December 1, 2014

First off-- dear Carlee, Happppppy Bbbbbbbb Dayyyyyyy!! I hope you got my letter and present from Mexico! 

Dear Fam and Mom,

Sooo first off I have some bad news, and then even worse news.  I have gained like ten pounds haha I weigh like 187 now and even worse there is a very slight possibility I might be balding! haha!  Idk for sure but I’ll keep you posted! haha  Sounds like you guys had an awesome trip and a few kinda crazy things happen!  How fun would it be if none of those things happened! haha 

As for this week--really it was just another amazing week like always! haha  So ok updates-- Kathy is the best!!! She is doing so good and it shocks me sometimes!  haha She bought flash cards for the Articles of Faith so she can memorize them.   I don’t even think I still have them  all memorized!! haha But it’s awesome and she asked me to baptize her not this Saturday but the next. I was of course in tears when she asked me. Because really-- not to get too preachy,  but we are just representatives of Christ so really its Christ baptizing her. It’s just so awesome to see it get so close and we can start planning everything! Chris (Darla’s boyfriend) is doing super good! He’s come around and stopped drinking and said he’s going to quit smoking and using tobacco by the 8th so we are super excited!!  When we were teaching him, just randomly he stopped, and was like, “ I’m going to quit by the 8^th”  so we are so stoked!!  His daughters actually have really gotten into it and came to church this Sunday so things are looking really good for them! Also we have been teaching this less active man named Gary.  He lives in a really small house with his wife Jaye who the first few times wasn’t interested at all.  But she has done a full 180, has a baptism date, and came to church!!! Sooo awesome! She said she would’ve never imagined  herself there in a million years. It’s so amazing to see how the Lord really is softening the hearts of everyone. We also have continued to see Joey who showed up to church this Sunday RIGHT in the middle of the sacrament! Haha  It was awesome to see him but since he didn’t know,  he just walked right in and started talking sooo loud to me haha!  He said he really liked it and  wants to come back so again we are so stoked for him! As for Thanksgiving-- we were idiots! haha We set up a lunch and a dinner so we literally couldn’t move going to our visits!! haha  Darla and Chris laughed because we like waddled into their house haha! But it was a great day and it was awesome to be out on a mission really during that day.  We were able to really focus on what we are really thankful for and kinda start this Christmas season off right! There is this video out now called,  “He is the Gift.” Super good!   As for the weather here-- it’s like ice now haha!! I think the high this week is 25 and the low like 5 haha!  It’s a good time though I love it!   You guys really are the best family ever and I do miss the holidays and traditions but hey now-- only one more Thanksgiving haha! You guys are the best and I really hope everything goes great this week!  As for me and my comp-- he’s really a great guy and honestly one of the best missionaries I have ever seen. We have a lot of time to drive so we talk a lot and just his attitude on everything is amazing! Honestly he helps me so much just figure stuff out. We work really well together and both have all the same goals so it works out great!  Love you guys and miss you so much! Have an awesome time at Disneyland!

Love Elder Oliver