Hi, I'm Eleva

I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I'm a born and bred kiwi. I'm a single mother of 1 boy and am enjoying motherhood a lot more than I ever thought I would. It is fun and a great experience, and it has taught me to laugh in the most trying of times. I love classical music - baroque is my favourite, Vivaldi is among my top favourite composers. I started the violin when i was 26. It is now a source of joy and pain for me (joy - i love playing, pain - i'm unable to perform without shaking like a leaf and in turn, embarrassing myself), but i continue to play and perform as much as i can, even if it is to the cabbages, potatoes and pumpkins i put on my bed to mimic people. I work a 9 - 5 job and enjoy the stability it provides if not so much excitement and/or variety. I've had to put my education on hold until it is the right time - i want to do a certificate in Animal Management as it is a passion of mine, nearly as much as music. I'm an avid supporter of SPCA & WSPA and dream of one day, not needing these organisations.

Why I am a Mormon

I was born in the church and attended faithfully as children do. Unfortunately, during the i'm-busy-finding-myself years (somewhere between 16 - 21), I fell away and became a part of the world. My true conversion happened when I was 27. It was during Easter 2008 - I was watching a documentary on Jesus Christ. I knew the story of course, we were taught it in primary. What I saw that day was something different though. I saw a man with an unfathomable amount of love who suffered and died for so many people he did not know - including me. I decided I wanted to know more about this man and I started reading the Book of Mormon. It would be the first time I picked it up and I would never put it down. I continue to grow and follow His gospel because i've received a witness from the spirit that this is the true church. It is a testimony he has written upon my soul, my very being and regardless of which way I turn, I know in my heart it is true.
Prior to my conversion, I was lost and confused and all those things you are when you're wandering aimlessly - now, I have never been happier in my trials and struggles and believe me, there are many of those but now, I don't feel alone in them.
When I see pictures of Christ, I no longer see a man - I see my Saviour.

Personal Stories

Could you talk about your baptism?

My baptism felt very special to me, even for someone at that age. I remember I was baptized with my cousin. It was very simple, we had the standard songs and talks and the water was fortunately warm. What I remember the most is that the sun was shining…………………inside the room. It was so light inside the room. I felt so warm and happy, like I was going to burst. I felt like if I was ever going to be anywhere, that was the place I wanted to be, the place I should always be. I know without a doubt that was the spirit confirming the truth of what I felt and believed. That was the first time I can remember feeling the spirit and knowing what it was. I view it now as a ‘dressing in armour for battle’ experience and it has helped me many a time in my life.

How can your talents and gifts bless others?

The talents the Lord has blessed me with in music have helped build up confidence in our ward members. They absolutely love singing (as my profile says, my calling is choir conductor) and if I may say so myself, they don’t do too bad either. They have learnt the healing powers of music – good music that is – in that it can calm very stressful situations and soothe your spirit. Some of our ward members now send their children to music instrument lessons and this is always good for children in both learning, home and church and blesses that child and family with talents to grow and nourish.
A new found talent in teaching has blessed the members in my class with an understanding and enjoyment in the scriptures, finding the lessons that the prophets are trying to teach us through the scriptures and a lot of the times, hidden meanings. They have come to know their scriptures, the prophets and their personalities or what they may have been like a lot more. This has helped them in their own lives in ‘likening and learning’ from the experiences and wisdom of those who have passed on. They have also grown closer as members from what I see and are more confident in retelling experiences that help others and themselves and also asking for counsel and advice from the class.
The Lord has blessed every single person on this earth both past, present & future with talents. Many you may not have found yet, others may have been given up on or malnourished, but each talent, if used in the right way, can benefit you, the Lord and those around you.

How has the Holy Ghost helped you?

The Holy Ghost has guided me in many tough decisions I’ve had to make. What’s interesting is that you don’t realise it until later, sometimes years later. Each time I’ve listened to him, the result has been a benefit to me and my family. So why wouldn’t I listen to him all the time? Because I’m also human and as much as try to strive in bettering everything I do, I also make wrong decisions. Usually because it’s more fun or exciting than the other, or it’s easier and sometimes it is for experience which can be a good thing in the end but most of the time, the reason I make the wrong decision is because I’m not listening and/or don’t want to. This stubbornness has lead me down many dark and dreary paths and it is only by the grace of Jesus Christ and the companionship of the Holy Ghost that I have found my way back to a well lit road.
The Holy Ghost has helped me to rediscover my testimony in knowing that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me and his son Jesus Christ who did die for me. He has strengthened my testimony in the church as well and helped me to know the truthfulness of this gospel. Most of all, the Holy Ghost has comforted me, when I’m feeling really low or I’ve had the world on my shoulders or even if I’ve just had a bad day, he does something that makes me feel warm inside, that puts everything into perspective and that gives me enough strength to continue to deal with what I need to as well as smile. Knowing that he is there with me, that all he wants to do is help me and lead me back to my Father in Heaven is comfort and guidance enough.

How I live my faith

I'm a teacher of 2 adult-classes in my ward. They have been a blessing as they require in-depth study of the scriptures. I have in turn found a new love for the scriptures. I look forward to rediscovering the scriptures and their stories every week with the members and the many things we can apply from those stories to our own time. I'm also a ward chorister and choir conductor. I have been blessed with talents in music and these callings help to grow and share these talents. I enjoy visiting teaching (visiting active and inactive sisters within our area to see how they are doing) and growing relationships with sisters in our area. I have a small picture of Jesus Christ and the NZ temple on my wall in my work area. This helps me to remember the big picture when things of the world become overwhelming. It has also improved the language of my work colleagues and the conversations we have which is a bonus.

Who is the Mormon prophet today?

Eleva answered...

President Thomas S Monson
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Amber answered...

President Thomas S. Monson is our current prophet. He is called of God to receive revelation for us today. I am grateful for living prophets and apostles to lead and guide us in this troubled world. I know that they are called of God, and if we follow their counsel we will be happy.

Who founded Mormonism and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

Joseph answered...

I went on a bicycle ride one day with a friend of another faith. He was a believing Christian but told me as we rode that he believed churches and organized religion are unnecessary and that the best way to find truth is to look everywhere. He bought into the notion that there are "many ways to the top of a mountain."

I think there's truth in that view, too. I believe that God wants us to find truth everywhere we can get it. And yet something nagged at me about his view. As we hit the steeper part of our ride, I said, "I think that's a cop out." (We have a pretty comfortable relationship - we talk pretty bluntly with each other). "If there is a God, don't you think He'd have an opinion about what's right and what's wrong? And don't you think He would have a plan for His children? And finally, don't you think He'd want us to know the truth about that plan? If so, how can you believe He would not create some credible and organized way to help us figure out what is true?"

Throughout history that way has been to reveal the truth through prophets. As my friend and I spoke he saw more clearly that there was no reasonable argument for why God would say, "2000 years ago prophets were a really good idea. But today I changed my mind."

Joseph Smith did what prophets always do. He revealed new scripture that confirms all that we had before. He restored God's full Gospel. And he pointed us to Christ. I know Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. And now my friend does, too.