D&C 20:10-12

10 And thy brother Oliver shall continue in bearing my name before the world, and also to the church. And he shall not suppose that he can say enough in my cause; and lo, I am with him to the end.

11 In me he shall have glory, and not of himself, whether in weakness or in strength, whether in bonds or free;

12 And at all times, and in all places, he shall open his mouth and declare my gospel as with the voice of a trump, both day and night. And I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men.

Monday, February 24, 2014

If you feel broken, pray.

A good week in Algeciras! Elder Bird is exactly what this area needs. He's big. He's full of energy. He's got a crazy strong testimony, and speaks Spanish fairly well. I have been feeling a little bit down lately, and I have been doing more praying than I probably ever have before. This area... Yeah, I won't ever forget this area.

There are lots of good things happening here. Each day we have gotten more future investigators. However, with the investigators that we do have, we aren't going anywhere. They didn't come to church this Sunday, so that means that we have to postpone their baptismal dates. That is a real disappointment.

My comp is from Utah (big surprise!) he Graduated in 2012, and went to go play basketball at Snow College. Then he got his mission call and we went to the MTC together. He is like a big teddy bear. Big, kind of intimidating, but soft, and he absolutely loves the people here. The branch is still small. Still suffering from the same problems as a few months ago (mainly gossip) but we have already seen some progress with the new Branch leadership. There should be a lot more to come from that. 

Every day we wake up, run, eat, do some personal, then comp study, and then language study. Then we go and try to find people to teach. At 2pm we go back to the piso and have our mediodía break. We eat, and then we take naps. Then, at 4, we leave again, and go try to find people, or go and visit members. It is hard to fill up the schedule when you only have 2 people that you actually are teaching. 

We haven't had a lot of lessons lately, but we have had a lot of time to reflect on how to become better people, and better missionaries this week. I have noted a few things that I need to change now, and a few more things that I need to begin working on. The Lord has helped me in my life. I am trying to share that with everybody in Algeciras. 

If you feel broken, pray. If you feel alone, pray. If you feel guilty, pray. The Savior has promised us that if we come unto him in humility, and with a broken heart, in other words, a desire to change and overcome our weaknesses, he will support us, and give us strength. I personally testify of the reality of that promise.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).

There are no scriptures more beautifully written than this. No other arrangement of words in the English language that soften hardened and broken hearts more than this sweet promise. I know it is true.

I love you guys. I hope you have the best week ever.

Os quiero mucho!
Elder Oliver

Monday, February 17, 2014

Surprise during Mediodia

So this week has been one of the weirdest weeks yet.  We were in an appointment with a member during Mediodia, the 3 hour long break every Spaniard takes in the middle of the day, and the phone rang. Elder Dansie answered, and began with, 'Hi President!'

That came as a shock. President doesn't usually call us unless there are transfers or there is something really important going on. This week is the week of transfers, but he called us 3 days early. Dansie sat and listened to president talk for a few minutes, said 'I'm willing' and hung up the phone. Then he looks at us and tells us, 'I am going to the office tomorrow.'

So, we went home, he packed up all his stuff, and Thursday he caught a bus to Fuengirola where he will be serving as the Secretary of the mission for the next 6 months. Which is awesome for him, but I totally got ripped off of the last week of our transfer together. It was so much fun. But for the past week I have been comps with Elder Proctor and Elder Oldroyd. Those guys are cool too. 

One of the other bad points of Dansie leaving, is he was a fantastic chef. He cooked better than many members, and cooked us breakfast and lunch every day. So, Sunday, all I ate was pancakes, and I ate more pancakes this morning for breakfast. However I bought a bunch of fruits and vegetables, so I will survive for the next week.

However, despite his farewell, we taught the most lessons this week than we ever have, and we set another baptismal date. The Lord is showing us that the work is not impossible here. Hopefully these people will be able to take this step of faith and bring their lives in order with what the Lord Expects of them.

Yesterday we had an interesting appointment. Some investigators of Elder Proctor and Oldroyd let us in, and we read 2 Nephi 31 together, but it was hectic. Some of them refused to read because they laughed everytime they read out loud, others were snacking on fritos, and the dog was chillin on Oldroyd's lap. People were walking in and out of the house, being really loud and obnoxious, and two 16 year old girls giggled like crazy anytime I read. The situation just got out of our control, and we were all thinking, ''well, the spirit is long gone now'', so we just had a good time becoming their friends.

Anyways. Time passes slowly here in Algeciras now that Elder Dansie is gone, but this Wednesday my new comp, Elder Bird is coming. Elder Bird and I were in the MTC together. This is a big step for both of us. There is no senior companion to tell us what would be best, we are going to have to figure things out on our own. Speaking of doing work, we are going to find and teach and baptize, because that is what this area needs. There is nothing more important here in Algeciras than just that. Elder Bird is a machine, we are going to get work done. 

Sorry I don't have more information. I forgot to bring my Agenda to the locutorio, and I can't really put together everything, because I have a pounding headache.

All of you that have lost loved ones this week, you and your families are in my prayers.

Os quiero mucho,
Elder Oliver

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

They Love Us. I Know It.

They say that Gibraltar was created by Hercules to cover the entrance to Hades. I would believe it. The cave there is flippin' sketchy.





It is a spectacular place. We went up the rock, saw some monkeys, saw some caves, and saw some oceans. Good trip. At the top, you are standing on British territory, straight across from Algeciras, and to the left, is Morocco. So that is cool. I can now say that I have been to England, right?

Anyways, this week started out a little slowly. Elder Dansie got sick on Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, and half of Thursday, so we missed a lot of proselyting time. However we have had a good week watching the restoration video. Every day... I have seriously watched that thing in every language. Spanish, German, French, Italian (which I understand fairly well), Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, Icelandic, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Estonian, Arabic, Pig-Latin, you name it. I watched it. Was I a little bit bored? Yes. That is the correct answer.

BUT, big news! The Lord has seen fit to bless us in our time of hardship. This Sunday our (only) investigator CAME TO CHURCH!!! YES. That was such a miracle. Her best friend is the member that always gives us free bread and candy. She told us after the meeting that the talk by the last guy was super good, and 100% true. That is for sure. In fact, later that night, we had an appointment with her to check up on how she liked church, how she felt, and we were able to set a baptismal date with her. So, if she gets to the point where she knows the Book of Mormon is true, and the true gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored through a modern day Prophet, she will be baptized for the remission of sins on the 2nd of March

Speaking of the guy that spoke in Conference, there were some huge changes to the leadership of the branch. We finally got a 1st and 2nd counselor to the Branch President, new Ward mission leader, new Elder's quorum president, all sorts of cool stuff. I think this is what the branch needs.

I had a great experience studying this week. I was reading in 2 Nephi 31, studying the Doctrine of Christ. I didn't learn anything new like facts, or information, but I was overwhelmed by the most powerful manifestation of the Holy Spirit I think I may have ever felt. For a brief moment, I understood the love that is between the Father and the Son. I cannot explain how I felt. I just know. They love us. I know it.

Anyway, everybody have a great Valentines day, and we will try to survive the little hurricane that will sweep across Algeciras.

Os quiero mucho!
Elder Oliver

PS It rains a lot here. As much as Olympia.
PPS I love you Cooper, you da' bomb.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Sorry, I am never coming home

This week we learned something. Something that is probably one of the causes of the lack of enthusiasm in the Gospel for many members of this Branch. About a year and a half ago there was a missionary serving here. He did many, really stupid things. He was sent home and ex-communicated. This branch has really sour memories of that kid.

So, what is our job? We are here to work with the branch, and regain their trust. Stupid choices made by jack-missionaries aren't going to stop us from baptizing in this area. We are going to find. We are going to teach. We are going to baptize. A lot.

This week has been a really good week. We have taught more lessons than in past weeks, and we have served a lot of people. A LOT. Every day of last week we spent a few hours working with people to help them in their times of need. We met a cool guy who hadn't come to church in 20 years. Now he is one of the most active members of the branch, and he is super excited about everything. He is golden!

We have grown a lot as a district lately. The 4 of us are all super tight, and we are working our booties off to lift this place up. Today we went to Gibraltar. We went on a tour and saw some monkeys! One of them grabbed my sleeve as I was walking past and totally scared the bejeebers out of me. Then he got in a fight with a bigger monkey and they were hissing and howling, and then he ran away. Pictures will come next week. (Learn more about Gibraltar here or here.)

Gibraltarians have a strange accent. They speak like Brits, but anytime they say a word with an 's' that makes the 'zz' sound, they say it with a 'th'  Thirty thouthand. It is English with an Andaluz accent. Quite comical, actually.

Speaking of speaking, we learned a new phrase this week. I was looking through my dictionary, and saw 'drop-dead gorgeous' under the english word 'train'. I was a little taken aback, so I looked again, and the phrase 'estar como un tren' means 'to be drop dead gorgeous', or literally, to be like a train. Upon discovering it, I turned to Elder Dansie and whispered to him, 'Tú estás cómo un tren'.  This would have been perfectly fine had it been just a group of elders, but we were in a meeting with our branch president, and he overheard me say that. He was a little weirded out to say the least.

My studying and journal writing has become more consistent this week. We have learned a lot about the gospel, and my testimony of the Atonement of Christ is growing stronger each day. As we serve and help these people, I understand more the words of Christ when he says 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' Really, serve those that you can. You will be edified, and you will find strength to do more as you strive to help the helpless.

I love it here. We have traveled to Cádiz 3 times this week for Stake conference and for training meetings, and I have decided that the land in between Algeciras and Cádiz is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It is breathtaking. Keep in mind, Algeciras isn't very pretty, but the green covered mountains, the rolling, flowered hills, and the newly rained on forest glistening in the sunlight really made me fall in love. I don't ever want to leave here. Sorry, I am never coming home.

I love you guys so much, and congratulations to all you who have just received a call to work in the service of the Lord. You will have the best years of your life out there.

Os quiero mucho!
Elder Oliver

(Hayden didn't send us any pictures this week, so I found a few on Google Images to share instead to make this post more fun.  Enjoy!  He said he'll send pictures next week.)