Culture of the England Manchester Mission: "Speak to Everyone"

Hiya!

What a blast of news that email just was!  I'm glad to hear you were
able to chat with Jeffrey (Moss), and Richard (Cunningham) as they now shall be known.
Also, I will mull over the idea of coming home for Dallin's farewell,
I'm sure President Preston will talk to me about it more when I see
him this week.

We have been blessed this week with another progressing investigator,
Roxie from Portugal. She was street contacted and taught on the spot
in no other place than my former home of Swinton, by the Elders that
replaced Elder Palmer and I. We went and saw her at the beginning of
the week, and had a great first lesson helping her to understand the
Restoration. We then saw her again on Saturday and went over how the
Bible and Book of Mormon go together, and how they testify of each
other. It brought a great spirit of unity into the lesson, and into
her understanding of the Restoration. She then also mentioned how she
went onto to mormon.org and came across "baptisms for the dead" and read
up on it.  It was very prevalent to her with losing her grandpa a
couple of years ago. She said that she was sad at the time knowing he
had not been baptised. We were able to teach more about it and share
how it is part of the Restoration. Near the end part of the lesson we
again extended the invitation to be baptised, she accepted and said
that "It feels right, it must be God telling me." The next day she
came to church and enjoyed all three hours. The Preston YSA was a
great help at introducing themselves and helping her feel welcome.

Roxie now has a date for the 17th of March, and we will be seeing her
three times this week.

We are still seeing Ben and he is still coming along. This week we
had two lessons with him, both being on the Plan of Salvation. He was
able to understand it remarkably well, but not in the sense of just
knowing the steps, but understanding the base principles such as the
need for a Saviour and how the Atonement reverses the affects of the
Fall.  He was able to identify how it all fits together. He is just a
very bright man with an unfortunate situation. But the great thing is
that he doesn't let his illness define him and does not allow it to
be an excuse. That is what has allowed him to achieve so much. For
example, after the lesson he was sharing with me what he learned about
Biology the other day and he had me going in circles. It is amazing
to see what a man can continue to do in his life despite all of the
odds going against him. That has to be one of the greatest strengths
someone can posses: an indomitable will combined with an awareness of
what he can do, and not just seeing what he can't do.

We have already become great friends and he continues to do very well.
 His illness is the only thing that is holding him back at the moment.
 In this last lesson he reassured us that he wanted to be baptised,
and he understands what it all entails. He is now adjusting his
sleeping pattern to be in line with church next week.

Everything else this week has been finding time and Elder Nielson's
driving lessons in Chorley. Let's just say I’m the one to serve with
when your going for your license...

Upcoming this week is an impromptu Zone Leader Council, and Elder
Nielson and I are headed just about to the border of England to
Workington for a 2 day exchange with the Elders up there. 

Scripture of the week: Acts 5:38-42

38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone:
for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found
even to fight against God.

40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and
beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of
Jesus, and let them go.

41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that
they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to
teach and preach Jesus Christ.

I wish I could expound upon the entire chapter, but time does not
allow. I love the attitude of the early apostles and their pure
desire to "speak to everyone."  That is the culture of the England
Manchester Mission and even though at times we may get rejected or
belittled by people on the street, we know we are going about the work
of God. For men "cannot overthrow it", and it will go forward. With
that testimony in my heart I am glad that I am "counted worthy to
suffer shame for [Christ's] name" at times. For I will "cease not to
teach and preach Jesus Christ" at all times and in all places, for
that is what I am called to do.

Have a great week!

Elder Eliason

"We radiate what we are"

Hola!

The journey begins! Dallin is headed to Colombia! Funny thing is that
yesterday I met a student that is from Colombia--the first Colombian I
have run into on my mission, and it was the day before! But that is
such an exciting call to receive! And speaking that en el Espanol? That
is what I'm talking about! Now we have a full-time spokesman for us
every time we go to Taco Bell, ordering just got so much easier. And
those pics Dallin sent...Gorgeous. And that Chiva bus thing? I
dream of being able to bus contact on something like that! haha... This
takes me back to when I got my call and all the feelings that come
with it, I'm excited for you D!  I'll email you here in a sec...

Well, it's taken me about 30 minutes to take in everything about
Dallin's call...I just can’t get over it. So my highlights from the
week are going to have to be quick:

We now have one progressing investigator! His name is Ben and how we
found him starts with Elder Moss and Elder Nielson a few weeks ago.
They sat down with the Bishop and asked him to pray about an area that
they should focus on. Using his keys he gave them a little side part
of Preston. 


The second day that I was here, we tracted out a road in
that area, and met Ben. He at first was not interested, but after
awhile he allowed us to come back in a few days. Well, we did and we
first asked him what it was that caught his attention about our
message. He said "It was you, you both have a presence about what you
believe in. You have a confidence in yourselves and in life, and that
is what I want." 


To hear that was humbling and a great way to start
of the lesson that we had. Ben is in his late 20s and used to be a
big into Martial Arts, until he was hit with an illness that Doctors
have no diagnosis for. This illness has brought him down in life and has
caused him to start asking questions, and desiring to find the "right
path." He's always talking about the "right path." We have now taught
him two lessons and he is picking up on it all really well. Ben is
big into science and says that it is a battle to push away his
agnostic views that he has grown up with. Another great thing that
happened in our second lesson is that we offered a Priesthood
blessing, and he was all for it. It was a special experience.

This past week we also had Zone Conference! President Preston
presented his Mission Vision to the mission and it definitely created
a "buzz" of excitement for what is to come.

Elder Nielson and I trained over QGC's (Quality Gospel Conversations) and handling objections whilst finding. I have a great passion for finding and every time we train
on it, I do my best to get that passion across. Especially for all of
these new missionaries who have not had those experiences yet.

Quote of the week:

“There is another responsibility correlated and even co-existent with… agency, which is too infrequently emphasized, and that is the effectnot only of a person’s actions, but also of his thoughts. Man radiateswhat he is, and that radiation affects to a greater or less[er] degreeevery person who comes within that radiation” 

--David O. Mckay

This is response to the comment that Ben made of us.  WE RADIATE WHAT WE ARE.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Eliason

"Seek first to understand, then to be understood."

4 Generations! - (From left to right) Elder Moss (my trainer), yours truly, Elder Corbin (my greenie), and his greenie

Here's Maurice (middle), who will be getting baptized Feb 25th. I will be going back to Swinton for the baptism.

Hello Family!

I had no idea that Dallin had already put his papers in? Wow, that is
good news that he should be getting his call this week. I get two
picks.. He is either going to Argentina, or Ghana. OR... he's coming
to England Manchester, and I will train him in my last transfer...

Well these past couple of days have just been a lot of meetings and
moving people around, I’ll give you the highlights:

Elder Boswell and Elder Ringwood, two of my good friends out here were
featured on the "One Show" this past Thursday.  The show was talking
about Mitt Romney, and then featured a segment going more into what
Mormons are, and in specific LDS missionaries. You can have a look by
going to lds.org.uk.

Even though the election is going on in the States, we are still
getting chatted up a lot about Mitt Romney.  It has been a great for
us, as it has created more interest into what we believe.

Elder Cunningham invited Elder Nielson, Elder Boswell, Elder Smart,
and I to eat with him and his family in Manchester when they came to
pick him up. It was great to meet them and to hear that fresh
American accent again. Dad, Elder Cunningham's mom commented on how
she appreciated you upholding the blog.

In the Preston Zone, we have five missionaries that are training. That
is a massive amount. We haven’t had this many new missionaries in the
mission since my group of 18 came in. We will be able to go on
exchanges with each of them this transfer, and we hope to "pass down
the culture" that we have learned as we have been here. I still
remember my first exchange and the impact that it played on my life,
let alone mission.

Church yesterday, was a sight to see. The recent converts pretty much
ran the service. We had Way Dee (a Chinese recent convert baptised by
Elder Moss, and Fawcett) give a talk, bless the sacrament, and teach
gospel principles. Then there was another recent convert of November
who taught Elders Quorum. It is exciting to see the growth that is
coming into the lives of these new members.

As for our teaching pool, we are currently in the rebuilding stage.
We are going to be doing a lot of finding this week and seeking new
investigators. I must tell you that I love these kinds of times on my
mission. I love the challenge that is set when you walk into an area
like this. I know that they are people that are waiting to accept
what we have. But I also know that "faith precedes the miracle," and
now is the time that we prove ourselves worthy to be able to teach.
So now it's down to mighty prayer, diligence, obedience and then
the Lord will provide. In His time, and in His own way.

Quotes of the week:

"Seek first to understand, then to be understood."

One of the greatest leadership/relationship principles in the world.

"The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into
celestial citizens, and that requires change."
- Dallin H. Oaks

Whilst on my mission I have come to know just how true that it is.
This life is a time to prepare to meet God, or a time to "become"
and help others to do the same.

I know that there is a God in heaven who knows me perfectly, and see's
what I can "become." He has given me and all of you the opportunity
to get to know him with more clarity, by restoring the fullness of
Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Earth. Jesus Christ lives and leads
this latter day work. The Book of Mormon is inspired of God and is
another witness of the love that God has for all of his children. I
love being a missionary, and the time that I have to testify of this
message to the people of England.

Love you all!

Elder Eliason

"I am standing on the shoulders of giants here in Preston"

Hello Family!

A lot has gone on in the last 10 days! For starters, when transfer
calls came I was sure that Elder Palmer would be leaving (he’d been in
Swinton for 6 months), and I would be staying. Well, that’s not how
it happened. We soon found out that Elder Palmer and I would both be
leaving, and we would be whitewashing out of our area. This is
because the Zone Leaders are moving to the YSA ward in Manchester and
this calls for Chinese missionaries. So Elder Eggers and Elder Cai
are taking over in Manchester.

Now as for myself, I am following in the footsteps of my father, and
replacing Elder Moss in Preston to serve with Elder Nielson from
Taylorsville, Utah. Elder Nielson came out with me and we have become
good friends whilst serving around each other. This makes the fourth
person that I have served with that came out with me. The others
being Elder Eggers, Rapata, and Harris.

Now it was quite sad to leave Swinton after only one transfer, just
because that is when you start getting to know everybody. The other
thing was that we had been teaching a lot of great people.

Update on a few of them...

We taught Maurice Fox, the member referral for the 2nd and 3rd time
this past week, and he is doing very well. After coming to church on
Sunday, he felt like he belonged and everything about him just seem to
be better. He had such a different countenance the third time we
taught him compared to the first. With teaching the plan of
salvation, it really opened his eyes to what he has wanted to know for
so long. He accepted a baptismal date for the 25th of Feb, if all
goes well I’ll be going down for it.

Anita, and Norbert, the Hungarian couple, are doing very well. Anita
is one of the most sharp investigators I have ever taught. She is
eagerly curious about knowing more and is really starting to come
along. We brought a Hungarian missionary who was serving in Bolton,
which really helped them to understand “gospel terms.”

Jeff, Mandi, Kiron, and Loretta are all progressing towards baptism in
early march. Jeff called us in the middle of the week, and told us, "I’ve received an answer to my prayer.” He went on to explain how after reading and praying he felt the influence of the Holy Ghost, he explained it almost in line with Helaman 5:30. We were able to go over and say goodbye, and told them all we would be back for their
baptism.

I'm sitting now in the Library that is literally feet away from the
Preston Market, which is full of Church History. Actually where this
library is, is where the “Truth Will Prevail” sign was seen by the
early missionaries and coined as their motto. I am standing on the
shoulders of giants here in Preston, and what a blessing it is to be
serving here. And this is my first time being in the North of the
mission, and this part is the scenic part of England, have a look for
yourself, Google “Lake District."

Some other news regarding transfers is that Elder Corbin is training.
That means that 4 generations of missionaries are in the mission at
once!  That is not a common thing, very rare.

Well, I said all four in the mission at once, but that won’t be for
long, because Elder Moss heads home today! He and Elder Cunningham
both go home today, and it will be my first companions that are going
home. It is weird to think that they won’t be here anymore, as my
entire mission has been involved with them. It is sad to see them
go, but it won’t be for long, we’ll be good friends for awhile.

We will speak again on Monday!

Love you all!

Elder Eliason

p.s-  I forgot the card reader, so pics next week..


haha my letter sounds a little bit depressing. I am not down at all,
I actually am the opposite. Change is always exciting, and I know
that the Lord has had a hand in these transfers. That is something
that I have learned over and over!