Goodbyes

Well, the Lord has a plan! Sister Zavala was transferred on Saturday to Auburn, so the trio was broken up! Noo! It was really sad, because we all loved it so much, but a sister went home, and she was the one called to the new area. It's okay! I will miss her, because I don't think I've ever loved someone so much in such a short time, but she will do great things in Auburn! :) She's the bestttt. Now I am companions with Sister Woolsey and I am loving it. She and I are a lot alike and have similar mindsets. We've both seen adversity in our lives and we're both 25! Whaaaat! :) Elk Plain has got two pretty mature sisters on their hands... Haha. But, yeah, really enjoying being with Sister Woolsey!

This week was really an excellent one. The weather is super nice and we're low on miles, so we biked on Saturday. I like biking a lot because we always see more people that way. I don't know what's gotten into my lately, but I have been way less scared to talk to people. Like, I'll just walk over to them and be like yo (well, in a more dignified manner and stuff). We were walking through a trailer park and I saw these three Hispanics across the yard and without even thinking I just marched right over to them and was like hey! And totally got a referral for the Spanish Elders. Missionary work does get easier. It's just a matter of letting myself adjust... and 5 months in, I think I'm getting the hang of it. More so than my first day, haha. I'll always be learning, but it's nice to have the weight of fear slightly off my shoulders for now. 

Our investigators are doing so great. :) Sister Diamond has decided to get baptized with her kids, which means President can't baptize her because he'll be released, but what a wonderful alternative! I am so blessed to be teaching families. Sister Diamond is seriously the most solid investigator of my life. She texted us the other day telling us how her coworker was totally bashing mormons and had all these crazy ideas about us and she told us how she didn't get angry, she just calmly explained and testified of what she knew to be true, and she really helped her coworker to see things in a different way and understand. How amazing is that?! She's not even baptized yet and she's defending truth and right. She gets a lot of opposition, but she is so strong and just tells them what she knows. Amazing. She'll be a great Relief Society president one day.. :) She fed us dinner the other night and it was so much fun. She is a great person. So wonderful to talk to and really supportive of us, too. So grateful for Sister Diamond! We'll be starting the lessons with her kiddos soon, too. 

Salina is progressing slowly, but she's progressing. She is still not 100% convinced she needs a relationship with God, but more and more she is receiving light into her spirit. She's listening to the Book of Mormon and she really remembers a lot! We had a lesson in the church the other day and it was wonderful. The spirit was peaceful. We helped her discover that she has felt the spirit. She came to church, too! Her little son, Zion, was a little squirmy, so we're not sure how much she heard, but she was still there! That's still something. That's still action. More and more I think we'll understand how this is going to bless her life. She's just the sweetest! 

The very last mission devotion for President and Sister Eaton was last night. It was really fantastic. We got to sing a I Know That My Redeemer Lives in spanish and we sang Hark! All Ye Nations with recent converts from all over the world. Really neat! President Eaton bore a powerful testimony at the end. He was bold. It really strengthened my testimony and confirm to me that this is, indeed, the truth restored on the earth. So often I can feel the subtle temptations of the devil to doubt and disbelieve it all. That none of this is true. I'm in tune enough with the spirit now to realize that those doubts are lies and Satan is not going to get me. I know this is the truth. I know it with all my heart. I know that only through the Priesthood authority that has been restored to the earth can we be made fit for the Kingdom of God through baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. I know it is through this authority that we can be sealed for all eternity in family units, to never be separated. I am grateful for this knowledge. Bringing the the Good News to the world is a tough task with all the array of opposition and those who don't want to hear a thing about it. But, that's okay. I love the examples of Alma and Amulek. They're the bomb. Best missionaries ever. 

I'll really miss the Eaton's. They cared about their missionaries sooooo much. I will forever be grateful for them. They have changed my life. I am so grateful I came to this mission so I could have President Eaton as my mission president and have Sister Eaton to help me through my struggled. She was seriously with me every step of the way. The whole time. She treated me as an individual and cared about my problems. None of us were just "another missionary" to the Eaton's. They knew us all by name and love us. I can't wait to visit them in Rexburg when I go home (he's a religion professor on campus)!

OH MY GOSH I ALMOST FORGOT THE FUNNIEST PART OF THE ENTIRE WEEK! 

On Friday, we all got blessings from our District Leader and his comp, before Sister Zavala was being transferred the next day just for extra strength and guidance for the new challenges ahead. We were at the church building and there was a scout spaghetti dinner going on. The guy in the kitchen saw us and said "MISSIONARIES! COME GET FOOD!" As nice as it was, none of us really wanted any, but we took some anyway to just take home. Sister Woolsey took just a tiny plate of some haha. We left and were in the parking lot while the Elders were still getting their food. Sister Woolsey had the hilarious idea of leaving the little plate of spaghetti on the hood of the Elder's car and we left a pass along card that said "TAG". Hahah. So we left, thinking we were pretty funny... We get home a while later for the night and we walk up the stairs and we see our table and a chair set up in front of the door like someone had been eating there and we were like what the... and we look at IT'S THE PLATE OF SPAGHETTI!! The Elders left it with the pass along card that now read "YOU'RE IT". HAHAHA WE JUST DIED LAUGHING. Not sure if prank wars are allowed, but, it's totally on... Look how hilarious this is! Hahahaha! 

Missions are fun, ya'll. 

Here's to a new week in Elk Plain! I got some fabulous pictures of Mt. Rainier this time. Still so much better in person. Graham is the coolest.

Love ya!

Sister E

PS: LONG LIVE THE 2 WEEK LONG TRIO! 

I'm in Graham!

Hellooooo, family and friends! I am now writing from Graham, Washington, in the southern portion of the mission! And I LOVE it here!

I am loving being in a trio. Sisters Zavala and Woolsey and I get along sooo well. It was a little odd settling into a trio, but we have really had unity, surprisingly. I loved them both immediately. We're all so alike, yet so different, in the best ways. Yaaay! My new area is pretty rural, but more city-rural. We live in a cute 3 bedroom house/trailer and it's on a horse ranch! So we have tons of horses behind the houses and lots of room to run around. Our land lady is the most hilarious older woman that teases us a lot. Love it! On the ranch, next door, they have a Raw Washington Honey shop, which means we get raw honey...oh my gosh...soooo good... We have different flavored honey based on what the bees ate, too! We have blackberry honey and wild mountain flower honey. I eat it like all the time. It's basically the best.

My new area is veeerrrrryyyy different from Maple Valley, but I love it. It's the other side of the tracks for sure. But there's actually people here. Haha. I really love it. It's a much smaller area. We're going to bike a lot soon because we don't have much miles. I'm chill with that. The ward is way different here, too, but I just need to get to know it more, that's all. I have an open mind. The few members I've met I have loved! Being in a trio is just fun, too. Tracting is so funny...three girls on a doorstep instead of two. We really work well together, though! 

We have investigators! One of them...is...GOLDEN. Her name is Sister Diamond and she is truly a gem. She was found by President Eaton at a garage sale and they just really hit it off and talked a ton about the gospel. She wanted to know more. And now she's getting baptized soon! She happened to fall within our ward boundaries so we are the lucky missionaries that get to teach the golden referral. She's so prepared it's not even funny. She readily accepts everything. She quit drinking coffee and is so strong! Literally all we have to do is teach. She's amaaaazing! President Eaton might baptize her too, how fun! 

Salina is another one and she has the CUTEST little boy named Zion. She's learning just for "knowledge for her son", but she is realizing more and more that it's really for her. She said her first prayer EVER the other day. It was so cute, she was like, "Dear Heavenly Father...this is a little weird....." Hehehehe. Love first prayers!

Sister Bizzard is another. She has like 7 kids and they are adorable. The youngest little one is a crazy MONKEY! He climbs over everything, pfft. Sister Bizzard has a crazy life, but such a willing heart. She has lots to work out in her life, but she likes learning. 

We have one other investigator named Sister Holland, but sadly, she is not progressing. :( It's frustrating, because they are such good people! But, they must choose to act as well. We as missionaries cannot do it all for them. We are to all be agents, not objects. 

Seriously, being in a trio is such a blastttt. Our beds are like 5 inches apart in the room we sleep in, but hey, we like each other so it's all good.. :) We have plenty of room in other parts of the house to spread out when we're not sleeping anyway. It all works out. Everyone thinks we're just on exchanges when they see me, but nope, I'm here to stay for 6 weeks! We are all curious as to what will happen in the next transfer, but we don't have to worry about that yet. 

I'm learning to pace myself, especially now that I am in a new area. I can't expect myself to know everything and everyone all at once. It's going to take time -- little by little; here a little, there a little. That used to be so hard for me, but I am really getting the hang out it, figuring out, through the spirit, what needs focusing on right now and what doesn't. I am being patient with myself and the learning process of it all. My companions are super patient with me, too. It's relieving to realize I don't have to know everything all at one. Prayer plays such a huge role, too. I have to pray for help constantly. I came up with a acronym for "pace": P: Ponder A: Accept C: Careful E:explore (or examine). I remember these things when I try to get ahead of myself. I have adjusted surprisingly quickly to my new area. I miss the Cedar River ward, but I know I'll see them all again sometime! For sure! I'm where Heavenly Father wants me to be right now, in the Elk Plain ward! We also have a KILLER view of Mt. Rainier in this area, too. It's magnificent. I only wish I could get a good picture.

Heres's to a new transfer as a trio! The power of three. 

Love,

Sister Eldridge

PS:

Pictures!

There's lots of fresh strawberries here. We got these from a member. :)

We saw the most EPIC rainbow the other day! Ahhh!

Cute trio pictures. :)

The little girls at the bottom are the Phillips' daughters, and the taller one loves us. :) She has a "Future Missionary" tag and sat with us in Sacrament. Precious!

 

 PPS: Today is my 5 month mark! What! I'm almost to 6 months!!!

 

I milked a goat

That's right. I milked a goat. By hand and also using the milking machine. IT WAS AWESOME. Sister O'Brian is so cool and taught me. Sister Stewart grew up on a goat farm, so she's already a pro... :) It was so fun!  I seriously love living in Maple Valley so much!

...Except. DUN DUN DUNNNN. 

Yep. It's happened. I'm being TRANSFERRED! Whaaaat! Yeah. I totally called it. The spirit told me a few weeks ago to start organizing my stuff so I did and, yup, I'm leaving the beautiful Maple Valley. And, get this... I'M GOING TO BE IN A TRIO. Haha! Woah! With Sisters Woolsey & Zavara. I'm going to Elk Plain. It's down south in the mission by Graham. Ahhhh! It was so weird packing my stuff and leaving the apartment for the last time. Well. Adventures ahead! I will truly miss the Cedar River ward. Those people changed my life! And I'll miss Randy and Stormi so much! 

I had an excellent last week in Maple Valley, too. Soooo good. We taught some awesome lessons and our investigators and less-actives are progressing! Sister Stewart is being left with some great work. :) She'll be kind-of training a missionary that came on a three-month trial mission and then is coming back out for REAL this time! Really awesome. 

By far my favorite part of this week was going over to our 92-year-old investigator, Geraldine's, house and doing service for her. Her heart, as well as her 95-year-old husband's hearts have softened so much. I got to play violin for them and they just loved it. I'm glad I get to share my talents here. I also played violin in sacrament meeting on Sunday with Sister Vach on piano. :) I played A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. I love sharing my testimony through music! It's just the best. 

We met another 92-year-old this week. I don't know how we find all these great older folk, but we just do. :) She was a referral from a previous investigator to do service. Her name is Mary Hughes. And let me tell you... This woman has done EVERYTHING! And she's a violinist! She taught school, violin, paints, was in a country band during WWII and all sorts of incredible things in her life. It's seriously incredible the things we learn about the people we meet and the lives they have had. It's a treat getting to meet them all. 

We had a specialized training this week with President and Sister Eaton about the doctrine of the family. It was excellent. It really put in perspective the importance of the new and everlasting covenant. I'm grateful for what I have learned about the family and marriage on my mission. President Eaton goes, "You realize being with a companion on a mission is like bootcamp for marriage, right?" Haha, I can definitely see how that's true. I am really learning what it's like to work together with someone and being unified with them. It's so important to be unified, or else the work is stagnant and not as effective. The spirit is so much stronger when we are both on the same page and working towards the same goals. I can see how so much of this is going to cross over to marriage. It's about compromise, saying "I'm sorry", patience, charity, etc. Learning so much. All. The. Time.

Well. Full speed ahead to my new area. I'm anxious, but excited. Don't know what to expect! Somehow I thought I'd be in Maple Valley forever. It was only 4 months, but it felt like soo much more. It'll always have a place in my heart. I can't believe I am starting my 4th transfer. Whaaat. I'm coming up on my 6 month mark here, people...

Love ya! 

-Sister E

PS: GOAT PICTURES.

and Sister Stewart took a great selfie for me to remember her by...

 

 

New address to come soon

Sunny Washington

So, I guess the best kept secret in Washington is that about June and July, the rain ceases and it's eternal sunshine until October. The weather here is rather wonderful. It's not humid to me, because I grew up in Texas. It feels great! I'm getting a little sun! It's nice, because the previous week it was completely cloudy and dreary. Wonderful that summer is here.

This past week was an interesting one. I wasn't feeling very good, so I had a hard time getting going, but we still saw some miracles! We met with a handful of less-actives that have been hard to meet with in the past. I love when we catch people right at the right time -- when they're home and in a good mood! There's a really cool story about one sister in particular. As some background, a few weeks ago, Sister Stewart and I were praying about where we should go to find someone to teach. As an answer, Sister Stewart got the image of a yellow house in the middle of a field in the country. It was then our journey to find this yellow house! We searched and searched, but we never found it! We eventually forgot about the yellow house. Then, on Saturday, we went to go see a less-active sister that apparently had been uninterested in visits in the past. But we went anyway. We caught her and her husband as they were leaving and she was just the most lovely person! She said we could call her to come back another time. We were pleased with that. Then, we turned to leave and I was busy writing in my planner looking down when Sister Stewart suddenly says, "That's the yellow house." I stopped in my tracks and looked over and, oh my goodness. A yellow house. In the middle of a field. In the country. Woaahhh! The spirit whispered to her that that was the yellow house! Ahaha! Amazing! Now, to make matters more interesting, in ward counsel yesterday, we found out apparently that this sister has been difficult to reach for a very long time and that her nonmember husband apparently slammed the door in previous Elders' faces, telling them to never come back. And we just happened to catch them both, and the husband was rather neutral and kind and he waved to us as they left. AND it was the yellow house. Perhaps it was time for us to find this less-active sister! The Lord works in mysterious ways, and in His time. We never know! We're going to call her today to try and see her soon. 

On Saturday, we went on splits with our Sister Training Leaders. They each took one of us and we divided up in our area to go finding and to whatever appointments we had in the 2 hour block we were with them. I went with Sister Richardson, and I was initially not looking forward to it because I was completely unprepared to go finding because I had not been feeling well this week. It was a struggle just to get out of the car to walk, let alone go knock on random strangers' doors! But, that's when you just pray with all your might for help... and I learned SO much from Sister Richardson! She is fearless. She declares the gospel with vigor and might and a strong testimony that you know that she knows that it's true. I learned so much from her example! She taught me ways to prepare for finding, such as preparing scriptures and questions to ask people the night before. What I really learned from that all is to be prepared. If we are prepared, no matter the outcome, we can go forth with confidence and know that Heavenly Father will have our back. But, if we go, like I did, completely unprepared, we'll stand there at a door step and go, "uh uh.." and just barely quote the first vision correctly (I did, indeed, get to quote the first vision on a door step that day -- for the very first time on my mission by memory!). I resolved from that moment forward to always be prepared for all things. Granted, like I said, I haven't been feeling well, so my unpreparedness was not the result of laziness and such, but what a good principle to live by -- to be prepared always that we even have a back up and reserve fund to draw from when the moment comes that we need to be prepared! President Monson says, “When the time for decision arrives, the time for preparation is past.” Wonderful counsel. 

I have gained a testimony of using the scriptures to teach powerfully! We taught our FAVOOORRIITEE semi-less-active couple, the Roxstrom's last night and we had an incredible discussion. We felt prompted to share the story of Abraham and Isaac about obedience and sacrifice. Bro Roxstrom is still very much young in the gospel, so he did not know the story. As I told the story, you could tell that it was really hitting him to his core (and he's not an emotional guy -- he's a hard-working farmer that works sun-up to sun-down) and he said it was powerful. He said he doesn't know if he could have done what Abraham did. We are all asked to sacrifice things in our lives, but the blessings of being obedient far out-weight anything we could possibly get by our own efforts. The spirit was thick in the room as I testified that this is true -- that I felt as Abraham has before; to finally get what (I thought) I wanted, only to be asked to put it all on the altar and to go serve a mission. The sacrifice was great and I deemed in painful. But, the blessings from being obedient (even if it took me 7 years) have FAR surpassed anything I could have possible imagined for not only me, but my family. I cannot even begin to list all of the blessings I have seen so far, physically and spiritually, from serving this mission, and I'm only 4 months in. Who is to say what blessing will come by month 16? It blows my mind how much the Lord wants to bless us, if we will but be obedient. After sharing this will Bro Roxstrom, I asked him what is something that would be hard for him to sacrifice, but he knows he would be blessed. After thinking about it, he said, "Reading the scriptures." Ah, how the spirit can teach others far more than our words can. We helped him see that his real sacrifice was time. If he would sacrifice the time for him to read his scriptures, he would see rich blessings. And so he said he would do just that. I love helping others DISCOVER the gospel, rather than just telling them, "Read your scriptures." 

"The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. . . . That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel." [“Little Children,” Ensign, November 1986, 17]

What do we all need to sacrifice in order for the Lord to bless us more abundantly, and in turn, become who He wants us to become? Is it our pride? Our time? Is it a substance? A behavior? An addiction? 

"Just as the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ is at the center of the plan of salvation, we followers of Christ must make our own sacrifices to prepare for the destiny that plan provides for us." --Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Love you all! 

-Sister E

PS: So there's this ranch we drive by sometimes, and they TOTALLY OWN A ZEBRA. YES. A ZEBRA. It blows our minds every time we see it. I took a picture! Hopefully you can kind of see it! Also, I fed a horse on the side of the road the other day. :) I seriously love living in Maple Valley! You're either in a small town or in the middle of the woods. No in between. Hahaha.

Sister Juliann Marie Eldridge
Washington Federal Way Mission
23175 224th PI SE Ste E
Maple Valley, WA 98038
United States