Elder Austin Ovard: Meet Wilmer

President!

What another amazing week. Once again the faith is being tested as we have to wait one more week to baptize a kid (Anthony) that we had planned for this past week but the lord knows his time and it'll be this week. We just know it! We're super excited! Also I loved the interview I had with you on saturday. I loved how once again you talked about obedience and how when were exactly obedient, thats when the exact and direct blessings come! I just love that because it always pushes me when in time of need. Also I loved you input of how I can make my studies even more effective then they already are! Your so inspired President and I know that is why this mission is as successfull as it is.

This past week Elder Benitez and I had a super awesome experience. We left the house after weekly planning to go and follow up with some people that we left blessings with the day before. Well right as we walked out of our apartment we ran into this jewish guy that we always see that just tries to talk and talk with us and convert us to judism. He always screams at us about how Christ wasn't perfect and why do we believe he is the son of god because God was never married.. so on and so on. He's always trying to weaken our faith. Well we decided enough was enough with this guys as we have invited him to church probably 10 times now :) so we left him. He was still talking with us but we just felt like we had to leave. He didn't want us to but we did we couldn't waste the lords time talking to someone that didn't believe in him. So we managed to leave him. We'll we got to our follow-up apointments and were locking our bikes to the stop sign when we hear another guy yell at us. "YO YO MY BOYS COME OVER HERE" well to be honest with you president Elder Benitez and I looked at each other, looked behind us and then whispered. "he wasn't talking to us was he? I hope not he is a gangster" So we tried to ignore it and act like he was talking to someone else. Keep in mind president that he had a beenie on with a cup in his hand and tattoos that looked like a long sleeved shirt. So thats when the second yell came "MY BOYS COME HERE I WANNA TALK WIT YAL" so i raised my hand and pointed at us and said "us?" He said "YA YA MAN" So president thats how it all began. His name is Wilmer and he came to church this past sunday. He called us out because he wants to change his life. He has 2 kids that he basically can't even live with because his life isn't in order right now. He has however began the process of changing it. We have taught him twice and he is awesome. Showed his faith by coming to church and repenting already. He has a baptism date for this coming sunday and he is super super excited about it. Out How to begin teaching lesson with him was just a desire booster that is pushing him and giving him the strength from the lord that he needs. Well President the point is that The lord put us in that spot at that time. Maybe if that jewish guy didn't talk with us and distract us for a minute then we never would have met Wilmer. Maybe he never would've have seen us and had the chance to yell an entire block just to talk with us. I know he has prepared people out there and I know through exact obedience and hard work we are able to be lead to those people.

Once again thanks for everything president and for the example you are to all of us!

QUE BOLA HACERE???

haha estoy aprendiendo como hablar cubano haceres!!! haha oh man what am I going to tell my family this week!! You are all so awesome and I love you! Whats everyone been up to?? Sounds like paige is pregnant and it's affecting her emailing fingers and also blake has to many apointments with the ladies trying to persuade them to like him so his emailing hands are tired from texting haha WHATS UP! Good news to start out. So remember how transfers were a couple weeks ago. Well I forgot to tell you guys.. Elder Webb is in my zone. Idk maybe his mom already told you haha but yes we are together!! Were going to play basketball and soccer with them today. Him and Elder Hunter ;) going back to the good ol mtc days haha It's so much fun! Our zone is just bomb right now!!

Also this past week I got to go on Exchange with one of our zone leaders again. He told me that he was praying and he was inspired to do an exchange with me. His name is Elder Toeava and is from america samoa. He's awesome well he told me he was inspired to inform me of a gift that I have that he has seen as he listens in on our role plays and things we do. He told me that I have a spiritual gift. The gift of spiritual prophecy and revelation and the ablility to talk with power through these gifts. I didn't believe him. It was something that I hadn't ever really thought about. Then it was always kinda weird because i hate when people talk me up or talk good about me. It's just so AWKWARD hahaha anyways so he went on for like an hour on this gift that i have and how i can use to to fulfill my pontential as a missionary. As we talked about it though I realized how big of a blessing he was. He really did teach me something. Helped me see a blessing a gift that i wasn't really fully aware of. It was interesting though cause right after we had this little one on one study session. We went and taught someone. It was Wilmer actually haha and after everytime i talked.. Elder Toeava would say.. Wilmer how do you feel right now? Wilmer would throw his hands in the air and say i feel amazing. I feel peace happiness like god still loves me. It was so awesome. He helped point out my gift in a lesson that we had. It was super awesome and he helped me understand that we are here to help our fellow missionaries just as much as our investigators. I love him for life.For what he did for me.

Okay we go from spiritual to the WORLD hahaha This week was the beginning of Spring break in MIAMI!!!! it was the Calle Ocho Festival. Google it.. actually no you probably shouldn't hahaha It was crazy!!!!!! Millions of people on one street. Happens to be the street with live on haha but it was all beer and little clothes and just a bunch of crazys. It was crazy i will have to send you guys some pictures haha wow I can't believe i was here to witness it haha okay google it!! During sacrament meeting at church we could like hear the music blasting outside haha I saw like the water in the sacrament cups like bouncing up and down hahaha

It was a super awesome week though. I wasn't able to see kinzie and matt or zack. haha They did call but i didn't anwser. I called president to see if it'd be ok and he said it's better we don't because lots of people come into miami and if one person does it everyone does and so he gets people calling him about it a lot haha oh well it was good. I just decided not to call them back and just tell you guys to tell them the situation today haha

Other then that the work is super amazing. We are planning for a few baptisms this weekend and we know if we are obedient and work hard then will happen!! love you guys and have an awesome week. I'll try and email mikey quick!!

Love ELDER OVARD

ps thats super awesome that their doing that for KJ. I'm super excited about it! Also mom BIENVENIDA A LA OBRA MISIONAL!!!! hahaha WELCOME TO MISSIONARY WORK ;) love you all

Bienvenida A Calle Ocho.... I told you it was crazy! It was like this for 30 blocks. SUPER CRAZY!

We are alive and preaching the gospet still.

BMW I found in the middle of Calle Ocho. I need to glue this to the front of my bike! Hahaha

La Peauena Havana! Little Havana Cuba! It's what Miami is!

See the Similarities?

Wazzup Calle Ocho!?! Que Bola? Estamos Aqui enla pequena Havana! This was a couple P-Days ago! Yes I know a sweater in Miami right? What happened. Oh and don't forget the 3 lines in my hair from my helmet! I LOVE YOU MIAMI (I mean) FAMILY!