"I seriously love my mission more than I can explain."

Ran into my fun patulul friends at the paca here in chimal!

Mi hermana Irma....LOVE HER!

Irma and her son cristian and ceci and diego!

Mi lemito y jeferson

Just thought you'd enjoy this picture...the kid was complaining and they always 

threaten him with the paleta...hahaha and we caught the best moment...

The tree and nativity!

The nativity from last year, and the grateful tree. These two thinsg have changed this family. 

THANK YOU MOM!

The paleta...that they paddle the kids with sometimes..or at least threaten them!

FOTO DE ZONA!

Hi,
Here is Morgan's letter for this week. She is happy. She is thriving in this time of life. Can't ask for more than that, right? She send lots of photos. Enjoy! (For those of you who are new to this, I write in green and Morgan's responses are in red.)

Hey,
So I am going to hurry and write a few thoughts. I will finish tomorrow, but I don't want you to be on and not have a note from me in case you are there on Monday. (I think I finished!)

Thanks for the great emails. You really are sounding so happy and everyone who reads your emails loves them. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Aunt Elise and Sandra Billeter both comment back to be a lot because they love the Spirit of your letters. I will forward their notes so you can read them. 

They are so sweet! Love those two women. Such great examples for me!

Hannah Romney is home. She speaks next week. So will Emily N. I am going. Cannot wait.

I cannot believe it! So crazy!

Greg Watts and Becca will be here the next week. WOW!!! CrAzY!!

Primary was ok. I forgot lots of stuff I was supposed to take care of. But hopefully next week I can be more on top of things. We will see.

You will be fine! Just simplify it, and enjoy the journey.

Okay - you're on. What is happening this week. Do you know if you are transferring. I hope you can stay with your companion, and if not, I hope you get a situation as happy as this one has been. You just sound so good. I know things get hard, but you just stay so positive all the time. I loved the baptism and activity in the park photos last week. And the Lake. WOW. They were all great!

I am being transferred. and i kind of felt it. I feel totally at peace with it. A litltle nervous, just because i think i know whats going to happen, but also very excited. So there are 6 sister training leaders, but 4 of them are going home next transfer...so they have to get some new ones coming up...and so i am almost positive i am going to the sonora,...which is in amatitlan...and i kmnow that area sort of, and i will go there with hermana villacis who was callled at the same time as me and then maybe we will hav 2 companionships there or else we will go just us 2...because they closed one area of sister training leaders...becasuse i nfebruary there are 21 sistesr going home...so we dont need so many sister trainers...anyways, kind of confusing and we will see what happens. but going to amatitlan is almost a for sure thing...because the other area is closing! But i am excited! I LOVEEEEE the COAST and amatitlan!

Dad took your Shrek the Sheep story we just received in the mail (finally on Thursday or Friday-the one you mailed on Nov. 17 it said) to High Council today and used it for his scripture and thought. Some asked for copies. We saw Bro. Popp at the Chapel open house. He always asks about you. You will be our first missionary homecoming in that building.

Too weird...it really is so soon...it is only 3 transfers more...

Well, if you get on on Tuesday again, remember I work and may miss you. You could start email an hour later if you want. I wouldn't complain. The darn daylight savings messed this all up.

Well we cant chat anymore because of rules, but its all good!

LOVE YOUR GUTS!! Remember you are in every prayer. Take care of Morgan and tell us everything. Did you have your baptism for Andrea this week?

No her uncle died and so we haven't had time to visit her cause she hasnt been home...

Love you Morgan!!!
Mom

Well I have been informed that i will be transferred. I explained about it earlier but i know that whatever happens, wherever i go is what the Lord needs. I am excited for a new adventure. To be able to get to know new people. To learn new things. To work with new girls. I am just grateful for all that has happened and for all that will come. We were kind of in shock when they told us my companion was staying and i was leaving, because she had told everyone she was sure she was leaving, but it didnt turn out that way. I am just grateful because i know that Heavenly Fathers plan is perfect and i am excited to see what he has in store.

I hope you all got to see the Christmas devotional. I loved it!! I love everything about it. Mary and Joseph are such examples. Its so interesting because in Spanish their names are maria and jose....and my companions name is Maria Jose A. M. ...so we were loving looking at the different attributes of maria and jose and loving trying to see how we can be more like them. I LOVE THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR! Obsessed!

This week we had consejo de lideres. It was awesome. President Markham told us that we are her in the mission to take in all the virtue that we can. And in the mission is the easiest place to do it...but he told us that before coming to the mission he would listen to general conference whenever he was in the car...and his kids always complained. He explained to them that it is VIRTUE TIME...We all need to take VIRTUE TIME each day. In the real life, life is crazy and if we are so stuck on what we have to do that we forget to take in the virtue we arent going to get very far. I love D and C 121;45...also the story in the bible in Luke 10;39-42....I LOVE THIS STORY! I LOVE VIRTUE TIME. We must always look for light, and the good, and service, hard work...there is good better and best and we must always choose best and let virtue garnish our thoughts unceasingly...Virtue has a whole new meaning to me...and i pray i can be a woman of virtue!

I love covenants. In Preach my Gospel we learn that through our calling we are given authority, but through making and keeping covenants, we are given power. President Markham always tells us that we have to marry someone who loves covenants and the scriptures....but that means i must love them first. I can honestly say that i LOVE the scriptures. They have changed my life and i receive personal revelation each and every day from them. I can say with all of my heart that covenants are necessary! That I LOVE making covenants with my Heavenly Father. I love what Enos says..that his souls was at rest because of the covenant he made...and we too can have peace as we make and keep covenants, knowing that God will keep his end of it. 

We are doing something as a mission this month. We are reading the book of Enos every day of the month. and let me just tell you...that book is powerful. DO IT. I challenge you to all read the book of Enos every day for a month. It will change your lives. It will change your view of prayer, covenants, faith, repentance, forgiveness, humility...i absolutely love it!!

We are seeing miracles. We are finding lots of people. I dont have much to say this week..we had a crazy week of meeting and got home around 5 or 6 every day this week...but we did go to SOY which is EFY here. It was incredible. We were like the surprise guests. There was a special devotional dedicated to missionary work and at the beginning of the meeting as they were singing called to serve, we walked in like super stars...hahaha and then it was like open question and answer time. IT WAS POWERFUL. It was really neat. There was about 600 youth there all at the age of getting ready to go on missions. Well We had many who came up to us after and thanked us. Some who went to SOY with that intention...to know if they were to serve and they told us they received their answer....Some who just had fears resolved...there was one kid who they actually surprised him and brought his call to SOY or him to open there. It was awesome. Such a special, once in a lifetime experience!! I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!!

I seriously love my mission more than i can explain. I am excited for what is to come and i pray i can make the best out of what is left. I know that my savior lives and loves us. I know that Heavenly Father has a perfect plan. I know The priesthood is the power of God here on the earth, and i admire the worthy priesthood holders...those who hold the same power that Christ had when he was here on the earth. I love the temple and i know that the work done there is the Work of the Lord. I know that our family will be eternal, as we strive each day to be worthy of that great gift. 

LOVE YOU!

Hermana Oliphant

"I invite each of you to pick one thing you can give to Christ this Christmas. A gift special for Him."

Here is Morgan's letter for this week. I left the "car and truck" story in there so you could see where the "I honestly don't even want a car ever again" comment came from! Not because I think you really want to hear about all the personal stuff! But, so funny! I think she will change her mind when she is back.

Thanks for your love and support! You are all great!

---

"Aguas de Mormon"

"  Lake Atitlan....I finally got a picture of the Lake that I never took when I was serving in that area!"

"My comp and I at Lake Atitlan! "Aguas de Mormon"

(The Waters of Mormon)

"My district."

"CTR ring picture resent from last week! "

(It didn't come through last week!)

"Baptism pic resend."

(It didn't come through last week either!)

"Activity in the park!"

"Activity in the park!"

"Activity in the park!"

"Making funnel cakes! SO FUN!"

Hello,
So - this has been a busy week. Not a lot going on, just a lot to do.

Spencer has started working about every waking moment. He has to be there at 5 or 6 am now through December til Christmas. This is the last week of school and finals are next week. I hope he can keep his eyes open that long. He was off on Saturday and went skiing again. That was good. Alone again, though. But he enjoyed it.

Ahhhh so busy!! But good for him!

Thursday was our "away" year for Thanksgiving. Mom and Dad had us to their house. Your dad made the turkey, stuffing and gravy and Mike, and Mom and Dad and Steve and Kelly brought other stuff. It was fun. You said you were sad we were all, but this is the away year, so that is what always happens. You must have forgotten.

I didnt even remember there was an away year ...im not really sure what that means, but that s good it was fun! I hope it was a great day! 

Did you do ANYTHING at all for Thanksgiving? If they don't celebrate it, you probably didn't. SAD! I just wondered if the mission pres and wife did anything for you all.

No we didnt do anything. I was out on divisions in Solola, freezing my tail off, but it was a good day Thanksgiving celebrations or no!

Also, I have to tell you this, Tuesday night, I worked. Dad was taking Ashley to tumbling for me and they were on their way down to look at another natural gas Corolla or something. When they went across highland drive to go to the freeway they saw a cute little Subaru, like Spencers, but white. They called on it, looked at it later that night, and bought it. The guy seemed really honest and dad felt good about it.

I love it. The picture is great...congrats!

Well, the next day, the man with the corolla called to see if they were coming. They were taking the white truck down to see if he wanted to work a trade. Jeremy was talking to him and I said, see if he still wants the truck, even though he told him we had chosen to go another direction car wise. He said he would still like to see it. So they went down to talk to him later that day and I am happy to tell you, but you might be sooo sad, but HE BOUGHT THE TRUCK. 

No that is great! I am glad it is gone...it was kind of a risky keep. Hahah thats a miracle that someone wanted it!

Dad is worried you will be sad. BUT, there are lots of problems and he is a mechanic and is looking forward to trying to fix it and sell it again. The natural gas expires in April for one, the heater core doesn't work, so no heat in the truck, the natural gas compu-valve is still "starting to fail", I don't know what else, but it is good. We don't have to replace anything, and this guy is excited to try it. SO ALL IS WELL. Hope you aren't too sad about that. I don't think you will care, it is a car, but dad is worried about you. We traded rolls on this one. He is worried, I am not!

I think it is great! I honestly dont even want a car ever again...i am happy with my buses! hahaha i have thought about it with my comp and i think i am going to go to ldsbc...i can go and if i get to work at vrx again that is perfect and i get to be right there close to go to the temple often! I cant go on the bus and all is well! It is kinda perfect for me. but we will see how it all plays out!

Anyway, I got my new calling on Sunday. I have been very busy since then. There is a lot to do to get ready for the new year. Timing was a little harsh on this one. Ann Smith is the President, Karen Ericson is 1st counselor, Thierry Robinson is 2nd and me. It will be fun. Just a lot to do because Tammy North was amazing and did so much!!! Hard act to follow there!

You will be awesome! I love it! I learned something though...when they tell us to magnify our callings it doesnt mean to complicate it...often it means to simplify it. It is something that has changed me. The stress goes down. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT IS LOVE. i will talk more about that later. But i have learned things this week that have changed me!

The new ward building on 20th east is ready. We have an open house this next week all week and then the dedication is the 14th in the evening. Then we will start going to church there on January 4. We have the 1 pm time frame. It will be an adjustment! Hope we fit. I have heard we will not fit there. Oh well. Maybe we will sit on laps to make it work.

Thats awesome!

I honestly don't know what else to tell you. Oh - Becca is home (if it is okay to talk about) on December 16. WOW!! Greg Watts is home about the same time. Hannah Romney is home this Wednesday - 2 days - and I found out Emily Nydegger's homecoming is on the 14th later in the afternoon so - I CAN GO! I am so excited. She probably wont know me, but I can at least record the meeting for you!

She will know you..but please do go! I want to hear it!

Okay - my friend - your turn. Fill us in. I loved seeing you wearing shoes that I know have soles all the way through to the ground. You got new socks with them I hope? You didn't really say if they were there. I think you said the make up was there and I know the rings were too. Anyway, hopefully that feels so much better.

Thank you so much for the package. The shoes are great. AND i am finally using the tights you send me forever ago because it is sooooo cold!! They have saved me this past week!!

I wish they would let you sneak into your Christmas package and pull out just the "paper stuff" along the one side. You will want it for December. But its okay, no matter when you get it. It is just for FUN!!!!! I think it is fun!

Some of your photos didn't come through last week. The baptism of the two boys - a couple of pics there. Hopefully you can resend those.

Love you so much! Have a super week. Can't wait to talk or SKYPE! You fill us in on when that will be. We are trying to do it together so maybe you and Alex can see each other. If the time works it would be fun.

It has been a fabulous week. I learned a lot about love. Dilan and Jeferson got confirmed this past sunday and after church we went to eat lunch with them...well Dilan is struggling and decided he wants to go live with his dad who lives in the capital. He says he doesnt want to study and doesnt want to live there with his mom anymore. I was thinking a lot about it. Dilan grew up with his grandma in the coast...this past october he came here to live with his mom, who has a new husband and 3 other kids....Dilan came in and was kind of an outsider...being her son, he still was kind of on the outsside. Well its the same with his dad wehere he wants to go...his dad has remarried and has 4 other kids of his own...and Dilan really just feels very unloved. He looks for happiness in worldy things...like money, and it is so sad. He is very sad...he has CHANGED a LOT since he started to learn about the gospel, but he is still missing something...he just doesnt feel that love. It breaks my heart. I really just feel so bad. But i have learned the importance of love. People just need to be loved. People need to feel important. There is something in preach my gospel that has changed my life..it is one line that says, cuando el espiritu llega al corazon, el corazon cambia. In english, when the spirit reaches the heart of a person, that heart will change. The is the key. But until someone can feel the spirit and that love, nothing will happen. The is the key in any companionship, family, relationship. It is something so simple and silly, but so true. And i just love it. It gave me a whole new outlook on things. I absolutely love my job. I have the best job in the world. To love people and let them feel the love of the Savior and help them learn to recognize the spirit. 

Well Andrea, i told you about her last week..she didnt get baptized, because she spent the week in the capital so we could never find her. But she will be getting baptized this month. We are so grateful for her and her desire to learn. She is a great girl.

This week we saw miracles in church. Inactive families that we have been visiting and never go came this past sunday. 2 families. it was incredible. We have 4 people come to church with members....4 new people ready to be baptized. We had the confirmation of Dilan and Jeferson. My companion and i spoke about mission work. I was thinking a lot about the sacrament and what that means for us and our responsibility to share the gospel. As we testify our willingness to take upon us the name of Christ we are committing to help in the work of the Lord and i talked a bit about that. 

This past week we did an activity in the park. We watched a video. A new video the church came out with called "He is the Gift". It is beautiful! I love it. We watched that and gave out cookies and morcaf...which is like coffee here in Guate, but without caffeine...so the members love it! It was great. We found so many new investigators! It was really fun!! Even though all the plans fell through, it all worked out in the end! 

Tomorrow we have the opportunity my companion and i and the zone leaders here in Chimal to go to SOY...which is EFY here. We are going to go to a conference they are having and we arent really sure what we are doing, but almost like a question answer time about missionary work to help the youth get excited! It will be fun!!

My companion and i are loving every second. Every time we knock a door we sing a Christmas hymn and then share the movie He is the gift and the people love it and are so much more open to hearing about the message of the restoration!! We see miracles. There are miracles every day. We are so grateful!!!

We have transfers next week and we dont have any idea what will happen. I feel confident that i will stay in the area, but we will see, and we will see if we remain companions until the end of my companions mission or if she will leave or i will. We will see. 

We went to Panajachel yesterday for zone p day. It was fun. I bought some fun stuff to bring home...i got jeremy something cool...i think. I hope he will like it...when i left i know he would have liked it but now im not positive! hahaha 

I love you all so much! I am grateful for your examples. I am grateful for this time of year. I know that it turns into a very worldly time but i hope this year we can all remember the real meaning. Elder Robert D. Hales said we cant really understand the meaning of Christmas until we can understand the meaning of life, the atonement and resurrection of Christ. I know this is true! This is a time to share our gifts, a time to help others, a time to do our part in the kingdom of God...We should take time this Christmas to remember our covenants and do his will just as he did the will of our Heavenly Father. God gave us the BEST GIFT OF ALL. Christ. He is the gift. I invite each of you to pick one thing you can give to Christ this Christmas. A gift special for Him. Something to change, to be better, but to offer to Him. LOVE YOU ALL!!

Hermana Oliphant