August 27,2018 Live Oak Tooth Trouble

This week was pretty great. To start, it was my last 1/2 week in Orange Park and I really didn't want to leave. On Tuesday we did service for Helen and she took us to a Thai food place that was pretty good. After, we went with her to Jerimiahs and got Italian ice and Gelato which is amazing. After we finished packing all of our things and we had a correlation meeting which was fun. At it Elder Hansen burned a shirt and we had a good time. The next morning, we packed up early and went to Breakfast for the last time with Grandpa Girard. Then we drove to transfers and I helped bring some cars and supplies to the church for the new Missionaires. Grandpa Girard let me leave all of my stuff in his car and drove with us to our new place in live oak. On our way, we stopped for lunch at Whataburger. So my new area is very similar to Georgia, Waycross where I first served. It is a small branch with around 80-100 active members. The night we got there, they had a party for us which was awesome. They are super excited to have Missionaires back in the area and we are excited to work with them. 

The next few days went by quite fast and we had a few good miricals. We were in a area and were trying to contact a guy. We didn't contact him but on the way back to the car we found 2 potential people who were interested. We set up 4 lessons for Saturday which was awesome. We had 2 of 4 but still It is great to see the enthusiasm of the people in this area to learn. On Sunday, a sister showed up to church and said she has a desire to be baptised and wants to take the discussions. We are super excited to work with her. We also went by a potential person and met her husband who seemed really interested and we set up a lesson for this upcoming week. This area has been so full of miricals and has been a blessing to us as missionaries.

Now some sad news... while Tracting, I had a mento in my mouth and while we were talking with a guy, I was chewing and but on something hard. Immediatly I thought it was my tooth that had a crown on it and eventually will need to be replaced. I then realised that it was the tooth right above and the back part came off. Now I'll have to find a place and time to get that looked at . 

Live Oak is awesome and I am so greatful to be serving here. I know that the Lord truly knows me and knows each one of you. Listen to the promptings of the spirit and be willing and ready to share your testimony. President Monson said, "Reguarding one's testimony, remember, that which one willingly shares he keeps, while that which he selfishly keeps he looses.... Teach and Testify. There is no better combination." Testimony are so powerful. It is a blessing to be on a mission and share my knowledge of the gospel with everyone. It has been a huge blessing to me! I love you all and hope you have an awesome miracle filled week. Remember to smile and look for the best in everything! Love ya

1. Me and Elder Adair at Big Woods Resturaunt

2. My name on cactus 

3. Sisters street?

4. Me

5. No smoking sign next to tons of cigarettes 

6. Puppy at persons house

 

August 20,2018 Transfers to Live Oak Florida

NEW ADDRESS: 

2231 MEL MARGO AVE. NE

APT. 1106

LIVE OAK FLORIDA, 32064

This week has been pretty great besides the fact that I am getting transferred and leaving Elder Hansen, it was an alright week. I will be going to live oak with Elder Adair. From what I've heard he is awesome and he is in my zone right now and seems like a cool Elder. 

 

This week flew by. We had a hard time finding this week. It ended up working out well in the end. For me it was a test of my patience and trust in the Lord. Sometimes you feel as if your doing everything right and nothing seems to be going your way. I have found that prayer and hard work is the best solution. The Lord has asked us to thrust in our sickle with all of our might and he promises to bless us. We also have to remember that the Lord knows what we need and when we need it. 

Well, I hope that everyone has an awesome week. Remember to always be your best self and the Lord will make up for the rest. I love you all and appreciate all that you do for me and all the support I receive. God loves and knows each of our needs. Just put your trust in him and everything will work out!

3 Nephi 13:

25 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked upon the twelve whom he had chosen, and said unto them: Remember the words which I have spoken. For behold, ye are they whom I have chosen to minister unto this people. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;

29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, even so will he clothe you, if ye are not of little faith.

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

Love ya!

Love, 

Elder Elgaaen

 

August 13,2018 "Tyler's Baptism"

This week was pretty great. We had Tyler's Baptism! It was super awesome. I also went on a trade-off with a Spanish missionary, had interviews with our mission President, we got to get lunch with Grandpa Ray Girard. We also got fishing licences for a year so that is awesome. Last of all, we got to play basketball again! 

 

So on Tuesday and Wednesday, we had a tradeoff. I went with the zone leaders companion Elder Squire. He is super nice. They do missionary work as lot differently because they mostly just look for Spanish people. We had a few good contacts which I understood nothing, set up some good lessons, and had dinner at a Spanish part member families house. For those of you who don't know, it isn't polite to "say no" or not eat all that you are given in the Spanish culture. So when we were at dinner, we ate and they brought us in the middle of our meal, a huge plate of what we were eating. After we all finished, the other elders were pulling straws for who got to finish the food. It was kind of funny. I probably understood less than 10 words the whole time I was there. They did speak English but were more comfortable with Spanish. Interesting day! Later that night, we got a call from the other elders in that area and they had gotten a flat tire on there ride home and so we got to go pick them up. Also the sisters in that area got a new desk chair and put the seat on backwards so we got that and fixed it for them as well. It was a long day but a good day. 

 

On Thursday we had interviews with the Mission President. Everything went well. The mission President usually asks how we are doing personally as well as a companionship. He also asked us how the work in our area is going. I gave him all good reports and hope that Elder Hansen and I stay together for another transfer together. That would be the best! 

 

The following day, we ate lunch with Ray Girard. He always spoils us and brings us Gatorade and other delicacies that Missionaires don't usually get. After, he took us to Arbys for lunch which was good besides the fact that there was a hair in my sandwich (can really throw off your appetite Haha). It all worked out and I got an extra sandwich because I already ate over half of the other one. Hopefully there was only one hair in it...? We also got fishing licences so they will last us the rest of our missions and now we don't have to pay $20 each time we go for a  3 day pass. 

 

On Saturday, we had Tyler's Baptism. It was super awesome! He is so elect and ready! The program was really good and there was a bunch of people there. After, they had some sandwiches and someone made a Peanut butter cup cake. It was so good! His confirmation was also awesome. We were both able to take part in that as well as later when he received the Arronic Priesthood. This was probably the highlight of our week. It's so awesome to help someone experience so much joy in the gospel as they change there lives. 

 

Well, I hope all of you have a week that can be close to how awesome mine was. Something our mission President always says is "change your words, change your world." Remember to always have a positive attitude and remember Christ knows what we go through and how to best succor us. Turn to him every day through prayer and scripture study. I love you all and hope you have an amazing week! Love ya!

 

Love,

Elder Elgaaen 

 

August 6,2018 Weekly

What's up family and friends?

This week was one to remember. We had a lot of good things going on and we were able to find some good investigators. One awesome miracle that happened this past week was on Sunday we went to church and we had 4 investigators there. There was also another guy who showed up at church and said he feels like he needs to find something. He is lonely and has found himself a little down. We were able to share with him how the gospel has helped us find peace in our hard times. He seemed really interested in learning more. It was amazing how strong the spirit was. It has been such a blessing being able to see how the Lord works in mysterious ways. 

The sister Missionaries in our area have gone to the emergency room twice this week so that has been pretty eventful. They are both doing fine but we had a few opportunities to serve. We gave a couple blessings and it was awesome. It is such a blessing being able to serve everyone around us and seek out opportunities. Service is the best! 

Last week we went fishing and it was a party. We caught a few fish. I caught a jack travail or something like that. It was cool. Also elder Hansen caught a stingray was pretty big. It is awesome and we want to go again in the next week or so. We also went to the driving range and that was super fun. I can still hit a ball further than 10 ft. But not much further. Well I hope y'all have an awesome week. Love ya

Elder Hansen's giant stingray

 

July 30, 2018 My Week!

This week was a good one. We did quite a bit of service and yard work for people. Last Monday, we went to Rippleys Believe It or Not with Grandpa Girard. We had a blast. We went to the Fort in St. Augustine and also went to a delicious pizza place which was amazing!! We had Zone Conference this past week and that was good as well. The focus was largely on involving members, being guided by the spirit, and making sure we are teaching towards conversion. Nothing too exciting happened durring the week. We got more referrals which is super awesome and we have appointments for them this next week. We were also able to work more with our people who are on date. They all seem to be doing well and progressing so that is awesome!

One thing this past sunday that really stuck out to me in church is how inspired the Prophet and Apostles are. The new curriculum that has been sent around the world to unify how we teach is powerful. To me a huge focus of the Prophet has been strengthening your testimony so you can be spiritually self reliant. A member shared the story of some of the fortifications that Moroni set up in the lands so the Nephites were safe. He explained on how they set up walls and fences to protect from any outward attacks. They had only one entrance in so they could know what was coming and focus their efforts there. They also had another wall inside the forts which one way was a dead end so an enemy would have to attack in one direction which is head on. The prophet wants us to be strong and able to face the temptations of Satan head on. The new program that is set up is designed to do this. 

Today I will be doing some more fishing so sorry if my letter is a little shorter than normal. I hope you all have a great week. I love you all so much and am so greatful for the time I have to serve a mission. I appreciate all that everyone does for me to support me. Hope you have a great week and enjoy the pictures!