we are now on bikes half of the time!!

This is good because we can talk to everyone we see, and they can't avoid us!!  Also, we get seen by the community ;)

I have found that missionaries thrive on awkward.  I get excited when we are knocking on a door and someone comes up to that door, because they can't get past us without listening to us!! haha

Well, I hope y'all have a great Christmas, remember why it's a holiday!!!

Love,

Elder Eliason!

Tag Photo

#lighttheworld 12.12.2017

Week 23: Life of Christ Exhibit

This month we are having a Life of Christ Art Exhibit in the ABM, a peaceful place with art separated into 6 stages of the Savior's life.  We serve there in shifts, it's truly an inspired place.  It's a very good opportunity to ponder on the life of our Savior.  The spirit is really strong there!!

We had a parade here in Centerton, and our ward put a float in, based on the "Light the World" initiative.  My companions and I held the banner in front of the float, which read "Jesus Christ is the Light of the World", and on the float members of the ward were acting out service activities, such as making a dinner for someone or moving a box for someone.  We passed out about 800 Light the World calendars, and it was so much fun!

We are gaining lots of momentum in our area, Sunday we had a day full of appointments!!

It's an amazing experience being on a mission, and I love it so much!

One cool scripture I've found is Romans 10:17, y'all should read it!

I hope you all have a great rest of your week, and remember to be the Light of the World!!!

Love, 

Elder Eliason

Life of Christ Exhibit Arkansas Bentonville Mission

Haircuts!

Week 22: Zone Conference

This week was good!  We had a zone conference, which was amazing!!  The main focus was on "mission culture", representing the Savior, and Doctrine and Covenants 20:37.  One thing that they touched on is language, and two words in specific: "cool" and "awesome".  That erased about 70% of my vocabulary.. :)

We helped some members build a pig shelter out of trampoline pipe, tin, and 2x4s.  It actually looks pretty good!!  That is what I expected to do all the time on my mission!!  

We did lots of tracting, and found lots of people who are open to hearing a message about Christ!!  We found a phrase this week to use that I can't wait to say to people around Easter!! It's "Since Christ is living, what message does he have for you today?"  I look forward to using that!!

I have been studying in Acts, using Jesus the Christ to more thoroughly explain some things in it, and it has been a great experience to see the doctrines found in the Book of Mormon in the Bible, and it's a very strong witness of how the Book of Mormon fills in the "plain and precious truths" that have been lost from the Bible, in such an easily understood way!!

I testify that Jesus is the Christ, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that His word is being established all over the world in the mouth of two (or in my case three) witnesses, and that we can all pray to know if it truly is His word.  All we must do is ask Him to confirm the truth that we read in its pages, and He has promised that we shall receive!  How great a promise!!

I hope all of you have a wonderful week, and remember to Light the World this week!!

Love, 

Elder Eliason

My buddies at Zone Conference, Elder Call and Elder Barber!!!