Letter #74 (May 3, 2010)

My time as a spanish-speaking missionary is up tomorrow. President Cotterell called me on Saturday and told me that he's releasing me as a zone leader and that I'll be serving in an english speaking branch. He told me that I'll be serving with a missionary that will be going home at the end of this upcoming transfer. Then I'll be training a new missionary for the rest of my mission. He didn't tell me where I'm serving and with whom. But I'm very excited for the opportunity to serve in this branch and to train.

I bore my testimony in Sacrament meeting yesterday in the Raleigh 3rd Branch. I was very emotional. I love the hispanic members here and I could feel of their love for me. Many thanked me for my service there. I'm grateful to have served 4 and half months in the Raleigh 3 Branch. I grew a lot in those months as I learned the spanish language and adjusted to the culture.

We ended the week very well. We met Cimitrio on Monday and had 2 member presents with him during the week. He came to church yesterday and seemed to have enjoyed it. There many new people we're working with which have great potential. We met some siblings (brother and sister in their 20's) on Friday as we stoped by a potential investigator's home. It was a last minute impression that we receive as we were on our way to the Branch president's home for dinner. Their brother wasn't home but they let us in. We told them that we didn't have time to teach them then. They were eager to hear our message. We told them that we would return in an hour and a half. In the meanwhile we gave them a Restoration Pamphlet. We invited them to read and have questions for us. When we returned, they had read and had written many questions down which they had about God and their purpose in life. Elder Stewart and I were excited. We taught them parts of the 1st and answered their questions. We taught them the doctrine of Christ and left them a baptismal commitment. We didn't set a date, but we did have them offer a kneeling prayer while we were present. It was an amazing experience as Marylou, the sister offered the prayer. We asked them how they felt and they described the fruits of the Spirit which were peace and joy. We're excited about them. We'll teach them tonight.

I'm grateful for this work. God is a God of miracles.

Love Elder Olaya