January 15, 2011

Hola Familia!
WOW time is going by so fast and things are changing real swift like. We had another awesome week here in Wauchula and we got transfer calls and I was lucky enough to experience another Miracle or two. So to sum it up in a nutshell I am doing real swell.

Now as for me and how I am doing over here in what could definitely be considered the greatest area of the mission. Well We Wauchulans Will Wait Willingly While We Wilt When We Woefully Whip Wonders. hahaha Sorry in other words we are separating and I am staying here and my now good friend and soon to be missed companion is heading off to Tampa. I however will have something else crazy happen to me because I am receiving my trainer Elder Berry again. So here is the pattern 123112 that’s transfers and number of companion (elder Clark is 1 berry is 2 Larson is 3) Weird I think so considering I have already done time with him. But its okay and hopefully all will be well. I guess its time for me to learn what I did not learn with him before. As for everything else we are awesome. We did not reach our goal this week. we got 19 and I actually find that ok because the last two days were kinda about letting Elder Clark see and visit all the people who want to see him before he leaves which is like everyone. So we have had some great bbqs and some fun get together but we lacked by one with our goal so this week is the time to fix that and do even better. We did have an awesome week besides that. We visited many people and this week we just so happened to set two more baptismal dates. One with Ramon finally for the 20 of May so kind of a joke but at least it is set and now we can work on making it more soon. And the other is Jose Deleon who has been around the church for 13 years and now we finally have a date for the 12th of February! super awesome and we are so excited because we now have 4 dates set and all of them are rather sure to happen. We also have started a new guy named Benjamin and he is awesome too. He got in a car wreck and now has metal poles all over in his body and so he limps around a lot on these crutches. He however is really into the Book of Mormon. We gave him the intro to read and he ended up reading to chapter ten in first Nephi. So we talked a lot and hopefully we get to see him make some changes. Then I got to bear a strong testimony to one of our most important investigators the Olmos Grandparents this week. They are very important because we are sure that if they are baptized about 60 or more people (family) will fall right behind them. Plus they really are way cool and super nice. Grandpa Olmos loves showing us his trucks and how he does lots of man things. Like mud riding and gun shooting and what not. It has really made me think about how I might have to hit the bro scene a little when I get back. ha-ha I am really starting to like big trucks. hahahaha So things are just going really well for us oh not to mention we get fed at least 2 times a day. The members here are like in love with feeding us because we have taken to saying things like "WOW this looks so good! I wish I could cook like this. How did you make this? Wow that must take a lot of talent. Your food is some of the best food I have ever tasted!" all of this and more and the best part is that we aren’t lying. We really feel like this and it really tastes that good especially after eating Velveeta and ramen all day. By the way try Velveeta shells boxes they are soooooo good. That was a recommendation for Clay knowing he shares my delight for things easy to cook and delicious.

Now as for my little miracle for this week it’s funny to me because it was one of those humbling moments and I realized how far I still have to go. Well yesterday we went to frisbee out in Sebring and then to the church to help Hermana Deleon with her baby shower (we had to be there in order for a member of the priesthood to be present and we also went to help) and then to Bowling green and finally to Marcelinas. Well we get home and I realize I don’t have my Wallet. Yep everything I need to survive is gone and I have no idea where it is. I search the car up and down all my pants all of my room all of the downstairs all of everywhere. I call someone and ask if they have seen it and if they will check the frisbee field and many other things I did to find this wallet. Well nothing and so I sleep. Next morning I do it all over again and to no avail finally I get this little like "Hey you should pray" in my head. I felt pretty stupid that I hadn’t even prayed yet being a missionary who teaches all about prayer, but I continued searching thinking I would just have a prayer in my heart and that it would be sufficient. Well finally it comes down to "get on your knees ya bum" kinda whispers and so I do and I kneel down on our downstairs couch. It was weird because it was one of those as soon as you kneel down you already feel the spirit kinda prayers. Well I offer up my prayer making sure to repent for not having prayed earlier and recognizing that that will be different and no joke as soon as I peeped my eyes open there was my wallet. Right in front of my face. Like if I had stuck my tongue out I would have licked it. Yea that bad. WOW. I can’t even blame it on the glasses this time. I felt so humbled and so loved all in the same moment. I seriously felt like crying. I have no idea how it got there but there it was right in the corner of the couch right where I had knelt down. I would advise you all to listen the first time things come and to never take for granted the power of doing the small things. I know my Heavenly Father was there for me in that moment and that I was worthy enough to witness a small miracle. He gives them to us everyday we just have to realize they are there. I love you guys and miss you soooo much and hope everything is the best. I love your testimonies and I hope they keep growing. You are the best family!

LOVE,

ELDER OLIVER