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

Festivities, music, and lots of Christmas spirit!

Dear family and friends,

You are so wonderful -- you have no idea how great you are and how much you mean to me.  Your support, love, friendship, and acceptance of me have made me into who I am.  Thank you for being such great people and for being my friends! :)

This was a lovely week!  On Tuesday night, my companion and I took off to Montevideo, because the Assistants and President Cook were able to get a cello for me to play for a day!!!  Wednesday was our Christmas Conference, with all the Montevideo mission.  So on Tuesday, I got to rehearse the piece they had me play in!  Elder Perkins played piano and Elder Alder sang -- it was an arrangement of What Child is This.  It felt absolutely amazing to play cello again, after nearly four months of being without it!  It was also quite difficult, but I think with the help of God I produced a satisfactory and spiritually uplifting performance.  

We spent the night before the conference in the house of Elder Alder -- 8 elders live there!!!!  Their house was large, beautiful, and there was even air conditioning in the room where we slept!  What a luxury.  Unfortunately (or fortunately . . . ) there was also a scale!  I was dismayed to find that I had gained 10 pounds . . . but maybe it´s okay. ;)  Who knows.  Everyone always tells me I´m going to get fat in the mission -- it´s terribly irritating!  I refuse to do so!  When the food is pure carbs and fat, though, it can be slightly difficult . . . but I feel healthy, so I think all is well.  

People in Uruguay are oddly frank and direct -- they call people fat all the time without blushing -- I don´t think it´s even remotely offensive.  Same thing with skinny, black, white, whatever it may be -- it´s kinda funny!  Uruguayos just say it!

Anyways . . . the conference was fantastic!  We practiced in the morning.  My zone leader Elder Saavedra, who is a friend, and who also speaks the best english of any latin elder, invited me to sing with the mission choir!  It was a blast, and the songs weren´t difficult, so I was able to jump in at the last minute.  Apart from the mission choir, every zone also performed as a choir.  We heard the testimonies of the valientes (those who are going home and completing their mission) and talks from President and Sister Cook.  Then we had a lovely lunch all together and received gifts from the mission!  It was delightful.  I received English Liahonas from conference and from December -- Mom and Dad beat them to it with the conference issue!  I have loved studying the conference talks bit by bit -- the last conference was a HUGE impact in my life and I encourage you all to study the talks.  I recently read Elder Klebingat´s talk, a big favorite!  We were also given some candy, a beautiful tree of life pin made in the country, and the 1st Presidency´s Christmas card.  The whole experience was very uplifting and Christ-centered!  I love being a missionary during Christmastime -- I get to testify of Christ to everyone and share that great gift that He is.

On Thursday, we went to La Cruz with Alejandro in the morning to work on his house.  We mostly just did yardwork, which was quite nice for a change!  I love giving service, and I felt like I was actually somewhat useful, so that was good.  We spent the afternoon working there, and Hermana Cabrera (Alejandro´s wife-to-be) accompanied us for two lessons!  She has never gone out with the missionaries before.  She´s quite a character, working on getting active and getting her life in order, and she has a gift for naturally talking to people and connecting with them.  Our investigator Marisol welcomed us into her house and we were able to talk to her daughter and son who live with her!  They are wonderful.  The lesson was a bit of a struggle for me because the two grandkids were SUPER noisy and distracting most of the time, and I haven´t had to teach in many group situations like that before.  However, I felt the Spirit and did my best and know how to improve for next time.  The hilarious and ridiculous thing was that Hna. Cabrera gave Marisol a cigarette in the middle of the lesson!!!!!!!!!!  She is trying to quit smoking and has improved a lot since we arrived, but oh my!  That was a crazy moment.  We teased her about it -- she is so funny.  She said something like, "What, I´m not going to refuse her if she asks for a cigarette!"  At least she has fewer in her bag now! :)

On Friday, our little zone had a conference with President Cook and the assistants, with personal interviews with the President.  It was fantastic!!!  My faith was strengthened and I felt uplifted.  The highlight was the brief interview.  President Cook is a very loving man -- I felt very comfortable talking to him.  He told me that he is very pleased with the progress I have made in the mission and that he can tell that I have lots of love for my brothers and sisters.  It was exactly what I needed to hear to be edified and comforted.  

Saturday was the branch Christmas activity!  I played piano with the choir and the narration of the Christmas story with live nativity scene.  It was very spiritual and peaceful.  Marisol and her family came all the way from La Cruz!!!!!!!!  The branch president´s wife was able to pick them up, and the elders quorum pres. was able to take them home.  We were so excited.  We had to leave before the activity was over (without eating the food . . . oh well) because they started quite late and we had to be in the house at 9:30.

Sunday was a bit of a struggle, but an incredible experience.  No one we teach showed up to church.  Earlier in the week, we saw Paula and she is going to another church right now. :(  I think my companion has mostly given up hope on her, but I haven´t.  We must talk to her again this week.  

I will share the hard but good experience as recorded in my journal:

"No one we teach showed up to church. :(  But when we walked in, the Hnas. told us they had a surprise and that the reference they gave us from Calleros [a street] showed up to church with them!  he was a wiry old man who smelled strongly of alcohol and tobacco.  Needless to say, I was excited.  When I took a seat next to him after I played the piano, we listened to the talks.  Walter [his name] randomly got up and bid farewell to the sisters (missionaries) . . . E. Aviña signalled for us to accompany him our.  I was very confused as to why, and what was going on, but then Walter took out a cigarette outside the doors.  E. Aviña left me to speak, but I had no clue what to say in this odd, unfamiliar situation.  Eventually my companion told him not to smoke there, so he started towards the gate.  I was still left to speak and still was clueless and nervous, so I just asked questions to try and get to know him and his circumstances better.  BIG MISTAKE.  He got offended and asked if I was police, after which he stormed away.  Needless to say, I felt HORRIBLE.  It was perhaps the most crushing single moment of my mission.

"We went back in.  I didn´t understand a word of Hno. Suarez´s talk, sadly, because my heart was broken and my mind was ablaze with sadness, remorse, and self-doubt and self-destruction.  This was after taking the sacrament and feeling a certain burden of self-doubt lifted away.  But the Lord knows me perfectly and knows how to refine me with His great fire so that I can truly grow -- for this He gave me this grand trial.  Because of my weakness, my stress shot up and my brain fell into instant depression -- I destroyed myself over this great or grave error.  I don´t 100% know why.  I had actual thoughts of giving up on everything, like this mistake was the end.  I didn´t have enough faith that the Savior´s Atonement would make it all okay.  I couldn´t forgive myself for being so imperfect and having such a hard time with such a simple thing: knowing what to say, or how to naturally make small talk with someone [in Spanish!].

"Thankfully, the Savior of course succored me.  I uttered prayers of desperation in these hard moments.  It was so hard to get up and play two lively Christmas hymns when I felt so terrible with bitter tears of sorrow in my eyes.  However, I felt the Spirit coming to me through these hymns.  THen I had to offer the closing prayer!  Or, I got to -- it was a privilege and a help.  I offered one of the most earnest, sincere, heartfelt, simple prayers of my life.  I asked Heavenly Father to help us love and forgive.  After that, and after seeing INTENSE rain, I briefly expressed my feelings to E. Aviña in private, apologizing, and telling him how I felt awful and tried and failed.  He told me with love that it´s part of the mission, and not to feel bad, but to learn from the experience.  That comforted me.  He said we would take turns [doing contacts] so I could see more of how he talks to people instead of leaving every beginning up to me.  I think he saw that this is just an honest weakness I have . . . that I really do try my best, but it will take time.

"I feel like I was able to forgive myself after that and trust in Christ.  It was good because I became humbled.  I don´t really know how to get rid of all my fear -- all my self-doubt.  I don´t know what to say.  however, I can turn to God for all my support.  Now I am praying and fasting that He will help me know what to do to get rid of doubt and fear so I can replace it with faith."

As you can see, I am perhaps overly hard on myself, and I do find it difficult to forgive myself and trust myself.  I am trying to apply the wonderful teachings in Elder Klebingat´s conference talk about being spiritually self-confident.  Thoughts of inadequacy and of self-deprecation come from the adversary.  God is patient with me and He works with me.  My Savior will forgive me.  I just need to learn to forgive myself and trust myself.

Now I am feeling better. Fasting helped a TON.  I am eager to make the most of this wonderful Christmas week!  Sister Gammon said in an email that Elder Bednar gave a devotional at the MTC in which he said that we should RELISH our holidays away from our families, because the rest of our lives we can be with them.  Right now I am so happy to be serving others and focusing on Christ this Christmas!!!!!!!!!  It´s the best!

Many thanks to Mom & Dad for the package!  Also, many thanks to Grandma & Grandpa Taylor for the package of heavenly granola bars!!!!!

Love you tons!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

--Elder Max Olivier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6v-iSgCAVM&feature=youtu.be

Watch that!!!!

A grand week of work and patience! :)

Dear family and friends,

This week was utterly fantastic!  We got to do a "choque de fuerzas" two times as a district, which was super fun.  It´s when all the missionaries of our district go to one area to work together for two hours, contacting and searching for new investigators.  The spirit of unity and teamwork by doing so is delightful, and it´s always a pleasure to see and work with the amazing missionaries of my zone.  We also do it as a very brief exchange.  The first time, I got to work with zone leader extraordinaire Elder Saavedra of Peru, and the second time with district leader extraordinaire Elder Huaira, also of Peru.  The first one was in our own area!

I feel like my companion and I are getting along a lot better -- I am able to be patient with him and accept his criticisms however they are delivered.  We are working hard together, which is my favorite part!  We definitely teach well together, and pretty much always have.  That´s the most important part, I guess!  We´re continually improving.

On Friday, we got to do divisions with two young men members!  I went with Bryan, 17, of another branch.  We just did a bunch of contacts together, and it was a delight.  I felt fairly confident leading the way without my trainer, and felt really good about the work we did.  Unfortunately we didn´t find anyone who is truly ready to progress, but we did all we could.

Saturday we spent most of the day in La Cruz.  It went really well.  We taught some really good lessons and found some promising new people, but none of them came to church and a couple have already generally fallen through.  Oh well, we did our part and worked really hard!  We´ve been doing all we can these last several weeks to find new investigators, but no one is working out.  However, I don´t feel disappointed in myself, because I am doing everything I can.  It does make me a bit sad to see people fail to accept the blessings of the gospel, but not too sad -- how can I be sad when I am preaching the gospel of Christ to the people? :)  I absolutely love testifying of Christ and bringing peace, hope, and joy into the lives of those who have little.  I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that through Him we can improve in this life and leave behind our sins.  I know that His Atonement is enough for us.

I have been learning so much more about the continuous power and grace of the Atonement!  Even so, I am finding that I still struggle at times.  I make lots of mistakes, it is true!  And my companion lets me know, which can be hard at times -- he gets frustrated when I don´t progress quickly enough, and of course so do I.  But I am being patient with myself (and with him), and I am improving every day.  I find it difficult to be kind to myself, especially when I make mistakes, but I lean on Heavenly Father through constant prayer, and my spirits are high.  I just need to learn even more how to love me . . . .  But I´m getting there!

We had a powerful discussion with Paula on Saturday night!  She was our only hope for someone who would actually come to church, and therefore be able to be baptized by the end of this month.  The Spirit was strong -- she has truly progressed.  Her boyfriend left her house this week, which is very good, because they were not getting along, not keeping the commandments, . . . . . . . it was just a generally bad situation, but now she is really progressing spiritually!!!!  And she came to church on Sunday with her 3 sons!  YAAAAAYYYYYYY it was so happy.  She is planning to be baptized on the 27th!  We have another lesson with her on Wednesday night, and our fantastic RS Pres., Hna. Luengo, will accompany us.

Paula was the miracle of this week.  Pray for her!  I look forward to working hard this week.  I love you all so much.  Shout out to Mom for her amazing package, and to Jessie who RAN A MARATHON and COMPLETED IT!!!!!!  OH my gosh that´s awesome.  

Love!

--Elder Max Olivier

Summer has arrived!!! :)

Dear family and friends,

Yes, it is summer here.  However, Uruguay is strange and indecisive.  This morning was a blanket of fog, yesterday was a mishmash of sun and rain, Saturday was overwhelmingly hot and humid.  Yep.  Bring it on, Uruguay! :)  Mom, you would die for how humid it has been recently.  Also, you would appreciate the amount of ceiling fans in the chapel here.  I will try to get a picture of it.

This week was crazy!  On Tuesday, we were able to go to the temple again!  The first two baptisms of Elder Aviña received their endowments.  It was such a special, powerful spiritual experience, and these two women (mother and daughter) are so special and full of light.  We even got to do some initiatories before the endowment session in the temple!  I love going to the house of the Lord to participate in these sacred ordinances.  I feel God´s love and presence there so strongly.  I felt comforted in a big way, and like I should stop worrying so much. :) (duh, I always worry too much.)  

When we were there, I took the advice of my family members and splurged on treats at Tienda Inglesa.  Yum.  If you still don´t know what an alfajor is, you have yet to discover a devilishly delicious treat . . . hmmmmmmmmm, that sounds terrible.  Oh well, it kinda is. :)  On a semi-related note, the food here is too high in fat!  Lots of stuff unabashedly has trans fat!  Can Nicole and Mom, the nutrition experts, or Elder Persson, explain to me what trans fat is? :)

Anyways.  That day was basically perfect.  On wednesday morning, we went to La Cruz, a tiny town that pertains to our branch.  The sisters serving in our branch with us also came, and we did some good proselyting there.  Woo!  The people are so welcoming and open to listen and learn.  On thursday, we visited the houses of most of our present investigators, basically to no avail.  Our people are really falling through, which is why we´re going to La Cruz now.  Often, people will receive us well the first time, commit to another visit, and then never receive us again.  It´s sad and frustrating, because I know that they are missing out on the Gospel of Jesus Christ -- they´re missing out on joy, peace, and a changed life.

On Friday we had zone conference, and I got to go to Sarandi for an intercambio with Elder Vasquez.  He is awesome!  We basically just did lots of contacting and had a wonderful lesson on prayer with some less-active members.

Saturday, we had a volleyball activity in the gym!  Although we publicized like mad with our branch and our investigators, not many people showed up.  It was still a success!

My time leaves me.  Yesterday we had another very spiritual lesson with Alejandro.  He gave the closing prayer, and touched my heart forever.  He thanked God for sending him two angels, two marvelous people, to teach him and show him the way.  He will become a STRONG member of the church in due time!  If only Uruguay were faster with marriage dates and legal stuff . . . . . . but he will get married and then baptized. :)

I learned this week to keep my attitude in the highest level, to follow after Christ by being merciful, patient, and long-suffering.  I am learning to be patient and meek, especially in my companion relationship.  I think things are going well now.  I am eager to work hard this week!

Only Alejandro came to church. :(  But we found an amazing woman in La Cruz who immediately accepted our invitation to church and to be baptized.

Love you all so much!!!!!

The picture is old -- it´s me in Montevideo.

No time! :)

Dear friends and family,

This week was a fantastic experience.  It flew by incredibly quickly!  Because I have no time, I must skip to the most relevant.

We got to go to Alejandro´s new house again!  The whole elder's quorum was supposed to show up, but only the president came.  However, we were able to recruit the 4 other elder missionaries who are serving in the city to come with us.  yay!  We left at 6:30 on Saturday morning.  It was a truly great service project.  We worked on building his bathroom!  I have never built a bathroom before.  I felt official as I laid bricks and mortar. :)  Alejandro is amazing.  He is growing spiritually in ways I never dreamed of.  When I had a private moment to chat with him as we were all working, he asked me if I felt the Spirit of charity.  I was stunned!  I hadn´t been paying attention enough to feel the Spirit, but he was feeling it.  Earlier this week, we had a discussion with him that was the best lesson of my whole mission.  I felt like I was able to lovingly teach him using the techniques I have been working on and learning, and he truly understood the gospel of Christ.  He accepted a baptismal invitation!!!  He is getting married to his wife, Hna. Cabrera, but Uruguay is a pain with marriages and dates -- but I know he will be baptized eventually.  It was a powerful spiritual experience to see how this humble man is growing spiritually and being prepared by the Lord in big and small ways.  He is reading the Book of Mormon and praying out loud and personally.  He is changing.  I feel so privileged to see that.  I love him so much!

However, no one showed up to church on sunday.  Ghastly!  It was only 1 hour because of elections.  No investigators or recent converts came.  Teardrop.  But we did pretty much everything we could.  We had an awesome family home evening with the YSA and we got to go proseltying with an awesome member, Tomy, for two hours.  Fantastic day!

Love you all so much!  The photo is my reaction to Alejandro´s car that I described last week.

Much love,

Elder Max Olivier