Week 35 -There must be opposition in All Things

 Monday, October 4, 2021

This week was kind of slow. But I will just share a few stories and some cool things that happened.

Compared to last week, which was one of my favorite weeks of my whole mission; this week was in comparison, one of my LEAST favorite weeks of my mission so far. Yet, there is opposition in all things! This is one of my favorite parts of God's Plan of Salvation for us. Without hard times, we could not have joy because without hard times, we wouldn't even know what joy is!! Despite my struggles this week, (which really weren't that bad tbh I am just sick) my companion and I were just reading my last week's email and I began to choke up. Patrick's Baptism was one of the sweetest experiences of my mission so far. I am very grateful for that tender mercy the Lord showed me. 

This week we worked really hard to try and find some new people to teach here in Bay City. We were pretty unsuccessful but, the Lord loves effort and I know he will consecrate our efforts. Hopefully we find some new people soon! 

On Friday evening I came down with a really bad fever that has been pretty rough for the past few days. I am writing this just a few hours after I got a Covid Test soooo I hope I don't have Covid.  #PrayForUs Our whole apartment needs to quarantine until we all get out test results back. Elder Reynolds (who I live with) is ecstatic for this quarantine lol

After District Council this week, we decided to go to Buffalo Wild Wings. The night before, we had totally cleaned the entire apartment in preparation for the regular inspection of it. The Sisters in our District told us that the people who do the inspections weren't coming to their apartment so we didn't think anyone was coming to inspect ours! You can imagine our surprise when each of us were mid dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings when the housing inspectors called us  Elder Clouse told them we would be there soon and we hurried over to the apartment lol it was just funny 

This weekend is when I started getting sick, right around General Conference. We ended up watching most of the sessions at home and I fell asleep for a few of them because I was so sick. But, a cool miracle happened I wana tell you all about before I close.

On Sunday night, with just one more session of conference left, Elder Eccles asked Elder Clouse to come with him to the church. I gave Elder Clouse the sim card for these last 6 weeks of his training so he could practice learning how to use the phone. What that means for me is that I have to use a Hotspot 24/7 with wifi. When Elder Eccles and Elder Clouse left, Conference had just started and suddenly it shut off and I realized I had forgotten to have them give me a sim card! I was left alone, with no way to watch General Conference. As soon as the network stopped, the scripture from Matthew 17:20 in the New Testament came to my mind 

"20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." 

I knelt on the ground and prayed with great faith that the Lord would help me to watch Conference even though I had no connection. After I finished the prayer, I tried watching Conference and I still didn't have connection. 10 minutes later, I heard the door open and Elder Clouse walked in with the sim card in his hand. He had suddenly remembered on his way to the church that Elder Reynolds and I had no way to watch Conference! 

It was a small little miracle, but it showed me that God really cares! He loves me enough to answer my prayer to watch Conference! 

I hope I didn't murmur too much in this email, I am blessed everyday by the Lord. I love you all pray our Covid tests are negative! 

Elder Elliott