President's Day

Hello everyone!!!  Sorry for the late email.  Yesterday was President's day and the Library was closed.  But today it isn't!  SO... here I am now, emailing.  This last week was awesome!! I got to spend some time on Saturday going to the temple for sis Erftenbeck's endowment, which was awesome!  The Brady family took Elder Dietrich and I down there and even bought us Cafe Rio!!  LEGENDS!

This past week we did a little rearranging with the Shack.  We didn't feel we had enough space, so Elder Craig and I moved the desks around to fit more.  Since we've done this it feels so much more spacious with what we have.  And we did a lot of cleaning in our area book to be able to find those who were lost in our own records.  We have an appointment set for tomorrow just from looking through old stuff!  Our ward here is doing well.  The Ranchos ward is a fantastic ward that cares for it's members, which makes our job a lot easier.

We don't have too much time to email today, so I want to leave with a cool experience this last week.  The night before the temple trip, there was a change of plans which completely derailed our plans.  With some help from the Lord, we were able to find rides to and from.  Our zone leaders drove us to Phelan, the Brady's drove us to the Redlands temple, and some Elder's from Hesperia drove us back.  Every step of the way we were uncertain if we were gonna make it but never doubted that the Lord would provide a way for his servants.  

Elder Ellsworth

2 Nephi 7:10-11

Elder Ellsworth and Elder Craig

Elder Ellsworth and Elder Dietrich

Transfers

Transfers were today.  I got to see Elder Pooley down in Rancho Cucomonga at the mission office which was a real treat to see him again.  I'm staying up here in the desert and staying in the Shack another transfer with my new companion Elder Craig.  Elder Craig is a bit of a Legend because of his lineage.  He trained Elder Etheridge who is the AP right now, and Etheridge trained Elder's Puzey, and Shenton, who are both ZL's right now.  And Elder Puzey trained Elder Kunz who is a DL and half training.  All this leadership all came from him, my current companion.  It is also impressive that his Great Grandson and him are both still on their missions at the same time.  

Elder Dietrich left and is gone to Phelan, right below my last area which is awesome!!  He is going to thrive there and I send my prayers with him.  Here I am with my new companion and I have a drive to work.  I ask to send your prayers to me for a great new transfer!!

Elder Ellsworth

                                                   "Look I touched snow on my mission"

February 5, 2018

This was a great week for Elder Dietrich and I. We started off with a fun P day and an awesome zone activity! We had almost the whole zone and we all had a great time. On Tuesday I gave my first district meeting training. I was very nervous about taking too much or too little time, but it all worked out great. Elder Dietrich gave me quite a few helpful tips on how to approach it. I gave a training on the subject of "Successful Missionary" from Preach My Gospel. He also gave some really useful feedback on how I could improve and self reflect on how it went. 

We had an awesome lesson on Sunday. There are members in our ward who are hosting 2 Chinese exchange students and they wanted to have us over to give a lesson. We went over and had a very interesting discussion about what God is and what God means. It started with them not having desire to pray, but by the end we had them commit to praying on their own to find out if God is real. It was a very humbling experience and I learned quite a bit on how to communicate.

Also I had exchanges with Elder Johnston this week in the Spring Valley Lake ward.  It's a bizarre lake in the middle of the desert.  It was a nice change of view to see more water than a swimming pool for once.  We had a slow day but had an awesome lesson that night with some members and their less active son.  All in all it was a good evening.

Also Eagles won the super bowl.  CRAZY, this is the first time in NFL history that they won!  Fly Eagles, Fly!

Elder Ellsworth

January 29

I gave a talk this past Sunday!! Not yesterday but the Sunday before that!  It was awesome!!  Seriously, it wasn't a train wreck or anything like usual.  I hit the books and studied and just made some notes for the talk.  Before hand during my preparation, I was pondering the scriptures from section 11 verse 21 from the D&C where it talks about obtaining the word, then my tongue will be loosed.  I pondered this verse and got on my knee's and began to pray.  I asked my Father in Heaven, "I have sought your word from your Holy scriptures, and you have promised to fill my mouth with that which you need me to say."  Those were the words which I spoke in prayer.  That Sunday I got up and felt at peace.  Every talk I've ever given til now, my heart has pumped so loud in my chest just before and during speaking.  But this time, I felt ready and even eager to speak.  It was a profoundly spiritual time for me and just wanted to share it.

Also something else I wanted to share... I've been a missionary for 7 Months now!!!!  Crazy that I've already been out that long.  It hardly feels that long at all.  So much has happened in so little a time that I almost don't feel that's real.  Crazy how fast the mission goes.  

Elder Ellsworth

January 22

First a quick apology.  Last week I wrote a letter, but got distracted towards the end of the email session by the other Elders, (we email at the family history center with the whole zone) and as part of that I got excited and forgot to hit the send button so I did so today.  This is this week's email.

I gave a talk this Sunday!! I only found out about the talk the Thursday before and didn't get much time to prepare.  Oh well   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I got to church and checked out the program.  I was one of 2 speakers and HAD to give a full talk.  It worked out just fine so there was nothing to worry about.  I was never really nervous like I usually get before talks.  I kinda just accepted it.  I got up there, gave the talk, got down and sang in the choir.  It was easy this time for some reason.

On Thursday we had zone conference.  But before that, I had a minor surgery on my toe.  During Zone activity I kicked my toe hard enough that my toenail cut into my toe.  An ingrown toenail that caused me a lot of pain and annoyance.  Got it taken care of, but I'm getting it done again in 2 weeks.  yay :P

I also sent out a few photos.  It rained last week in the high desert, the 3rd time on my mission so far.  Also a pretty cool shot from up above the desert.  And a street in our area called.... Gayhead.... sorry for my immaturity but it was too good to be true.  We got a referral on a certain street so we had to check it out.  When we got there, we were so happy and snagged a few photos.

Life is good.  God is good.  Take it easy.

Elder Ellsworth

2 Nephi 25:26

Email from the missed week

So, last week we didn't get an email. A week later we found out that Ian had forgotten to push send. Haha, that is so Ian. This week he sent last week's letter as well as this week's.

January 18, 2018

Sorry for the lackluster email y'all, not much has happened that was super exciting to the point of writing a big whole email.  We had a good time Elder Dietrich and I.  We worked hard and talked to as many as would listen.  We got a referral one night and went to see her at the first opportunity that arose.  Her name is Armela and we taught her and her husband the restoration.  It was a good lesson and her husband sat in and listened for a while.  She hasn't contacted us since so that was a bummer.  We also have another Investigator that we found while tracting.  His name is Robbie and he has a family.  We saw him playing Basketball with his kids outside once and we thought we'd talk to them.  They told us to come back another time, we did, and taught a lesson and gained him as an investigator.  It was a tracting miracle!!  
We have been doing well and keep working hard.  Don't forget us in your prayers.

Elder Ellsworth

2 Timothy 1:7