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

Trynn and Colin write their missionary!

We had such a good week! Hermana Maria Rosa was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday! Also, a family that I taught when on companion exchanges was baptized as well. What a neat day and soooo many miracles!

Maria Rosa has been very sick; VERY sick but her testimony is so strong and she has so much faith!! We picked her up and her daughters wern't there. They support her but don't want to have anything to do with the church. When we got to the church house they sent us a text and said to wait because they were on their way!! What a miracle to see them come to see their mom be baptized!! She was scared that the water was going to be cold and the truth--our boiler doesn't work in the church. The Service was supposed to start at 5:30 but the water was freezing. We brought our stove and a pan and started boiling water and dumping it in. We also bought water heater things (metal pieces that you put in the water and plug in the wall) but it wasn't doing much. Finally we got the boiler to work a little and said many prayers. The water was still cold when we started the service. Maria Rosa went first and I stood ready with her towel for when she got out and when I went to put her towel around her, her clothes were warm!!!!!! What a miracle! 

The morning of her baptism, we went to her house for her interview with Elder Northtrup, our district leader, and she was so happy and LOOKED better! and Sunday (after her baptism and confirmacion) she ate real food and didn't get sick, and said that she felt so much better. I know it was a miracle and part of her baptism! 

 

 

Today... I am being transferred. I am sad to leave this beautiful area of San Cristobal... but I know that the Lord is sending me where He needs me! 

San Cristobal Zone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My new area is in Tuxtla and is called Jardenas. It's really hot in Tuxtla.... but I am excited for this new part of my adventure! I got everything all packed up this morning and we are just waiting for the elders to call and tell us when our bus is! and what the plan is cause all they told us was that Hna Perez is going to be training a new missionary here in this area and that I am going to a new area! 

I will have more information next week! 

Pedrito brougt gifts because I am leaving!  He was baptized in Nov. and goes out on teaching appointments with us while he waits to go on his own mission.

 We went out looking for tacos and found yummy empenadas instead.

We walk by this robot alot.  It reminds me of all the cool things Colin builds at home.  This is for you, bud.

Zombies!

These are friends in the San Cristobal Ward.  I am going to miss this area and its wonderful people!

Members of the ward (the Hermano played the piano for me and I sang in sacrament meeting yesterday! He also served his mission in Salt Lake City and speaks English!!)

I love you all and just want you to know how much I care for you and think about you and pray for you! I sure am loving this. It's hard but I love seeing the changes in the people's lives!!!! 

Hermana Oliphant

People wear face masks a lot because of the air here... hahahhahaha its kinda funny!

I love hearing from you each week! Thank you for your emails and letters and love. I truly enjoy all of it! I pray for each of you.

 I think about the moments I spent in the temple, cleaning, and pondering, every day. I love the feeling that is in the temple and cannot wait to go to the temple again. (In our mission we will only go to the temple right before we go home... so I have a while to wait!) I am grateful that we have a temple so close to our home in South Jordan!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so happy to be here serving the Lord. I have hard days, I have good days; some days it's freezing and some days it's really hot and I get sunburned! But, I love it all. 

 

The time is going by so fast, I just feel like it was yesterday that I was headed to the MTC!  I love this gospel so much. I love my Savior. I love sharing my testimony!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had our bathroom worked on this week

and had to clean up today. . . there was dust 

Everywhere!!!!!!

 

 

 

Us 4 hermanas in our ward spoke in church yesterday. LUCKILY I had prepared a talk for last month when we spoke, but because of time I only bore my testimony last time. SO I used the same talk.  I was nervous to pronounce the words right and to share my testimony, but I think I did okay. Hermana Pèrez said it was funny because I turned bright red when I was talking...I didn't feel like I was nervous, but I guess my skin showed otherwise! hahah I do get hot in the face when I try to speak Spanish... it's kinda funny!  Each day it comes a little easier to express my feelings.

I love the people here! It's now so weird for me to see white people..... (San Cristobal is really touristy and so there are sometimes North Americans or Europeans here). I am still not really used to people always staring at me but poco a poco! hahah

I love you all. T

Trying on hats in the mercado

hank you for everything! I love reading your letters over and over again! 

PS! I have used the ninja turtle bandaids as stickers because I can't have them show on my body (tattoos....) but I LOVE TMNT!!!!!! woot woot! Has the movie come out yet or is it this fall!!!???

I love you!

Hermana Oliphant

 "Yeah it isn´t beans and brews white hot chocolate... but this was the best $17 I have spent since I got here! YUM I love hot chocolate!!! $17 pesos not dollars... haha"

 "HA I thought that the weather was bipolar in Utah.... NOPE! it's definitely worse here! We wake up shivering and freeze during our morning studies; then when we leave the house at 12 it's so hot and we sweat all afternoon!! literally! and then by about 5:30 we need our jackets because it gets cold at night. And by the time we get home at 9pm it's really cold and we use our gloves and our noses are all rosy and red!! So we carry our jackets with us every day while its super hot.... not exactly ideal but hey we gotta do what we gotta do!"

 "yep I have definitely got tan lines hahaha
ha"

And she thought Mom's tan lines from sandals were silly!

"My packages from home!!! yay! Thanks family I love you so much. Buenas Tardes mi Amoroso Familia!! Thank you for the letters I finally received both packages this week! Merry Christmas, New Year, and Valentine's Day all in one night! hahahah thanks!"
It took 7 weeks for one;  5 weeks for the other.  Mail is unique in Mexico.  Justyce is still waiting for the weekly letters family mails to her.  It is sent by a different carrier because of the smaller size of the envelopes.  Thank goodness for email.  We get to hear from each other weekly through that means.  How did our parents do it before computers!!!

 "haha my arms are getting buff from doing laundry by hand. no joke." She is learning to be very discerning about what needs to be washed.  We would show you but it is only personal stuff that gets weekly attention...

 "I have been teaching English and talking with investigators in English to help them with their school work. Interesting way of teaching, but hey we do what we can! We have an English lesson tonight at 6:30.

 This week I have studied about marriage and temples a lot. In the Ensign from conference I have read some talks about the importance of marriage in the temple. I loved President Oaks talk, 'No Other Gods'. READ IT. I loved it!! I love how our church is centered around marriage and families. It makes me so sad to see so many broken families here. I just want to help them all be happy!!!!!

I love you all so much and pray daily for your well being and for your safety while I am here serving the Lord. I am so thankful that our family has been sealed in the temple and that we are receiving so many wonderful blessings that come from staying true to the gospel! I love you!"

 Hermana Oliphant decided to get her hair cut.  She misses the extra length but her hair is much healthier.  She still gets stared at a lot but is realizing her time is well spent in San Cristobal.

 This is her new hair style.  She looks great!

I am here to do the Lord's work and this is where He wants me to be! Even though this week was one of the hardest yet, it was probably the closest I have felt to my Heavenly Father. I prayed so much this week!!! And my testimony of prayer is sooooo strong! I love talking with my Father in Heaven, because even though I can not talk to my earthly parents, and I want to all the time, I can always talk to Him. Always. and He will always listen and always answer my questions!





Probably the best feeling ever is when we are at church and one of our investigators walks in- by themselves! That means that they are there because they want to be there, and not because we talked them into going and picked them up... which we do a lot of. One brother came to sacrament meeting yesterday!

Today is a sunshiny day!

It is amazing how much the light of the gospel shines in people's eyes--when they finally realize it's true; when they say their first prayers.  It's so amazing and I am just loving this work. Yes, it's cold, yes it's hard, yes my feet are swollen from walking and I sometimes get blisters between my toes, yes people reject us and yes I get lots of people staring at me (because I am white...) but I LOVE this gospel! and I love being a servant of the Lord. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else for the next 14 ish months. This has definitely been a huge change, but  a big blessing in my life.

Muddy shoes.. oh the joys! haha This picture was taken as we were resting catching our breath from running away from an angry dog. I really REALLY don't like the dogs here!!! They are always barking at us and scaring me!! blah!

Real tamales! Yum!