Family!!!
Where to even begin??? Okay housekeeping as always! So i did hear from Tanner. He is currently looking for a place. I will plan on living with him. He sounds confident in finding a place that will be in between SLCC and UofU. He also was told about scholarship money that i'll get for housing and stuff. Mom i think you told him that i get 1000 a month or something like that? Wasn't it something like 1000 per semester? That is what i remember haha but i'm not sure. So if you can double check with coach wad for me that would be great! I think TDAWG was just wondering because he didn't know the price range he was looking for and stuff. He is a good kid though and i can tell just through an email that he's changed a lot because of his mission. So it'll be fun rooming with him!
Okay good. Finally done with Housekeeping!!!
This past week was amazing! Zone Conferences from 9:30am-3:30pm on Tues, Weds, Thurs, and Friday :) It was a blast!!! Really though. I was able to tour the entire mission once again and see every single missionary. Zone conferences are the best. President is such an amazing leader and example. The conference was on likening the scriptures. He likened different stories in the scriptures to us and then he related it to our investigators. From there we went into role plays. My comps and I did a powerful role-play using mosiah 24:13-15. We likened it to our investigator who is facing a lot of trials and afflictions. It was awesome!! Really it was such a unique experience. I took so many notes in my study journal. All which are different because the spirit teaches different things every time :)
Also this past week God blessed us tremendously! We were busy and honestly didn't get much time in our own area but GUESS WHAT!!!!! BAPTISM!!!!!!! haha Damas Cherefrere was baptized yesterday. I was the blessed one that performed the ordinance. It was so cool. Damas was a referral we got from the Ft Laud West sisters. Damas is a funny guy. He has to take medication to keep his excitement level down. Trust me we have seen him when he doesn't take medication and boy oh boy!!!! #ADHD
I must admit though. I can tell you deep intense details about him because I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!! He is amazing. There would be times we would go teach him and i'd bear my testimony or something and he'd just say... "Wow you have beautiful Blue eyes.. or he'd grab my tie and just holds on to it during the entire lesson.... or he would just start jumping up and down in the air waving his arms like a little girl.... or After i baptized him and he looks out at the crowd and says THAT WAS MARVELOUS.... or the time i told him i play baseball and he says oh Ovard don't you be juicing now.... haha the list goes on and on!!! He is really a smart smart guy. Extremely intellegent but just has a little ADHD problem when he's not on his meds. He repented though and he was as ready for baptism as anybody in the past! He was baptized and now one soul mas will enter the kingdom of god someday! I love Damas so much. He taught me great lifelong lessons that i'll cherish forever. One which was the culture of Compliments. Damas is always complimenting people. Sometimes it may be a little inappropriate haha but he compliments them!!! For example, my eyes.... or the ability we have to teach.... or the power our testimonies have.... or the people at church that he contacts.... how he tells girls straight to their face that their beautiful and something special... or how he tells men at church he loves their ties... The list once again goes on and on. People love Damas because he is friendly and loving. He COMPLIMENTS even those that normally wouldn't get compliments. He finds the good in them. He focuses on the good more then the bad or the weakness in someone. I love Damas for teaching me this lesson. He is the man and i will forever remember him.
Each one of us faces these bad things about ourselves or even better put we all STRUGGLE and become DISCOURAGED in our lives but truth to be told just as Damas has taught me.... "We don't need to be!" Each of us has infinite potential. One of my favorite scriptures states: "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, THEN am I strong." (2 Cor. 12:10) We all will become strong. What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger right haha I know this to be true. I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE!!! The mission has brought to pass many of these things(infirmities, reproaches, persecutions, distresses) BUT it's when they come that I Elder Ovard, THEN gain and am strengthened. I someday want to be able to state just as Paul of Tarsus, I enjoy weaknesses. I enjoy infirmities. I enjoy trials. I want this mindset because I know that when i do have it and can state these things. I WILL KNOW who I am. I WILL KNOW that i am a son of god. I WILL KNOW that my Lord and savior is there and that he loves me!
Family this is what i've learned this past week. Not only from mission conferences but also from my new best friend DAMAS! The lost child that was brought into the fold through baptism! I love this gospel. I invite myself and all of you to remain positive. Shoot for the stars. Never give up. Trials and Tribulations will come but we CHOOSE our status and nature through it all!! This is my prayer for all of us :)
Love you
ELDER OVARD
ELDER OVARD
p.s. many more miracles occurred this past week but not much time left. We had an investigator named kristen read the introduction of the book of mormon, the testimony of Joseph Smith, All the witness testimonies, 5 chapters of the book of mormon and watch the restoration dvd ALL in one night. She is boss. Also Randy who has been waiting on First Presidency permission because of probation has now got it and were working with him. Also a member Sabreena has a friend named Andrew that were working with. Andrew and i are tight haha He is progressing rapidly towards baptism!!! Like i said we are blessed and so many exciting things are happening in our area and mission. This past week the mission baptized 32 people in one week. Thats incredible and we will only ONLY give praise and gratitude to god for it all. Love you Family!!!!! GOD IS GOOD!!!!!
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