October 13, 2014

(Clay with Elder Nelson who is from our ward!!)

Heyyyyy familia!!

Sooo it’s amazing here!! Well ok, first things first--It sounds like you guys had an awesome week! I miss that gorilla haha!! Ok, so I’m sorry I kinda had to go really quick at the airport--they like called my name over the whole intercom!! haha It was funny and I’m really blessed they didn’t leave without me! haha  So we got here and President is amazing! Just the nicest guy in the whole world! I got to spend my first night with Nathan and it was amazing! They had a huge feast for us when we got there that was sooooo good! I hadn’t had any real food in 6 weeks haha!!  So then the next day we got separated into our areas and I’m in the Walla Walla college place area!! It’s awesome! But it’s kinda weird because I’ve been zebra’d! haha I’m in a half Spanish half English zone so it kinda gets weird with boundaries and stuff.   My comp is awesome!! We both want the same thing and he’s super chill and really easy to get along with! We have a lot in common and I guess he’s been through like everything I have, just 7 months earlier haha! He’s awesome and his name is Clayton haha!  It was so funny when we found out but we are both new to the area so this first week was a little difficult because we are trying to find people and basically starting from scratch.   It’s so fun and kinda cool that we get to do it!  This week was General Conference so we still didn’t really get to meet everyone! hahaha   A quick story about this week--so our first day here we meet with the ward mission leader of our English ward who is an awesome guy and I think he really likes us. He asked us to go with him and give this super old lady who was investigating the church a blessing. It was so cool and the Spirit was honestly so strong in that room!  So then her son, who has been watching her was there and we were just like if there’s ever a time you want to talk, we are always here and he was totally down for it! haha I was sooo excited because he really needed this in his life! So we go over two days later and I was so excited and we caught him outside!!! It was actually really sad because I guess his mom died that morning.  So he lets us in and said he wants to show us a video.  There was something super weird about the house and I kinda just felt sick to my stomach.  So he showed us the cover and it was an anti-mormon movie which was so sad. He kinda bashed on us for a little and then we helped him move some stuff and left.  It kinda taught me two things. The first is, Satan is really working hard on everyone!! He knows how important this gospel can be for people and doesn’t want them to have it. So he beat us to it on this one. Which was way sad! But I also learned about the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Its kinda crazy but sometimes we take stuff for granted until we don’t have it anymore. It was weird but the feeling I had in that house and knowing the Spirit wasn’t there, was a huge testimony builder because I know that I have it! I know the comfort it brings and the amazing blessing it is that we can have it everyday, every hour of our lives. Idk,  just one little story!  Also-- so we are in a college town and the college is a Seventh Day Adventist college which means almost every white person who isn’t Mormon here is that! Haha  It’s crazy! Some of them are super nice annnddd some not so much!! hahaha but I love it so much here and I know the Lord has a purpose for me here!  But yes, I think I got everything and thanks sooo much!  I love you guys and miss you guys so much! 

Love Elder Oliver