I can't believe how fast the time is flying by! Each day brings new adventures, new challenges, new trials and new experiences. Today we went to the mercado (downtown area... lots of people and shops and it's kinda crazy!!). Hermana Rodriguez and I wanted to find new clothes. I bought a cute dress and a new skirt! I will take pictures when I wear them and send them next week!
Speaking of next week, its already transfers again! Next Monday we will find out if we stay here together, or if one of us is leaving. I have really gotten so close to my cute companion and will be so sad to leave her! And this ward. I absolutely LOVE working with the members here in our ward Jardines!! They are always so willing to come with us to appointments and if our appointments fall through, they bring us to their friends and family so we can teach them. Just yesterday, Domingo, we taught 4 new investigators because the members asked us to come teach their friends. It was such a good day! And tonight we have 3 lessons lined up with new investigators also. It should be a good evening!

A few scriptures I loved from my study this week.

3 Nefi 22:14 (live rightously and don't worry!!)

3 Nefi 27(KEEP A JOURNAL!!!)

Also--I went on companion exchanges this week with Hermana Guzman. She is so awesome! I have a surprise friend that I saw too... but at this internet place we don't have a way to upload pictures... so you're gonna have to wait to know who my surprise is! Lo ciento!!! jajajaja

I really love you all so much! I have learned so much about being OBEDIENT and DILIGENT while I have been here. I have so much more to learn also.

I invite you to study and learn with me! I am working on studying 3 Nefi right now, about how Christ taught when He came to the Americas! (ps I think its sooo cool reading the Book of Mormon because it was sorta written where I am at!!!! kind of...)

te amo mi familia!

Con MUCHO amor

Hermana Oliphant
ps.  Do you have a picture of me and Daddy on or around my baptism?  I am hoping, maybe, one in the church.  It's to show the investigators what it's like a little . . .  I sure am happy to be here!

Hermana Oliphant and her Daddy.

This week was good. We have been working with the less active members and were soooooo happy when we had some of them come to church this week. One whole family came and other--just some of them--but little by little we are finally seeing people change.

My Companerita sang to me to celebrate 5 months!

I love working in this ward because the bishop is SO active in the obra misional. He texts us and calls us to check on how our lessons are and to make sure we have people to feed us and to make sure everything is good. Part of it is because there haven't been sister missionaries in this ward for 12 years!!! Yes, years not months!!!

What a neat experience it is to be here in this work. It's hard--but I love it. It's hot but we get to go home and have air conditioning and a cold shower!!

I know it's true. I know this is where I need to be. 

Please share my love. 

 

PS I have a surprise!!!!!  I got my hair done today!! The mission leader's sister colored it for me.  My roots are so blonde that my hair was looking green!  It's good to be back!!!!!

 

Getting my hair colored!

RUBIO!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We eat a lot of fruit. Bananas and oranges and tangerines and others that I don't know the names... papaya, and yes mangoes. Sadly, I think I am allergic... so I don't eat them as much. My companion loves that I don't eat them 'cause she eats mine!

This sister colored my hair today!

Playing with fire in our house!

For breakfasts I eat yogurt and granola and an apple or banana; sometimes oatmeal and sometimes eggs--nothing special. My companion has cereal, usually, but I stay away from the milk here if I can because it makes me sick.. :( 

How goes The Living Christ? Memorizing is so hard for me. haha I am still working on D&C 4... he aqui una obra maravillosa esta a punto....ya da dada da

Singing always makes me think of Dad.  We copied some music from our zone leaders to listen to in the mornings and at night. One of the singers sounds like Dad and it made me cry the first time I heard that song. I love it. He sings "Come Thou Fount"!!

I am so happy to hear that Dad was able to practice his Spanish with those guys at work.

Thank you for being the best Daddy I could ask for. I miss you so much. I am truly grateful to have a Papa like you!!!!!
te amo para siempre!

Justicia

aka 

Hermana Oliphant

aka

tu princesa

 

 

About you letters....YES!!!! I got a whole bunch of them this last Wednesday!!!! thank you thank you thank you!!!! It was sooooo nice to read you hand written letters!! Also, I received a letter from Mom Mom for Christmas!!!! And a Christmas card from Shannon,and from sweet Della!!!!!!!!!! And a package from Becky Pickle! Please tell them all thank you so much as I can't do it personally for all of them! OH and Ashley from CFA too!!!! It was so nice to hear from them all! and I now have CFA sauce in Mexico!!!! te hehehe I am going to cook my companion chicken this week!!! yummy!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Now to answer a few questions from Dad:  We drink aguas of all different kinds. YES I have tried Polzol in blanco y caco. I will be honest, I like blanco mejor!!! YUM! It was so weird the first few times I drank it because it was caco and I thought that it was dirt--you literally chew your drink. It was kinda hard to get used to but then when my companion explained that it was not dirt, I actually kinda like it now. There's another one, I don't remember the name.... tascalate I think. But that one really  tastes like dirt to me; but people serve it, so I drink it! Other aguas are really delicioso!!! Como Piña y mango y otros fruitas!!! que rico!!!! 

 

Our bishop has a washing machine and he lets us  come and use it each week. So I haven't had to wash by hand! Seriously, it is such a blessing to just let electricity do all the work!!! And I feel like the clothes get cleaner too..... He is our neighbor and so we are always at his house; for food or meetings or whatever. I LOVE the leaders in our bario, Jardines. They are all so willing to work right along side us. Last night after our meeting with the mission leader, he came with Hna Rodriguez and I to our appointment. It is SOOO nice when we can have a member come with us.  Their added testimonies help so much and bring a different spirit and also provide the friendship needed for the investigators! 

Look, Mom!  It's Clean!

I sure miss the temple, it is our wards turn to clean the Tuxtla temple this week and they signed people up on Sunday. I was jumping out of my seat because I wanted to go, but my work is in other areas for now. How amazing that my momma gets to work in and be in the House of the Lord EVERY single night!!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

Well I have to go. This week has been really good, other than the fact that I went to the Dr friday night... but that's a story for another day. I am fine:  just having problems with the heat--we think. Thank you for everything you do! :)

Hermana Rodriguez

I love you all!!!

Hermana Oliphant

 

PS 5 months in the mission this Sunday!!!!!!

Being silly!!!!

Hola mi familia!!!!

I am so sorry I didn't get to write last week. As you know, I was transferred to Tuxtla Gutierrez. I am now serving in the Barrio (ward) Jardines. My compañera es Hermana Rodriguez. She is from Chihuahua (very north, on the boarder of Texas. She actually was born in Texas!) She is sooo tiny! about a foot shorter than me!! I absolutely love working with her; she is 21 years old and so great. And a plus, she speaks English!!!!!!!!!!! Oh how I had missed speaking English!!! It has helped me with my Spanish because she can explain things better about Spanish and the language!

We got here Tuesday morning and didn't have a house (our ward used to only have 2 missionaries and now has 2 elders and 2 hnas). SO we lived with the sister training leaders and took a bus to our area each day. We got literally lost so many times. We wouldn't get off at the right stop, or we would take the wrong combie, and we didn't have a cell phone so we would have to walk to find a pay phone and call the elders or the sisters or our bishop to help us find where to go. I always hated getting lost at night. We got lost 2 times in the downtown area of Tuxtla and I won't lie, it was really scary. It was dark, and there were borrachos (drunks) everywhere, and we literally could not feel the Spirit there. We took a taxi to our house both times, which was really expensive but at least we were safe. Another time we got lost and asked a police lady where to go, she was nice and helped us out.

 

Thank goodness for investigators!

Riding in the back of the truck.

 Another time, we were trying to find the stake center for stake conference and got lost and finally just got off the combie to call someone for help and one of our investigators drove by and drove us to the stake center, we were REALLY far away from our area. Who knows why we kept getting lost! 

 

 

But We finally have a house now and moved in on Saturday. We went and painted the house with Elder Cavasos from Monterray and Elder Caldwell from Arizona (they are our Zone leaders and also serving in our ward!). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 They help us so much! Then on Friday we bought all our stuff at Walmart with the elders from the mission offices.  It is so good to finally have a house! 

 

"Shop, shop, shop!"

 

 

 

 

So the reason I didn't write last week was because we got lost and used all of our time for pday to find our way back home. I was really sad I didn't get to write you! I am glad you received my letters though! I sent them forever ago. hahahaha

Our area is sooooo small--at least compared to my last area in San Cristobal!! but I love it. Yeah it is sometimes hard to keep busy because we don't have a ton of investigators, but we are working on finding. And we work with the mission leader in our ward. He is a really good help. And our obispo!!! Our ward is small but it's really strong. 

 

 

I have learned so much about obedience these last 2 weeks. When we aren't exactly obedient we have difficulties and when we obey everything, we are successful! I am so thankful to be here on this mission. Yeah, it is soooooo hot everyday!!! and I literally sweat so much. I  am always sticky and I love showering in cold water. Oh and about the showers, I am so used to showering with a bucket and a bowl, haha, but in our new house we have a working shower! yay! 

 

 

 

 

I am about out of time and I just got the pictures to work so I will send a few. I love you all!!

have a wonderful week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hna Oliphant