June 10, 2013

Dear World (Bless the World),

Sorry I didn't have time to write you last week. We broke a pool. 'Nuff Said. Let me start with LAST week.

So, Thursday I hit my one year mark in the mission. Which was really really weird. I feel super old. But at the same time I feel super young. But, I looked at the list of all the missionaries, and in our mission there are about 136 missionaries, and there are only about 28 that are older than me, time spent in the mission-wise. I AM one of the older missionaries. But like, we didn't do anything special for that, just, woke up and had some prune juice, took 8 or 10 multi-vitamins to make sure I don't get osteoporosis or have my kidneys fail or some other old person disease... Joking.

Friday was a good day. Well, it was a funny day. We went out to do service for a sister in the Spanish ward who needed help to clean out her pool and do yard work. So we headed out and spent some time. I got to mow the lawn. That felt so good. There is this saying called "Trunky" it is for missionaries who are so ready to go home that they are all packed and are living out of their "Trunks". That doesn't really happen to much anymore, but anytime you have feelings of wanting to go home, or do something against the mission rules, that isn't really against any other rules, you have what are called "Trunky feelings" I felt so trunky when I was mowing the lawn. The smell of the fresh cut grass was great. I had flashbacks of working for Brother Bates mowing lawns all summer. I missed it a little bit. =) Anyways, we were cleaning the pool, and something wasn't working, so I went back and tried to be all manly and fix the pump so we could vacuum the bottom of the pool. We got it working, and I did vacuum the pool with the thinggy-ma-giggy. And things were going great. I was using my crazy gymnastics skills to walk on the poles that support the pool, hopping from one to the next. Then, I got cocky and started going to fast and I kindof sort of fell in the pool. =D I slipped and totally ate it. And I went swimming. In gross, green, algae-y, buggy, leafy smelly water. But it was worth it. Because it was really really funny.

Saturday we did service for 8 hours, helping a sister move. It was retarded. We were only planning on being there for like 3 or 4 hours. It took WAY longer than that. We were all dead. like, literally, when we woke up Sunday morning, I thought my arms were never going to move again. But it was a good day had by all. I got to lots of wiring. Put up light fixtures, dimer switches, good stuff like that.

Then, Monday. We were at a members house at 7AM to help them do some landscaping because they had had some flooding, and they needed to get it done before it rained again. So we were there for 2 or 3 hours. that was fun. THEN... We had to go BACK to the pool ladies house because something broke. It was stupid, but we had to fix it. And then it ended up taking WAY longer than expected, so we were supposed to go climb "Mount St.-Hilaire" (it isn't really a mountain. its a bump. I'm from Edmonton. Only a Mountain can be a mountain), but we didn't go because we spent all our day fixing the pool. I didn't fall in this time though. =)

Tuesday we had a zone study where we had a competition to see who could contact the most people in the zone. It was fun! We spent the day jogging with people and running to catch up to people and it was just great.

And, biggest news! Saturday was transfer call night! I am staying here in Longueuil!! Elder Losciale is transferred out to Gatineau, in the Ottawa zone. I am getting Elder Echeverria. He is from Guatemala  But he is a Texan. So I'm excited to get some more Spanish practice. But also, I am the District leader. Of the biggest district in the mission. It's huge. I'm going to have so much fun! But it's going to be a ton of work. Oh well, why else am I here? 


Love you!

Elder Losciale and I rocking it at the service. Yeah Power Tools

Service at Gurd house. He is funny.

 Lookin Schnazzy in a green suit.

Right before I fell in the pool. Look at how gross the water is.....

May 27, 2013

Well... This email is kind of a... milestone... Today, I have as many P-Days left as I have had. CRAZY Actually, Mom and Dad, with all of the crazy news about shows and stuff going on, and cast parties, it made me realize that next year I may be here for the Facey gr. 12 shows! THAT is a weird thought. It is so strange. I remember going to the facey shows the year before I left so well, but at the same time, I can't really remember it. I know I went, and some faces and scenes I can play out so perfectly, but some are so fuzzy and faded that I just feel old and lke I have Alzheimers of something... Wait, Who are all of you people again? Where am I? What is this Glowing Box with strange black letters that appear when I touch this weird black rectangle?

Anyways... This week we have been bombarded by water. It just rained and rained and rained. It was ridiculous. So, last week we tried to get out in the mornings and go running or do some excercise and junk like that, but it was just too wet out, so we all had kind of a lazy morning week. Wake up at 6:30, pee, and then sit and stare blankly at the kitchen table untill 7:00 when we have to shower and eat breakfast.

Fun stuff though, we had stake conference this week! Man, it was tons of fun to see so many memmers in one place. It has been a while since I have seen so many Mormons... MTC was the last place I felt truly surounded by Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints. NOT ANYMORE. But, because our stake goes from the shouth shore of Montreal (Longueuil) all the way to the rest of the province eastward, I was super lucky and got to see President Duchesne and his wife, and Frere Bouchard and his wife from Alma!! It was tons of fun. A nice little reunion! Man, I forgot how peculiar those people were... =) And the entire branch of Rimouski came down for a temple trip and the elders did too, because they needed more endowed Priesthood holders to help them out, so the Elders got permission to come down and hit up the temple. Lucky... But they needed a place to stay, so they stayed in our apartment! It was a blast. And we are way tired now. Yeah for sleep overs. You think that after like 1 year of being on a mission you would learn that sleepovers are just bad news, but aparently not...

We have investigators. Not a ton of them, but they all have baptism dates and are progressing along. I really hop that before I leave this area that I can see some baptisms, But whether or not I do, That is not how success is measured. Success is dependant on your commitment to work hard and to serve the Lord. So Yeah Success! Win.

I love you all!

May 20, 2013

Hey family!

Man, has it already been a week since we talked on Skype? Man, does time fly!! 

Things are going really well here in Longueuil, we don't have many new investigators as of late, but the ones we have are going awesome. they are all SO close to being baptised... Darn smoking... But we need to find a whole lot of new investigators! so this week we will be knocking a lot I believe. 

I guess the only other thing to tell you at this time is a story that shows that, as mature and grown up as we look on the outside, on the inside, missionaries are still as young and immature as they were before the mission started. =) The other night, Elder Botello, one of the spanish missionaries went to bed early, and his companion said "Hey, he is sleeping really soundly, lets go scream at him and wake him up" So we got the cameras out and recorded us screaming, at the top of our lungs "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!" and he freaked out. But in a funny, he was really tired so he really didn't know how to react kind of way. He though it was really funny too, don't worry, we aren't just picking on him. But then two days later, he decided to get his companion back, so while he was in the shower, we broke into the bathroom and dumped a whole bunch of flour on him. But before we did he said "Happy Birthday Elder Laguan" And Elder Laguan didn't know what was happening, but he understood that revenge was about to be exacted. And so he just shouted "NOOO!!!!" =) We have tons of fun. But we keep it all apropriate, and we stay focused. We are still missionaries, no matter how immature we are. =) 

We had zone conference last week, the last one with President Cannon... it is sad! He is gone June 29th. just over a month... no one knows whats going to happen! BUt, Elder Heder, my trainer, went AP last transfer, I don't know if I told you, and we got a "four generation" picture. Elder Heder (trained me), me (me), Elder Beaumont (I trained him), and Elder Losciale (He was trained by elder beaumont) at zone conference, because we were all there. It was tons of fun. 

Anyways, I love you all!! I hopw you have a great week!! Stay safe!

Elder Oviatt

May 5, 2013

Hey everyone!!

Man, transfer week is just crazy... Monday and Tuesday we ate with members/investigators 6 times! and 4 of them were with Latinos. You don't understand what that means. in Latino culture, if you don't eat ALL of the food set on the table, you are being very rude. And they make lots of food for you. It was insane. I think I almost exploded, literally, 4 or 5 times. You just cant eat anymore... and then they plop down the 2nd or 3rd plate full of food... :'(

Elder Losciale is great! He has such a huge desire to teach the gospel, and it's awesome, but we are still getting used to each others personalities. You know how it is, the first few days you are with someone, you just have to adjust! But I think we are over that period, and now things are just going to rock!! We have an investigator who needs to quit smoking so she can get baptized  and she fasted with us yesterday so that she could stop, and she rocked the fast and didn't eat for the whole 24 hours! She is the bomb!

 And we are also teaching a 54 year old Quebecois man, who doesn't know how to read or write, so we are teaching him how to do both of those things while we teach him the gospel! It is really cool, but kind of hard too, seeing as how I am not a native French speaker, I really don't know what I am talking about. =)

 Elder Losciale is also teaching me better french though! He is helping me to catch the small things that are going to take my french from good, to really good. I hope. =) We have tons of supper appointments! Like average of 5 a week. And we got sister missionaries last week too! They are cool, and we are excited to work with them. We are trying to help them out as much as we can though, without letting them use our car. =)  Mothers day is this Sunday! We will try and do our emails at 9:00 or 10:00 AM on Sunday
. I mean, skype. I'm excited! it should be good though! 
I will let you all go! I LOVE YOU!!!


ELDER OVIATT

My District!

April 29, 2013

Hey!! Another week down! How? I don't know... But I have kind of just stopped asking questions at this point. =)

So, we shall start with the big news! Transfer calls! I Have been called to serve in............. Monta Rey! The Spanish ward on the Island of Montreal!!! I am kind of freaking out! My Spanish is WAY not good enough for this yet! OK, no, that isn't true, I'm staying here. But Elder Garcia IS going to Monta Rey. I'm going to miss the big Lug! So I am staying here in Longueuil, and I am going to be receiving Elder Loscial! You might not be excited about this new, but I am freaking out about it!!! Elder Loscial is coming from the far away town of... ALMA!!! Elder Loscial was trained by Elder Beaumont, who I trained!!! I am getting my "Grandson"!! We are going to have so much fun together it isn't even funny. We are going to tear Longueil apart so bad that it isn't even going to know what happened to it! Elder Loscial also will be able to bring me down to Red Champagne, the pop that they make only in Alma, that I haven't had since I left... Ahh..... I want it right now! 
Other than that, our life has been really "chilax" this week! We have just been running around like chickens with our heads cut off, teaching lessons, knocking doors, giving service, and meeting with the members and the bishop to set up some super awesome church activities for the community!  We are planning to do a Cultural night in July for the community and for the three wards in our area and all their friends! Wait, have I told you about this already? I Have no idea... sorry...

We recently were taking a member out with us for a lesson and we drove past a set of duplex/strip houses. And this member used to manage apartment complexes, so he knows a little bit about apartments and jazz like that, but he pointed out that these apartments/houses were government housing and either had people on social help or immigrants living in them. So we thought to ourselves "JACKPOT!!" And we went and started knocking them. We weren't even able to finish knocking them because there were so many awesome people who wanted to talk to us in them! Our next week is full of lessons with potential investigators. We are so excited!! 

Oh, in our apartment, one of the other missionaries got transferred out, Elder Lopez, and the elder replacing him is Elder Laguan. He was my zone leader in Quebec city, and he is literally like, my favorite missionary alive at this moment. I told him that (this is his last transfer before he goes home) that he had to come and be my companion. But that didn't happen, so he came to be my roommate instead!! 8)

Anyways, my companion has to go pack... I shall talk to you in a week!

Elder Oviatt!

p.s. I will try and have a picture of Elder Oviatt, Elder Garcia Elder Lopez and Elder Botello together for next week (the missionaries in the apartment right now), and one of Elder Oviatt, Elder Loscial, Elder Laguan and Elder Botello (the new missionaries for the apartment) also!

Last week we had our zone activity. The whole zone got together and we had a scavenger hunt/orienteering/minute to win it day. This is my team (Minus me) GO JUNIOR COMPANIONS!!

 We had to pick up rotini noodles using spaghetti noodles. It was ridiculous. 

We had to use our knees to maneuver a ping pong ball to the middle square on the tennis racket. That was so ridiculously hard!!

April 22, 2012

Things have been going well! We had a dang bad week though. We didn't find a single new investigator, so that was brutal. And we hardly taught any lessons, so that sucked. And we don't have anyone committed with a baptismal date, so that sucks, but we have people who are close, who are just trying to quite smoking. Soeur Dumaïs and Jessica and Gaetan and Francine are all like, |-| that close to getting baptized  And we have a few people that are just doing awesome, Luz, the columbian who is living the Word of wisdom, which is super impressive that she quit smoking, because columbians are just known for their coffee addictions. =P And we have other friends who we meet every day, and some that we haven't seen in a long time. Mario. Darn Mario! He was supposed to come to conference, and he was committed with a baptismal date, but we haven't seen him in like 3 weeks!! It's killing us! He lives about 30 seconds from our house too, so we stop by all the time just to see if he is home, but he never is. There is a lot of work here. It's great! We talked to our bishop yesterday about trying to do a huge "Cultural Night" in the ward because there are people from over 15 different countries here, and if we combine up with the three other wards in the area, than it can be huge! And our bishop was super enthusiastic, and even said that that was an Idea he had been working on for over a year, but everyone he approached about doing it said they didn't want to be in charge. So, because we brought up the idea, Elder Garcia and I were made heads of the activities committee for the cultural night. Which is cool, but kind of a pain in the butt. We didn't want to have to be in charge! Well, I didn't, but my companion REALLY did. =) Power. It does crazy things to us all. I'll try and send some pictures too this week! Oh. Another crazy thing. A sister that is in my district who came to Quebec with me, but started one transfer before me, hit her 1 year mark last week. Which is super cool, but it's terrifying because that means that in 6 weeks, I'm going to hit my 1 year mark!! WAHHH!!! NOOOOOOOOO!!!! I don't think I'm ever going to come home. Sorry guys! 

Transfer calls are this saturday. I have no idea what is going to happen. I could possibly go district leader for a district of 6 teams. That is huge. Before the anouncemnt, districts were never bigger than 3 or 4 teams. Tops. Our district is over half the size of our zone! Or, I could stay Jr. Companion. Or I could get transfered out, Or... the possibilities are endless... Or, not endless, but the list is really long. 

I love y'all!!

Elder Austen Oviatt

We didn't have a dryer in our apartment for a long time. This was how I did my drying. that is 2 weeks worth of socks. But we got a dryer this week. No worries!

we did a caban a sucre. A sugar shack! we had the syrop that you pour on the snow and it is delicious! And I ate like 14 because the members made me... I felt so sick after! =P

April 15, 2013

Hey!!!

Sorry, I don`t have tons of time, Our P-Day has been mega busy thus far, and it is going to be busy after this too.

This week was really awesome!! I forgot to tell you all that this last week we were "Parked". that means that we couldn't drive our car. So we rode the bikes everywhere! It was awesome!! Actually though, I loved every second of it!! And Friday there was a huge snow storm, we got a solid 7 or 8 cm. riding bikes was craziness  We almost died about a bazillion times. Elder Garcia didn't enjoy Friday as much as I did. but we have the car back though, so it`s OK!!!
We are working hard though! things are going good, we have 3 people who are just soooooo close to being baptized  They just have to do a few more things to do to prepare. And we are meeting people every day! I love being a missionary so much!!

Sorry this is so short!! =(

Elder Oviatt