Elder Jason Elquist, December 1st, 2014

Hi,

So, funny story.  Last Monday my companion and I were walking around the train station looking for people to talk to and we bumped into this homeless guy. My companion and I talked with him for about 45 minutes and during this time, the homeless guy told us how he pooped out his cancer. He said and I quote "I was sitting on the toilet for three days pooping and reading the bible just like how Jesus was died for three days and on the the third day I poop out my cancer" if my companion and I didn't have the spirit with us during this whole conversation we would of probably been beat up by a dirty homeless guy. 

That is the coolest thing that happen to me this week so sorry about the short email.

Elder Jason Elquist, November 24th, 2014

Hey people,

I guess the holiday season is here and this time of year a lot of people are thinking about stuff they want or need  and forget what we are truly celebrating. The First gift of Christmas was not wrapped in fancy paper and tucked under a tree. The first gift of Christmas was from Heavenly Father to everyone who has lived or will live or who is curreting living. Heavenly Father sent his Son Jesus Christ to be born in a manger. Jesus Christ did everything for us and all we have to do to be able to live with everyone that we care about forever is Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receive the Gift of The Holy Ghost, and endure to the end.

I am thankful for a loving family who has helped me overcome so many trials. I am grateful for friends who love me and always have my back. I am thankful for the gospel and what peace it gives to my life. 

--

Love,

Elder Elquist (Jason)

Elder Jason Elquist, November 17th, 2014

In The Book of Mormon, 1st Nephi, there is this a well known scripture that everyone knows and could quote. It is "And my father dwelt in a tent".   I wanted to know why that verse is in there and why Nephi would write it in there. So I was thinking about what was happening in the scriptures at that point and Nephi and his family were just about to get the to the land Bountiful. Nephi and his family where about a few months away from the promised land.

Lehi was a prophet and he was suffering from hunger, thirst, and he was only sleeping in a tent.  A prophet of God was suffering but he had faith that he was going to get to the promised land. In our everyday life we all will go through hard times and if you are like me some times you will say that God does not care about you but that is wrong to do. If you have faith, Heavenly Father will make the hard times become the times on which we build our foundation. In Ether 12:27 the Lord says if men come unto Him, He will make their weak things become strong. I just wanted to encourage you all if you are going through a hard time keep going because soon you will be in your own promised land. I love you guys a lot.

-- 

Love,

Elder Elquist (Jason)

ps. I broke two of my front teeth last p-day playing lacrosse and someone hit me with a stick.

Elder Jason Elquist, November 10th, 2014

sup guys,

So this Wednesday when My companion and I were biking down this hill I almost hit a car. So my companion and I were riding down this hill and I was hauling and we went to turn left and I took the turn way to wide and there was this car park on the side of the sidewalk. I saw I was going to hit so I slam on my brakes and my brakes didn't stop so I was hauling at this car. when I was about a 6 inches away from I stopped. I know that Heavenly Farther is watching out for me because he sent someone or something to stop me because I should of hit the car and got really hurt. 

The picture is of the bathroom at a park that I run to almost every morning and we were just walking around at night and it got really foggy. Love you guys.

Elder Jason Elquist, November 3rd, 2014

Hey guys,

So nothing new has really happened to me just crashed a few more time on my bike. I have learned the hard way to tuck your pant legs into your socks. A lot my bike problems who not happen if I did that.

 Now I am going to compare my bike crash to getting a girl pregnant.

 A lot of people now a days do not obey the law Chasity because they feel like it prevents them from having fun or showing someone they love them.

 When I ride my bike with my pant leg not tucked into my sock it prevents a nice breeze from going up my leg when I am riding my bike down a hill and it makes it so my legs get even hotter when I am riding my bike up the hill. 

Now lets look at what they do if we follow them.

When you obey the Law of Chasity you develop a stronger love for Heavenly Father because he has given you the power to bring life into this world. It also helps you to have self control over how you feel towards someone.

When you tuck your pant legs into your sock it makes it so your pant leg doesn't get caught in bikes front derailleur and prevents you from crashing.

Now I am going to tell you what happens when you don't do these things.

When you don't obey the law Chasity you may not get a girl pregnant but you are taking a gift from God and you are making fun of Him by saying I don't care about You, I am going to take this gift that You have given me and make fun of You by misusing it.

Now when I don't tuck my pant leg in I don't always crash but when I do I crash hard.

Jason

Elder Jason Elquist, October 27th, 2014

Hey guys,

So I crashed 3 times on my bike this week and 2 of those times I totally ate crap. One time I ran into a handicap sign and bent it.  The other time I ran into a curb but I saved myself from eating crap. The third time I was riding down this grass hill and I hit this pot hole and I went flying off my bike. I ruined one of my white shirts but my bike is OK. 

The mission is hard and a lot of the time I crawl into my bed, but I would not want to change anything about it, because I know that I am doing the Lord's work.  Even if I am not baptizing people or teaching a lot of people. A lot of the time I am just planting seeds for other missionaries to come and harvest at a later time. Everything I have is because of the Lord and how He has blessed me. My mission is not at all mine, because it is Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christs mission and they are just allowing me to help them because they want me to learn and to grow. 

One of the many lessons that I have learned is patience.  A lot of the time we as humans want it now and a lot of the time it is a righteous want but it is not what Heavenly Father wants right then and that is hard for us. We want everything to happen when we want it to, but once you turn it over to Lord it will happen and it will be even better than when you thought it could because you get it and you also get other blessings. Love you guys.

Love, Elder Elquist

Elder Jason Elquist, October 20th, 2014

Hey guys,

Nothing really new has happened this week. This Saturday my companion and mine investigator got baptized and it was really cool to see my hard work finally pay off. I know that everything I have is a gift from Heavenly Father and that we would all have nothing if it was not for him. 

We should all be doing indexing because of all the things it can do. There is a Mormon message and it is of a guy who overcomes his porn addiction because of indexing. During family home evening at least once a month we should have kids doing indexing because of how strong the Holy Ghost will be because it is a form of missionary work. 

Love you guys,

Love,

Elder Elquist

Elder Jason Elquist, October 6th, 2014

Hey, 

So nothing new has really happened to me, on Saturday after the afternoon session some elders and I went on a blitz of an area. My companion and I were walking and we contact this guy who was just wasted it is way funny, he got mad because his face was not on a mormon.org card and then he made fun of me because I have really big lips. He started making duck faces at me trying to get his lips as big as mine. Then on Wednesday my companion and I were riding on bikes to Less active members house and this black guy drove pass us and yelled F mormons at me and then when he pass my companion he yelled F you to buddy. Other then that I have nothing new happen to me. So in General Conference I receive a lot of answers to my questions. But They talked a lot of about family so I think no matter what we need to make family time the most important time ever. Love you guys.

Love Elder Elquist

PS. I have already lost about 35 pounds

Elder Jason Elquist, September 29th, 2014

Hey guys,

So this last sunday we went to a missionary farewell lunch and when we walk into the house this lady walk up to us and said she wants to take the lesson and she sat up a appointment with us and we went and talk to her and taught her lesson one(restoration) and she said she wants to get baptize. Then Yesterday this guy from the Cavery chappel stop me and I thought he just wanted to have talk but he ask me how we are saved and I said "We are saved by grace but only after we do everything that we can do like Repentance, Faith, Baptism and recieve the gift of the holy ghost" and then guy just start attacking me and saying that I am going to hell if I don't accpet that it is by grace alone that we are saved. I almost punch this guy in the face and my companion saw that I was about to throw a punch and He said we did to leave and we start to walk away and then the guy start to follow us in his car so we went and got in are car. ( my companion and I have a part time car and we have it from saturday morning to tuesday morning). Love you guys.

Love,

Elder Elquist

Elder Jason Elquist, September 22nd, 2014

So nothing new has happen to me. Nothing really cool or spiritual either. On Wednesday night we My companion and I were walking threw a park because we did to get one more contract and we ran into this guy name Nate who just moved from Colardo. He seems like a good potential Investigator.

Editorial note by Mike:  Jason says he is doing great!  He has dropped about 6 inches off his waist size already.  The weather is nice, and he sounds happy.

Elder Jason Elquist, September 15th, 2014

Hi,

So on Thrusday me and my companion were walking to park to go to the bathroom and we got to this light and we start to cross, for some reason me and my companion just stop for no reason. then within seconds of us stopping this truck which was speeding ran the red light and missed us by inches. The lord is watching out for his missionaries. Nothing will happen to his faithfull members unleast he wants it to happen. Sure you hear stories about good, faithfull members dying from cancer or by being hit by a car. but at the same time the lord need them back in heaven. The lord will protect us if we are living worthy of his care and protect. Sure there will be hard time and there will be good times all we have to do is live a worthy life and let the lord guide us in all that we do and say. Elder Elquist

Elder Jason Elquist, September 8th, 2014

Hi,

Right now my companion and I are only teach two investigators name Jesus and Christa. we have taught them the Restoration and the plan of salvation. I have learned that the lord will bless me but not in the way I wanted him to. The first blessing that I have gotten is Having a good Trainer who will joke around with me but is still focus on doing the work. The next blessing is giving me comfort when I am home sick. He dose not make me miss My family and friends less but He he allows the Holy ghost to comfort me. The next blessing is having friends who are on a mission a knowing that they are going throw the same thing I am. I might not be able to teach people like the prophet and 12 apostle teach us but I am able to to bare testimony and have the holy ghost touch the peoples heart so they know the things I say are true. Another blessing is having such a awesome support system that are Family and Friends. Love you guys even you Braden

Love,

Elder Elquist 

Elder Jason Elquist, September 2nd, 2014

Hey Guys,

Right now I'm serving in the Carlsbad 4th ward. I am two miles away from the beach and it seems like no one wears clothes. I have had the cops called on me once and nothing happen because I was not breaking the law. I had people swear at me, My feet have really big blister on them, I walk about 10 miles every day up and down hills, The weather is really hot and humid. But I love being able to serve the lord. People might hate me here but I know the lord loves me and is blessing me. My companion and I are teaching a family name pligo, they are a Mexican family but they are understanding what we are teaching them. It is cool being able to see the spirit work on people that I am teaching. Love you guys

Love,

Jason

Elder Jason Elquist - August 24th, 2014

Hey Guys,

So I finish my online test and class early so I get to email. Life in the MTC is going really well now, when I finally get use to the MTC I have to leave for the mission field. A Elder in my zone is suffering from some serious sin and he is still doing in it the MTC. He can't feel the spirit and he is blaming everyone around him because he can't feel the spirit. So my spiritual thought this week is repent now before you go on a mission because without the spirit with you on a mission you are just wasting the lord time and your own time. in the scriptures it says "For I the lord will not be mock" to me that means if you try to the lord work and you're sinning you are just making fun of the lord. I strongly suggest that anyone who is suffering from any sins that you should repent now. Saying you are going to repent later is just making fun of how the Lord Jesus Christ suffered for our sins. To me repentance is the biggest gift and blessing that Jesus Christ gave anyone and who ever is wasting that gift is the biggest idiot ever. 

On a happy note I leave for airport at 4:30 in the morning for a flight that leaves at 8:40 am... OK that is not really a happy thought for me but I know the lord will bless me because I serving him.

Who ever is going on mission should prepare now to better serve the lord. I strongly suggest that you guys should study the scriptures and the bible because my TRC investigator really knows the bible. You should study the bible not to bible bash but to best be able to tie bible stories to book of Mormon stories.

Love you guys,

Elder Jason Elquist( Big J)

Editorial note:  We had a chance to talk with Jason on Tuesday, both when he was at the Salt Lake airport and again when he arrived in San Diego.  He is doing amazingly well now!

A New Beginning - Elder Jason Elquist, August 18th, 2014

Brief note from Mike (Dad).  Jason has had a rough start, with a lot of being homesick, but things are looking up for him now.  This is his first group email from the MTC.

"Hello the MTC is kicking my butt, the food is destroying me, lets just say I have spent a lot of time in the bathroom. I keep on Having to tight my belt a little each day. Last Thursday it was really hard and I was thinking about calling dad and telling him to pick me up. But I decide that I should get down on my knees and pray for help. The next morning when I woke up I felt this feeling of peace come over me and I knew i'm where Heavenly farther wants me. I know I have a lot of weakness but if i turn to the lord he will make my weak things become strong. love you guys

Love

Elder Elquist"

Well I hope everything is going well for everyone, things are going well here, we are just working as hard as we can, I am just trying to enjoy all the time I have left, and it has been awesome things are going well, we actually just got a ton of work done in are own area in the past day, which has been awesome. I have just enjoyed being here, I have also just loved being with the Porters they are awesome.

This past week we had to deal with a lot of crap and so that makes it fun and tiring, we had it by Saturday and then we actually got to take a Preparation day which was nice. Well I have to get going but I love you all and hope you have a wonderful day.

Love

Elder Elquist

I hope everyone is having a good day this wonderful February Morning and I hope that things are going well for everyone, things here are going amazing, I am loving life and just working as hard as I can. I wish I had more time in my area but that is the only thing that I can say. But I am busy which is good. Thanks everyone for the happy birthday wishes and for the prayers. I don't have tons of time this morning but just wanted to get on and tell everyone hi and that I am still alive. Take care.

Love

Elder Elquist

Elder Elquist, January 27th, 2013

Well this past week was really fun. To start off the week we ended up going to Dayton on Tuesday for zone conferences which was really fun to see my old zone and catch up on how are some of the people I taught were doing, so that was good stuff. Then Tuesday we were with the Cincinnnati North stake, and it went really well. Then Thursday finishing them up in Cincinnati East Stake, it went really well and we were able to get a lot of training done. It was super long though, it went until 5:30 that day.

Friday we had to go to a zone weekly planning session and it was really good, we had a lot of great stuff happen, in being able to see how the missionaries are doing there planning sessions. So that was good.

Saturday we met with President and ran errands and then Sunday we have had several people to stop by and then we were able to get a lot of stuff done today, that was pretty much all the stuff we were able to get done this week. Things have been really good though, just getting lots of work done and trying to stay as busy as possible.

The work in the mission is going awesome there is a lot of amazing things happening all over the place and it is going to be an awesome year for the mission this year.

Well I love you all tons and miss you.

 

Love

Elder Elquist

Well how is everyone doing this lovely December morning, everything is going really well here. I have been all over the place this last week, we didn't get time to work in are own area but it has been a blast. This past week the miracle that has happened is being able to pull off the Zone Conferences. It was a little shaky at first but we have been able to get them down, we still have 3 more to go but it is going to be a blast. Everything is going really well and we are just getting things done. Things are going well and we are just getting things done and trying to get as much done in the time we have. We never have time in the day to get everything done we need to. But we have to keep on moving forward. Well I love you all tons and miss you.

Love

Elder Elquist

January 13th, 2014

Well hello family, I don't have tons of time to write right now but I want to send you a quick email and just let you all know that I am alive and well, we have just been super busy with a bunch of stuff going. These next 2 weeks are going to be gone everyday except Saturday through Monday and then the same the next week. So it will be a lot of fun. So I have been getting questions a lot about when I email and stuff and when my preparation day is. The truth is we don't really get one, so when ever we have time to do stuff we do it. So I email occasionally during the week to get it all done and what not. But for the most part we are constantly busy doing something, we have about 24 exchanges to do and 4 weeks of traveling and trainings. So we are super busy. So it will be a lot of fun and time just flies.

I was going to try and email everyone but I just don't have the time, I will try to email everyone a little bit but for the most part I will email later in the week, when I have a chance.

But it has been amazing being here, it is sweet getting to watch President Porter work and just seeing how much the spirit guides him and helps him to guide the mission.

Well I love you all and miss you. Take care.

Love
Elder Elquist