04/12/2015 | The Gospel is True

04/12/2015

Hey everybody. How are you all doing. I'm doing pretty good. I hope you are all doing good too. Why am I doing good you ask? Well I just got to watch a bunch of Prophets and Apostles talk about awesome stuff the past few days. Yup that's right. I have gotten to see General Conference now, and I loved it. This is a twice a year church-wide conference where our leaders address us with faith promoting talks.  It was amazing. I loved how many of the talks were centered on the Atonement of Jesus. Kind of fitting seeing as it was Easter, but I have kind of unintentionally been studying a lot about the atonement lately. It is very comforting to see just how imperfect I am. I know that sounds weird, but it doesn't matter how imperfect I am. I just have to try my best, and continually try my best, and Jesus will make up for it. I have no Idea how he'll do that, I just know that he will. 

One of my favorite talks was from Rosemary M. Wixom (I think that's her name) She talked about the friend that she had that left the church because she wasn't getting the answers she needed. One thing I got out of that talk is that we don't need to know everything. It doesn't matter if we are slightly confused about the atonement (for example). We just need to focus on the things that we do know, and through those we will gain a better understanding for other things. 

Joseph Smith and the Sacred Grove/First Vision

I have found a lot of things in my studies that have brought up interesting questions of the truthfulness of things. Several of which have had me questioning this gospel. However every-time something like that comes up I am able to think back to the time I was able to go to the Sacred Grove. I remember just feeling the peaceful sacredness of the place that isn't just normal of a grove of trees. It was a powerful testament to me that God and Jesus did come to Joseph Smith in the grove of trees. Standing in the room that Moroni came to had the same effect. Through that I have gained a testimony that Joseph Smith really did see angels. The First Vision is one of the strongest points of my testimony, and whenever I have those doubting questions, I can always think back to that. And then from there we have the Domino Effect. Obviously if Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ, then the Book of Mormon was really translated by him, and is true, and he was a prophet, making Thomas S. Monson a prophet today, which makes this gospel true, which makes prayer real, which.... etc. It is very comforting to be able to have that. I challenge all of you to find that point in your testimony. Even when everything else is challenged, where is that one spot that you have to fall back on. Where is that "Zarahemla" that you have your strongest testimony in. Find that and hold on to it. I know that if you do this it will help you through those troubling times. I have seen it in myself, and others. I can promise you that it will help.

Sorry didn't get to tell you about my week this week. I'll let you know next week. We do officially get iPads this week, so this is the last email that I will send from a computer :) Next week it will be through an iPad. Yay. I am way excited. iPads are going to help move the work forward so much. It will make Dendo a lot easier as well. I think I've said it before, but with these iPads I will be able to receive email all week. I can only respond on P-Day, but I can read it any day of the week so you can send me whatever.

Well I'll let you know more later.

Lot's of love

Elder Eliot

04/05/2015 | Well It's Been A Week

04/05/2015 | Well It's Been A week

Got his dads eyes!

Coming up with subject names is hard. I don't want to just have it be a week number, or day number or anything like that, that's boring (sorry for those of you who do that, it's just my opinion) but they are getting harder to come up with. Oh well 楽しみにしています

Soooo This week. It was... good? I guess. It wasn't like "BOOM MIRICLES EVERYDAY. PEOPLE BEING BAPTIZED LEFT AND RIGHT, HEALING PEOPLE LIKE IT'S NO ONES BUSINESS" But it wasn't a bad week either. just kind of normal.

On Monday, we had P-Day. We had some fun. We fixed up some old trashy bikes that some missionaries left here, and we biked 13 km to Cape Notoro to do some photography things. It probably would've been better if it were spring, or summer, it would've been prettier, but it was still fun. Elder Francis is way into photography so he has been giving me a few pointers, and the Pokemon you see in the pictures is some of my practices. He has a little box guy he uses to practice that kind of stuff, and I've decided to use Fennekin (フォーコ) The little Pokemon dude that I have. I'll probably be using him in other Photography things as well from now on, so you'll get to see Fennekin pretty often now. He is my Photo buddy. I have some other pics I'll try to send next week, but they are on Elder Francis's camera, and I haven't had a chance to get them off of there yet. Anyway then we biked another 13 km back home, and got changed into missionary clothes to go to a members house. We had delicious food with them there, and taught a lesson about Courage. If you haven't read the April Ensign/Liahona's (church magazine) First Presidency message yet, do it. It's good. Fun fact. In Japanese Sprit is "Yuuki" 勇気。 Literally it means "Brave Spirit" I like that translation, because it almost seems to me like it's saying, Be brave through the Spirit. That's what Courage is.

Looks Abandoned

Tuesday we went to District Training Meeting in Kitami. Nothing super mind blowing about this day (probably cause I can't remember it to well... tee hee) We came back and did Dendo, met some cool people, and that's about it.

With district in Kitami

Wednesday. We had a service opportunity this day, got to help sort a ton of Bottle Caps. (A TON. I think it might have litterally weighed a ton) That was fun. Then we went and tried to visit some appointments that we had made, but they all wound up falling through. No one was home. :(  Come on people. I can't save you if you aren't home when I come to talk to you. Kind of a rough day. Nothing really went to well for us that day.

This boy wants to be a missionary

Thursday. Also a day where appointments fell through. In the words of my companion it was a "Dead day" Just not a lot seen.

Abashiri by Sea

Friday. We didn't have any appointments, so we just did regular dendo. Still not a lot coming out of this day (when I go back and retell this it's slightly discouraging) Taught English class that night. That was fun. I love teaching English

New Photo Companion

Saturday. We went out to an area called Memanbetsu. There are some less active members living out there we went to try to visit. Didn't really get the oppurtunity because we couldn't find severel of them. We found one, but he was asleep, so we left a message, and left. Fun story though. We got on our train to come back, and Elder Francis just had a feeling that we should get off the train. We both kind of ignored it, because there was only one train, it said Abashiri on it, and we were both tired and wanted to just stay sitting. But then another train came right as ours was about to pull out. We got up so fast. We asked someone, turns out we were on our way to Engaru, which is 2 hours in the wrong direction. We got off that train and ran for the other train, and luckily made it. So yeah. Spiritual promptings. That happened

He is Risen

Sunday. EASTER. Yay. Happy Easter Everybody. We had church. No General Conference. We get conference a week late here in Japan, so we will see it next week. We did see some miricles this day though. This is what makes me know that our work the rest of the week didn't go unnoticed. Me and Elder Francis had just come from another fallen through appoinment, just to go to 2 more that also fell through. We were both very discouraged, very frustrated, so of course whats the best thing to do in that situation. Listen to the Spirit. Duh. Let's go Ping doorbells at this apartment. We caught 2 people right as they were going out the door and both said that they'd would be way down to talk about our message. They were leaving right then or they would've listened right then. Then that night, we were calling people, and I found a name, with a phone number, but no note about them. Thought "Heck why not" called this person, turns out that they don't know why the missionaries stopped visiting them. Set up an appointment with them, and we'll get to go visit them too. She was way nice, and I'm excited for it. The miricle was that I was the one that called her. I was the one that talked to her on the phone. No help from my senior companion, all in Japanese, and I could do it. Nice miricle filled day. I'm excited for this week to see how those miricles pan out in the end.

Well know that this church is true. I know it.

Jesus did live again. He was resurected, and because of that we can too.

We are saved by his grace.

This work that I am doing is for him.

Love it.

Have a wonderful week.

Elder Eliot

P-day at Cape Notoro

03/29/2015 | Bringing People to Christ

Abashiri Japan

03/29/2015
OK.

It's officaial. You can not get a better companion then Elder Francis. He is so amazing. He is just full of Charity, and Selflessness. We get along soooooo well. This week, we worked like extremely hard. Our numbers were pretty high, especially for only having about a half week. it was way awesome. But the thing is, It didn't feel like the work was "hard" We had so much fun doing it. We were able to contact several people, and teach as well, and it was just fun. Bringing people unto Christ is literally the best thing you can do. I highly recommend, and challenge everyone to try to bring someone unto Christ at least once everyday. You'll thank me for it. Trust me.

Lake Abashiri

So last week for P-Day we wound up going to this pretty cool museum of a bunch of people that lived in the Abashiri area a long time ago. It was discovered in 1913, but it was pretty neat. They were called the Moyoro people. They hunted bears, and fish, and whales. They also worshiped bear skulls. One interesting thing about them was the way that they buried their dead. They would dig a pretty small hole, and lay the body in it, and then bend their arms and legs up till they broke, and would fit in with the body. (this is just a quote from the English translation devices we had. It wasn't that bad of a translation, but it also was obviously translated). It was very interesting. Today (for P-day) we are going to go exploring, and find some cool pictures. Elder Francis is a photographer, so we are going picture hunting.

I can't give any details, but please keep our investigator Haruki san in your prayers. I feel very strongly that we can get him baptised this transfer. Please add your prayers to the pool.

Also last thing. I gave another talk in Church yesterday. I talked all about Testimony. I used one of the things that we taught scouts and young women at the C.O.P.E course at camp.

1. Only a fool doesn't fear. 

If you don't have fears, I'm sorry you are just stupid. Fear is a good thing to have

2. Only a coward doesn't face his fears.

Fear is ok to have, but you shouldn't let it control you either. Face those fears.

3. A wise man always has a belay.

(A belay is the thing that you use in rock climbing to keep you from dying when you fall. It is one of the safety things to help you face your fear, have fun, and not die).

Don't try to go up a wall without your rope, and belay. The rope is like your testimony. Don't go searching things that could cause you to fall and die if you don't have your safety rope.

Also just another cool thing. The person that works the belay is none other then Jesus Christ. As long as you have the rope, and you have it connected to you, you won't be going anywhere.

Church is true, the book is blue. Jesus was a Mormon too.

Have a wonderful week everyone.

Love

Elder Kelson Eliot

P.S. sorry no pictures this week. I'll send a lot next week though.

Love you

03/25/2015 | New Companion FB Rules

Elders' Eliot and Francis

03/25/2015
Hey everybody. It's been a long week. Probably because it's been over a week. So this whole week I spent some time in Kitami with an elder named Elder Stevens. He is on the same transfer as me, so our Japanese is about the same level. It was interesting.

We did have iPad training. We don't have iPad's yet, we will be getting them in April, and I do have exciting news, I won't have to unfriend/block anybody. I will have to sort everyone into groups, and I can't look at your timelines, or anything like that, but you are allowed to look at mine, and I encourage you too. You are allowed to comment on my posts and things, but be careful please. Remember that whatever you say will be seen by my mission president, as well as my investigators, as well as other members in the mission. So you can do it, but please be careful. Also, I am not allowed to message anybody, and you are not allowed to message me. If it occurs, I am required to unfriend/block you. I'm trying to be 100% obedient, so please don't make me have to do that. I'm just way stoked that I won't have to unfriend you all. Another change, is that I will be able to read emails all throughout the week. So you can send me emails whenever, and I'll be able to read them. However, I can only respond on P-day still. So that's that. I'll let you know more details as I learn them.

Other then that, oh yeah there was a transfer. I Have an awesome new companion named Elder Francis. He is sooooo coool. I love him already. He is from Mapleton, Utah, and is 6'2" so we see eye to eye on most things (bud dumm crash) I've got a picture for you all.
Well I'm out of time for this week so I'll let you know a little bit more next week, and I'll send some more pictures as well. Hopefully with having access to email a little more, I'll be able to get more details in throughout the week. Hope everyone is awesome
Lot's of love
Elder Eliot
P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAEGEN!!!!! MY BABY SISTER IS 17!!!!!!!!
P.P.S. This church is True. I know it.
Learn it. Live it. Love it.

(His letter to Dad)

I miss you too!!!!
It's ok. It is going by so fast, it'll be over before you know it. Plus next transfer I get to skype you. So that'll be fun. My new companion's name is Elder Francis. He is from Mapleton. He has been a year and a half. He is on transfer 13 right now. (that means he is possibly going to replace me in Abashiri, so I might be transfering somewhere else next transfer). Yes I'm still in Abashiri, and I love it. The snow is melting..... sort of..... It was way hot last week in Kitami, and Sapporo, and the snow had been melting in Abashiri, but these past 3 days it has been snowing again. YAY!!!!!! It is weird though it is supposed to stop as of today, and it currently isn't snowing. It is cold though. But it is supposed to be way warm this Saturday. It's going to get up to 15 C. That's warm. Well congrats on finishing your project. I'll teach you some Japanese culture/ language real quick. O tsukare sama desu. It is something people say to someone and kind of translates as ''thank you for your hard work'' it's a weird translation, but the word tsukaretta is the be fatigued, so it's like saying wow you look fatigued, and then using the sama makes it polite, and yeah. I could explain it better in person, but for now, O tsukare sama desu.

Well I don't think I'll be able to baptise 20 people this week, but there is one guy that I am very hopeful for this transfer.... Soo... yeah. I'll give you more details later, but for now just keep him in your prayers please.

Love you a ton. (btw there is no king of Hokkaido. That's me, and I've already been baptised)
Have a good week.
Elder Eliot

Transfers Are Coming (and iPad training!)

03/15/2015

Abashiri (after Winter!)

Hey Everyone.

So this week has been busy. We worked very hard, because Elder Asato is going home. He is all done with his mission now. That means, yup you know it. Tomorrow I get a transfer call, and then I get to go find my new companion next week WOOT. It also means that I am in Kitami all week this week. I am Dendoing with Elder Stephens. He is an elder that came out with me. We are the same transfer age. He's way cool. But yeah this week Elder Asato has to go home, and Transfer's aren't until next Monday (because everyone is going to be in Sapporo anyway for iPad training) so I am in Kitami this week. 

Last week was fun. We went to the Abashiri Prison. Abashiri is well known for the prison that houses Japans most wanted. Basically if you do something really bad, you get sent to Abashiri. It's been that way for a while, and they have a museum to talk about the old prison. What it was like for the prisoners, and such. It turns out, that the old prisoners are actually responsible for building the first road from Abashiri to Asahikawa, which is still used today. (you can look up on a map that road). It was way neat. I don't have time to send pictures this week, so I'll send them out next week. Which reminds me. P-Day next week is on Wednesday. Just FYI. 

Anyway so last week we worked hard, and now we have investigators in Abashiri. WOOT. I've got to say that ringing doorbells has gotten a little tiring. One specific one is a Guy named Haruki san. He is way way cool. I've discovered that teaching is one of my favorite parts of my mission. We taught him last saturday, and it was way fun. He listens to everything we say, and wants to learn. It is way neat. We taught him about prophets and prayer, and he said he would pray. That's cool. When we help bring people to Christ we feel way good. I'll tell you what that is a good feeling. Try it some time. 

Well thats my time for the week. Love you all.

See you next week (on Wednesday)

Elder Eliot

Moroni 10

03/08/2015

This week we went to Sapporo for Mission Tour. We had Pres. Ringwood of the Asian North area come and speak to us. He taught us about the spirit, and ways that we can see more baptisms. There wasn't really a theme to it. To be entirely honest, I'm not sure if he actually prepared anything. He came down and asked if we had any questions, and then the rest of his talk was about those questions. He expounded on Moroni chapter 10, and it was very interesting. You should all go back and read it again. Get deep into it. Moroni EXORTS us to do 8 things. I challenge you to find those 8 things, and then doing those things, pray again to receive the confirmation of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

So yeah that was really cool. Other than that we have just been doing a lot of finding. Still haven't had to much success from it, but we do have some prospective's that are looking OK. Yup other than that, haven't had a lot going on this week. We are going today to the Abashiri Prison. Abashiri is well known for the old prison it used to have, and they made a museum for it that we are going to today. There is also an actual prison that all of the really bad people go to here. Its basically the place where if the FBI's most wanted were in Japan, and got caught, they would go there before being extradited. Kind of exciting. I'll send you pictures of that next week. Just while I'm thinking of it, Next week I'll probably say this again, but in 2 weeks, P-Day is changed from that Monday, to the Wednesday. So in 2 weeks when I don't email, don't worry, I am alive and well. We are just receiving IPAD TRAINING!!!!! Along with that includes getting to use Facebook for mission purposes. I have heard a lot of rumors about how that works, and it seems like one thing that we are required to do is block all of our previous friends, or something like that. So once again, if that happens I promise I still love you, I'm just trying to be obedient. Don't know to many details about that yet though so... yeah.

Hope you all have a wonderful week. Love you all.

Elder Eliot

Quarter Mark

03/01/2015

Hanging with the Ujiie Family

I am a month away from my 1/4 mark (actually it will be March 4th). When did that happen. I don't remember that much time going by. I still feel like I just left yesterday, and yet here my mission is just disappearing before my eyes.

Lesson learned. Time literally goes by like that *snap*

Live it up to it's fullest. Time to do some work. No more wasting any time. There is so much to do, and so little time to do it. With that said, this month, is sooooo busy. Almost no time to work in Abashiri. Tomorrow we are going down to Sapporo for a Mission Tour (basically we have a member of the 70 or someone else high up coming to speak with us) So we'll be gone for 3 days, after that, we are spending a few days in Kitami next week for splits (working with other missionaries), the week after that, we are in Kitami one more time, and then heading to Sapporo for transfers, and IPAD TRAINING (we're getting new iPads). Basically we are almost not in Abashiri this whole month. That means we need to work hard.

River by Kelson's Home

 

This week has been very bipolar. I don't know if any of you keep up with the weather in Hokkaido Japan or anything, but we had a really weird week. It was HOT. It was so warm all week. Everytime we talked to someone the topic got brought up about how it was already turning Spring. But then on Friday, BOOM BLIZZARD. OUT OF NOWHERE. It is still snowing right now, but once again it is warm. I thought I left Utah. I guess Hokkaido is just the Japanese version of Utah or something. 

English Class Boggle

Not a ton of significant stuff happened this week. We haven't had a chance to visit our 2 investigators this week, so we did a lot of finding, with no success. I've been studying Japanese like crazy. I'm finally to a point that I can have a conversation with someone. I can basically say anything I want now, but it's still a little hard to understand people. But it is quite apparent that I have been getting help with that. Having a Japanese companion helps quite a bit.

The icebergs are gone!

Well I can't think of anything else to write this week, It was kind of just a normal week. Hope everyone is doing good. I miss you all,  but I'm out doing the Lords work, so it's ok. I keep you all in my prayers, and I thank you for all the prayers in my behalf. I feel them everyday.

Love you all, Have a great week.

Elder Eliot

Gotta remove all that snow!