learning every day

Hey y´all

I feel like I should have a lot to tell you . . . but time flies by and blurs together so much I´m not quite sure what happened this week! ;)  But I have been loving it!

I am learning so much every day.  I am so lucky to have such an amazing companion as Elder Oliver -- he is so real, so funny, and so efficient.  He helps me grow every day, and I love having companionship study with him because we always set goals and plans to improve, and then we actually do something about it!  It is a great way to live.  It´s definitely a process though. 

I had a really good wake-up call and a reminder that YES it is a process to repent, improve, and become more like Christ.  I was feeling stressed because of all that is expected of me -- as a zone leader, as a missionary . . . just everything, you know!  And I was feeling worried and inadequate.  But then a couple days ago I read this absolutely fantastic talk by Elder Gong: https://www.lds.org/liahona/2014/07/young-adults/becoming-perfect-in-christ?lang=eng

I already sent it to several of you but I must include it here again because it is so awesome!  I learned that I don´t have to stress out so much about being imperfect, and that being perfect DOES NOT mean never making mistakes.  It means coming unto Christ and being perfected in Him over a time and through a process which is all of mortal life.  We should just trust in His love, His Atonement, His mercy and grace, freely given to all those who live the gospel.  Then we can free ourselves of fears and just be happy.  I still have a lot more to learn and apply, but it´s coming along!  I am working to overcome my perfectionist nature, keeping the good part of those desires and throwing out the unrealistic expectations.

So, the coolest stuff that happened this week were:

1. Intercambios.  I had a couple of lovely exchanges with our district leader Elder Morales in his area and then yesterday one with Elder Delgado the financer in my area.  It was great!  I learned from each missionary wonderful things, as always.  Mostly, I learned to be a more confident leader, and to be more natural and calm in all my interactions with people.  Well, I learned that I should do that -- actually doing it will take time. :)

2. Tomas!  We started teaching this amazing menos activo named Tomas who has lived all over the world, speaks several languages, and is just a really interesting and nice guy.  He lives alone in his apartment on a major street.  But the craziest part: when we showed up to teach him, he immediately started speaking ENGLISH to us!!  We taught the whole lesson in English, and he wants to practice his english with us always.  He speaks very well.  The Spirit was different and so powerful teaching in my native language, which I had never really done before.  I love teaching him.  We have had two lessons.  After the lesson yesterday, he gave us a gift!  He gave us two old ties that used to be his dad´s (who died quite a few years ago).  He also . . . . . . . . gave us underwear.  I was surprised and tried not to laugh.  He doesn´t know anything about the endowment and wearing temple garments, but whatever!  The thought was nice! HAHAHA.

Anyways.  My time is over.  But know that I love you.  Don´t expect to be perfect now!  Trust in the merits of Christ, not your own!  

I love you all so much!

--Elder Max Olivier

Another good week of work!

Dearest friends and family,

To start, I forgot to mention last week that we were about to have a conference with Elder Viñas of the seventy, a counselor in the area Sudamerica Sur!!!!  It was so awesome!!!!!!  Last week on lunes (monday, p-day), we had to go set up chairs and tables in our chapel in the morning.  We also had to walk to the other chapel in Minas and CARRY three tables to our chapel, which is probably a distance of about 20 city blocks.  I carried the heaviest table with Elder Johnson and just about died -- I have literally never sweat so much in my life.  Totally worth it.  The conference was fantastic and we felt the Spirit so strongly.  Elder Viñas encouraged us to focus on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He also taught us to seek out the chosen people and help them become disciples of Jesus Christ and then be baptized.  He said that the overall quality of baptisms, at least in this area of the church, is somewhat poor, because so many people become less-active or inactive.  I loved his perspective of finding chosen people, then helping them become converted, then baptizing them.  He said something that really helped me put things in perspective: "Don´t worry about your personal success!!!"

There is kind of a lot of pressure to baptize, which is good, because in that way we help people come unto Christ and enter in at the strait gate towards eternal life.  However, I had previously worried about the small quantity of baptisms in my mission so far.  I feel like I have been doing the absolute best I can, which of course includes many flaws, but I haven´t seen a whole lot of fruits in baptisms.  When Elder Viñas said not to worry about your personal success, I realized that the most important thing is having our eye completely single to the glory of God and forgetting ourselves.  Also in a fabulous district meeting after the conference, we talked about Abinadi and how he didn´t live to see even ONE fruit of his incredibly faithful service!!!  And yet he had such a huge hope, faith, and assurance that he was in the right path and that he could be an instrument in God´s hands for the blessing of His children.  I am a HUGE fan of Abinadi and I want to become more life him -- more faithful, more hopeful, and more consecrated.  This perspective both gives me comfort and challenges me to be better.

In spite of my weaknesses and faults, I know that if I do my very best and devote myself to my Heavenly Father, the Atonement applies immediately and fully.  The Atonement is so infinite, so eternal, and so perfect that it even applies to people who have already died and are in the spirit world!  How much more, then, does it apply to us in this life, here and now!!!!  I am so grateful for God´s perfect plan and for the Savior´s atoning sacrifice.

Our investigator Iris, despite committing super well to come to church, making a plan, and complying with her other commitments, did not show up to church, but instead had her husband call us at 8:30 the morning of to cancel. :(  It was disappointing, but I know that we did everything we could, so I wasn´t disappointed in myself.  Other promising people failed to keep their commitments to have lessons with us, but we did all we can.  the good news is that the phone credit arrived, so after a week without phone credit, we can work much more effectively now!  Anyways.  The search for chosen people continues!  Gladys is doing well, although her mom didn´t bring her to church this sunday.  She will do it next sunday.  Pray to help us find and help the chosen people!

I love you all so very much and I thank you for keeping me in your prayers.

--Elder Max Olivier

Esteeeee .... cómo es?‏

Hello everyone! ... from MINAS!!!

I have just arrived (since Friday) in Minas!  It's a beautiful city known for its "mountains" or hills.  I love it already.\\

You'll never believe who my companion is . . . Elder Oliver!!!  Hilarious, no?  He is the district leader here.  We live in a house of 4 elders, but right now 2 others are also living with us -- Elder Contreras (who was my zone leader when I first arrived) and his new missionary Elder Johnson (from Orem!).

Yikes, as usual my time escapes me, but there's so much to tell you all!

Despite the uncertainty, my last days in Florida were wonderful -- my time spent with the zone leaders there was some of the best days of my mission, because we were able to exercise faith and work hard despite not knowing what was going to happen with my companion situation.  Elder Rivera is physically completely better now and is back in Peru now. 

I witnessed so many beautiful little miracles just before leaving Florida.  We were able to find some very promising new people to teach who accepted baptismal dates!  I wish I could be around to teach them, but I know that they will progress and change and grow. 

Ugh, there's no time left to tell you just what those wonderful experiences were.  Know that I have built my faith greatly in the power of my calling, and in the ability of the Atonement to overcome all my faults and flaws and weaknesses.  I know that I have been called by God's prophet to do His work, and I am so excited and happy about that!!!!

Church in Minas was mas o menos . . . the branch needs a lot of help here, and needs new members, too.  I am eager to work more!  I still need to get to know the streets -- I'm so lost right now!  But I am excited!

Chau!\\\\\

Love you all so much!!!

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