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