Monday, August 26, 2013

FIFTY-TWO


Bonjour à tous et à toute!

So let's see... fifty-two. That sounds like an important num.... it's been a year already?! What! Crazy, huh? It's just as hard for me to believe! It seems like just a few months ago I was buying socks at CTR Clothing and packing my bags! I've had quite the year and I feel like I've become, bit by bit, a little more like our Heavenly Father would have me be. It is an amazing thing to spend all of your time doing things for others and even more amazing to watch the gospel work in their lives. I feel incredibly blessed to be where I am right now doing what I'm doing. I can't say that it's been clear blue skies the whole time, but the sun always shines somewhere above the storm clouds. It's been a positive attitude and outlook on life, coupled with a firm testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ, that have elevated my vision and brought me through difficult times. Knowing who I am, among all other facts of life, has brought me the most comfort. We are all here for a reason—to learn, to progress, to make choices that will shape us, and to prepare to meet God once again. Hang on to that knowledge and no matter what confronts you, you will be able to find the lesson to learn, earn it, and move on. Life is a lesson and it takes a lifetime to learn it. In all reality, though it has been a year, it's a flash in the eternities. So I guess that means, see you in a flash! 

Oh, and this past week! 

Quick updates and then photos...

Tao and Eliana went dress shopping and she had a little shopping miracle! She has a dress and they are ready to be married in a few weeks! The lessons are going very well them. We just finished the plan of salvation and she loved it! They are turning into quite the scripture readers! We also found another family of investigators—a grandfather, his daughter, and her daughter! Three generations! They are all reading the Book of Mormon together.

Found a cool street!

And another!



Taught English class with Elder Sloot's awesome drawing skills

And the plan of salvation!

Rode a deer...

Found a rabid missionary

And enjoyed some powerline shots.

Elder Ellis

Monday, August 19, 2013

FIFTY-ONE


Bonjour!

Bonne journée!

Hello!

Goodbye!

I ran out of time sending emails to friends. So I have an idea. I love letters. You love me! I love when you send me letters! As much as I love computers and emails and stuff... there's something special about paper! I know it kills trees but it saves time! (And trees can be planted again... time, well that's another story.)

Nonetheless, here's my week in a word or two! épanouissant! fulfilling! Tao and Eliana are getting married on September 21st and baptized on October 5th! I couldn't be happier! Plus I went on splits with the assistants and got to reminisce about high school with Elder Heder! Good times!

Elder Ellis

Monday, August 12, 2013

FIFTY


Bonjour à tous et à toute!

I'm sure you're all wondering what in the world I'm doing and facing in Terrebonne so I'll get right to it! I'm going out on a limb to try to send some pictures you can actually see what I'm up to and it might take a century and a half from this computer so... I'll upload the pictures and then comment on as many as I can with the time that I have left.
 
This is the apartmentship. Left to right: Elder Maryott (New Zealand), Elder Lucas (Tahiti), Me, Elder Sloot (British Columbia, Canada—my companion!)

Hannah, you have a fan.

We've been cutting this guy's grass and I almost hit this little guy. His name, the human guy, is Pièrre. We just dropped him...

Elder Sloot and I have so many spanish dinner appointments. Here we are at the Ampuero's making cauosa. Or something like that... It was so good!

The result of all of those dinner appointments...

Kidding, still looking good. Humility....

We've been teaching an English class. We have a regular student (seen in neon) named Claude. He speaks almost perfect English and we're questioning why he keeps coming back. We played some hangman after a lesson.

We just had zone conference last week (and a mini high school reunion!) Elder Austin Heder, Sister Lindsey Del Castillo, and me! Mighty Vikings '11!

Relaxing in a car wash on a super hot day. The weather here is nuts. There have been a bunch of tiny flash storms of rain lately. But it's mostly a million degrees all of the time.

On preparation days we play volleyball at the Poirier's house. They have the craziest backyard. They are a really nice family! There are always about six young men that come to play with us.

This game is the best! It's in Frère Poirier's backyard. I'm going to make one when I get home. The Uncles would love it at family reunions!

A funny sign that we saw in a hallway one day. If you look at it long enough you'll realize what's funny about it. 'vous êtes ici' means 'you are here' (the blue dot). 


A cool picture I saw on someone's fridge.
I love knocking. You find the funniest things... please, find me!

No solicitors. (Except school children.) Guarded by Clint Eastwood. Like I said, you find funny things.

There aren't any sunsets here. But there are powerlines. And these ones are geometrically beautiful!

I have about a minute left. But I wanted to tell you about our main investigators right now. The De La Cruz family has some extended family members staying at their house. We have been teaching them for a while but they're unlike any other investigators I've ever had because they only speak Spanish and so we have to use a translator. That can be difficult sometimes but we're making things work. They will be baptized on the fifth of October (in between sessions of general conference!) and we are planning their wedding with Bishop Munoz right now. They are doing really well!

That's all for this week! Thanks for everything you do! Keep being living testimonies of the Gospel!

Elder Ellis

Monday, August 5, 2013

FORTY-NINE


Bonjour tout le monde,
 
I'll just get this right off of the bat: I'm kinda stressing out right now because of something that just happened. I don't feel like sitting down to write right now would be a good idea. I've had one of the best weeks of my mission and I'm sad that it just ended this way. Elder Sloot is one of the best companions I've had and I'm so grateful that the Lord put us together. We have learned a lot together this week and have worked extremely hard to bless the lives of the people here in Terrebonne. I know I am where I need to be and that I was called by revelation to labor here and now.

"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?"
D&C 122: 7-8

I love you all and pray that the Lord watches over you!

Elder Ellis