An email of the weekly sort...

This week has been really good. I'm glad to hear that everything and everyone is alright, though it sounds like you've all had quite an adventure this week. I hope everything in the house gets fixed up alright.

This week we had interviews with the mission president. They were good, this time he did it a little different, and we had interviews in our apartment. It was really cool. They came over and did the interviews here. At the interview I got two things finalized and worked out with pres.

1) my departure date is officially and finalized to be August 23rd. It is a Monday. That morning Pres and sister Bahr will pick me up directly from the apartment to take me to the airport. It's still a ways away, I still have 4 months left of the mission. I am excited, and I'm glad to have everything figured out. I'm registered for classes, and I have my departure date figured out, so now I don't have to worry about it, and I can focus on the work for the last bit.

2) I asked President, and he said I could delay my Mother's Day call so I can be on the phone when Nick opens his call. I did some basic math, and my guess is that he'll get his call before the 23rd of May. I looked back in my old journals, and I got my call pretty much exactly 2 weeks after I completed and filled out my papers My guess is that it would come on a Wednesday, because when I got mine it came on Wednesday. We just need to work it out through email what day I'm going to call. President said it still needs to be a Sunday evening, so let me know what you think, if I should do that or just call home on Mothers day and you tell me where he is going via email when he opens his call. I would think that after he gets his papers submitted to expect the misson call to come 2 weeks later, and on that Sunday evening call home, just let me know what you think.

This week has been good. We are getting close to having a baptism. Dolores is progressing a lot, but she is still not wanting to commit to a baptismal date. We went by Yesterday after church. Moises from the Union City ward came with us.

Well, here's what happened. Moises showed up at the chapel yesterday, he was there to have his last interview with President Drussell to finish up his mission papers, so I was talking with him, and I asked him if he would like to come out with us to an appointment, so he did. It was really cool, he has a very strong testimony, he really touched Samuel (Dolores' son). Moises today left to go back to BYU Idaho for another trimester and then he'll leave on his mission right afterward, so I don't know if I'll see him again. I gave him my contact information, I definitely need to keep in touch with him.

Dolores is doing really well though, We tried to commit her yesterday to get baptized on the 1st of May, but she thinks its too soon. She wants to get baptized, and she absolutely loves to church, but she is a little hesitant to do it right now.

This week we have zone conference. It will be really great. Elder Pearson of the first quorum of the seventy will be here on a mission tour. I am really excited. He was supposed to come back in February, but due to a really bad winter storm he had to postpone his trip. I am really excited for the opportunity to learn. I love Zone Conferences, they are always an opportunity to learn and grow, what can I do better.

I am so excited for this area. At interviews president Bahr kind of hinted that this will be my last area. He said that I was here "to gather up a few more sheaves on your way out" I know that we will have some baptisms, and see some success here in the area. We have a lot of investigators that are really cool.

I have been so blessed as I've been here on my mission. I have definitely changed a lot. I feel I'm a more mature, responsible person, and I am a lot happier.

One thing I remember as a kid, and something that always inspired me to serve a mission was something that Dad used to tell me. He used to tell me that a lot of the man he is came from his mission, or something along those lines. The same is definitely true for me. I know that my mission has changed me forever.

I love you guys so much, and I hope that everything goes well. Nick, Em and Ian, good luck in school. Mom and Dad, good luck in work and with the house, I'm glad the damage wasn't worse. I hope that doesn't happen again.

I love you, and miss you. I'm looking forward to calling home, just let me know what you thing about calling home a little later.

Can't wait to hear from you next week.

Love,
Elder Isaac Ellsworth

Jersey City

This week has been pretty good. My new area is pretty crazy big, though. We recently bought bus passes, and we are slowly peicing together the bus routes. A couple of months ago, there was a threesome in the area, so they did not buy buss passes that month, and the Elders in the area just didn't buy them again since, and so the verbal tradition and knowledge of the buss routes has been lost through the ages, so we are starting from ground zero. We have been picking up bus schedules where we can, and I am slowly marking a route map of the area for future generations.

My companion is pretty cool, He is from Washington. He came out to the mission last July. He was trained by Elder Ward the transfer Elder Ward and I split. I was in the same district as him for 2 transfers, so I know him fairly well already. He is a really great missionary. He has been in the area for 3 months already, and for the most part I just follow his lead, I really don't know my way around yet.

Other interesting note. Elder McBroom is my district leader. Also, Elders Wray and Godfrey (from my MTC district) are also in the same district. We all know eachother really well, so it's a lot of fun. Elder Godfrey and I have had 2 common areas, we both served in WNY and in Rockland county, though at different times, Elder Wray also served in WNY. But both of them served in the 60-70 area.

Things area going well. There is this awesome lady named Dolores we are teaching. She is from Ecuador. She came to church Yesterday and she loved it. We are trying to get her to get baptized this month. She has desires to, but I think she has some doubts. One of the sisters commented to me that Dolores was worried, because she didn't know what to say to her church why she didn't go yesterday. We have another appointment on Tuesday, and we'll see how that goes. She made us some delicious Ceviche last time we went over.

I love this ward. Yesterday when Dolores came, there were so many sisters and members fellowshipping her and saying hi, After the meetings, one of the members asked me for Dolores' phone number so she could call her and invite her to a family home evening at her house, and to invite and encourage her to come to church. It was really cool. I know that Dolores will get baptized soon.

This week has been pretty cool, I'm still trying to get the hang of the area, but it's going well. On Saturday we had the opportunity to help and serve the bishop of the ward. We spent a couple of hours painting a railing, and then the bishop made us some burgers.
OK. Here are a couple of pic's, it's been a while since I sent pictures, so here goes.
The first picture is a really cool panorama I took on my last day in West New York. It was reallly foggy that day, and you could not see the Hudson because of the fog, or the sky. The effect being that there was fog above and below the view of the city, so I had to get a picture.
The second picture is from the event I was just describing. The painting. In this pic are Elder Larsen (my comp) and Elder McBroom (my old comp) painting at the bishops house, and the third picture is the bishop while he was cooking the burgers.
I hope that everything goes well for you. I wish you all the best of luck in everything! I'm glad to hear that the trip to Italy went well, and I hope everyone else had fun in Canada (or at school.) I love you all and miss you so much!
Love,
Elder Isaac Ellsworth

Transfers....

Now I am here in Jersey City. Things are going good. My new companion is Elder Larsen. He is from Washington. The area is probably the biggest walking area in the mission. We are doing well, we have some really cool investigators. I am very excited. It is more than likely that I will finish my mission here.

Today I got on and finished up my registration. Melanie got on and registered on Saturday, and today I got on and finished up a few details, so I am set. I am registered for 16 hours next Semester. I am excited. I can't beleive that school is right around the corner.

In other news, things are going well in this area. I haven't had a chance to meet all the investigators yet, Elder Larsen said that they are hard to get a hold of, some of them, and we have a diofficult time getting appointments. The ones that I have met are super awesome, there are a lot of prepared people here.

Of course, it's also tough because this week being General Conference, I didn't get to meet tons of members on Sunday, but from what I am told, the ward here is really big.

Speaking of General Conference, it was amazing. I loved it so much. I hope that everyone enjoyed it. Priesthood session was spectacular. Several of the talks about missionary work made me think about Nick and Ian, how much of a blessing being a missionary has been for me, and how much it will positively effect them as well. As Elder Rasburn spoke about the inspired process of choosing where missionaries should go, I recieved an even stronger testimony of that my mission call was of God, and that New Jersey is where I need to be. I also know in the same way that President Bahr is inspired to choose where we are transferred, and thus, I am where I need to be right now, to bless these people.

Our area is huge. We cover Journal Square, Downtown, and almost touching the Heights of Jersey City. If you want that to make sense, maybe you can look up a map of Jersey City, but anyways... it is a big area. We recently bought buss passes so we can make our work a little easier. I am excited, things are looking up here in the area.

President Bahr promised us that with faith and prayer every single missionary will get a baptism this month. I am excited. I am not sure who yet, but we will get a baptism in April. It'll be amazing. Elder Larsen tells me we have a lot of really awesome people, but we just need to get appointments and get members out with us.

I love you all so much, and I hope that things go well in Italy. Thank you for helping me out with everything, all the support. Thanks also for the cookies. They were delicious.
I love you and miss you tons!
Love,
Elder Isaac Ellsworth

Transfers.....The end of the Crusade

I am so excited right now. When I read the email from Nick tears came to my eyes. I really feel overjoyed with the news.

This week has been a little tough for us, but we've been hanging in there. Things are really looking up for this area, though. We have a baptism scheduled for this upcoming Sunday, as well as a baptism for the 25th of April. I'm really bummed that I am leaving, West New York and the people I have come to know here have really taken a very special place in my heart. However, I know that the Lord has work for me to do in a new area, and I am ready to serve. "I'll go where you want me to go, Dear Lord"
So, yes, we got the transfer news last night, and the time has come for me to leave West New York.

These last two transfers have been a huge challenge for me. More mentally and emotionally than anything else. Finally the sleep issues are starting to get resolved, and in my next area I will be able to hit the ground running without the burden of extreme exhaustion that I've had here. I've tried my best to work through it, but it has most certainly been an uphill battle these last few months, but I made it through. I feel like the Lord has blessed me and that He is pleased with me. He has certainly been testing me these last few months, and I pray I have proven faithful.

I am so glad for the time I have been in West New York. This has been the area I've been in the longest on my mission, and will be the longest. It has been a huge blessing, I have learned so much from many of the people I've taught and worked with, I've learned a lot about enduring trials and overcoming discouragement, and how to be a leader. I certainly hope that I can take the lessons I have learned here to my next area and work hard to bring about the Lords work.
I know that this is the Lord's work, and I know that He guides us. I love being a missionary.

Today we are going to make some stops and say goodbye to some of the members. It is really hard for me to leave this area. However, at the same time, I'm excited for what lies ahead. This area has certainly been an area full of growth, personally. I have really learned to overcome my weaknesses, and how to overcome discouragement. The sleep problems have also taught me a lot about preserverance (spelling?)

Also, President Bahr called me last night to tell me I'm being released as District Leader. I've learned a lot from that opportunity as well, from being a district leader. I probably will not have more leadership in my mission, but it was a good opportunity to learn and grow.

Also, I may be heading to my last area. I'm not sure, but either the next area will be my last area or I will have one more afterwards. I only have 5 months left, so who knows where I'll go or be. As the hymn says "I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord."

I love you all so much, and I hope things continue to go well for you. Good luck in Italy, I am sooooo jealous. I hope everyone else has fun in Canada. Again, I am a little jealous. Do you know what? I have never even met Elsie. They have sent me pictures, I need to meet her at some point when I get home... but anyways.

I love you!

Elder Isaac Ellsworth

Mom's note: Elder Ellsworth did not know where he was being transferred to when he wrote. They don't tell them until the conference the next day.
Also, for those of you who don't know who Elsie is, she is my brother, John's adorable little girl. She is nearly 3 but Isaac has never seen her.

Crazy Day

Today has been a little crazy. We had a choir practice in Caldwell, and then we played sports down there, and went to the office, we are barely starting on our P-day stuff. It was a lot of fun, but I don't think it was worth it, as we now don't have time to finish everything we need to do.

This week has been good we are starting to get everything turned around a little bit. I'm still extremely exhausted all the time, but I am doing a little better. I got the package you sent recently. Unfortunately the earplugs didn't work, so I'm still on the couch. But I'm doing alright.

In other news. Right now we have 2 baptismal dates. We have this awesome investigator named Carlos. We've been teaching him for about 2 or 3 weeks. He has a baptismal date for the 4th of April, either before conference or in between sessions. We also finally got a hold again of Javier and set him with a date for the 25th of April. Things are going well.

Also, quick note, Transfers will be in one week from tomorrow, so do not send anything to the house address, I may not get it for a while if it gets there late, it would probably be better to send all the mail through the mission office for this week.

I love you all so much and i hope that things go well for you, I'm sorry this email is a little short, but I promise I will write more next week. I'm going to get those glasses ordered today, and hopefully everything will work out better now with the sleeping, I hope so.

By next email I should have the information about whether or not I'm getting transferred, I'm pretty sure that I'll be leaving West New York, I've been here for quite a while.

Love,

Elder Isaac Ellsworth

March 15

On Saturday we got hit with a very bad storm. Huge amounts of wind and rain. Elder Butler and I were in most of the day, as we were already sick, and didn't want to get worse. The three times we left the house to go to appointments we came back absolutely soaked. On Sunday we still had a lot of wind, but not as much rain, and it is still raining a little bit today. It's been a little crazy with the weather, but we're managing.

Things are still a little slow in the area, but we are doing well. hopefully once I start sleeping I'll be able to focus and work better and we can get things going more in the area. This week the Ward Mission leader wants to organize a "blitz" of our area with the members and missionaries to get the work jump-started. Hopefully it helps a lot.

This week we got an awesome new investigator. His name is Carlos. On Tuesday I went on exchange with Elder Hoover, and we taught him at the church. Last Sunday he had just shown up, and Elder Hoover and Elder Ward set up an appointment with him. We taught him the message of the Restoration, and at the end of the lesson he gave the closing prayer. In his closing prayer he thanked God for sending the prophet Joseph Smith! He also accepted a soft baptismal invite! I know that soon we'll be able to set him with a baptismal date. We have an appointment today at 6:00.

Sorry that this email is a little short. We have a guy coming to fix our telephone line for our fax machine, and we need to be there between 1 and 5. hopefully he comes earlier so we have time to do stuff.

I love you all so much, I hope you have a great week. I'll send a snail mail letter today as well, I have something I need to send to you.

Love you,

Elder Isaac Ellsworth

Rough week but moving forward with faith

This last week has been a pretty rough week. More than anything the biggest problem remains that I am not sleeping at night. I have been so exhausted, I'm still hanging in there, but the going has been a little rough because of the insomnia.

This week has also been a little rough, and more than a little discouraging, we spent 13 and a half hours this week looking for people, most of it knocking doors and stopping by less actives on the ward list and former investigators, but we found no new people to teach. We even began with a fast last Sunday and asked the Lord to bless us that we could find 6 new investigators this last week, and we found none. Which makes me wonder, what is it that we are doing wrong to not allow Heavenly Father to answer that prayer. One thing is that we have not been opening our mouths and contacting everyone as we should be.

Saturday and Sunday, however, gave me a lot of new hope for the area. I've been feeling a little depressed lately, partly because things are going really rough in the area, but mostly because I am so tired all the time. By Saturday I had just about lost all hope, That evening, however, we had a missionary fireside aimed at helping encourage the youth to serve missions. Brother Mathusek from the stake high council, who had recently returned from being a mission president in Atlanta, Georgia, was there as one of the principle speakers. During his talk he also mentioned the environment of the spirit and the miracles that Missionaries live in and see, and it was inspiring.

During the rest of the meeting I sat next to him and Translated to Engligh for him (he doesn't speak Spanish) and in the middle he stopped me and whispered into my ear. "Sometimes in Missionary work you have to go throught the grime, and the sludge, before you can really appreciate the wonderful experiences you can have. Once you make it throught those, the Lord can bless you, and when you look on those times in the future, they will still be joyful." or something along those lines, and that really stuck out to me. Yesterday Brother Mathusek also came to our ward and gave a lesson in third hour encouraging all the members to do missionary work, and it was an amazing lesson. I came out of there really inspired.

When I got home that day I said a prayer. I asked for forgiveness in not opening my mouth, and I promised him, I told the Lord that I was going to go out that day and talk to 10 people about the book of Mormon. and I asked Him to put someone in our path that would be prepared to hear the gospel. The 7th person I talked to was very interested and we have an appointment to go by on Friday. It was a miracle. Several others accepted pass-along cards and said that they'd call the number. I know that the Lord is in this work.

Um, in other news, I finally got the holds removed from BYU. Last week I wrote them an email asking them what else I lacked, but they wrote me back telling me they removed the holds. I now have my registration priority date, April 2, to register for Fall semester. Again, thank you dad for taking care of that for me. Now things are smoothed out, and I can register. I can't believe ( still ) that it is already time to start thinking about college. Although it is not my number one priority, missionary work is.

Also, In 2 days I hit my 18 month mark. I am so old.
Ok. Here are three pictures.
The first one is of my companion Elder Butler. There is also a story behind this picture. The lady in the background is Sister Bernal. We stopped by the laundromat to set up an appointment, and while there she made a joke about Elder Butlers last name, and so we gave him a white towel and had him pose like a butler, it was pretty funny, as you can see sister Bernal was laughing pretty hard.

The second picture is of our new apartment on Moving day. It was a little rough, it took us about a week to get fully moved in, but the apartment is looking great right now.

The third picture is me. I have this really thick tie, and I wanted to see how thick I could make the knot, and as you can see, the knot is really thick. But the tie is really short. Elder Butler said it looks like how Tongans tie their ties. It made me laugh. I have one more picture I want to send, but I will have to write another email to do it.
I love you all and miss you so much. I hope you are doing well, and I can't wait hear from you again next week.
Love,
Elder Isaac Ellsworth