I finally got the call from the Lions Club lady...

Dear Missionary Mom’s,
Attached is the photo of your daughters promised to send. As mentioned in our conversation, they are delightful and wonderful daughter of our Heavenly Father and were fabulous to work with! They truly made a difference in our service project in Chimaltenango (eye exams and glasses fittings). Not only did they excel in their language skills but their hearts were evident in all they did. Thank you for raising such valiant daughters. Through the help of the various missionaries, we were able to help about 1,830 individuals in 4.5 days. A real blessing! 

 Sister Julie Stromness and myself, having had missionaries out, (she currently has a daughter out serving) know the value of photo’s and calls home. I hope hearing from me has brightened your day. I loved telling you of your daughters. May the Lord continue to bless them in their service and may your families feel comfort as well.

With love and appreciation.
Diane Linford, The Hope Alliance February 2015 Team

 

"I love the smile the gospel puts on the faces of others when they finally apply it and it fits!!."

Hello,
How are you this week. How is Chimal doing with you back there? I can't imagine the surprise when people see you again.

It is so fun to see everyone again. The people just get so excited. I have never felt so much love from the people. it is really special to see the change in the people!

We finally got COLD weather. It isn't snowy, but it is freezing cold. We are talking like in the high 20's. We have been close to your temperature, which is odd for winter, but there is finally a cold front moved in and it is COLD. I feel spoiled and just don't want the cold, but we need water so we need snow. Maybe this will bring in some snow. It is so windy Dad said this morning that is sounded like the roof would blow off the house. I told him that wasn't even funny. But there is a lot of wind and it is the cold wind. Takes your breath away when you walk out the door.

It is hot here now. I am finally sweating again. not always, it comes and goes, but the hot is coming!! Even with my sunscreen 50 SPF. I am getting a little color.

I just finished cutting one of our missionary's hair. They have Elder Clark coming tomorrow for a zone conference or something. He said he makes them all shake hands and he almost inspects them. He really wanted his hair cut before "inspections". His companion was too tired. He slept in the car while Elder Thompson got a hair cut. Hope Elder Bass passes inspection.

We had a Terry family gathering on Saturday. My cousin James and his wife Judy are going on a mission to New Zealand next Monday, and so they wanted to get together one more time before they leave. As well, we sang Happy Birthday to mom. She loves to be with family, so that probably was so fun to her. I bet 1/8th of who should have been there came. Not a lot of people were available I guess. Probably not a lot heard about it also. I am trying to update that family tree I made. If its close, right now, in the Terry family from my grandpa and grandma down, there are 377 of us. Aunts, Uncles, cousins, their kids and their kids. CrAzY!!

That sounds way fun. I love the family parties!!

This week is ward newsletter updates time. I will do this month, unless you want to, but next time, for the April newsletter, YOU HAVE TO WRITE IT. That is all I will say about it.

You can do this one, I don't have much time, but just remind me for the next one!

Thanks for all the photos. I love photos.

~So did you ever find out how Carlos's name was in your notes? 

No and we have never found him again, but it was really cool!

~Any progress with Wilder?

Wilder..we have decided to take a little break with him...he just needs some time.

~Your FHE with the Rivera's sounded fun. I would have gagged over the gum in the flour I have to say.

It was sooo fun!! 

~No random lady phone calls yet. That is good I think.

She will call! and send pictures. She is excited to call.

~Your story about Francisco made me so happy I cried. I think it is awesome your get to see people again. It may be harder to say goodbye a second time if you transfer from there next time. 

It will be hard if I am transferred next time or if I go home from here...probably harder if I stay here til the end.

It seems great that you are still a Sister Trainer Leader. I hope it isn't making it hard for you to enjoy the work. When you said you didn't have much to tell us last week, I worried about your spirits being a little bit low. Are you doing okay? I know you said you are exhausted, I get that, but the mom side of me just worried about the emotional side of you. Tell me...

No I am great, we are just searching right now for the miracles. So we didn't have a ton of great huge experiences, but I am doing great!!! I love being a sister training leader. I have learned more in this time than any other time.

Well, I ramble on too much. Tell us all about you and Guatemala. We want it all. I hope you are happy. We pray for you every prayer. Love you so much. Keep being happy and an amazing missionary. I am proud of you and your dedication. I love you so much, Morgan! Take care and be happy!

Love you,
Mom

This was a fantastic week. I told you a little about the service we were doing with the eye exam things. Well we did it every day the last week for about 2 hours with special permission from president. It was an incredible experience. I spent my time helping pick out the glasses and fitting them to the people. it was so amazing to see the people walk in and having problems to talking out with a big smile cause they could finally see. it is something they didn't even know..they didn't know how much they were missing and how much they needed to have their eyes opened...and it made me think of the gospel. it is the same. people doing know they need their eyes to be opened, and we have the perfect prescription. it was amazing...especially the last day as we were low on glasses, and people would come and we didn't have the prescription we needed and i would pick a pair that sometimes was very far off from what they needed, but somehow it was PERFECT! There were miracles all day. i couldn't help but relate it to the mission. the prescription is perfect, and works with everyone. even the most blind. what a neat experience.all of us need to open our eyes a little bit and get the prescription right for OUR needs. it is perfect for everyone, even when we don't think so, but we have to have the faith and put on the glasses, and have our spiritual eyes open. it amazes me how perfect the gospel is. it makes me so grateful. i am so weak, and so in need of a powerful prescription of the gospel, and i love the smile the gospel puts on the faces of others when they finally apply it and it fits!!

Quick funny story, we were teaching Wilder the other day when all the sudden my foot got really warm and i looked down and their dog had peed on my foot. it was awful. i didn't say anything because the spirit was so strong and i didn't want to ruin it so i just acted like nothing happened...meanwhile the dog while slipping around in his own pee....it was awful!! hahaha

The past week was full of rejection. every day. no one wanted to receive us. Then we went to contact this lady Elida that we had contacted on the street earlier. Well she greeted us with a smile and invited us in. She was so receptive. She is a for sure baptism. she is so prepared. it amazing me how God has to try us to build our faith...and every time, its the same, but it is still hard for me to accept it. Well, i know that the miracles always come. i am so grateful for that. i know that we must be strong and keep hope, and the rainbow always comes after the rain.

I was reading a talk the other day, by Elder Kevin W. Pearson...trying to translate it in English i think its called how to better your personal prayers. READ IT. it has changed my life. changed my prayers. But i know that the prayer is a talent that we must develop. It is more than just talking...it is literally a way to know the will of God...IF we do it right.

Yesterday we were on our way home from district p day walking down the street when i say a man walking with a cane walking in front of a bus....the bus barely missed him but a whole line of cars came up so i ran up and pulled him out of the way....i helped him back to the curb and saw that he was completely blind...he was looking for the buses that went to San Martin, so we walked all the way back with him from where we had come from...about 4 blocks away and got him on the bus safe and sound....now i just pray he is ok in San Martin. had only 7 quets to get to San Martin and that was it, but he was all alone, and lives all alone, but is completely blind. it was incredible. he was so sweet, but it was such a sweet experience. 

Yesterday for p day with our district.we went to Colinas, the church owned property here for camp outs and we played. We played basketball, soccer, and had a water balloon fight. it was so fun. it was the most fun i have had in a while. we just laughed and laughed and enjoyed it. i am SO sore today. like SOOO sore. it has just been a long time since i have played...it is one thing to walk alllll day and another thing to play sports. I hurt, but it feels good. haha it was just a great time. 

Then yesterday we had a family night with this great family, the daughter in law isn't a member so we made no bake cookies with them and they ended up inviting like all the nieces and nephews, so it was so fun!! They aren't members either, so it was a great thing. They were in love with the cookies and we got some cool references. God is preparing the way to hasten his work.

It was a great month. We didn't baptize but we learned a lot and had lots of great experiences. I am so grateful for the trials because they make me better. I am trying to purify myself and be who God needs, and every day i learn new things i need to change. i am grateful for the atonement. i still don't fully understand it, but i totally am learning. my mission president asked us, ARE YOU LEARNING ENOUGH? I sure hope so. I pray that i come home clean and pure. that is my goal. i pray to do all that i can here and have no regrets.

LOVE YOU!
hermana oliphant

"...he opened the door and saw me and just started to cry."

My companion, Hermana Martin (from Harrisville, Ogden, UT)

"Dominoes."

Tues, February 17, 2015

So, HAPPY BELATED VALENTINES DAY!

Hope you had a happy Valentines Day. It was Saturday. I doubt they celebrate that there, do they? Today, Monday is Presidents' Day. Spencer still had to work and we think he still has school today. He was sort of bummed about that. But your dad is off.

They do celebrate it here, but its not the same. Its called Dia de Carino....but we were fasting, and so we ate some chocolate early that day, I dont really know the holidays anymore..holidays are just different in the mission.

So my talk yesterday went okay. ~~ actually it went very well, according to me [Brent]. ~~ Ahh, that really was your dad. He said it was probably the best talk I have done. I felt good about it. The difference was that I felt prepared and I did it, I think, through the Spirit. I studied and looked for the right stuff and it just seemed to all come together. I did okay until I talked about our missionary and all the help she gave me. Then I got emotional. Also when I told about your blessing from your bishop. I told the background without details, because Jeremy didn't want me to even tell about it, but I had to, Morga, it was such a testimony for me that Heavenly Father knows what we need. I don't really feel like I get that kind of direct answers, etc. I felt like that was a "direct hit"!! So, thanks for all of your help. Your input made it work. The best part was that with it being Presidents' Day, long weekend (no school Friday and Monday), there wasn't as many people there. But there were lots of visitors.

Hahaha that's funny...not many people. But I am glad it went well. But it is so cool, the story about the bishop and the blessing. It is really a huge, cool, thing. There is more that goes with that story, but I will share it with you in a few weeks. IT is kind of personal, but such a testimony to me. GOD KNOWS US!

So, how is your new--old area? I need to know more about your companion. Amy told me who it was, she dropped by as I was going through your letters and brought the letters you sent. We don't understand the tiny writing letter you sent. We thought I was about you, but then it said "Elders" in it.  We were sooo confused. Give us some more details.

So that letter is one I translated...it is a story and it is what we read and used as an example and then we made our own purification lists. I just thought it was cool and wanted to send it to you, but I had to translate it to send it. But my companion is from Ogden Utah. She has 9 months in the mission Her name is Rachel Martin...she is awesome. I love her so much. We just enjoy our time together. I sent a picture and i think she sent one tooo of the two of us. So i hope they go though. It is so fun to be I my old area. :EVERYONE gets so excited to see me. I've never felt so loved..hahaha but it is just so fun! It is incredible to see the changes. We are teaching people now that I met before and their hearts have just been changed by the Spirit. So it is really awesome!! I love it! I am enjoying everyyy second. I love all my 18 girls that i get to work with as well!!! SO MUCH!

Jeremy is building his "bridge" for physics. He isn't very happy with the outcome. He just keeps going and going. If he wasn't working today, he would be finishing it. But, he is working so that gives it time to dry.

SO FUN! hahah good luck jer!!

Alex taught the lesson for our family night with the SL families last night. He basically did a great missionary lesson, and he could touch a lot of lives if he goes back. 

Thats good. I know there is a reason. He will do what he needs to. I am praying for him still!

Anyway, he was supposed to go work with the missionaries from our stake, who are, by the way elders. I think the singles stake has sisters. You asked about that last time. But when they went to their house the other night, he wasn't home, so Eli went. He loved it.

Thats awesome! I cant wait to work with them!!

Guess what, Ali Wagner "signed" with Stone Angel Music. I think that is Paul Cardalls music company. I am not positive, but she signed with them and is on contract I guess now. That is pretty exciting.

Thats too cool!! 

Becca, came to our ward yesterday, she said she got a job at the pharmacy. She is pretty excited about that. 

YA! She told me! I am so happy for her. 

Jeremy played in concerto night last Thursday. Olivia Abbott played a violin concerto. She did a Chinese style one. It was really good. She did a great job. Don't think you know the others?!?!?

I LOVE CONCERTO NIGHT!

Spencers mission companion, Nate, came to dinner Sunday because his parents were in St. George with the rest of Utah. Everyone went there. That was probably a zoo. We went to Midvale Mining for Valentines with all five of us because we could, and Nate came for that also.

Sounds fun. We had a great day, on division in San Lucas...i FROZE to death. hahaha but it was fun!

Well, fill us in. I don't have anything exciting to tell you. Sorry. We are all doing good. We pray for you. We hope you are well. I hope that you love your companion. I need a companionship photo. Please.

I sent one and she did too!!

Love you so much!
Mom (and a little dad)


This was a cool week. A crazy story...we went to go visit this man. Carlos de Leon. We had found his name and address in our agenda...and so went to visit him...as we got talking he asked how we got his name and direction and we honestly don't know. He said he had never talked with missionaries before, but we had the address and his name...so we went. HE NEEDED IT. As he came to the door i could see that he had problems. He just needed to hear that God loves him. I am praying he gets to church this week. We will see what happens but we have faith.

You are going to get a call from some random ladies soon. This morning my companion and
I and the zone leaders went to this voluntary service project. Its a group called the Lion Club and they sent eye doctors down here to do free eye exams for the people and we went to help translate. So There were 2 couples there that are members, so they took pictures and got your email address and phone number. They said they wanted to call and send the picture. So just FYI. IT was such a special experience,. To see them walk in and leave as a different person, smiling and seeing!! I think we are going tomorrow and Thursday tooo. It is really cool. Speaking of which, I need help to figure out what i am going to study. Here are my likes...I want to work with kids, and I want to love them. I just want to do something that can help them feel love and change...but I have ZERO ideas. I just feel like I need to start thinking about it a little bit...and where...but it stresses me out to think about it...so I try to avoid it, but I know its almost that time. 

We have this awesome investigator named Wilder. He is really so awesome. His wife is a member, and when I was here last time, he didn't want much to do with us, but it was because he was living with his parents and they are very catholic and didn't want him to talk to us. Anyways, he is going to get baptized. The question is WHEN. We are praying for this week. We know we can see this miracle. We just are praying and praying. We have had incredible spiritual experiences every time we go with them. The spirit is almost tangible. They just bought a new dog...Mylo...well my companion was holding Mylo the other day when all the sudden she got this awful look on her face, and she said..its warm...hahahahaha the dog went on her skirt. haha it was gross., but so funny. 

We had a great Noche de Hogar, aka family night with the Rivera Family. It was awesome then played a realllly funny game. We hid gum in a bowl of flour, and we had to get the gum out with our mouths only and chew it and blow a bubble..it was a race, boys against girls. It is sooo funny, They are such an incredible family. I love them. They are very special. 

I don't know if you remember Hermano Francisco...a really old guy but he is a recent convert here and we went to visit him the other day and he opened the door and saw me and just started to cry. It was so cute. He is such a sweet heart. It is so fun to be back here. I love it so much.

Well, I don't have much more to say, mostly just know that I love you guys so much. I am grateful for your love an examples. I have THE BEST family in the world. Thanks for that. I always tell people I have the best family I the world and its true. I feel spoiled. I am more than grateful. I don't know the word, but I feel so full of gratitude and so full of love.

LOVE,
HERMANA OLIPHANT

"It is realllllly cold here! at night and in the morning,"

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Here is Morgan's real letter for the week of February 8.  Somehow I put the wrong letter on here. Oops! This is the letter I couldn't put up until after my talk on Sunday, or I wouldn't have had to talk --- everyone in our would have already heard/read it.  Hmmm, maybe that's not such a bad idea.

"Helping cook."

"Samantha"

"Gladys and her kids."

Laura y Antoni"

"Estuardo and Leandro"

"Los Law, the senior couple coming home with me."

"Mis hijas and their daughters. They are both training."

"Hermana Zamacona and my grand daughter."

Well, she walked in the chapel right where I was standing, I stared at her for a second (like I had to take her out of your pictures and put her into my reality--weird) and she just smiled and gave me this huge hug. I considered it a hug from you by osmosis or something. So, of course, I cried. She said how are you. I said fine til now. I may have to cry. She said just cry. So I did. Then she said, Morgan is doing awesome! It was very fun to see her. Now, you have to know, she hasn't even unpacked her bags, so she has no idea where the letter(s) are right now.

I put it in her backpack....just in case.

Anyway, it was SUPER FUN to see Amy.

I can't believe she is home. She wrote me and it was fun to hear from her!! 

Oh, she talked about how her mom told her she should wear some tights or socks to hide her legs and all the bites on them, but she decided no, it was a part of her mission and a part of her and she was proud of it. So after her talk, I went up and said I need to see your legs so I know what to expect. She put out her leg and then she said, OH, MORGAN'S ARE WAY WORSE THAN MINE. She said mine are healing, Morgans are awful. I had to laugh. It was a funny reaction she had. Sorry about your legs being SO AWFUL!

Mine aren't too bad. I think they will get worse here in Chimal!!

At Amy's meeting, I saw Lindsey, Danni, Brynne, Greg Watts, Jessica Smith, Abby VanTendrien. Megan and Mike Dial. Not lots of kids there that i knew, but it was good to see them.

Anyway, it was stake conference this weekend. Greg Popp got released as a high councilor. He asked us to ask you if you would come help them with mission prep - about the time you get home, they will be ready for the role playing. He wants your help. I told him I though you would LOVE that. He asked Alex to come and help him. I hope he will.

I would love to. 

Speaking of Alex, he got home Thursday night. I'll add a couple pics on the end. The first time I saw him was at the adult session of conference. We sat behind them. they left a bit early so I didn't get to really talk to him until Amy's homecoming on Sunday. He was busy.

And, we took Jeremy to the Dr. last Wednesday and after a pretty thorough exam, Dr, Poku feels like he will be just fine. The high blood pressure---he told him to cut salt from his diet. So, all is well. Camille works in that office. Perfect for a referral and he is on our insurance.

Quick, amazing story, I got a blessing from my inspired bishop here in Chimal....he never knew anything, but he blessed, specifically, my little brother and my cousin...HE KNEW NOTHING. I know Al will be ok. They are both in my prayers, but the Lord is aware of them and makes it known even here in Guatemala!!

Jessy and Michael want to know if you got your package?? I hope so. They had to leave it at the door of the mission office. It was locked up when they came and no one was around except the security guard. They showed us their pictures of their experience. They loved it, but they did get super sick for 24 hours. They couldn't keep anything down and felt like then they were dehydrating. Anyway, they had a great experience and I told them you will probably want to see their pics in a while. They are happy to share.

Yes I did get it! THANK YOU!!

I'm writing my talk this week. I am going to sift through your letters because I know you have talked a lot about reading things in the scriptures. I started to read - every day. Even though it isn't a lot, I am doing it. The Blessing of Scripture by D Todd Christopherson (May 2010) - how they bless our lives, that is my topic. So I will try not to use all the good stories and leave you a couple to share. Any more suggestions??

I had a great study for you the other day...here are some suggestions! very briefly...

I love Ether 8:26 and 1 Nefi 15:24...the words of Christ allow us have power so satan doesn't have that power...I testify of that.

In PMG chapter 2, chapter 5 and chapter 10 there is a lot....

2 Nefi 32:3..think of feasting on the words of Christ is like a buffet....there is a lot of food, and only the best,,,,we eat freely what we want an we get full...its the same with the scriptures...i t should be the same!

In PMG in chapter 2 there is a quote by Elder Boyd K. Packer in a little red box...LIVE WHAT YOU LEARN.....

Alma 31:5....the words of Christ have more power than a sword...

Also, DID YOU GO BACK TO CHIMAL? I think that is where you said you thought you would be going. That was your 8th transfer. CrAzY! I have a map!!

I AM IN CHIMAL WITH HERMANA MARTIN. She only has 9 months in the mission...and has never trained but she is incredible!! She is from Ogden, Utah. It is so fun to be in Chimal again and see everyone. A dream come true.

Okay, this is too long. I hope stay warm. I hope you are happy and healthy. I hope your legs heal. Use doterra bug spray. I think it can at least help...

I am doing great!!

What is your weather. I am afraid we have been warmer than your for the past couple of weeks. Amy's parents had her little open house thing outside. It was chilly, but so nice. Like 65 Sunday. It is crazy. Setting all sorts of weather records.

It is realllllly cold here! at night and in the morning,

AHHHHH--WERE YOU AFFECTED BY THIS VOLCANO ERUPTING? I think you are farther away from it, but obviously, I don't know. Jessy and Michael took a picture a week ago with that volcano in the background I think they were in Antigua for the picture, and now this week it blows. They also took a picture at the Antigua Arch. You missed them there I think by about a week I think. Seems like not too long a ago, a week or two, you were there and sent a picture of that.

We got a little ash in our area....but our missionaries in Antigua just had to wear masks!!

We love you. We still pray for you in every prayer. Tell us where you are, what you are doing, and who you are with. Are you still a sister trainer leader? You thought you probably would be.

Ya i am. 

I sent a different email with the information about the gal that is from Connie and Craig's ward that left for your MTC last week. Look for that. It would be awesome to send a photo to her parents through Connie. They would love that.

Love your guts,

Mom

I dont have tons of time but so much to tell...

First off, my goodbyes were so hard, in my last area, but mostly to my missionary friends who went home. I cried more than any of them! hahaha but its good cause i know i will see them again!!!

I was reading in D&C 105:19. It is such an awesome scriptures. I know my mission is an offering, and i pray that it can be accepted. I will tell you i have learned more than ever in my missino. Sorry this keyboard i have is awful, and so this is going to be quick, also i am almost out of time, but i am so loving Chimal. This week we spent time getting to know our investigators. We have so many amazing people progressing and i cant wait to see all the miracles that are going to happen.

AMELIA AND TITO, from San Martin are getting sealed the 28th of February....unless they change it. hey are pretty sure but not completely...i cant WAIT!!!! So excited!!

I am going to send a letter soon with some cool experiences that i want to share with my family...but hopefully it is sooner than later!!!

LOVE YOU!! THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!

Sorry im out of time!

Hermana Oliphant

My 2 daughters are training this change. I am so excited for them. I am going to be a grandma....

Here is Morgan's letter from last week. There are A TON of photos added here.

"Karen's baptism."

"My girl Karen."

"Look who i found!!! SHE HAD HER BABY! MARISOL And her cute daughter Nicole!"

"Bridge of muddy water!"

"My companions."

"Fun day in the park of Naciones Unidas."

"Man I will miss them."

 "Saying goodbyes."

"Fun day."

 "Fake  tikal."

"How i will miss my Karen and Daniel. I told them to do a funny picture 

but they didnt know how...hahaha"

"Our bishops daughter Megan."

"Bishops family. Best family ever."

"Happy birthday Hermana Weatherford, one day before she goes home...."

"This is the sister who was staying with us for the week..hermana zeledon from Costa Rica."

On Tue, Feb 3, 2015 at 4:19 PM, Morgan Oliphant <morgan.oliphant@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Wow...it's February. It's crazy. I'm hoping you get to see Amy this week before she leaves. I can't wait to hear her report on Sunday. I'm very excited for that!!

I will see her tomorrow in change meeting, and i am going to give her some letters to give to you. So if you wouldnt mind asking her for those, just in case she forgets. I cant believe she is out of here.

Hey, before I forget, the senior couple who is coming home with you...find out more. Whatever you can. We will do anything to help them get home. You probably know that and told them that, but we will. If they need a ride home or whatever. We are happy to help. Their name? Let us know what we can do (along with a welcome home sign...yes, we are happy to do that for them like you asked.) I forgot about all this last week.

I will find out more, i tried to find out a while ago but they didnt tell me much. i told them we would drive them home if they needed and they kind of laughed but i think it might be a good option for them.

How was your week. I hope you get your contact solution Michael and Jessy brought for you. I believe they come home this Monday or Tuesday maybe. They loved helping building the school. They said the jungle was crazy. They loved it. They had a LOOOONG bus ride that they didn't love so much. They had no contact with home until they got back to civilization on Friday or Saturday sometime. Then they called home. Norths told dad all of this over the weekend. Would have been fun if you could have seen them!!

That would have been fun, but they were far away from me. But i do know they enjoyed it, and they will have to come back and visit with me one day!

Grandma and grandpa went to help Michael and Lindsey move to Iowa. It was bad timing. They are in a storm of ice and cold. They stopped cuz the roads were so icy and in a Walmart parking lot someone couldn't stop and ran right into them. He couldn't speak English, he spoke Spanish, but he did have insurance. That is good. Gpa is so sad...it's his trucks very first accident, ever. Like 250,000 miles old. But no one got hurt. That is good. I just hope they make it without any more problems. I was worried about the timing!! They said there would be a big storm in the north-east this week. And there is apparently.

Ah, so scary. So sad.

Volleyball starts this week for Ashley at Evergreen. She bought a camera, or is buying one, and she has been taking pictures of friends, she does pretty well. She went with Harli and Rachel to Wheeler Farm on Saturday. She took some cute pics. 

Thats so fun. What a cute girl she is....hope she is making good choices always!

I can't think of much else to tell you. So it's your turn. What's happening this week. Any more luck with Laura? Any transfer word? Does your assignment change now? I think it's so fun you're seeing people from your previous time there. Especially Heiyson. Did I spell that right. (I just looked back and can't find how to spell that.) Anyway, that's really fun.

No luck with Laura but we are going tonight with her to say goodbye! I am sad. I am for sure being transferred to chimal tomorrow. I am excited to go back and see everyone, but apparently it is SO COLD THERE RIGHT NOW! It has been so fun to be here in amatitlan again and see all the old people. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. This past week i was able to go back and work in proyectos...we did an activity with out district leader whose area is proyectos and we went out and did visits with the youth...it was sooooo fun!! I LOVE MY PROYECTOS!! I loved being able to see Heyson, it was hard to say goodbye to him again this past sunday....he cried a bit again, but i know i will see him again! I love my guatemala!

What else? Keep us caught up. I love pics. We forwarded the one of you and Sis Graham to Pat Graham. Dad is the high council rep for that ward, so he told her about it and she wanted to see. That was fun. I talked to Loralee, she said she is crazy into instruments, Sis. Graham and her whole family. She is a twin and her twin just got married.

Ya she told me all about hat! it was pretty fun to figure it all out.

Yesterday was the Super Bowl. Dad made lots of snacky-type foods with salmon for dinner. Then it was only the 5 of us and we barely ate anything. Ashley made some flour free cookies. Besides cooking them just a little too long, they are good. Sarah Christensens recipe.

ha sounds fun!

We are having our stake missionaries for dinner tonight. Christensens were going to, but it is Doug's birthday, so we said we would have them for dinner and she can surprise Doug and take him out on a date. Dad saw it on the ward calendar at church by chance, so we offered. That will be fun. She was excited. I still cut the missionaries hair, but we haven't had them for dinner ever. Well, for a long time anyway. Lille will come with us too!

Are they elders or sisters? I want to go out on visits with the sisters when i am home, but i need to have the sisters here...so i hope they are sisters and not elders.

Okay, love you so much. Take care, and be safe and healthy. Have a other great week!! We will keep praying for you.

Love you,

Mom

Well, this was a crazy week...Estuardo had a realllllly hard week preparing for his baptism. Since last tuesday he has been really angry and really not himself...and on saturday when he had his interview scheduled he never showed up...we called the guy he lives with and he told us Estuardo never went home in the night to sleep. We finally found him and some members talked with him and helped resolve some worries, and we scheduled his interview for the night...he showed up and passed his interview. We made it very clear to him that he needed to be on time for church to be able to be baptized, and everything was good, well he came to church and hour late cause he was in a different city, so we called president and decided that he needed to wait a week. So he got a little angry, long story short, all is well and his baptism is scheduled for the next week. I am sad i will miss it, but it is better that he has more time to be prepared. I feel bad for him, and i will share more about his story when i am home, but pray for him, and i know we will see big changes in him. He is like a little brother to me, and i love him so much and just want to see him happy. It breaks my heart to see the people suffer so much, but especially the people i love so much.

But Karen got baptized sunday and it was a really awesome day. Both her parents were there and they had a really special experience. They are in the process of separating and it is so sad to see them because they are so unhappy. It is also a long story that will have to be saved for another time, but it was a very special moment for them. They thanked us for being their angels and being the only sisters who stayed around long enough to help their daughter be baptized. It hurts me to leave them, knowing all that they are going though, but i also know that they will be taken care of and that Gods plan is perfect.

I got to do divisions with Hermana Alba this week. It was so fun. SHE AND HERMANA ZAMACONA, my 2 daughters are training this change. I am so excited for them. I am going to be a grandma.....i cant wait to meet them. Hey, you told me of someone who is coming to this mission...i cant remember who, but i think it is this change that she comes....remind me who it is! I want to find her! 

I am sad, because honestly so many of my friends are leaving me. I have grown to love all my cute companions and those who haven't been my companions and i am going to miss them here in Guatemala, but i know they have big things coming. speaking of big things, becca just told me Abbie Brockbank is engaged...I CANT BELIEVE IT. So crazy, but i am ssooo excited for her!! Cute picture of their engagement. 

I LOVE MY MISSION. I LOVE GUATEMALA. I LOVE MY SAVIOR. Thanks for your love and support, and for your testimonies, and your examples. Keep being amazing. READ YOUR SCRIPTURES. SAY YOUR PRAYERS. GO TO THE TEMPLE.

Hermana Oliphant