Merry Christmas

12/30/2013

This week has been crazy!!!

Fist off CHRISTmas was amazing!!!! I got to talk with my family over Skype and have a wonderful time!!! My family is the best!!!! I am so blessed to have them and to be a part of them!!! I can’t tell my Heavenly Father enough!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! 

Well this week Elder Sabat left so I’m with my zone leaders until the 1st of the year. It’s been amazing working with them. They have shown me how it is done!!! We have had miracles these last few days!!! We invited 5 people to prepare for baptism and they accepted!!!! We have a new baptism date in my area. His name is Donton. He is a country singer and a very sincere guy! He wants to know more about the church and his less-active girlfriend wants to be sealed in the temple. They are going to get married on the 1st of Feb. and then he will be baptized on the 15th!!!!! I’m so excited!!! Well I’ve got to go!!! I love yall!!!!! THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!

PS. Lori!!!!!! I’m so happy for you!!!!! :DDDDDDD

I Love Christmas!!!

Baptism!!!!

Echo was baptized on December 21st and confirmed on December 22nd. It was a great way to finish the week. Echo is a beautiful 9 year old girl. I know she doesn't look very happy she just doesn't like taking pictures! She really is very fun and a light to her family. I hope and pray that she will bring her family back into the gospel threw her example and love of Christ. This was Elder Sabat’s first baptism and he did a great job giving a talk on baptism before I had the honor of entering the waters with Echo. 

I am so excited for Christmas!!!! This week leading up to Christmas has been the best. We have been able to every day testify of the divinity of Christ and our love for Him and our gratitude of His atoning sacrifice. 

Elder Sabat will be leaving on the 28th to go home and be set apart as a missionary for the Tokyo mission. He reports back to the MTC on the 1st. I’m going to miss him. He has been a great companion and friend. I’m hoping to stay in touch and keep up with him. He has helped me threw a lot and has blessed my life. 

Christ is our Savior. He is our Advocate and Mediator. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Almighty, the Only Begotten, The Prince of Peace. I am his servant. I have been called of God to declare his word unto this people. My gift to Christ this Christmas is to give him the only thing He does not have, my will. I wish to give my whole self to Him. I must take myself out of the equation. If I turn myself over to the Lord, He will guide my path and turn me into the missionary, the man, and the servant He needs me to be.

Have a very Merry CHRISTmas

The Scarf and The Wind

12/16/13

"To improve is to change, to be perfect is to change often." - Winston Churchill. 

It’s almost Christmas!!! I’m so excited to skype my family!!!! It’s going to be so amazing!!!!

I had a faith building experience! We were walking to an appointment one cold and windy evening when the wind really picked up and took my black scarf right off of me!!! This is the black scarf Grandpa Butch gave to me! We looked and looked for it but we couldn't find it. We were late to our appointment and I told them about the scarf I lost. After the lesson we decided to walk back the way we came and look for it some more. We said a prayer asking that we could find the scarf. Elder Sabat went to the other side of the street and started looking in the bushes and I started doing the same. We walked all the way back to our house with no sign of the scarf. Just as I was about to give up, Elder Sabat was crossing the street and said "Hey! Is that it?" It was sitting in a little bundle under a tree not 3 feet away from me! I’m so grateful My Heavenly Father cares enough for me to help me find a scarf! Prayers are answered and our Heavenly Father will help us even with the smallest things!!!

Sort of sad news: Echo, the girl who was going to be baptized on the 14th rescheduled for the 21st. Her mother decided she didn’t want to have the baptism on the weekend Echo was going to be with her. Echo’s parents are divorced and are bitter towards each other. It makes me so sad when I see things like this. But it is still going to happen!!!! Also Courtney rescheduled for the 4th of January. She is becoming more open to us and is listening attentively when we teach the lessons. The last lesson we had with her we brought her to the church and opened the baptismal font and had a lesson right in front of it. It was great! The spirit was there and we got to see the spirit work on her and help her feel more at home. It was great!

Great news!!! There is an investigator we have been working with for a long time who is finally opening up!! Her name is Amanda and she has had anti-Mormon stuff her whole life. Her mother and grandmother are very much against the church. But she married an LDS guy. She had to ask him if he believed in more than one wife before she was willing to date him haha.... Anyways, when I first met her she said "There is no way I’m going into one of your buildings!" So we have just been friends and helping out when we can. We helped take down some trees in her backyard and have been over for lunch once. They are a great couple and very fun to be around. But we stopped by one evening and Dave, her husband, was the only one home. So we stepped in and had a great conversation with him. He has not been to church since he was 16 and said that if he steps foot in a church he will be stuck down by a bolt of lightning!!!! We talked about the atonement and how through its power we can be forgiven of our sins as we pray for forgiveness and do our best never to do it again. The spirit was very strong and he told us that he and his wife had been talking about going to church! He also said that Amanda trusts me and I will probably be the one to baptize her! But then I asked him if he will prepare himself to be worthy to baptize her. This is going to be an amazing growing experience for both of them!!! This is Christ’s work!!! I’m so excited for them!!!!!!!  

It’s been really cold up here!!! I’m so grateful for the boots and coat my mommy sent up here with me! They have really helped! The weather has been so cool. It’s been foggy the last few days and the fog freezes on the trees and makes them all white. It’s so beautiful!!!! We got to walk around in it and look at the beautiful detail that the Lord created for us. 

Thank you for the Christmas presents!!!!!! Thank you Mommy and everybody who put their input into the photo album! I love it!!! Thank you Grandma Awesome for the CDs and post card!!! Thank you Grandma Cool for the cute teddy bear!!!! And thank you Grandma Pierce for the amazing box!!!! So much stuff that is going to help me out!!!! I love you all!!!!!!!!!

I love you all and hope the Christmas spirit will swell within you as you give thanks for our Father’s sacrifice to send us his Only Begotten Son.

Isaiah 9:6-7  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: andhis name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, The everlasing Father, the Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the thorone of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.

Love, your missionary, Elder Eldredge

Shoveling Snow & Learning How To Walk

12/9/2013

First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTI!!!!!!!!  I just want to say how much I love you and how amazing you truly are. I’m so proud of you and all that you are doing. You are a beautiful daughter of God. One who has the ability to rise above, and become a beacon of light to all around! Kristi, I want you to know that I know that this Gospel is true. That Christ truly did die for you and me. He loves us so much and wants us so badly to come back to him. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, that his testimony is true. He did see God the Father and Jesus Christ, and he did, in reality speak to them! I know that the Book of Mormon is true. That we can come closer to our Heavenly Father by living its teachings. I’m so grateful to have you as my sister in Christ. You make me smile just thinking about you :). I love you. And always will.

Because of Madeline... Things I learned form an Angel.

·  I have a deeper love for people

·  She showed me how to be patient

·  I know how to chase a girl

·  Stop to smell the flowers and feel the sun on your face

·  the little things that might bug me, don’t

·  I understand grief

·  Smile with your teeth!

·  Find joy in the quiet moments

·  It’s ok to just sit and talk

·  Snuggling is the best... ever!!!

·  I will be a gentlemen, always

·  Sing like no one is listening

·  It’s ok to like boy-bands, even if you’re a guy

·  Emperor’s New Groove is the best Movie ever!

·  All-nighters are really hard!

·  She taught me to be loyal

·  Honesty is the best policy

·  The best way to show someone you love them is to always stand by them. Even when they don’t want you too.

·  Kiss slowly

·  Be the best boyfriend she has ever had.

·  A relationship is not 50/50. Its 100/100. Give your all

·  I can date girls who are out of my league. WAY out of my league.

·  Long distance relationships can work.

·  Always do something fun every anniversary

·  Ask her on dates in a crazy, fun way

·  Even when you are going solid, continue dating and trying to impress her.

·  The most important thing is to make her feel safe and wanted.

·  You must love her family

·  Remember the good times and smile

·  True love is not earth bound.

This week went by fast!

We had two awesome lessons with our investigators who have baptismal dates! Echo, who is 9 years old, is getting baptized on the 14th!!! I’m so excited to help her move towards her Father in Heaven. And we had a lesson with Courtney and she asked if her husband, a member, could baptize her! She is working towards being baptized!!!! I’m so excited for them!!!! Please keep them in your prayers!!!

Its SSSSSSOOOOOO CCCCCCCOOOOOOLLLLLLDDDDDDDD!!!!!! I’m freezing my little Texas tail off up here!!!! But the members around here are so nice and have been giving us rides! I shoveled snow for the first time in my life the other day! Learning to walk on snow and ice is hard! I haven’t fallen yet, so that’s good! But I’m keeping an eye out for that dreaded black ice!!!

My new comp, Elder Sabat, is a boss! I love him so much. He will probably be leaving at the end of this transfer (Jan 1st) to Tokyo! I’m really hoping to stay in contact with him!

I just want to say one more time how much I love my family. They are the greatest people on the planet!!! I’m so anxious to hear how they are doing and it’s so great getting to hear from them! Thank you so much for your support and love. Thank you for loving me through the hard times. Thank you for being there for me. I love you forever and ever!!!

Your Brother In Christ

Elder Eldredge

 Elder Sabat and I getting a good word in with Santa and the Mrs.

Santa let us get in his killer red sleigh!!

Who Has Extra Time When You're Busy Wearing A Banana Suit?

12/2/2013

So much to say! So little time!

Lest go back 2 weeks.

Wednesday, November 20th 2013. My Father, the great man he is, flew up here on my request for a fathers blessing. We met in the temple and were able to sit and discus life in the most holy spot possible. I am so grateful for the ability I have to enter the temple with my worthy priesthood holding father and be able to receive a fathers blessing. Words cannot describe, nor should attempt to, tell of the feeling felt there in the house of the Lord. I am eternally grateful for my Father.

I got to spent the rest of the day with him. Rick Landon, one of my greatest friends, took us out to dinner. We got to sit and chat and spend time together. 

That same day was transfer day. My new companion’s name is Elder Sabat. He is a way cool kid! He is 18, from Afton WY, and on his way to Tokyo!!! He is a hard worker, gets up on time, and loves the work. He is a little shy, but we are working on that :)  He keeps me smiling and always has a positive spirit about him. I’m so grateful I get to work with him. He went through the temple with Father and I the first day we were together. Talk about a crazy first impression!!! 

Yesterday was an amazing day. I decided to fast for my family. I prayed for each of them individually. Then in the first ward we cover, I’m sitting in the back watching people get up and give thier testimonies and Chris Artificavitch gets up and gives his testimony!!!!! I was so shocked!!! I didn’t see him enter, and I didn’t know he was there until he got up to speak!!! It was so amazing listening to him tell his conversion story and then bare his testimony on the gospel and how he knows of its truth!!! In D&C 18:15 it says "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" I am here to testify that this scripture is true!!!! I know it and I haven’t even entered the kingdom of my Father!! Being able to hear Chris's testimony was a huge blessing to me. Thank you Brother.

I am so grateful for the power of the Priesthood. I had the opportunity to bless a little girl. He name is Olivia. She is 4 years old and had a 102 fever. Her mother called us and asked us to come as soon as we could. We decided to drop what we were doing and go directly to her home. We came in and gave her a blessing. She was crying and very unhappy through the blessing, but after we took our hands from her head, she calmed down and fell asleep. Her fever broke within the hour. I’m so grateful for the power of God here upon the earth today. 

Thanksgiving!!!! WOW!!!! What a crazy holiday! First we started super early. We were supposed to be at a location at 5:00 am so we could drive into Idaho Falls and help set up a "Turkey Run" that the community was doing. It was a 5K people signed up and paid to be in and all the money went to local food banks! So we get there and its FREEZING and I forgot my gloves! So I’m working with numb hands trying to set everything up. Then when we were about done, this guy walked up and hands me this big yellow bag. He tells me to go and change into a BANANA SUIT!!!!! I was a banana for thanksgiving!!! Then I got to direct traffic and help the runners know where to go. It was tons of fun!!! Then we went to 2 thanksgiving feasts!!! I was more stuffed then the turkey was!!! I’m so grateful to be able to serve in an area with such amazing members!!! 

I got my Christmas package!!!! My Family sent me a huge box with tons of presents in it!!! Thank you so much!!! It looks amazing under my cute little Christmas tree!!!!

The work is moving forward. We have 2 baptismal dates and praying for them and praying for more. Echo Neilson (December 14) and Courtney Keyes (December 21). We are having faith that they will work out and that we will be able to help them come unto Christ!!! Please pray for them!

Your brother in Christ,

Elder Eldredge

A note Chris Artificavitch texted to Elder Eldredge's Mom yesterday:

I came to Idaho Falls with Rachelle for Thanksgiving with her family.  I found Sawyer's ward and surprised him.  He first saw I was there when I bore my testimony about my conversion story with his influence.  Then he surprised me by bearing his testimony :) (NOTE: bearing testimony at church is a tradition we Mormons have.  One week a month is set aside for anyone who wants to to get up and share their faith over the pulpit.)  It was special.  My favorite part was his surprise.  He looked taken aback, then confused like he didn't believe what he was seeing, then he stood up a little to make sure it was me, then he put his hand over his mouth and just smiled.  It was cool.  He's changed a little.  So much more light around him and confidence.  He confidently and strongly bore his testimony.  He's awesome.  I'm positive I'll be on my mission before he's back so this was cool.