Costa de Caparica

Hey everyone!  One more shining week here on the east coast of Portugal!  I sent a few photos home of my new area that should show the beauty of Costa!  Nothing super duper new really happened this week other than one more week of Labor in the vineyard of the Lord!  It is prety crazy to think that my companion goes home at the end of this week and to think that 6 more weeks have passed by.  This transfer has passed by way faster than any other one!  But I am excited to see what next transfer will bring!  Right now we are really trying to find new investigators with portential because we are kind of in a slump right now but there isn't a missionary who doesn't experience all of that.  You just learn how to find a solution gain experience and become stronger.

Our mission president told us a few weeks ago to prepare ourselves for Easter by studying all of the material in the standard works and other sources about the last week of the saviors life.  It is amazing to see how many of the things Jesus did in the last week of His life.  When I get to the end of my mission I will have to remember that so I can stay lively as well!  But it really draws me closer to Him when I read and study about what he taught.  I love the Savior and I hope that you all can really feel the Spirit of Easter as we get closer.  Seek to strengthen your testimonies everyday.  We live in too dangerous of a world to try and live without spiritual strength and protection! 

Sorry this is short but I love you all and wish you all a wonderful week full of awesome stories and happiness!  Stay happy!  It is easier that way:)

With much love

Elder Eldredge

Pictures

A Portugal magnet on the fridge that Brandon sent

A good missionary quote

A picture of the last place he was able to visit on his p-day

One more week of struggles & miracles!

Hey everybody!  One more week of struggles and miracles!  Really being on a mission is the best place to be!  Me and Elder Schroeder talk sometimes and how he is going home in two weeks.  Someimtes I feel jealous but also I have heard that after about a week or so of being home you want to go back!  So I definitely want to take advatage of it while I am here and have this wonderful opporutinty to change and be perfected through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I don't have much time (what else is new) but I just wanted to share two things!

Always smile.  Always,  this week in sacrament meeting 

as our ward members took turns bearing their testimonies, I waited till there was a break and I decided to go up without thinking beforehand of a topic or experience I would share.  When I was up there I felt impressed to share the importance of being happy and especially smiling even when you don't want to using the frase "basta ter um sorriso"  or basically you just have to smile:)  As I bore testimony I noticed a woman in the back of the room light up as I testified and it made me even happier.  After I sat down in a few moments of silence I heard to footsteps and turned to see it was her walking up the pulpit.  She started by saying how she had been in a depressing stage for quite sometime and couldn't figure out why.  But she said as she heard my testimony it gave her a light in her heart and brought a long needed smile to her face and gave her the will to bear her testimony that day.  My eyes filled with tears as I witnessed once more the little tender mercies of the Lord in our lives that fill the soul with happieness and joy.  The Lord knows his sheep.

Second miracle that I recieved word today that Antonio (beatriz's husband from my last area) asked Elder Ricci if he would baptize him.  The spirit that filled my heart when I read those words was unexplainable.  The Lord knows us and no effort in a good cause goes to waste.  I am so happy to be a part of this marvelous work!  I don't know where I would be with out it!  I love you all so much and remember that God loves each and every one of you.  Pray to him, he is waiting.

Be good and happy everyone!:)

With love

Elder Eldredge:)

Entao Queridos Amigos!

Well this week was a good week.  Started off a little sad when we had to say bye to a family from Angola that we were teaching that looked to have a lot of potencial but decided they wanted to move back to Angola.  So that was sad but then I did a division with Elder Pitcher in Almada and we had a really good and inspired day.  One more testimony builder to me of the power of prayer.  Thorughout the day we said many prayer to be guided and inspired in our steps and our words and we taught 5 lessons (4 of which were unplanned)  And also found two new families for them to teach.  They were having a really rough time in Almada before but we gave them a good foundation to start building on so it was really good.  

Then the weekend was really slow and hard but I have learned well from many examples in my life that we cannot get our heads down.  You have to keep smiling and keep going.  Sometimes it is the hardest thing to do because of the circumstances we are in and the lack of results around us and even sometimes our own pride.  But I always want to be happy in my circumstances be whatever they be.  When I was in Povoa I got a lot of comments about how I was always smiling and always cheerful.  That made me feel really good when I heard that and it is something that I always want to have for the rest of my life.  Our lesson in priesthood this week was also about this subject and I quite liked our discussion that we had and like the scripture from Mosiah 2:41 talks about the happy and blessed state of those that keep the commandments.  It really is true.  God the Father sent us here to be tried tested and refined by our trials and struggles into something that He wants us to become.  The refiners fire is not always the funnest place to be but everyone needs it.  But God gave us the commandments so that we could have happiness during every stage of our lives.  The commandments are trulys the guide to happiness.  God knows everything and is loving enough to tell us what we need to do and how we need to live if we want true happiness.  So conclusion if you want to be happy keep the commandments.  Plain and simple:)  If you want to know just test it out and see how things go:)

LOve you all so much!

Elder Eldredge

Pictures!!

A little 'mini Africa' neighborhood

Whatever you do, do it well

Hey there everyone!  Well this week has been fine, not too much new to report, just trying to get used to this new area with all the new investigators and members and such.  I am on the other side of the river from Lisbon right next to the beach so if you look at a map it should be pretty easy to find out where I am at:)  Anywho it is interesting to see the differences here in the south from the north of portugal.  Alot more africans that is for sure!  I think evey sinlge lesson we taught this week was to african families.  Nothing wrong with that at all, I actually really like them and I like to think of them as my soul brothers but just different:)  We have two little neighborhoods here that are like mini africas I will send pictures if I can, but yeah it is pretty insane just these little 3rd world lands on the outskirts of the city!  A pretty cool experience!  

 

Still throughout this week it has been hard adjusting to the new area and companion, it is crazy how attached and how much love you can develop for other people as a missionary.  But my hope is that I can leave this area as well with the same feelings beacuse that means that my heart was in the work and that is what counts and what the Lord wants.

Whatever you do do it well, I think Abe Lincoln said that or something close but I am feeling the truthfulness of that.  If you are doing something put your heart into it, whether it be school or work really do it with heart and you will come out feeling satisfied and accomplished.  Especially in the case of callings from God.  When we magnify our callings we allow the Lord to mold us into the Gods and godesses he wants us to become.  But when we choose not too cause we are tired or think we have more important things to do we shut the windows of heaven and God cannot work His miracles in your life.  Strive to be obedient every day a little better:)

Anywho not too much to report but just keep sending me your prayers, a little help never does bad:)  I am so grateful for this opportunity I have and I feel more blessing coming into my life and the life of my family than I ever could have imagined.  If there is anyone out there that is questioning a mission, just go.  

I love you all so very much and I will just end up here with a big SHOUTOUT to my dear cousin Anna that will be leaving in April to serve the Lord for a year and a half in Gilbert Arizona... YOU ROCK ANNA!!!!  And also to my other cousin that has always been a great example and help for me Alexis that just ended her mission this last week.  Thank you for all that you have done for me Lexis:)

Com muito amor e carinho,

Elder Eldredge:)

Transferred to Costa de Caparica

Hey family how is everyone?  

Well that time has come and as many of you already know I have been transfered of to a place called Costa de Caparica!  It is gorgeous...  well right now not so much seeing as it is raining like crazy but other than that I hope I can see the summer here!  MY new companion´s name is Elder Schroeder and he is from Ogden Utah and will be going home after this transfer.  

It was a really rough night last night as I past the houses of Luisa and Beartriz and had a little last hurrah with their families.  The feelings were sad but the spirit was sweet as the tears fell as we sang their favorite hymn Nearer my god to thee.  I will never forget those two families, they truly do become a part of you and it made me super happy that the son of Luisa, pedro (who before claimed he had no belief nor wanted to know) told me that he had started praying and he is noticing how it ischagning.  It made me super happy, he is 17 and it would be awesome to hear here in a year or two that he was baptized and preparing for a mission!  One thing is for sure is that I left off on a great note.  We had 8 investigators in church and 2 less actives which made me really happy seeing as we have had a lot of rough weeks with few or no investigators there.  The hard work pays off.  I love those people in Póvoa de Varzim  and they all will have a special plave in my heart forever.  Man I will miss all of them.  

Anywho to let you all know unfortuantely Thomas was not baptized on Saturday, after the interview he had we found out that he had smoked quite a bit on the day of the interview after a day of restraining completely.  He didn´t loose faith or hope though and I hope to recieve some pictures from Elder Ricci of his baptism here in a few!

I love missionary work, it may be at times the hardest thing ever and that there is no hope that we can't keep going, but i can assure you that the Savior also felt those same feelings as he suffered the pains of us all.  He did not want to do it as show when he cried out "remove this cup from me" but he didn't act on things that he wanted to do, only the things that were necessary and the will of the Father "not my will, but thine be done".  I love the Savior and I know he loves me and you very much.  We can endure trials with a smile becuase of his atonement and come out of the "refiners fire" stronger and more purified.  

I love you all so much and I hope that you have a great week!:)

Love Elder Eldredge