Mission Christmas Conference

Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission
Christmas 2012

WAZZUP!!

k why is everyone saying i am fat and gaining weight??? haha  I know I weigh 155 but haven't really been gaining since the mtc. I work out dont worry. haha no that christmas card made my face look fat i know. It was that hat man. It was so tight and it pushed all the blood like straight down in those cute lil cheeks of mine ;) so no worries ii'm still the skinny lil boy :)

So how was the week? For me awesome as usual! Mom just wanted to say thanks for the packages. My roomies are loving it all haha Also yes yes i am smart enough to figure out i open one a day. Except i had to open the tie because i knew what it was and wanted to wear it to the mission conference! It was a beauty. I got so many compliments on my tie.... and as a missionary thats a good feeling ;) So yes I got everything. The driving records and stuff I got as well. Still need to figure that all out but i'll do soon. So mission conference was so much fun. We got there. Ate a wonderful christmas dinner. Then we had a white elephant exchange and lets just say i got a cat pooper scooper and like a 2 foot long toothbrush hahaha i gave that little poop reindeer thing you guys sent me and some other stuff. It was so much fun. We had like a talent show where every zone had to sing haha after all the fun and games President talked with us about chirst and christmas! I loved it man. I love christmas because it's a time of giving. I never was too into the whole recieving end because it's so so much better to see the joy that comes when others get things. Thats why I love sending people christmas cards and letters and stuff because I know the feeling haha other elders are always getting mad cause i'm always writing and sending stuff. Which yes i needa stop because stamps are expensive haha no i don't send too much crap. Anyways at mission conference I met our cousin... Elder hunt haha got a picture with him. He is from ogden and his grandma is our next door neighbor haha helen. He was friends with like Dillon. Devin's and bransons cousin. haha crazy stuff. He was cool. Then i saw my old comp Elder Hunter, and  Elder Gust who is from stg as well haha he's so funny. Oh man it was a good time. I loved our conference. Only one more for me :( hahaha

 

So we had a baptism this week. Her name was gabriella. She was 11 yrs old and lives in a part member family. Her dad is the only one not a member now. She was so cool and such a sweet girl. We are working on her dad now haha we gotta get em all to come unto the water of baptism.

 

So we had a cool experience we taught a guy named dennis like 3 weeks ago. We taught him everything and he just didn't want to be baptized. He kinda had a drinking problem and stuff and just didn't think he could change. Well last sunday his mom was in the hospital and a member told us so we went and blessed her. Well yesterday at church he randomly showed up and said I want to be baptized hahaha so the priesthood blessing we left with his mom obviously affected him as well and now he is wanting to change. It was an amazing miracle for sure :)

 

So elder diaz got hit by a car this week hahaha man it was crazy. We were both riding and a car stopped at a stop sign and so elder diaz and i kept going because there was no sign for us. Well ride when we were in front of the car it took off. I saw it coming so i hurried then looked back and elder diaz's back tire got nailed. It like put a dent in the car and elder diaz didn't even fall off his bike. The car looked and saw he just hit a biker so he hurried and took off. ha didn't even stop man. crazy people. I heard miami and florida is like the worst place in the U.S. for  car crashes and stuff. It was crazy but thank goodness Elder Diaz was ok!

 

I got a letter from the Harrisons. I loved it. Mom thanks for telling me about how she came over and read it with you and stuff. It was definately good to hear.

 

So for CHRISTMAS we are going to skype for sure!!! Our bishop is letting us go over to his house and use his computer. He said it will probably be around like 12 in the afternoon on Christmas day. So i'm sure right in the middle of all the parties ;) haha i'll finalize it next week with you all but man i'm excited. Skype haha really? it'll be just like Lonne and Nancy. Wow i feel like just yesterday i was skyping with them. We will probably have about an hour or so to skype ;) So have questions and be ready to tell me about home!!! I'm sure nothing has changed haha

 

Well thats about it for me this week! I love you all so much and cant wait to see you in a week or so. Everyone keep remembering who you are and who we represent. At church i heard a few quotes i loved!!!!

 

"The commandments are easy... we make them hard"

"Lead by example... Even when your ALONE"

 

Love you all

ELDER OVARD

me hermano?? mom i'm not your brother!!!! hahahaha

 

How is everyone this week?? What a day it has been. So this morning we woke up at 5:30 so we could ride our bikes to key biscayne again and watch the sunrise at the beach!! Man it's beautiful. Everytime i'm somewhere like that i always think of my wonderful family though. Want you all to be there with me ;) haha Today we went GATOR hunting but unfortunately didn't see any. haha It was intense!

So good to hear Grizzy is doing better! He will probably be all healed up and back to normal just in time for me to get home! haha I'm getting excited to talk to you all! I found out we can skype. Not real sure how long.. but we can do that if we want. I heard we can only skype or talk on the phone for 30 mins. Darnit haha it'll be a quick one. Thanks for figuring out my driving records mom. It'll feel crazy driving again. Anyways this week was a little rougher.. but GREAT! So we were supposed to have 2 baptisms this past sunday and they both flaked :( it was a bummer. One was Mattie. It's okay though because including those 2 that we missed this past sunday, we have 7 people preparing for baptism for december. And they all have dates!! 5  of them are kids. Crazy right. We met a family this past week that are really solid and excited for baptism. One is 20 15 and 14 yrs old. The 15 yr old is a girl and uh oh... she is in love with me. I'm sorry okay i don't mean to say it but it's crazy! It's scary going over there hahaha we went and played bball and soccer with them this past week and they loved it. Really at first the 20 yr old had no desire what so every. He was like bagging on us and stuff. Then we asked if he wanted to go to the park and play and every since i balled him up in bball he has been more interested. Everyone here thinks i'm so tall haha it's hilarious. Truth is the latinos are just tiny!!

So We have a baptism this Fri. We are baptizing a 11 yr old girl named Gabriella. Her mom and aunt are both members and she wants to be like them and follow their example. She is really solid and really cool. Hopefully we'll have more this week as well. We should have 4 or so but we'll see. I think probably 2 are SOLID SOLID. Idk what more to tell you about the investigators because i'm sure that just gets boring haha

So being here in MIAMI i haven't eatin fish once UNTIL this week. EWWW I ate this fish yesterday that literally looked the EXACT same on the plate as in the water. Teeth, head, fins, tail and all.. I ate it but definately wanted to throw up after haha It's not that it was bad or that the people were bad cooks, but man I wouldn't have eatin it just because of how it looked. Good thing about the mission.. YOU DONT CHOOSE WHAT YOU EAT ;)

Well first transfers are this week and im staying of course :) One of the Elders in our apartment is leaving though. He has been here for 6 months haha crazy! So i get a new roomie tomorrow.

Well alright i'll send this for now and think of more here in a sec. haha Love you all:)

THANKS MORE EVERYTHING!!!

ELDER OVARD

 

WELL WAZZZUPP!!!

 

KACEY ROGERS HUH???? what in the world hahahahaha.  She'll be joining me in the BEST mission in the world :) Dang thats so cool!! It's the same one as her dad right? Wow thats awesome. I bet she is excited. It's crazy to think i'll almost be out a year when she gets here though haha dang!! I'll have to write her and give her a little insite about what is to be her mission.

 

So how are the holidays going with my family?? I just picture our house all lit up and mom and the christmas trees. I will tell you this.. No one here in Miami does christmas trees like moms. I did see that santa clause that we have downstairs though haha it was doin it's lil famous dance. It was funny.

 

Thats crazy Elder Bott and Miller are already coming home haha man. Way crazy. Seems like they just left and honestly before we know it it's going to be me. Elder Diaz keeps telling me that December always cruises by and I didn't believe him until I looked at the calender last night. WOW!

 

I did get the christmas package so THANK YOU haha it was bomb!! I couldn't find any of the driving record stuff though. Didn't you say you sent something in there? hmm idk It's not a biggy. We have a car here in this area but were never in it. Our area is like one of the smallest in the mission so it's usually not too bad. I'm up to like 158 pounds now and dont look any bigger. To be honest I think it's all in the legs from the bike. haha I feel like right now with my legs being in shape I could drop some bombs ;)

 

The leaves do NOT fall on the trees here haha it's summer year round remember? You think i'm kidding but it's true!

 

I have been getting christmas cards and stuff from people so i'll send them thank you's no worries i know my mom and dad taught me well!

 

I am starting to understand the El salvadorians, nicoraguans, hondoranians and others a little more.. BUT the cubans!!!!! HOLY they talk so fast. It's so hard. It'll come though I know it will. I have really been working hard and I know with the lords help it's all possible. My speaking has been coming along quicker then me understanding. Now we go into lessons and I can actually help EldernDiaz teach a little bit haha. no mucho pero mas que cuando yo llegado..

 

So okay onto my week! Exciting event so remember bayside. It's like the mall along the coast of miami. I love going there on pdays... but anyways haha so we got a phone call this week from a guy from utah. He works here in miami on the cruise ships. He is a musician. Anyways he started talking about the gospel with 2 other musicians there on the ship. They both liked what he was saying and wanted a Libro de Mormon in spanish. So he had to contact the missionaries. So he got our number from the church and called us. He's only here on land on fridays and mondays. Other then that he is on the ship. So he wanted to meet friday. He said meet us at Bubba Gump restaurant I want to buy you elders lunch and then my friend thats investigating the church will be with us and you can talk with him about the gospel. So we said okay :) haha we met up and really the guy was amazing. He knew a lot of gospel knowlege but he feels like something is missing and after meeting with us he feels like this is what was missing. So he has a BofM and is reading it. IDK how things will work out with him but he said he would call us and we could meet up again one of these Fri or Sat haha it's awesome.

 

So our baptisms for this week wanted one more week to prepare haha so were hoping for hmmm 3 baptisms this week. The little family Kylee Manuel and Ronny still love us and always want us to go play ball and stuff with them. Their baptism is scheduled for this week as well so hopefully we can get those desires up again for them :)

 

Other then that our week wasn't much. It was harder. We only ended up getting one investigator to church. It was cool though because remember Roberto who we baptized like 4 weeks ago. Well it was a lady (grandma) that lives with him. She sat in on every lesson with us and she never said much but she was always so grateful for our visits. Well we picked Roberto up for church yesterday and next thing we know She was climbing in the car. She's like "I'm coming today she's like I wanna come" haha so we said alright cool lets go!! She was crying and really felt the spirit and the love Jesus christ has for her. It was so amazing. We have an appointment with her tomorrow so we'll see how she liked it!

 

I'm getting excited to talk with you all!! haha It'll be so much fun! So ya idk if were going to skype of not yet. We can but we just needa finalize where and stuff this week probably. We have mission conference on Thursday. I need to go find a white elephant gift hahaha don't have the 60 inch waste jock strap this year so i'll have to find something else!! I feel like that party i threw was just yesterday. The pajama party with the white elephant gift!! Man time flies!!

 

Alright well i'll probably write you all a letter today as well. We don't have much going on. We'll go to the coast and to bayside. Elder Osborn is the new elder in our apartment and he wants to see it all :)

 

Love you and have a wonderful week. 

 

Elder Ovard 

WAZZUP FAMILY!!!

Okay i'll start with moms questions haha:
For Thanksgiving we have about 3 different members that all want to
feed us haha so to anwser you question i'm going to be getting fat!
Also this week we had a person we met invite us to go to like a miami
shelter place on Thanksgiving. It's like kinda a homeless shelter
place i think. Anyways the MIami Heat basketball team with be there
serving the food haha cool right?? Well I want to go but i think it
might be little out of our area so we'll have to see haha Harvesting
is amazing and without it i just don't understand how you would get in
any doors. I feel bad for the other missionaries that didn't have this
haha anyways harvesting we get in a lot of house. Especially when were
where all the black people live. This past week we got in 26 homes and
thats through harvest for mmm 30-45 min a day is all. It's so cool.The
other elders? Elder williams and Peterson. Williams is originially
from Georgia but now lives up in timpanoges. And elder peterson is
from Mesa Arizona. I love them both their so cool. Mom you can send
whatever you want they all get stuff too. My comp for sure but you if
you want you can send for the others but i think their fine. Just my
comp for sure. And I got you package for Thanksgiving!! Thank you so
much!! Bomb stuff in there. The treats keep me going each day i'm
tellin ya haha Elder Diaz loves those Fruit snacks.Yes members feed us
all the time. We have a list of food that they fill out in RS each
sunday for us. One person takes a certain day of the week. It's the
best haha sometimes were just so busy with people we don't have time
to go eat :) Nope I don't need anything for Christmas haha i'm doing
good mom. Yes i'm pretty sure elder diaz and i will stay here because
were still doing the training program! 12 weeks. So next transfer
elder diaz will probably leave because he has been here awhile. I'll
stay next transfer i think. I get lots of time in miami :) I love
it!!!
I'm so excited more michael oh my gosh haha thats so sweet!! I love my friends.

So this week was another great one!!! No baptisms but a lot of
investigators haha we got 13 new investigators this week. It really
gets hard somethimes because there is only so much time in the day to
see everyone. Yesterday at church we got 6 people there and so were
praying and have the faith for baptisms this coming sunday. Including
that lady that has Dialysis with one leg :) her name is mattie and she
is my favorite!! Like seriously! I love her. IDK if it's because she's
black or what but man shes great. She lives in kinda a sketchy
neighborhood but other then that it's great :) hahaha jk So how is
everyone?? Thanks so much for all your emails again. Don't worry about
printing them off. I should be okay to write and read them all. I just
idk about the blog letter haha oh well.
This past week we had Zone Conference.. and lets just say my mission
president is like literally the next prophet. He's so stong and has
the best testimony. His wife as well. Oh my gosh it was so good.
Presdient shared stories about his life and related them to the
gospel. It was like General Conference status.. so good. I learned so
much. Spanish is still tough but i know it wont come in a week haha
I'm loving it. Elder Diaz and me will speak it and just laugh all day!
I'm started to have members in the ward help me so i should be
speaking it more and more. I am slowly started to understand more and
more so thanks for all the prayers!!
Sounds like all you are doing great. Blake and Bryce Harper.. Dad on
the MTN.. Mom with questions hahahaha jk... Paige and Tay with school
and work and thier house... and Ayns with the boys like usual haha
It's crazy how is seems like things change here everyday but it's just
the same old stuff back home haha it cracks me up!! I'm worried about
my dog grizz though. Still don't hear much from him? Sometimes i
wonder if he's still there haha ayns at least took a pic of him for
me. He looks like he's starting to go grey? Si or no? haha I love you
all so much!
Emailing is so hard because I have so much to say but always don't
know what to say haha it's nice when you all ask questions!! This week
in the Marlins stadium there was a pro soccer game! Venezuala and some
other team haha i can't remember, but we went and rode our bikes
around it on the way to a members house. It was so cool but it gets me
excited for baseball :)
Christmas here should be fun!! Crazy but fun haha a lot of people have
put up their lights and stuff already. Big building.. sky scrapers
have began to do so as week. It'll be fun and i'm sure you'll get a
lot of pictures!!
Anyways I better get I love you all so much! Let me know if you have
anymore questions!!
Have a wonderful week!! Love ya

Love ELDER OVARD

                  Coming Home From Key Biscayne (the Island)  This picture is on the Bridge.

WAZZUP FAMILIA Y AMIGOS 


What a week it was!! So I don't know if you all heard but this week we were supposed to have 3 baptisms. Well we got two of the three down so i'm not complaining :) But wait it gets better. So this week I got my first opportunity to baptize someone. I baptized a kid named Jonathan and Elder Diaz baptized his Grandma. Jonathan is a 16 yrs old and I think he is half Nicaraguan and half black. haha He's such a stud! I love him. Anyways so let's just say Jonathan wanted to be baptized 3 times hahaha No so heres what happened. He spoke English so I didn't have a problem saying it but when it came to dunking him.. Man I felt like I was going to drowned the kid! I did it the first time and he came up and I swear he was like trying to find some oxygen haha but NO I needed to go even further down. So ROUND #2 I dunked him and it was about the same. The witnesses both just said to push him down all the way to the bottom haha so ROUND #3 I threw him down and seriously felt like he was under there forever haha I was so scared! I didn't want to hurt him because I love him so much! So after I brought him up and the witnesses were both smiling and said good. Jonathan had a HUGE smile on his face and said "Thats what i'm talking about baby!! I feel SO clean" hahaha oh man I will never forget the look on his face and the feelings that both of us were feeling. It was an experience and feeling that I hope neither one of us will ever forget! When Elder Diaz told me I was going to baptize I was so excited haha It motivated me in the the mission work. That step and taking on that covenant with out Savior Jesus Christ is what this works all about. I know that as I strive to work hard and do everything I can for the Lord Jesus Christ he will bless me with these wonderful ELECT people. The people that are prepared and ready. Just again this week the Lord has blessed Elder Diaz and I. We found 3 more investigators that are pretty dang solid already and they have the Desire and Faith. Since being here I have learned that's all people need to be baptized. A desire and faith in Christ. It's amazing how great people are in this world. One of our investigators is named Mattie. Mattie has dialysis and only has one leg. Her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is amazing. She always tells us how she believes one day she will live with her family all again but not only that.. She will be her full self again. Physically that is. She knows that Lord will heal her someday and she always always expresses her thoughts and feelings about that. She is so sweet. I look forward to teaching these new wonderful people and I want to help them in their lives through our savior. Our other investigator that was supposed to get baptized this week ended up not because of economic situations and stuff. She is struggling and we've been trying to help her but it's been tough. Anyways it's an amazing life being here representing our Savior. I love it and I'm so excited for all my friends to get out here and serve the lord. They are all getting their calls now and it makes me happy! Alrighty well see yal next week! Love ya

ELDER OVARD

              1st Baptism for Elder Ovard.  Lidia and Jonathan with Elder Diaz and Elder Ovard.

                                                   Jonathan Elder Ovards 1st Baptism

IM HERE!

WELL WELL WELL hahaha wow this is crazy!! WHOEVER told me I was going
to the states is wrong!!!! haha People around here ALL speak Spanish.
In our proselyting and stuff honestly I have probably only ran into 3
people. Our ward is 85 percent spanish. It's crazy but I love love
it!! The people are so so so nice. We have a members house to eat at
literally like everynight. K so I am in Riverside North. This is in
MIAMI :) ya baby!! I am literally in the big city of miami! I have
riden my bike around the Marlins stadium probably 15 times now. It is
like right in the middle of my area. Then the Heat arena is also in my
area and I have riden my bike around that probably 2 times haha So
there is A LOT of excitement around here all the time!! Miami is
sweet. My apartment is on the 12th story of a building and I can see
all of the big buildings of miami (downtown) It's so much fun to ride
our bikes through the sky scrapers and just talk to people:) I will
send you a few pictures that I took. I don't have that many yet but I
will continue to take a lot. My companion is ELDER DIAZ hahaha oh man
I love him already!! He is mexican and is from mexico. He speaks a
little bit of english haha it's like broken up english. The only
problem is, his broken up English is better then my spanish! Its
brutal haha my hardest thing is understanding people. I can speak okay
but understanding people and what their saying... MAN ITS HARD. It
will come though I know it will and I have a native to speak to all
the time. We talk more spanish then english so thats always good. He
really is a hard worker though and he baptizes people so he does a lot
right:) There are so so many different ethnicities around here. I
honestly think it's impossible to keep track of them all haha
Hispanic, cuban, nicaragua, argentina, puerta rican, Blacks, and more!
We had a party one night that the members put together and it was
called like the day of Espana, but it was more or less just everything
bringing foods of their culture and their country and then we all eat
and have a good time!! These people sure do LOVE their food. I haven't
had to cook at all yet! It's great haha Members always go with us to
investigators homes and teach with us... It's amazing. The members
here are seriously amazing. Such great great people. I don't know how
many times i've got from kids and their parents.. This is YOUR house
now and WE are your family now!!! haha I just want to cry because they
mean it and you can tell they do. ELDER DIAZ is just like their kid.
Of course he can talk to them all in spanish and crack jokes and stuff
with them haha so hopefully one day i'll get there. We are supposed to
be baptizing 2 investigators this week so it will be a first for me:)
I am so excited haha Whoever has heard our mission has been the
highest baptizing mission in the U.S. and Canada this past month was
correct haha The Elders here really get after it and the people are
such good people. Anyways I'm loving it and seriously love the people,
miami, food and everything. Love you all and have a great week.

Love ELDER OVARD

Austin's pictures didn't come through but here is a picture from his mission president. Him and his companion!!!

WOW IT'S HERE!!!!!! I leave on tuesday at 3 in the morning! I'm so excited! This past week in the MTC has been so good though. One of my goals was to finish my time out here in the MTC strong. I wanted to show the Lord that I am here for him and i'll do whatever it takes to do his will! I am always working and trying to be the best missionary I can be!! Yesterday I had in-field orientation and it really helped me understand more of what the field is going to be like and I think it really helped me prepare more. I never knew members were such a big help to missionary work. Also planning and finding.. it's all done by the Lord. I'm so excited for tuesday and to get there in Florida and meet my Mission President and my new comp. It's going to be so sad leaving Elder Hunter. He is a stud and is going to be such an effective missionary. He's is committed to the work and I loved that about him. He taught me so much. Our studies together were amazing and we each taught each other the different things the spirit taught us. I honestly look forward to after the mission when I will be watching him play ball for DSC! Were going to be such good friend I just know it and I love him. I'm pumped for a trainer though. From what I have been learning here these past few days.. sometimes the trainers aren't always the best haha and they can get lazy. I learned that that first day I get there it possibly could be up to me. I may be the one telling my trainer what we should do. It's possible but I feel as if my comp is going to be amazing. I have a good feeling about him and I look forward to working with him. I already love him and I don't even know him. Also my mission President! Wow! From the things i've heard here at the MTC he is an amazing leader and he knows how to find and teach people what they need. I look forward to him and all the stuff I will learn from him that i will take to the lives of others. I dont know if you all are as excited as I am haha but it's like i'm speechless and don't know what to so because I am so excited!! Little Shy boy Austin will be in Florida preaching and talking with everyone:) It's hard to believe I know but I have made it one of my goals!! I want to talk with everybody that I come in contact with! Anything I say to them will be from the lord and you never know what person he has prepared for us. It's better to talk with everyone then to miss that one person he has prepared right :) haha anyways I better get! I love you all and will see you in Florida :) Next week will be a lot more excited email I promise!!
HASTA FLORIDA!

CON AMOR,
ELDER OVARD

Hola Familia y Amigos

Como estan todos? I can't believe i am officially down to my last week here in the MTC. It is so crazy! like seriously! I'm getting so exctied though, I want to do everything I can to finish out my time here though and learn all I can and all the Lord has in store for me. I know there is a reason we are in the MTC before we head out to the field. I have learned so so much and it will be sad to leave! This week was AMAZING though! I will never forget this past week. We had the privilege of having Chad Lewis, a professional football player for the eagle, come and speak to us! He was so cool. He told us experiences he had in football, on his mission and in life. He is a guy that I definitely want to be like! One think I really really liked though that he said was.. As missionaries and children of god we receive instructions, rules and principles that are like practicing a drill in sports. We do the best we can but drills sometimes are boring and they are hard to give it all we have sometimes. He explained though a drill is something we practice and do because when we need it at that crucial moment in our life or in a game... what we have been practicing and doing as "drills" will come into reality and that game and our lives will be on the line. We have to always be practicing what the lord has commanded of us. They are like drills, hard to follow sometimes but in the long run if we do what were supposed to our drills and the lord with help us in all we do. I loved this and it really stood out to me when Chad Lewis was talking about it!
Another great opportunity.. :) on Tuesday night for our devotional we had the opportunity to hear from one of our beloved apostles. Elder David A. Bednar!! WOW it was amazing! We all stood up when he walked in that big gym filled with thousands of missionaries! The spirit was so strong just being in his presence. He taught us a few important things that i also loved. Since it was only 2 days after conference he chose to talk to us about conference and the importants of it. Then he taught us how to study each of these talks and how we can get everything out of them that is intended for us. He gave us 3 things in which we are supposed to look for. 1. What is the Doctrine or the Principle being taught. 2. What Invitation is there? What are they asking us to do. 3. What is the Promised Blessing that will come if we do what they say. These three things are so so true! We watched a few talks while he explained all of this to us and in every talk there were these 3 things!! It really was a blessing to have him there and help us! I encourage everything to rewatch a few talks and really focus on this way and PATTERN of studying and learning!

Well I better get! The last week here in the MTC and i'm getting so excited to get out there to FLO-RIDA:) I love you all and have a wonderful week!!

ELDER OVARD

Another wonderful week!! I love having all my buddies here! It makes it so much fun! Dillon and Connor are doing amazing. They have adjusted well and are loving it now! I wasn't able to make it out to see Cody Parry come in unfortunately. I have been asked to serve in a new position now in my zone and we had a meeting and stuff when he was coming in. So I was pretty sad about that, but I did go searching for him at dinner that night!! I found him and he had a big big smile on his face! haha he looked so happy and looked like he was ready for the experience of being a missionary! It was so cool it see and he will do a great job. I love Elder Parry:)

So Jenny Gubler I have some news for you. Do you know a Hermana Haglund?? haha I don't know her first name!! anyways I was talking to her and we made a connection. That you were my cousin and you and her went to jerusalem (however you spell it) together. She said you and her were really good friends! She is in my zone and we talk all the time. She is really funny. Anyways she wanted my to tell you hi and hi to the newly born baby :) Olivia she thought it was!!

This past Tuesday we heard a wonderful talk about conference and I wanted to share it with you all quick because I loved what they said. While watching conference you know how a talk comes up and your like WOW i hope... so and so... is watching this talk right now because it is perfect for them. They need this in their life right now because it will help them with the problems they have. WELL familia and amigos please please don't do that. Brother Ellis encouraged us to instead of thinking of others ask ourselves, "Lord is it I"? This is what the apostles asked Christ. It is what we need to ask Christ. Focus on things that will help us and that will keep us from doing our problems. Don't worry or judge others about their problems. This make sense? anyways I hope it does! 

I love you all so much! Have another amazing week! Love you and I'll catch ya next week:) ADIOS

CON AMOR, ELDER OVARD

Hola Mi Famillia y Amigos

Birthday in the MTC!! Couldn't have asked for anything better right!! I loved every bit of it! After classes and stuff me and my district partied it up in my room!! haha Birthday hats and ALL! It was a birthday that I will never forget and that is because a lot of you had a lot to play in that! Thanks for all the BDAY cards and packages!! Wow we as missionaries truly are loved! That and I have the best fam and friends around! So thank you all! It was a party that is for sure :)

This week Connor Livingston and Dillon Cook came into the MTC! Let me just say... WOW it's good to have even more friends here now!! They are both so ready and so prepared! You can tell just by talking with them. Elder Livingston is actually in my zone! How cool is that. Two of us little ST GEEZY boys in the same zone as missionaries! What a blessing. I will see him everyday and i'm sure we will do study every so often together!! Dillon is in the building next to me so I should see him a lot too. He only has three weeks in here! He is missing out haha but he is ready! I will about be leaving the same time Dillon does. or sorry Elder Cook. Thats crazy to think about!

This week Elder Echo Hawk a General Authority come to our class and talk with us! It was sooo cool. He talked about having exact obedience and the blessings we get from it! Then he also talked about the ripples affect. And how if we convert one, that stays active and lives the gospel. Years down the road that one person could be up to the teens and then the twenties! It's crazy! He shared this with us because that is what happened to him. He was a convert and his whole fam and kids and grandkids are active in the church now. 

This work is so so real and I love it!! Spanish is such a cool language and as hard as it is to learn, I think it is slowly coming and with the Lords help I will get r done and I will be in Flo-Rida bringing the lost sheep out of babylon! For after all... My purpose is to invite others to come unto christ, by helping them recieve the restored gospel through faith in the lord Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the H.G and enduring til the end! That is what we do as missionaries!

I love the Gospel! I love the MTC! The food is amazing :) haha HASTA LUEGO

Love ELDER OVAR

Hola Mi Familia y Amigos

Birthday in the MTC!! Couldn't have asked for anything better right!! I loved every bit of it! After classes and stuff me and my district partied it up in my room!! haha Birthday hats and ALL! It was a birthday that I will never forget and that is because a lot of you had a lot to play in that! Thanks for all the BDAY cards and packages!! Wow we as missionaries truly are loved! That and I have the best fam and friends around! So thank you all! It was a party that is for sure :)

This week Connor Livingston and Dillon Cook came into the MTC! Let me just say... WOW it's good to have even more friends here now!! They are both so ready and so prepared! You can tell just by talking with them. Elder Livingston is actually in my zone! How cool is that. Two of us little ST GEEZY boys in the same zone as missionaries! What a blessing. I will see him everyday and i'm sure we will do study every so often together!! Dillon is in the building next to me so I should see him a lot too. He only has three weeks in here! He is missing out haha but he is ready! I will about be leaving the same time Dillon does. or sorry Elder Cook. Thats crazy to think about!

This week Elder Echo Hawk a General Authority come to our class and talk with us! It was sooo cool. He talked about having exact obedience and the blessings we get from it! Then he also talked about the ripples affect. And how if we convert one, that stays active and lives the gospel. Years down the road that one person could be up to the teens and then the twenties! It's crazy! He shared this with us because that is what happened to him. He was a convert and his whole fam and kids and grandkids are active in the church now.

This work is so so real and I love it!! Spanish is such a cool language and as hard as it is to learn, I think it is slowly coming and with the Lords help I will get r done and I will be in Flo-Rida bringing the lost sheep out of babylon! For after all... My purpose is to invite others to come unto christ, by helping them recieve the restored gospel through faith in the lord Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the H.G and enduring til the end! That is what we do as missionaries!

I love the Gospel! I love the MTC! The food is amazing :) haha HASTA LUEGO

Love ELDER OVARD

On Fri, Sep 28, 2012 at 7:28 AM, Austin Ovard wrote:
I know I just sent the other half



On Fri, Sep 28, 2012 at 7:27 AM, Austin Ovard wrote:
sorry idk why that sent the first half of my letter but anyways...... So i was able to get to the Curb and meet up with Dillon! Although I had to like fight with one of the lady workers to get there haha so i was able to say hi to Dillons dad and mom but then I went and met Dillon after he got all his stuff. The I walked Dil around for a little bit, took him to his room and then took him to class. I will never forget that first day of class haha thank goodness though he was only english speaking!! After I dropped him off to class I went to wait for connor. Sounds like you already heard but i was able to get him as well! I was so happy to see Boyd! oh man that man is great! So Jordan Bozarth and Treyston Frazier and me were all there to get him. After Elder Boz left with connor I hurried and told Boyd and his wife the good news.. I said DONT WORRY, he is going to be great! He is in my zone!!! hahaha they both started to cry and were so excited that he was going to have me there to help him ALL THE TIME! I'm so happy he is in our zone. I see him everyday and he lives in the same building as me so we talk every night :) They are both a little overwhelmed still though but making progress haha It's hard until you get about a week down then I know they will be GREAT!

How is Lonne and his Elk? and Grandpa hahahaha man I laughed probably for 10 min after I read that. Feel bad chad made him try and hike. why would you do that with a grandpa? oh well, but just how he couldn't find the elk in the scope hahaha I have done that a few times in my young days and I know exactly how he must have felt afterwards!! It's alright, as long as he had fun thats all that matters!

So we were able to have that General Authority come and wow it was amazing. His name was Elder Echo Hawk. He was like indian. But he commented on some points that will help us succeed. He told us if we were 100 percent obedient then we will be blessed with 100 persent of the blessings!! if were 30 percent obedient then we will only be blessed with 30 percent of the blessings. I thought and pondered on that and it's so true!

Well my Memory of grandpa gub is always the one about me and mason! How we would go work with him as a kid. Mason would always guzzle his drink down and have to have some of grandpas! One day maynerd asked gpa if he could have some of his drink and grandpa said ya. Then maynerd said what is it? grandpa look at him and said its fruit punch! Maynerd took a swig and said grandpa just because it's red doesn't mean its Fruit Punch hahaha It was Code Red Mountain Dew!!

Thats all I got and my times running down! I love you all so much! I really do have the Best family! I Will write letters again!

Love you!

Elder Ovard


On Fri, Sep 28, 2012 at 7:14 AM, Austin Ovard wrote:
WELL hello again my wonderful family!!!

I swear I was just barely on this dang computer in the laundry room emailing yal haha but I love it because that means I am learning and time is going by and pretty soon I will be in Flo-Rida preaching the word of god and saving the lost souls of babylon :)

Just like to start out by saying THANK YOU all for the BDAY wishes and the package! I have been eating like a king! All of the best candy and my mints and my cupcakes and of the best of all the party supplies haha believe it or not but we DID use it all!! I got pictures that I will send after I get done writing this!! It was so much fun though! If I had to choose between my favorite BDAYS I think my MTC one and that whole experience has to be up there at the top of my list! My day was full of warm heart felt hugs! Then one of my best buds

I think this is how I always start out my letters to my wonderful family and friends but i'm going to do it again... I LOVE THE MTC!!! haha seriously though this place is so great! The spirit is always so strong here. This past week Elder Hunter and I had the opportunity to teach our District Meeting lesson. Our teacher sitting in on the lesson said it was one of the best he has ever heard. (meaning he's probably only heard 2 lessons but anyways...) haha Our lesson was on having Faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. What a topic right? It was so much fun studying and learning about christ and his sacrifice for all the children of men. I seriously learned so much. One scripture that I shared and expounded on because I loved so much was the scripture 1 Nephi 19:9. I love it for many reasons! but mostly how it shows the love Jesus Christ had for all of his children. And how he had the Natural Men of the world beating him and spitting on him but yet he still loved them. Christ loves everyone. I love that. People may hurt us in some way but the thing to do is do as christ would and forget about it and love them back. Even if they are mean. Love everyone with all your heart. Don't judge, because I know if we are caught in the act of judging we will have no one to blame but ourselves. I loved that scripture. Take what you get out of it but I know with a fact you'll get something!

This week we also got to hear a fireside talk by Brother Watson.. Let me just say WOW!! He is like the Director of prosolyting (however you spell it) and he talked about the importance of our "Dear friend" the Book of Mormon! We can look to the Book of Mormon for any questions we may have! He touched on how the world is making plays and doing things to pretty much make missionaries and the Book of Mormon look dumb and goofy. He told us to NEVER go to anything that talks bad about this book. And how it is our Job to go and stand up for the Truth in it! It was really good I loved his talk so much!

I am so excited to share my BDAY in the MTC with my boys coming from STG!! I can't wait. I am going to do everything I can to get out there to meet with Dillon and Connor! 

Anyways I love you all so much! Thanks for the continuation of love and support!

Have a great week!

Love, Elder Ovard

I don't know where to start this week to be quite honest with you all! My week has been another amazing one here at the MTC but my thoughts and prayers are with you all back home in STG. I know I am where I need to be but I would do anything to take a day of service and go down and help you all. Sounds like that flood was quite a suprise and quite devastating. Many people and their homes have been affected. The Lord does things for a reason though and I believe this is just another one of those test's he is putting on the great people of Santa Clara. Shan and Sue I know are two of the strongest people in the gospel and I know the Lord is only giving them another obstacle in their life to test their faith. I know that they can handle it and will look to the Lord for help. I love all you guys and hope you will feel of my love these next few weeks especially! Also thanks for all the letters, emails, packages and all the support each and everyone of you have been giving me. In the busy world and you all still find the time to write me! I appreciate it and love it!

The MTC this past week was great again! The language is slowly slowly coming, but with work I know it will come when I need it to through the spirit. We are missionaries here at the MTC to learn the Gospel and how to come unto Christ. Not to learn the language! That is one thing that is helping me! I have found that if I study hard and learn what I want to teach in english, then somehow it will just come in he lessons when I need it in spanish.

I had to say bye to Elder Know this week! He left for Chile and boy it was exciting to see him go! Not that I don't want to see him anymore haha but the fact that he is ready to serve the Lord and he is going to bring others unto Christ! We both just had big smiles as we left each other! I love him and the help he gave me while he was here!

I hope all is doing well back home I love you all and hope the best this week for each and everyone of you! I have the best familie and friends in the world!

Hasta Luego!

Hola Familia!

Hola Familia!

Still can't believe this MTC life! It is amazing! I learn so much everyday whether it is about the gospel or our Heavenly Father humbling me haha but I am still learning!

How is everyone doing? Sound like the reunion was fun! I still can't believe I am gone, It's crazy! I am doing super good though. This week we had an amazing experience happen to us I guess you could say! Anyways we had our first TRC experience. What you do is a member from around here in the provo area I guess you could say comes and talks to us and we give them a lesson. It is pretty much just like home teaching in a way! It reminds me of going with grandpa gubs! It was so spiritual though. As soon as we walked in the room the spirit hit the room and joined us! we talked and talked. The spanish was just coming without even knowing what I was saying! Anyways though turns out we got to know this guy. He was 22 and just got back from his mission in Argentina. Sure enough the same exact mission as Dev and Branson. haha so I asked him if he knew either on of them and he said no.. but it was worth a shot :) We then just continued teaching him about the Plan of Salvation! It was our first experience as a companionship teaching it and it went great!

The MTC is full of experiences and blessings like these! You just always are feeling of the spirit! My mom told me Uncle Shan and Sue were here for our mission conference we had last week. It was too bad I didn't get to see them, but the next day in like for breakfast I was talking with Elder Knox (Elliot) and he told me how he saw them and how happy and fun they were! It bugged me a little to be honest haha why didn't I see them :( jk I think I was in the over flow building unfortunately!

Anyways alright Family I better getting going! I love you all so much! I have the BEST family in the world! Elders are always like so how many letters did Elder Ovard get today haha I just laugh and say don't worry don't worry thats what happens when you have a big BIG loving family :)

Love you and best of luck this week

Elder Ovard

Hola!!

Hola from the MTC!!!

A week down and here I'm am on the Computer again!! It is crazy how fast the time is flying by here! I love it! Of course the language is hard, but nothing comes easy in anything you do, right? This past week we had a wonderful experience that I don't know if I will EVER forget! Elder Hunter and I were able to commit our first investigatory to baptism! The amazing thing was though, we were saying spanish words that we didn't even know how to say. The spirit and Holy Ghost truly took over and started teaching and it was amazing! We could just feel the spirit so strongly. During the entire lesson my companion and me were just smiling and looking him straight in the eyes and telling him about Christ, Joseph Smith, the book of mormon, the Atonement and how we can live together with our families forever! Even if our spanish wasn't perfect, we got our point across and that was all that mattered! That is one very important thing I have learned while being here! It's not us teaching, its the spirit! Us as missionaries have the purpose of inviting others to come unto Christ by helping them learn the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Through all of our principals in our church! We pray for experiences like this to continue to happen as long as we work for them! I know they will! If we do all we can and are obedient then the lord will bless us! After all by small and simple things...right? we receive great things!! Blessing from the lord are amazing and we will always get them as long as we are doing what is right!
I love this gospel so much and the opportunity I have to be here in the MTC taking it all in at once! Then being able to go and share it with the world! What greater joy:)
I am loving everything about this place! The food is amazing, I have already gained around 5-6 pounds and still gaining haha It is bomb!!! Me and my companion always play basketball and work out! Yesterday we played softball and man, it feels good to swing that bat. Even if i'm swinging straight up in the air to try and hit a softball!
Maynerd keep tearing it up with football!! It sounds like you had quite the game the other night! Good luck tonight and make sure you give it all you got! Your a stud man!
Sounds like Dev and Nick are doing really well! Can't believe they have all already gone through the process in which I'm doing right now! It's amazing to think how many amazing young men come through here not knowing much but by the time they leave they know the gospel and maybe a language!
I love you all so so much and want you to know how happy I am! I hope all is well back home and the hope the family is doing great!

With much love from the MTC, Elder Ovard

1st week in the MTC

Hola!

How is everyone? I hope you are all doing as good as I am! I love it hear. I got hear and went straight to a class where they were speaking all spanish. Not one word was in english, it was crazy! I truly have been blessed all ready though and I have been hear all of a 3 days. My companion is Elder Hunter. He is from American Fork. My baseball coach that I had over the summer actually taught his PE class! He loves sports though. He is 6'5 and actually going to ST GEORGE to play basketball at Dixie when he gets home! I love him though he is an amazing Elder and I am glad I'll be working with him for the next 2 months!

The spanish is hard but it will get there. Elder Hunter and I work at it everyday and the next day we know that much more. Yesterday we learned how to say a prayer and bear our testimonies in Espanol! It was interesting but very cool. We even taught out first investigator yesterday in spanish! haha it was ugly but we got er done!

Anyways I'm running out of time! I'll hit you all up with a better one next week. My pday is on fridays!

Adios Mi Familia! I love you all and hope your doing well!

Love, Elder Ovard