Another Week Has Come and Gone

I just realized I´ve stopped being clever with my titles. So sorry.

But this week´s been super crazy. We had emergency changes and I´m with a different companion, but still in Nagarote :) Her name´s Hermana Nova, she´s a chapina (from Guatemala) and I knew her when she began her mission in Chinandega :) I know she´s an awesome worker. She´s been pumped up and excited to baptize since she started and I know we´ll do some great things here. 

We´ve still been working hard on being more effective with our work. And teaching more effectively so that the Spirit can testify to our investigators according to their needs. 

I´m still studying the same books, haha. Book of Mormon, Jesus the Christ, Personal progress, etc. And I´ve loved getting to know better who is the Godhead. Who is Christ, and how he can help me here on earth. I read a verse that really stood out to me last night in 1 Nephi 9

6 But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.

He knows ALL things. HE prepares a way to accomplish his work. He fulfills all of his words, so we really need to listen to the prophets and leaders of the church, drop our pride and repent. It´s super harsh, and it´s also really hard to do. But we´ve all got to do it :) Sinners and saints alike. I know that prophets are here to help us, and I have a very strong testimony of living prophets. I know that President Monson is a prophet called of God, and if we really pay attention to General Conference when he speaks, and take extra care to apply what he tells us, we will be making a very wise decision. I´m not perfect, but I´m decided to better my discipleship, and I know I can do it by listening to our beloved prophet :)

I love you all so much. Have a great week!

Love, Hermana Oliphant

ps. My new comp doesn´t have a camera either...no pics for a while :(

Week of Miracles

I feel like that`s what all missionaries say. But seriously, this week was pretty milagrosa :)

Changes are always hard, because you and your companion adapt to working a certain way, and then a new companion comes and all of that changes. But Hermana Dominguete is ready to work :) She`s also been teaching me Portuguese. It`s a slow process...but I`m getting it :)

This week we kept teaching an investigator that me and Hermana Jimenez found in July. His name is Josè Francisco, and he didn`t seem to be progressing much. He was convinced that the Bible is the best book in the world and that the Book of Mormon is a bad copy. He also assists regularly at an Evangelical church right across the street because he has a problem in his foot, and that church is the closest one to his house. We didn`t work too hard with him, but I was convinced that he had potential. This week we brought a member who was about his age, used to be Evangelical, and is also our ward mission leader :) We taught the restoration and the book of Mormon, and Hermano Juan (our wml) taught the whole thing better than I could have. I saw the light in Jose`s eyes grow as he understood the apostasy and the restoration and the importance of the book of mormon. He just kept saying over and over again "I understand now." We testified of the truthfulness of the restoration and the BoM and we invited him to be baptized the 2nd of September. We had invited him before, but he said no. But that day, he said yes! He said that he understood the importance and was ready to prepare to be baptized. Before, he also didn`t want to come to church because he doensn`t have any nice shoes and was embarrassed. But that day he said "I`m going to church barefoot if I have to because the Lord cares about our heart." And he came. We taught him the whole week, and his understanding grew about the plan of Salvation. Then he went to church and stayed the whole three hours and told me that he was in darkness, but now he can see the light. He`s so different now. All the members of the branch know him, know his baptismal date and are so excited for him, and the Elders quorom has made plans to go visit him during the week. The support of the members has been so wonderful, and really made the difference. I love seeing Jose`s smile knowing that he`ll soon be baptized and will be able to discover the fullness of the gospel. I know this work is true, and i know that my Savior Jesus Christ lives, and he knows us. He can make us whole, but we just need to be obedient. Have faith, and repent. Even of the tiny sins. All of them keep us from getting into the kingdom of God.

I love you all so much. Sorry, no pictures, but next week for sure!

Love, Hermana Oliphant 

Change is in the Air

Hey everyone!

This week was really hard. But super great at the same time. The parties in Nagarote raged in full force, drawing our investigators and members away into the mists of darkness into the great and spacious building...but we´re working to get them back :) We also had interviews with our new mission president, President Poncio. And he´s so great. As a person, he and his wife are so different from the Collado´s. Pte is super dynamic and always smiling and bouncy, and his wife is more serious, but in a loving grandmother type of way. I´ll have to get a picture with them someday :) I loved talking with our new mission president. He´s different exactly in a way that I needed. 

This week, my comp and I also got a lot closer. Hermana Jimenez and I sometimes have differences of opinions, and sometimes we clashed and she got mad. But ad her companion, I learned to take control. To tell her how I feel, and we both were more open with each other. She opened up and we got closer and I love her more dearly than I ever imagined. She´s not perfect, and neither am I. But I learned a lot from her. And I say learned because...

Changes.

I can never stay with a companion for more than one change. It´s my curse. But my new companion is Hermana Dominguete. She´s from...BRAZIL. What. Portugués. She has 5 months on the mission. Kind of new, but she´s super cool. We´re already getting along really well. She´s super tall...which is new. I´m used to being the tall one :) And her Spanish is actually really good. She sounds like a natural Spanish speaker, but with an accent :) I´m excited to work with her, a little newbie :) She´s done training, but I´ve never worked with someone with much less time than me. Speaking of time..I´ve completed 14 months on the mission this week. People keep asking me about it and commenting about how ya me voy...(I´m about to go home). And I´m trying to forget about it :) The time slips by faster and faster with each change. 

I´ve also just been learning a lot about how to really teach and teach long term to my investigators. Something really obvious once said, but hard to really apply, is remembering that our investigators have their own agency. Their own lives, histories, emotions. They´re not dolls or clay that I can mold and change into what I want them to be. I can´t get mad at them or get frustrated when they don´t complete their commitments. Obviously, there´s something going on if they aren´t, or maybe they just don´t want to. My job is to teach them with the Spirit, helping them apply eternal truths to their lives, so they can do it themselves. Always looking for new people to teach and sharing with the whole world the wonderful news of the atonement of Jesus Christ, the Restoration of the Gospel, and the Plan of Salvation. I´ve learned to apply these truths personally to MY life, and so it´s been easier to help my investigators :) 

I read in Mormon 9 this week, and these verses always stand out to me:

27 O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things so ever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.
 28 Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God.

So I bolded the things I like most. Basically everything. It´s just like Pte. Uchtdorf said. Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. Whenever you begin doubting basic or tiny details of the gospel or the Book of Mormon, or Joseph Smith, or whatever, remember that one time you felt the Spirit. Remember that one sacrament meeting that you really loved, or that one hymn, or that one year at girls camp, or that one prayer that you felt was answered. "If it was true then, it´s true now."- Elder Holland. Which brings me to another scripture in DyC 6:

 22 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.
 23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?
 24 And now, behold, you have received a witness; for if I have told you things which no man knoweth have you not received a witness?

I know this church is true. And I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I´m so privileged to be able to teach the lovely people of Nicaragua. I love them so much and I just want to enjoy and take advantage of every opportunity I have to share the gospel. I´m not perfect, and I can do better, but that´s always the goal. I love you all so much, and I hope you have an excellent week.

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Oliphant

Hello!

Hey, everyone. I`m warning you now that this keyboard is terrible...so excuse any typos. They`re not my fault.

This week has been pure party time here in Nagarote. They`re celebrating their patron Catholic saint Santiago (James), and that means fireworks, fairs, carnivals, bull riding, horse shows, parades, and alcohol. All day every day for the month. So that`s a little frustrating. But we`re making the best of it, and thankfully most of our members and investigators aren`t into that kind of stuff :)

We`re working really hard with some young women Emenin, Raquel, and Francis. All very different. All wanting to be baptized, but not sure exactly how to go about it. We`ve been learning so much from each of them, and it`s been a pleasure to know them and to teach them the restored gospel, and I pray every day that I can do it a little better each day :)

A scripture that really stood out to me this week was in Mosiah 16.

 9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

Just ponder on what that truly means. The light of Christ and the life of those who love and follow Him will never ever end. Choose the good side, and be valiant in that choice. Don`t be afraid to stand out and be different. Because if you try to blend in with the world, you`re going to go where the rest of the world goes. Take a look at where the world is headed and choose today to be different. Being different and standing out from the world, and even from other missionaries every now and then has been one of the hardest parts of my mission. But I promise that it`s the best life because it`s one companioned by the Holy Ghost :)  I love you all so much. Have a great week!

Att. Hermana Oliphant

Fotos

Relief society and yw and my awesome gorgeous companion!

We ran a ton and then made banana pancakes to regain the calories ;)

Zone activity with awesome t-shirts and a piñata!

Hey!

Lo siento todos! It´s been a while. And I´ve also not got a lot of time today, but I still wanted to send fotos real quick and tell you all a bit about my week!

We´ve been working hard, but my companion´s been a little sick, so we had to go to Leon. But she´s doing alright just gotta take her pills ;) We´ve met lots of cool new people, it´s just hard to get them to keep their commitments. They love to listen to us, but reading, praying, and going to church is a whole other ball game. But it´s honestly been a privilege to see the power of missionary authority in action, to see the change in people as we talk to them and teach them about the gospel. The only thing I want is to help them truly change their lives and make it not just to the waters of baptism, but also to the temple, to be sealed together as eternal families. 

Today I was just reading in 2 Nephi 32. It´s short, and I love it so much. Something I got out of it was the main things we can do after baptism (other than going to church) is reading the scriptures and praying. Because through these three means, we can have the Holy Ghost with us. And if we have the Spirit with us, we don´t have to wonder what we´re supposed to do. The Spirit will make those things plain unto us if we´re ready to receive them. My only invitation for you all is to keep yourselves worthy of the Spirit, and you´ll see miracles this week. Questions answered problems solved, and new mysteries learned :)

I love you all so so much. I hope you have a wonderful week!

Att. Hermana Oliphant

1. Picture from our multizona when we met our new mission president

2. Nica pic

3. The two jovenes who do divisions with us EVERY SUNDAY to help us take investigators to church. They´re the bomb.

4. (Almost) All the priesthoods in our branch :) We have a cool little branch here in Nagarote. Just gotta make it a ward!

And . . . even more Pictures!

1-4 El Mirador. We got to climb up a little tower on top of the hill and see all of Nagarote...even to the Managua lake, and the volcano, Momtotombo.

5. The statue in Central Park of a lady selling quesillos. It`s a traditional dish here and it`s made of a tortilla, cheese that`s similar to mozzarella, some kind of onions and vinegar, and cream/mayonnaise. SO GOOD. But...it made me sick. So...no more quesillos. But I promise it`s the most delicious thing on the planet.

Even More Pictures!

Being touristy in all the different parts of Nagarote.

El Paseo la Biblia. It`s got a bunch of different scriptures, one from each book in the bible. It`s super beautiful, and I copied down all the verses to mark them in my scriptures :)