1 PRIORITY

oh fam, you are killin me.  i hope you never forget how much i love you.

this week was incredible. i came closer to jesus & i'm feeling really good :)

family has definitely been on my mind a lot! we are meeting incredible families- its seriously changing my life. and maybe even preparing me for a family ;) ok, no. you're right. not there yet. but really!!!!!!! FAMILY HAS BECOME SOMETHING I TALK ABOUT WITH EVERYONE!!!! we had the funniest lesson the other day with Evan and his family. they are the chinese part members-  he is 9 and he is getting baptized with his younger sister who is 8 and we are teaching them. so we taught the restoration the other day using pictures and we went to how the gospel blesses families and they look at it and say "THEY LOOK HAPPY BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE CHILD IN THE FAMILY!!!!!!! SEE EVAN ALWAYS BUGS ME SO WE AREN'T HAPPY!!!!!!" oh my gosh, i think i died. we got it cleared up- and they are going to love each other now :)

we met the coolest Black family this week. her name is Kitty and she let us in and we taught the Restoration and she said "you know- i've been waiting to hear this message for awhile now and i was thinking of what church to go to with my family and you called and i knew it was from God!" you know the best part- Sister Hemenway and I started writing our exact prayers down together and last week it was to find a family that had 2 kids of age to be baptized and they're looking for a church to go too. we found them!!!!!! and its such a miracle!!!!!! 

i love preaching. i love being a minister. i love talking about jesus everyday!!!!!!!!!! 

what is important to the Savior anyway?

"go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned"

everything he did, lead to baptism. everything he taught, lead to baptism. Christs whole purpose was to baptize!! our purpose to life is to come to know the Atonement and use it!! we have to do this by helping him with his purpose of baptizing. Gods whole purpose is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men" that is only through baptism!!!!!! 

baptism is ESSENTIAL. 

"open your mouths and they shall be filled, and you shall become even as Nephi of old, who journeyed from Jerusalem in the wilderness. Yea, open your mouths and spare not, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your backs, for lo, I am with you. Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying "repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;"

"our church is a missionary church. this is our ONE and our ONLY priority. Yours and mine. because it's his." - Elder Johnson of the seventy. we have to open up our mouths!! we dont have to be overbearing, we dont even have to ask them to read the book of mormon!!!!!!!! WE JUST HAVE TO OPEN OUR MOUTH AND BE A FRIEND TO PEOPLE. people are important. visit with people everywhere you go and i promise the gospel will come up without you even trying. 

i love this church. i love that i am myself and i can be a missionary at all times, in all things, and in all places. its the greatest joy i've ever felt. have a fantastic week of visiting with PEOPLE and getting to know more PEOPLE!!!!!! i love PEOPLE!!!!!!!!! 

xoxo, sister ovard

me & ritch dawg unite in vancouvaaaa & my heart swells every time

yes, its a pretty good view

GOOD WORDS FOR EVAN

HELLO FAMILIA! 

what a hectic week over there. im glad everyone is doing ok :) i had a feeling this week something was going to happen, so i prayed extra hard!! hang in there guys, only a couple more months alright!! ;) haha

i have just got to tell you about our lady friend INGA! she is literally a miracle. we had to teach her everything super duper quick because her baptism is this saturday. shes been inviting everyone and telling them the reason she's so happy is because she goes to church!!! don't we wish we did that? ;) yesterday she called us and said, "sisters, i am reading about the seed and how is swells in our breasts and i feel that." watching first nations read the book of mormon is a miracle in itself. I LIVE AROUND THE PEOPLE IN THE BOOK OF MORMON CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? AND THEY HAVE CRAZY EXPERIENCES JUST LIKE THE BOOK OF MORMON AND I DIE BECAUSE ITS TRUE!!

Evans baptism is coming up in 10 days to be exact. we taught him the law of chastity this week doing head shoulders knees and toes and we got to mouth and we said "evan! we have to speak kind words!! you have to stop telling Henry he has big zits!!!!!!!" and he said, "i say worse words" and we said.. oh no, evan! what are you saying? and he laughed and said.... "i learned it... its nigger." HAHAHHAHA THEN... right at that moment, bc our lesson was outside, a guy walked across the house with a big stereo and it was a gangsta song and it said nigger really loud and then evan said, "SEE! THAT WORD! its my favorite!!!!!!" hahaha oh family, kids. if this is what its like teaching children the gospel, give me 500 :D

we ran into a super super less active lady from Alberta this week. she invited us over and turns out her 14 year old daughter hasn't been baptized! we were like GIRL DO YOU WANT TO!?!? and she was like.. "actually yes, i have been thinking about it." no better way to activate a family than baptize them all eh :D

a sweet lady we're teaching, her name is Elke. she is literally an angel. she even speaks so quietly like one. (i imagine they speak soft lol) we've been really trying to focus on what our friends NEED, and how we can really help them progress in their own faith. so we've been really praying in advance and studying for them. because we havent been able to get her to see the importance of baptism. we had a lesson planned out for her all about the Atonement and how she can give up her burdens to Jesus Christ. it went BEAUTIFULLY. and in the middle she said, "i need to be baptized dont i" fam.. it was amazing. preparation in life brings blessings, i know that!

we did a lot of exchanges this week.. so it was a lot of traveling! and it was A BEAUTIFUL RIDE i tell you!!! i cant believe where i live :D i am really grateful for this beautiful time i have to be here. its set a part for the rest of my life and no doubt, i am a changed person forever. if i could have seen the future back a few years ago, i would have never believed what was coming just down the road. i'm further that i'd ever pictured, ive done more than i'd ever planned. its easy to see that who im suppose to be, is in someone else's hands. God is good, he is real, and he is merciful. i thank him every day for change. change is my life. for the rest of my life!! :) have an incredible week fam! i hope you feel my love from here!

xo, sister ovard

pics of- evan & hellen! 

crabs... aka.. my friends EVERYWHERE!

and a picture of exchanges with a great sister friend :)

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

HELLO! 

the weeks really are getting better every time. im starting to see the miracle my mission has truly been. oh, im so grateful. grateful the lord brought me here, and hes bringing me out completely different! who'da thought? not i. but im so happy!!!!

BIGGEST MIRACLE OF MY EXISTENCE. remember Inga?? the lady from September who was going to be baptized with her children but she got anti'd SUPER hard core and then she left town for a month and a half?? we knew she was coming back on the 28 of October and we have been praying every day that she would call us when she gets here, AND SHE DID!!!!!!! she was so happy to talk to us and tell us she is excited to see us again and start coming to church!!!! i dont think weve ever been so happy. we dropped to our knees right then and thanked the Lord!!! she ended up coming to the ward halloween party and her kids loved it. man, i want to baptize them so bad. PRAY FOR THEM! i'll update you how she continues to go :D 

our little man Thomas is doing so good and LOOKING GREAT for his baptism on the 13!!!!! teaching him is a dream. seriously, he is the cutest. this week we were talking about the Plan of Happiness and we asked him what he had learned from our lesson and he said, "that i was friends with jesus and with god before i came here. that made me happy." wow............... the cutest thing ever. I LOVE CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BLAKE LISTEN UP YOU ARE GOING TO BE SO HAPPY! wait, back story... sister hemenway and I are really working on taking EVERYTHING to the Lord and really inquiring of him in our every decision. so yesterday night we had some time and we wanted to drop by a member.. we prayed, thought, pondered, and decided our asain friend Sasha!! so we went over and she gladly let us in and she said her friends were coming over as well..... SCORE! this is when Blake comes in- THEY'RE JAPANESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they came and we had to BEST CHAT!! we ended up sharing the Restoration with them and inviting them to be baptized and they said YES!!!!!!!!!!! IT WAS AMAZING. we're seeing them again tomorrow!!!! ps- i told her all about you Blake. she is very impressed God helped you learn Japanese and that you speak it still :D  

OK ALSO, I DONT KNOW IF YA'LL REMEMBER BUT REVELATION IS ACTUALLY REAL. again, we've been inquiring where the lord NEEDS us. i was reading in my book of mormon study and i read the word "south" AND I DIED RIGHT THEN AND THERE!!!!! WE NEEDED TO GO TO THE SOUTH!!!! (which is the down town part of the area.. where the humble people are!) sooo, next day, we went there.. and after we had just had an awesome lesson with Thomas and we did some knocking over there, we left. and as we were driving my eyes caught "SOUTH STREET" I SCREAMED AND WE TURNED BACK AROUND TO GO KNOCK IT!!!!!!!!!! but... there were only 2 homes... and they were probaby the most ghetto homes i've knocked on. mom would have died. BUT FAITH NO FEAR. so we knocked it. and lets just say, we ran. and gods just making sure we act on our revelations. so act on them. i feel the blessings comin!!!!!!!!!!!

also, my last thought. 1 Nephi 16!!! i want you all to reread this again this week, i know you've read it 52014 times in your life. but this is incredible. i was reading, and i began to realize what it meant that even Lehi began to murmur to the Lord because he thought building a bow would be too hard.... but Nephi began to make his bow out of wood and then he went to his father in humility and confidence in his Fathers authority that he could receive revelation for him on where he should go...  but the Lord chastened him and CHASTENED HIM BECAUSE OF HIS MURMURING AGAINST HIM so he was brought down to the depths of sorrow, and then the lord came to him in a voice, which can mean a feeling, and the Lord showed him where to go. i thought this was so amazing because we can all show respect for our leaders and see them as they can be not as who they are!!! because of that, Lehi's leadership was restored and they were able to do GREAT THINGS. 

i thought of you, mom and dad as i read that story, because i know i can come to you and you will always help me along the way! I HONOR YOU AND I LOVE YOU AS NEPHI LOVED HIS FATHER! you're amazing. you are sure right, 5 weeks till i squeeze you and never stop loving you!!!!! my mission is a miracle!!!! be ready to hear about it every day of your life :-) Namaste!

oh! and before i forget- HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA GUBS! YOUR CARD IS COMING! 

xoxox, sister ovard

we definetely didn't take any pictures this week.. so hey, selfies are cool still right? "let me take a selfie" isnt that a song??????? HAHAHAHAH k bye.

ONE MONTH WITH FIRE

hey hey loves, 

i am so happy to email you and tell you how miraculous my days truly are. Last monday we got in with a super less active/part member family. the reason we wanted to go, was #1 his name was WADE and that name just makes me smile so i knew we had to go! we knocked on their door and he answered and he looked confused.. but i said "HEY! ARE YOU WADE?" and he said "yep! don't ware it out!" i almost thought i was talking to my own daddy wade there for a second! i told him that my dads name was Wade and i loved him! we clicked and he invited us over the following night!! family, you bless this mission more than you know. you're always here around me blessing us to be able to talk to people with your talents, and your names :) 

Thomas & Sheldon are getting baptized on Friday!!!!!!!!! Oh my ganstas- they are seriously the cutest boys. us missionaries sang in sacrament this week and i look in the back to see Thomas and Sheldon throwing down westside gang signs. HAHAHAH! i want you to see them and just feel the spirit they bring. sister Hemenway and I have been praying to baptize a family with 2 kids.. and that prayer came in a different way than we expected but we are achieving our goal together!!!

isn't it crazy that a month from today i will be with you, sharing these stories IN PERSON? i got my "trunky package"  this week from President to fill out a lot of papers and testimony and things that i've been reflecting on. not to mention, sister cendereda wrote me a letter and that tipped it off and i bawled!!! i have no words for my mission or for who i have become. i know i've become what God wants me to become and it's been a journey i will never forget!! 

we're going to Victoria next Monday to see Elder Tai of the seventy!! it will be exciting. so i wont email till TUESDAY. sorry this is all over the place.. know that i love you and i am praying for you all every single day!!!!!!

-thats our Inga girl!!!!!!!!! 

- Ritchy ritch! what a reunion again!!!!!!

-thats our Inga girl!!!!! oh, i love her!

HEY

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh

i think i start every email the same so i've sat here trying to make it different but im clueless!! THIS WEEK WAS AWESOME. Thomas and Sheldon were baptized!! all of their family and  friends came to support them and it was such a beautiful evening! the following sunday, we saved them seats and they all sat in front of us. imagine, a whole posterity of first nations people sitting in front of you (book of Mormon status) my heart was so full. i'll never forget that sacrament meeting.

we've still been working with our part member/ less active families!!! the Clarke's are doing so well. we got in this week and we took a couple of the young woman with us to fellowship and they clicked!! the 14 year old committed to baptism on Dec. 5!! but it's a struggle getting them all to church.. because to get her.. we gotta get the parents...... and man, 40 year olds are a pain ;)

we had some verryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy good lessons this week! i debated telling you one of them but oh what the heck, i might as well eh. our bff Sarrah has still been progressing. we committed her to the law of chastity this week and she about had a heart attack!!!! she would only commit for a week. the spirit was so strong as we bore powerful testimony and promised her blessings far better than THAT! we asked her what it would take for her to understand this commandment and she said "only if sex hurt me the next time" so sister hemenway and i look at each other and LAUGHED SO HARD and then said, thats something to pray for!!!! haha sarrah died laughing. sadly, 3 days later she texted us and said "i failed. and it felt amazing." hahaha um.......... okay, sarrah. get married first. thats where that one went.

i promise, we teach with the spirit.

Elder Teh of the seventy and his wife came to visit us!!! my golly, i may as well just save everything he taught me to tell you in person here pretty soon ;) the spirit was so strong, and im so grateful that we are a part of the Lords work. it sure is work. but i love it. 

ITS SO CLOSE. yet so far away....... i have a lot to do. and mamma! you said it- i will pray more than i have ever prayed before, ponder more than i have ever pondered before, work like i have never worked before. 

i love you guys! i hope you have a fantastic week!!!

xoxo sister ovard

happy & thrilled

hey loves, 

can i just tell you how good it feels to be back on the island? man, i sure missed it. something about free spirits, good vibes, & beaches make my heart feel real good. 

so many things have happened this week that testified to me that i am right where the Lord needs me!! first off- let me tell you how much i love sister Hemenway. an angel i tell you. we will be best friends through eternity. i know we'll be successful because we are completely unified & on the lords errand. (eternal principle right there eh) 

SO FIRST! I GOT TO GO TO VICTORIA FOR A FIRESIDE WITH JOHN BYTHEWAY AGAIN!!!! one eternal round im tellin ya!!!! OH MY GOSH I GOT TO SEE EVERYONE!!!!! MELODY GURYN AND JOSEPHINE AND SO MANY LOVED ONES I WANTED TO BURST!!!! I FELT AT HOME! it was the happiest! i was so thrilled. these people, truly have my heart. i learned so much while being there, while having a grateful heart to my God for bringing me so much joy through his children.

God is cheerful, pleasant, lively, and a good-natured being. why? because i am cheerful, pleasant, lively, and  good-natured when i feel HIS spirit. I love him & i just thank him for his joy. 

 Linda Choy- a miracle woman who has been coming to church for a couple weeks now!!! She decided this week she wants to get baptized on her birthday, which is on SUNDAY the 16! sister Hemenway and I haven't thanked the Lord enough. she is Asian but looks totally Indian and its a dream and i tell her im Indian on the inside. we get a long so well. and i adore her already. 

we had a random potential call us and bare his testimony of the Book of Mormon the other day-- in his words he said, "its such a small book but has such a severe impact. eveyone doesnt know what they're missing out on!!" i tell you- people are angels. every one of them. can't wait to tell you where he ends up once we meet with him!!!

i've thought a lot about my testimony and testimonies in general. because a testimony is something we grow... we have to make sure our soil is GOOD right? that- we read in matthew 13 & alma 32. Matthew is how to plant it in good soil and alma 32 is how to nourish it. i had the most interesting insight the other day as i thought of not wanting a shallow testiomony or one that could die within a tribulation.. "yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful" matt. 13:21-22 sooo WHY are we to nourish our seed? we are in result wanting to make it to the Tree of LIfe which is CHRIST. in the vision of the Tree of Life that Lehi had, he says something very interesting about the great and spacious building. it stood "high above the earth" we can all paint the picture in our head............. of the tree rooted in the ground ONLY FROM GOD because where would that seed have come from? God. where did the tree come from? GOD. where did the great and spacious building come from high above the heart? MAN. it didnt have a foundation. but if men build a foundation in christ, they cannot fall. and if they build it on Christ the "cares of the world" wont even matter. because our testimony won't be shallow enough to give into those cares. weeds will always come and they will come OUT OF NO WHERE! but i know that if we want good things to grow in our life, we have to plant them in the RIGHT soil! so reevaluate your soil, your garden, & your fruit.... because God is very interested in Gardens :) 

1. The Garden Tomb (i think about it everyday ps)

2. Garden of Gethsemane 

3. Garden of Eden

man, the scriptures i tell you--- they are good. they are so good. i will build my life off of them.

its been one heck of a time- both being new here and getting used to the area, area book, people, the ward, and everything. i dont think i've hit the sack so tired at night. but i tell you- the Lord is doing this work, i am just an instrument. it's been SO good!!!

i love you all- i pray and wrestle with the Lord to bless you continually as you are doing all you can to be faithful. God is good, and he is never ending wanting to change your life into a better one. i know he lives!! my thoughts and feelings about Christ have been on his healing power spiritually & physically this week. i know he's the center of life. and hes the center of happiness. 

I <3 missionary work 

xoxo, sister Ovard

ferry ride back to my home land!!

dont worry- the island loves you all too!!

IM COMING HOME

my last pictures. sad, happy, excited. so many emotions that are running through my head. just get me to my doodle bug and i think i'll be okay ;) see you soon family! thank you for every single thing youve done for me while being here and giving me an experience to shape my entire life off of. i'll never be able to repay the lord, this mission, or each one of you. but i am SO grateful! let this mission run right through my bones and never let me forget it! SEE YOU SOON!