"Lay up your treasures in heaven"

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS

This week was great!! We saw many miracles in our area this week. I'll share just 2 of them.

This Sunday 2 of our Recent-Converts Ruan, David, and Lucio passed the sacrament in brand-spanking new white shirts and ties. Ruan was acting all sad on Sunday because he couldn't pass the sacrament because he didn't have a tie. I ripped off my tie and gave it to him so he could pass the sacrament. I said, "This tie is yours now" and he went crazy haha. He was so grateful even for a small thing such as a tie. To see our Recent-Converts participating so much in church activities, passing the sacrament, attending seminary, and inviting their friends to come to church as well brings us so much joy. One of the best feelings you can have is to see your investigators progress enough to be baptized AND stay firm in the gospel.

Edigleison was baptized this Sunday!! He has been progressing so much and he said that he knows with certainty that the Church is true!! We've been helping him out by giving part of the big bag of snacks we get from the Relief Society every week. He's a really special kid.

Here, one very effective way we have to find new investigators is playing soccer with kids on the street. We spend 10-15 minutes playing with them and after we have a lesson with all the kids we played with. I'm slowly improving from really bad to less worse haha, they love to make fun of the americano. 2 kids that we play with went to church this Sunday with David and Lucio and we set a date with them to be baptized this Saturday, Samuel (David's friend) and Gabriel (Ruan's brother)!! Don't fix what's not broken haha. It's also a great way to teach families as well!!

Also, Ala Palmares won the stake soccer tournament!! You know Palmares knows how to represent. While our other team with all of our RC's came in last. VAI ALA PALAMARES!!!! 

Like I said last week, I have been focusing my study on Christ. How we taught, how he reacted, and how he served. 

I love the example that he gives us in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:

19 ¶ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Christ teaches us to build our treasures in heaven instead of on the earth. If we spend the majority of our time "building our worldly treasure" we will be compensated with worldly things. We may have all the glitz and glamour here on Earth but when that day comes, our "heavenly treasure" will be missing. 

When we "lay up our treasures in heaven", we are blessed spiritually and temporally where no theive can break through or steal. Every time we help someone in need, read the scriptures looking for knowledge, and pray to find comfort we are laying up our treasures in heaven where we will be compensated with eternal life.

I know this gospel is true!! I know that Jesus Christ layed down his life so I (and all the rest of us) can return and live with my Heavenly Father again. He is the only way we can receive true happiness. With Christ anxiety turns to relief, despair turns to hope, and sadness turns to a constant smile :)

AMO TODOS DE VOCÊS!!!

Abraço fortão,

Elder Eliason

"Contemplating Christ"

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!

I'm really sorry to hear about little Royce who passed away this week. My heart goes out to Lindsey and their family and all of the Ford family. Know that we're all praying for you guys!!

This week was great!! We are working hard out here to make July the best month of our mission. We are working a lot with our RC's as well. In Bom Jardim they have a stake soccer tournament, and Palmares has 2 teams. One all-star team and the other team is made up of Deacons. That Deacon team got DESTROYED by Ala Bom Jardim 10-1. It was a little sad because 6/7 players on the team are our converts haha. We cheered them on anyways haha.

We are preparing Edigleison (another friend of Lucas, this kid is a heck of a missionary) to be baptized this Sunday. He is one happy kid despite his poor conditions. At 13 years old, from noon to 10 PM every day he goes with Mom riding on buses asking for money. Despite his humble circumstance, he always has a smile. I'm learning a lot from this kid. He is a great example to me and Elder Eiras. Also, during lunch on Sunday, a member from the church came up to us and said "Hey, do you wanna baptize my son?" Obviously, we responded YES. His name is Kauan, and he hasn't been baptized because his parents wanted him to make the decision to be baptized. We talked to him after lunch and marked his baptism for this Saturday!! What a miracle. 

I'm absolutely loving it out here in Fortaleza. After reading a talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf of this last conference, I have been focusing my study on learning more about Jesus Christ. I took up the Prophet's challenge and I'm going to look up every scripture in the Topical guide about Jesus Christ. So far, I'm already learning so much, but what I'm learning as well is blessing my investigators as well. As I am learning more about what Christ said, did, how he served, blessed, and loved, I feel an increased desire to represent him in the best way I can.Contemplating Christ means thoughtfully pondering on what Christ sacrificed for us, and then making plans and goals to do what Christ would do, say what He would say, and serve as He served. 

LOVE YOU ALLL!!!

Abraço muito forte,

Elder Eliason

"This week was awesome"

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!

Well, this week was also awesome. It's just great down here in Bom Jardim. This week we had the baptisms of Ruan and Savio! Let me tell you a bit about them. They are awesome.

Ruan: We found him when he interrupted our lesson and told us that he's been to our church with his cousin Rafael (who baptized him) and he "chose" our church. From there, startled, we started teaching him as well. He was supposed to be baptized last week but his Dad didn't think he was prepared yet. 

Soooo, we gave him some challenges to try to be an example in the home and show his Dad just how prepared he is. He led his family in family prayer and told them about what he was learning in the Book of Mormon. Saturday night he came to us and said "Amanha!!! Meu Pai deixou" (Tomorrow!! My Dad let me get baptized!) We were so pumped, we gave him a huge bear hug.

Savio: He is a friend of Lucas who was baptized last week. Lucas came up to us one day and said "My friend wants to get baptized too!!" Startled once again, we went to his house and taught him. He was pretty shy at first but Lucas (9 years old) helped us teach the lessons, helped Savio understand how to pray about Joseph Smith, and told him how awesome of a missionary that he is going to be. It was so cool to see him open up to us and bear his testimony to us on Saturday before his baptism.

Well that's about it for our week!! I'm off to have our District P-Day at a huge soccer field with the boys. Pics next week!!

ABRAÇO FORTE,

Elder Eliason

SAVIO!!!

RUAN!!!

"8 Miracles"

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

David, Lucio, Tailanne, Tayanne, Roberta, Gabriel, Sabrina, and Lucas were baptized this week!!!! The biggest baptismal service that the ward has ever seen!! I know I said that last week was the best week of my mission. But this week was the best of my mission. 

We had a 3-ward missionary activity that we held on Friday. It was so great to see our idea that we created at our house in weekly planning, put into practice. There were 200 people at the activity!! It was called "A Integração das nações" (The Integration of the Nations). So we had a penalty shooutout (because of the World Cup obviously). We selected 2 people to shoot and all 6 elders took turn being the goalkeeper. We assigned each person a country and whoever won the shootout, we talked about the history of the Church in that country. How many members, how many wards/stakes/missions, and how the Church started in that country. After that, we had a little Brazilian dance that was ill-prepared lol, lol.

I can't explain how amazing it is to be a missionary and a representative of Jesus Christ. The joy I felt seeing 10 people enter the waters of baptism this month was indescribable. I will always remember every single one of them for the rest of my life. Every single one of them are so unique and so special.

As for me and E. Eiras we just did our part, but it was God who placed them in our path. It was God who touched their heart when they prayed to know if this Church is true. It was God who prepared them to hear our message about Jesus Christ. All me and E. Eiras did was find, teach, and baptized them. I'm so grateful for a God that loves and knows personally. I know He knows me by name, He knows my weaknesses and my strengths. He is always ready and able to answer my prayers and all of your prayers as well.

This passage from Alma 26 says it all:

11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

I know that this Church is true and even though I am weak, I can find strength in Him and see "mighty miracles" in this part of the garden that I was called to tender to.

AMO TODOS DE VOCÊS!!!!

A big huge abraço,

Elder Eliason

8 miracles

"Em espírito de jejum e oração" - In the Spirit of Fasting and Prayer

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!! 

First, shoutout to Codes on the baby. George Cody Eliason is gonna be a stud for sure. #UncleClub

This week was the best week on my mission until now!!! The work is coming along great!! We have Tailanne, Lucio, David, Jardelson, Gabriel, Sabrina, Tayanne, Roberta, and Ruan all set and ready to be baptized this Sunday. We're hoping to have a big huge baptismal service for them.

We had a zone fast this week. And me and Elder Eiras (Pereira) got PUMPED, because a zone fast always brings miracles. This time was no different. We fasted to help get all of our investigators to Church. It was a little complicated with the Brazil game going on at the same time but, after a lot of convincing and testifying the greater importance of going to church, ALL of them went to Church!! Miracle.

The World Cup here is #crazy. The game on Sunday, EVERYONE had a Brazil jersey on. There was NO ONE in the streets, and every 2 seconds there were fireworks. We were in sacrament meeting when Coutinho scored the first goal (Shoutout to Liverpool) and it seemed like the Earth shook haha. Fireworks, everyone screaming, and everyonne drunk. It was interesting haha.

Don't have a lot of time this week, sorry!! Pics next week!!

BIG HUGE ABRAÇO,
Elder Eliason

"Repentance is failing over and over again, learning from each mistake."

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS

What a crazy week.

First off, Iury's Dad, out of nowhere, said that he wouldn't allow Iury to go to Church anymore because of the crap that all of his friends were talking about the Church. So, naturally we went to their house to talk with their family and to convince Carlos (Iury's Dad) to let him go. We talked with them, answered all of their questions (it was a long list), and bared testimony of the principles we taught. Everyone was super excited after the lesson, except for Carlos. We have been praying and fasting for this family to not only support Iury but to come to know for themselves if what we are sharing is true.After much pleading, they all agreed to come to Church this Sunday!

Valter was baptized!!! We've been teaching him for a month now, helping overcome his challenges. After President Chamberlain interviewed him, all was set for his baptism this Saturday. Walter really was prepared well for us to come. He strengthened my testimony of repentance, and that there are people being prepared for us, we just need to find them. MIRACLE.

We are teaching 4 kids as well, David (12), Lucio (12), Tailanne (10), and Jardelson (10). We found them through David who was a contact that we made in the street. Tailanne and Lucio are children of a less-active member. They all went to Church this Sunday, and they're preparing to be baptized on the 23rd!!

This week was very rewarding. The ward is helping us more and more every day. We were able to help paint a member's house on Saturday which is fun. It's rare we have time to serve with so many people to teach. It felt good.

We had interviews with P. Chamberlain this week and it was great!! He's been around the block a bit so he has a great long-term vision of things. We talked a lot about planning and how all of what I am learning right now will help me out in the future. He's awesome. 

That's about it for this week. I'll leave you guys with a quote from a talk from Lynn G. Robbins from this past conference:

Repentance is God’s ever-accessible gift that allows and enables us to go from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm. Repentance isn’t His backup plan in the event we might fail. Repentance is His plan, knowing that we will.

God knows we will fail, that's why Repentance isn't our plan "just in case". Repentance is failing over and over again, learning from each mistake, and trying to become more like Christ with every step. 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Big giant huge abraço,

Elder Eliason

VALTER'S BAPTISM

Our P-Day soccer team (with Iury, the man)

PAINTING

"I'M LOVING IT HERE!!"

HELLO FAM AND FRIENDS. 

What a week!!

We had a miracle this week, baptizing a true elect, Iury. We have been teaching him these past 2 weeks and straight from the beginning he has been showing so much interest and a desire to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized!! He really is the man. Now, we are teaching their entire family and their family has a date for 15 de Junio! I looked back to how we found him and pondered on how grateful I am for the Lord putting him in our path. 

We were running from appointment to appointment and we passed Iury carrying a bucket of old movie tapes. After a couple of steps, I decided to go back and talk to him. I asked about the tapes and he told us that he likes to fix old broken movie tapes that he finds in the street. We talked and asked if we could stop by and give him a message on how he can have more faith in Christ, he accepted and 2 weeks later, I was privileged to baptize him. What a miracle it was that we were humble enough to hear the small voice of the Spirit in that moment when we were in a big hurry. 

We are also preparing Lucilene and Walter this week for baptism!! We have been working with them for a month or so. Lucilene has some problems with coffee, she drinks it like water. So we are working with her on that, she's already down to one cup a day!! Walter is doing great as well. We marked his baptismal interview with President Chamberlain this Wednesday, he's so anxious to be baptized!! He's loving every second of Church and all the members love him. :)

 We have been teaching 3 families this week that are very very special to us. In my mission I haven't had the opportunity to teach and baptize an entire family. Our goal is that we can be able to baptize these families and one year from now, have them be sealed for all eternity!! Perhaps, the biggest miracle this week was the rebirth of Ala Palmares. We took what we learned from our district/zone meetings and put it in practice and worked with members so much these past 3 weeks. 

This past Sunday, every single one of the members who bared their testimony, talked about missionary work. Children said they couldn't wait to grow up and serve a mission like us. Youth shared experiences of when we go out on visits with them, and the adults bared their testimony of the change this ward has gone under in such a short time. Many of them said that this ward has been resurrected and is animated to do the Lord's work. Just to be a small part in that was an immense blessing. Actually, I think we just did our part, but the members themselves, made the change. We're just a part of the puzzle, but I was so grateful to see the change of this ward. Members are bringing their friends to church, building friendships with our investigators, and doing all they can to help us in our work. I'M LOVING IT HERE!!

Being a missionary is the best decision I could have ever made. I love this work. I love these people. Being a representative of my family and most importantly, Jesus Christ is a lot of responsiblity. The time I am here in Brazil, is only a small part of how I can repay Christ for what He did for all of us, what He did from me. I know he lives and that he loves us unconditionally and through him we can find peace. How blessed are we to have a Savior who loves and wants us to return to him. There's no greater work than this.

LOVE YOU ALL!! AMO TODOS DE VOCÊS!!

Big huge abraço,

Elder Eliason

Elder Welling out here winning the Biggest Loser

IURY'S BAPTISM

BURGER KING (oh how i miss fast food)

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