LAST WEEK

father time seems to either be my worse enemy or my best friend. but either way the timer keeps ticking and its overly strange to think that in just several days i will not be in the central valley of california anymore. this place has become home more than anywhere else.

a large part of my mission i have been honored to go on exchanges with so many inspiring sisters.

they all have so many talents and i am so humbled by how much they give and sacrifice. missionaries truly are incredible. just wanted to give a great big thank you to many sisters i have had the privilege to spend a day or two with. you have taught me so much.

sister...

acker

angimarau

alexander

angavale

bishop

breuer

brinkerhoff

cleverly

dalley

dees

fenton

fleming

gutierrez

hale

jackson

jenson

jolley

johnson

kim

lacusta

landon

langi

line

marroquin

maughan

mclelland

moss

pitcher

repman

roberts

sierra

smith

solomon

spencer

strehlow

vaughan

ward

zenger

and of course an even greater thank you to each of my companions.

you have had to put up with me so many many mornings. i wanted to give let each of you know just how much you have molded me into the person i am. so here are the greatest lessons i learned from each of my amazing companions:

furnell: depend on the lord

wilson: obedience and trust (but umm literally this could be broadened to "everything" ...because literally you taught me everything about how to be missionary. i was spoiled. twice.)

larson: compassion

sellers: unity and selfless service

repman: serve with your whole heart, might, mind, and strength

jackson: love unconditionally

jenson: move forward

langi: testify with your whole soul

now i only served in three areas my whole mission. it was one of the lords most tender mercies. these people have become my rock.

sac. deaf work: 16 weeks

stockton: 31 weeks

lodi: 24 weeks

its so easy to count how many companions, how many areas, how many baptisms, but what i treasure the most are the many many blessings from the lord, the miracles ive seen, the relationships that have deepened, and lessons i have learned, the increase of my faith, the individuals i love. it truly has been a wonderful eighteen months. it has been an honor to have been counted as one of his soldiers.

the truth has been restored. the gospel is true. it couldn't be anything else. our savior lives. he loves us so much. he has given us a prophet. we are given everyday direction if we but just ask. we are his children. this life is joyful. and so will be our eternities. we have everything to be glad about :]

well im signing off. 2 Tim 4:7

peace to all and a merry merry christmas

love,

sister clarissa oliphant

DEC 9

its cold here. if the sun isnt shining well anyways. we wake up for thick frost every morning and the car tells me to "drive careful, roads may be icy." cars are fancy these days.

we met this miracle girl named tera this week. she met 8 missionaries in one week. pretty sure it was a sign shes supposed to be doing something with these missionary folks. shes 24 so we had to pass her off to the ysa elders. but she is so sweet. we helped her unpack, because she had an emergency move. i hope so dearly she accepts the gospel and brings a little bit more joy back into her life :] its amazing how close you can become with people in just a few hours.

we had our december leadership meeting this week. it was my last one so they asked me to bare my testimony. it was a tender moment. some of the best missionaries i know i have had the chance to learn from in that room. its neat to be apart of such a great legacy.

we also had another miracles this week! we had been asked to visit sister Brady, a lady in our ward we dont see, and her kids months ago and we have been trying and trying and nothing. this week we caught them on the way out the door and we set up a time to see them. we came back to them so excited to have us over. had a very simple and humble lesson about christmas and invited them to church. well they came! it was so cute how the kids were so excited to be there. none of her children are members are we think they all have huge potential to progress in the gospel. our primary president said she was so impressed with their excitement that they get to be in a program it brought tears to her eyes. those kids are seriously just so adorable. its amazing how the lords just gives us people. especially when we work through the members :]

tom received his aaronic priesthood and was ordained a priest at church yesterday. it was a proud moment. i know i say this often but bonnie and tommy are just the greatest.

sister langi has picked up the uke so we often find ourselves caroling to.. well everybody. we love it and it brings the spirit. sister langi harmonizes so well too so we actually sound not half bad too.

im amazing at just how generous members are to missionaries. especially at this Christmas season. this years christmas season is much different that last years in the deaf branch. loved last year much too especially cause i was with the best companion ever. anyways people are generous and there is just a special spirit these days. thanks be to christ.

this is going to be a great week

1. we have a special temple conference with a few other zones, we are singing a musical number, and we get to attend a session at the temple!

2. my birthday

3. district lunch and white elephant gift exchange

4. caroling with our ward missionaries

5. "a night in bethlehem" ward christmas party. its going to be epic.

6. damien's baptism

7. going to the temple with the pishos' to help them do baptisms for their parents

8. dinners with a bunch of great families in the ward ;]

9. stake christmas musical fireside

10. galt flea market shopping

11. and then lots of trunky stuff with president and sister lewis including going to the temple again. (thats right three temple trips in one week! does life get any better?)

yep yep life is goooooood.

love,

sister oliphant

DEC 2

its december and the kids walking home from school today were still wearing shorts. i dont know how this happens. i mean it gets cold at night but right now while its warm its toasty. strange feeling. dotn know if i will ever get used to it.

anyways, i can let you know about interesting things than the weather.

i just been a handful of days since i last wrote, because our pday was moved due to the holidays.

sister langi and i stopped by the walmart of course on pday cause its our only day to stock up on milk and well to our surprise we learned black friday now starts on thursday! on thanksgiving! what ever happened to having a peaceful day reminiscing about the wonderful things we have been given and being grateful for them... not hey lets make a huge list of things we want to spend money on and stamped people while we are doing it. cant we at least just wait until the day AFTER thanksgiving to start doing all that? we are in the last days. the world is twisted.

please watch cute video: http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2874125972001

we have a very pleasant thanksgiving dinner at the griffitts home :] lots of the traditional food and pie of course. i even had a chance to play ben, a stellar 14 year old kid, in a game of chess. he killed me. BUT it was fun. and he reminded me of terrill a bunch of times over so i enjoyed it that much more. board games are just such a must for good holiday fun.

we went to a tongan family gathering. i felt like such a palangi. much of the food was great and the people were all so friendly! we had a few great gospel discussions with some non-members there too.

we had an amazing testimony meeting sunday. our mission president, president lewis just happened to swing by our church, never had him attend our meeting before. but it was neat to have him there and to introduce him to dave wilson. he testified to dave that what we are teaching him is true and that he would find much more joy if he were to do what we are asking him. hes so bold. love that man. anyway testimony meeting was super great. so many testimonies were given about missionary work and many converts to the church shared their experience about how they found the true church and were so grateful for how much it had blessed their lives! it was a perfect answer to our prayers and fasting for missionary work to keep on progressing in the lodi 1st ward. we are so blessed.

we got permission to go to the the temple with the pishos'! they will both be doing baptisms for their parents! big blessing and we are so excited :] we are shooting for december 14th, the same day damien will be baptized. it will be one great day!

the work is great. sister langi borrowed tommys ukulele and we are ready to go caroling :]

the season is great because it is the season of christ.

loves much,

sister oliphant