I'm Still Alive

Hey, everyone!

Sorry, it`s been so long. I really have no excuse. I`ve just not gotten around to writing a mass email lately. But I`m still alive, I promise :) I hope you`re all doing well and that you`re all counting your daily blessings, cuz we`ve all got tons :)

This past month has been great with Hermana Nova, but changes came again...and Hermana Nova left Nagarote! Everyone`s wondering why none of my companions here can stand me, haha ;) Today I got my new companion, Hermana Knowlton. She`s from Utah, has about 9 months on the mission, and is super great. I`m so excited to work with her, and I`m so glad that I have an awesome area to show to her :) Me and Hermana Nova worked so hard to lift up the area and building relationships with the members. 

This past...month (so sorry) has been so great. Me and Hermana Nova have been working so hard finding new people to teach and taking the advice of our leaders and inviting everyone to be baptized! I wasn`t a believer in inviting people in a contact to be baptized, but actually doing it is what strengthened my faith. I thought that it would scare people away, that they`d reject us, and no one would want to listen to us. But when we started inviting EVERYONE, I began to see the blessings. The instruction made sense, and I`m so much happier and feel so much better as a missionary. It reminds me of what Christ says in John 7:

16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
 17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
 18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

I guess I can compare that to the real world, and keeping the commandments of God. We`re all kind of incredulous and prideful sometimes. We think that washing your close on Sunday isn`t that bad, or that saying your prayers lying down isn`t that big of a deal, that the song/movie/book just has a couple bad words and scenes, etc. We hear that doctors say that coffee and red wine is a little good for you, etc. We think we know better. We think that we have a better understanding of life and our needs and our problems than the Lord and that we can boss him around. But...this is God we`re talking about. He knows everything. If you ever feel a small feeling that you shouldn`t be doing something, you should stop doing it. Or if you feel a small impression to do something good, you should do it :) The Lord reveals his will to us in many ways, though prophets (modern day or through scripture) and through personal revelation (most often prompted through studying the words of the prophets or keeping other commandments). The key to making our way through life is learning to listen to and accept revelation from God. Once you`ve got that down, you`re set :)

I love this gospel, and I love the hope it gives to people. I know that not all people are ready to truly accept the gospel in this moment, but one day, what the apostle Paul said in Philippians 2 will come true:

 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Don`t ever lose hope, and don`t stop pushing even when the rock`s not moving. The Lord knows what he`s doing :)

I love you all so much!

Love, Hermana Oliphant

Pics!

1. My new companion, Hermana Knowlton. She`s very tiny. I was crouching ;)

2. Me at the awesome fountain in the central park. sitting there cooled me off from the sun :)

3. My comp in front of the park :) She`s so cute.