Week 79, March 21, 2017: Peace, Be Still...Keep It Real! Welcome Home!!

Welcome Home, Elda Dawson!!!

Having our Elda Dawson home is a bit surreal.  He is on antibiotics and has slept for 20 hours straight.  He has conferenced with the Stake President and honorably released from missionary service.  He is disappointed in the way his mission has ended but we are so very proud of his service.  

We know that he has some healing to do, both physically and emotionally, and we feel so blessed that he will be able to heal at home with us!  We love him so much and we are so grateful for his adventures, and being able to share them, through his letters!  The Adventuring Mormon has returned home!

 

Week 77, March 5, 2017: An Email From Mom...Miracles

Dear Jase,

I know that you are aware of the miracles that transpired in our lives this week because you spoke with Elder and Sister Clark but I want you to know from my perspective...

After I got your email last Sunday I sobbed.  It is a helpless and scary position to be in, so far away from a sick and sad child.  My faith remained intact that you were under the watchful eye of our Father in Heaven but my heart could find no peace.  I hardly slept that night.  Monday morning I was the perfect example of nervous unrest.  I looked your symptoms up in the internet, which exposed me to a terribly array of horrific possibilities...not the best idea!  

I thought about attempting to contact the Clarks but was torn between being "that to-involved Mom" and interrupting their schedules.  The thought to email Sister Clark came to me repeatedly and finally I took a break at work and sent the email.  I asked that if she had any connections, if possibly one of the missionary couples might just check on you and I left it at that.  

It seems so miraculous to me that she chose to check her email at that moment...not barely 5 minutes after I pushed SEND.  

It seems so miraculous to me that you were all in the same town.

It seems so miraculous to me that Elder Clark is a Doctor...a foot doctor even!

It seems so miraculous to me that not only were you blessed but I was given such comfort!

My testimony of our Father's love for us and his plan has been deeply strengthened.  

You are never alone or forgotten.  You are right, that sometimes we need to go through hard things...growing pains!  But, through it all we are being watched over!

You, my sweet boy, are prayed for by hundreds everyday!  You are never forgotten!!  

I am proud for your obedience and drive!  Continue it!  Work hard!  You are my hero!!  

I hope your legs are so much better!!  I hope your heart and spirit are much better as well!!

I love you!!

Love,

Mom

Week 76, February 26, 2017: Hard Stuff, Avert Your Eyes

Hey everyone, I'm sorry I haven't emailed you guys in a while. Dad is right, I've just been way busy these past couple of weeks, but to be honest, it's something else as well. I'm probably in the worst physical condition I've been in on the mission. My legs are cover in these nasty sores. They puss and bleed and ooze and hurt SO BAD. I've talked to the mission nurse, bless her sweet heart, and she is doing all she can but, it seems like one of those things I just have to go through. It just sucks right now. I'm sure all missionaries have this time, so I'm just going to toso ga. Just keep moving along. #allamericanrejects

I gotta say, I'm pretty excited to hit my 18 month mark soon. It feels like a it's been a long time coming. 

I'll be fine and I'll email you guys every week I can. I love you guys and I miss you. You guys are awesome!! 

E Dawson

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Peace Be Still

Keep it Real

Week 75, February 19, 2017: Pictures and More Pictures

 

Week 74, February 12, 2017: Strange Things Are a Foot At the Circle K

What's going on everyone. I know you all missed me. As for the heading, I just needed something catchy.

So yeah, Elda Sooula went home. I'm really going to miss him. He was an awesome companion. We spent the week saying good bye to almost every single person we knew. It was exhausting, but thus is the life of a missionary. 

My new companion I got on Friday. His name is Elda Rakatia (think racketeer). He is Fijian. He's from Naitasiri, Fiji. We was trained by Elda Ogden, follow-up trained by Elda Aguiar, and now me, so he has only had companions from my intake. I'm way excited about our companionship. We're gonna kill it!!!! 

The area is the same old same old. There has been lots of rain which has caused a few problems but nothing crazy. Oh, I totally ripped a toenail off this week. IT TOTALLY STINKS!!  I also literally got bit by a centipede last night so...physically, I feel great. Nah, but seriously, I'm doing fine. It's been a good couple weeks. I love you guys. I hope you are all doing well. 

--

Peace Be Still

Keep it Real

Elda Dawson.

The little one is "Maku" he's a little strange 

Sooula and the members

Week 72, January 30, 2017

Yo, yo, yo! This week was so interesting. Well not really SO interesting, but it was still sick. 

So every Thursday, Sooula and I have to go to Suva for some meetings that he has to do before he dies (ends his mission). So anyways, Suva, is pretty far away, so we get to hangout in Nausori on Wednesday night. We hang with our zone leaders Elda Sarufa (Papua New Guinea) and Elda Whiting (Utah, USA). We have so much fun. This past week we played "DARE" Uno. Things got crazy. Like responsibly crazy, but still crazy. Those two are way cool. I love them.

So yesterday something way sweet happened. So we were walking through a koro and we got called over by a woman that we had talked to before. We went in and taught a little something to her and her husband. I looked around their house, which was very "Fijian farmer", but I noticed some really nice Rugby stuff kind of scattered around the whole house. After we talked we asked if we could do anything to help them and the wife said, "Well, he plays rugby, maybe you two come and play with him." Seemed harmless and fun, so we said maybe one day. So we come to find out that he was A FIJI 7s rugby player. Like one of THE FIJI 7s players. Yeah, so we are totally going to go play with him, and when I get home I will be the captain of the US Rugby team. Just fore warning. It was a funny little experience.

Anyways, that's me. I love you guys. 

Elda Jasen Dawson

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Peace Be Still

Keep it Real

Week 71, January 22, 2017

Bula,

Well, I don't have much to say. I'm enjoying it out here. It's a lot of walking but you know, that is life here. Elda Sooula and I are just chillin like a couple of villians up in our little slice of heaven. The weather has been gnarly. Lots of rain and then lots of sun=humidity. It kinda stinks. 

Oh okay, crazy stuff, there is a girl here in my branch, she is 14 and you'll never guess her name. EMMA! Yeah I basically have my little sister in my branch. We are homies already because I told her about Emma.

Yeah, that's about all the excitement I've got for you today. I love you guys. I miss you. I'm doing good, just sweating to death. Loloma levu!

Elda Dawson

PS To appease my mother. Some pictures. 

-- 

Peace Be Still

Keep it Real

A cool family in my area

Up in the roof, trying to sniff out that nasty smell.

The SMELL!!

Our flat.

Elda Sooula, the boss!

No caption needed.

They are making a sled!

These are pictures of a 21st birthday celebration.

Week 70, January 15, 2016

Isa lei, 

Time seems to fly sometimes. It's been another awesome week here in Nasautoka. I'm doing well. It's been dumping rain on us like crazy lately!! Everyday we have like a little mini rainstorm, and it seems to really want to hear about the gospel, because it loves to follow us missionaries from koro to koro. Haha, nah, but it has just been pouring. All is well, my shirts really can't get any moldier.  

So not to much is happening in this area. We are trying to re-excite the area, ya know? The last Elders here were great, it's just a slower area I guess. We did some success in a few homes. We are teaching a lot of children. Like tons of kids. We are hoping as we teach the kids we can work on their parents. We'll see what happens. 

We had exchanges with the Eldas in Burerua this past Friday. Guess who the Eldas in Burerua are. Elda Green, my old companion and best buddy, and his Trainee Elda Eberspacher. They are way sweet.

My companion is doing well. He's the man! He is seriously 3 weeks from the airplane, and he is holding himself together way well. He is actually kinda bummed to leave. 

So yesterday when we got home from church and proselyting, we walked into our flat and were greeted by one of the worst smells ever. We couldn't figure it out. Sooula said it smelled like something had died. We called over a few boys from the koro and had them smell around the flat. They all agreed it came from a dresser that we had in our flat. we saw a small hole in the bottom and we knew it was there. So we lifted up the dresser and you would have thought that we had found buried treasure the kids freaked out so hard. Well, we all freaked out. We were all jumping and screaming because there was a HUGE DEAD RAT under the dresser. We are bringing the kids candy for being such champs.   

This area is pretty sweet.

Well I love you guys. I hope all is well over there in 'Murica. The members here send their love.   

Moce Toka

Elda Dawson

PS sorry no pictures. I forgot my camera. 

-- 

Peace Be Still

Keep it Real

Week 69, January 8, 2017

Yadra Vina noqu matavuvale,

So as the title suggests, this new year of 2017 as brought about a few changes. I was transferred! I'm back on Viti Levu (the main island of Fiji), in my old zone of Nausori North. I'm in an area called Nasautoka, which instead of being isolated on the coast like in Nakawakawa, I'm isolated in the interior of Viti levu. It's quite a change. It's a cool area though, I'm happy to be back. 

My companions name is Elda Sooula. He is way cool. He has only 5 weeks left so I'm killing him off. He's from Australia, Melbourne. He's way cool and is SUPER funny! We've been getting a long really well, so I'm excited for this transfer.  

I'm doing well. Just kind of pounding pavement ena veisiga kece, but I'm loving it. I hope you are all doing great. Loloma Levu.

Elda Dawson

-- 

Peace Be Still

Keep it Real

Elda Sooula

Week 67, December 25, 2016-A Mother's Greatest Present!

This post is a little different because we didn't get a letter from Jasen yesterday.  We got to SKYPE! Merry Christmas to me!!



He messaged us a few times throughout the afternoon letting us know that there were four Elders in line before him to use the computers to Skype home.  It was a long wait and then finally...his connection went down.  He messaged that he was going to try Skyping from the home of some church members in his area.  About an hour later we got the long anticipated call.  He was Skyping from someone's phone which gave him mobility.  He immediately introduced his companion, Elder Dunn and a few of the missionaries from his district.  They are such a fun and happy bunch.  Then he walked around outside a bit, showing us the street and the jungle.  It looks like paradise.  

Elder Dunn

We talked about his health, He feels great.  

We talked about his area.  He loves it.  

We talked about how mastering the language is going.  He said he's "boss at Fijian now, because not many of the people of his area speak much English."

We talked about the possibility that he will be transferred soon.  He said it was highly likely that he would be transferred on the 27th of December.  He actually had all of his bags packed and with him and said 'goodbye' to the people in his area just in case.  He said it was very sad to imagine not going home to his little house in the mountains but he is excited to see what the next adventure will be.



We talked a lot about what was happening here in our world; family and friends were the hot topic!  

He showed me a close up of his white shirt.  "See those little black spots, Mom?  Yep, it's mildew! And this is my cleanest shirt!"  His clothes are literally molding on his body because of the humidity. Kinda gross to me, but he just laughed and promised to buy new shirts with some of his Christmas money.

He talked a lot about the great people of Fiji. He loves them!

He is so happy!

Then, he joined his companion and district buddies and he taught the first discussion, all about the importance of Jesus Christ in our lives, in the Fijian language.  It sounded like music to me.

It was shocking how quickly our time with him passed.  We laughed so much.  I cried a little.  His obvious joy in serving and teaching about Christ and his love for Fiji fill his entire being.  His letters are amazing but seeing his face, just beaming with light, was truly incredible.  

I am so grateful that my boy has chosen to take this amazing opportunity to share the joyful message of Jesus Christ and his restored gospel.  I am watching first hand as the spirit of love and service are transforming my child into a man of God.  It is precious to behold.  


Luke 2:10-14

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Merry Christmas!  

A three way Skype with both of my boys was my greatest Christmas present!  

Week 66, December 18, 2016

The Escape From Bua!

So, I know, I know, it's been awhile. I hope you were able to spread out some of my pictures to fill in the gaps.  I'm sending tons of pictures again and honestly am not really in the mood to put a description for each one. So here are some things we have done.

We made burgers the last time we came in. And they were way good!!

We went back up to our area and did a full week of proselyting. We stayed up the next Monday just to save some K's. We did our laundry and bathed in the river really quick.

The following Tuesday we handed over some water tanks to the koro and we had a sweet ceremony.

One of the Senior Sisters taught the kids Rudolph the red nose reindeer.

There are some pictures of an investigator family in there.

Some road work. Our flat tire.

Because of the tire we had to go down to Labasa and live in the Labasa Hindi flat for a few days. It's a palace.

We were told to go back to our area and we went, knowing that it would just cause problems. We did though and then we got flooded into our area. We only brought the clothes on our back and we only had two cans of tuna.

We had to get down. So we followed President Nawele and President Vakalala. It was intense! Pretty close to dying (not really, but for story purposes). We were safe the whole time.

Anyways yeah, those are the highlights...unless you are these kids!

I love you. Hope all is well. I'm doing fine. Loving this place! I love this gospel! Can't wait to see you in a week!!

Elda Jasen Dawson

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Peace Be Still