First of all, I had changes again! My last change and I get to see another part of Nicaragua :) I´m now in Tipitapa, my area is called Bocana. My companion is Hermana Stubbs, she´s from Costa Rica, and came with me on the mission. Which means that she´s going home a change after me, since I had extra time in the MTC. She also served in Nagarote, so we´ll have that to talk about :) I was actually really sad to leave everyone back in Zona León. My district all got changed, though, so it´s easier to accept that changes have to come every now and then. My two sons got major changes! Elder Packard is headed way up north to Ocotal and Elder Mower is training and is the new district leader! And Hermana Knowlton is also training! I´m so happy for her and I know that Nagarote is going to be so blessed with the hard work of Hermana Knowlton and her daughter :) I´m going to miss all the investigators and members so so so much. But I know they´ll keep going without me, and I´ve got lots of pictures and memories to last forever :)
We also had a Multizona with Pte and Hna Poncia this past week. He talked a lot about obedience, and I was really happy with the self-evaluation I gave myself as they were talking. I felt good. I can always get better, but I´m doing good. I want to keep being obedient and seeing the blessings, personally and in my area. I also had a moment to talk personally with President Poncio afterward, and it was incredible. I always feel the Spirit so strongly when I speak with him, and he always listens carefully and knows exactly what to say to help me feel better. I had a personal insight into what a lot of less-actives and investigators feel when we show up to visit them. We´re probably the most spiritual thing to happen to them all week! And sometimes they just don´t want to let us go :) But the beautiful thing is that if we all make personal study a priority, we can have spiritual experiences with our Heavenly Father every day.
It also rained a LOT. Like 4 days of Washington/Oregon type weather...I didn´t sweat, wore sweaters, and got very muddy for almost an entire week. But it was a nice break from the heat, even though I enjoy the toasty Nicaraguan sun :)
We also had a little miracle this week. Adriana got baptized! I don´t know if I´ve talked about her, and I don´t have pictures at the moment (sorry borrowing cameras is hard with changes). But she´s the girlfriend of a really active member, who is also best friends with the branch president :) We had all of them helping us and her out so much, and at the beginning of the week she wasn´t sure if she was going to do it, but on Thursday she said that she was ready to get baptized! After 4 months of going to church and 2 months of missionary discussions, she was finally baptized, and it was so great to see her grow :) The sad thing was having to say goodbye so soon after her baptism. But I know she´ll stay strong. She just loves the temple and I know she and her boyfriend have the temple (and missions!) in their goals, and I´m so excited to see the amazing things they do :)
Luis is also doing really good. His work is taking him to Chinandega a lot, and he´s having a hard time getting to church on Sunday, but he understands very well the importance of taking the Sacrament, and he carries his Book of Mormon with him every day at work :) we got to teach him about the temple and temple sealings last night. Giving him the (not so subtle) hint that he needs to find a wife and get sealed ;) He loved all of it and he´s committed to getting sealed in the temple! That´s why we have the gospel. To get to the temple and be sealed for time and for all eternity. I´m sure we´re all familiar with the words in DyC 132.
19 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions,all heights and depths... it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.
20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all,because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.
And this is the purpose of everything. Like President Nelson said when he came to Nicaragua over a year ago: why go to a multicourse banquet and just eat the salad? Why not stay for dessert? We´ve got to endure to the end. We´ve got to participate in the temple blessings, then keep the covenants, and then see all the wonderful blessings that our Father in Heaven has in store for us. I love this gospel and I love being a missionary. I wish I could stay longer but some things just can´t last forever. I hope that I (and all of you guys) can be a better member missionary and a better example and light unto the world. A window into the love of our Savior Jesus Christ. I hope you all have a wonderful week, and don´t forget to always look for the silver lining in every situation :)
Love, Hermana Oliphant
