¡Gladys se bautizó!

Dearest family and friends,

Hooray for Gladys Tomé!  She is so wonderful.  And stubborn. She didn´t want to be baptized in front of so many people and didn´t want to go under the water.  I knew she would do that -- she´s quite the character!  She cracks me up.  It was awesome!  And Elder Anderson got to baptize her -- the first time  he has ever baptized!!!!  yaaaayyyy!!!  The service was good, but also mas o menos -- some of the members can be so difficult!  They were complaining about the use of both the children´s songbook and the hymnal, and some were making negative comments when Gladys was resisting a bit in her typical rebellious way.  But there was also invaluable support from some truly amazing members!!!  On sunday, Gladys and her mom were VERY welcomed into the church.  I got to confirm Gladys!

The last time I had baptized was Nov 8 -- it had been faaaaaaaaarrrrrrrr too long.  But I know that as we continue with faith, patience, and animation, the Lord blesses us.  We have a lot of really good posibilities for serious investigators this week and this month -- it is exciting!  We continue to find wonderful little miracles every day.

Hmmmmmmmmmm my time has already left me.  Sorry everyone!!!  I will try to write some physical letters to relay the incredible things that happened this week.

Love you all TONS.

Chau, see you soon!

--Elder Olivier

Yay for training!

Dearest family and friends,

Yay for training again!  This time I feel so much better-prepared.  I know I am VERY imperfect, but I know I can do my best, and the Lord will make all the difference.  My companion is Elder Anderson of West Valley, UT!  He is absolutely wonderful.  He is 19 years old.  The group of gringos that arrived all went to the Provo MTC because Argentina was full!  Poor souls. :)  

It is great to be training -- I learn a lot from a different perspective.  I am trying to help him adjust, get out of his comfort zone, teach, contact, study, everything!  My companion´s spanish is just developing, so there´s an added burden on me to take the reins in pretty much everything.  But I am learning to give him more opportunities to take the initiative from the beginning, so he can learn.  I hope he feels like he is fully contributing! I seek balance between letting him learn by faith, by experience, by my help, and I also seek balance so that I can still effectively direct the area.  He is great!  I have already seen much learning and improvement!

My time is already escaping me, but good news! Gladys will be baptized this saturday!!!  Her family members still didn´t go to church, but her mom committed to bring the family to the baptism and to bring Gladys to church on Sunday -- she even said she could take Gladys to church every sunday.  They need your prayers so they can open their hearts, their desires, and their schedules to help this little girl come unto Christ.  She really loves church and loves learning about God and His Son.  She will be the key to bring her family into the church.  It was a very hard decision for me to make, because I would hate to baptize a child and have them go inactive because there´s no one to take them to church.  However, my companion and I prayed together and made the decision together to announce her baptism yesterday, and I feel that it is what God wants.  The work is only just beginning, though -- we have a TON to do with her family so they can all arrive on Saturday and Sunday, and so they can commit to bringing Gladys to church!!!  It will be a challenge.

Ah, so many wonderful experiences to share and so little time.  Every day is so incredible in the mission.  I have learned the following about daily life:  If we search for miracles, we find them.  If we search for revelation, we find it.  If we pray for energy, happiness, and the attitude to do God´s will, we find it.

I love you all so much.  Pray for familia Tomé and also a new investigator Eduardo!

--Elder Max Olivier

Oh, how I love the Book of Mormon!!!‏

Dearest family and friends,

I know I promised details to mom and dad about inviting people to be baptized in the first contact . . . but we´ll see if I have time for that . . . :)

First of all, Gladys Tomé is doing well!  She came to church with us again on Sunday and immediately asked afterwards when we were going back!  She could conceivably be baptized this saturday, but we want to make sure she is really ready and that she has someone to go to church with every week.  Her parents are very supportive, but have not gone to church . . . also, Luis seems to be losing interest . . . we haven´t been able to get a hold of him -- he won´t answer his phone and usually isn´t at the house anymore.  However, I have hope!  It is a struggle to teach the Tomé family -- their house is pure chaos.  We usually have ended up just trying to teach Gladys alone while the rest of the family is doing whatever so we can focus a bit more -- although she doesn´t focus very well . . . but we will figure it out!  Her siblings are great -- we need to help them come to church.

Last Tuesday (I think) we had a super cool experience!  It was morning, (which is always a difficult time to work in Uruguay) and we had basically no good plans.  We started to contact a guy on the street and we asked him for references, and he told us to go visit a nearby house.  We knocked, and Teodoro answered.  He chatted for a bit and then immediately invited us inside to get out of the sun.  He is the most well-educated, interesting, well-traveled Uruguayo that I have met!  He has a whole bunch of books and loves reading, which is sadly VERY rare here.  One of his best friends is our YM president!  We were able to teach him about the Book of Mormon (woot! the best book you can read!), and I think he fell in love.  He ended up reading all of Moroni 10 out loud with us!!!  We felt the Spirit really strongly.  I am a huge fan of that chapter.  It is an incredible voice crying from the dust: "come unto Christ, and be perfected in him . . ." .  Just . . . WOW!  We really can become perfect if we follow Christ.  I know that is true.  We committed Teodoro to read, ponder, and pray about the Book of Mormon.  We weren´t able to fix another visit because he travels a lot, but we have his number and know where he lives. I plan to visit him this week.  He is very intellectual and calls himself primarily a follower of Descartes (awesome) and doesn´t have interest in churches, but I know that the Book of Mormon will change his life and help him come unto Christ by receiving the restored gospel.

Yesterday, we had another super cool experience with the Book of Mormon!  A few days ago, the Spirit told me to go knock on a door, and the coolest lady ever greeted us as we were about to leave her doorstep -- Blanca is her name.  She is the most exuberant, happy, smiling person I have ever met!  She is a devout reader of the Bible and believer in God and a really great person.  She presently belongs to a questionable church called Dios es Amor, known for extorting money of its followers.  It is quite prevalent here in South America, or at least in Argentina and Uruguay.  But we gave her a folleto about the restoration (I think) and challenged her to read, pray, and have another visit with us.  The missionaries visited her and her husband years ago, and they have a Book of Mormon but have never read it.  

So yesterday, we went to her house because we had set an appointment.  Blanca wasn´t there, but her husband Domingo was waiting for us. (!!!)  This was amazing for several reasons: 1) Basically nobody keeps their commitments -- the great majority of people who accept another visit in a street contact or a door contact do not keep that commitment.  2) They are actually MARRIED!  3) Domingo is a super nice guy, a sincere believer in God, and open to listen and talk civilly, unlike many people who judge and label and reject us before even opening their ears.

So, YAY!!!  We were able to explain the Book of Mormon, correct the common misconception that it was written by the prophet Joseph Smith, and read Moroni 10:3-5 together.  Domingo showed interest, listened sincerely and attentively, and committed to read and pray about Moroni 10.  We go back to teach them both this week.  What a fantastic couple and a lovely miracle that the Lord gave us!!!  

I absolutely love teaching about, presenting, reading from, and testifying about the Book of Mormon!  (for me, now, El Libro de Mormón!).  This book has changed my life and continues to change me every day.  I have learned recently the great importance of sincerely seeking truth through personal revelation -- that is so amazing to me.  The Spirit can speak to us and give us our own personal REVELATIONS through the Book of Mormon if we ask, seek, and knock.  Wow.  I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that it is true, and that it is the most correct book on the earth, and that by reading it we come closer to God.  I know Joseph Smith translated the book by the power and design of God.  I am so grateful to have this treasure in my life and to be able to share it so frequently and directly as a missionary!

Well, I have a lot more to tell you all, but my time escapes me now.  

Oh yeah -- I´m TRAINING AGAIN!!!  Elder Oliver is leaving as a zone leader, and I will be able to train these next two changes!  I thought this might happen since my trainee left.  I will miss my companion very much.  We have really been an ideal companionship, because we get along easily, we are friends, and above all we have the same goals and desires to work, improve, and invite all to come unto Christ.

I love you all so very much!  Fortify your faith TODAY in the Book of Mormon!  Read, ponder, and ask God if it is true!  Seek personal revelation!

--Elder Max Olivier

"Listen to the touch of the bell" ;)

Dearest family and friends,

I decided to write before reading all the letters this week, because I have really been falling down on relating all the wonderful spiritual experiences I´m having out here!!!

The incredible thing about the mission is that every day brings wonderful new spiritual experiences.  Every day is a blessing and an opportunity to give ourselves to the Lord; each day gives us a chance to learn and to be better; every day we can find the Lord´s hand in our life and rejoice.  I couldn´t possible relay everything that the mission is, nor everything that happens every day, but know that I am LOVING it!!! :)  The mission is the best.

SO, first off, I need to relate an experience that was super cool.  We have had a large handful of odd contacting experiences, Elder Oliver and I.  Now I refer to something that happened about 2ish weeks ago -- I should´ve written it last week.  My testimony of "hablar con todos" or "talk to everyone" has been growing so much here!  I love stopping (or trying to stop) everyone in our path to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, because I know that the message we bring is true, life-changing, and joyful!  Anyways.  There was a young guy walking in front of us, towards us, slightly rushed, but he was about to turn onto another street.  As always, rationalizations popped into the mind trying to persuade me not to talk to him.  I quickly moved to salute him with my companion, and he stopped a moment.  After hearing that we were missionaries and we are hear to share a message about God that changes lives, he said, "Okay, I don´t have time right now.  I have to get to work right now.  But walk with me!"

WOW!  That NEVER happens.  So we walked rapidly with him about 12 blocks, speaking and teaching as we went.  He told us that he is living house to house right now and has lots of family and personal problems but did not elaborate.  He asked VERY intelligent questions like "How long have you been talking to God? If I get baptized but my family doesn´t, what happens?"  We set a lesson with him for that same night in the chapel, but he cancelled because he just wanted to sleep after working all day.  His name is Maximiliano.  We have had some phone contact with him, but we haven´t been able to see him since.  He still shows lots of interest, but we haven´t been able to find a free moment when he´s not working. :( Pray for him!  He is so interesting and wonderful!

Another miraculous contact from the last week was Luis.  He called us over from the street offering soda to us -- it was a VERY hot day.  We were in the most "complicado" barrio (um, the most difficult neighborhood), so once again rationalizations almost prevented us from talking to him.  But, the Spirit whispered again -- GO!!!  So we went and talked to him.  He is about 24 years old and a very nice guy.  He recently came out of jail and has been in jail many times.  He told us rather quickly that he wanted to be baptized because he had never been baptized!!!  A missionary´s dream!  He came to half of church but missed sacrament for work, and yesterday he got called into work super early. :(  But he has a very sincere desire to be baptized and also to repent.  He wants a better life.  He still doesn´t understand the doctrine, but he is learning, and he loved the bit of church he went to.  His parents are inactive members, and one of his many siblings is baptized.  His sister-in-law, 2 of his sisters, and him all want to be baptized!!!  We have taught the whole family -- familia Tomé -- a couple times now.  It is great to sit down and teach an entire family -- I have basically never gotten to do that.  

Luis´s sister Gladys came to church with us yesterday!!!!  Yay!!!  She is 9 years old and an awesome little girl.  We were waiting for 5 people -- Luis and family plus our investigator Norma.  We were very excited because they had all committed very firmly to show up.  Luis had to work. Sandra (his sister in law) had her sister visiting from Montevideo.  Leticia (sister) slept because Sandra didn´t go.  Norma called, saying she was "sick".  But Gladys kept her commitment!  We went to their house and her parents quickly gave permission.  She loved church!  It felt like playing with Eva or some of my mathnasium students -- I just love kids!!!  In sacrament Hna Perez and her daughters gave us stuff to draw, and the other girls wrote the cutest little notes for Gladys!  She felt very welcomed and was eagerly asking us if we were coming back next Sunday to take her to church!  What a beautiful experience!

Random thought -- I keep forgetting to tell you guys bajillions of things, for example: my camera has been malfunctioning for the past . . . 10 weeks or so.  Probably more.  That´s why I haven´t been sending pictures.  It stopped reading the memory card, which is frustrating.  I had some pictures from Elder Aviña´s camera on a flash drive I bought, but it has stopped functioning as well, which may mean that all of my photos have been lost. :(  Oh well!  At least my journal is detalied and up to date!  :)

Anyways.  Another super wonderful spiritual experience to follow.

But in general, the Lord is working all kinds of miracles in Minas 1A every day.  We´re not really doing anything -- just being obedient, working as hard as we can, and striving for real improvement every day.  It´s going great! :)

On Friday, Elder Oliver and I listened at lunch to a cool talk by President Eyring about making covenants.  As we listened, we thought a lot about a long-time investigator we have, Hno. Machado.  We received a lot of inspiration and revelation from the Holy Ghost.  We had already talked about how he perhaps doesn´t understand the doctrine of covenants.  His sons and wife are fantastic, active members, and he is also super active in the church and reads the Book of Mormon every day and has a wonderful testimony.  He´s basically more active than most of the members.  But he refuses to be baptized.  As we listened to President Eyring, we felt prompted to go teach Hno Machado that day and invite him to be baptized the very next day.  We went immediately after lunch and study, but they were just leaving for the beach. . . . so we fixed a charla for that next day which was saturday.  It was one of the most powerful lessons -- or no, definitely the most powerful lesson -- I have been present in.  We had previously had a wonderful family home evening with their family about temples and family history.  In this lesson, we asked him how he felt about the temple -- his wife is endowed and attends regularly, and his sons have gone for baptisms.  One of his daughters is sealed in the temple.  We felt the Spirit guiding us so sweetly and powerfully, and he even opened up and shared a very personal experience he had in the hospital with us -- his wife was also with us.  Sadly, he thinks that he doesn´t need to be baptized at this time -- he feels like he has already made a covenant with God -- he seems to feel like God doesn´t want him to be baptized right now, which I know is not the case.  It was an incredible feeling to testify to him that God sent us there as His called servants to invite him to be baptized the very next day.  However, he chose not to accept.  Perhaps this was just another step closer to him making the decision.  Pray for Hno. Machado!  

I know that God has called me through His prophets to serve a mission here in Uruguay.  I know that I have been given power and authority to preach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, even the eternal plan of happiness that has existed since before the beginning.  Is that not an incredible privilege and honor?

Ah, there is just so much more I would love to tell you all!!!  I am getting along so well with Elder Oliver.  We are learning so much together and just having a great time too.  We have specific, achievable plans to improve this week.  I fear that he is going to leave at changes in a couple weeks and I will probably stay here, but I hope we can stay together another change!  Gladys will be able to get baptized after coming to church one more time, and the rest of her family members we are teaching will be baptized after coming to church twice.  Pray for familia Tomé!

I love you all so much and keep you in my prayers.

Major shout out to Anika, my wonderful cello student! I just got her physical letter today!!!  She is so awesome for writing me!

Much love!

--Elder Olivier