CHANGE

Dear family and friends,

What a wonderful Christmas week it was!  I loved spending Christmas in Uruguay.  I didn´t feel homesick, which was wonderful -- I just enjoyed everything we did, and the skype call home was a happy privilege and a boost for me.  I pray that I can carry the Christmas spirit with me throughout the rest of this year, remembering my Savior and trusting in His grace.  I will take the counsel Elder Bednar gave in an MTC devotional and relish those few holidays spent here away from family -- it´s a unique experience for all of us, and therefore one to be enjoyed.

Well, my mind is somewhat scattered right now -- I can´t remember what I meant to tell you all.  I am focused on one big change:

I am training!!!!!  I am staying here in Florida, my first area, but I am now training a new missionary!  He is Elder Rivera from Peru and is a generally fantastic guy.  He arrived ready to work and did 3 contacts in the airport, even noting their addresses and everything!  So awesome.  His whole family are members.  He is 18 years old.  He seems pretty chill, and I think we will get along well.  I love him lots already.

Right now I´m in the chapel writing, because my p-day was consumed by meetings in Montevideo and meeting the new missionaries.  We have already placed one baptismal date in the street, though!  So that was good.  Nicolas, the guy we contacted, lives in the area of the sisters, though.

We need to find new people to teach, desperately!  We encountered a wonderful miracle right before Christmas in Susanna, a woman who lives in La Cruz.  She listened to the message of the restoration and showed interest, and accepted a Book of Mormon.  She was going to come to church but then cancelled. :(  Marisol and her family also cancelled. :(  She was sick.  So, once again, we just had Alejandro in church on Sunday, and he isn´t able to get baptized until he gets married, and there was some strange problem in the judicial system here, so they probably won´t even get married until march or so.  Oh well.  He´s coming to church, which is awesome!!!!!!!

This last transfer, we just had so many people fall through.  I´m excited to find and teach this transfer, and I believe we will find people who are ready to progress to baptism and confirmation.  It´s definitely intimidating to have such a big responsibility so soon.  I pray that the Spirit will help me know what to do so I can work well in the area and also help my companion.  I am going to try and focus more on faith and stop worrying about whatever weaknesses I have, because the Lord has called me to do this and His purpose is higher than I know.  He will help me.

I hope I can do it!  I ask for you prayers as I make this big jump and change.  I love you all so much and love receiving letters from you! :)

-Elder Max Olivier