April 18, 2016

Buenas Noticias 

Queridos   

This week was transfer news and I had a feeling I was leaving my birthplace. But apparently I don't have the gift of prophecy. I survived and I am staying in Vancouver with Hermana Alvarez! Usually missionaries get transferred after 2 or 3 at most, this is my 6th here but I guess I'm the exception. I'm a little worried that Heavenly Father needs me to do something that I haven't done so I'm trying to get out of the box here. But I really feel so blessed because we are working with so many prepared families and I get to see all the baptisms through!  Also there is a Jimmy John's in the area so that's probably a factor too. Heavenly Father answers prayers! 

One thing that I have learned more about this week is how He does answer our prayers. At times it's difficult for me to find balance in my prayers of what my wants/needs are and what is selfish to ask for. I know God cares about little things in our life (dance, school, work, bad hair days) that maybe won't be so important in the long run. (Alma 34 so great) But he also doesn't grant our every desire just cause we ask. Sometimes I feel too selfish asking for blessings because I already have way more than I deserve but sometimes find myself wondering why things didn't work out even if I prayed my heart out for them. I have discovered though that if we ask for godly desires and submit our will to Him, he will bless us with the strength and peace we need for whatever trial he gives us. Just like Alma when they were being persecuted by Amulon: “I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoul­ ders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs. And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord" They were the happiest people and they were being treated so unfairly. So next time you have a bad hair day and are asking for it to go away, after that thank him for your hair and ask for his help to still have the best day ever regardless of your ugly hair. And he will! 

Sorry for the long email. I'm just really happy and loving my mission more everyday! I want you all to know how grateful I am for all of you and for love, prayers, emails and letters! I want you to know that I know God is our loving Heavenly Father and he wants us to be happy. I know that Jesus Christ is our savior the hope we have in this life to be happy.  I know that we have been given the Holy Ghost to guide us and help us feel that love, peace, and happiness! 

Love,

Hermana Eldredge

April 11, 2016

Hola mis queridos! 
This week has been crazy cool. I've been given the
gift of hands and got to teach with one of the ASL sisters when our
companions were sick. It was so cool cause I actually know how to say
a lot now! We have a family on date and a ton of miracles!

But we are going to Oregon today to go hiking so sorry I can send any
emails! Tell my mom I love her cause she's a little younger today (;
I love you all the church is true!

Apr 4, 2016

La Conferencia General 

It was my favorite holiday this weekend.. General conference! I have
to say it is such a cool experience to show people what that is that
have never heard about it. Yes we do have living prophets and apostles
that receive revelation from God and then share it with every one of
us. Yes you can watch it on YouTube. Yes they are old and full of
wisdom. Yes that is a lot of Mormons in one room. Yes it's translated
in hundreds of languages. Yes there are temples everyone in the world.
Yes their words are true and directly from our Heavenly Father. Yes
you can get baptized. (That was a brief example of all the questions I
got to answer this weekend, teaching the gospel is way cool)

I really need to repent for being a horrible emailer. Things have been
crazy here in the WVM, but I'm still alive! I did want to share my
highlights of the conference. There were moments where I could feel
the savior's real and personal love for me and moments where I was
taught how I could be a better disciple of Christ. One of the
comforting moments I felt was during the talk by W. Christopher
Waddell. He said "However far we may wander from the path, the Savior
invites us to return and walk with him." The savior is the way for our
happiness and light in this life. Every decision we make we are wither
choosing to grow closer to him or to walk further from him, but he is
always there to guide us home. I have seen his forgiving love in my
life over and over and am forever greatful for the path I am in. I
hope all of you know how much I love you and how much the savior loves
you!
❤️Hermana Audrey Eldredge

 Miracles - the sun is back in Washington

Watching Conference

Helped Hermana Alvarez catch her first frog

Left our roommates some love

Mar 14, 2016

A la bibliotheca! 

Hola Amigos! So this is my first time on a computer for the last 7 months.. It feels good to be back but I feel like such an average citizen here in the library. This week has been crazy full of miracles! We have a family that is going to be baptized soon! And my one of my other favorites started the Book of Mormon this week and is already on chapter 12. There is so much power in that book! We also got dropped by a couple people, but when that happens we know that heavenly father is helping us make time for the elect in our schedules.

Olga had her birthday party this weekend and so basically every Hispanic in Vancouver was at their apartment to hit the piñata and watch her head get shoved in her cake. There's nothing like mingling with investigators and members over delicious tacos and tres leche while little kids almost getting hit in the head as they get the candy (:

Washington is more than gorgeous this time of year and everything is blooming! One of our members at dinner was talking about how it is her favorite time of year because it is the season of change. Just like this beautiful world we live in, we get the chance to become something new and start over. Out of all my mission, that is one principle I have had the opportunity to learn from the Savior. No matter what our natural qualities and abilities, the savior has given us a chance to change. He has given us divine potential to become better than we could by our mortal means. I have seen it here in the people I teach, completely leaving behind parts of themselves to accept the happiness and peace that comes from following the commandments of god. Even more than that I have seen it in myself.

(I still have a long way to go)

I hope you all take the challenge from President Hinckley and try a little harder to be a little better. Our prophets have been called by a loving heavenly father and I know that the more we heed to their counsel, the more we can find love of Christ in our lives!

Los quiero

Hermana Audrey Eldredge

Vancouver West Zone Lunch!

Feb. 29, 2016

La gripa 

Holaaaa familia. Two items of business on this day of preparation. 

1 -I don't remember your birthday 

2 - my emails do not show replies. 

So if I ever don't reply or if I forgot your birthday please let me know
so I can repent and send you a nice card!

Well I'm going to keep this short because I'm actually pretty sick and
dying right now. But I am being well taken care of! Perla is one of
our less actives and she heard I was sick and came over with Pozole
and tres leche for my comps birthday and then one of our other less
actives wanted to make us lunch and made us and the elders come over.
Last night Hermana Ruiz made me come over to try some of her magic
healing tea. I love this branch with all my heart!

Right now Hermana Alverez and I are just waiting on a phone call to
see if we are getting transferred. If we do we won't get any time for
goodbyes just pack up and leave :( but I will go where he wants me to
go.

I have definitely learned the difference between our will and our
Heavenly Fathers. When we are truly humble we can see that He has a
different perspective than ours. He knows our lives so perfectly and
the trials that will bring us closer to him. If we trust Him and
submit our will cheerfully to His, we can receive those blessings that
he has in store for us!
❤️Hermana Audrey Eldredge

 District pot luck! We brought no bake cookies 

Feb 15, 2016

El AMOR puro de Cristo 

Queonda! Last night while we were contacting some potentials and had a
lesson in the street with this couple. The girl was really interested
and accepted to read the Book of Mormon but the guy was a little
hesitant and said he'd never prayed before... He would get a chance
real soon. So we leave and come back to the parking lot about 20
minutes later and we see a car that is falling into this giant hole in
the ground, with one of the back wheels barely on. It's the kid we had
the lesson with. We come over to help him and his phone had died and
he had gotten rejected by his girlfriend. So we told him it was his
chance to pray hahahah but he laughed and said he'd take it. Then we
called a recent convert that happened to live in that same apartment
complex (he goes to the gym a lot) when he saw the car he laughed and
asked if we thought he was Hercules. and he basically priesthood power
lifted up the car and saved this kids life. He even told us he'd pray
tonight! It was a small miracle of the night!

More miracles: we have a family on date for baptism!!!!!! they choose
March 16 and they are the cutest humans ever. We have another couple
that is progressing so well and should be baptized in March as well.
So keep them in your prayers!

I wanted to share one of my favorite quotes for our modern day prophet
really quick:
“We cannot truly love God if we do not love our fellow travelers on
this mortal journey. … We are all spirit children of our Heavenly
Father and, as such, are brothers and sisters. As we keep this truth
in mind, loving all of God’s children will become easier. …

“Every day of our lives we are given opportunities to show love and
kindness to those around us. …

“Love is expressed in many recognizable ways: a smile, a wave, a kind
comment, a compliment. Other expressions may be more subtle, such as
showing interest in another’s activities, teaching a principle with
kindness and patience, visiting one who is ill or homebound. These
words and actions and many others can communicate love.”

If I have learned anything out here is how much our father in heaven
and savior love us. And the best way to show our love is to love our
brothers and sisters here. I have seen so many miracles just from a
small act of kindness given to someone struggling. Gracias for all the
love that I get out here and for all you do for me and for the Lord. I
love you all with all my heart!

Feb 8, 2016

Su gracia es suficiente 

Happy P-Day to all my fellow servants of the Lord and to the rest of you... Hope your Monday keeps on keeping on. This week has been one of those tender mercies weeks. We have been able to work really hard now that I'm back on both feet (well kinda I'm still looking like a cripple). But we had a chance to do some service at the Family Woodlands house and he had us help with his grape Vines while the elders did raking and less cool elder stuff. As he would say "Hermanas you're working in Bill's vineyard while serving in the Lord's vineyard" It was basically a hands on lesson of Jacob 5 in the Book of Mormon! 

*also have a video of Elder Ramirez the Peruvian holding a live chicken for the first time if you're having a bad day it's a guaranteed smile and very probable laugh* 

6-Months! The time is going by too fast and I am officially out 1/3 of my already short time out here. They always say that it goes by fast if you enjoy so I'm going to start hating it so it goes a little slower. Wish me luck! 

Well in all this time Heavenly Father has given me to work, sweat, and slave like missionaries do I have learned a lot about myself and more about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I honestly can say that before my mission I did not understand the full grace and love that he gives to me. We are imperfect children and we come up short, but our Savior knows that and he loves us perfectly. He makes up my flaws and my shortcomings if I let him. Our life here is to shape us into the perfect beings we can someday become. Being here has shown me more than I wanted to see of my flaws and weaknesses. But his grace sufficient for all. Even a crippled, attention deficit, Spanish struggling missionary.

I want to invite all of my favorite people (you) to find what the Atonement really means to you. How even the little struggles of the day can be made better through Him. I am still working on it for myself but I know that the atonement is the biggest miracle that has ever happened. I have seen his enabling power in things as miraculous as me speaking fluently in Spanish to little things like helping me get up at 6:30 am and learn how to listen to others more than I speak.   

Christ is our savior and his love is perfect and never ending. He loves YOU. 

How much greater Valentine's Day can I ask for right? 

Su tarea  https://www.lds.org/new-era/2012/08/his-grace-is-sufficient?lang=eng

Los quiero,

️Hermana Audrey Eldredge 

Un foto es suficiente

Ps my surgeons initials happened to be EW

Feb 1, 2016

Milagros 

Buenas tardes hermanos y hermanas! This week has been too full of
faith and miracles. One of them being that my surgery went well and I
am up and walking (with another cute boot). Everyone here has been
looking out for me and I've been blessed with the cutest human ever as
my companion. She has cooked for me and helped me with everything.
Also took lots of videos of me coming off of the anesthesia... Which
by the way I gave my nurse a Book of Mormon and invited her to be
baptized after so the surgery is not slowing the work.

My testimony on faith and miracles has been strengthened this week. As
Moroni taught in Chapter 7 of the Book of Mormon "Behold I say unto
you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by
faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these
things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because
of unbelief, and all is vain."

Christ performed miracles during his ministry unceasingly, but only
for those who had the faith that He could. The gospel of Jesus Christ
is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So what I'm getting out
here is: Our faith + His will = Miracles. Don't have the faith? Great,
ask for it. He will always provide.  And I see it here every single
day. He gives me the faith on the days I lack it.

Every single missionary in the WVM is fasting in mighty prayer this
next Sunday for our mission president. And we are all going to baptize
someone this month of February.  We have the faith ready and no
unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. So if I might be
so bold to ask you all to step up your faith a little this week and
get on your knees. Ask Him for miracles and be willing to do whatever
is in His will to make it happen. I'll be waiting for stories on how
it goes in this month and I'll be sharing mine here in La Rama 6 (:

Les quiero muchísimo💙🌮
Hermana Eldredge

Demasiado amor y bendiciones

Jan 25, 2016

Buenas Tardes 

The dirty 'couv is welcoming the one and only Hermana Alverez! I said

bye to my mother and trainer Hermana Butler this week. We were sad but
changes are so good for the work! Plus Hermana Alverez and I are
weirdly alike so far, comp unity is all good. She is from Puerto Rico,
likes to cook, and loves to work hard. Basically my Spanish, appetite,
and la obra are all improving!

For those that don't know my Mission President Taylor had a heart
attack, but he has many prayers going for him so he is on his way back
to health but this is what I wrote him for my weekly letter and I
thought you might enjoy!

President Taylor,
Writing a normal letter seemed a little too ordinary this time
So I thought maybe I'll write our miracles this week with a rhyme

I've been loving my mission, even the highs and the lows
We can count our blessings till we run out of fingers and toes

From Monday to Monday the time flies by too fast
Trying to work, sweat, and make our precious time last

The days are long they warned me but the weeks will fly by
I swear last week we were eating presidents homemade pie?

But the New Year begun with fresh hope in the air
Of those prepared to hear of the message of Christ we share

The elect we've found, ready to act on the truths we bring
Because to them His gospel already has a "familiar ring"

They already knew and accepted this perfect plan he gave
Our brother so willing and loving to save our lives from the grave

Only a moment ago we were together in this heavenly fight
We chose our savior, promising to always follow His light

For God gave every child that great light of Christ as a guide
So when missionaries like us teach they feel His love burning inside

The Holy Ghost testifies to them of the father and son within
While we learn and teach his word I can almost feel the veil thin

After faith and repentance, they'll be baptized by immersion as a member
Then a conformation of the Holy Ghost and conventing to always remember

With weekly renewal of this promise by partaking of the bread and water
We'll rejoice together, taking Christ's name as reborn sons and daughters

As we follow the steps of the strait and narrow and endure to the end
His gospel will continue to go forth until the day every knee shall bend

So president thank you for all you have given to serve our lord in your life
The love you have for us and the work radiates from you and your wife

The only thing is, I have to give some advice if you will let me
Only that our mortal bodies aren't perfect just yet as they will be

So if you love too much your heart can't hold it all in!
Though I don't believe that love and working too hard is a sin

Just remember we're thankful for the sacrifice to be here and all that you do
We know you'll be out golfing soon but we're still praying for you two (:

Con mucho love,
Hermana Audrey Eldredge

Jan 18, 2016

HOLA! 

I'm sorry that I don't have a lot of time to email today, this day has
been so crazy! We are going out to the familia prieto in a minute for
their family home evening and I haven't been home all day yet! 

But I get my new companion this Wednesday and surgery the week after!
Hermana Butler and I have been doing amazingly and seeing so many
miracles every day! She gave her last testimony Sunday in time for all
our less actives to come! 

In this picture is a girl we teach with her cousin and her mom who are members. 

This age is so so humbling. Most of the families we teach have girls this age who have amazing testimonies of God already. She will probably be our next baptism (: 

I love you all and I'm So thankful for all the love and support!

Hermana Eldredge

Jan 4, 2016

Washington can't hang

So weirdest Sunday on my mission yet. Christmas came a little late and
we got snow! But since no one is accustomed to this crazy foreign
frozen water on the roads, all churches were canceled and we're not
allowed to drive. So we've been making the best of it with cards games
and called in pizza and tracting our own apartments last night. One of
our favorite families is moving today though so we got special
permission to go help them move until the sun went down and the roads
freeze. I hope all you Utahans keep the snow with you cause the work
has to keep going here!

This week was so fun and busy with lessons. La familia prietos made us
BBQ ribs for New Years Eve and the Texan elders were almost crying
with happiness. I'm so content with the food our members feed us, too
many blessings in the form of tamales.

“I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life
and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals,
we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that
we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to
master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make
a great difference in the results he attains in his life." -Elder M.
Russell Ballard

I can say that Elder Ballard speaks pure wisdom that we are all living
below our potential. Being able to set and reach goals is how we
become something and accomplish. I challenge all of you to set a goal
to change the way you read the Book of Mormon to a way you can better
learn from it. Once you decide to do it, and stick to it 100%, I
promise you will have a stronger spirit of the lord with you at all
times and you will see the difference in your life.

I love the Book of Mormon and I love the lord and I love being his missionary!
Feliz Nuevo año y les quiero mucho,
Hermana Eldredge

Dec 28, 2015

Feliz Navidad 

Hola! This week was amazing. We have been so busy but we got to go to
the temple on Tuesday and it is beautiful! Christmas Eve was the
craziest night ever cause Hispanics celebrate that way more than the
actual Christmas. We were running around all day to investigators and
members to be with their families and eat their tamales. I have never
had such a full stomach or heart!

They next day I got to talk to my cute family and that was the best
present yet! It was so different though to just focus on others for Christmas. We
weren't worried about buying gifts for anyone or parties but just
others and serving. It is such a blessing to have Christ the center of
our lives every day, especially Christmas!

So I'm officially a missionary now cause Saturday night I got asked to
give a 10 minute talk or longer for Sacrament meeting the next
morning. I have been out the least amount of time of the 6
missionaries but still was got called on... I was so nervous but our
investigators told me to come over before to practice my Spanish
before. It all went good though and the translator even complimented
my Spanish (even though I know I messed up some words) Sometimes we
get asked to do things that seem past our comfort level but it's the
best way for Heavenly Father to teach us what we can become!

Hope you all had an amazing week with your families and friends and
you had time to look at all the blessings God has given us, especially
our savior! Les quiero muchisimo!!

Hermana Audrey Eldredge

Egg Nog en la noche buena (Christmas Eve)
Portand Temple Nativity
We visited the nursing home Christmas Eve to carol and this is our new
friend Day

Dec 21, 2015

Ha Nacido Un Salvador 

Christmas is not a day or a season, but a condition of heart and mind.
If we love our neighbors as ourselves; if in our riches we are poor in
spirit and in our poverty we are rich in grace; if our charity
vaunteth not itself, but suffereth long and is kind; if when our
brother asks for a loaf, we give ourselves instead; if each day dawns
in opportunity and sets in achievement, however small-- then every day
is Christ’s day and Christmas is always near.
-James Wallingford

Christmas in the mission field is magical. Not only are we always in
the spirit of Christmas but we get to share the message of the most
important gift ever given. Our loving Heavenly Father gave us His son.
And because He lives we can live also! Being able to share that with
people has been the best Christmas  yet.

Since La Rama 6 is the coolest (and as they say it "La Rama
Maravillosa y Verdadera") we had a branch Christmas party! Hermana
Butler and I made tamales the morning before with Hermana Trejo and an
investigator named Rosa. They also had tons of clothes from an only
nativity thing so everyone dressed up, even the elders hahah I'm sorry
I'm the worst but I didn't take any pictures really.. So I'll have to
get them mom sorry. But we had lots of investigators and new families
and less actives come! T-boo also got baptized this week and no matter
what language baptisms are so powerful and amazing.

Some of my favorite people we teach also went on a double date with
our ward mission leader and his wife to the temple (by the way he
served Spanish speaking in cedar city- so he learned his English from
up Enoch and Kanaraville) so Hector and Ingrid loved the temple!! And
they are also going to take me to Honduras and Puerto Rico when I get
home. (:
Christmas miracles!

Love you all and I hope that you all get the chance to reach out serve
someone during this week. Remember those who are missing family and
give more than you get. I know the savior lives and because of him we
can live also. Thank you for being in my life and FELIZ NAVIDAD!!
Les quiero,
Hermana Eldredge

Dec 15, 2015

I AM SO SPOILED!!!!!! 

Thank you so much!!!!! ️ ️ ️ ️I seriously am so so so so so blessed! I
love all the new clothes they are much needed for me right now 
So this morning was rough ... and then we had to go to a sisters p-day for two hours and
then go clean our car and shop and go to the mission office.... Aka I
had no time at all. 

But I am doing so good! We are having a party in
the branch this Friday for Christmas and we are helping make tamales
the day before at the member's houses! We are singing in the program
next week and we have a baptism on Wednesday so hopefully we'll have
lots of investigators there!! But it's at 9 at night so that's going
to be fun! 

We thought our investigator went to jail... But nah she
just didn't pay a ticket so she was cool to come to church on Sunday
(: it was Hermana prietos birthday and we had a party! We have a big
mission conference coming up this Thursday so I have to drive to Long
view and also I am driving to Portland tomorrow for Hermana Butlers
doctors appointment! I'm going to the be such a good driver by the
time I get back.  

Hermana butler got a package today because a sister sent one out for
any missionary who didn't get one! She was super happy! We are doing
so good here and loving the work! Lots of people to teach! Christmas
is around the corner so....


MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SKYPE ACCOUNT ️ ️ ️ ️ ️

Love you all so much!!! Watch the new a savior is born video. This is
the coolest place to be during the Christmas season.  

🏾

Doesn't get much cuter than this! Christmas dresses for the Hermanas!

Nov 30, 2015

Gracias! 

"Being grateful in times of distress does not mean that we are pleased
with our circumstances. It does mean that through the eyes of faith we
look beyond our present-day challenges.

This is not a gratitude of the lips but of the soul. It is a gratitude
that heals the heart and expands the mind.

Being grateful in our circumstances is an act of faith in God. It
requires that we trust God and hope for things we may not see but
which are true. By being grateful, we follow the example of our
beloved Savior, who said, “Not my will, but thine, be done."
-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I hope you all had a fantastic thanksgiving and ate all day long! I
was blessed with two thanksgiving dinners, adopted in by lots of
families, a couple rounds of uno, and pie at my mission president's
house! Thanksgiving as a missionary has been one of my favorite days
out here!

So with the spirit of it all I hope you all spent some time counting
your blessings before you shopped your pants off at Black Friday (:

Love you all and so thankful for all the emails and prayers. They are
all coming your way too!
Gracias y les quiero❤️
Hermana Eldredge

Helped Olga build a boat like Nefi

Uno under the Christmas tree

Elder Ramirez and I round some worms while raking lawns on

thanksgiving (a million trees and a trillion leaves in Washington)

Thanksgiving service project!

Nov 23, 2015

This week is full of Miracles and God doesn't do random!

Our new investigator is on date for baptism!! She chose the week of Christmas!

Other Milagros:
Hermana Butler and I were contacting a referral in a community of
houses (usually not a lot of Hispanics) and at our last 5 minutes of
the day, like they always say, decided to knock a random house. A
woman about 70 years old opens her door. Immediately yells for us to
come in and sit down. She had gone to a Mormon church in Mexico but
had never talked to any missionaries here and would love for us to
come over and teach her. After calling us her Angels and Guapas, she
told us to teach her how to pray and to come back again for the next
lesson in a few days. God doesn't do random!

We also had a really big lesson planned with an investigator and his
family with some members last night that fell through, we were really
sad but we went to another potential where we had an amazing lesson
with a family that is so ready and prepared for the gospel!

Sometimes things fall through and don't work out the way we want them
to. But that's the things, Gods ways are not our ways and they are
higher than our ways. He knows His people and where we need to be.
Dropping people is hard sometimes but this area has so much to do it's
overwhelming sometimes. I have fallen in love with the Branch here and
the members and investigators.
Maybe it's just the season of the week but Alma said it best: This is
my joy, My great thanksgiving (:  Alma 26:37

So give your families a couple extra hugs, say thanks instead of
please in your prayers a little bit more, serve someone and you'll be
that much more thankful for the those serving you already!
Gracias por todo!
Can't say it in Spanish or English or really any words at all how
thankful I am for all the support, prayers, and love. But thank you!
Con amor,
Hermana Eldredge

Sleepover at our apartment for when Elder Johnson for the 70 came

Branch thanksgiving fiesta (they will literally dance all night long)

Object lessons with El Espiritu Santo