Ensign State Of Mind

After 18 months... Sister Ellis has returned home.

Aloha ko'u ohana a me ko'u hoaaloha! It feels like it was just the other day I was looking up all the "New York" songs on Spotify to get excited to go on my mission. And now, with less than two days left, the least I can say is "I <3 NYC" (and Bermuda and New Rochelle ;). I hear that time flies when you're having fun. But when youre doing the Lord's work, I feel like there honestly is no concept of time at all. I had no idear what happened this past week. But that is ok!  Thank you to all those who have followed along with me on this journey these past 18 months or so! Your prayers, emails of love, support, and encouragement were greatly appreciated. Each area I served in, each companion I had, and each person I had the opportunity to teach were each according to the Lord's will. I have loved every minute and moment of my mission. Triumphs and trials have refined and shaped me into the disciple that I know my God wants me to

Aloha family a me friends!  *Just barely got back up from Manhattan and got a bite to eat so lets see how much I can type this afternoon :-)  Oh how grateful I am for the knowledge of the gospel and the knowledge that I have that because of this restored gospel, that I get to be with my family and loved ones for the rest of my life. Of the many blessings that we can receive from our Father in Heaven, I believe one of the greatest blessings is that of  eternal families.  I find so much comfort in knowing that this is not the end. That there is life after this world. And this life includes the people that matter the most to me. My testimony of families strengthened in leaps and bounds as we found family after family after family from all over the world...Liberia, Belize, Guyana (sp?), Haiti, and good ole Mt. Vernon.  Heres a miracle story for you: - Monday afternoon: We get a call from the Facebook Elders in Scarsdale and they basically start telling us that

Manhattan STLs! Sister Rios, Sister Jensen, Sister Haws Aloha family a me friends!  "The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives"   -Russell M. Nelson  Shoutout to Sister Sena for the ice cream :) More and more throughout my mission, I am learning that the joy that I feel is not from what is going around me but what I am focused on at the moment. As humans, we are constantly wandering and wondering which takes us away from the here and now. I've noticed that we always see the grass greener on the other side. We often are guilty of saying things such as "once I do this....then this will happen" or "I can't wait until this...". There is a fine line that we must live by as people and if played wrong, we could take away from our capabilities, capacities, and potential. If we allow ourselves to be pulled away to daydreaming in the future, we are missing out on SO