Week 47 CHRISTMAS
December 27, 2021
Good Morning everyone!
We had a marvelous week this week. We saw miracles, had a really fun Christmas, and had some funny things happen! Let me tell you about it!
Well I will start with Christmas because it was really fun. On Christmas Eve we got a bunch of little gifts my kind Grandmother had given me money to buy and went and delivered them to people. We bought like 50 packs of cookies to give. It was really fun to just give to other people that day! I live with two Spanish Elders and my companion used to be a Spanish Missionary until about 5 months ago. So, all of them have been speaking spanish. I have been trying to pick up on Spanish lately. We went to one of the Spanish Elders' friend's house to deliver them a couple of gifts for Christmas. They had these two little hispanic kids and so I gave them a couple packs of cookies. They got super excited and then one of them gave back the lemon oreos he was like "here you go!" I was laughing really hard. I don't think he wanted the lemon cookies lol. The whole time we were at these people's house I didn't understand what was happening because everyone was speaking in Spanish. I was just standing there. Towards the end of the conversation, my companion turned to me to say the prayer. While they had all been speaking in Spanish, I had REALLY wanted to speak Spanish too. I didn't know a lick of it, but I thought I had enough faith and I believe in miracles! I prayed really hard in my heart and I opened my mouth to speak. I said "Hey guys I don't really speak Spanish but I wanted to share my testimony with you." I guess I didn't have enough faith in the Gift of tongues because I didn't start speaking Spanish unfortunately lol
Our Mission President approved board games on Christmas. So, all the Elders in our apartment took that opportunity. Christmas Eve we played a bunch of games we checked out at the library and my Mother was very kind and ordered us pizza and a TON of snacks. Christmas morning I woke up super hyped for Christmas. Everyone was kind of hanging out on the couches around 630 when we woke up and I went out and said "GUYS IT IS CHRISTMAS"! We all started opening our presents. It was a fun day! We hung out at the church with some missionaries in our District, and we went to dinner with this wonderful family named the Holt's. We played games and they made pork burritos for us (they had smoked them for 12 hours) . They were very tasty. Probably my favorite part of the day was Christmas morning when I got to watch my family open presents. I called in time to see Bentley run out and see his Presents from Santa and it was super cute. He was very excited that we were wearing matching pajamas! Overall, Christmas was amazing!! Even though I was away from home, it was one of my favorite Christmas Days I have had! One I will definitely remember forever.
Elder Anderson and I have continued to work very hard to reach our goals. We had a lot of success this week finding new friends. I want to share about two of them. On Tuesday evening, I felt like I needed to message back this guy I had been talking to. I thought he was a fake person on Facebook because he had actually reached out to ME (which rarely happens). We started talking and I found out he lives in the apartments next to our church building. The next morning, we had a church tour and we showed him around the building and then, we invited him to be Baptized on January 15th! His name is Dillon, and he is a stud.
Elder Anderson had been talking to this guy from Jackson Michigan (his previous area) and we had an impromptu lesson with him one day. We video called him and as we started talking to him, we realized that this man was truly prepared by God. He told us he was a devout Cahtolic. But after studying the Bible had come to the conclusion that he did not believe much of the doctrine of the Catholic church. As we talked with him we realized that he didn't believe ANY of the doctrine. It was one of the most spiritual lessons I have had on my mission. I had the opportunity to teach him the Restoration briefly towards the end and I don't know if I have testified stronger in a lesson of the reality of Joseph Smith's calling as a prophet. I truly just followed the spirit and afterwards the other Elders (who had been listening to the lesson) were like "wow, that was a powerful lesson". The Spirit was so strong and our friend Todd is so prepared by God. He wants to learn more!!
Every Friday we have a Zoom Zone meeting for thirty minutes to give a training. This Friday (since it was Christmas Eve) we decided to do a fun one. Each of us (STL's and us) shared an embarrassing story around Christmas. Mine wasn't really around Christmas, but I shared the story about how I fell off the stage at a Stake Dance. Good times.
We had so many cool moments this week that I wish I could share with you all. Gosh, the Lord is pouring blessings upon Traverse City. On the 23rd our Mission President took an hour and held a tradition with the mission he has done with his family. The 23rd was Joseph Smith's birthday and he just read us stories about Joseph Smith's life and bore witness of his calling as a prophet. He had his family and kids join and share their testimonies. We even heard a funny story about President Heap going up to a protester at a BYU game and defending Joseph Smith's name. It was powerful. It was so cool to be a part of it and I decided I wanted to hold the same tradition with my future family some day. The most powerful part of it all was at the end, when they played a beautiful rendition of the hymn # 29 "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief". IT is a song about the Savior that John Taylor (an apostle at the time when Joseph Smith restored the Church) sang to Joseph in Carthage jail before he was martyred. I don't think I have ever, in my entire life, felt the spirit so strongly from a hymn. I began to cry so much and when the song was over, I had to leave the room. I am sure Elder Anderson thought I was dying or something. But the Spirit testified to me so strongly of the reality of the Restored Gospel that I will truly never be the same. I will put the link to the song below if you want to feel the Spirit.
I love the Gospel. I am so grateful for this Christmas Season and the opportunity we have to focus on the Savior. I know that he lives. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is His New Testament church restored to the Earth. I know that it is only through Him that we may return to live with our Father in Heaven someday. And if you don't KNOW those things then ask God. The Heavens are open and he will testify to you of the truth.
I love you all, have a great week!
Elder Elliott
THIS IS THE VIDEO. IT IS POWERFUL.
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