He Works Through Us

1/27/2014

This week was crazy!!!

For P-day I took my district to do Laser Tag at a little arcade place. It was tons of fun! I love my District!

But then the rest of this week I've felt like we have been running around with our heads chopped off!

We set up 3 appointments with our investigator Dalton and all 3 times something came up to not let it happen. The last time Becky, Dalton’s girlfriend, was driving from Rexburg back to Idaho Falls so we could meet up for the lesson, her engine caught on fire!!! Its crazy how much Satan does NOT want them to progress in the gospel. I love them both so much! I want them so badly to come back to Christ!!!

Then we were trying to have another lesson with Nea, the 13 year old girl whose mother died about 8 months ago. But she had finals in school this week and then spent the weekend with her aunt. She is so ready we just need to meet with her!!!

Then there was Courtney. We had a lesson planned for Tuesday. This was going to be the final lesson before her baptism but she had to move it to Friday! The day before the baptism! So we had a lesson then she was interviewed for baptism. But that day, Friday, we found out that Joe, her husband, hadn't received the priesthood yet! So we called up his bishop and arranged for him to come and assist in giving him the priesthood! It was crazy!!!! But by Sunday all was well!!! Courtney was given the Gift of the Holy Ghost and they were both beaming :). I LOVE seeing the light of Christ enter someone’s life!!!!

This week I learned more about Christ’s roll in the Old Testament. Christ is the God of the Old Testament. He is the one who made the covenant with Abraham and Isaac. He is the one Moses spoke to and received revelation from. I always had a hard time with this because, well, why couldn't God himself do it? Let me ask you this question. If a man were to do something great and amazing, he would definitely get the credit/glory of this task. But if the man teaches his son to do something great is spreads to both him and his son. God loves us all so much and wishes for us all to taste of His glory. So He works threw all of us!  Just some of the thoughts of Elder Eldredge this week :)

Love, 

Elder Eldredge

I love my district!!!

Why Does God Let People Die Young?

1/20/2014

This week was good. We are getting ready for Courtney’s baptism this weekend. I’m so excited to meet with her and get her all prepped and ready for her big day!!!! 

Today is January 20th. 14 months since Madeline Rose's passing. I miss her so much. I’m excited to be doing the same work that she is doing. The plan of salvation is real!

This past week I had the opportunity to use Madie’s story to grow closer with an investigator. Her name is Nia. She is 13. She lost her mother about 8 months ago. She has had little to no religious background, so there were heavy questions weighing on her."Why is God leading people in different directions?"  "Why would a God who you say loves all of us let my mother die?" 

The Spirit was strong. We taught about Joseph Smith and how he wondered where he needed to go and who he could join with to find the truth, much like how Nia wondered; there were so many people going in different directions. We told her the story of the fist vision and how Joseph Smith received his answer. 

Click Here For 2 Minute Video On Joseph Smith's Story

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2009-02-04-the-message-of-the-restoration?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2009&&lang=eng

We testified of the truthfulness of this story and how it can and has changed us. We then started talking about her second question.  This was a hard one for me to answer. I know our Heavenly Father loves us. I know he gives us trials to give us strength. But why would he do this to her? This is the hardest part. We do not understand all of Gods ways. 

 Isaiah 55: 8-9:

8:For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9:For as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Its hard to accept what we do not understand. But the Spirit testified to me that this is true. Yes I did lose Madie. Yes I will miss her for the rest of my life. But I must, we all must, accept our Fathers will and continue in Faith.

Your Missionary,  Elder Eldredge

What Goes Up Must Come Down

1/13/2014

What goes up must come down.

This week has been hard. It’s been tuff going from an amazing week with great investigators to having to let one go. 

Danielle, the girl we invited over text and then had an amazing lesson with at the Idaho Falls Temple Visitor Center, decided that life and work is more important than hearing what we have to say. It makes me so sad to see someone so promising turn and walk away. That has been weighing heavily on me. 

Courtney, (she is being baptized on the 25^th) is doing amazingly!!! She is reading and is very excited for her baptism!!! I’m so excited for her!!!! Her husband, Joe, was sustained in sacrament meeting and received the priesthood!!! He will be the one to baptize her!!!! I’M SO EXCITED!!!! 

Then there is Dalton. He is an amazing guy!!! He plays the guitar like a champ and sings like a country star!!! We had a lesson on the plan of salvation. He had lots of great questions and we really felt the spirit as we answered his questions. I’m super excited to continue to help him progress in the gospel!!! 

Please keep them in your prayers!!!

Can I just say I love Elder Cavalcante, my new companion. He is the coolest guy and a stud!!! He has gone through so much and still came on a mission. He has a firm testimony and is a great friend.

Well I love you all and hope you have a great week!  

Elder Eldredge

over text?!!!

Someone's having a bad hair day!

My New Companion

1/6/2014

These past 2 weeks have been crazy!!!

First let’s go back to Saturday the 28th. Elder Sabat left and I was with my zone leaders for 4 days. I learned so much and grew really close to them. We set a baptismal date with Dalton for the 15th of February. It was so cool!! I got so see how they work and what it’s like to be a zone leader and all their responsibility. 

Then on Wednesday I got my new companion, Elder Cavalcante. He was born in Brazil, moved to Utah when he was 9 and was called to do Spanish work here in Idaho. He is now doing English work with me. He is a way cool kid!!! He is 20 years old and love music. He wants to be a front man for a band and make it big. He plays guitar and sings. He is always upbeat and loves the work. I’m so excited to work with him. We hit it off way good right at the start!!! 

We have been ripping up this area ever since. We now have 3 baptismal dates. The first one is Courtney. She is going to be baptized on January 25th. Her husband, Joe is preparing to receive the priesthood so he can baptize her!!! I’m so excited for them!!! 

The next one is a new one! Danielle. She has been avoiding us for a long time but she, over text, asked if we would come over and begin teaching her. We stopped by and invited her to church and set up an appointment. Then later that night she asked us a question over text and we answered and the conversation led to us inviting her to be baptized. OVER TEXT!!! and she accepted!!! She will be baptized on the 31st of this month!!! I’m way excited for her!!! She was really nervous at first, but we told her that as we continue to talk with her and as she continues to pray and read and go to church she will feel of her Heavenly Father’s love and she will know that this is a righteous decision! 

Then we have Dalton. He will be baptized on the 15th of February. We had another lesson with him, Elder Cavalcante and me, and talked about the Plan of Salvation and how this shows how much our Heavenly Father loves us!!! It was great! He had some awesome questions and we had a member there who helped a lot!!! 

This past Sunday was awesome as well. We cover 4 wards and we have to privilege of going to 3 sacrament meetings every Sunday!!! Since this past weekend was Fast and Testimony week (That is when members of the church go without food for 24 hours and give the money that would have fed them to the church to help in feeding others in the community and around the world. We also are given time during our service to come up and share what you know to be true with the congregation.) Elder Cavalcante and I ended up sharing our testimonies in every sacrament meeting!!! It was great!!! I was really nervous, but I got to testify of the divinity of Christ and how grateful I am for the Atonement. How grateful I am for Joseph Smith and all he did to bring about this great work!!! I got to tell the people who I have been serving with for about 4 months now how much I love them and how grateful I am to serve them. I also challenged them all to look for more missionary opportunities and to hasten the work within themselves. It was a very spirit-filled Sunday. I am so grateful I got to fast for my investigators, for my district, and for my family and friends.   

I love you all and i miss you tuns!!!

Your Brother In The Work   

Me and My Old Companion Elder Sabat