"EVERYTHING had to fall [through] so we could listen to the spirit more..."

Letter from December 30, 2014

Midnight on christmas eve....

 

Flashback to Chimal con mi Bevis

WILSONS BAPTISM!

 

WHITE CHRISTMAS

Wow, our last email for 2014. I cannot believe it. It will be weird to say 2015.

I know, its soo weird to me!!

Becca's homecoming was great. She really did a great job. It was fun to hear her stories. She shared some of her experiences. I like that...I like hearing what happens to missionaries when they are missionaries.

I love becs. she writes me now...and sends fun pics! 

Also Alicia Henry is home and spoke with Abby Tingey? Both in 7th ward. You may not know Abby. I guess she moved in a week or so before she left. Ali Wagner also spoke in St. George. She is home and safe.

I didn't get to chat with your friends. I have to run off to primary so I can't ever stay and talk. I waved and said hello. But that was about it. Becca said its fun to talk to Emily with her just being home recently too. Oh, and i saw Abby VanTiendren there. I was so surprised. I didn't know she was home. She said she didn't tell many people. She looked good. She said she loved her mission.

Abby left the day i was going to leave in may so she got back a while ago...but i cant tell you how unexcited i am to be back....i loveee my family and want to give you all big hugs...but it makes me sick...SICK thinking about being home!!

Anyway, at the church cleaning today I took a picture of the remaining missionary plaques that have

been moved to the new building. I don't even know who is next to you. i didn't look. I think Spencer Ellis is - no, Jarom Chamberlain. Then Spencer, then Alexa, Spencer Evans, Henry Christensen, Tyler Bodily, and Paul Schwartz. That is not in picture order, I can see by looking closer, but that is the order they come home in. Next time I'll try for a picture in focus!!!

So weird...im the old one.... 

Honestly, I can't think of anything else to tell you. We want to hear how you are doing. I feel like I haven't got to really hear what you are doing each day - or like who you are working with. Is that because you have changed how it works...with you going with someone new every day, there probably isn't much continuity. Maybe.

Ya, its kind of weird, but today i will fill ya in. I think i have more time!

Julie got to talk/Skype with Alex with her family for about two hours. I was jealous. Julie loved doing that. He was on much later in the day, we wouldn't have ever got you together even if it was okay. When you said just family, I took it to mean just our little family. Maybe you meant cousins could be here.

Okay, you're on, tell us everything!

Love you!
Mom

If I can in the morning, I will add some photos of christmas. I haven't down loaded them yet, and it is past midnight. I am working in the morning. Dad is taking Spencer to work at 530 because the starter motor is being changed in his car. It is taking long because it is soooo cold and Mike is doing it at his house. I feel bad about the cold. Gpa said Mike is looking for things to do though. It is sooo windy right now, we may end up in Kansas with Dorothy and Toto. I do not enjoy wind like this.

Did you get the rest of your gifts in your package. From Helen, especially, she asks every week. I was supposed to ask you something else, and i cannot remember what it was or who brought it up even. I do that a lot.

YES! THANKS! We ate them all already!!

Richard Parkin told us to tell you hello from their family when we Skyped, but I forgot. Now you know.

Ward updates are due today (Wednesday), want to say anything to the ward??

(For the ward newsletter:) 

Even here in Guatemala, far away from my VAlley View Family, we had a White Christmas. We saw our little friend Wilson baptized on christmas day. It was incredbile. A very special day that we will never forget. What an amazing way to celebrate, right?!

I cannot express my love enough for my Savior. The atonement is real. I have been thinking a lot lately about the enabeling power of the Atonement. I still cant say i understand it completely, but it is all thanks to him, that we can do what we do each day. That we can smile. That we can walk. That we can laugh. That we can cry. I am so in debt.

I am grateful for this time of year to think about the past and look forward to a great future. As we make goals this year...i have been thinking more along the lines of covenants. So as i have made covenants this past year, i will continue them, but i have a testimony of covenants, and i am excited to make my Covenants of 2015. I know that covenants are key in this life.

As we are finishing reading Enos every day for the past month, i am grateful for pray. I am grateful for covenants. I am grateful for forgiveness. I am grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who is full of mercy. I am grateful for the examples of beloved Scripture Heros. I am grateful for the spirit. I love the book of mormon with all of my heart and i can honestly say that i have been converted to the scriptures. They are an anchor for me. They are so necessary in my every day life.

I learned something incredible from the spirit this past week in 3 Nefi 11. As Christ invites the people to touch the marks in his hands and his feet to know with a surety that he is the christ...it is an invitation of invitations for us. As we go through things in life, as we struggle, as we overcome trials, as we repent, we are touching the marks in Christs hands and feet and our testimony of Him grows. We, as the Nephites, must do it ONE BY ONE...we cant experience it for anyone else...but the great thing is that Christ blesses the little chiledren one by one...and that is why we must humble ourselves and be as little children..so Christ can bless us and we can know of a surety.

I love my savior. I love my mission. I love you each. Keep shining, and keep sharing.
HERMANA OLIPHANT

Love you, again!
Mom

I love you and it was sooo fun to get to talk to you. 

I want to share a great experience that happened yesterday. We had this awesome family night planned with Laura and Anthony...she is an investigator and he is an inactive...we were going to the bishops house...welll it all fell through...then we went to visit Ricardo..the miracle we found when the spirit led us to the house of the inactive family...and the family got mad at us Ricards brother came out and told us they didnt have time...we felt awful...i felt like we should go visit Wilson...so we did. We got there and they had a friend there..Jason..he is 19 and had listened to the missionarys before and went tto church 2 weeks ago, but we didnt know it. Anyways...he is super cool and i know he will be baptized. We had to learn a little bit about not being so stuck in the plans we want to follow, and listening more to the spirit...EVERYTHING had to fall so we could listen to the spirit more and go visit him...because it was what HE WANTED. I have learned so much...ALL i want to do is the LORDs will. I dont even want to have my own will...i want to learn to follow the spirit so well, that all i do is the lords will....i hope i can grow to do that in my life.

Today i get to go on divisions with HERMANA NEWMAN! My MTC companion. I am so excited! love her so much!! 

So, i really am getting fat here....the Lady that gives us food is killing us...so dont judge me when you see me....its annoying.,..but we try to talk to her and she gets mad and gives us more food...so we are trying to see what we do. hahahaha

Well hope you have a great new years and that you make your new years covenants. There is power in the covenants and God will always complete his end. LOVE YOU ALL!!!

HErmana Oliphant
I WILL SEND PICS!