I'm so glad you all made a 'get away.' Fall break always seems to come when you need it most. How is dad? I've been worrying about him lately. Us missionaries talked to the Eau Claire bishop yesterday, and he just looked like he had SO much on his plate; I couldn't help but think about dad. You're the PERFECT companion for him, mom. He wouldn't be able to do what he is doing without your love and support--GUARANTEED.

Well, this week just FLEW by. I feel like my mission is going faster and faster--just like people would always tell me. We had a BAPTISM! My first! I don't know if it really counts since I only taught them once, but hey. :) M and A got a knock at the door December 2012-- the month I opened my call! And here they are, a year later, members of the church. :) It was a beautiful baptism, and Sister Fisher and I did a musical number (arrangement of 'I am a Child of God') it went well! 

Something that I have noticed since being here in Eau Claire is that I feel a LOT more in tune with the Spirit.. I don't know what has happened, but I find myself in lessons with words literally flying out of my mouth that I know for a FACT is not Eliza. It's suuuuper cool. 

Also... every district meeting, we role play. I HATE roleplaying with everything inside me. Why? Because the feedback I ALWAYS get is, "BOLD BOLD BOLD! BE MORE BOLD!" and it has always made me feel like a crappy missionary. BUT.

This week, my first district meeting in Eau Claire, we roleplayed. And I decided to take the advice I have been getting for the past 5 months and put it to action. 

I roleplayed extending a bold invitation to be baptized, and to attend church to an Elder who I came out with. He went first, and did awesome. I went next and was nervous--because of my past roleplaying experiences. BUT I did it. And I realized that whole 'words-flying-out-of-my-mouth' thing again. He looked at me after the roleplay and was SHOCKED. He kept saying how amazing I did and how he felt the Spirit so strong and loved how bold I was. WHAAAAT?! That made me feel like a hundred bucks. ( I'm not trying to brag, but it's just awesome how much the Spirit has overcome my words!) 

I met someone who is related to an A.F. friend here. President Squires is related to Jennifer Squires (the gal who was in the little graduate group who attended the temple and did little mission lessons together) so that was cool! The ward is different, it's good. Just different. I'm still pretty homesick from Med Lake, but Eau Claire is slowly growing on me. :) 

One last thing: In March, Sister Fisher and her previous companion, Sister Cartwright tracted the apartment buildings that we currently live in before they lived in them. They met a gal named K who didn't come off too interested. She was nice, but definitely didn't want to listen. Well, a little while later, the sister's moved in and became neighbors with K! They were always so nice to her, and so she'd even come by and visit them on occasion. Well, these sister's started to do 'teaching evaluations' (practice teaching lessons) with K. The more practice lessons they did, the more K felt the Spirit. She said every church she has attended has not given her the 'structure' she wants/needs. When the sister's committed her in their practice lesson to keep the Word of Wisdom, she did. When they asked her to read chapters out of the Book of Mormon, she did. She is CHANGING. She had a REALLY rough past, but through keeping these commitments, she is noticing the changes in her life and has decided to devote her life to God. Although we are K's friends and neighbors, we notice that she recognizes us as true representatives of Jesus Christ and as people she can trust.  We are teaching her about the Law of Chastity tonight, soooo... wish us luck! :) 

I'm learning to love being here. It's so different, but it's something that I'm coming to understand how much I NEED to be here. Serious.

I love you all so much! Stay warm and happy! 

xoxoxo

Love, Sister Eliza

Saying goodbye to the family I lived with...they even gave me a Minnesota T-shirt:)

 

Eliza saying goodbye to Grandma GG

Saying Goodbye to some special investigators that I have grown to love

Wiscooooooonsin Cheese!

FAMILY:

Well well well. 

I'm here in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It could be compared to the Twilight Zone. It really is the WEIRDEST here... I have an odd feeling, not sure why.

Wisconsin:

-Bagged milk.

-Cheese curds (squeaky kind)

-Lawn ornaments.

-Black and white squirrels.

-No Liberians :'(

WHERE AM I?
My companion's name is Sister Fisher. She is from California and is the youngest, and has 6 weeks left of the mish! CRAZY. She is very nice.  She reminds me of Rachel Young, actually.

 

The area is huuuuge. We drove an hour to go teach a gal named Monse. She and her boyfriend speak mainly spanish. So, it's interesting teaching lessons. I'm gonna get my espanol down. :)

How I said, there are hardly any Liberians, which absolutely BREAKS my heart. But the diversity is still pretty big. TONS of Hmong people and Mexicans. I literally feel like I'm in a whole new world. I'm homesick for Minnesota </3 :( But I know I am supposed to be here.

 

My companion isn't allowed to drive because she got in a wreck a few months ago and so she got her driving priviledge taken away. Sooo... I drove from Minnesota to Wisconsin! 2.5 hour drive.

We have an amazing ward mission leader: Brother and Sister Napalitano (TOTAL New Yorkers. LOVE.)

We have a progressing family, and they just got married yesterday and are getting baptized Saturday! :)

Loved conference SO much. It really is so amazing to be here on my mission at this time when we are inching and inching closer to the second coming of our Savior!

We've met plenty of people who have hard hearts and closed minds to receiving the Restoration message.

One instance in particular: Saturday, after conference, we headed out to go see a few potentials. It starts sprinkling, and was SO cold, and we see a family outside of their car with umbrellas and raincoats just standing there. They locked their keys in their car, and were waiting for help. So, perfect opportunity to share the Gospel:) we started chatting, and this man and wife knew 'everything about our religion'--don't you hate it when people tell you what you believe? Well, it came to the point where I could do nothing BUT bear sincere testimony of Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon and telling him that Heavenly Father loves him. It bothered me that I didn't really have the chance to say everything I wanted to, but hey... I planted a seed, right? We walked away, and it POURED hard. core.

It's definitely gotten to the 'no turning back for warmth' weather. It's chilly. And I got my boots, so thanks mom!

Also got the CUTEST nicest package from Bushmans. I appreciate all the letters and packages, peeps. Thanks from the bottom of my heart!

I love you all and I am praying for all of you everyday. I miss you like CRAZY.

We get to talk in 2 months. :) whoo!

xoxo

also, yes. the relief society broadcast. I died. SOOOO good. I cried a bit. I LOVE this church. Is it true or WHAAAAT.

Hey fam bam!

I know that I say every week is a roller coaster week, but this week was a legit roller coaster week. Monday night, President calls us and said "what would happen to your area/investigators if you left them for a little bit?" "umm... they'd still be solid" "ok, then pack your bags for 8 days, Sister Beeson, you're headed to Bloomington for the week and will be in a Tripanionship with Sister Pead and Sister Edstrom. Sister DuBrueler, you're going to Eden Prairie with Sister Mansfield."

WHAT THEEEE.

So, pretty much that was Sister D's and my last day working together. :'(  because we found out transfers today. soooo sadddd!!! I was really upset. We both were. BUT! It has been fun! We've biked a ton, we had a baptism, and I fell in love with the ward! :)  We were teaching this less active lady who is OBSESSED with breaking the Law of Chastity, so we came up with the idea of getting pictures of Jesus and temples and huuuuge posters with scriptures on there so that she wouldn't have that temptation anymore. Annnnd, so far, it has worked!

I can't hold it in. ahhhh... I'm leaving Med Lake!!! :'( I'm gonna cry. I'm leaving Janelle and Dustin and the boys!!!!!! :( OUUUUCH. I'm headed 2 hours away. To Wisconsin. What the heck. In a place called Eau Claire.(claire...yay:)) kay, see ya.

AHHHH I really am so so so so so sad :( my companion will been Sister Fisher who leaves after this transfer... I heard she's a doll, so that's good.:)

Buuuut, I really can't focus on anything besides the fact that I'm leaving Med Lake and I'm freaking out and I have to drive 40 minutes back to med lake to pack, back to bloomington, and then 2 hours to wisconsin. OH MY LANTA. Missions are too weird. my life can change within 48 hours.

Anyway, glad MB season is going well. I wanna see the show DANGIT. Mom, don't ever hashtag again. hahahaha miss you all and love you. Until next week, my lovelies. :)

Look what I found!! My brothers would LOVE this!

This turtle and Eliza both have something in common...they're both coming out of their shells!

Mom...  Dad is the best. And you're the best. I love you both so much for doing the RIGHT THING. For doing those simple little but HUGE commandments. You're both great great missionaries.

You like football? What the... So does my companion. She's dying. Football season/Halloween/her birthday, it's all her fav.

So this week has been a roller coaster, and I apologize for being a downer last week. I sometimes feel like my world has crashed and burned one day, and then couldn't be better the next. Missions are the weirdest.

Wednesday we had our Zone Training, and that went well. We also had our interviews with President, and that went well also... it's always SO nice to see other missionaries. It's funny that I love them about just as much as you guys even though I've known these people for only 5 months. Can you believe I'm coming up on my 5 month mark?! Weiiiiird. Well, all the missionaries seem to be having it really rough. Whether it's their area, or their companion, or discouragement, or whatever. I'm so blessed to be in Medicine Lake (President claimed to be the best ward of the whole mission) with Sister D. She's so great. I really have lucked out, so I'm worried to find out next week about transfers! It's already here again. I can't believe it.

Well, J and D and their boys are still progressing. Really, the only thing that is holding them back is J's divorce that they're still working out. We had a lesson with them on Tuesday with the H's. I think I've talked to you about the H's before but a LONG time ago. I met them the first week of my mission on exchanges and this couple is amazing. Well, they found the church last year, and got baptized this past February, and LOVE the church. They are so active, so missionary minded, and are just the best people in the world. President told us that we needed to have them come to the 'move out until the divorce is final because you're breaking the law of chastity' lesson with us. They did. And they even offered D to stay at their home until they get married, etc. They're so great. J and D are still figuring things out though with the boys.

So, we taught them the Restoration. We watched the Joseph Smith movie, and afterwards, I bore my testimony. And balled. J was emotional as well. The Spirit was SO strong.

Thennn...Yesterday they came to church, DRESSED UP for the first time! That may seem dumb, but that was a huuuuge step. They've worn street clothes every Sunday for weeks and weeks, but this kind of showed a sign of their commitment. Their boys participated in the Primary Program!! And then we had a 'Linger Longer' (don't you love MN?) after Church and J even brought a salad. So, they definitely loveeee the church, it's just the divorce that's holding them back. I love them with all my HEART!!!!

Sorry, I feel like this email is super boring and scattered. Umm... yeah, anyway, Sister D. and I worked our TAILS off this week. Harder than I have ever worked. It was great. Our goal is to be exhausted by the end of each day, and I really really am.

I love you all! I'll send a couple pics. Have a fantastic week and know that you're in my thoughts and prayers and that I love you!!!!
xoxooxoxxooxoxox

Eliza