Monday 27 August 2012

Nothing Changes Until You Make a Change

Hey

I don't have much time, realized I.
I had a good week, things are a little slow but I am sure and I know that things will pick up again. We have been working super hard.
Also we have really been working with the members and they have been feeding us. yeah
We have a calendar for dinner appointments and the whole month of august was filled in for everyday.
September is also looking good. I love the members and especially this ward. They work hard and are good examples to the world.
Also the recent converts are keeping strong and are really being integrated to the ward.
We have seen some miracles this last week and it has been amazing.
I miss you all and love you
Love Elder Ellis

Tuesday 21 August 2012

A Day of Forgiveness

I want to start off on something that I have learned over the past couple of weeks. Atonement is an action performed by our savior Jesus Christ, it includes the suffering in the garden of Gethsemane, the death on the cross and the Resurrection after 3 days. This act made it possible for us to conquer sin and overcome death. We learn from the scriptures that all people who have lived on earth, live or will live will resurrect. However forgiveness of our sins is something that we have to accept. Forgiveness plays a huge part in the atonement. Why? Jesus Christ stated in his example prayer, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." When we ask for forgiveness and repent the Atonement is applied, but when we choose not to forgive someone else we work against the Atonement. How can we be forgiven when we can't forgive someone else. It is hard for me to put in words but my experience is that forgiving someone is really hard but once it is done it is more gratifying and relieving than if I receive forgiveness for something I did wrong. Most of the time people don't mean to hurt us and even if they do we are hurt even more by not forgiving and carrying it around like a heavy chain everywhere that we go. I have not mastered this and I don't mean to sound wise, its just something that I have learned and that I have a testimony of. I love you all.
   On Tuesday I went on x-changes with a former companion of mine, Elder Da Cruz the Brazilian. He is super cool and I miss him as a companion even though we work in the same city and I see him at least 2 or 3 times a week. We had a great x-change.
But you know this entire week has been a little slow and even though I worked hard it was hard and really hot and I felt lazy. I still worked hard but I am not sure about the extra mile.
   On Wednesday we had a Zone Leader council and it was a really good one, Our new Mission President Robinson is great. We had a council where w discussed certain challenges in the Mission and we came up with some really good solutions. I love it.
There was this little white bird that ran around the back yard of the mission home and after one of the Elders tried catching it I used my bird catching skills that I acquired in Arizona from catching pigeons, ducks, geese, and Peacocks and caught the little thing it was then passed around to pet. It tasted really good for lunch... just kidding, we ate it for dinner....hahah that is also a joke.
   I just want to give some credit to the office Elders cause they are really cool.
This whole week we have had some really good dinner appointments with Members. I love the members. It is also going good with the recent converts.
   Friday was a good day, a day where I matured an entire year within one night. I am now 21 what? One of the sister cities in our zone had a long awaited baptism which was great. yeah baptisms!!! One of my birthday gifts was the 5 new solid investigators that we received. All in one day, we had a drought for a couple of weeks but the Lord is merciful. These 5 new people are incredible.
   Sunday was great as well Church was really hot, it got 38 degrees Celsius. We went to Gouda where the famous cheese comes from and we did some finding in the centrum since we went there for a meeting with the young single adults but we did not want to stay for the singles ward. It was extremely hot. Later we went to a family for dinner who lives close to Gouda.
   Well there goes another great week. I miss you all and love you.
I know that Jesus Christ lives and that the Atonement is real. I know that his church is restored and that it is lead by a prophet of God. I love the gospel.
Much Love, Elder Ellis

Monday 6 August 2012

This Week Was Great

Hello Everybody

We have been preparing this Colombian mom with her daughter for baptism and they are so ready and we almost had it this weekend but they are struggling coming to church so we need to put it off for a while but I sure hope that they will get baptized this month. 
Also Merwin and Tony two of the guys that were recently baptized just received their first callings as Ward Missionaries. They are both very excited and so are we cause I know that they will grow so much more in the gospel and especially in knowledge and testimony. They are so cool. They are really going to strengthen the ward.
Borkan one of the young men just left for the MTC this morning to go learn German and than to serve in the Alpine mission so for those of you in Austria if he serves in your ward give him a big welcome from me. His name is Elder Abd el Moeti he has a Palestinian father.
   This last week one of the members challenged us to be the first ones at church and to stand out front greeting everyone that comes in. So we did and when we got the Eating Calendar back it was almost completely filled in which means that we left a good impression. It was cool. Its cool to ask members for advice and challenges since they are dutch and they know what would be effective and how we could improve.
   Its super sad the Andersons left and the last time I heard from them was when Elder Anderson gave us a call and gave us a referral of a lady that they had just given a Book of Mormon to. They endured to the end. They are seriously one of the most dedicated couples I have ever seen. They both spoke Dutch as much as they could and even Sister Anderson who spoke no Dutch prior to her coming to the Netherlands learn it in the last two years and she can speak it very well. They have been such an example to me.
   Transfers went well and it was pretty smooth. We just had to stand around the train station form 9 in the morning till about 3 in the afternoon. I may have seen some of the missionaries for the last time on my mission since a few of them went all the way down to Belgium.
   Currently we are teaching a few Africans, from Nigeria,Ghana, and Rwanda. I love teaching all kinds of cultures and ethnic groups.
   On Saturday we had the opportunity to have a Zone Leadership Correlation which is where the Zone Leaders (us) meet with the District Leaders from our Zone. We just went over responsibilities of leaders and how we can work better with each other. It was cool. It also got us all pumped about fulfilling our leadership roles.
   On Sunday I got to translate into German again. this time it was Fast and Testimony meeting. I at least got a lot of breaks but I tell you it sure is hard to translate all those stories being told especially when they use words that I am not so familiar with. It worked out though. The fam from Germany was very nice and I liked practicing my German. we also had an inactive member come and bring his girlfriend and her son. It was cool. I love going to church so much.
   I love the Gospel so much and am so thankful for my savior Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for a church that allows us to learn and to grow. 
Thanks for all your support and prayers.
Much Love
               Elder Ellis

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Guten Tag

Hello Everyone

It has been another great week, we have had the greatest weather the last week which means that people seem to be more friendly and open in hearing the message. 
We have seen a couple miracles this past week especially in finding new investigators. We found a few people who are searching for the truth. They are so amazing and I already love them. One of the ladies we found is the niece of a member which is cool cause she told her aunt that if the missionaries would ever come by that she would talk to them. So we are now teaching her. Another couple people we found are also super cool and they are both really honest in finding the truth. The woman makes her own music about God and she uses Garage band which is what I used to use so there was a click right away.
Well you all probably would like to know what is happening for Transfers. Well at church I said bye to some people cause I thought that I would leave but I am staying with Elder Schulte. We are so happy. It has been 5 transfers since I've had a companion for more than one transfer.
Oh here is something funny, at church on Sunday a family form Germany came to visit and the bishop asked if I could translate for them. ha ha yeah funny bishop, I have not spoken real German for the last 5 or 6 years. Well I did it anyways and it was pretty messy. I really need to practice my German again. The speakers spoke super fast too so I had a hard time. It sure was an experience. 
They will be here again next week so I will have to translate again. Pray for me. ha ha
Well the missionary work is going great. I love my mission so much and am enjoying every minute of it. I hope that all is well at homes, and with all who read this. I love you all.
Love Elder Ellis