 |
| This is our "band album cover" -- band name undecided. Maybe The Rhyll Chill |
 |
| The landscaping one is our front yard... |
 |
| Elder Tellem crocheting, and trying to teach us. He is quite the talented Welshman.. Knitting, Gardener, Cook. He's got it all... I love it! |
 |
| from our "View Point"on the way to a dinner appointment.. |
 |
| Conwy Castle, Wales UK |
Hello!
What a week! The suit-coats have been off, and we have had some b-e-a-utiful weather here in Rhyl. People are flocking to this town like birds, and that's how we like it..
Update on Kirsty:
We saw her once this past week and watched the Finding Faith in Christ DVD... Again she expressed how her faith is growing and she is seeing more and more how "real" this gospel is. Her Book of Mormon reading has been key to building her faith. We gave her the first few chapters of Mosiah, and she blew through them like a champ. They were good chapters for her talking about children and charity. She says they are her favourite thus far, and the "old English" style is getting easier and easier to understand. The only downer is she is leaving for Dublin today for two weeks. So it will be a little bit before we see her again, but before we could even say it she said, "No worries, I'm taking the book with me." She's catchin' on!
We have been taking numerous trips up to the hills of Denbigh. Wow, what a gorgeous place that is, with a castle at the top and rolling green hills all around. Google map it. But we have seen a lot of success there. Because it is a 45 minute bus ride away I don't think many missionaries have taken the trip up there. It feels like un-tilled ground. A lot more people stop and talk and are receptive. Rhyl needs a bit of a rest, people see us quite a bit around here so we are taking our time to the hills of Wales.
On the way up to Denbigh I bus-contacted a woman named Amanda. She explained how she had lost her Mum just about a year ago. Well I was able to testify of the Plan of Salvation, and she let us come up and teach her. We phoned up the only members in Denbigh and they let us teach in their home. It seemed to go together so well! It was a great lesson, and I look forward to telling you more about her!
Elder Corbin has been showing off his new skills lately and even got a kid to stop and let us teach him on a bench. It was one one of the best lessons of the transfer. Even with a three-some, it all flowed well and Gary Pary, his name, accepted to see us three times a week.
What a week! The suit-coats have been off, and we have had some b-e-a-utiful weather here in Rhyl. People are flocking to this town like birds, and that's how we like it..
Update on Kirsty:
We saw her once this past week and watched the Finding Faith in Christ DVD... Again she expressed how her faith is growing and she is seeing more and more how "real" this gospel is. Her Book of Mormon reading has been key to building her faith. We gave her the first few chapters of Mosiah, and she blew through them like a champ. They were good chapters for her talking about children and charity. She says they are her favourite thus far, and the "old English" style is getting easier and easier to understand. The only downer is she is leaving for Dublin today for two weeks. So it will be a little bit before we see her again, but before we could even say it she said, "No worries, I'm taking the book with me." She's catchin' on!
We have been taking numerous trips up to the hills of Denbigh. Wow, what a gorgeous place that is, with a castle at the top and rolling green hills all around. Google map it. But we have seen a lot of success there. Because it is a 45 minute bus ride away I don't think many missionaries have taken the trip up there. It feels like un-tilled ground. A lot more people stop and talk and are receptive. Rhyl needs a bit of a rest, people see us quite a bit around here so we are taking our time to the hills of Wales.
On the way up to Denbigh I bus-contacted a woman named Amanda. She explained how she had lost her Mum just about a year ago. Well I was able to testify of the Plan of Salvation, and she let us come up and teach her. We phoned up the only members in Denbigh and they let us teach in their home. It seemed to go together so well! It was a great lesson, and I look forward to telling you more about her!
Elder Corbin has been showing off his new skills lately and even got a kid to stop and let us teach him on a bench. It was one one of the best lessons of the transfer. Even with a three-some, it all flowed well and Gary Pary, his name, accepted to see us three times a week.
It's great to see Elder Corbin get his feet on the ground and have these experiences. I've already learned many things from him. One being his overall excitement and enthusiasm after lessons. It has been something for me that has seen its ups and downs. I need to have the same excitement when someone accepts a date, as I did when I came out. I've seem from him how that excitement can "get the companionship going." We have really fed off of his enthusiasm. It's contagious. When we start "going through the motions" that's when we need to refocus and not let anything rob us of enthusiasm in the work.
It reminds me of when President Bullock said, "When there comes a time when you get 'comfortable' as a missionary, you need to repent." Such a true principle to be learned there. We must always be on the up and up and that takes changes and goal setting to stretch us.
I'm still "feeling it" after conference and have been reflecting on my notes. President Uchtdorf's talk on the priesthood has stuck with me. I've been going through the "commitment" he gave, to read a few sections from the Doctrine and Covenants and master the doctrine. One that I liked was in D&C 84:48- "(Priesthood) is confirmed for your sakes, and not for your sakes only, but for the sake of the whole world." That has definitely applied to me as a missionary.
Service, service, service...To exercise that priesthood for the benefit of others. When given the priesthood we have "potential". We are given authority to act in the name of God. That's pretty serious stuff. But authority is different from power. The "power" comes from our righteousness. And as a missionary there is no other way to teach. As a priesthood holder I have felt a tremendous amount of responsibility to live to my potential here in England, and to do what is necessary to maximize my time in helping others come unto Christ. We as missionaries are "his hands" of missionary work, and we must do just that, work!
I also had the chance to take a train with Elder Corbin to "Bangor" (unreal train ride, gorgeous...along the coastline...Conwy Castle? Look it up, we went right around it) to interview a Chinese student for baptism. It was like revisiting sixth grade. It definitely reminded me of Liverpool. And the Chinese people. Gah! They are so great! It was such a privilege to sit there and hear her bear her testimony. I loved it! Going back again this Thursday!
Well I love you all dearly!
Service, service, service...To exercise that priesthood for the benefit of others. When given the priesthood we have "potential". We are given authority to act in the name of God. That's pretty serious stuff. But authority is different from power. The "power" comes from our righteousness. And as a missionary there is no other way to teach. As a priesthood holder I have felt a tremendous amount of responsibility to live to my potential here in England, and to do what is necessary to maximize my time in helping others come unto Christ. We as missionaries are "his hands" of missionary work, and we must do just that, work!
I also had the chance to take a train with Elder Corbin to "Bangor" (unreal train ride, gorgeous...along the coastline...Conwy Castle? Look it up, we went right around it) to interview a Chinese student for baptism. It was like revisiting sixth grade. It definitely reminded me of Liverpool. And the Chinese people. Gah! They are so great! It was such a privilege to sit there and hear her bear her testimony. I loved it! Going back again this Thursday!
Well I love you all dearly!
Oh, and transfers are this week, so I'll write Wednesday!
LOVE,
Elder Eliason
I was on fb today & noticed that you had posted a letter from Elder Eliason on his missionary blog. I paused a moment to see his pictures and read his letter. What an awesome missionary he is. I know you Allison & Todd are so proud of him & the success that he is having among the people there in England. Elder Eliason is not only an amazing baseball player. He is an extraordinary missionary. I am so proud of him too! WTG Elder Eliason!!
ReplyDeleteI too am looking forward to Mother's Day & a telephone call from our sister missionary. Yes, our oldest daughter Heather just arrived in the New Jersey Morristown Mission this morning to meet President & Sister Bahr.
It is a great time to be a missionary! I am so proud of these young people who have prepared themselves for this time in their lives to serve full-time as ambassadors of the Lord in spreading the "Good News" of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
May our Heavenly Father continue to bless Elder Eliason for his obedience & hard work. Much Love to You All.
Anita