HAPPY NEW YEAR #2019

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!

It was so great to see the fam on Christmas. Sorry for the accent, and for the weird mixed up english haha. I was basically translating from portuguese in my mind which is super #dificil. I'm excited to see Dallin getting hitched for eternity with the Paigester. Super awesome to talk with you guys.

Here in Crateús, we had the baptisms of Flávio and Narcélio!! The coolest guys you'll ever see walkin around in Crateús. 

Flávio is 15 years old and he is THE MAN. He was a referral from Breno, and we taught him together with his cousin Sandy. But, Sandy at the last minute before her baptism, told us that she didn't wanna go to church anymore and that she doesn't want to be baptized. We tried our hardest to convince her but, she was pretty convinced. In a panic, we thought, aw man Flávio is probably gonna pull out as well. We ran over to his house, and we told him what happened with Sandy and he said, "I don't need her to go to church, I'll come every week alone if i have to." We gave him the biggest hug and he was baptized! What a stud.

Narcélio is Carol's boyfriend and he was taught previously by other elders but he didn't want anything with the church. But, when his girlfriend started going to church, he opened up a whole bunch and decided he wanted to be baptized too. Total stud as well.

We are preparing Carlos Felipe and Juliano (Eduardo's brother) for baptism this week as well!! Carlos Felipe just has to stop drinking the dang coffee. Juliano is Eduardo's brother and he'll be the first person that Eduardo will baptize. It will be #sweet.

We're still working with Carlos and Gilmara to get baptized. Everyone in the branch is already calling Carlos as the next counselor to replace me and Gilmara for the next president of the Relief Society. I made sure to call the branch down a bit, we can talk about this AFTER they're baptized. They're having a problem gather enough faith to be baptized because when they said that when they decide to be baptized, they will stick firm for life. We're going to teach them the Plan of Salvation and temples today, it's gonna be awesome.

It's absolutely crazy to think that 2018 already passed by. 2018 was one heck of a year. A year where I lived in Brazil as a missionary serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Easily, hands down the best year of my life also the hardest year of my life. I look back to the first couple months of 2018, and I remember all the amazing spiritual experiences I had this year. I remember going through a lot of rough parts early on in the year still aclamating and lost in another country. I remember when I was scared out of my mind to train a brand new missionary when I was brand new as well. I remember all of the hard work, sweat (lots of it), and long days of walking.

The one thing that I remember most, isn't the work, or the sweat, or even my companions or areas but it is how close I came to the Savior this year. All of the trials, hardships, and success all helped me gain more and more faith in my Savior Jesus Christ. I was converted together with my investigators and learned from every single one of them. But, I can tell you all for a fact that I know Christ. I know he loves me, I know he is there when I need him. He's my friend. That's the greatest gift I recieved this year in 2018 and that's the reason 2018 is the best year yet. 

That's about it. AMO TODOS DE VOCÊS!!!!!

Com amor,

Elder Eliason

Fotos:

Some pics from the christmas conf.

FLAVIO e NARCELIOOOO

É Véspera de Natal! (It's Christmas Eve!!)

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!!

IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

This week was awesome. 

To start off we had our Mission Christmas Conference on Thursday and I got to see alllll of my mission buds. We had to take the famous 6 hour bus trip to get there but it was all worth it. Our CTM District 43-B was all back together again. I'll make sure to put in the pic from last year as well to help you guys see all the gains we're making here haha. The Conference was based on integrity and obedience and President challenged us to choose 5 ways how we can be more obedient and have more integrity. Reflecting on how I could improve helped me make more goals on how I can be more focused on the work. Super awesome.

Also, we had our Christmas party of Ramo Crateús!!! We ate a whole bunch, played some christmas music, and the elders had a special choir performance that made a whole bunch of people laugh haha. Super fun day.

This week we had the baptism of Larisse!! She is the sweetest girl you'll ever meet. She's 15 years old and she is the one that has the awesome natural cheese that I told you guys about. We found her one day walking in the street with one of our RC's, we struck up a conversation with her, marked an appointment, and she accepted baptism right away!!! She is definitely one of the elect.

We are preparing Flavio, Sandy, Carlos Felipe, Carlos e Jumara, and Narselio for baptism this week!!!

I absolutely love the spirit of Christmas. To be honest, I'm missing Luther Vandross' amazing Christmas album (and the family too of course), but I'm super excited to talk to the fam tomorrow!!! It's gonna be awesome.

Christmas makes everything and everyone better. It brings out the best in literally everyone!! This is the season where you show your love for your neighbor. Do something nice for someone else, every day. That's what Christ did, and that's what we all should do.

FELIZ NATAL!!!!!!

Com amor,

Elder Eliason

Fotos - heres a bunch 

(CHRIST)MAS TIME

T'S GETTING CLOSER TO CHRISTMAS TIME PEOPLE and Elder Eliason is beyond pumped. This week was another good week of finding and teaching. We found 4 people who are on date for this next week. Narsélio (Carol's BF), Sandy (Who ever watched spongebob gets the reference because I like her.... she's from TX), Flávio, and Larisse. 

We were at Larisse's house on Saturday and after we finished the lesson, her aunt showed us her cows and how they make cheese. I never knew how cool it was to watch cheese being made. Afterwards she gave us some to eat, and holy moly does it live up to the hype. We asked if we could milk the cows but she said they only milk them 5h30 am but one day we have faith we'll be able to milk the cows.

We broke another record for attendance this week with 80!!! We challenged the young men and the young woman to have 20 people for Sacrament meeting, and if they did we promised them a pizza party. Last week, the young men hit 20 and this week the young women hit 20 as well. We had a loooott of pizza haha.

We are getting ready for the big switch to the casapela in the center of the city, Presidente Kaulle (Pres. Chamberlain's first counselor) came by and showed us the reform and the blueprints of our new capela. He said by March or April it should be finished, I just hope I'll be around to see it finished.

On the mission, you learn a ton of spiritual things as well as a load of life skills as well. One of the things that I love doing every day is setting goals. I have never set SO MANY GOALS in my life than on my mission, and I've never seen so much success as well. I love this quote from M. Russell Ballard:

"I believe you can train yourself to become a positive thinker, but you must cultivate a desire to develop the skill of setting personal worthy and realistic goals. I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the technique of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When you learn to master the principle of setting a goal, you will then be able to make a great difference in the results you attain in this life."

- Elder M. Russell Ballard

Our potential can only be reached if we learn how to stretch ourselves. When we stretch ourselves, and try a little bit harder than we think we can, this is when our Heavenly Father comes in and gives us that extra push. Thinking of this, all month I've been thinking about what present I'm gonna give to Christ this Christmas and I decided. I'm going to give him my will. To not do things my way, but the Lord's. To not get frustrated with people becuase maybe my job was just to plant the seed and to not harvest the crop. To turn all of my thoughts, words, and actions into what He would say. I don't know any better way to reaching my full potential than doing as the Lord did, sayin what he said, and serving as he served.

AMO TODOS DE VOCÊS!!!!!

- Elder Eliason

Christmas Vomit

HELLO EVERYONE!!

It's getting closer to christmas timmeeee. Things don't get very Christmas-y around here but Christmas is in the air! 

Another transfer in Crateús!!! This week was a good one. We had the baptism of Carol!!! Let me tell you the story on her.

Carol - 

So she was taught by E. Taylor before I got to Crateus but she didnt want anything to do with the church. 2 of her sisters were baptized, and she started to soften up a bit. One day, we ran in to her in the street, and I asked E. Taylor, "Has she been baptized yet?". He said that she hasn't, so the next day we marked an appointment and gave her a lesson on the importance of baptism and she accepted!! It was great to see the change that she undertook.

Funny story. Remember that Christmas miracle of that man returning my camera? Well turns out he erased half the pictures, and broke the camera lens. But, that's okay... it's CHRISTMAS TIME.

Other funny story. We were having lunch with a member on Saturday and they were telling E. Maxwell "COME MAIS ELDER, COME MAIS" (have some more elder, have some more). He ate 3 plates of food with all of us cheering him on. The member there said that he ALMOST ate as much as E. Nielson (A 250 pound american elder). After the 3rd plate, he only needed 1 more plate to beat E. Nielson but he wasn't up to it. So, being dumb, took his plate and gave him another serving. He couldn't finish the 4th plate and we went to leave a message for the family and Elder Maxwell vomited all over the sidewalk. I felt sssuuppperrr bad. I helped him clean up, and I probably said sorry 452353 times. Elder Maxwell forgave me on the spot. What a man.

This week, I've been focusing a lot on questions that investigators ask and how I can answer them with scriptures and examples. As I started to do this, I wanted to do it with my own questions that I have.

As I studied, I noticed 2 things.

1) There isn't any doubt or question that can't be answered because THIS IS The Church of Jesus Christ

2) We have access to all the answers, but we don't need all the answers.

There's a quote from Grandpa Eliason that talks a little bit to that second point:

"Doubt the things you don't know before you doubt the things you do know"

We, as human beings, want ALL the answers to ALL the questions, but that's not how God designed it. We are trusted to walk by faith in this world. When doubts come, we lean on our faith. When our faith fails, we lean on the Savior.

That's about it!!!

AMO VOCÊS,

Elder Eliason

What Will You Give Christ for Christmas?

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS

I hope you all are doing well! It's the start of the Christmas season and I am PUMPED. Christmas is the best. Just to give you a taste of christmas season, let me tell you what just happened to me. So, on P-Day, after we left the lan house, I forgot my camera and went back to get it and it wasn't there. Someone had stole it, pretty normal here. I went the whole week dreading the loss of all my pictures and my camera. Today, I walked into the Lan House and a man walked up to Elder Taylor and said "Did you leave something here last week" He said, that I lost my camera, he went over to me and said "I have your camera, I took it to make sure no one stole it." 30 min later, he went to his house and got my camera gave it to me. IT IS CHRISTMAS SEASON BABY. JOY TO THE FLIPPIN WORLD. If that ain't what Christmas is, I don't know what is.

Anyways, this week was awesome!! We hit a record of church attendance in Crateús: 77!!! We had to use every chair possible in the entire house to fit everyone and people still had to stand off to the side. In March, President Chamberlain said we will be able to move to our new casapela because we are running out of room at the Lima house.

We're teaching a group of kids that we found in the street. Elias, Vitor, Lara, and Guilherme. As well as 2 families! Antonia and Beatriz, and Carlos and Jumara. All of them went to Church this Sunday!!! Carlos and Jumara are the best. Carlos calls me Elder Texas hahaha. They are the sweetest couple and they already had us over for pizza and a coke. After, we had the first lesson with them!! They are awesome.

One last thing, in a bit of a hurry. We got permission to watch the Christmas Devotional and I absolutely loved it. We have the best choir in the world. One thing, that I loved is what Elder Vinson asked us: 

What will you give Christ for Christmas. What's one sacrifice that you can make to come closer to him? What one little change can help you live like he did?

I'm willing to make some changes too, and I'm super excited to get to know my Savior more because of it.

AMO TODOS DE VOCÊS!!!!

Abraço forte,

Elder Eliason

Christ Is Our Biggest Fan

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!

This week, like literally all the weeks here in Crateús, was awesome!! We had a wonderful week of finding, teaching, and baptizing!! Eduardo, Junior, and Erislândia were baptized this week!! In total 7 people were baptized this week in Ramo Crateús!! It's so amazing to see so many people here ready to accept the restored gospel. The nickname for Crateús is The Land of Miracles!! Rightly named.

So this week, we were teaching Eduardo and he asked us if we wanted to see his backyard. Me and Elder Taylor said "aye why not". We went back there and there were 37 PIGS IN HIS BACKYARD. I didn't have my camera on me because you know I'm not trying to get robbed again but i'll make sure to snap a pic next time I'm there. In that same lesson, he asked us "Hey what do I have to do to be a missionary too?" I looked at E.Taylor and we were just shocked. He's 18 years old, so we're gonna get him on a fast track to be a missionary! Eduardo is the best. Also, very tall.

And Junior. So we were getting the baptismal service ready and everything, and we went out to get Junior. And he wasnt home. We went to his Mom's house, wasn't there either. We went to his Grandma's house and she said he went hunting. Desperate, we said where does he usually hunt? And she said "a mile that way". I had to go back and do the baptismal interviews for E. Silva & E. Maxwell's investigators. So he went with E. Maxwell, while me and E. Silva stayed to do the baptismal interviews. They went all the way to the hunting place and he wasn't there. E. Taylor came back, and as we were finishing the interviews, he told me "I'm gonna pass by his house one more time". He passed by, and....... he still wasnt there. But, E.Taylor waved down Vanessa (a member) who passed by on a bike to check to see if he was there at his Grandma's. 30 minutes later, as we are about to start the baptismal service, Vanessa ran in and said "Why are yall starting, I found Junior, he's coming right now!" Me and E. Taylor literally ran around the casapela we were so happy. And he came and was baptized!!

Erislândia is the best. She gets everywhere on time, and she picked the "smaller white american gringo" to baptize her. lol.

Also, we gave Junior and Eduardo, a shirt and tie to come to get confirmed in style. They loved it.

Also, we are preparing Anderson for baptism for next week!! He went to church this week and is super excited for this Sunday to be baptized!!

The more time that I'm on my mission, the more I start to realize how great souls are in the sight of god. I'm constantly reminded of this scripture in D&C 18:

14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.
15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

I've never felt such true joy as I have being a missionary. I'm so thankful for this opportunity I have to wear the name of my family and most importantly the name of the Savior on my chest and over my heart every single day. As all missionaries know, there are good and bad spells. There are days or even weeks when every progressing investigator decides to quit and give up. There are days that you work and sweat so hard but everything goes wrong and you come home exhausted, dissapointed, and unmotivated.

Those hard days, is what makes days like these so great! It's important to know that the Lord is always watching us and looking over us. He's the only one that can help us when we have one of "those days". Christ is our biggest fan, he's our biggest motivator. He's the loudest in the stands, rooting us on. That's what helps me through those hard days. 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Abraço,

Elder Eliason

Here's a bunch of pics

"We can't let the things we can't control interfere with what we can control."

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!

Time is flying by over here in Crateús. This week we saw a whole lot of miracles working in our area. Also, Daniel Alisson and Raiane were baptized!! We're seeing a lot of our hard work paying off.

We found some great people this past week. 

Eduardo - Eduardo was a referral from Dorge. We went over to his house 3 times, and each time he wasn't there. But, he went to 3 activities during the week and we taught him after our mutual activity on Sunday. He gladly accepted to be baptized this week!! He's 18 years old and we're convinced he is the next missionary to come out of Ramo Crateús. Also, he came to church this sunday 20 minutes early. If that doesn't tell you he's the man, I dont know what does.

Erislândia - What a name. She was a referral from Sara. She is 12 years old and she is the coolest girl on the block. She too accepted to be baptized this week and came out to church this Sunday as well. She said she loved her first time visiting the church.

Junior - Junior is Erislândia's cousin and he is the coolest guy ever. He's 16 and he never stops smiling. We met him when Erislandia brought him to mutual with her. After mutual, we taught him and Eduardo and they both accepted dates together! He came to church on sunday, and even came out to choir. The man can sing, folks.

But, let's not forget about how awesome it was to see Daniel Alisson and Raiane get baptized!! The first thing Daniel Alison said after he got baptized was "De novo!!!!" or "Again!!". It got a laugh from the crowd haha. They were warmly welcomed into the fold on sunday as new members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

One thing I read this week really struck my mind. It's a quote from M. Russell Ballard:

"I have identified one factor as to what makes a good missionary, it's not the area, it's not the people, it's not even the time of the season, it is the attitude and willingness of a missionary to find, teach, and baptize."

Many times in life when things start to go wrong, we look for the first excuse to grab on to. Instead of going out and getting the job done, we sit inside and use our excuse as our comfortable little blanket that falsely comforts us and blinds us. One thing I've learned as a missionary, is that there are a whole lot of things we can't control, everyone has their free agency. But, to be our best we can't let the things we can't control interfere with what we can control. To be the best we can, we have to use everything in our reach that we can personally control, and use it to our advantage. 

As a missionary, you can't choose your area, your companion, your ward, heck you can't even choose what you want for lunch. The Lord chooses for us. Lots of times I've heard missionaries say, "When I get out of this area, or when I switch companions, I'll have so much success." And when the next companion or area comes, the results are the same. The secret to success is uniting our will with God's, and as we do so we'll start to see why God put us in that area with that companion.

I testify that all these things are true, and I love you all!!!! Até mais.

Um abraço,

Elder Eliason

CRATEUS BABYYY

Us in the best baptismal font in the world

Messing around with Dorge

Me and Raiane

Getting painted at mutual featuring Marconnes

Raiane and Daniel Alisson

"I really love the feeling of being a part of the very beginnings of the church here."

HELLO FAMILY & FRIENDS

This week was a great one over here in Crateús. We got a whole lot done. I gotta say I really love the feeling of being a part of the very beginnings of the church here. As missionaries, we get to work closely in council meetings, Branch council, and with all of the auxiliary leaders as well. I'm learning so much about how to help the church internally as well as externally. 

We've planned a "Jincana" or game with the youth here to help them get excited to bring and invite their friends to church as well as bring less-actives to church as well. It's gonna take place this Saturday, and it's gonna be awesome.

We are teaching a whhhhooolllee bunch of people. We have Daniel, Rayanne, and Daniel Alison who were a referral from the branch. They went out to church this week and they loved it!! Daniel Alison and Rayanne have baptimsal dates for this week!! Funny story: As we were teaching them, their donkey started walking slowly and slowly towards me and I turned around the donkey was all up in my face. They got a good laugh out of it haha.

Kailanne and Kauanne the little twins weren't able to come to church this week, so we had to push their baptisms for this coming week. 

Elder Taylor and I are working our tails off and we're starting to see a whole lot of blessings from our dilligence. One thing I've learned on my mission and this week in particular was about the importance of constantly evaluating yourself as a missionary. It's good to be always looking to where you can improve and what you're doing well. One phrase that our mission president, President Chamberlain says is: 

"You don't endure to the end just to endure, you endure to get better, you get better until to the end."

I remember when I gave my farewell talk exactly on this subject, The difference between enduring and enduring well. I love this scripture from D&C 121:7-8:

7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.

This was the Lord speaking to Joseph Smith when he was in Liberty Jail with his people suffering from dreadful hardships. This scripture gives me hope that when spiritual tempests come, when we don't think we can take one more step, that Christ is willing to help us in the very hour we need him. And if we endure it well, if we continue to try to be better, God will exalt us on high. I know this is true, and I know that God is with us in all of our hard times as well as the good ones.

BOA SEMANA PARA VOCÊS!!!

Abraço,

Elder Eliason

Turning the Big 2-0!

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!

This was a great week over here in the middle of nowhere AKA Crateús!! I had my first and only birthday in the mission field on Friday. It was really special, I had the best cake of my life, and coming out of the shower E. Silva and E. Taylor smashed me with an egg and poured powder all over me, haha. It's a tradition here in South America for every birthday. Good times.

We are teaching some really cool people as well. 

Walife - I call him Waffle, haha. We were out with a member out teaching his friends, when we went to one house but his friend wasn't there. But, casually, we started talking to Waffle (I mean Walife) and his brother Jefferson. We asked if we could leave a message and they both accepted a date for baptism. Walife and his brother (who we taught later) have a date for this week, while Jefferson is for the 18th! 

Kailanne/Kauanne - Are 10 year old twins who was a referral from one of the members. We taught Kailanne and Kauanne with her grandma and all of them accepted a baptismal date!! But, we think she just accepted a date because we have blue eyes and told us 456346 times that we were "bonitos" hahaaha. But they are identical in everything, super cute. They have a date for this week as well.

Thinks are looking up here in Crateús. We are working super hard with the leaders here to help get our attendance up to 80!! It's super cool to be such involved in establishing the church here in Crateús. It's more than just missionary work, but we are responsible for the branch as well. Every day is super busy, but that means times going by super quick!!

I wanna leave a quick scripture that has helped me out a whole lot on my mission in John 16:33:

33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

We need to be of good cheer!!! Christ has overcome the world. When trials and tribulation come, we can find peace that Christ can overcome every one of our sins. When I get stressed or overwhelmed, this scripture gives me peace that I can be of good cheer thanks to the loving sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ. So, BE OF GOOD CHEER!!

That's about it!!

Abraço,

Elder Eliason

Birthday Cake!

"We saw some real miracles this week in Crateús!"

We have been working with Leo, Iris, Lais, and Hanna all week last week. They were a referral from Daiane, our RC. They were getting prepared for baptism last week, but they didn't feel ready to make the commitment. So, this week we'll be working with them a bit more to help them prepare for this week.

We also are working with a ton of less-actives here, especially Nicolas. He's the son of Irmã Silvia, who is super faithful, and looks like Blake Griffin haha. Ever since I got here, Irmã Silvia has been begging us to go over there and help out Nicolas. He's 19 years old, he got shot from drug trafficking 3 months ago, and is really passing through a lot of hard times. We've been passing by, building a friendship with him, and he's been opening up more and more to us. 

Until, Friday, we were just walking though the street and we ran into him and he said, "Hey, pass by my house on Sunday for me to go to church with yall!". Sunday, we passed by and he went to church for the first time in 9 years. In my gospel principles class, he participated, shared experiences, and he promised to start reading the book of mormon. Me and Elder Taylor said he's gonna be the next Branch President haha!

This week I learned a lot about managing time. As a missionary, there are very few days where you are in and out of appointments on time and make the best of the day. And there are many other days, where a member calls you needing something, or where you feel like you should pass by a RC, and your day just gets all jumbled up. 

No matter how much you try, there's always something that takes you off track. But, I learned that we need to attend to those little whispers that tell you to visit someone or knock a door and attend to members who need a blessing or just need someone to talk to. I learned that managing time means using the most of our time every day to help someone build their faith in Christ and not necessarily sticking to what we write in Daily Planning.

That's about it for this week!!

Abraço forte,

Elder Eliason

AÇAÍ por um ano!

Me and Taylor pretty as always

Os rapazesss (Young men)