HEY!

I am so nervous that in 5 short weeks I will be in an airplane... again.... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a new companion, she is from Hidaldo and is 23 years old.... AND was trained by Hermana Humphrey! 

She has 7 months in the mission and her name is.... 

HERMANA AGUSTÍN!!!!!!!!! 

We had quite the week.... our area is full of stairs and hills and andadors ( I am not sure how to say that in English... passageways maybe)

There are a few people who have a good potential of being baptised soon--we just have to help them find their testimonies. We are also working with a couple whose kids were just baptised, but the parents aren't married. We will see what the Lord has in store for Bonampak in the next 5 weeks.

I love being a missionary. I love serving the Lord. I love strengthening my testimony every single time I can share it with others! 

There's not much else that is new. We are in the same Zone as the assistants to President George and our area is right next to the mission home and the temple. I really love walking past the temple or at least seeing it all the time. :) When we go to our district meetings and church, it's in the chapel that shares a parking lot with the temple. I LOVE TO SEE THE TEMPLE! :) 

Sorry this is really confusing, I am not really sure what to write this week. 

I guess I am saving a lot of stories for when I am home :) 

Mom, will you put some extra cash on my card? because my bags are all too heavy and I am sure I am going to have to pay a ton for them on the plane........... I can't get rid of much else! :) 

Dad- thanks for your letters. They always cheer me up! I got another letter this week from December!  Or was it January......

Damon, you better be ready to teach me to box... We saw "Meet the Mormons", and the boxing lady got me really wanting to learn how! 

Ammon, I see people play the violin all the time and they are supposedly REALLY GOOD... I just try to be nice and not tell them that MY BROTHER is way better than them! 

Lincoln, HOW IN THE WORLD ARE YOU SO TALL? and I listen to Piano Guys and think of you... all the time! 

Colin, How is school going? I can't wait to make some more jewelry with you

Trynn- I MISS MY TRYNNER WINNER!!!!!!!!! 

I love you !!!!

Love

Hermana Oliphant

What a fantastic week we have had!

First off, we had our zone mission activity on WEDNESDAY. WE WENT TO THE BEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not only were we aloud to play soccer and football on the beach, barefoot, but we also entered the water!!!!! It was seriously so much fun! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But sadly, I didn't think first, and forgot to put on sunblock... and ended up FRIED! But man it was so worth it! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, THURSDAY we had our branch activity.  It was planned for the couples in the branch and the couple investigators. The second counselor from the mission, President Olea, and his wife came from Tuxtla to speak with all the couples. We had 4 investigators show up!

They all left BEAMING from what they had felt and learned. We were helping out with all of the children.  At one point President Olea brought all the men out and handed them a rose, and one by one they walked back in and gave the rose to their wife in front of everyone. It was SO cute!!!!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then on SATURDAY we went to Tuxtla--ALL of the mission--because Elder Dallin H. OAKS came to talk to us! What a neat experience! Seriously! I was asked to participate in the choir and ended up sitting right in front of the pulpit. So basically we made eye contact a million times! His message was just what the Spirit told him to say and it was so wonderful!
 

 

 

 

 

I felt like he was speaking directly to me! 

He said something that made us all laugh.  He said that the elders (and sisters) who go home are only half of a man until they get married. He told us that our mission is not over until we enter the temple and are sealed for time and all eternity. The mission doesn't end when we are released from being full time missionaries.  There is so much more we have to do. He talked about how we need to make our teaching better, really teach the basics, like what is prayer, how to pray, who is God. A lot of people don't know those things! And a lot of the time we just skip that part because we assume that they know it already. I know I have done that before.

Well there is so much more that he talked about but that is what I loved the most. I just loved being 5 feet away from an apostle of Jesus Christ!!! The Spirit was so strong and I will never forget that experience! 

Well that is what I have been up to this week.

And then this morning we got our transfer calls and I am headed back to Tuxtla. I am going to finish in the ward Bonampac. I am sad to be leaving this pueblito of Zanatepec but I know I will be coming back to visit really soon! I just LOVE IT HERE!!!! I love the members; I love the branch; I love our investigators; I love the motor taxis; I love the tlyudas. I just love it all. But changes are a part of the mission. Plus, this is the last time I will be having a transfer and a new companion... the next companion I have will be for ETERNITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) 

I love you all!

Love

Hermana Oliphant

Feliz Cumpleanos, Papa!

 

Hace un BUEN de calor aqui en Zanatepec!!!

It's super hot here. But I am LOVING my area. We have found quite a few people who are just SO ready for the gospel. We put 8 baptism dates this week  but a few of them fell thru because they didn't make it to church. We did have two show up! 

One is 13 years old and is friends with a member. They came together. And the other is the husband of a sister who was baptised in October. He has been saying that he will come and finally did yesterday! We had our District conference yesterday and Saturday. Hermana Humphrey and I dressed up all cool! But sadly the internet is a bit dumb where we are at today and I will have to send the pictures next week. Ceci might have sent some pictures through facebook! She was asked to share her conversion story in stake conference and she did wonderful! I absolutely LOVE watching her change and progress. It is WONDERFUL!!!!! :) 

I can't believe how FAST the mission goes. I have learned so much and will keep learning more every day. Hermana Humphrey and I talked a lot about the ability we have to make choices this week. We talked about having the eternal perspective and how we have so much MORE to life then just what we see here on earth. I am so excited to know all that God has prepared for me. I am excited to start my eternal family, I am excited to do all that the Lord would have ME do for Him. 

With Hermana Trad at the Tuxtla Gutierrez Temple

I know that the Gospel is perfect. We are not perfect people, but the Lord has provided the way that we can repent and BECOME perfect people. I love my Savior. I love the scriptures. I love being in Zanatepec. I love the members. I love love love love love love love being a missionary! Success isn't in the numbers; success is in the feelings and in WHO you are, not in WHAT you have done :)

Thanks for being so wonderful and for doing all you do! I love you!!

Hermana Oliphant

Well, What a week! We got a call Tuesday morning that we would be headed for Tuxtla at 2 so we packed our bags and went to Tuxtla. Hermana Humphrey had to renew her visa. To my surprise. Hermana Trad was at the mission home!!!!!! I LOVE her! But sadly it was because she was going home. Her ankle and knee were causing a lot of problems and pain so they decided it was better for her to go home. I was so thankful that I was able to be there with her though and on Wednesday, we spent the whole day together in Tuxtla. We went to the Doctor (where she was so nice to hold my hand and rub my back when they took my blood!!! For the first time in my life I had my blood taken and I am still alive!!!!!), to eat Burger King ( we ate Burger King together every time we went to Tuxtla when we were companions! It was a tradition!) and I helped her get all of her things in her bags. AND we went to the temple :) The new presentation video is amazing!!!! I loved it. I love the temple. I love feeling so close to God! That night Hermana Trad and I hardly slept because she was so anxious to be in her house (her plane left at 6:30 am and had to leave for the airport at 5) so we just talked for hours!!!! There were a lot of girls at the mission home, for the visas and because some are sick, so we slept on the floor in the kitchen. Honestly, I will never forget that night. I am so thankful that the Lord allowed me to get to know Hermana Trad!!!!!!

We came back on Thursday and crashed right in bed. 

For Valentine's Day we ate chocolate ice cream :)

 

Sunday we didn't have any investigators come to church, but I was able to help out in the Primary which really made me happy. I LOVE the children!!!!! They are sooooooo sweet!!!!!! :)

I studied 3 Nephi 11 today and LOVE verse 29- contecion is not from God! I got thinking about what is opposite of contention, it's LOVE! so.... Here are some scriptures I found and LOVE. I would LOVE to share them with you! Read them in order..... :)

3 Nefi 11:29

Mosiah 4:14-15

Mosiah 23:15

Effesios 5:25

Colosensus 3:18-21 (LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

1 Juan 4:18

1 Corintios 13

Rut 1:16-17

Sorry this isn't very long.... BUT I am saving lots of stories for when I get home.... 

I hope you all have a wonderful week and remember always how much I LOVE you!!!!!!!

Hermana Oliphant

 

Happy 16 month day in the mission!

Watergirl!

I learned something really important this week. As missionaries we are blessed with the gift of tongues. I always took that to mean that we are blessed to have the ability to speak and understand the new language. But Hermana Humphrey and I learned this week that the gift of tongues is also to help us eat some foods and not die....... We were served something really gross this week. We weren't really sure what it was.... . I can honestly say that was the hardest meal I have eaten in all of my mission! I am so thankful that the people feed us........ but hey we survived and now can look back at what an adventure it was!

Well this week I received a few packages from home!! the one with the 12 days of Christmas!!!!! it was so much fun to read all the scriptures with Hermana Humphrey and try to guess what everything was going to be! We ate so much candy that night... (and yes we opened them all the same night cause it felt like Christmas finally!!!!!) The skirt is just too cute Mom! thanks!!!!! I also received a package from the Curtis family (the Young Women!!!) and from Della (activity days!!!) Please send my love to all those cute girls!!!!!! I couldn't believe that they are all growing up! I remember babysitting some of them that are now in Young Women!!! I also received a few Christmas cards from some families in the ward, the Dixons, Isbels; from Wendy and the Frost family... I can't believe how grown up everyone is looking!! 

 

 

We had a few really neat lessons this week.

Monday night we went with an hermano that we have stopped visiting much because he won't go to church. His dad lives in Chiapas and has been a member for YEARS. This brother has gone to church with his dad before but now doesn't want to go. But we decided to stop by and he told us that he has been reading the Book of Mormon. (he hadn't been reading before). Well we had a short lesson with him and then I had the impression to stop and pray with him in that moment. So we did. We all knelt down and he said the prayer. After the prayer, we all just stayed on our knees and he had his hands clasped together and his eyes shut tight, really pondering.... He stayed like that for about 10 minutes!!! It was REALLY a neat experience!!! When he finally opened his eyes, he was different. We only asked how he felt and he said, wiping sweat off his face, that he felt really warm. That he was even hot! He KNEW that was an answer from God. He told us that the Book of Mormon has to be true and that he knows the church is true. We invited him to be baptised and he said.... no..... But we have faith that one day soon he will accept! He has some family problems that they are working on, and he is struggling to find a job. But it was such a neat experience! 

We have another family with their 2 children. They are always waiting eagerly when we go to our appointments (this never happens here, people never remember the appointments are are NEVER waiting on the couch!!!!) They are so special and please pray for them so that the will be able to go to church this Sunday and not have to go to their ranch!!! 

SO I made a small mistake this week when teaching about the Book of Mormon. I said it was written 2 MILLION years ago... so with the dinosaurs!! ;) oops!! 

In our Zone meeting on Thursday, one of the elders said something I LOVED SO MUCH!!! he said ´Quienes somos? Somos Misioneros, apartados, con poder y autoridad de Dios? O somos Jovenes Adultos Solteros?¨ (who are we? missionaries, set apart with power and authority from God? or Young single adults?) Just something to think about as a missionary... WHO AM I? :) 

I finished Helaman this week and started 3 Nefi!!!!! I LOVED Helaman 5,  I encourage you to study it this week. It talks about repentance and how important it is to be forgiven! Why do we need repentance? Well because NO one is perfect and if we want to go back to live with Our Heavenly Father, we need to repent DAILY! Some other scriptures I liked from my studies this week Santiago 4:17 Isaiah 1:16,18 Hechos 2:38, Mormon 9:21.....

¨the Lord is in charge of his work¨

´We set goals to show our FAITH. We fallow up on our goals to count our BLESSINGS¨

Well that's about it for this week. Looks like we might go to Tuxtla this week because Hermana Humphrey needs to go get her fingerprints done again because her VISA expired.... I hope we will be able to go to the temple again! President said that we can if we have time!!! 

I sure love this gospel! I love being here even on the hard days, even when my feet hurt and even when I just want to play in the snow! 

I love you all!!!
Hermana Oliphant

Hey Mom!

Well this is weird because as I am writing this we have a drunk man trying to talk to us...... at least he can't read English and know that I am talking about him! haha

I have been reading and answering all of the letters from the boys and Dad and then your letter and now I am finally to writing you! 

We had such a full week! We had an 81 year old brother accompany us on Monday night and he was so cute walking around with us to teach some less active members. He lives alone which makes me super sad but he is so firm in the gospel! 

Tuesday morning we received a call from the sister training leaders that we were going to have companion exchanges that day. So I went to WINDY Arriaga for 2 days. I was able to be with the Hermana Pugh from Washington. She is so wonderful and I learned so much from her, I have new goals, I have new desires to work hard, and I have a new way of looking at missionary work! 

I met some really wonderful people and we were accompanied by an 18 year old young man who reminded me so much of Ammon. He is just SO ready to serve a mission but he still has a year and a half left of high school. Just like Ammon :) 

I love seeing how humble people are when they have the gospel in their lives. Especially here. I have learned so much from watching others. Watching the Gospel change people is really changing me!!!

I have been studying a lot about The Spirit and how we can receive answers to our prayers. I think I am always studying about this topic, but it's seriously because you can learn so much! I also found a scripture that I love this morning about how we are all Children of Christ (Mosiah 5:7-8)

I had so much that I was going to write today but I am soooo out of time and we have to run. I will keep writing things in my journal so that when I get home I will have SO many stories to tell :) 

I love you all and hope that you are all happy and that you have a fantastic week! 

Also, enjoy the cold for me.... we are DYING in the heat here!!! It's starting to cook us!

Love

Hermana Oliphant

 Feliz Cumpleanos to my big little brother, Damon.  I love you!

Letters for Home

T-10 and counting!!!

What a week of working! We came home SUPER tired every night this week! On Tuesday alone we taught 7 lessons, contacted 44 people and found 9 new people and invited all of them to be baptized (they didn't accept but we are still working on that!)

We ended the week with 21 new people and a whole week full of appointments.Yes, we are praying that this week just stays as busy as the last week!!! We are also starting to work more with the members; we had a training meeting with our branch president and the ward counsel so we hope that we all start working better together. We will see how this week goes, every day we have at least one person who has committed to accompany us! :) I am excited to see the work really pick up here in Zanatepec! Our goal is to make the branch into a ward, and we are SOOOO close to reaching that goal! We just need to help a few more people receive the priesthood and pay tithing. It sounds like a little task, but it's going to take a lot of work!!!!! 

 

 

 

 

I am so thankful that I have been left here in this area, because I am so excited to see the fruit of all the work we have been doing! I am so excited that the members are working and are excited to help the branch grow! 

 

I am holding a lamb!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lambs belong to our recent convert.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our recent baptism and his wife are progressing. They weren't able to attend church yesterday which made us sad, but hopefully this next week they will be there. She is becoming more and more receptive every time we teach them. Hopefully, we will see her be baptised really soon!!!

It looks like you all had quite the week as well. I am so happy that everyone is doing well. I hope you gave all the cousins and family hugs from me. I cant wait to be with everyone again! 

OH, we took a lot of videos this week, but we can't get any of them to send :( I guess you will just have to all wait :) 

 

I am so thankful for this gospel. Keep praying and studying the scriptures. They will help you all out so much!!! I finally finished Alma this week and am working on Helaman now. I hope to finish the Book of Mormon before April!!! I can definitely do it, just reading like 5 pages each day! Did you know you can finish the Book of Mormon in 6 months if you read 1 chapter every day and 2 chapters on Saturday and Sunday? Cool huh? That means 2 times every year!!!

Well, we´re off in just a bit to go get some food. MAN we are STARVING!!!! :) 

 

 

I love you!

hermana Oliphant