Another Week

Welll Hello everybody

 

So first of all I am doing very good and am having a lot of fun. My companion is super funny and we laugh all the time.

Well Rotterdam is so big and busy and there are always people outside. There is always so much going on. Traffic can be pretty bad especially with all the small European roads and when there is construction its even worse. I still however really enjoy driving. All the parking we do is parallel parking which I am not too bad at. I have only hit two cars and scraped along side a car. No I am joking! (tap, tap, tap... Knock on wood)

I may have mentioned that we have changed the way that we do Missionary work. We work more with computers now or at least we are supposed to. Its just to map out where people live to make looking up people more effective. We also now focus on looking up people and that talking to all the people that we find in that area. We have seen so many miracles and have had a lot of success but no new investigators. We find  lot of potentials.

Oh one miracle, so we just contacted a guy on the street and he did not have a lot of time so we just exchanged numbers and we called him later to try to get an appointment and he was on a lunch break at work and said "Hold on I am eating right now but you can talk to one of my work colleagues." So we did and we got his information from him and made an appointment. We later shared a great lesson with him. It is just amazing how and where you find people.

Here is another miracle, we were just talking to a lot of people on the street one day when some 26 year old girl saw us from far away and recognized that we were churchy because our clothing gives it away (good thing I was wearing my stinky robe and not my expensive recreation clothes) well once we were done talking to some guy she approached us and asked if we were Jehovah´s witnesses, we were like "NO" jk "no" so she asked but are you from a church and we were like weeelllll.....you could say that, so she asked if she could have some pamphlets or something to learn more because she is looking for a religion. Our response to that was: "Wo don´t just come up to us like we give out free folders or something!" No jk we were like "Uhh.. yeah of course, ( and since that never really happens that someone just asks us for info we did not really know what to give her so we gave her everything we had) here is a Book of Mormon in English and in Dutch and here are these 5 pamphlets with information and here is a Doctrine and Covenants and Mormon Doctrine and Jesus the Christ......" and like 10 other books, she than looked at us all freaked out dropped everything and ran away screaming... Okay no that was all a lie. So we gave her a card and invited her to church and got her number. It was cool.

Sorry if my sense of humor is not that funny, I just felt like writing all that.

We had a really good Zone Training this last week and I as a Zone Leader got to conduct which was fun. Everything went good.

So on a mission you experience a lot of really good things and a lot of things which are really sad like a super awesome investigator dropping you right before they are baptized. It is just so sad to experience those kinds of things. Keep you chin up. I mean it.

I love you all and miss you all and I hope that all is well in Zion where ever you all are. Save me a piece of that corn for later.

Say Hi to all who know me and greet them with a special kiss. (Joseph Smith Translation: Salutation)

I love you all.

 

Love Elder Ellis

Hello

Well.....

 

I am having fun and we had a baptism this weekend which was really nice to see. The guy is so cool and he was just prepared. A few weeks ago he just walked into the church randomly, now he is baptized.

I am also driving in a car which is really nice. I am enjoying it a lot. Man Rotterdam is pretty big and it has a huge harbor. I really like it here so far. It is a lot different than any other city that I have served in.

Well my companion is awesome too. He is the funniest guy ever. We have so much fun and work super hard. There is a lot that we have to do as zone leaders but its nothing that we can't do.

So, we have some new missionaries in the Rotterdam Zone, one of which is Zuster Schwab. She is from Idaho and Steve Schwab from my ward in Bullhead City is her uncle. I have not met her yet but I have talked to her on the phone.

Things are going good. The entire mission is changing its finding tactics which will be fun to do something new. I will also be conducting the Zone Training on Thursday. President will be there and all and I have to conduct. I am very excited.

I am so tired. Since transfers it has been non stop work and very exhausting. I like working my butt off but even today on P-day I could not take a nap, cause this Barber place we went to, to get my Comps hair cut took the learning student over an hour to do a simple hair cut. She did good though.

I have been learning so much and am trying to apply it all to my life.

I am not sure what else to say so I love you all and wish you all the best and I miss you.

 

Love Elder Ellis

Thanks for Your Support

Hello

 

I have had a really good week. I have been learning so much the last 6 weeks. My companion Elder Li is so awesome and such a good example. I am so thankful for having been his companion.

Also, having worked in Almere the last 6 weeks has been so much fun and filled with Miracles and Spiritual experiences. I really loved my time here.

The members here are so great and supportive, the Investigators are amazing and miracles. We have 3 baptismal dates right now and I am confident that they will be baptized in the coming weeks. Unfortunately I will not be able to witness them.... Yes I am being transferred. It came by surprise cause I really did not see it coming at all. I really thought that I would stay in almere for at least 2 transfers. Well I am not and I am very sad to leave but very excited to go work in Rotterdam. I actually had a dream that I left to go be a Zone leader and now it is coming true. That's really weird. I will really miss Almere and I wish that I could have gotten to know the people a little better.

Now, my new companions name is Elder van de Graff. I am so excited that I get to be in a car for the rest of the winter. But that does not matter because I actually love biking and just stopping randomly to talk to people.

Man it was so cool, last week a guy just randomly walked into church and really liked it. There are so many miracles happening everywhere.

I also went on ex-changes in Haarlem which is west of Amsterdam. That was really cool too. I will miss going to Amsterdam for P-days. Oh well I will just have to see what we can do in Rotterdam, which is also a very big city.

So i want to share with you how much our Heavenly Father loves all of us. He loves us. If we love him, we keep his commandments. I am working on loving him more and all of his children. I have been asking myself lately why I am on a Mission and why I work hard or do certain things which help me become a better Missionary. I love God and his Son Jesus Christ. I am learning hoe to love them more and to serve out of Love. "Love is the Key" like our mission motto says.

I love you all and I feel your love for me and for God when I receive your letters and other ways of support. I feel the love and the prayers spoken for me. I am so grateful to be on a mission and to help others come unto Christ.

Thank you all so much.

 

Love Elder Ellis

If you want to write me here is my address:

 

Elder Ellis

Baroniestraat 18a

3051 ED Rotterdam

Nederland

 

Thanks. Love you all

 

Elder Ellis

Hello

Hello everyone.

 

I am so sorry that I was not able to write an e-mail this last Monday. We had a zone p-day and got home to late for us to get to the library on time.

Well I also don't have much time right now to write much so I just wanted to let you all know that I am doing good and am loving my mission. I am also enjoying the freezing cold. It got to -25 Celsius which was freezing cold. I love this work, the work of the Lord. I love you all and miss you all. I'm lovin it.

Well till the next time.

Much Love,

                Elder Ellis

Hello Everyone!

Good Morning or whatever it is wherever you all are.

 

It has been a good week. I love this work and am learning to love it more and more.

I did get sick this week which was a tad bit challenging but I still worked the entire time which in the end was really rewarding since I could see the blessings that came from it because I was doing my best and working my hardest.

I went on exchanges with Elder McCarlie one of the Zone Leaders. I realized that I am not that familiar with the city yet. We did find everything eventually. We had a really good time and just worked, worked and worked.

On Wednesday we had a really good day, we looked up a lot of people and found a couple new investigators. We also looked someone up in the Hospital. The lady is so amazing and has such strong faith. She kept saying that Jesus did the surgery and not the Doctors, meaning that Jesus watched over her.

We also had an appointment with a cool lady and her 16 year old son, but when we found out that she was not home we just went in and had a good lesson with her son. Our joint teach was a 17 year Priest from the Ward. It turned out that they used to go to school together and that they are friends. It went really well.

After that we biked quickly to another Investigators house and walked with her to a member family's house. We taught the Plan of Salvation and that went really well.

On Thursday we had a really good lesson with a new guy that we found. He had a lot of good questions and is looking for truth. He has investigated a lot of different religions so he is really confused. When we walked outside only my bike was standing next to his house so Elder Li reaches into his pocket and finds it empty without his keys. He looked at me and I looked at him and said "Je heb toch niet de sleutels in je fiets vergeten?" In English meaning "You did not leave the keys in your bike, did you?" Well he did which also had the apartment key and for the church. So we walked home and had to wait all day for the other companionship to get home at night. We laughed so much and thought that it was really funny so it was not to bad. Elder Li now has another bike that he is using.

The last couple of days I have really been working on being a better Missionary and being more effective and efficient. It has changed my behavior and the work. I feel so much more motivation and help from above. I feel a lot more inspired and lead. Its amazing how just changing your thinking and mindset can make such a big difference. I love it.

We have been teaching a lot of lessons to people on the street. Its so sweet especially when you or your companion testify of what he or I have just said. It is so powerful.

Church was so good yesterday. The things we expected did not happen but instead the unexpected happened. It was amazing. A lady who was super positive that we found a few weeks ago through a member referral completely dropped us the next day after the first visit. We were really shocked and disappointed.

Well a few weeks later and she came to church with the members that referred her to us. She loved it and was so happy. She told us how sorry she was and that she was told by others that our church does not believe in Jesus Christ and that we are crazy and all that anti stuff. The sister (one of the members that referred her to us) had talked to her in between and the lady kept thinking to herself "How can they not believe in Jesus and be such an amazing woman who is so Christ-like?" The member ended up clearing up anti false information. The lady is so happy and asked if she could have the book of Mormon back. The lesson learned is that Missionaries can do all they want to help people but it is because of the example of everyday members who live Christ like lives that people see what the Gospel really is and offers. I am so thankful for members who live the gospel and are examples. It opens the door to Missionary work and Miracles. Thank You to all those who are Christ Like. Now remember that doing things not so Christ like is also an example to others and can give bad reputation to the church and the rest of the members.

I have to go

 

I love you all and miss you. May we all become more Christ Like by BEING like Christ and not just DOING.

 

Love Elder Ellis

Another Baptism

Hey Everybody

I am doing so good and am having a lot of fun.

Last Monday I already told you all that I went to Amsterdam and that we went to the Anne Frank huis. It was way fun. We also went to this really good burger place called Burger Bar and all i can say is that it was probably the best Burger I have ever had. It was huge and just delicious. There are no words to describe it.

When we got back home we biked to our appointment with the family that was baptized on Saturday the 21st. Yeah I forgot to mention that we had some people ready for Baptism. Well at the appointment they had their Baptism Interviews and they were all ready to go.

On Tuesday we had a dinner appointment with Fam Herrebrugh who actually went to Austria before my mission and they talked to Hans Malzl (my uncle) and Samantha (my sister). Samantha told them that her brother (me) was going on his mission to the Netherlands. Well here I am eating with them (well not right now but last Tuesday.

On Wednesday we had District Meeting with Interviews combined. Of course we had a delicious lunch again, without the Van Komens, so that was my first District Meeting without them since I left the Groningen District. The District meeting that I held went really well and I think we all learned from it. We had good role plays. Fun. And don't worry my interview went really well too.

I am not sure if I mentioned how much we bike here. For example we will bike one direction 15 or 20 minutes and then to get to the next appointment we bike that same distance plus another 30 minutes the other direction. We do plan our appointments as effective and efficient as possible but no matter what you have to bike a ton. Also it si very windy all the time which is good when going one direction but when you have to bike back it really blows. haha get it?

We found a new lady who is actually a referral from Germany. She is amazing and just gets the message. she understands it completely. She now has a baptismal date. We are very excited for her.

When we eat with Fam Pantophlat we really get spoiled because they can cook. Man and so can Elder Li, it must be cause he is chinese. Elder Li is so awesome and I am learning so much from him. I love that Elder.

On Saturday we had Debbie, Andy and Tristan get baptized and it was so cool to see. Debbie is the mother and the two boys are her sons 16 and 12. I love that Fam. Her good friend came too and we hope that she will want to get baptized too.

Yesterday at church Andy asked if I could confirm him, so I did. It was a very powerful spiritual experience.

We also ate with the Bishop who loves Austria so he wore his Lederhosen and his wife made Wiener Schnitzel. It was so much fun. I love Austria especially when they showed me pics from all their vacations there.

Well that's it for the week I love you all.

Love Elder Ellis

The Week....?

Well Hello Everybody.

 

I am doing great and had a very good week. We seriously taught so many lessons and are just finding people left and right. This is the Lords work because he is guiding us to the right people. I am so glad that I am here on a mission and helping people receive the gospel. I never realized how strong of an impact I can have on someone just for opening my mouth to strangers all day inviting people to listen to the message we share. Even a small little act of service can make someone smile and laugh or really help someone in need. I learned to always stand ready to help people.

I don't have much time but this last week we had some really good appointments where we could feel the spirit.

Elder Li and I are getting along very well and are having a lot of fun together. We are a powerhouse like another missionary has said.

Today for P/day we went to Amsterdam and that was so cool. We had the best Burger I have ever had. It was so Delicious. We then went to the Anne Frank house and saw her hiding place. It so sad to see what happened in world war 2. I am so glad that I speak Dutch cause now I can read the her Diary in the original language. I am excited to read the book after my mission. Well in Amsterdam you have to be very careful where you look. It can be pretty bad on certain streets. There are coffee shops everywhere and you smell marijuana no matter where you are. It was fun though.

I love you all and miss you. Sorry for not writing, but no joke we are so busy with missionary work.

Love Elder Ellis

 

P.S. Beterschap an the Crooks (I don´t remember how to say that word in English)