April 6, 2015

Dear Mom and family,

First-- yes that’s the right address, they just always make us go to the Post Office to pick it up.  Oh my gosh seriously--I love you guys so much and you really know how to make a missionaries life haha!! Those ties-- Ohhh sooo cool! Thank you so much! Seriously it means so much and you are really the best family in the whole world.  I was so excited, you have no idea hahaha!! I love you guys!!

Wow! Sounds like an awesome Easter!! hahaha  The strings... not going to lie I might have looked for a string Sunday morning and it lead right to the Post Office but the Post Office was closed so the Easter bunny had some pretty good tricks!! haha  But man-- was Conference amazing!!! Seriously for the first time, I was awake for it all and sad that it went by wayyyyy too fast hahaha!! I loved it!!  That was the first time though at the beginning of the Sat. afternoon session I heard people say they were opposed. I got like a sick feeling in my stomach. So sad but then they get up and say that our church has never been stronger! That was so cool!! Something that I really liked from Conference was when they were talking about Peter’s gaze on Christ when he was walking on the water and it wasn’t until his gaze left Christ and fear set  in that he started to sink... that hit me super hard!! How if we ever take our focus off of Christ we will surely sink! I don’t know-- just something that I thought was really cool! 

That’s crazy!!! Cassie is already coming home!! hahah I can’t wait to see her (through Skype) haha!! It’s been a whole year! That’s so crazy though! hahaha

So as for this week! Well with the Spanish—it’s getting better poco a poco haha Not going to lie sometimes it is tough haha but with the help of the Lord all things are possible! For the food I haven’t really eaten anything weird haha!! I ate habaneros haha like a ton! I love them haha!!  The G’s were waiting for me to be dying but it wasn’t that bad hahah umm so about the G’s-- this week was really hard with them.  We went over to have a dinner and basically tell them if they aren’t willing to keep commitments and stuff we weren’t going to come by as much... but we ended up talking and it got super spiritual and Brother Garcia just broke. It was the saddest thing I’ve ever seen.  He’s a tough guy and always really happy but he started crying and was just so confused and lost and didn’t know what to believe and it was so sad to see someone you love just look completely lost.   The worst part is, we have the answer but they have their agency and we have to wait until they are willing to find it.  So that was a really hard lesson but I have so much faith for him! He knows and wants it so that’s good! 

Apart from the G’s-- the week was crazy hahaha! On Monday we had a member come out with us and there was this guy on the road and said,  “Hey Elders” so of course I stopped and wanted to talk but it turned out to be a guy who really didn’t like Mormons hahaha!  So for us it was nothing, I just felt super bad for the member hahaha!  Also I got told I look like I’m 35 a few days ago.  That was weird-- I didn't think I looked that old haha!!  When I told him I was 18 he didn’t believe me for like 20 minutes hahah!!  It was rough!! I think I’ve already got to many wrinkles or something hahaha!! But something that is really cool about the work is that if you are looking for it,  there are spiritual experiences everyday! For example we were tracting these apartments and ran into a girl who didn’t really like us hahaha and  she went up the stairs and into an apartment.  We had no idea which one, so we said a little prayer to have some help.   As we walked down the hallway she opened her door, walked out and back in for literally nothing. Elder Cataldo and I just started laughing and both thanked our Heavenly Father for that direct answer hahaha, it was so cool! I love it out here!  Also one day we had a really long afternoon and me and my companion set a goal to talk to 10 people in the afternoon when its super hard.   At 4 o’clock we had nine people and nobody who was interested but then the last one-- the tenth person was the most golden person ever!! Her name is V and she has been reading the Book of Mormon and already knows it’s true!! It was the coolest thing ever! There really is nothing better than this work!! I love it so much and Conference was just the cherry on top! I know this church is true and that we have a prophet of God on the earth today and that Christ leads this church! I love it so much haha and it just makes me so happy!! hahaha I love this gospel! 

I love you guys and miss you so much!! Give Cassie a big hug for me!! 

Love Elder Oliver 

March 30, 2015

Dear Mom and family! 

Ok... I know last week was a hard week, some things happened and I didn’t have too much time... I’m sorry! I’ll be better-- I promise! 

So first about the companion! He is seriously awesome! He got here on Wednesday and he seriously is an amazing missionary! He loves to work and is super funny and really nice! He is learning English but is already really good.   We are going to try to speak solo Spanish so I might have a accent after this transfer! hahaha He is seriously such a blessing to me  I love him!  Being district leader has been kinda crazy but I’ll talk more about that later! So that is really sad to hear that Dad is released!! haha It’s crazy-- I was just 13 and now I’m on a mission haha!! Time just flies haha!!   Everyone out here says that being a District Leader is like being a Bishop.  I already have so much love for all the people in my district I can only imagine dad and five years! That’s so awesome and I look and think about his example every day! 

So it's  kinda weird but our Easter isn’t until the week after General Conference here haha!!   You guys should watch the new Mormon message called “Because He Lives!”  It’s awesome!  This time of year really is special and I want all of you to know how grateful that I am that my Savior lives! It means we can all be together forever, which is the best thing in the world! You really are an amazing family and I do love you so much! 

So as for this week,  it’s been kinda crazy! So my companion went home on Monday and I was with the Zone Leaders for two days until I got my next companion.   We had some crazy stuff happen! First it's super sad but the G’s aren’t anywhere close... I guess they were just saying the stuff that they knew Elder Ribeiro wanted to hear.   When we went over there without him booooom so much stuff came up!  Super sad but its ok-- it’ll still come just not super soon! Later that night though we were driving home and I saw a little 2 year old girl just walking down a sketchy road at 9:10 at night! haha So we pull over and as we are calling the cops this guy comes up and calls her by her name-- not even running or anything.   He just says  “Thanks”  takes her and walks away!! Like your baby almost died and he does nothing! haha It was crazy! But I forgot-- while we were at the Garcia’s I was able to bear my testimony about the Book of Mormon and it was one of the coolest things ever. Seriously,  I don’t know why but the Spirit was so strong and I just know it’s true and it really is the physical evidence that our church is true. So then once Elder Cataldo got here,  we have just been working--really trying to find new people to teach and just getting to work! We ran into a guy that started talking about all this crazy stuff and its kinda cool but sketchy at the same time... but literally before people even start talking about sketchy stuff we can feel the Spirit leave and then it is just trying to get out of there and make them stop talking. hahaha It’s like a game sometimes!! haha!   Umm-- I gave my first baptism interview this week before I even got trained on it--so it was just totally by the Spirit! hahah I loved it! The guy was awesome! Really cool experience! I love this work so much!! There is nothing better! 

I love you guys so much! Hope you have an awesome week!! 

Love Elder Oliver 

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