"We are going to get our goal."

Last week p-day in Iximche, Guatemala

 

Morgan and Hermana Villacis (her companion)

"Look at those eyes...BEAUTIFUL"

"For p day this week we went with these cute girls to get ice cream! LOVE THEM!"

"Its mango season...hahaha we bought 30Q of mangos the other day! SOO GOOD!"

 (About $3.50 worth.)

 "My girl"

"Cute baby cows on the side of the road.

"

Hello - notice how I am writing you on Sunday night. I don't want to miss you again like last week. You probably won't be on until Tuesday, but at least you have a message here waiting for you. How was your pday activity last week. Where did you end up going? I am very curious. We all want to know! What did you do?

We went to Ixmiche (Iximche--had to look it up)....i think thats how it is spelled. Its just a bunch of ruins. I will send pics in a bit!!

How is JM doing?

OK I AM SO EXCITED TO TELL YOU THIS. So my comp and I have been a bit sad because we don't have anyone who can get baptized this next week to have baptisms for our goal of 400...JM is the only one...but we were told he has to wait 20 days, well we decided to call President this morning...he told us JM can get baptized this Saturday!! I cannot tell you how excited I am!! I CANNOT WAIT TO TELL JM! HE IS GOING TO BE SOOOOO EXCITED!!!! I literally am freaking out excited!! We just kept waiting for miracles this week....and can i just tell you...THIS IS A MIRACLE! I am SO excited!!! I hope you know that our Heavenly Father is a God of Miracles!! He is just waiting for us to have the faith and do our part!!

How is your mission coming along with the goal for 300 or was it 400 baptisms? Are they feeling like they are getting closer? I am amazed with that as a goal? I cannot believe one mission can have that many baptisms! Pretty impressive!!

We are going to get our goal. We are short 176...and there are for sure 170 baptisms this next week, now 171.... with JM. So ya, I know we will see more miracles and EVERYTHING WILL BE AMAZING!!!!

How is your weather holding out? (Remember the oils for bugs.) We are getting warmer, but this weekend has been chilly. Dad and Spencer golfed Saturday, it was nippy, but they didn't care!

Weather is getting hottt! It will be hot hot hot and then in MAY rain constantly!!

TAKE CARE OF MORGAN! We love you so much! (I just tracked your package --- it went from here to San Francisco to Miami, Florida. I think it is taking its sweet time getting there. I hope it makes it to you. Do you ever get packages/letters any other time than transfers? Is that the only time they go to the office? Just curious?!?)

Zone conference I could possibly get it or changes...we shall see!!!

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK.

LOVE YOUR GUTS!

Mom

"SERVICE CHANGES LIVES! literally!!" ... "oh i am in love with the little kids here though!!" and "ITS MANGO SEASON!!!!! bring on the mango meals"

Her new companion, Hermana Villacis from Ecuador.  

She has been out one transfer longer than Morgan - I guess that is six weeks!

Her whole family, prior to new companion

One of my families here. Claudia, sara and sara! our cute missionaries! 

Tengo tanto, pero TANTO amor por Hermanita Francisca. Literally am going to bring her home with me!

Love these little guys, Billy and Angel

Helping Ericka get water from her well to wash her clothes!! hahaha so fun!!!

My cute missionary. did divisions with her mom and she came with us!!

 Mangossss!!  

Hi there - Morgan usually emails on Tuesday, I usually write on Monday evening.  Well, she emailed this week, on Monday, so there was nothing there for her.  I got home from doing some missionary haircuts just in time to catch her and send her a note.  THANK GOODNESS.  I felt awful. LESSON LEARNED. Laurie Funk warned me they change their days often and always write on Sunday - I WILL! Enjoy the photos - we sure did!  I added lots of photos --- I keep thinking, "what will she do the day she gets transferred, she will be soooo sad to leave these people".

So tomorrow is p day-not sure where we are going! so we are emailing today...kind of confusing....and so i understand why nobody wanted to email me...hahaha jk but seriously its cool. I just have an hour of time to kill here in the internet cafe hahahha but really its all good cause i have lots of pictures i want to send. So it is good i have lots of time!  So i will tell you a bit about our week.

JM is doing great. Literally so stoked out of my mind for him. Everyone kept saying..you just need to leave him for some time. I couldn't do it. I cant! I have so much love for this man. I kind of have this problem, and when people are stuggling, when they have a hard life, when they are sad, my love for them doubles. It is kind of a problem because then I take all their problems to be my problems...my body has definitely shown signs of a bit of stress this past week...my neck and head were dying alllll week. But I am grateful to say that today I feel 100 percent. No se precoupe. But seriously....I know he is going to get baptized. We just have to keep working with him and everything will work out in the right timing.and his cute mom. She isnt a member, doesn't want to listen to anything from us, but i just love her. She reminds me of Tristan! like its unreal. Thats probably why i love her so much!! But literally the people here....i want to bring them all home... I have plans with everyone here to come to Utah and we are going to go to general conference together and the temple...literally i have these plans with everyone...we might need a bigger house!! You should get workin on that Dad...hahahaha

This week I had a man tell me he would go to church is he could go hand in hand with me....im pretty sure he was a big drunk...it was gross..also this week i punched my companion. hahahaha ok not really...I was taking off my backpack and she was right behind me...and i elbowed her in the eye...a bit later we were with some members...Tito and Amelia, and tito was like...what happened to your eye....HER EYE WAS SWOLLEN! like a lot. hahahahah we laughed for a longgg time! Still laugh about it everyday.
Que mas.....

We helped this cute investigator move houses the other day and called the Men in the ward to help and it was so good!! like she is so much more interested. SERVICE CHANGES LIVES! literally!!

Ok...so the other day it rained on us...like DUMPED! It was so fun. We were not prepared so we wer just in the streets drenched....DRENCHED and everyone was in their houses laughing at us. literally laughing at us! its so funny! people laugh at us all the time here. because we walk really fast...the other day a group of little kids were calling us horses and making horse noises. hahahaha its sooo funny! oh i am in love with the little kids here though!!

One of my families here gave us mangos the other day....ITS MANGO SEASON!!!!! bring on the mango meals...dad you would love it! The mangos here are heavennnn!!! 

K i am going to send pics now. lots of pics!!
HERMANA OLIPHANT
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

This experience is one of a kind!

Here is Morgans letter this week.  It is good to know she is so happy!  Makes her being so far away - okay!

She just answered questions this week - her responses are in red!  I'm sorry, when she responds to questions, I don't know what to include and what to leave out!  It is a little bit awkward to know what to use!!!

Lisa

Hello,
How is your companion?  AND who is your companion?  Unless it is Amy, tell us everything. Where is she from, how long has she been out, and oh, her name?!?!?

Her name is Hna Villacis....from Ecuador, just ilke Hna Yepez. She has 1 transfer more than me in the mission. Its kinda odd, cause she is companera mayor, but I am leading the area, and all that fun stuff, cause she doesn't know the area, she doesn't know anyone...but its been fun for me. I absolutely love San Martin. I absolutely love all the people.  Like literally I would live in San Martin. At least visit...with all my favorite people in my family!! 

Also, I am wondering what your apartment is like.  It would be fun to hear about it, or better yet see it a little bit.

Our apartment is great. It is above another house...and we have a nice little kitchen, a room for our clothes, a room for our beds and a room to study, and the bathroom and shower are outside as well as the sink. It is a very nice little apartamento.

How is the 400 baptisms for March coming along.  

The 400 baptisms is coming along. We are working so hard. We were so excited for JM to have his baptism the 22 of march...and we went to visit him last night and was BOLO....aka totally drunk. I am so so sad. I did cry...only because i am so sad for him. He has lots of personal problems and I just want him to be so happy...and I know the only way he can be happy is in this gospel....he just is addicted...and needs to change..and I know he will. I literally just know he will. So now we are planning on him to be baptized 30 de marzo. He is incredible, just needs a little extra help. But we had miracles at church...2 investigators that have never come. One of which we havent visited in almost 3 months because she didnt want anything to do with us...and she just showed up to church on sunday...i think mostly it is because her husband died...but it was a miracle, and she is going to get baptized. I KNOW IT! and a cute 14 year old girl came with us. I LOVE HER! The poor thing lives with her grandma cause her dad works all week and when he is home Saturday night and Sunday he is off drinking and then hungover all day Sunday...so she lives with her grandma, but she is incredible.  Also, the sisters of Amelia. Amelia gave them both Books of Mormon, and they are reading and AMAZING: Literally amazing. The only thing is they live kind of far away and so it is hard for them to come to church, but I know they will...also they have to have permission from their mother....which is a problem. But the biggest problem here in Guatemala, is getting people to church. Because everyone and their dog works all day everyday...and they all say...no trabajamos, no comemos...if they dont work, they dont eat...so it is hard to get people to church...but we are going to see miracles!!

What about laundry and cooking, do you still have someone do your laundry? Or was that your other area?  How about the cooking-you do your own, or does someone do it for you?  What are the food stores like?  Do you have a pharmacy there?  Did you look for contact solution by chance?

Didn't have time to look in a pharmacy..yesterday p day ended at 3 and my comp and I cleaned the house...like deeeeeep cleaned! And ya we still have people who wash and cook for us. SO SPOILED!!

Where did Hermana Yepez go? Do you know? Will you be able to keep in touch with her?

She went to the coast..HOT!! Santa Lucia...we will see each other a veces...but we cant email..or anything. Just in meetings and such...SHE IS AMAZING. literally miss her so much!

What else can you tell us about your area and the people that you are working with?  The man from the rehab center? Any luck with him.  I don't know his name!  I'm not sure if he is the one you told us about last week or not.

Can you believe you are not a missionary in training anymore.  Seems like, from our view point, that just means you get an extra hour of sleep now.  I am sure it means more than that, but you still study, just not as early!?!?!?  (Ohhhhh, I just had a thought --- that is unless you are A TRAINER!  Then you still have to get up early!!)

Not a trainer! We get to sleep in til 620 now! Its great!! hahaha unless we have meeting we wake up at like 430 or 5!

Well, I hope all is well for you.  Please take care of Morgan.  Keep her safe and keep her healthy! April 16 is almost here.  Not only are you going to be OLD, but you will be a one-year graduate of ACL surgery!!!!  I hope it has healed perfectly for you!  I hope your leg feels great now!

Literally my leg feels amazing. I was thinking the other day...i cant believe its been a year...it literally feels like yesterday. but is has been a miracle the things i have been able to do here in Guatemala. The pain is gone. I just am so grateful. For everything. This experience is one of a kind! I am so blessed and so grateful. LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU! And we can't wait to hear from you Tuesday!

LOVE YOU!
Mom

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! (on the 17th)

AND THERE ARE A FEW MORE SNIPPETS THAT I'LL ADD IN FOR YOU TO READ:

Oh guess who is in my zone....HERMANA COLEMAN! (her companion from the MTC) and she is the new sister missionary trainer...so I will get to do divisions with her!! I AM SO stoked! I get to see her at least 1 time a week! its so fun!

Oh also, my skin is cleared up! What a blessing! Seriously!! I don't know what changed...but its great. Seriously this is the life. No make up...nada....alsoooo the other day it rained on us. IT DUMPED!! Like the streets were a river in 2 minutes...and we weren't prepared! It was hilarious. Everyone was in their houses watching us walk in the rain...drenched! I loved it! It was so fun!

yayaya. no se precoupe...don't worry! This place is the best though...i wish you could meet these great people!! There's this cute lady..Francisca...first of all i just love her family to death...her husband is the branch mission leader...but she had some parasite..in her brain so she is a little bit special...but she is incredible! I AM IN LOVE WITH HER!! i will send pics next week! LOVE YOU SO MUCH! GOTTA GO!!!

So this has been a good, crazy, sad week.

So this has been a good, crazy, sad week. Sad cause we have changes, and my comp is leaving me. I am so so sad, as is she. She has spent her whole mission...5 months in this area. She is is really bummed to be leaving. I am anxious to see who my new companion is.

I AM DONE WITH MY TRAINING. 12 weeks of training and now I can be a normal missionary. hahaha that's what president said at our last training meeting...You are now normal missionaries...and his wife said, no! We don't have normal missionaries here...we only have extraordinary missionaries. But ya, my training is up. YAY! hahaha, no really, I enjoyed my time with my 2 trainers. I am so blessed. I got trained by the best hermanas.

Ok, so we are working so hard to have investigators baptized this month...to get our goal of 400 baptisms in March. the biggest problem here in Guatemala is getting people to church. Especially in San Martin, because lots of people life pretty far from the church...so that is one of our biggest focuses..WE HAVE TO GET PEOPLE TO CHURCH. We are working really hard with JM...I know he will get baptized...he wants to change his life so bad. He just needs to do it. I wish I could just do it for him...he has a sad past, and I know that he wants to change. He will! I am excited for his baptism.

We had some very very funny experiences this week.

1...This cute lady in our ward had brain surgery so she is a little slow and just funny, LOVE HER. We had a lesson in her home with her family and a recent convert and we said ok vamos a tener un oracion del rodillas....a prayer on our knees...and she said, OH THOSE TORTILLAS! hahahaha hahahahaha so funny.

2....I was teaching a lady to pray...va a dirigir al padre celestial....she goes, ok...Padre Social. People struggle understand me I guess sometimes. But we all jst laughed.

3....One day this member goes....your leg is black...I had dirt all up the back of my leg. and I I was like, oh thats ok...but if my mom could see my feet she would kill me. My feet are literally permanently black with dirt....and tan too...but its funny. You know its bad when the members can tell the days you have time to really shower.....hahahaha

4....The other day my comp and I were running to this members house to bring a convert to church and their house is kind of behind other houses so we are running to their home and as we turn the corner the dad is out front of their house brushing his teeth in a t shirt and his garment bottoms...hahahahaha WE STOPPED DEAD IN OUR TRACKS AND LAUGHED FOR A GOOD 10 MINUTES. Then we saw him in church and he wa just so embarrassed and we looked at him as he walked in and just died laughing. Literally everytime I think about it I die laughing. (In a note to the kids she sad that when they saw this man at church he came up to them, embarrassed, shook their hands and said, "Disculpe Hermanas" Jeremy said he thinks that means, sorry, Sisters. Pretty cute, poor man!)

Yesterday we watched 17 miracles with our district...that was fun. Caitlin Meyers, my friend from the pharmacy, Travis, and little Ethan. What a good movie.

K, I love you all so much. I am going to try to send some pictures...LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!
Hermana Oliphant