Week 90 & 91 - The Hayes' family

August 31, 2015

     Yeah! Successful weekend. Jaden and Torin Hayes were baptized and confirmed this weekend!! They have a single father, Miles, who was baptized about 2-3 years ago. He's been reactivated, and sons have been baptized!!! YEAH! It was so awesome!!!! Miracles never cease. A bunch of the ward was there supporting them, there wasn't enough chairs for all them to sit on. Wonderful service, you could feel the spirit very strong during the ordinance. That day changed those 2 boys' lives, that is for sure. It was just amazing, I'm so grateful for the Grace of God through which miracles come. Miles is one of my favorite people ever, so blessed to get to know him. So it's been a pretty good week.

     Jordan is also getting baptized this Saturday; he is another child of a family that has just been reactivated. The dad came teaching with us for the first time 2 weeks ago, and now he loves it and tries to come twice a week. He didn't get to serve a mission, so this is how he's making up for it, in his mind. And I think that's pretty fair. Super cool!!! And then this couple that's been investigating for over a year is finally getting baptized next Monday! Kind of a weird day for it, but it's the only one that works with the Husband's work schedule. Their interview is in 40 min, so its pretty exciting. The work is going great!!! So many miracles, we have no idea what to do with them. We need to figure out who we're going to work with after that since they've taken up all our focus the past few weeks. It will work out, and it will be good. 

     So yeah! Life's great! We're excited for the future with all of this. Oh yeah, I don't know if I said this last week, but my new companion is Elder McEachern from Tooele, Utah! And we served in the same ward, in Richmond, about 9 months ago, so we're already pretty good friends. Haha its been a great transfer so far! And it's just going to get better. Haha I've already been great friends with my past 2 companions before we became companions. Hopefully that'll happen again next transfer as well! I'm gonna have a new companion because all my good companions only last 1 transfer...  So yeah. Maybe he'll brake the pattern... I love you all!!! Have a great week!! :D

- Love, Elder Ellis

Week 89 - Transfers have come again!!!!

August 17, 2015

    I'm not getting transferred! Very glad about it. I do feel bad for my companion though, he is getting transferred and he was only here for 6 weeks, 1 transfer. So I'll be getting a new companion!! Almost all of our zone stayed, 10/14 are staying. All of the companionships will be in the 2nd transfer of training now, and we'll see what happens in the other area, since they are both leaving. We'll see what happens! And they might be opening an area that they shut down last transfer. Life is good, I'll be sad to see Elder Hampton leave, we're really good friends. 

   
    So other than that, we've had a few cool things happen this week. Melissa and miles broke up, which is good because they weren't living some commandments, but things are postponed a little bit with them. Their desire is there, it's good. Miles will still be reactivated, and his kids baptized. And Melissa will too. Hopefully it's not awkward for them to go to the same ward... Haha good thing God's gonna take care of all of it! It'll work out somehow. Well, I'm outta time, I love you all! Miracles happen when we believe. It is truth.

- Love, Elder Ellis

                           Elders Hunsaker and Ellis eating with the Butlers for Caryn's birthday.

Week 88 - Faith like the Ancients

August 10, 2015

Sorry about last week, ran out of time/mostly forgot to send one out. :D

    So, having Faith like the Ancients, What does that mean? I dunno, go study it. :D

JK its having a lot of Faith and doing what God wants you to. Faith = Action. If there is no action, there is no Faith. If you want God's power, you have to do stuff to get it. Action is everything. If life is a mountain, we can't get to the top of it just by knowing that the mountain is true. We have to keep climbing until we reach the top. And that means until we die. So let's do it! :D There's the spiritual thought for the day.

    So we got to have some really awesome experiences this week!!! We got to do a super sweet service project for an old lady (The hoarder, the place from the pictures) and there was poison ivy everywhere, and spiders, and that humongous spider as well. The biggest spider I've ever seen in real life, literally. We had to go home and scrub really hard with dish soap to make sure we didn't die form the poison ivy. We were blessed, no harm came to us. 

    

    Also, Melissa is committed to be baptized!! YEAH!!!!!!  So amazing, its been an absolute miracle. It has been so wonderful teaching her and her family, they are some of my favorite people I've met my whole mission. Miles, the father, is a LA baptized 2 years ago, and they have 4 kids, 2 11 yr olds, 1 8 yr old(as of today) and a 10 month old baby. They are engaged, and are coming to church, and we found them my first transfer here. Its so wonderful! They are absolutely amazing, I am so excited for them. :D Really awesome miracles. The 3 kids are gonna get baptized as well. Jordan Faulring is also getting baptized! The first weekend in September, hes the 9 yr old son in the family we're reactivating. They were at church for the 2nd time in a row yesterday!!! Its so awesome. God's grace has been abundant.

    So yep, life is good! Transfers are in a week from Tuesday, and I hope to finish my mission here in Montgomery, but we'll see what happens. We'll know by next Monday, so we'll let you know! I love you all, thanks for everything!! Have a great week!! :D

-Love, Elder Ellis

"For every act of obedience you are promised the presence of the Holy Spirit and therefore the presence of the atonement in your life." -Tad R. Callister

                              Organizing the Sisters at July transfers

Weeks 87 & 88 - Spider

August 10, 2015

Here's a nifty service project we had on Wednesday! Look at that spider, the thing was huge... The lady's house was infested with spiders and poison ivy, and yeah! It was great. A miracle we came out alive. :D

Week 86 - Transfer is half over!

July 27, 2015

     The time passes way too quickly!!! July is almost over, the transfer is half over, my life is half over!!! AHHHHHHH whatever, it'll work out.

     This week was an absolutely amazing week!! Lots of good contacts, lots of good lessons, and lots of good meetings. We had a great meeting with the Stake President on Thursday, and that was really cool. We meet with him once a month to find the best way to align the keys and help the work progress in this part of the Lord's Vineyard. President Bradley is a fantastic guy, he loves the gospel and wants everyone to be living it, member, non-member, Less-active, who cares. Everyone needs the light and love of the Gospel in their life. We got a lot of good take-a-ways of what we need to be doing and focusing on. 

     Things are going very well! The work is progressing, and it will continue to progress. God's pleased, but He's not satisfied! He won't be satisfied until every child of His hears about the Gospel and learns to live it. Life is wonderful, I am so exhausted all the time, and I get more tired every week. Haha but it's so great! It is so fulfilling, and makes me so happy to be serving so many people. I know the teachings are true, I know they make our lives better, and that they're real. I love you all! Have a great week!!

     -Love, Elder Ellis

     

Week 84 & 85 - Great week!

July 20, 2015

Haha so I realized after we left last week that I forgot to send this letter out... Haha so funny. Oh no, my companion got hit by a car! jk, that didn't happen.

    

It's been a good past 2 weeks in the land of Montgomery!! My new companion is Elder Hampton, and he has been out on his mission 1 transfer less than I have. For the first time in my whole mission, I am the 'oldest' missionary in the zone!! I've been out about 20 months now, it's crazy. It's really easy to not think about all the stuff I have to do when I get home because of all the things that we have to do. Haha we are always busy, 24 hours a day. Also, our zone is the youngest zone in the mission, every single companionship has brand-new missionaries except for us and the STL's. And a huge group is coming in next transfer too!!! It's like 2 years ago, large influx's of new missionaries coming in. It's been great!! I love all of them so much. Life is wonderful, we're seeing so many miracles. :D Remember to put God first in your life, and He'll remember to put you first in His. Don't make excuses. Wake up early. Sing when its raining. These are just some inspirational thoughts. Don't stay up late. Eat your vegetables. Move to Alaska. Go on roller coasters. Be obnoxious. Make people laugh. Fulfill your destiny.

   

Some of those got a little not-so inspired, but that's ok. I love you all! Thanks you for your prayers and your support, they truly make a difference. I have felt strength beyond my own my whole mission, and I know part of that is from the prayers of loved ones. So thank you. Have a wonderful week!!!

-Love, Elder Ellis

Haha look at this goofy Elder with a fish in his pocket. Love him.

Week 83 - I'm not being transferred!!!

July 6 ,2015

     Finally!!!! Haha I am not being transferred this time. I am very glad to be staying here, I really like this ward, and there's a lot of good things happening right now. My companion, Elder Marchello, will be going home tomorrow. I'll miss him, he's been a fantastic companion, but I'll be excited to see who my new companion is going to be. Its gonna be a crazy transfer meeting tomorrow!! Life is good, I wish you all the best. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and I know His Atonement is Infinite and can change us in absolutely every way. I know because I have felt it. I have changed in ways that I once did not think were possible. I am grateful to have His love in my life, and encourage all to open your hearts and let that love in. There is simply nothing better. I love you all, have a wonderful week.

-Love, Elder Ellis

Here's a picture of our zone! Half of them are leaving tomorrow haha

Here's 4 of us elders! the other 3 are getting transferred haha.