March 23, 2015

Dear Mom and Fam, 

Soooo first off--HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!  I love you so much mom and  I hope you had an awesome birthday! You still seem like your 34 haha!!  Sounds like you guys had an awesome week--with an amazing spiritual experience which makes the week so much better! Seriously,  the more spiritual-- the better the week is! That’s so awesome that the ward is getting super missionary minded, that’s so good! 

Soo some pretty crazy things happened! Ok, well first-- Elder Ribeiro left which was super sad!  I’m getting a companion from Chile!!! He’s super cool!  He’s really new but I’m super excited because it’s always the best with newer missionaries! He’s from Chile!!! I’m so excited!! Also they asked me to be a district leader so I am going to learn a ton haha!!  Little scared but it will be a really good experience! This week was kinda different because we just were kinda saying goodbye to everyone because Elder Ribeiro has been here 8 months, which is a long time! But I’m so stoked for Elder Cataldo!! It’s going to be an awesome transfer! So something else that’s really cool was Sister T's  Mom haha!  It was crazy because it was on some random street and she said she had been praying to find me and was on her way to the hospital so I was in tears haha!!  Something just so little but so cool! I love this mission so much! I love this church so much and I know it is true! It just makes sense! I really have come to love the Book of Mormon and the Bible!

Love you guys!! Sorry this is kinda short-- today’s weird since Elder Ribeiro left haha!! 

Love Elder Oliver 

March 16, 2015

Dear FAM! 

Ok so first HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!! Ahhh I love you so much and don’t even worry about it-- you still look 34 and I’m not just saying that because I’m your son! haha 

Sounds like you guys had an awesome week! Spring break ended with Las Vegas! haha That’s awesome!   Also-- Cassie gets home so soon I still have so much to do out here haha but that’s awesome! I miss you guys a ton and can’t wait for Mother’s Day!

This week was amazing. First off-- we were walking down the street and this guy was struggling to tie a tie and yelled for us hahaha so we tied his tie!! haha  You never know what you’re going to do for people.   It was so funny because we were just like "we tie one of these everyday". This week has been a little sad because I only have one more week with Elder Ribeiro. He’s seriously so cool and this transfer went by way too fast! He’s awesome! But something that is kinda sad is that when we go over to English members homes for dinner-- people treat him like a little kid.   I don’t know-- he says he’s use to it but it is just funny how people act because he is from a different country. hahaha  It’s just whatever for him though. So something else that happened this week is  we went on exchanges to Cashmere which is so pretty.   We had to do service which was cleaning this house... oh my gosh it was the dirtiest house I’ve ever seen... seriously so gross. Like rats and mice everywhere-- everything you can think of was in that house haha!! It was rough but it was super cool to see it after we left. It looked so much better! I guess they still had  groups coming for the next few weeks... but it felt good to do service.  We don’t get to do it all the time but it is always the best when we do! So about the Garcia’s-- they are still doing awesome! They feed us like every night haha!  Best food I’ve ever had out here!  They are already like members but there is something holding them back from baptism and we don’t know what it is. They have the strongest testimonies I’ve seen but they just don’t want to get baptized right now. So I think just with them-- it’s going to take time. They’re so awesome though! They always tell me and Elder Ribeiro that when we come to visit we will always have a place with them! I love them so much! Oh a story that I forgot to tell you about in Walla Walla that was super cool.  One day we were walking down this really long road and I always just wave to everyone and smile and you always think it’s not going to change anything but then this lady pulled over and wanted to talk to us and said she wants us to come over! So you never know who you are touching! Just a smile and a wave can change everything! I love this work so much!! I feel like it’s going by way too fast!

I love you guys so much! Hope you have a great week and a great b day! 

Miss you a ton,

Love Elder Oliver 

March 9, 2015

Dear Familia, 

Ok so first hahahaha that camera card has some really funny  stuff on it hahaha-- you just have to find stuff that will make you laugh on your mission.  It was always a  party living with Elder Nelson haha!! so fun! But yes Beatrice got backed into while we were in a lesson! It was kinda crazy because they ran but someone saw it all through their window-- got the license plate and called the cops so we were all taken care of! It was cool but sad to see Beatrice hurt haha just kidding!!  I did not like driving around in that car haha!!   I love the pics,  even though they make me a little jealous!! haha No joke, I miss it haha but this is better haha!! I don’t know who my new comp will be but I don’t think they’ll be as cool as him! hahaha We have a lot of fun together! 

You sound like you had an awesome week!  Also I cant believe its been a year since they got married and almost a school year since I’ve been out hahaha!! That’s nuts... but I love you guys so much and your emails are the best!

As for my week it was awesome! It just keeps getting better and better!  Just some funny things haha-- I guess all the missionaries in the mission know me as the guy with penguin ties!! haha I’m not complaining though--they’re the best ties! So something that has been really cool this week is the Spirit as we've been teaching the Garcia’s (the family who should be getting baptized on the 21st) They’re really the coolest family ever! I love them so much! We were teaching them the other day and I just remembered the car crash I had right before I left... It’s kinda cheesy but really cool at the same time to know that I am really here for some people. The Garcia’s are one of them! I love them!   They are so close to getting baptized and they have the best testimonies and they cook the BEST food ever hahaha seriously soooo good! It’s the best Mexican food I’ve ever had! 

Oh and then to top it off there is this less active guy here with a non-member cousin and the less active went to Highland!!! hahaha It’s crazy! What are the chances... I don’t know its super cool! So they came to church and we are starting to teach them now! Ahhh I’m so excited for them! haha It’s just crazy that I run into him  all the way up here in Wenatchee!!  I love this work hahaha!! It’s the best! I don’t know-- I’m so tired but so happy and have a ton of energy haha!! It is really weird but the best!!  Oh-- also I changed addresses and I think some people sent stuff to my old one.  Now—It’s 512 2^nd  St. Apt 5 Wenatchee WA  98801 Please let everyone know.   The Relief Society sent some  Valentines  to my old address so now everyone jokes around about it haha!!  Anyways,  this week was amazing and I love every second of this work! haha I just know this church is true. I love it! I know the Book of Mormon is true! There is no doubt! I love it and it makes me so happy! Everyone needs to read it!! haha 

I love and miss you guys so much! You seriously are the best fam ever! 

Love Elder Oliver

March 2, 2015

Dear Family!!

 So first to answer some of mom’s questions!  The food here is really good! Like solid Mexican food!! It’s not every night but when we do have it is the best! I’ll have a story to tell you later! The weather here is perfect-- no joke,  no snow just a little cooler with a breeze, than Arizona! I can wear a long sleeve shirt during the day and be perfectly fine! That’s so crazy about Cassie!! That’s nuts! I’ll be able to see her when we Skype!!!! And yes it’s a ward over here! It’s super cool! They kinda have small groups that they are hoping to make wards and then make a Spanish stake! It’s crazy over here! 

As for my week it was awesome!! Ahh man I love it. haha! There is nothing better! Well first-- last week was really good. We got to go to the temple-- which was the best! I love the temple! I do kinda miss when I could go like everyday, but it was still really good! Umm I just love everyday out here so much haha! I feel like I always say that but it’s the truth! My comp is awesome! He’s the best! Such a blessing in my life! We have pretty similar personalities, which makes things really nice! It’s sad though that he is leaving! One transfer goes by really fast... but it’s alright! He said I could go stay with him in Brazil anytime so I’m stoked for that haha!!  The Garcia’s (family that is getting baptized on the 21st) are the coolest family ever! I love them so much! Kind of a funny story about them-- so they can make some  awesome food!! The first time we went over I didn’t have a chance to eat lunch so I was starving and ate a ton haha!! but then we went over there again and it was rough!! So it was still really good food but I was pretty full after the first helping... but they asked if I wanted more and I was like nooo I’m good I’m super full. Then they probably asked me every 30 seconds after that until I said yes haha!! So I said a prayer took a few deep breathes and kept eating... prayers can help in every situation... hahaha always pray! haha  He has the best testimony I’ve ever heard! I love him so much! He was like, “ why don’t more people come to church.  If they just come they are  going to know it’s true!” haha I was just eating it up! haha I love him! This area is the best! My Spanish is getting better poco a poco haha—It’s cool to see though! I know that this church is the true church and that God knows our needs and wants to help us with them! He listens to our prayers no matter how dumb we think they are (needed help to finish food) I love this gospel so much! 

I love and miss you guys so much! You’re literally the best family ever! 

Love Elder Oliver 

February 23, 2015

Dear FAM,

First to answer some questions! The weather here is perfect! Not hot not cold just perfect! Yes I just have this transfer with my new comp which kinda makes me sad but its ok. Being in a Spanish area is the best!! I thought I  might not like it  but I love it!!! haha!   

Sounds like you had an awesome week though and this next sounds even more fun! (winky face)!haha Oh yeah-- one more thing-- thanks for the package, it made my day! It was awesome and Chloe’s card made me laugh for like 30 minutes haha!! I loved it.  Grammy and Papa both sent me packages, which was so nice! So amazing and they are the best!  They were both from “Dear Elder” and both just packed with those huge pink cookies... sooo I have like 30 big pink cookies haha! So funny! 

That’s crazy!! It’s been already been 6 months!!  That’s nuts to think about! When does Cassie get home? 

This week was so awesome though! I love this area so much! The Spanish is awesome and already I can see Heavenly Father helping my Spanish! It’s the best! We have this awesome family named the Garcia’s who are on date for the 21^st  and they are awesome! I love them so much! They cooked us this huuuuge meal! It was the best food I’ve ever eaten! Well besides the Fielding’s haha!! But that doesn’t count! They are awesome though and we are super excited for them! We have a ton of potentials for this place and the best part is-- that it is not like I just jumped into baptisms, I still get to work with them and help them out so it is awesome! The area is just on fire! One thing that happened this week was I went on exchanges with our district leader who is awesome!  I loved it some much!  It's soo cool to literally see how when we put our confidence in the Lord,  He helps us out soooo much! That’s random but it’s just been this whole week with my Spanish! The more I rely on Christ the easier Spanish is! I love this mission! 

I miss you guys a ton! I love you so much! You guys are honestly the best! I love you so much! Keep being awesome!

Love Elder Oliver