FREE 99 (plus faith)

Me and my best friends: President and Sister Teuscher

Aloha family a me friends,

Just as I told President Teuscher, this week Harlem was poppin.

On the bus, I had a conversation with a man who told me that he makes about $10,000 a day by having these workshops teaching people 10 secrets to being successful in the business world or in other words things "not taught in college". He said since I was nice he would tell me a few tips. Basicalllyyy he talked about how you always need to be happy and always have the attitude to help others out. He gave me his card. Moments before we had to get off the bus I gave him our card and said, "Friend. Everything you just told me are things I have learned from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These are things not learned in college but by experience. Give us a call sometime and let us teach you...free of charge".

Call me beep me if you wanna reach me ;) #nanaphones

Sometimes we just look hashed and tired...but Emma's still our friend

Splits n contacting at Columbia University! Sister V (who has served mostly in the Bronx):
"Thereʻs so many Asians here I'm so happy!!"

Mama Anne from Kenya made it to one year of being baptized.
She's awesome! Happy Baptism Anniversary!

We (or maybe this was just me) often look to superficial, temporal means to get answers or to find happiness. We look to books and internet posts, and "run to and fro...and...not find it" (Amos 8:12). When truly God has given us the means to find answers and that is through knowing and actually living the Gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the holy ghost, enduring to the end).

We learn of this gospel by studying the Book of Mormon, the book that has changed my life and motivated me to come out here and serve every day. The gospel of Jesus Christ is amazing and priceless. No monetary value can be placed upon it or joy that I have felt from living it. However, eternal life and happiness through Jesus Christ doesn't come easily. Faith is the labor we perform to earn it. Doubt and fear will constrain us while faith will set us free. Faith truly is a verb.

Hopefully all my thoughts made sense today...if not just know peace in this life and in the life to come is free of charge IF we put our faith into action and actually LIVE the gospel. It doesn't matter how rich or how poor we are, whether we are an actress on Broadway or an immigrant from Ukraine working full time as a single mother. All that matters is your faith. Hold onto the eternal truths that you know. Hold on tight and never let go because life ain't easy and its sure to be a rocky storm ahead...But hey He never leaves you :)

Helaman 15:8 teaches

"Therefore, as many as have come to this, ye know of yourselves are firm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing wherewith they have been made free".

Randoms:

1) Found a Hawaiian BBQ place down the street. Not too shabby at all I must say.

2) A member took us to eat at Shake Shack and it was my first time there. In n Out Burgers are still the bomb

3) Talk about split miracles; Sister Villareal and I were on a busy street and a lady started staring at us. Turns out she's been looking for the church for several years and has been reading the Book of Mormon! She lives up in Yonkers and will start going up there!

4) Several people who Sister Dunne was teaching when she first got here in February have been reaching back out to us :) . God has a plan and a time for every one of His children.

5) Truly am coming to understand what it means to "mourn with those that mourn" (Mosiah 18:9).

6) Tomorrow I hit six months of being out on the mission. Big paina (party) tomorrow for Sister Dunne and I since we came out together!

Me ke aloha,

Sister Ellis

Believe Believe Believe