Monday, June 22, 2015

May 4, 2015

Dear madre y familia 
Don’t worry I am definitely keeping up the Oliver eloquence haha!!  Sometimes I think I’m just here to make people laugh so that they will be less stressed. hahaha Like if that goof ball of a red head can do it so can I! haha
But to answer some quick questions! So I’m sooo stoked for Mother’s Day!!!! Our church gets out at 3:30 so we will probably Skype around 4ish.   We will be at a home so everything should be good! I'll get to do the 5 min call again and I can give you their number so you can call and set it up again! They are the coolest family ever haha!! Real quick he went to Chile on his mission so naturally he loves Elder C,  and I’m just  a loud talker so I think they like me haha!! I hope... 

As for here-- the companion  is awesome!!! Him and I get a long so well and he really is helping me become who I want to become and who the Lord needs me to be.   Transfer calls came and we are staying for another 6 weeks’!!! We are so stoked!! I love Chile now too haha!!  I know laugh-- but seriously now that I have a passport he said that after the mission I can come visit and he'll show me around and stuff and I really think I’m going to do it!! haha  He lives in like the most beautiful part of Chile too--It's called Vina Del Mar! It’s awesome!

This week was another miracle packed week-- like always!! haha  I love it!!  So first-- update with the S  fam!!! They are the most solid family I have ever seen! They are living the Word of Wisdom like champs haha!!  Just accepted it like nothing and they’re killin it!! They came to the ward party on Friday, then a baptism on Saturday and then church and  invited us over for dinner yesterday night and cooked a huuuuge dinner!!  It was so cool and they said they are for sure getting baptized on the 16th!!  The kids want to and everything!! It’s so awesome and we are so stoked that we are both here to watch it! The wife just has a little fear but it’s totally fine it’ll go away with time! I love the fam soo much! They’re the coolest people ever! We also were able to meet with the P  family and they are awesome!  She brought her kids in too and they want to be baptized!! It was such a cool experience because you know that they felt the Spirit super strong in the first lesson if they said they want their kids to hear this!! We are so excited for them too!! Some other crazy things and some reasons why I know I’m suppose to be here is because we have this investigator who just got appendicitis... so of course I know exactly what he is going through.  It was sad to see because I remember how painful it was, but I know the Lord has a plan for each of us and we are where we are for a reason! I know God loves each one of his children so much and  one of the best parts of the mission is being able to see them through God's eyes! This mission is really blessing and changing my life so much guys and I can’t wait to see you on Sunday!!! 

So one little thing mom. The pollen here is nuts because of all the apple blossoms and everything and I’m going nuts haha!!  I think I have really bad allergies because my eyes just burn and itch all day haha!! So I don’t know what to do--should I get medicine or something?  haha  Any advice would be great! haha 
I love you guys so much and miss you all a ton! You really are the best family  ever and I can’t wait to talk to you in 6 days!!! 
Love you guys
Elder Oliver 

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

April 27, 2015

Dear Mom y familia
So first to answer some questions-- the G’s are really sad.  They kinda just stopped everything and it’s so sad to see them going back into sadness. Just because of a few little things like coffee. Literally everything is on that haha but it’s ok we still go over there for dinner once a week, which is always pretty good! My Spanish is getting better! It’s really nice to have a companion from Chile hahaha because they speak with all the vocab  and it is a little Spanglish hahah so it’s been really good.  Obviously it’s not perfect, but it is improving a ton which is good!  As for this week it was AWESOME! Seriously one of the best weeks! So first off some random maybe funny stuff!! haha So there is this thing called “Apple Blossom” here and it’s crazy! It’s this huge festival and we can’t go so I have no idea what it really is haha!!  Also last week,  we were playing basketball and my shoes caught some grip and there I went all the way to the ground hahaha!! It was so bad and right in front of the Sisters haha so you know I’m still just as awkward!! haha Also there is this old guy here who is the best guy ever! He’s like another Grandpa to us haha!! Seriously he treats us like his kids I love him! But something funny is that we had to go to Chelan this week (an hour drive) and he took us, but it was the tiniest truck ever!! haha One tiny row for all three of us and it was probably one of my favorite memories so far!!  I love Brother E and I will definitely be back to talk with him one day haha he’s so cool! 
But on a more serious note-- the Silva family is doing so good!! He asked  for a shirt and tie and so Elder Cataldo and I gave him ours for Sunday.   They all dressed up a little for church and they looked so good! They’re so awesome! We love them so much! 
Also  this week we had been praying for another family and on Sunday we found them!! It was the coolest thing ever! So we were tracting and there was this little kid who looked way to happy to see us. So we went over and started talking to his mom and her husband came over and they are so prepared!! They invited us in and we taught the restoration and they said they wanted to be baptized and wanted us over on Thursday to teach their kids!! We are so excited! The P family!  They’re so cool! 
I know God listens and answers our prayers! He loves us so much and all we have to do is act in faith!!  Little or  big steps it doesn’t matter just something!  I love this gospel and this church so much!! I know its true con todo mi corazon! I love you guys and miss you a ton! 
Love Elder Oliver! 

April 20, 2015

Dear Mom y familia! 
So first I couldn’t send pictures last time because we were on different computers and I didn’t have a card ready haha!!  Mom, I really do know that our Heavenly Father is always with us! No matter what we are going through, He is there. Even if we are just really tired He knows and wants to help us! hahaha I was reading D&C 6 this morning and the Lord is talking to Oliver but we can apply it to ourselves a ton! It's really good! 

It’s good to hear everyone is doing great! Seriously it makes it easier out here!!haha  But as for this week, it was an amazing kinda crazy week!! But I loved it! So this week we had interviews with our President, which is always the best! I love my President so much! He’s the nicest most spiritual guy ever! I love him and every opportunity I have to talk with him! He always is able to give me and say to me things that help so much! He’s really an awesome guy! haha  Something really funny that he told me was that my companion is a social butterfly and I died laughing hahahahaha!!  I told my comp and he was so embarrassed haha!!! iIt was so funny we just laughed forever hahaha   So that was really funny but that day started out so bad!!haha So we had in our planners and everything that the training started at 12 and I went on exchanges the day before and the Elder took our phone so we had no way of knowing that it was actually at 10!!  So we are just sitting,  studying our language and the zone leaders come bursting into our apartment (it was locked) and all I said was, “Hey Elders what’s up?” Just so chill hahaha!! It was so bad but we just rushed to the training and luckily President knew it was an honest mistake and all he said was-- it’s a good thing you were being obedient and thought it was the funniest thing as Elder Cataldo and I felt like the worst missionaries ever!! hahaha It was rough, but its ok hahaha!!  Some other stuff that happened this week was we built something for the Garcia’s from Ikea so I’m glad I got some practice with dad before hahaha!!  Also my companion  broke our bed haha so that was super funny!  Our bed is this really sketchy bunk bed and I guess while he was getting up,  the poles just snapped hahaha!  We also had to translate for church this Sunday which was a little weird but kinda cool (really hard). I don’t know-- as a missionary you have some of the most random experiences but they are just the best and nothing matters because our whole purpose is just to go out and preach the gospel and that’s honestly the best part of everyday! Just everyone we get to talk to and tell them of the most important message in the entire world. The message of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only message that can change people’s entire lives! It’s the coolest thing ever and I know its true with all my heart! Every time I share the first vision the Spirit is just undeniable. There is nothing like it!  I’ve never been happier and filled with more love than I am right now! It’s just the most fulfilling thing out there!   The Silva family is still doing way good! We love them! We have a lesson with them today so we are super stoked! 
I love and miss you guys a ton! Hope you have an awesome week! 
Love, Elder Oliver 

ps one more story--
So we were walking down the road after kind of a hard lesson and this guy pulls over and asks if we've got like 20 seconds and of course we kinda get tense but the Spirit told both of us to just relax. The guy then grabs our shoulders and just says he wants to say a prayer and bless us. He says this awesome prayer with some really cool stuff and than says thanks and leaves. Normally we would’ve felt weird or bad but we just felt super good! The Spirit was so strong! It was so cool to see that the Lord cares about us so much and wants the best for us and will put people in our paths just to bless us!  
I LOVE THIS GOSPEL! 

Monday, June 8, 2015

April 13, 2015

Dear Family!! 
CASSIE'S HOMMMMEEEEE!!! That’s so crazy!  That is so cool that Cassie is home! Man you all look so good though!! Seriously! Just killin it! Tell Chantz I love the flow!! haha 
So for some answers. The ward is struggling-- it should be like a group in all honesty.   Elder Cataldo and I are getting to work and we are going to make it thrive. With the help of the Lord of course! hahaha  Elder Cataldo is one of the best missionaries ever! He’s seriously like my best friend! I love him! haha  We have so much fun together and we are really starting to see miracles! We just work hard and laugh a ton haha!  Every time we have to go on exchanges we're bummed because we don’t get to be with each other hahah it’s a party! He’s really helping my Spanish too! He talks so fast sometimes but it just makes it more fun!! haha I love him! 

This week was kinda crazy to be honest.  So some funny things first-- so you always hear about people running from the missionaries and its always an exaggeration until this week hahaha!!  We were walking down the street and this guy literally sprinted across the street and kept going for the next 2 blocks hahahah we just started laughing.  I don’t know if that was the best thing to do but it was too funny  not to  laugh. Like how can someone be that scared of a super white red head and a Chilean who are just cheesily smiling all the time hahaha!!  It was so funny! Oh also something that was super funny was-- its been a little warmer over here this week and we were out one afternoon and it was a longer afternoon and we were fasting.  Nobody was really outside but then we are walking back to our car and a bird poops on Elder Cataldo hahaha!! He was so mad but we just started laughing for like 30 min because out of all things a bird comes and poops on his shoulder hahaha!! It was good! This week was just super fun! 

On a more spiritual note we found this family (the Silva’s) and they are so prepared! It’s so cool! They have a baptism date for the 2nd of May and they are all so stoked!! The kids are all reading in the Book of Mormon and just loving it! They’re awesome and so nice and just such a blessing and miracle from the Lord! We love it! 
 Being a missionary is the best thing ever! I love it so much! The amount of happiness I have is crazy hahaha!! I’m just always smiling.   I know this church is true and it’s a church of joy and happiness.  We need to find the joy and happiness in all things! 

I love you guys and miss you a ton! Give Cassie a really long hug for me! 
Love Elder Oliver