Kooper Called To Serve

Elder Eliason opening his mission call!

I remember saying to him that night, "Well Kooper in two years we will know exactly why you were called to Idaho."  He turned  to me and said, "Mom, I will know within the the first week!"

October 6 & 13

October 6

So, since Elder K is the District Leader he has to go on exchanges with every companionship in the district once each transfer.  When he goes on exchanges, I become Senior companion and area leader.  This last week was weird though because my companion has only been out as long as I have been out.  I was a little worried about how our 24 exchange would go, but in the end, things went really well.  We visited everyone that we needed to.  After our dinner appointment, I wanted to see if we could contact some less active members that we haven't met.  I had all of their addresses so I knew where to stop.  As we were walking down the street, we were in front of the house that I wanted to stop at.  But I got the feeling to just keep walking.  So we did and I didn't tell Elder V that we were going past.  As we went a couple houses further down the street, a middle aged lady came running out of the house to see if we would go talk to her mother, because her mom saw us and wanted us to come in.  So we did.  The middle aged woman is a member in another ward, but I found out her parents aren't.  Her mom has cancer, and she wants us to keep visiting.  So there is potential for missionary work there!  It is cool to think that it was all possible because we didn't stop at the one house.  I love having experiences like that, it really strengthens your testimony!

Say hi to everyone in the family for me! And give my love to Rose (Axel).  I just referenced my dog with a good Johnny Cash song because I'm hardcore.

October 13

On Thursday night, the 16th, I will get my patriarchal blessing.  That is if everything works out.  I got all of my interviews done, but they can't figure out how to print my recommend for it since my records aren't with the ward.  We are trying to figure out how to do it at the mission office.  Hopefully it all works out!

Read Mosiah 2:41

It's a good one!

Nampa Pictures!

Here are a few pictures from Nampa!  He is pretty good at taking selfies! :)

I love seeing him so happy!

MTC Pictures!

SD cards are awesome but they just don't come with captions!  

Bits and Pieces!

The letters that Elder Eliason send are all amazing and the best part of my week!  I love reading his thoughts and noticing the growth that happens each week!  I don't want to share ALL of the letters that are written to me, but I want to share some of his insights! 

(Forgive me for getting behind - and I did add a few things to help us remember his awesome personality! haha)

August 18, 2014

In the 22nd ward, for sacrament meeting the stake high councilman didn't show up and he was supposed to give a talk.  So out of everyone that they could get to fill the spot at the last minute, it was me.  So I found out I had to give a talk when I came into the chapel!  It went well.  Shared some experiences and bore my testimony.  So it was short and sweet. :)  But I'm getting along with everyone just great and having pretty fun.  Nothing too exciting has happened yet besides getting yelled at a few times! haha  

Is my dirt bike still sitting in the garage?

September 1, 2014

It's kind of weird not having to school at this time of year!  Oh well I learn every day and carry a backpack around so it's almost the same thing!

Read Mosiah 16:6-9 and 13-15 and then Alma 5:6.  After you do that, make sure you remember everything that your Heavenly Father and Christ has done for you, and remember those things in your day to day life and base decisions off of that!

September 8, 2014

Where did you put all of my dirt biking gear?  I don't want any of it to be used.  Actually Kutter can use my boots, but that is it. 

Fun fact for you, it has almost been two years since the Brigham Temple was dedicated and we did the Temple celebration.  Cool stuff!  

September 15, 2014

Did you get my email saying that I'm going to be serving in just the 22nd ward?  Well that's what we are doing now haha!  Be we have those investigators who we are getting ready for baptism.  We have only taught the first discussion to them, but it sounds promising.  It might be a slow week here since our member are going to be cut in half.  Hopefully the members will really help and things will pick up fast.  Pray for us!  Besides that we are just doing a lot of less active work.

Read 2 Nephi 2:11, It's a decent one! haha

PS I probable won't eat that roll or gatorade I left in the backseat FYI haha

September 22, 2014

This week has been a little more difficult so far.  Like I said, we only cover  22nd ward now so our work has been cut in half.  We are trying our hardest to find more people we can visit regularly so we can stay busy throughout each day.  So hopefully our hard work can pay off soon!

But we were able to teach the W family the 2nd discussion which was neat.  We got them to commit to baptism which is exciting!  They will be my first ones if everything goes through.  

Oh and can you make sure all of my jerseys and pants and under armor and just all of my dirt bike stuff gets put away into my gear bag?  I don't want anything getting used while I'm gone!  Don't mess with my jackalope either!

Read Alma 32:28  It is about seed.  There are 4 things that will take affect on you in this scripture.  Find them, and the first letters of each word will spell seed.  Tell me how it goes...

(And moms favorite...)

Thank you for raising me to be the way that I am.  So thanks, I appreciate it!

September 29, 2014

This week was way better than last week.  We were able to find some more people to teach, which is awesome.  One of the families is a part member family so hopefully we can get something started there.  We also taught the 3rd discussion and some of the 4th to the W family.  I don't know if I told you but we have a date set for their baptism on the 18th of October.  So that's exciting!  It makes me happy that they are making the decision to be baptized.  It helps me realize how important it is to stay out here. 

Oh and by the way, President is letting us watch that new Meet the Mormons movie tomorrow!

I know our Heavenly Father loves us more than we could ever imagine!  He wants each one of us to be able to live with Him again one day.  So we need to strive to do our best in this life and be faithful.  And when we ourselves are truly converted, it is our duty to help those around us come closer to Christ.  We can do that in so many simple ways.  Like giving service, inviting someone to church, strengthening you family, or even just by being an example.  Do the things that you know would make your Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ proud.  I know by doing so will bless your life with peace and happiness, as well as have a positive effect on those around you.

First P-day in Nampa!

What's up?  Yeah Elder Freeman is my Zone Leader right now, he is pretty cool!  He knows a lot of people that I do.  He is a great kid!  But yeah right now we have five elders that are living in an apartment which is pretty crowded!  But we stop in and see the Bearwaldts family and see how the progress is on their basement, because that is where we will be living here in a few weeks!  It's coming along great!  But yeah the people in my area are super awesome, even the non members!  Everyone knows where Tremonton and Snowville are haha!  But the only problem we had this week was with an 85 year old man who lets us go over and give him a spiritual thought. His wife was a member, but she is now in a nursing home.  So we went over to his house, and his daughter was there, and told us that we were rude, only being in our teens and telling an 85 year old man how to live his life!  haha it was funny and we just remained nice to them!  But that was the only issue we've had!  We walk at least 7-10 miles a day in the heat which is a lot of fun! haha But all is going good and I'm starting to eat more of a variety of foods, which is shocking I know ha!  But we are going to have a baptism here in a couple of weeks though, exciting stuff!
I left my camera at the apartment!  No pictures for today sorry!  But yeah send me some good pictures!  
Alright well I have to leave so Love ya!


** Elder Freeman is from Perry, Utah and also has a love of dirt bikes! :)

From the Mission President

Received an email from the Mission President along with these pictures.  

Elder Eliason and his companion/trainer Elder Knighton

Elder Eliason with Mission President Cannon and his wife.

Week #2 - Goodbye MTC, Hello Nampa!

I'm hoping that Elder Eliason will soon be settled enough to start sending updates for the blog!  Right now I am just sharing parts of my letters and emails, and there are just some things that are between a missionary and his mom! :)

Kooper flew out Tuesday morning at 11:30.  I was able to talk to him at about 2:30 that afternoon.  He called from the mission home.  He sounded great!  He said he still hasn't felt 100% but he was okay!  He had to keep his call short because they were already being sent out to knock on doors!  He didn't know where he was going to be placed yet.  Like I said, there was not a lot of time to talk so I didn't get too many details.

A few hours later I got this sweet text and picture!

First day out for Elder Eliason!  As a mom of 2 missionaries, I knew his mom would need a photo!

When I found out it was his first day I told him we had to send a photo to mom!  He was excited!

Lisa Harrison

The next morning I got a quick email!

Yea it was great being able to talk to you! So everything you send, it has to go through the mission office. And the address you have to use is Elder Kooper Eliason 1008 W. Sanetta Nampa, Idaho 83651! And if you send packages, you have to send it through the post office priority mail! I would like something soon because it would be nice:) But I'm only allowed a certain amount of time on the computers to let everyone know I'm okay. My trainer and new companion is Elder Knighton from Clinton, Utah. He has been out for nine months. It's kind of different actually doing the work, it was kinda scary proselyting haha! But oh well it will only get better, just have to work harder! Oh and my first area is the Nampa South 10th and 22nd wards! Stuck in the city:( But all of the new elders are so let's hope I get to go out in the sticks:) I think we do transfers every 6 weeks though, but who knows what will happen? Well I made it and look forward to hearing from you! Love ya!

And finally today, 2 weeks after he left, I got an email with words that a mom loves to read!  Check out the first line.  Makes me happy! :)

Ha I'm actually having a lot of fun now! 

But I live in an apartment right now, the people we were supposed to live with, their house  flooded! But I'm in a walking area... been walking at least more than 5 miles a day! But Monday is my pday so I will email you more then! Im just on the computer because we got a new missionary last night so we are at the family history center! Bye!

I Love My Missionary!!

Just Awesome!

Just received this awesome text message!  I have been looking forward to messages like this one, just didn't expect it so soon!  My heart is full!

Hello! I was your sons' first investigator at the MTC, their district taught me all last week and today. These Elders are spiritual giants and have learned to love and serve like Christ. They are brothers and have strengthened each other, and together they have studied prayerfully and diligently to teach me. My husband and I also saw them serving in the temple. Your Elders carry their message, the priesthood, and the name of Christ with honor.  -Melissa Rose Johnson

The First Week!

Wow! What a journey this is!  

We have already experienced great blessings this first week of Kooper's mission!

We were lucky enough that Koop's P-day fell on Saturday! This was a welcome blessing after dropping him off just Friday afternoon and him not feeling well!  It was nice to get an email from him letting us know that he was feeling better, not great, but better!  It took a little bit of the sting away!

He gave a list of things that he felt like he needed sent to him like hangers, stamps, letters from his favorite people and friends, and beef jerky!  Quite the list!  It was fun to hear his personality come through his writing.  He told about how another elder took his spot in his room because he didn't think Kooper was coming, and then when he got there he didn't want to move.  So he is in a room with two elders going to Alabama!  He said the one was pretty cool.  The other he said was "a little bossy but he did sit ups last night so I'm not messing with him"!  Haha! 

P-day on Saturday also meant a letter in the mail on Monday!

 The First Letter!

His letter was so good! He told of the struggle of going Friday feeling sick and being in a classroom for 3 1/2 hours!  He said he thought he would die!  That night he was able to reflect on the craziness of the week and know that he can do this!  He is being blessed!

Wednesday was Awesome!  We have a cute choreographer and friend that has done routines for

 Hi-Steppers many years.  Her mom works at the MTC and she told me a couple months ago to send Kooper to her and she would give him an otter pop!  I had reminded Kooper of this in a letter.  Well, Wednesday she came to teach a routine and when she got there I asked her if she needed to call her mom for anything and maybe have her go look in on Kooper and report! Haha! 

Little did I know it was already in the plans!  Within 10 minutes of her being there,

 I had 2 wonderful pictures!!

Kooper and his companion Elder Barrow from Seattle Washington

Kooper and our good friend Travis that works at the MTC!

My friends mom works in the travel department and she called Kooper and his companion to come down so she could get the pictures and give an otter pop of course!  While they were there Travis called and she told him she was getting pictures of an Elder for someone from Bear River.  He asked questions and figured out is was Kooper and told her to not let him leave and he came over to see him!  How cool is that!?

These are awesome blessings for a missionary mom!  

I think it has been a pretty awesome 1st week!  A hard first week, but I know that Kooper is happy and I am happy that he has chosen to serve!  

Just 103 short weeks to go! :)

Arriving at the MTC - finally!

Kooper will always have an interesting story about his arrival to the MTC.  He was scheduled to arrive Wednesday, July 23rd at 12:45 pm.  Well, at about 2:30 am that morning he woke up a very sick elder.  We were not sure what to do.  I called the MTC and they put him on the schedule to see a doctor as soon as he arrived, but they didn't understand this poor guy could not even lift his head to get in the shower!  I took him to the doctor and discovered he had a temperature of 103.  I called the MTC again and it was decided that he should get better before arriving.  His new arrival would be Friday!

Friday morning came, and Koop was still not feeling very good and I could tell he was super frustrated.  At some point he just decided he wanted to go no matter what. His dad came and visited with him for a while and they said their tough goodbyes.  

Everything was packed and this mama's breath was taken away as I saw 3 suitcases that held 2 years worth in the back of my car.  I cried as I watched him leave the house for the last time and as he went to say goodbye to his favorite little dog Axel.

The ride down was nice and he loved seeing his name on the overpass.  He was pretty happy to hear that his friends and cousins had put it up to show their love and support.

We stopped at the Provo Temple which gave us all a nice little breather before the big drop off.  There were tears and several times he told me and Kutter that we would be okay!

Then to the MTC.  It was very different from the videos and pictures I have seen.  We pulled up, the only car, right to the front doors.  We got the luggage out and had a few more tears and pictures, then helped into the front doors.  We were helped at the front desk and told to say our goodbyes!  More tears, more pictures, more "you will be okay"s, and more tears.  We walked away and I turned to catch that one more glance of that handsome face!

Yes we cried as we drove away.  We love what Kooper has chosen to do and we are so proud of him, but it is okay that we will miss him like crazy!  He was still not feeling very good, so tonight I am praying that he is feeling okay and can quickly settle into the routine of the MTC.  Much love to Koop! 

Pretty happy to see that his friends and cousins had put his name on the overpass to show their love!
(My camera wanted to focus on him, not the overpass!)

Best Brothers!

He actually hugged me! :)

Even if they fight, it is hard to say goodbye!

Last Goodbye!