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 

February 16, 2015

Dear MOM y FAM

So just some quick answers-- here is my address: 512 2nd Street Apt #5,  Wenatchee WA 98801 or however you spell it! haha  I have no idea how-- but it is SO pretty up here! Like it’s unreal! haha  It is the prettiest place I’ve ever been to! I’ll have to send some pics! Annnd I will  be here during the spring so I’m super stoked! The weather here is perfect too! I love it here so much! Don’t get me wrong, it was super hard to leave my last area but it made it a little easier how cool this place is! But yeah-- it’s just Spanish! I’m so excited! I can already feel my Spanish getting better! Oh and by the way my comp is BRAZILIAN! haha  He’s like the coolest guy ever! I love him but he goes home after this transfer-- which is a bummer! I would  be so down to serve with him for a while! haha He’s just a super cool guy! We live in a super tiny apartment-- like not even the size of our kitchen but still awesome! My comp speaks Portuguese natively but has learned Spanish and English on the mission! So its super cool talking and learning from him! The area here is on fire too! It’s intense! We have a few families that are pretty close so we are super excited about that! Ohh-- a few funny stories about this week.  The Sisters had a baptism this Friday and we went and like 10 seconds before it starts the 1st counselor comes up and asks if I can give the baptism talk... it’s totally in Spanish. I was scared to death!! haha but it went ok-- I think haha It was fun! Oh and before I left, the Fielding’s (with the huge house), made us one last "dinner".  It was so good and then they gave me this super nice sweater from their place for free!!  So cool! haha I will probably just send it home so I can keep it nice! Umm-- other than that, It was super sad to leave Elder Nelson and that apartment!   I miss them a ton! haha It was a lot of fun serving with them! But this area is awesome and I’m super excited the zone is all Spanish!  We have p days and stuff with the English zone so its just like a ton of people! haha It seems like a party.  I will tell you guys about it next week! I love this so much! I’m so sorry I don’t have too much to write haha I just am still figuring out this area.  You guys are the best family ever! I love you so much! I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you guys! I love this church so much! 

Love Elder Oliver! 

February 9, 2015

Dear Family! 

Sounds like you’ve all had an awesome week--with a little craziness! haha If it’s not crazy its just too boring. So this week was kinda crazy! A little sad towards the end but still super good! This last transfer went by so fast! Transfers came on Saturday... and I’m leaving. I’m going up north to Wanachee, which was hard at first because now I have a huge possibility to be in the other mission.  That  was a little hard to accept but with a lot of prayer, I’m really excited! I’ll just be Spanish (finally) and I guess the area is huge so I’m really stoked. It was super hard saying good-bye to the ward though! They have been so awesome I’m going to miss them! It feels like my second home ward. Everybody was telling me when I come back I can stay with them! haha  They’re the best and I might have to take them up on that in a year and a half!! hahaha They are  awesome though! As for the apartment we are all together! After we get planning and studies done just as a companionship we always eat lunch and talk at night-- its super fun! haha  It’s really weird but I think the Lord blessed me so that I could live with Elder Nelson for at least one transfer, so that was awesome! I’ll keep you posted for my new companion! So other than that-- on Tuesday I went on an exchange to Dayton. Literally it is the smallest town ever!! haha  It has one stoplight-- but it was super fun and we ran into some awesome people there! Elder Shupe and I get a long really well so that was super awesome! He’s a great missionary! We met this guy named Arnesto and he was kinda funny-- a little creepy. He really liked me and told me he was going to kidnap me and tie me up and put me in a closet for a while. Little sketchy but you just got to laugh. Also figured out that the whole Relief Society has googled me! hahaha! Random ladies in the ward have come up to me like "Wow!  I can’t believe you had long hair" hahaha!!  Funny,  but just a little creepy! haha  Oh,  also randomly I ran into one of the Elders that did the dance with Chantz  on his mission.  His mom went to our Spanish party on Friday!!haha  Elder Wadell-- but other than that this week was pretty good nothing too big but I just love being a missionary!! haha  It’s honestly the best thing ever--nothing beats it! We have a few Spanish families now that we are teaching so I’m super excited to see if they go anywhere.  Seriously this work is the best!! So as for the story you need-- I was just thinking about the whole time with Chris, mainly with his dui... if we would’ve given up and not loved him because of his mistake,  he would never be where he is now. The coolest thing is that really none of it is us.   As a missionary,  you really just feel Christ’s love for them!

 As for the weather it’s been warmer here too. It’s been weird because  I haven’t seen the sun in forever until this weekend! haha It was weird but I missed it. Crazy right? haha I love this but miss you guys a ton.  Keep being awesome! I love you guys so much! 

Love Elder Oliver