Happy New Year!

Hello Family!

Happy New Year!  I cannot believe it is 2012...

This past week has been unique to say the least. There has been very
limited time for proselyting, as we have had New Years Eve, New
Years Day, Boxing Day, Zone Leaders Council, and Elder Palmer having
kidney stones.

There are many people that we look forward to seeing in the next
couple of days, the holidays are finally starting to simmer down and
so things should start to warm up. In the teaching pool we have many
who have referred themselves through mormon.org, which already shows
that they have real intent. All in all, I am ready to get back out
and start teaching. Not working for a week has helped me realize how
much I do enjoy the life of a missionary. Lets get back on the
streets!

I got to know my new ward very well this past week. I even got to
give a talk on my first Sunday there. It is a great opportunity to
make a first impression.

I spoke on "The Saviour's Role in the Plan of Salvation." I was able
to share some childhood stories, that was able to make the talk more
personal to them and hopefully made it easier from them to know a
little bit about me.

We spent New Years Eve and New Years Day  with most of the zone at a
senior couple's home by the name of the Cannons. It was great for me
to get to know the zone, and to spend some time with some old friends
that I used to serve around.

I love this time of year and the freshness that a new year brings. I
cannot help but look forward with optimism to see what this year will
bring!

I am sorry that this letter is so short...because of Bank Holiday on
Monday things have been shuffled around, and we have to head to a
Tea appointment. Speak to you soon!

Love,
Elder Eliason

Scripture of the week:

Ether 12:19
"And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even
before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil, but
truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye
of faith, and they were glad."

I love this time of year, and the freshness that a new year brings.  I
cannot help but look forward with optimism to see what this year will
bring!  This is the time to envision what we want to happen out of the
year to come.  It truly is exciting to think of all the possibilities
that lay ahead and all the goals that we want to set. Just as with the
Jaredites, let us show our Heavenly Father how committed and willing
we are to achieve our goals by our unwavering faith and diligence. It
is a time to act and not to be acted upon. I know that as we put our
trust in God, just as the Jaredites, we will "truly [see] with [our]
eyes the things which [we] had beheld with an eye of faith".  It's
time to make these resolutions happen, and make it a happy and
fulfilling 2012!