Morgans letter...I forgot to post it. I read it to mom in the hospital, and then spaced it off. Oops! Only four more left!!! 

"My area"

Companions

The Waters of Mormon right here in my area.

Hello...
How has this first week been. I have to admit, I have worried a little bit about you being in a trio. I worry about you being so far away and back in the mountainous "hills". It won't get as hot though, that may be a blessing. So tell me, how is it? How are you feeling? How are you companions? Do you all get along? Are there good feelings between you all? Will you be in a trio this whole transfer, or is it temporary? Not too many questions circling around inside my head is there!! I "google earth-ed" where you are. I couldn't really tell anything. But sort of saw it a little bit.

I am LOVING EVERYTHING!!! It has beeen sooo cold, but finally warming up...and i love it. My companions are becoming my best friends. We have so much fun together and we are getting more comfortable teaching together. We haven't had any problems...and we just are enjoying it. enjoying all of it. the trio is for the whole transfer from what i know. Just know i am loving it. I couldn't have asked for a better last transfer. I know i am going to learn a lot here, and i want to learn all i can before i go home....i want to go home changed and stay changed. i want to be clean.

Tell us about your area. Who have you met?

We are slowly meeting the members and finding new investigators..we are enjoying being rejected, because we know that means that the miracles are coming and they are. We find new great people every day. It is rough, honestly, but rewarding.

We had Alex, Eli and Seth (Blake and Julie are on a cruise as of yesterday) over for dinner with Grandma and Grandpa last night. Sis. Nye is home so we are back to taking food to her too. That is fun. We like to do that for her. I think she enjoys it too. 

FUN!

The boys gave Grandma a blessing. She asked Alex to anoint and Brent gave the blessing. Dad said a prayer before we began. It was neat. Her surgery she wasn't sure about is on Wednesday. Supposedly it is not as big of a deal as "back surgery" sounds. I feel like it will be okay and that she will do well with it. I just hope it doesn't continue right up her back. The dr said that her rib cage would protect it from happening to the rest of her back. I hope that is true.

I will be praying for her. I know shell do great!! GO GRANDMA!

I went with Spencer to get his bike fixed - we dropped it off to Hyland Cyclery - that is the one Mark Goodman owns, who is now married to Julie Oliphant, and they were all there. Carter, Julie and Mark. It was the most fun thing to see them. 

So fun! Hope they are doing great!

Then we took Spencer's car to Jiffy Lube for an oil change and they checked the brakes and they are GONE. Nothing left. So he drove my car to work today and Dad and I are going to change the brakes on his car - he needs front and back brakes. He will probably need new rotors too. I just hope we can do it fast. It has to be done today. He needs his car too much. And, it is supposed to rain today, of course. (Back brakes were just fine, actually!)

Sounds like an adventure always!!

Dad was saying the other day that he always has his eye open for a car for you. We don't know what you want, but he looks anyway.

I DON'T WANT ANYTHING! I WONT HAVE MONEY. Not with schooling...which is stressing me out!!!

Okay, we want to know all about you! I need to know how you are feeling/doing. I have been slightly worried about you this week. I just hope all is well and that this transfer period can be a happy experience. I told Aunt Connie about you meeting Madison Hyland. She went and talked to her parents. So that was good. She asked for your email address. Maybe they or her will write you. I'm not sure. 

She did write me! She was so sweet. (Thanks Aunt Connie!)

Be happy! Drink lots of (filtered) water. Stay hydrated. Remember to take the sticky note off your birthday package and be surprised. I hope you got my email about that last week. I cannot believe they left that on there and gave it to you. I know it was early, but it was such a slick thing to get it to you through that gal.

Love you so much! I hope you will enjoy your week! Take are of Morgan! We pray every prayer for you!Love, Mom

First of all.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! I love you. Thanks for being MY mom. I couldn't be more grateful. I wish i could give you a big hug, but in a few weeks. Just know that i look up to you as my example of a Christ like person. You are so selfless and so amazing. You are so full of love and i hope and pray that i can be like you. Everyone here tells me that i look like you...and i am grateful for that. but i pray i can BE like you. (of course that made me feel like a million bucks - and made me cry!)

This past week we almost got eaten by dogs like 3 times...hahaha so funny, the 3 of us freaking out and running away laughing our heads off. But the backpack is good for something..hahaha. 

Our area is really small, and i know the area pretty well already...not the little villages that are far away, but the main part of our area, i do know pretty well.

I am grateful for this area. We are finding people each day. First we found this cool girl Leti. She is 18 and her mom just died 3 months ago...her dad is abusive so they left the house, her and her 4 siblings....she is playing mom now. She was very receptive but we haven' t been able to find her since...so we hope we find her soon. We found this awesome guy luis yesterday who had listened to the missionaries before had gone to church but said he didn't really want to get baptized back then...but says hat now he does....his only problem is that the works Sundays...but we are working on that. 

THERE ARE MIRACLES EVERYWHERE!! Having the area closed for so long was necessary, but the people are prepared now and waiting for us. We are just enjoying the finding process. 

I got to take a great nap on p day...like 2 hours...but i didn't sleep except for like 30 minutes...i started out looking through old pictures of the mission and ended crying remembering everything. It was really quite funny. I JUST LOVE THE PEOPLE SO MUCH. I literally cant imagine leaving them, but i was crying mostly of gratitude. Because i literally have been so blessed to be in this mission. Everything that has happened has been a blessing for me and i am so grateful. That is the word i have to express my feelings toward my mission. GRATEFUL. My heart is full of gratitude and love. and I will NEVER FORGET IT!

Hermana Oliphant

This past week in Chimal i had a really neat experience...

A picture of my current area.

My companions and I this morning!

The best ward mission leader ever in Chimal and his brother...our investigator, 

and my Hermanita Irma!

My favorite kids in Chimal.

Flori...she will be baptized in Chimal this week...sad to miss it! and her friend the member in red.

Best dia blanco ever!

Saying goodbye.

Saying goodbyes...the second time is harder.

Hello,
So yesterday, I went to Connie and Craig's "farewell". They are going to the Tacoma, Washington mission to serve. While I was there, Morgan, I met that gal in your mission, Madison Hyland's parents. They were nice. Madison comes out of the MTC this Wednesday. I wish you could read this before so you could tell her I met them. Anyway, I already sent a little bit about her to you. It would be amazing if you were her trainer. She is right there in Sandy and you could give her parents a personalized hug when you get back, and trust me, they would love, love, love that. I think---I know I would. Her dad said they have another friend in the same mission. An elder. I didn't ask who. I don't know any Elders names there.

His name is Elder Heiner...haha he told me when she got her call because he was in my district...so funny. but i did meet her...she is adorable! Tell her parents she is with the best missionary in the whole mission Hermana Garcia. She literally is perfect! I love her so much. and Hermana Hyland is so special and working so hard! SHE IS DOING GREAT!

Anyway, tell us about how your week has turned out. I am still writing on Monday, just in case you get on before Thursday. I didn't want you to get on and have nothing to read. I'm so excited to hear where you have changed to and who you are with. I hope you are safe and happy, and healthy.

Spencer was fine. Apparently he did get lost out hiking alone. Chad Dunford got after him on FB and said he broke the second law of hiking. He said what is that, Chad said tell someone where you will be going. Spencer said, what is the first law, Chad said are you kidding - DON'T HIKE ALONE!!! I thanked Chad on there for that reminder. It was funny. But only because he is home. It wouldn't have been funny if he was lost out there somewhere. Here are a couple of pictures he took and posted. The first is Dead Horse Point in Moab, and the other is probably while he was lost on his SOLO HIKE!!

So funny. Typical spencer! hahaha next time invite me!

His comment on this was something like: "cairns-point the direction of the trail. the most simple form of communication, and they make all the difference when hiking alone."  I didn't know he got lost til the next day when Nate came over and said something about it. OH well, he is alive and home. That makes me happy. Nate said something, I said I didn't know, he said don't you read his instagram? I said I don't have it. Spencer said, thats why I posted it there, she doesn't have it. I may have to look at yours and see what he put on there. He did find Kamie and her hubby down there. They invited him to come hot tub with them at their hotel. He left his swim suit on his bed. Apparently her hubby let him borrow one of his. He ripped his pants and had to throw them away and couldn't find anything open to buy new ones that late, so I'm not sure what he did. He only took an extra pair of shorts.

hahahahaha so funny!!

Andrew Price is home tomorrow. His mom posts a number count down every day on Facebook. It is awesome.

Mom is going to the dr some time this week to decide for sure about surgery. They were telling them about the side effects and she decided she wasn't sure if she should do it. She wants to know more and then decide. If she does it, it will be next week still.

Tell her to just pray about it!

Okay, you're on. I want a picture of you and you're companion if possible. Who she is and where she is from. I'm excited to hear where you are going to be serving. I hope all is well. We still pray for you every day.

I sent that info...if you want to copy and paste it.

Becca's birthday was this past sometime - oh, Saturday. Christine gave her two bunnies from what I can see on FB. Funny.

She sent me pictures. so funny!

We went to the Bountiful temple Saturday night. The Spencer family. Steve and Kelly, us, Julie and Blake and mom and dad. It was fun. Julie and Blake leave on a cruise this Thursday. They cruise from Sun. to Sun. I think, but they are flying stand by so they are leaving Thursday to make sure they get there. They will have fun I hope.

FUN! I WANT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE! hahahaa i love it with all of my heart!

Love you, stay happy, healthy and strong. Take care of Morgan!! Drink lots of (filtered) water.

Love you so much, Mom

I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY. Lets just start off by saying, Dilan, my convert in Chimal is preparing his papers to go on a mission at the end of this year. HE IS SO EXCITED! Seriously....and i am just so happy for him. it was so hard to say goodbye to my family in Chimal, but i know i am where i am supposed to be.

So we had transfer meeting on Tuesday and i was completely shocked about my transfers...this is the last place i wanted to come, but i prayed all week long i would be ok with where the lord sends me and i can honestly say that i am so excited to be here!! Even though we just got here last night at 9pm...hahaha so Tuesday after transfers we stayed with some sisters in the capital because Wednesday morning we had a conference with Elder Anderson of the 12 apostles...it was INCREDIBLE. but our area is so far away it would have been silly to go there and then have to go again Wednesday so we stayed the night close....then had the conference...i got to see all my friends from the MTC! IT WAS SO FUN!!! But my camera was dead, so they are all going to send me the pictures....also i saw Elder Marsh who went to Olympus...and he took a picture of us as well...it was so fun. I sang a song with a few other missionaries as the musical number in the meeting and then said the last prayer...it was scary...hahahah i was reallllly shaky...but it went ok i think,. anyways after the conference we got on the bus and headed to our area..we left the conference at about 430...and were on the bus until 830...and from there we were with the zone leaders and had to go another 30 minutes in bus to our area...but there was no buses cause it was so late...so we found a nice man with his flete...aka a pick up truck with bars on the side...which we are allowed to use only in 2 zones of our mission and he helped us out...he wasn't even headed to solola but he went and helped us out. Anyways we got to our area at 9...and didn't have an area book...and as we re-opening the area we know NOTHING! SO...we will literally be starting from scratch..but it is going to be so fun!! I am excited. The area is called LAS CUESTAS...hahaha look up the word in Spanish..lets just say it is all hills...but not just a little hill...they are HILLS! but i am SO EXCITED! I pray to be sufficiently humble to learn what the Lord wants me to learn in this area. to be who he needs me to be.

So, i am definitely not going to be able to share with you all that Elder Anderson taught us, but i can tell you it was incredible. As we read in 1 Nephi 15:14 and discussed our responsibility as missionaries in Guatemala, i felt so strongly that my calling came right from a loving Heavenly Father who knows me and knows my needs. he knew what i needed to become the best person i could become...to become who he needed me to be. he also talked about gaining the confidence of the Lord...having the spirit...and experimenting the conversion and being clean.....i pray i can come home clean and changed!!

This past week in Chimal i had a really neat experience...2 weeks ago we had a family night with a bunch of families in the ward...all the families who went were like less actives with problems..and i was asked to give the lesson that i hadn't prepared at all...i thought...but i had been studying in the week in Mosiah 3:19..and how the gospel is to help make bad people good and good people better....as we put off the natural man, we are changing from bad to good and as we become saints we are able to become better...we discussed in depth the scripture and a few other scriptures..and that was it. the spirit was strong.....anyways, a few days later Moi, our inactive ward mission leader, came to church and he started to tell me how his brother, one of our investigators...who has kind of gone of the deep end, he was there...and he said after we left he and his brother were talking and the Moi said his brother changed completely...that he started asking about what he had to do to go on a mission...and that he wanted to change...and lots of stuff....i wish i had more time, but i will explain EVERYTHING in a few weeks...anyways.l..i know that the spirit had prepared me to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord...that week before, what i had been studying not only helped me to be converted, but it was what Jairo, the kid needed. The Lord knew his needs. Heavenly Father has a perfect plan and everything happens just how he wants it to happen. I am grateful that i was able to be an instrument for the lord and that i was able to recognize the spirit and share what needed to be shared. it is humbling...because i literally did not know what to share...and i had thought of sharing something different, but at the last second, during the hymn i changed...i am so grateful!!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Keep being great. i cant wait to give you hugs, but know that i am determined to give my all. until the last second. i dont want to look back with regrets at all. and i want to be the instrument that the lord needs.

Hermana Oliphant

A couple of other emails she answered...


On Thu, Mar 19, 2015 at 12:23 PM, Lisa Oliphant <balfoliphant@comcast.net> wrote:

Did you get an email from Matt Stewart??

YES!!" I AM SOO EXCITED FOR HIM!!! SO EXCTIED! He is the best!  (Mission call to Mozambique, July 20 I believe!)


On Sat, Mar 14, 2015 at 4:24 PM, balfoliphant <balfoliphant@comcast.net> wrote:

I think it would be so fun if you get to train the new missionary from Connie and Craig's ward. I need to look up her name again. How fun would that be if you could come home and meet her family. Just sitting at work thinking about it.  She is the one I told you about that was coming soon. This is her week to be finished in the MTC.  Just looked her name up. Madison Hyland. Look for her if you can!

Love you, 

Mom

I MET HER. She is in my zone. She is so sweet. I am not training her though. She is doing well. Tell her family she is safe and sound.I am training a girl from Costa Rica named hermana Wong...her dad is from china. she is great. i am actually in a trio....with another girl hermana montecino...she is training as well..and opening an area that hasn't been worked in for 6 weeks...aka we are starting from scratch!! I AM SO EXCITED! Here on the shores of the waters of mormon in solola!

Same place as the emergency transfer away from??

different place..same zone! farther away now!!

..."you could say I have a slight obsession with them."

"The Waters of Mormon."

"Fun bread that we found."

"Sent from my Daddy."

Her birthday package received in 4 days!  A RECORD!

"We made cookies, NO BAKES..."

"...also, that is how we eat junk."

Hello,
So you should have a hand delivered package. Do you? This gal, Krystal, Shelley's friend, went last Thursday to Guatemala, to that city I told you about. Then she saw a friend she knows from Chimal and and he said he was willing to take the package to you and deliver it to you. She was going to see him yesterday, I think, and deliver it to you today. I hope this works!!! It isn't a big thing, but I hope it is a fun thing for you. Please let me know if/when you get it. It would be fun if you already know this man.

I got a text this afternoon and Krystal told Shelley that your package had been delivered yesterday. I hope that means right to you.

I did get it. i do know this man, because i live in his house. hahaha tell her thanksªª (Who could have known.  She said in another note, "I GOT THE PACKAGE ALREADY. She gave it to the bishop where she was and he gave it to the counseler in the stake presidency who we live with and i already got it. tell her thank youª"ªª  She got a package, hand delivered in 4 days. That is a record. Thanks to Kyrstal Gilbert for that! So fun!!!)

Please ask Hermana Newman what time her homecoming is!!! I was going to comment on her blog, but I decided I shouldn't do that. Her mom may not appreciate that. I cannot change yours because if I do, Spencer cannot be there. He already had that day off because the Bishop promised that day would work. I'm so sorry. I am praying that they are at a different time. We are at 1pm. Maybe even just ask what ward she is in and I will look it up online if she doesn't know.

I will ask her when i see her. For some reason i think its at 9...and the Law Family is at 11. But if i t doesn't work, Hermana Law and I already talked about getting all of us together for lunch one day. No big dealªª

How did your baptisms end up. How many are scheduled and how many have happened? You said they would be on the 15th I believe, but I am not sure they were all for the 15th. You talked about Otoniel, Gabby, Milvia, Jose, Jade and Yessenia. How are they all going? Are they on for next week?

Otoniel, didnt come to church Sunday cause he got called into work, so we will be working with him for the 22. Milvia and Jose are going to be baptized on the 14th...a Saturday with all the other kids in the primary who arent baptized. Also, their brother Jonathon who is 12 is preparing for the 22. Which i am so excited for him. I just realized i wont be here for Jonathans baptism because i was informed today i will be training...and so i will leave my area and will no longer be a sister training leader. maybe opening an area...we will see where i am headed, but transfers are the 17th of march...so milvia and jose will be my last baptisms here. But i am so excited for themªª

How did the "Mini MTC" turn out? Did you hear any more input from those kids who participated? It sounds awesome!

THEY ALL LOVED ITª Dilan, our convert did it as well and he loved it so much. he has decided he wants to go on a mission. he wear his little name tag they made them every week to church. so sweet.

Has there been anymore contact with that lady with the 5 kids and the couple of kids that have cancer? It amazes me that she was married at 13. Is there a husband, or dad, in the picture? I hope that she is a little bit more responsive to the message you have to share now because you have a friendship with her.

the husband is there, but just always working. we havent found her again...they are never in their house because they both work all the time. it blows my mind how much people work here. it is so sad.

I am sooooo excited that you were able to go to the sealing for two of your best Guatemala friends. I just was teary reading that!! It is an amazing blessing for you. I know you realize that, too. That is the best part. I was reading that to Tristan, I showed her the pictures last week, and she said, "I never got to do that." She wasn't being mean, she was just pointing out what a blessing it was that you GOT TO be there. I am grateful your mission president let you participate in that.

IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER. i feel so blessed and gratefulªª

Okay, you're turn. Tell us all about this week. I hope you are doing well. I don't think your weather is as warm as you want it to be. I think it will be warmer soon. We had warm, warm weather, then it changed and we had a huge snow storm last Tuesday. It got really cold. Now we are going back to warmer weather, again. Soooo weird.

the weather is kind of bi-polar here. but it is great. It is getting warmer each day. with the random freezing days here and there.

We love you. We pray for you every day. Take care of Morgan.
Love you, Morga!!
Mom

So quick story this week i went on divisions with the girls in an area called Patzicia. At about 6 o clock we saw a LOT of smoke over by the church. LONG STORY SHORT. the people were protesting something and they started burning a big pile of car tires...and the police showed up in the end and started throwing tear gas...i definitely felt it. it was weird...it didnt affect us much we were just coughing and our eyes burned a tiny bit, but we are fineªª Just a fun little story.

So i think i talked a little about Jose and Milvia last week. Lets just say teaching them is my favorite thing in the world. When we teach them it is usually a group of like 6 kids from 12 and under and the mom and an 18 year old inactive who CAME TO CHURCH THIS WEEK FINALLY. Anyways, it is so fun. It makes me want to be a teacher. I LOVE THE KIDS. We have so much fun learning and playing and singing. They all just flocked around me at church on Sunday, you could say i have a slight obsession with them 

AHH MY ZONE LEADER JUST CAME AND HANDED ME THE CALENDAR OF THE MISSION....up until the end of April...it made me a little sick. he handed it to me and just laughed. haha he goes home this change, so he is worse off than i am, but ah it is too weird to me.l it makes me crazy to think that it is just one change more. 

DADª Thank you for the letter about Covenants. I have studied A LOT about covenants this week and learned a lot. 

President Markhams told us this this past week....
According to our conversion, we will quit murmuring and start pondering. We think of Nephi and his Brothers....it is so true. When was the last time we complained about something a leader said....if we are truly converted, we will stop complaining and ponder. I can say that i am more converted than i was when i left Utah. I cant say i am totally converted, me falta mucho....but i can say that i know my Savior more than before. not as much as i would like to, but i am getting there....poco a poco.

I can say that i have never felt so honored in my whole life, and never felt so much responsibility to be a representative of our Savior Jesus Christ. as i have been studying a lot lately about the atonement, today it hit me really hard that Christ came to sanctify us and to strengthen us...as a representative of Christ i must do ALL I CAN TO HELP OTHERS DO THE SAME. it is something so simple, but the Spirit touched my heart today as i reviewed that truth. I literally am here in place of Christ, and i have the great privilege of helping others receive that strength and salvation...what a responsibility. What a blessing. I LOVE MY SAVIOR. I can say he is my best friend. I pray that he can say the same about me. I pray that i can do the best he would have me do. I cant express how much i am learning. I cant express my love my the people. It is so hard to leave Chimal again...but we will see where the Lord sends me to finish my 18 months. There is something to learn there for sure. There are people to meet. There are things to do. I pray to be the instrument in his hands that he needs. I cant express my love for the gospel. I am converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ...and striving to become the strongest convert i can become....i wont say i'm perfect, because i am far from it, but i know that through Christ i can become it. and only through Him. The gospel of Jesus Christ is for EVERYONE. For the bad to become good, and for the good to become better. 

I LOVE YOU ALLªªª
Hermana Oliphant

Sorry its short today, my computer didnt work and it took a while to get started and the time flew by...

"Saturday I got the best reward any missionary could ever receive."

"The Temple"

"Best day ever!"

"Mi companera y yo."

"...in an astro van...all crammed together."

"My favorite kid in Santiago"

"Santiago Atitlan. My friend Sara and Osvaldo."

 

Hello,

We are finally cold, still. Winter is trying to come. But flowers were blooming and stuff so that's scary for fruit, etc. Hope it won't all be ruined.

it will be perfect timing for when i get home...the beautiful weather will be there.

We had FHE at Gma and Gpas yesterday. They made us green bread---for St. Patricks day coming up on the 17th. They usually read something from your letters every time as a lesson. This time it was the glasses analogy you wrote about. 

oh i hope, when i am home she-they are good to go to the temple with me everyday!

I did get a call from Sis. Linford. It was awesome to talk to her. She loved having you're help with the glasses thing. She said they never would have done as much as they did without you all helping them. She said they helped 1,830 people. Or close to it. She got a bug while she was there, that's why it took a while for her to call me. She was finally feeling better enough to talk and send pics.

thats so fun!! too bad she got sick, but fun to talk to her.

I can't believe transfers are coming already. I think the 18th?!? (Cary's birthday!) Have you heard if he will move you again yet or not. Seems like he tells you early on. Do you stay a sister trainer leader though that transfer too? Where is your MTC companion right now? Do you know? Just curious!

I literally dont know anything about changes yet. I dont know if i will stay or go, i hope i stay and end my mission here, but i dont know anything. usually i know, but this time i know nothing. and my mtc companion is in amatitlan training and being the nurst. I LOVE HER. i get to talk to her sometimes, and it is fun!! she is doing greaT! the problem is i talked to her the other day and she told me her homecoming is the same day as mine...and that made me kind of sad...cause i really wanted to be at hers...but i dont know if there are any options. (We will hope for different times!!)

Okay, I've got nothing else I can think of to tell you. You're turn...tell us everything. Who else have you seen from being in Chimal again. You mentioned Francisca, anyone else. Or too many to mention. I get lots of FB requests for people. I don't know them. Hermana Arguellos is the only one I accepted for now.

have you gotten on mine? you should accept some people maybe...or just wait. whatever you want.

Have a wonderful week. I hope you can meet up with Sis. Gilbert to get your bday package. (See email if you haven't already!!) Take care of you!! Be happy, stay healthy. Are you feeling good still. I hope as it warms up you don't forget water to stay away from kidney stones. Seems like that's when they get you. So drink, drink, drink!!!

i promise to do it. i dont want those again. and with the package - read what i told you.

Love you so much!

Mom

This was a WONDERFUL week.!!!

To start off we got a call on Wednesday from one of our awesome members. The story of this member is a story for another day, but he lived in SLC for a while when he got baptized. Anyways, he called us up and said he had a friend in his house that he wanted us to meet. So we told him we would be there right after the visit we had with a different members friend. So we headed over there and we met his friend Otoniel. Who actually doesnt live in our area, but he was there int he house of this member. so we got talking. Otoniel told us all about his past life...SO SAD. But he is ready to move on. He wants to know Christ and he wants to be clean. He told us he wants to go to church here with us even though he has to travel a bit, but to have the support of his friend. So we will continue to teach him and he is preparing for his baptism on the 15th of this month. He grew up as a foster child. He got into drugs and alcohol. He lived off 1 tortilla a day for 9 months. He walked more than 1 hour each day back and forth from parramos to angtigua looking for a job. LONGGGG story short, he has changed. He working all week and has Saturday and Sundays off. He stopped smoking and drinking when he got the help from this member friend Alexander. So incredible. He is so prepared. MEMBERS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

We met this awesome lady the other day. She was carrying her wet clothes in a wheel barrow with her 2 kids so i offered to help her and we walked her all the way to her house...it was SO FAR. my arms are still sore but it was so awesome. We met her and her 5 kids. She got married when she was 13, and she told us about her two boys. 5 and 2 years old. They both have this weird blood cancer and it like turns them purple...they just have random blobs of purple and black all over their bodies. SO sad. but such a special family. SO HAPPY. I cant wait to go back with them

We had a stake activity this past week. A MINI MTC. it was great. We had 10 girls from different wards with us all day Saturday and then they went to church with us on Sunday. it was interesting having them walk around with us...all in a big group. But it was so neat. A really awesome experience for them. I just prayed the whole time they would feel the spirit and have desires to serve a mission. The best part of the whole thing is our convert Dilan Rivera Carrera did it too. HE ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. It was the best thing that he could have done. He wants to go on a mission and is so awesome right now. So pilas!! He is studying the scriptures he is doing all he should be.

This Monday we went to Santiago Atitlan. I finished all my Guatemala shopping. I am done....just waiting for the scripture cases now. But we had a great day. I loved it. We woke up at 230 to go and i had woken up Saturday at 2 also for the temple and tomorrow we have zone conference and i will wake up at like 4 and Thursday at 3 again for consejo de lideres in presidents house. I AM SO TIRED. literally dying here, but so happy. I have never been so happy.

Saturday i got the best reward any missionary could ever receive. I GOT TO SEE TITO AND AMELIA SEALED. We went up with the branch in san martin....all the members...in an astro van...all crammed together. we left at 430 in the morning Then we were together all day until like 500 pm. it was such a special day. The sealing was incredible. The best part was when they brought in their adorable son Jorge Rene to be sealed to them. That was the water works part for me....it was such an incredible feeling in the temple . It is so worth remaining worthy and prepaing to go tot he temple. What a special covenant and blessing. I cannot express the gratitude that i have for being able to go. I am still suffering from the lack of sleep, but i am sooo grateful. I have never been so happy in my whole life. The best day ever. I hope the pictures sent.

M;y companion and i are working hard and we are seeing so many people who will be baptized this month. on the 14th, Gabby, Milvia, and Jose, are 3 nine year old kids who arent baptized yet, and we are having a dia blanco when all the primary kids who are 8 and older and not baptized will be baptized. Gabby is the daughter of a member...we have been working with her FOREVER, but i think this is her day. Milvia and Jose are the niece and nephew of a member that have been coming to church for a long time but we didnt know they werent members...so we will be working with them. We also are working with yessenia and Jade, the nieces of another member. For the 15th we have Otoniel. We are steel working with Wilder and Luis and have faith they will be baptized this month as well. We are so grateful and excited for these wonderful people.

LOVE YOU ALL. I am grateful for the enabling power of the atonement. for the grace of God. i am learning a lot about the grace of god. What an incredible thing it is. We are so imperfect but so lucky to have such a loving heavenly father. He wants us to succeed. He wants us to be the best we can. he wants us to be happy. It is not a coincidence, the plan of god. IT IS PERFECT. I have never been surer. The plan is PERFECT. I pray that i can do his will.

I love you tooo much!!! Keep being amazing!

Hermana Oliphant

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