Anyways, this week was great. Elder Rodríguez and I are teaching more effectively than ever, and teaching more than ever as well. We are getting along perfectly, and I have been speaking Spanish a lot more. It is basically 50-50 Spanish and English between us. Give me another month and a half, and I will be able to speak nearly fluently. I really am working as hard as I can to learn the language, because I don't know how good the Spanish will be for my next companion, whenever that change is made.
So, update on L, the Supermodel. We postponed her baptism, because they want to get married first. But, the paperwork is going to take a minimum of 15 days to do, because F wasn't empadronized yet. BUT, she still really wants to get baptized, and they are living the commandments to the best of their ability. This week we had a funny experience. We went to their house for a lesson (as usual) and saw an air mattress on the floor downstairs. That is F's bed until they get married.
The 12 week program (training for new missionaries) has been going great. I am learning so much from Preach My Gospel and the District. We watched some videos this week on how to teach commandments, and it was perfect! Because we were going to teach those same commandments to people in similar situations that same week. I was able to fulfill the checkpoint of teaching multiple commandments in a lesson to an investigator this week. It was great. Elder Rodríguez and I have been praying more sincerely for our investigators. Studying for them. Learning for them. We have seen the results of that labor. Our investigators are all softening their hearts towards the message of the restoration.
I have learned so much from my reading of the Book of Mormon as well. Everyday, I find something in the chapters that I read that applies directly to the concerns and doubts that our investigators have, as well as my own doubts and concerns. I am surprised at how relatively little I know, when it comes to the Book of Mormon, and other scriptures. I have studied very hard throughout my life to read and learn, but when it comes to scriptures, I have a lot I need to improve on. Elder Rodríguez impresses me every day, with his knowledge of the scriptures. His mastery of the language, and ability to tailor our message towards the needs of the people. He is the best trainer in the world. I love him so much. He really has taught me more than I possibly could have imagined, and everyday, I learn more and more how to become a Man of the Priesthood, instead of a Boy with the Priesthood. He is so sincere, and is always helping me better myself, even if it isn't how I wanted to better myself.
The reading we are doing as a mission in the Book of Mormon is awesome. I am in Mosiah, reading about Abinidi, and his determination to declare repentance to the people. That is what we are here for. Elder Rodríguez and I have been stressing the importance of true repentance to everybody we teach. Every lesson. It is working miracles. They are feeling the spirit manifest the truth of our message through feelings of peace, joy, and a simple state of 'just knowing'.
A side note, I am reading the Book of Mormon in both languages (for those of you who didn't know) Spanish and English. Side by side. It is a lot more work, but I have seen my Spanish improve leaps and bounds since General Conference.
And talking about Spanish improving, There is a guy in our ward, his name is Cristu. It is the Bulgarian version of Christofer, I believe. He didn't speak any Spanish 4 weeks ago, and we all needed Google translate to communicate with him. He has been really struggling with learning Spanish, because he is only here to work, and doesn't have time to study, time to sit down and learn what the heck is going on. But for some reason, he didn't bring his Book of Mormon in Bulgarian when he moved here. He has been reading his Spanish. I say reading, but it is more like looking at a bunch of letters and turning a page. So, we ordered some Bulgarian BoMs from the Mission Office, and yesterday I gave him a copy at church. The look on his face when he saw it was of utmost relief, gratitude, and brotherly love. I don't think anybody has looked at me so sincerely grateful for something. I love that guy. He taught me how to read the letters of his alphabet, and some simple communication, so in the future, he can have somebody to talk to.
And acting in the capacity as one set apart to act in Christ's place, I promised him that if he would read the Bulgarian BoM and Spanish BoM (in the same manner as I am doing my reading), that he will be able to speak and communicate sooner, and more effectively.
I am seeing miracle after miracle here. They aren't big things, but they are the simple tender mercies of the Lord that he has placed in my life.
The new people in our zone are awesome. We have great diversity of people. It's not just a bunch of middle class white people from Utah. Places of origin: Chile, Ecuador, France, Nigeria, Arizona, Texas, Utah, Oregon, California. It's pretty cool.
The new Elders and Hermana in our district are super cool. They are going to get work done.
The Cosecha that I mentioned earlier, is a harvest. All the missionaries from Cartegena and Murcia Zones got together in Cartegena and a little pueblo called San Pedro, and went on splits with the members in that area. It is called a harvest because of the sheer number of future investigators that are received in one day. The zone leaders in Cartegena have their work cut out for them, because we worked in their area the whole time.
Oh, and don't feel too pressured to send me peanut butter. I found some for cheap. Real, 'murican, peanut butter. The American family in the word here is an Air Force family, and the kind Sister M said that she would buy me 2 Costco sized things of peanut butter. Which should last quite a while. It will only cost me about 7€ too! yay, ¡muy barato!
The ward has teamed up with us now. We are working together. We have an awesome mission plan, and our goal is by the end of this transfer (4 more weeks) we will have so much missionary work to do, that President Deere will need to send another companionship to Torrevieja.
Anyways, I love you all, keep up the hard work, and show the world what you can do.
¡Os quiero muchisimo!
Elder Hayden Oliver
PS. Congrats on the mission calls Andrew Reay and Jennifer Hochstrasser!
Hayden with President Deere and another Elder, he didn't give me enough info!
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