Happy 4th!!!

Hola Mi Familia Y Mis Amigos, Como Están?

I hope that all is going well back in the greatest country on earth. I'm so sad that I get to miss the 4th of July this year. The 4th is like my 2nd favorite holiday. I love it so much and I'll miss the big parties and the big fireworks. But I know that you all will have fun without me. Lemme know how it goes ok! I love that holiday because we get to spend some good quality time with family and friends but I want you all to know that I miss you and love you so much. Even though one of my favorite holidays is this weekend, there is still no other place on earth that I would rather be.

Thank you so much Family, Grandma and Grandpa and Jenny! I got 10 letters this week and let's just say that all of the elders were pretty darn jealous. Thank you so much for your love and support. I wrote you all back today and I hope that you have been getting the letters that I have been sending. Dad if you haven't will you email me back so I can figure out what in the world is going on with the letters. Thank you so much for your love and your words of support. It looks like just the regular mail takes about 2 1/2 weeks to get here and the pouch and dear elder mail takes about a week. Again, if you don't feel like writing a letter (I know it's a hassle), you can just email me here. I won't be able to respond but I would love to hear from you. Iif you wrote me a letter before I came and you haven't gotten one back, I'm sorry. I promise more letters are coming. We just don't have a lot of time to write. But yeah, if you want to drop a line on email feel free to do so. I can check again in a few hours I would love to hear from you! Thanks for your email last week Brother Christiansen, it was great to hear from you! I hope that the Ruby's Inn campout went well with the 2nd ward. It sounded like Trent and the 6th ward guys had a blast so that's good!

Trent congrats on hitting 3 home runs, that's just flat out ridiculous. Keep up the good work. Mckay, be nice in California. Make lots of money and send me a pic in Puerto Rico. Thanks for all of your love and support you two.

Anywho, I'll tell you a little about my week.

This week wasn't very exciting, at least not as exciting as it was last week. We went to the university again and I didn't get to have a gift of tongues experience this week but I still had a way cool experience. We were teaching these two girls and a Haitian man came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder. He said "I want to join your church, how can i join." I think my jaw dropped. I was so amazed. It was awesome and it really bore witness to me again that the Lord prepares people. And in order to get to those people you have to be living right and follow the promptings of the spirit. Me and Elder Zenger almost didn't go to that same spot this time but we did because we felt like it. It was so cool.

I noticed something else that happened while we were teaching. We were teaching the 2nd lesson, the plan of salvation, to these two college girls. We asked where they thought we came from and both of them had a different answer and then they started to argue with each other. The gospel is such a blessing in the world today, and I am so disappointed when people choose to reject the truth, when it is staring them right in the face. If you are lost and you want the answers I know where you can find them. They are in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is His church and His gospel. You don't feel lost when your shepherd is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and you are apart of His true fold. You might feel lost if you weren't a part of His flock. I can see why you might feel lost, or you might be stumbling with the answers to important questions. If you aren't a part of His fold please come and join, if you were and you left, why would you not come back to His fold and follow His example?

I hope you all can feel the Savior's love in your life and you know that He knows exactly what you need when you need it. I have felt that time and time again in my life and already on my mission probably a thousand times. Don't ever lose sight of what you have and what you have been given!

Besides the University we got to go shopping. I was excited to go because I needed some stuff. We got to ride a bus into the city and I don't know if you have ever ridden a bus in a 3rd world country but it was ridiculous. I felt like Punky was driving the bus. It was insane but it was so fun. I never felt scared because I knew we are the Lord's servants and that He will protect us. But also because we were in a huge bus and we were passing people like we were in a NASCAR race. Anyhow after that adventure we finally got to the store.

The store was called La Sirenia, which means the siren. Yeah like the mythology sirens. It was funny because the store was like a two story Wal Mart. It was insane! It was huge and it was pretty nice. I was impressed. I wanted to go talk to some people while we were waiting for everyone else to shop but Elder Zenger refused to stray away from the other missionaries. I was sad but it was also probably smart. I know we wouldn't have gotten lost but I'm sure time could have gone by and we could have made the bus wait for us which would have been bad.

Elder Zenger is my comp. He's cool! He's a ton like Ian wheelhouse which is crazy. I feel like me and Ian are comps so I love it. Hey Ian, miss ya! How's mission prep life for ya? Anywho we are doing great together and we keep each other on track. Both of us are about on the same spiritual level which is nice. We like to challenge each other with tough Spanish or doctrinal questions and I love it. I was glad that he wanted to stick with the Elders at the store. It would've been sweet to contact but it was probably smart to stick with the other elders.

Other then that, my week has been all studies and all sleep. I've loved every second of it and the only thing better would be if you were all here with me. But that's OK because I get to share it with you through email which is such a blessing.

Today we got the Latine missionaries, or the native missionaries, which means that we will have to speak a lot more Spanish. I'm nervous because I still can't really carry on a great conversation but it will help so much. I'm so thankful for the blessing that the Lord has given us. We are all supposed to get two natives in our rooms. But me and Elder Zenger's new roommates aren't here yet so hopefully they come. If not then oh well. The Lord does what He thinks is best, it's best to just press forward with faith.

My scripture thought this week comes from 2 Nephi chapter 1 verses 7-10. It's a fourth of July. The Lord makes a promise to Lehi that if the people would keep the commandments on this land then they would be blessed with a land of liberty and freedom. I am so thankful that our founding fathers were great men who followed God. I'm disappointed in the status of the world today and their lack of faith in God and diligence in keeping His commandments. But I know that if you do your best and set a good example you will be blessed immensely. Go USA I love it!

Anywho, I best be off. We have to go pick up trash at the university. Hopefully I will lose another 5 pounds from all of the sweat because of the humidity. I'm sure you all wanted to hear that. For those of you keeping track at home I've lost about 30 pounds. I love it.

Stay strong and know that I am praying for each and every one of you. Never forget that you are a child of God and that He loves you just as your own parents love you. Remember to read and pray every day so that you can keep that evil satan guy away. I love you all and hope that your lives are great. Drop a line I would love to hear from you today before it is over. Thanks for all of your love and support I love it. There is no better work then this work and I am so excited to be a part of it.

With all the love in the world and the Eternities,

Your Missionary, Elder Oviatt

HAPPY 4TH!!! Bang, boom, KABOOM! :)