Hey!

Hey everyone!

So I`m a little short on time this week, but this week has been relatively normal. We`re still working on helping our large family get to church, and its a struggle. BUT, we got to see the 13 year old daughter get baptized! She was baptized when she was 8, but somehow her records got deleted, so she had to get baptized again. But, she`s been pretty inactive and rebellious lately. But with lots of love and the Spirit, she`s been coming back to church and was so happy to get baptized again. I love seeing the miracle of conversion on the mission.

I don`t have a scripture today, but I just want to encourage all of you to sincerely pray to your Heavenly Father today. Kneel down on the ground. Pray to know if he`s there. To know if he loves you and is aware of you. Plead forgiveness for your sins and the help you need to stay strong and resist temptation. Plead for the blessings you need. Then stop and listen. Feel. I promise you that if you do that, you will feel something. I promise you that the moment you kneel down to sincerely pray to your Father in Heaven, even if you`ve already down it before, He will answer you again. Or if you didn`t receive an answer the first time, He`ll bless your faith and diligence with an answer if you keep trying. But I know that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and is waiting for us to exercise our faith and come unto Him.

I love you all so much. I hope you have an amazing week!

Att. Hermana Oliphant

P.S. no pictures because the computer isn`t cooperating. Sorry! Next week!

Another week passing by way too fast...

Hey everyone!

This week has been pretty normal. No more scorpions, thank goodness. Lots of visits with less actives, and I`ve been able to see so many miracles from that. One family in particular we`ve been focusing on have started to go to church, little by little. And 12 people live there. 10 are members, and 2 have baptismal dates :) The family is super crazy, and it`s kind of draining going there, but I love every second we can spend with every member of that great family. I know the Lord has great things in store for them, and I know that with the help of the Spirit, we can help them all become closer to Christ, and truly converted to this incredible gospel.

My scripture of the week is in Mosiah 1.

3 And he also taught them concerning the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, saying: My sons, I would that ye should remember that were it not for these plates, which contain these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in ignorance, even at this present time, not knowing the mysteries of God.
 6 O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true. And behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they are true; and we can know of their surety because we have them before our eyes.
 7 And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land according to the promises which the Lord made unto our fathers.

Always remember what a great blessing the scriptures are. Read them, ponder them, and pray to know of their surety and how to better apply it in your lives. I love you all so much, and I hope you have a wonderful week :)

Att. Hermana Oliphant

A member's pet (!?)

Part of a family they are working to reactivate

Crazy Week!

Hermanas Arias and Oliphant

 Hey everyone! I`m so sorry for not writing last week. I ended up traveling to Managua on Monday, and then ended up staying the night. I hadn`t even brought clothes or toothpaste or anything! It was a very exciting adventure running around Managua, and what`s more, the night before on Sunday, we were up late helping a sick member of the ward (with permission), so I was just super exhausted.

This week's been pretty normal. We had a multi-stake

Chinandega Zone Activity

Zone Activity

Chinandega YW activity

conference with all of central America, broadcasted from Salt Lake, this Sunday. So great. And we were able to bring 4 investigators, which was super great.

We`ve had some interesting experiences these past 2 weeks. Full of scorpions, flooding the apartment, investigators who just think we`re pretty, and some real talk as companions. It`s been crazy hot, too. So hot that at night, once I`ve finished my cold shower, I start sweating even before I`ve dried off. Craziness.

Aaaaaand we have scorpions, and one literally almost stung me. I was laying on my bed with my arm on the wall, and suddenly my comp screamed at me to get off my bed, so I jump/roll off, and there`s a GIANT scorpion that was crawling toward my arm. We killed it with a baseball bat.
And we think we`re seeing more scorpions because we accidentally flooded our house the other day...there wasn`t water, and we left the tap on on accident. Lots of stuff got wet. Hopefully the mouse hole too.

And the work goes on as normal. Talking to people. Teaching them the word of God, and slowly but surely gaining my own testimony of how true it is and how much our lives would be blessed if we could just trust God and keep the commandments. But we`re all pretty weak. 2 Nephi 4 has helped me a lot :)

I love you all so much, and I hope your week is fantastic and spiritual and stress free! At least as stress free as it can be.

Love, Hermana Oliphant

(P.S. I`ve officially hit 9 months on the mission...halfway done!)

New Week

Hey everyone!

Sorry for not writing next week, even though I actually did. Apparently there was some kind of mix up in the system and none of my emails and pictures sent. But the main news is that last Sunday we had a baptism! He`s 17, and so great. Just yesterday he received the Aaronic priesthood and is now a priest! He`s going to bless the sacrament next Sunday, and we`re all excited :)

We also got to listen to President and Hna Collado in a Multizone meeting. It was fabulous, as always. I learned so much that I`m so excited to put in to practice :)

I`m kind of in a hurry this week, but I just wanted to share some scriptures that I loved from my scripture study this week in Alma 29.

 6 Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called? //
 9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

What was his joy? Being able to bring souls unto God. And if we keep this eternal perspective in our minds, we should have no other desire. I`m so grateful for this opportunity I have to be here, to teach and be taught by these lovely souls here in Nicaragua. I hope all of you can find ways to be missionaries this week, whether full time or part time, it`s really the best.

I love you all!

Hermana Oliphant

Missionaries with Bryan Joven, a member who works with them preparing for a mission

Cute selfie pic

Bautismos y Carpinterìa (Baptisms and Carpentry)

[Comment from Mom: Last week the missionary email system had a massive glitch, and thousands of emails home never made it. This is last week's letter that Sarah did send, but I only received yesterday.]
Hey guys!

This week was pretty normal. We did have some interesting intercambios this week. Our zone and the zone right next to us had divisions amongst all of us! I ended up staying in my area (that I barely know) with Hermana Morales, who just barely got to the mission field two weeks ago. It was kind of interesting, training for a day. Talking to her brought back so many memories of when I just started (which feels like yesterday...oh dear). She`s the cutest. We worked hard together, and it was just a great day overall.

Jose' Before baptism

dressed for baptism

After baptism with the member family that introduced Jose' to the gospel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Then on Saturday...we had a baptism! His name is Josè, he`s 17, and he was a reference. He works for the family business (making pupusas) of a member in the ward. He`s also really good friends with her two oldest kids. Together with their help, he readily accepted the gospel (starting just a couple weeks before I got here) and made the decision to be baptized. He`s already talking about a mission! It`s been such a privilege to be a part of his growing testimony. But I know for sure I didn`t really do much. The Spirit and this amazing family brought the gospel to this great kid, and I was just there to teach him the principles and invite him to act. He was so shy throughout the whole process...hates pictures, and the idea of being confirmed in front of everyone scared the bejeebies out of him, but he did it. I`m so happy for him and can`t wait to see his progress :)

Earlier on Saturday, we decided to help this lady carry large wood slabs into her house...and she almost didn`t let us, but we forced her :) And then we go out in to the back, and it`s a carpentry. We ask if we can help them with the work, and they gladly oblige. I ended up sweeping, and we both sanded a bed frame. It was super random, but it was so fun meeting all the people who live there and talking to them and getting to know them. Who knows, maybe one day they`ll get baptized ;) We`re going to go back this Wednesday to sweep again, haha. But this time to leave a message as well. 

Sanding a headboard

 

In my BoM study this week, I found some great scriptures that really stood out to me in 2 Nephi.

Ch. 8
3 For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.
 24 Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
 25 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

Ch. 9
18 But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel,they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever.

 19 O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! For he delivereth his saints from that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.

I know the Lord WILL comfort Zion. But for us to be comforted by the atonement of the Savior, we need to become a part of Zion. It`s not a location, but a people. The people of the Lord. I know this gospel is so true, and we`re all so blessed to be a part of it. I hope you all have a great week! :)

Love, Hermana Oliphant

Sweating in Chinandega

Hermanas Oliphant and Arias

Hey everyone! This week was very hot, and very new, but it was very great. :)

My new companion is awesome! Even though she`s going home this change, she`s determined to finish with a bang. And she says she was worried that a gringa would be her last comp, because she normally doesn`t get along with them. But we get along great, so that`s a bonus :)

We`ve had a couple earthquakes here...which scared me a bit, but they happen relatively often. Nothing to worry about for now ;) And it`s very very hot here in Chinandega. I`ve sweat off a few pounds just in this past week. Not that I`m complaining, but it`s very hot. Lots of water. If you`ve ever thought of Nicaragua and pictured hot, tropical, palm trees, humidity, etc...you`ve thought of Chinandega. There are actually LOTS of gringos who live here. It`s kind of strange, actually.

We had a fun miracle this week. On Saturday night, we stopped at a nacatamale stand and decided to buy some for Sunday lunch. And it made me really want to by un fresco de calala. Or, a homemade passionfruit juice. It`s definitely my favorite kind of fresco here. Sooo good. I remembered seeing a house that sold them a ways back, so we headed back down the road, and saw a couple of guys sitting down and decided to talk to them. They were super interested, and we were able to commit them to a baptismal date right there in the contact! We haven`t been able to go back with them yet, but it was a tiny little miracle that keeps me and my comp laughing. #buscandocalala. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Something I`ve been thinking very strongly about is how important it is not just to go to church on Sunday, but to sanctify it, like Pte Nelson said. To keep all of our actions on this holy day in accordance with the respect and love with have for our Heavenly Father. Study the scriptures. Do visiting teaching. Do family history work. Go help the missionaries teach a lesson ;) The tv can wait. YouTube and Facebook and Pinterest can wait. Even the cleaning and the laundry can wait. Sometimes you can`t help it, but sometimes you can. And I know we`ll be super blessed if we do all we can to sanctify the dia de reposo :)

As part of my scripture study this week, I read in 2 Nephi 4, and it`s so beautiful. I just saw it as a plead for mercy and forgiveness to the Lord, and how all of us need that sometimes. Verses that really stuck out to me are:

 26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

 27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh?Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

 28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
 29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.
 30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
 31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
 32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me,because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite!O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley,that I may be strict in the plain road!

The Lord will redeem us of our sins, if we are ready to give them up. I know that the atonement is so real, and if we apply the repentance process in our lives, even for the little things, we will be so much happier. I love you all so much, and thanks always for the support and prayers. I`m nearing the halfway mark, and the thought of coming home is a little scary. But I`m ready to enjoy every second I have left in this little time of service to the Lord :) Feliz Semana!!

Att. Hermana Oliphant

Fried and Deep Fried here in Nicaragua

Hey! I`m short on time, so I`ll just get the important stuff said

CAMBIOS.

And I`m in Chinandega, my area is called Monserrat, if I`m not mistaken, and my companion is Hermana Arias from El Salvador. She`s dying this change...or she`s going home this tranfer season. Oh dear. Haha no, it`ll be great. I`ve heard that she`s awesome, and we`ll do great things here.

Chinandega is also the hottest place on the face of the planet, so if I show up like a baked potato in some pics...you know why. But my area is the main part of Chinandega...so we get the maxi pali and the mall ;) So ya know.

Spiritual thought! So many great scriptures this week.

Judges 10:14 (what idols are we worshipping?)

DyC 123:11-17

1 Nephi 20:16-20 (cling to the Lord and keep the commandments)

I would talk about them, but time.

But please look them up, read them, ponder them, and pray about them. These all really impacted my week, and I hope they do the same for all of you ;)

I`m waiting on my old compita for the pictures...sorry. Bear with me.

I hope you all have a great week!

Love, Hermana Oliphant.