Faith + Obedience + Diligence = Miracles - Sister Justyce Oliphant

Written by Sister Justyce Oliphant, serving in the Mexico Tuxtla Gutierrez Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

(Note to reader: Clicking on highlighted words links to additional information. Some names are omitted for privacy.)

Hola Familia y amigos!



Outside our church building...our bishop
is photo bombing in the background :)

Wow! We really had a good week! We taught many lessons everyday (in total 33 for the week!!) and ended the week with people progressing and keeping their commitments! M  has now gone one whole week with no alcohol which is AWESOME! She received a blessing on Friday from the Elders to help her stay strong and not relapse. So far, so good. She is also reading el Libro de Mormón everyday, and studies her pamphlets of the lessons thoroughly. We have only been visiting her for 2 weeks, but oh my gosh, her life has turned around! She is so much happier now and has even gone to a Relief Society meeting and made some friends in the ward. We went on Tuesday and helped her clean her house, her bathroom, kitchen, walls, floor. Everything! Its really a big change for the better!

We have 3 investigators that we teach at their work in a tortillaria. Well, two of them work there and the other across the street in a construction site. Their names are S, D and L. L has a baptism date and has been reading el Libro de Mormón. Its exciting to teach them because the tortillaria is next to another Christian church. It always makes Hermana Rodriguez and I giggle when the members of that church give us funny looks, or glare at us.

We have been receiving so much help and support from the members of the ward! Hermana C helps us with Hermana M, visits her daily to check up on her and is just such a great help! Hermano M drove all of us to General Conference on Saturday morning and is always willing to come with us or the Elders to our appointments. Hermana M just got home from his mission to Costa Rica about 2 months ago!

I was a little upset on Sunday because we had 6 people committed to come to conference with us, and not one single person could go. I really didn't understand why people always make excuses as to why they can't go and it really made me sad! But we are still working hard! We have a quote on our wall that says : Faith + obedience + diligence = Miracles! We are really putting that to work by being obedient with every part of our missions, the time we get up, the times that we are studying, leaving the house on time to go to work and making sure we are always home on time. We are starting to see those miracles in our investigators and the people we are finding to teach! I am excited for this week because we have a lot of new people to start teaching.

I love this work. I love the excitement it brings to us when we find new people who are just searching for the truth, searching for God in their lives and then here we are all, "Hey look! We have what you want!!"

I love letters from home!

I had a really good week with my health too. I had a good week with my Spanish! I am not perfect in my language skills, but I am starting to see the improvement! And Our new district leader, Elder Beardsley said that it has improved a lot! (he was in my zone when I was in San Cristobal!). I love how much support we receive from the members, our leaders, and especially from you all at home! I love reading your updates!

I am so happy to be here! Even when the days are long, even when my feet hurt. Even when I am just so tired! I love it! I love it because I know that it's true. I know that Jesus is my Savior. I know that God is my Father in Heaven and that he loves ME! I know that he loves YOU! I know that Thomas S Monson is a prophet of God and I am so glad that we had the opportunity to listen to him and the other apostles!

Thank you all for your prayers. Know that I pray for all of you!!

Con MUCHO Amor,
Hermana Oliphant

Five Months (March 24, 2014)

Patience in Affliction (April 14, 2014)