Another Week in the Lives of the Elders

First I want to start out with the most interesting thing that happened here this week.

We were relaxing in our apartment after lunch on Saturday, getting ready to start language study, and BOOOM.  Elder Moore and I look at each other, thinking, ''What in the world was that?''   We look out the window and see a little VW Polo. However, this poor little Polo was on fire. We sat there for a second, a little bewildered and mesmerized, and then I realized that the burning car wasn't a spectacle to be viewed, but an emergency. Then, the fire reached the gas tank, and then there was a huge jet of flame for a good 20 seconds. While this was happening, I was calling emergency,

(But all in spanish)

''Emergency Response''

''Uh, hi. I'm here in Marbella on Such-and-such Street, and, well, a car just exploded.''

''And what is the nature of the emergency? Is there anything on fire?''

--Seriously??--

''Yes. A car.

And some bushes. In fact, the bushes right next my house!''

''We'll be there right away.''

That's right, you'd better be here right away. And they were, surprisingly, haha. We had a good time watching the firefighters and policemen move cars and pressure wash that little sucker. After all that, the little VW Polo was more of a VW Ashes. There was not much left of the front half of the car.

Aside from that, we've had a pretty slow week here in Marbella. Lots of people fell through on us, and we have been unable to meet with our Golden Investigators, because they were preparing and competing in a Fencing tournament in Cádiz.

We set a baptismal fecha with M. The son of a less active here in Marbella. However, we are having a few problems with his mom with trying to get him baptized. Pray for him and her. They are great people, but just can't see it in the bigger picture.

Really, this week was hard. A little hard on my morale, mostly because I haven't felt like as good of a trainer as I want to be. However, I am changing everyday. I am getting better. Everyday, I seek to be a better missionary, and to be a better follower of Christ.

I love being a missionary, because everyday I get to talk to everybody about how much God loves us. That He sent His son to atone for our sins, and that these blessings are available to us for free. We just have to let him in our lives.

As we get closer to the Christmas season, I have been reflecting a lot about giving. What more I can give. Whom else I can help come unto Christ.

I was listening to an interesting talk this morning by an Elder Skousen, and he said that the miracle of Christ's birth wasn't really that he was born, but what the world gained by his life (which obviously comes after being born). I thought about it and felt such a desire to help more people come unto Christ.

Let's get out there and help more people!

¡Os quiero mucho!

Elder Oliver