New area, new companion, new experiences!

Lots has been happening this week in my new area called Boulevares, Aguascalientes!  It is a lot different from Fresnillo - it is more developed (there is a Walmart!), there are no stray dogs walking around, and the streets are really clean.  It is hot like Fresnillo, but more humid here (and of course these are the hottest months of the year!) .... but I am staying hydrated and drinking lots of water ;) 

There is ton of "tenant like housing"

Another difference here is the living conditions: in our area there are two different types of living conditions.  First is the "sector style", which are clusters of 3-4 story apartment buildings. There are over 10 sectors and each sector has about 6 or more apartment buildings - so basically there are a ton of people living within a very small area. But it is nice for us because we don't have to walk super far distances to visit a lot of people, and there are always a TON of people outside. The kids like to play all together, and the adults sit in their plastic chairs talking or eating. 

This is the view outside our window

The second style of living is more like the housing in the common US neighborhoods- decent sized homes that are painted regular colors and are well built. There is a lot more traffic here (no dirt or cobblestone streets) and like I mentioned, a lot more Americanized (there is a McDonalds, etc.)

Opening a new area implies a lot of work. We have been doing a lot of contacting (talking with people in the streets, getting their address, and setting up a date and time in which we can begin teaching them). We also have been getting to know the ward members so they can have the confidence in us to share references (or people they know like family members, coworkers, neighbors, etc. that we can teach). The ward members are few (at church we only had about 45 people show up) but they are super friendly and so excited to have sister missionaries. We are the first sister missionaries in this area for over 25 years- and everyone has been commenting on how happy they are to have us here. Basically...we can definitely feel the love ;) haha

Me and Hermana Perez

My companion is amazing! I am training Hermana Perez who is from the state of Mexico and is 28 years old. Although I, at first, felt totally unqualified to train this native who is almost 10 years older than me... God has been helping me in so many ways and I have been learning so much this past week.  Hermana Perez is so kind and open to receiving advice on how to adjust to the missionary life.  She has been actively participating in the lessons and our contacting, and her testimony is strong.  She helps me improve my spanish (although she says it is about 95% perfect) and I help her with her english which she loves.  In fact, it was announced in the sacrament meeting on Sunday that I would begin giving english classes every Saturday from 12-1pm in the church and that all were invited and asked to bring their friends as well.  Hopefully it can turn into a great missionary experience as well as strengthen our connection with the ward members :)   I will be sure to update you all on how it goes this week :)   Kinda nervous though...

Right now we are living with two other sister missionaries which is a blast! Sister Mora is from Ecuador and is training Hermana Huff from Arizona. It works out great because we all help each other out and share in the responsibilities of the house. Today we ate together at Walmart - I got a footlong Subway sandwich with Hermana Huff, and Hermana Mora and Perez got Chinese food.  It was fun to sit and talk together about why we decided to serve missions and our future plans for when we return.  It has become a little weird to think about returning home in a year. The time here passes by so quickly and I realize more and more each day what a privilege it is to be serving a mission here. 

Here I am with Hermana Perez, Mora and Huff

I am so grateful for all the love and support I have been receiving and hope everyone is doing well. 

Hopefully next week I will have more stories because these past couple days Hermana Perez and I have just started to become more familiar with this new area and the people here :)  But all is going great and I am loving my time here with Hermana Perez!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Eliason

[cute picture from last week I forgot to include]

Hermanas Winsor & Eliason

CRAZY!!!!! LOTS OF NEWS!

This week was awesome!  We had so much success in our area and have been seeing a ton of improvement.

We had a ward activity this week in the church called Feria de la Vida (which means Fair of the Family).  Hermana Flores and I, with the Elders and ward mission leader planned the entire activity and it turned out fantastic!  It was a blast and lots of members showed up to play games, eat food, and just socialize :)

Hermana Flores trying out a ukulele

I don't have much time to write today because we had changes!!!  I am going to be OPENING a new area in Aguascalientes and I am going to be a TRAINER! 

It was so hard to leave my area in Fresnillo after spending so much time there and becoming so close with the people, but I am excited for this new opportunity and challenge.

I promise to write more next Monday!  All is well and I hope everyone is doing great :) 

I love you all.  Please write or email me!

Hermana Eliason

[Some pictures]

It RAINED!!! there was so much rain this week, this is one of the streets that became like a river!

Here I am in front of a tae kwon do place and thought of Quinn

[I think the following pictures of pictures of people of Fresnillo
that Kiley took before she went to Aguascalientes]

Here I am with an investigator named Luz.   She is great!

Here I am with Hermana Bringas
(the member that is a chess master and has a super cool house!)

   This is hermana Lupita and her daughter Diana
(the daughter and grandaughter of the Perez family) They are awesome. 

This is the Piña family! She always makes super yummy food! 

They are the ones with the animals and the rooster.

Here I am with Hermana Winsor
(She and I have the same birthday and have been in the same zone here together!)

This is the Hernandez family (the progressing family we have been teaching!)  I ADORE them!

AMAZING WEEK!

This week was pretty much a perfect week in the mission :)  Nothing huge happened, but everything went so smoothly and I am truly comfortable here with Hermana Flores.  We both like to work hard but have fun along the way- it makes the time fly by!

We have been walking a lot because we focused on using the ward lists to encounter less active members.  The ward list is super outdated so sometimes when we knock on the door, the new owners inform us that the person we are searching for moved over 13 years ago or passed away 7 years ago.  It is kind of a hassle, but at the same time rewarding, because if the less active person doesn't live in the address we visit, we ask if we can stop by and teach the new owners (and most of them accept the invitation!)  So we gained 5 new investigators this week to begin teaching!

We ate pigeon eggs this week...tasted just like regular eggs,
but super tiny so we each ate 5! haha

The only bummer about walking a ton, is that is has been scorching hot!  Hermana Flores introduced me to the saying "me quema mi coco!" (which means "my coconut is burned!" or my head is getting burned)  It is amazing how happy I am here.  Although sometimes plans fall through, or we are tired we both help each other look for the positive.  We are constantly smiling or making each other laugh and we have become the best of friends.

Hermana Flores wants to study English in school when she returns, but is using her time with me to begin practicing. I t is a lot of fun, and she has been picking it up quickly. 

During a lesson with the Velazquez family we watched the Restoration video, which describes a bit about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.  Samara (one of the 2 little cousins) took my hand and placed it on her lap and then announced to everyone "este es mio" which means (this one's mine).  I truly adore all the children here.

This week there was a big motorcycle event with a huge dirt course
and this is the day after (before there was tons of people,
music, and easy ups set up!)

Oh, one day for lunch with the Gonzalez family I was enjoying my tacos until one of the Elders commented on how good the meat was, and how Hermano Gonzalez prepared it.  He then proceeded to tell us it was a mix of several meats including cow tongue....yum ;) haha

We helped Hermana Lupita pack up her house to move.  We used newspapers to wrap up her glass cups and plates and pretended we were wrapping presents for each other and practicing for Christmas. Hermana Flores and I both LOVE Christmas even though it is super far away, we sometimes sing Christmas hymns in the mornings ;) haha

Well, that is about all the news I have for this week. I am loving the mission and learning so much each day.  I keep you all in my prayers and hope all is going well for each of you.  I know this gospel is true and can bless the lives of everyone.

Quote of the week: "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs." - President Spencer W. Kimball

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Eliason

Special Changes

Tuesday:  We woke up like every other day and did our 30 minutes of exercise, then prepared to shower / get ready for our studies.  But then, the phone rang and all I heard from the zone leaders was "Hermana Eliason, you and Hermana Ortiz have special changes.  Hermana Ortiz needs to be in the central today at 4pm to leave for her new are in San Louis."  When Hermana Ortiz heard the news, she started to cry and tell me she's never been so happy or close with any of her other companions and didn't want to leave.  I was too stunned to accept that my trainer and only companion so far in the mission would be in an entirely different state, and I would be left here in Fresnillo to teach the area to my new companion.

We spent the few hours packing her belongings and passing by some of the members' houses for her to say good-bye.  It finally hit me when she gave me one last hug before boarding the bus that would take her far away.  We both cried and promised to keep in contact.  I love Hermana Ortiz and am going to miss her.  We had become more than companions - we were best friends who helped one another become better.

Me & Hermana Ortiz

Wednesday:  My new companion is Hermana Flores (Sister Flowers) and she's just as sweet as her name implies.  She's 19 years old and from an all-member family of 12 in El Salvator!  What's super cool, is we arrived the same day in the mission and I remember sitting by her during our orientation by the Mission President in Aguascalientes back in January.  When we found out we were going to be paired up together, we were both thrilled.  I am so lucky to serve with her.  Hermana Flores is so sincere and kind.

Hermana Flores

Thursday:  We had a great day together!  We taught 9 lessons and the people here love Hermana Flores!  She's learning the area quickly and teaches with the Spirit.  I absolutely love being with her.  She and I have clicked so quickly and it already feels like we've been friends for years.  :)

Friday:  Walking.  Walking.  Walking.  We went all over today and it was dreadfully hot; although they say this month we should be receiving rain.

Oh, the circus is in town!  They have their big yellow and red tents set up with animal cages and other exhibits on the side of one of the main roads here.  While walking past, we saw monkeys, lions, and tigers and bears (Oh my ... - reference to Wizard of Oz  haha)

The Circus & Hermana Flores

The circus is in town and here I am in front of the elephant near the front gates

Saturday:  Happy Mother's Day!  Here the 10th of May is El Dia del Madre!  All the mothers received flowers, watched the elementary school children dance and sing, and in the evening there were tons of celebrations.  :)

I got to Skype my family in the evening - which was wonderful.  Hearing their voices and seeing their smiles made me feel like I've only been gone for a week or two.  They gave me encouragement and assured me that all is well back home.  I can't wait to be with them again.  I know that one of the main reasons we are here on earth is to experience the joy that comes from families.  I am grateful to have the peace that comes from knowing that we can be together forever.

Good quote:  "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." I am learning that people matter most, and it is the small moments that together have the impact on others.

This is a meat shop in our area and every time we pass by, we bust up laughing at the picture of the cow who is smiling while his rear end is being cut up! haha I tried to mimic the action ;)

I hope everyone is doing well! Don´t forget to show the ones you love how much they mean to you (we should never assume they know our feelings, we must show them through actions of appreciation or love).  I love you all so much!  Happy Mothers day!

-Hermana Eliason

GREAT Week!

This week was GREAT!! Hermana Ortiz and I are having a lot of success here with less active members.  We've been using the church list that has the addresses of these less active members (some of which haven't been visited or attended church for years!)  One man named Jose Luis was baptized over 10 years ago and now has a wife, and three children who aren't members, but who we've been able to start teaching!  He is now a tattoo artist (his wife does the piercings) and he lived in the US for 6 years. So while he was tattooing a big dragon on the back of some random man, he and I talked in english for a good 20 min (while Hermana Ortiz talked with the wife).  It was such a different environment, but regardless, I could feel the Spirit and they were so kind and welcoming.  Their kids are adorable and they have 3 huge bulldogs that we got to play with before leaving.  We´re going to continue visiting them so I´ll be sure to keep you all updated.

This dog made me think of aunt Michelle! I miss her

Here they celebrate a holiday called Dia del Niño (day of the child).  There was no school for all the kids and tons of parties!  There were lots of piñatas in the streets and children running around with all their candy ;)  It was a lot of fun, and Hermana Ortiz and I bought some cake.

The Velazquez family taught us how to make tamales from scratch! (a surprisingly long process) After a couple of tries, I finally mastered how to spread the masa on the corn husks ;)  LOVE the food here! They turned out totally yummy!

Hermana Ortiz and I completed 100 days together!  It is amazing how fast the time is flying by here!

Sometimes I still feel like such a little kid because the simple and small things make me so happy and can entertain me for hours!  The other day Hermana Perez was using her walker to get some fresh air outside, and gave Hermana Ortiz and I permission to use her wheelchair.   We then proceeded to make speeding car noises while pushing each other around super fast (oh and the cobblestones made it all the more bumpy and fun!) Hermana Ortiz and I had a grand ol' time and Hermana Perez got a good laugh out of how much we were enjoying her wheelchair ;) haha

Hermano & Hermana Perez

For P-day today we played soccer again! We all had a lot of fun...and great news...I used sunscreen and didn't get burned ;) 

I don't have much time today to write, but all is going well here.  I see miracles everyday and love the mission life.  I hope all is going well for everyone back home.  I keep you all in my prayers and am so grateful for the love and support I receive!

Hermana Eliason

[Last week Kiley's photos wouldn't load, so below are follow-up photos]

Little dog that relaxed on my legs as I prayed
(story from last week's letter)

Here is our entire zone with the mission president the day he visited (last week)

Here are all the sister missionaries in our zone right now with the mission president´s wife
(as you can see, i am the tallest!) haha

This is from last week when I described Hermano Perez visiting Hermano Vargas when he was sick

This is one of the daughters of the Vargas family that we've become close to; her name is  Lupita.

This is Hermana Romero when we had intercambios together

I got a package from the Carter family!!

BIGGEST farmers market EVER!!! it was crazy cool!!!

This is our kitchen

This is where we study

This is our new district

Lots of visits!

[sadly, no photos this week due to computer trouble]

Monday:  For P-day we played volleyball, basketball, and soccer at the church with 6 other missionaries and Gael, his cousin, and his uncle.  It was a lot of fun and Juan (Gael's uncle) was determined to help me score a goal in soccer.  Finally after many attempts I made one! haha  I am so impressed by the talent of the people here in their foot work and soccer skills!  I was completely exhausted afterwards!  In the evening we did our laundry at the house of the Velazquez family because they have a washer (saves a lot of time!) And when we hung our clothes out to dry on the top of their 3 story roof I admired a breath taking view of the city at sunset. 

Tuesday:  For lunch we ate at the house of Hermana Bringas.  She and her two children are members, but her husband is not (hopefully soon though!) I absolutely loved their house on the outskirts of town - all bricks and wood.  The inside feels like a cabin because of the high beamed ceiling and big brick fire place.  She and her husband are artists and I was in heaven when they showed me their studio and artwork!

Wednesday: Hermano Vargas has continued to be sick and in bed, so we thought we'd help by having Hermano Perez accompany us to visit him.  It turned out to be a great idea, because when we entered Hermano Vargas' room with Hermano Perez, he lit up with a big smile! It was so touching to see these two elderly men in their mid-80s talk about the good ol' days and laugh.  They've been friends for 60 years and were converted to the church with their families around the same time.  I am so grateful for the friendships in my life that I know will last forever :)

Thursday:  This morning as Hermana Ortiz and I were hanging the trash on the gate, a little white dog followed us up the stairs. We gave it a bowl of milk, 'cause it was hungry and we felt bad to kick it out... so we laid an old shirt down in the corner and it slept during our studies.  When I got on my knees to close my scripture study with a prayer, the dog (which we named Chiquitita from the song ABBA)   climbed onto the back of my legs and made herself comfortable.  When Hermana Ortiz finished her prayer before me and saw Chiquitita laying on my legs, she started busting up laughing and snapped a quick picture ;)  haha   In the evening we had exchanges (where the sister missionary leaders split up Hermana Ortiz and I for a day to see how we are progressing).  Hermana Ortiz left around 6pm for Zacatecas, and I got paired up with Hermana Romero to show her our area here in Fresnillo.  Hermana Romero is a rockstar! She's from Columbia and full of energy :)

Friday:  Hermana Romero and I spent all day together and had a blast, while at the same time working really hard. We taught 8 lessons and had time to use the church list to encounter 3 new people to teach! We were laughing and smiling all day- missionary work doesn't have to be dull! She was a great example to me of someone who has gratitude in her circumstances and is completely obedient and diligent as a missionary. Hermana Ortiz returned in the evening :)

We were laughing & smiling ALL day
missionary work doesn't have to be dull!

Saturday: We had a zone meeting with the mission president which lasted 5 1/2 hours!!  The talks were inspiring and Hermana Ortiz and I set some personal and companionship goals.  Here in the mission everyone is constantly trying to become better and help others achieve their divine potential. But this way of life isn't just for missionaries. Everyone (including myself when I return home) has the ability to learn and grow each day for the better and help others along the way. 

Sunday:  The Hernandez family came to church again! Whoop whoop! They all said they felt at peace and liked the testimonies that were shared.  For lunch Herman Piña served us her scrumptious homemade flour tortillas - and I even rolled my own :)  We had a Family Home Evening (FHE) in the evening with Hermana Bringas and her family.  We played games, ate pizza and shared an article from the Liahonna magazine of the church.  I really like the message because it shared 10 points that will help us live a life of joy and purpose: 

1.    Establish principle to guide your life

2.    Don't make exceptions to your standards

3.    Be loyal

4.    Live so that the Lord can guide you

5.    Serve others

6.    Smile

7.    Don't complain

8.    Always have a church assignment

9.    Visit the temple often

10.   Follow the  Saviors example.  

All in all, this week was great and I am loving my time here as a missionary.  I know this gospel is true and can bless the lives of everyone!  Thank you to all who read my blog, send me packages or letters or emails, or keep me in their prayers.  It truly means a lot  :)  Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Hermana Eliason

A week of Miracles!

Monday: Hermana Ortiz and I taught an investigator named Paula - who at first came across as a grumpy old lady, but even from the first lesson I felt something special for her.  As we've continued to visit and smile, Paula has continued to soften and become more open and comfortable around us. When I was saying goodbye after the lesson and giving her a kiss on the cheek (customary here), she took my hand and kissed the top of it saying "Cuidence Hermana Eliason, te amo mucho." (Which means - Be careful Hermana Eliason, I love you very much.) It was such a tender moment for me, and Paula has a special place in my heart.  She doesn't come across as a grumpy old lady anymore and it has been amazing to see her attitude/appearance change because of the gospel and Christ-like love. 

In the evening Hermana Lupita and her husband (less active members we visit often) passed by our house at 9:30pm to deliver some warm tortillas and beans because they'd overheard that because everyone is on vacations this week, many of our lunch appointments have fallen through. It was incredibly thoughtful. The people here are amazing.

Here we are after eating berries- we always stain our fingers and tongue purple
after passing by this specific tree that is in front of an abandoned house

Tuesday: Today we had our first district meeting after having changes last week. We have 2 new Elders - one from Guatemala and one from Mexico, so I am now officially thee only white person/american in my district ;)

Wednesday: In the morning we walked a TON because we tried using the church's list of less active members to encounter their homes. But something that is frustrating here, is that the numbers on the houses rarely follow a numerical order! For example one house is #14 and its neighbor is #220!!  At least the weather has been nice and cool this week because Hermana Ortiz and I have been out walking a lot each day :)

Here we are with the daughter of Hermana Lupita.
She is 17 and we love to hang out with her

Thursday:  Today we encountered the Hernandez family (a mom and 3 daughters - ages 14, 13, and 10).  They were so welcoming, kind and open to our message. The miracle was that earlier in the week Hermana Ortiz and I had fasted and prayed fervently to encounter a family prepared to accept our message.  I know that the Hernandez family was the answer! And I know that God is preparing the hearts and minds of the people here :)

Friday:  We taught the Velazques family and as the 2 little girls were playing we finished the lesson and closed with a prayer with the the older members of the family.  But then they entered the room as we were putting on our backpacks and saying goodbye.  One of the little girls looked up at us and asked "are you leaving?", to which we replied yes.  Immediately she and the other little girl got on their knees expecting us to end in a prayer (not knowing we had already given it).  It was so humbling to see these two 3 year old girls fold their arms and close their eyes while on their knees because they had come to know that before the misionaras leave we give a prayer together.  I adore the little children here. They have such sweet spirits and can truly be examples to us sometimes :)

Here are the two little girls from the Velazquez family! I cant get enough of them! They are adorable! This picture is when I introduced them to scratch & stiff  stickers that Uncle Chris sent to me. They smell like chocolate ice cream and the girls loved them!

It rained a little today so they were
running around with their umbrella :)

I LOVE them! haha

Saturday: We left the house bright and early in our work out clothes around 8am to help a member in the ward paint her house. Together with the Elders we spent about 2 hours helping her and her husband paint their house pink/salmon color ;) It was a lot of fun, and she even had jumpers that we wore to protect our clothing ;) 

After lunch the Elders came with us to the house of the Vargas Family because Hermano Vargas is really sick. He started smoking at the age of 8 until he joined the church 30 years later- but now is suffering from lung damage and asma. The spirit was really strong while the Elders gave him a blessing as he lay in bed (he has lost a lot of weight- to the point where I´m pretty sure I could pick him up in my arms). 

Sunday: The Hernandez family attended church! They said they felt something special and all the members were warm and welcoming to them. The church here is like a big family and I love it! During the 3rd hour of church the Relief Society president asked Hermana Ortiz and I to share our testimonies on the spot in front of everyone. Although I was a bit nervous, I shared my sincere testimony of the things I knew to be true. And afterwards as we were stacking the chairs two Hermanas complimented my spanish saying that it was really good and that in the short 3 months that I´ve been here, they can´t believe how much I know! I know that the gift of tongues is real!

Here there is no Easter - only "La Santa Semana" which is the Holy Week - in which all the Catholics do random things (like don't eat meat, do a walk of silence through out the city, and attend a reenactment of the crucifixion of Christ, etc)

All is going well for me: my hair continues to get lighter, my skin continues to get darker, and my testimony of their gospel continues to get stronger! I love being a missionary and I am witnessing miracles each day here! Hope all is well back home, I keep you all in my prayers and appreciate your love and support!

Hermana Eliason