High Stress and Lots of Growth

9/29/2014

Another crazy week!

Monday Sep. 22 (HAPPY BIRHTDAY GABE!!!)

We went on a hike! It was super fun. The fall colors are out and it’s beautiful. The weather is perfect. Warm sun with a cool breeze. I like being In Pocatello with all the hills really close. It makes for fun pdays! 

Tuesday Sep. 23

We went to Rexburg to see a devotional where Elder Holland of the quorum of the 12 apostles was speaking. We got some great seats and had a great time! He talked about being happy and living after the manner of happiness. He said "If you want to be happy, do what happy people do."  I got to see my sister Mikella, my best friend Katie Alley, and another friend of the Morris family. It was SWEET!!!   

Wednesday Sep. 24

I went on an exchange with Elder Depperman and Elder Chernan. They are two awesome missionaries in the Ammon zone. They have a really big zone and I got to go see how it was going! They are very hard workers and devoted missionaries. We got to talking about the mission and ways we could improve. We came up with an idea of having all the missionaries in the whole mission do the 12 week program all new missionaries do. We are getting back to the basics!

Thursday Sep. 23

Today was prep day. We took all day to get ready for MLC on Friday. We got all the paperwork in order, graphs made, and presentations ready. By the time 10:00 pm rolled around we still hadn’t done our trainings!!! I was SSSSSUUUUUUPPPPPEEEEERRRRRRR stressed! In less than 12 hours I would be standing in front of the whole Mission Leadership Council all by myself to give a 30 min training and I had nothing!!! Luckily, with the help of the Lord, I pulled threw. "Charity, a gift from God" was my training. 

Friday Sep 24

MLC. WOW. It was awesome!!! I had a lot of fun seeing some old friends and having lunch with them. My training went well! President Brinkerhoff complimented both mine and Elder Gulisanes training. It felt really good. There is the training you prepare, the training you gave, and the training the Holy Ghost gave. It was really cool being moved through the things I wanted to talk about in ways I didn’t think I would. I’m so grateful to be a part of Christ’s church and to have the gift of the Holy Ghost!!!

Sat Sep 25

A driving day. We went to Idaho Falls to drop some things off, then to Rexburg to do the same, and then to Soda Springs to spend the night. 

Sunday Sep 26

Church!!! I woke up thinking today would be fast Sunday, I didn’t have breakfast and went to our meetings. But in the YSA stake they have a snake room. It’s the little room that all the stake offices lead into. There are 4-5 jars of candy, trail mix, and chocolate covered everything!!! When this room is packed, you know it’s not fast Sunday!!!

Another amazing week. High stress and lots of growth. I’m so grateful for the friends I have made out here on the mission and their support. But most of all I’m grateful for my family and all the love they show!!! I am forever in their debt.  

Love,

Elder Eldredge

Elder Eldredge & his sister Mikella

Elder Eldredge & Katie

Another Week In My Life...

Another week in my life…

Monday Sep 15th:

P-Day!!! We went mountain biking!!!! SO MUCH FUN!!! It felt so good to get out there and work muscles that haven’t been worked on for so long. The thrill and the adrenalin.... I miss it!!! 

Tuesday 

We went to a District meeting in Afton WY. It’s so beautiful out there! If it didn’t snow so much I would consider moving there!

Wednesday

Went to Rexburg to deliver some supplies and visit some missionaries.

Thursday

New investigator! Dora. I don’t remember if I’ve told y’all about her yet. But we met her for the first time today and had the first lesson. She is very nice and willing to answer our questions honestly and with her opinion and thoughts. It’s so refreshing talking with someone who is real with us. 

Friday

We went on exchanges with the Rexburg Zone leaders and the Rigby Zone leaders. I was in Rigby and loved it. Little town and great people. Elder Soren (Hawaii) and Elder Fontes (Brazil) were my companions. My brown friends!!! I love them a lot! They are amazing missionaries and very hard workers. 

Saturday

We went to a few baptisms. It’s so cool getting to know so many missionaries and getting to work with them!

Sunday

Sundays are weird for me. I’ve never been in a YSA ward before (everyone there is between the age of 18 and 30)  . Its dead quiet in Sacrament meetings. I like being a missionary in them though because you have a reason to talk to people!

This Friday I’m giving a training in MLC (mission leadership council). I’m super nervous but ready for the challenge. Say a prayer for me!

Love you!

Elder Eldredge

9/15/2014

What a crazy last few weeks!!!

I’ve been transferred down to Pocatello and Its crazy!!! I’m working in a YSA (Young Single Adults) stake and its pretty cool. It’s fun working with younger kids and feeling the energy they have. We have a great ward mission leader who is pumped in doing the work. 

Saturday we were walking around the ISU student housing we cover. We decided to knock on the door of a previous contact we had. When we knocked 5 girls answered the door. All of them on the school soccer team. We chatted for a little and ended up sharing a message of the Restoration with them. We gave them a copy of the Book of Mormon and invited them all to pray. Just another day in the life! I’ve never done YSA work so this is new! 

This past Sunday a young man gave a talk on service. I really felt the spirit as he shared with us his testimony of giving of ourselves. It’s strange how when we lose ourselves in the Lord’s work we find ourselves. We find kindness, charity, and a humble heart. Then later that night we went to a CES Devotional where Elder Christopherson spoke. He spoke on this same subject. "Loosing ourselves." It was invigoration and I didn’t want it to end! Pleas watch it!!!

 https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/ces-devotionals/2014/09?cid=HPSU091414411&lang=eng 

With love,
-- 

Elder Eldredge

P.S. Pleas pray for Dora and Kelsey!!!

The missionary standing next to Elder Eldredge is his new companion, Elder Gulisane. The missionary on the far left is the Assistant to the President that Sawyer is replacing.  Elders Eldredge and Gulisane are serving together as Assistants to the Mission President.