Elliot's November 28 email

Here's the latest email from Elliot.

Hey!

Yeah Brother Sorenson got special permission from President to give y'all a call while I was there. I figured you might have been heading back from Utah at the time. It was pretty cool though being at his house and talking to him and everything. They're a way nice family. And he has some cool mission stories.

And I'm glad you got the videos! I've been trying to learn a little bit of the piano but I'm not very good. I can play the right hand okay. And don't worry about the story mom! That's actually a really long time ago now and I haven't really had anything like that happen since. No more guns pulled on me lol. [Check out the videos we got yesterday to understand the gun story.]

I'm doing well out here. Shawn has passed his baptismal interview and will be getting baptized this Sunday! Another investigator is doing pretty well too. We're having to push her date back a few weeks just to make sure everything's ready but she is doing well. We just need to finish teaching her the lessons. We're trying to find some more new investigators now so that we can still have people to teach after they get baptized. The work's going really good though and that makes me happy!

I'm glad you guys had a good Thanksgiving weekend! I did too. For Thanksgiving we played football with the Taylors, went to Shawn's baptismal interview, had a huge lunch with the McReynolds, took a nap (we weren't allowed to proselyte), went to dinner at the Grays with Shawn, and then stopped by the Jankas' house to visit a bit. It was way fun but I ate too much food. I was so stuffed haha.

This week we have a Zone Leader Council on Wednesday and Temple Conference on Thursday. Between that and the baptism we should be pretty busy. We're also going to be getting another companion for a week. Elder Curtis is going home a week early for some family stuff so we're getting Elder Clements. Then we'll probably be in another threesome the 2 weeks after because Elder Soto is going home mid-transfer on the 20th. Can you believe transfer calls are this Sunday already? This is going by way too fast.

I'm happy and well! I'll think about some Christmas presents. Maybe a new suit? I'll let ya know.

I love you!

Elder Elliot

New videos of Elliot!

I found a great surprise in my email last night: two videos of Elliot! He recently had dinner with the Randy Lusk family in Moore, Oklahoma. Elliot is currently serving in the Lusks' ward, the same ward attended by the mission president and my mission companion, John Sorenson. Brother Lusk has a photo studio (Alpha-Omega Productions) and was testing a new camera in his home the evening Elliot and Elder Soto went for dinner. Brother Lusk shot a couple of videos and sent them to me last night. With his permission, I've posted them here on the blog. It's great to see Elliot!


Elliot



Elliot and Elder Soto singing!

Mormon Messages: "Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them"

"Men's hearts failing them for fear . . ." (Luke 21:26.)

This video recounts the harrowing experience told by Elder Russell M. Nelson as the plane in which he was traveling caught fire. It's a powerful story of the peace that comes through the gospel. For those of us who are weak in the heart, fearful in the heart, he teaches us to be patient with ourselves and allow the Lord to make up the difference as we fall short of our goals and aspirations. Enjoy the video.

Elliot's November 21 email and picture

Here's the latest from Elliot in Moore, Oklahoma.

Hola!

Is the LA auto show going on? It was always way fun going to that. Next year? [Elliot always loved to go to the LA Auto Show. Here's proof.] And I've always wanted to attend the temple in Spanish. That'd be cool for sure. We were told not to during the MTC so I haven't had the opportunity to yet.

This week was awesome! Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with meetings most of the day, but they were good meetings. Then Thursday I wet to Wichita Falls to baptize Adrienne! It was a super spiritual experience. The service was great and it was cool seeing everyone again. Friday I went on exchanges to the Spanish Central area with Elder Christenson (one of my roommates in the MTC). We taught some good lessons and had dinner with the Ramirez family who had me over for Thanksgiving a year ago. Also on Friday I interviewed Amparo, one of their investigators, for baptism. It was the 6th interview I've done and the first in Spanish. I was nervous going into it but soon Spanish just started coming back to me. I love doing interviews. She was baptized on Sunday by Elder Phillips and Elder Soto confirmed her. On Saturday morning, Elders Christenson, Whipple, Garner, and I went to a flea market in Midwest City. They've recently started setting up a booth there and its pretty cool. We got a lot of referrals for our zone and it was fun. On Sunday we met up with Shawn and we're still one for his baptism this coming Sunday, so assuming his interview goes well that'll be awesome. Our other progressing investigator, Jan, is still on for the week after so hopefully everything works out!

Good luck with the temple class! That's exciting. I hope y'all have an awesome Thanksgiving! Say hi to everyone for me.

Love ya!

Elder Elliot

P.S. In the picture is Elder Lang, me, Adrienne, Elder Jacobson, and Elder Talbot

Mormon Messages for Youth: "Practice, Celebration, Dedication: Temple Blessings in El Salvador"

I really enjoyed this Mormon Messages for Youth video about the recently-dedicated temple in San Salvador, El Salvador. The video demonstrates how a temple can affect the lives of all, young and old, and it was fun to share the experience of three youth as they participated in the dedication and celebration of a new temple in their home country. We've included several stories about the importance temples on Elliot's blog (here, here, here, here, here, and here).

More information about the El Salvador temple may be found here, including the text of the dedicatory prayer offered by President Henry B. Eyring, a news report about the dedication, and more photos of the temple.

And here's some facts about the El Salvador temple, also from its website.

• The El Salvador Temple is the first temple to be built in El Salvador and the fourth to be built in Central America, following the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple (1984), the San José Costa Rica Temple (2000), and the Panamá City Panamá Temple (2008).
• The architectural design of the El Salvador Temple, which features graceful arches and conches throughout, is inspired by the Spanish colonial architecture of the region.
• A motif of the Flor de Izote (pictured) — the national flower of El Salvador — is used throughout the El Salvador Temple including in the art-glass windows and mahogany wood from Honduras and nearby countries. The limestone flooring is from Israel.
• The El Salvador Temple was dedicated on the 84th birthday of the president of the Church, President Thomas S. Monson.

Enjoy the video.

 

Here's another video about the dedication of the El Salvador temple.

Oklahoma State University women's basketball suffers tragic loss

On January 27, 2001, ten members of the Oklahoma State University men's basketball program lost their lives in a plane crash while returning home from a game in Colorado. We remembered their loss here on Elliot's blog.

Tragically, history has repeated itself, this time for the OSU women's basketball program. Yesterday afternoon, head coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna were killed in a plane crash on a recruiting trip to Arkansas. Also killed were former state senator Olin Branstetter and his wife, Paula. The Oklahoman has extensive coverage on the accident and on the lives of those lost in the crash.

We echo the words of OSU President Burns Hargis:

The Oklahoma State family is devastated by this tragedy. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of Kurt Budke, Miranda Serna and the other victims.

News coverage:

• OSU coaches Kurt Budke, Miranda Serna killed in plane crash
• OSU interim women's coach Jim LIttell: Kurt Budke's ‘zeal for OSU was incomparable'
• Athletes, coaches, opponents express grief over death of OSU coaches on Twitter
• OU coaches, administrators share thoughts on deaths of OSU coaches Kurt Budke, Miranda Serna
• Remembering Coach Budke

Elliot's November 14 email

Here's the latest news from Elliot.

Hey!

Actually if  I could get a few more boxes of contacts that would be nice. I think I still have 2 or 3 boxes but that probably won't last all the way until the end of the mission.

And I didn't know JK got his call! Iowa, huh? [JK McKeon of Newhall First Ward spoke in church yesterday before leaving on his mission to Iowa.] Maybe ya'll had told me that. But that's cool. Does he report this week?

This week I'm going to Texas to baptize Adrienne! Ella va a ser bautizada [she is going to be baptized] on Thursday and she asked if I could baptize her and President gave me permission. I'm super excited.

Me and Elder Soto both got pretty sick this past week and were out for most of Friday and Saturday, but it was still a really productive week. I also had the opportunity to do 2 baptismal interviews, the 4th and 5th I've done, which is one of the coolest things to do on the mission. I'm gonna be conducting another interview on Friday this week, only it'll be my first in Spanish so I'm kinda nervous. My Spanish feels pretty rusty, but I'm sure it'll be another cool experience.

We also have a couple of investigators with baptismal dates here in Moore. One is going to be baptized on the 27th. He's way legit and we've taught him most everything. Another investigator is supposed to get baptized on December 3rd. We have to help her overcome a few challenges before then but she really has a desire to be baptized and has been coming to church these past few weeks. Life is good here. The members are excited, we're excited and things are looking up. We have a dinner every night from now through the first week of December, so I'm getting taken care of. Everyone here is way helpful.

This should be Bro. Sorenson's number [my old missionary companion]. We're having dinner with the Sorensons on the 26th.

This area is fun. It's cool being in a 4 man apartment. Our other 2 roommates are Elder Curtis, who was in my district in Wichita Falls, and Elder Clements, who is a relatively new missionary. There's always something funny going on and always someone to talk to. This zone is the most concentrated in the mission. Pretty much every P-day the whole zone gets together to play sports or games or whatever. This past week we went to the park and played football and I think we're going to the park again to play that and kickball. It's cool seeing everyone when in a lot of other zones you don't see all of the other missionaries except maybe once or twice a transfer. Also, we got a Christmas tree. Never too early to have a Christmas tree.

So everything is sweet out here. Hope y'all have an awesome week!

Love ya!

Elder Elliot