Happy New Year family and friends!
I hope that Christmas was as good for you as it was for me! I am loving this work. We have been noticing changes in our investigators and it is awesome! An investigator and her husband are getting married so that she can be baptized. He has been fighting it and won´t listen to us, but the day after Christmas he agreed to be married and gave her permission to be baptized! Our prayers and her prayers are being answered. She came to church again on Sunday and this time brought her Libro de Mormòn and willingly participated in the classes. She even signed up to feed us misioneras in Relief Society! (each woman in the RS signs up for a different day to feed us 4 missionaries in the ward). She wants to be baptized so bad. She came with us to the baptism of an 8 year old girl in the ward on Saturday, and even contacted with us on Friday night. She is doing so awesome! I love teaching her.
Another brother is also progressing and always has kept his commitments to read el Libro de Mormòn and the lesson pamphlets. He came to church on his own the Sunday before Christmas, and when we met with him yesterday he invited himself to come with us next Sunday as well. (He was busy yesterday and couldn't make it to church). He lives by himself on the mountain and doesn't have any family close by, so he is quite lonely. I think he has found the comfort that this gospel can and will bring. He loves what we teach and wants to learn more before he will commit to a date to be baptized. I think with his prayers he will find his answer!
We have two investigators with baptism dates. They are each married and have a daughter. We met the sister the Monday before Christmas and she has been reading in the Book of Mormon and wants to come to church with us this Sunday. We are visiting her tonight, so we will see if she has kept her commitment to pray about the Book of Mormon.
We have only met with the other investigator once as an official lesson, but she is really good. Hermana Pèrez and I both had a really good feeling about her when we left the lesson. We meet with her next on Wednesday and are praying that she will continue to progress! We pray for them every day that they will keep their commitments and continue to progress towards baptism.
The members, investigators, and less active members are all so good to us missionaries. We are always well fed and taken care of here. Last night after visiting one investigator, we were headed to Ciudad Real (neighborhood) and I twisted my ankle. It was really dark and we were crossing the street and I stepped off the curb wrong and landed on it. My companion helped me get to Ciudad Real with tears freely falling down my face. We ran into a less active member and she brought us to her house and gave me some medicine for the pain and Icee Hot for my ankle and fed us flan! and JUGO!!! (juice.. I am an addict...) We taught a short lesson and then she drove us to our house. My ankle was noticeably sprained because of how swollen it was, and they didn't want me to walk all the way home on it. We had to call Hermana Cardenas (the mission matron) to get permission to take the medicine and she had us call the doctor and tell him what happened. He said I have to not walk on it for 4 days... but this morning it felt a lot better so we decided to just take it easy and slow and see how things go. Hermana Perez wrapped my ankle this morning and it's been fine so far! Aren't trials awesome!! I am just glad it's been small things. I can deal with a sprained ankle and being sick for a day or two. The Lord watches out for us because we are faithfully serving him!
This mission has been the best choice I have ever made. I will say that over and over again because it is true. I learn so much daily. And I have realized how blessed I am and how wonderful it is that I was able to grow up in the gospel. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for raising us children with the gospel and for helping us know the truth and develop our testimonies.
Yo se que la iglesia es verdadera. se que Josè Smith fue un profeta de Dios y que el restura el evangelio de Jesucristo otra vez. se que gracias a Jesucristo nosotros podemos vivir eternamente con neustro padre celestial y jesucristo y neustros familias. Estoy agradacida por mi salvador, jesucristo y su expiaciòn. Estoy agradecida por mi familia. En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen. I love you family!!! Te amo mucho familia! (I know the church is true. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that the gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth again. I know that through Jesus Christ we can live eternally with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and our families. I'm grateful for my savior, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement. I am thankful for my family. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. I love you family! I love you so much family!)
Hermana Oliphant
P.S. It was so wonderful to talk on Skype with my family the day after Christmas! I am glad you are all doing so well and had a good Christmas! Thank you for your prayers for me! I can feel their influence in my daily life here in San Cristobal!!
P.P.S. Email me questions and I will answer them in my weekly letters!
Merry Christmas from Southern Mexico
The Lord's Way
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| Sister Missionaries at the Temple. Hermana Oliphant is in the middle, wearing black and white. |
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| Hermana Oliphant has had many opportunities to sing (in English and Spanish) and to play the piano. |
