Week 53 "I've Got Some Good News and Some Bad News"

Lij had a great week!  He had a baptism and a wedding.  They have been planning this baptism and wedding for quite awhile and they weren't quite sure it was going to happen.  It did happen, and Elijah was thrilled.  He forgot to send us pictures, but hopefully this next week he will.

Now for his bad news.....He said he knew this was coming for awhile but the way he emails us every week has changed.  In the past he has written to us on his P-Day and most of the time we are able to email back and forth.  His Mission President now changed that.  He is only able to write one letter.  Needless to say, mom is pretty sad.  

Here is his letter for the week:

Well mom the time has finally come for the long-awaited rule that i figured would come. Monday they sent us a message saying that we can no longer chat with our parents as in

can´t send a message and then they respond and then we respond and that kind of stuff, it is not to say that you can´t write me a letter after this one just that I can´t respond!

But don´t worry mom it will be okay, I was super sad when I read this because I thought directly about you. Made me quite bummed to be completly honest, but what a 

blessing that I was able to do it a whole year of my mission. What a huge blessing it has been to talk to you like that. So I will tell you about my week now!

This week firstly, last Saturday we had the wedding and baptism, which was super awesome, the wedding was simple and only 3 members came to support, but it was 

really fun and they loved it! Also the lawyer is a member of the church and he totally started preaching up a storm about the plan of salvation! Crazy stuff all of it! But

then we had the actual baptism and let me tell you mom that water was without a doubt the coldest water that I have ever expierenced in my ENTIRE life,

they had to fill it up the day before because the water was going to go out last Saturday ¨supposedly¨and so that is what they did. The bad part was that made it 

literally the coldest thing ever! EVER! So when i got in I literally made a squealing noise! But the baptism was super peaceful and it was fun, they actually invited us over 

for the wedding party and gave us a ton of food that was super awesome! This week, I had to take all of the new missionaries to go get their fingerprinting and 

backround checks done so that took basically the whole day, also I had to go to the embassies and do some paper work there! The Funny part was in the Embassy

of El Salvador I totally fell asleep and it was completely hillarious! I was so tired! Also this week acutally yesterday was the Leadership Council it was awesome because

I got to see Elder Baker who only has 9 weeks left as a missionary (which is completely crazy because I remember the day that he finished 1 year in the mission) And it 

is always fun just to talk with him and see how he is doing! But all in all it has been fun this week! Pretty crazy to be honest! It is already july kinda weirds me out! 

We also found a couple of awesome investigators that we are extremly excited to teach because they are awesome!  Well this is what happened this week I can´t really 

think about anything else 

Love you MOM! LOVE YOU

Week 52 "One Year!!!!"

 Poor Lij has been having constant problems with his eczema.  He had to go to the doctor again and get another shot.  It seems like his eyelids take the most abuse.

 Lately, Lij has been sending us food pictures.  Here is another couple to add to his collection.

 The good news for this weeks is that they have a wedding and a baptism.  They are really excited for this. 

The Elders try to save money by cutting each other's hair.  This week the Elder that was cutting Lij's hair was startled by a noise and slipped!!!  Hahahahahahahahaha

Week 51 "Same Old, Same Old!"

Elijah didn't have too much to say this week.  It was transfers week and that meant that he worked in the office a lot.  On Thursday he took these two Elders to the airport at 2:00 a.m.   Both Elder Mattinson and Elder Biasi were his companions.  He said that he cried after dropping them off!  

Week 50 "I was Robbed Again!"

Lij cooked this himself.  Those are mashed potatoes!

Elder Powers

Elder Baker (Father), Lij, and Elder Arriola (Child)

Lij told us in a video that he had been robbed again.  He and his two companions, Elder Biasi and Elder Powers were outside of a church in downtown San Jose.  They received a phone call that there was an immigration emergency that needed to be taken care of.  This required that they call the office.  They were standing on a corner where there are many homeless people and one of them approached them.  The Elders thought that they were going to ask for money, as they usually do, but instead told Elijah to hand over the phone.  Elijah for some strange reason told him no!  The guy then grabbed his ear and yanked him down to the ground and grabbed the phone and ran off.  He almost got hit by a few cars.  Needless to say the Mission President made a new rule, no more talking on the phone when you are standing outside!  We are just grateful that he is safe!

Week 49 "More Office Work"

 Here is what Lij said this week:  Today was cool because my companion had to go to get his ingrown toenail cut out so we had to go to the hospital.  Where was the hospital? in San Fransisco Heredia, I didn't have much time so I couldn't go and visit Hecto.  His stupid phone was  turned off, so I went really quick to go and see Ana and Rodolfo my cook, they specially made food for us and it was awesome!

 When Elijah was in Nicoya a Bishop made these shoes for him.  He said they will last forever!

Elder Powers is from Alamagordo, New Mexico.  Elijah and Elder Powers are the only two missionaries from New Mexico.

Week 48 "I Got A New Companion"

"Elder Biasi is going home in two weeks, so he needs to train his replacement to be the new Finance Secretary.  So right now I am in a trio.  My new companion is Elder Powers and you will never guess where he is from!  Alamagordo,
 New Mexico.  He is the only other missionary that is from New Mexico.  He told me that he went through the Albuquerque Temple a month after I did, and he is three months behind me.  Here is a picture of the office staff.  He is the blonde.  We have been busy in the office but have still had time to teach a few discussions.  Also, something interesting, Elder Renlund is coming to our mission next week.  That should keep us really busy".  

Week 47 "Mother's Day Call!!!!!"

He called!!!!  We were so excited.  We got to spend 45 minutes with our boy and it was wonderful.  He looked and sounded great!!!

Elijah said that this week has been extremely busy in the office.  There are a lot of new missionaries coming in and paperwork had to be filled out for all of them.  He said that hopefully he can finish all of it up this next week.  

He told us that this last week, he and Elder Biasi had 11 investigators at church on Sunday.  When they told President Laboriel, he said he nearly fell out of his chair.   Lij said that they are teaching a few of those investigators.  

Lij told us a funny story.  He said:

"Ok so I have all the pictures that you guys have sent me on my desk.  You know the pictures I'm talking about.   The printed out ones!  So super funny, I was gone and the AP's and my companion where sitting there and President sees the pictures.  He saw a picture of me at prom on top! and we aren't allowed to have girlfriends!  So President says UHHHHHUUUUHHHHHHH and then goes and is looking at all my pictures! He made some hilarious comments.  The AP's explained that she isn't a girlfriend she is just a friend, but president ended up looking at all of my photos. 

Funny comments:

Grandpa with the elk, "He killed that poor animal!"

Olivia and E with the squirrels, "Even his little sister is a killer!"

You me and Liv asleep, "What the heck!"  They explained to him that I love you a ton

and just a bunch of hillarious stuff