It was 95 degrees in San Juan on Christmas, but we had a great day. We had to buy sombreros so we don´t die (we are preaching with sombreros!), there is very little shade here in San Juan. I don´t know how the people do it to live here, I like the heat but here it´s something else. I can feel some more weight with this call that I have as a district leader. I love being a normal missionary because you can work and not worry about taking care of missionaries. But I accepted this call and knew the Lord called me not by mistake. I was blessed with a great capacity to love these missionaries and have a sincere desire to help them grow and progress. There is a scripture that I love that helps me understand what kind of desire I should have as I serve. "No sirviendo al ojo como los que agradan a los hombres, sino como siervos de cristo que, haciendo con ánimo la voluntad de Dios" Efesios 6:6 (Ephesians) It talks about how we shouldn´t look for recognition, but we should serve God from the heart. (I have it memorized in Spanish, sorry, look for it in English if you don´t understand) Lately in my mission I have been noticing the miracles that I have overlooked.. It took me so long, to believe and have the faith required to see a miracle. Like the scripture says "Oh man of little faith", that´s what I was. Because of experience and evidence I have seen and now I know that miracles are performed in these times just like the times when Jesus walked the earth. Pondering and reading this scripture has helped me gain a stronger testimony and the faith necessary to believe in the occurrences of miracles. 2 Nephi 27:23 "For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith."
I´m very grateful for all of you (Friends and family). I hope you have
a great week, and I hope you have a happy new year.
Elder Olson
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
carta de Elder Olson 1-24-2010
Sorry about being short today, I just want you all to know that I
stayed in Chimbas, i will have 6 months here. The lord was able to use
us and bless the lives of 4 more sons and daughters that made it to
the waters of baptisms this week. I´m really trying so hard to give
this mission my all, I know that I have a lot of potential now that I
am aged... Old and fat. I´m kidding about the fat part, luckily I am
not so fat. I love you all!!!
Elder Olson
stayed in Chimbas, i will have 6 months here. The lord was able to use
us and bless the lives of 4 more sons and daughters that made it to
the waters of baptisms this week. I´m really trying so hard to give
this mission my all, I know that I have a lot of potential now that I
am aged... Old and fat. I´m kidding about the fat part, luckily I am
not so fat. I love you all!!!
Elder Olson
Monday, January 17, 2011
Carta de Elder Olson 1-17-2010
I have 4 and a half months in Chimbas, and I am nervous about leaving.
I love the members, and the converts we have. We are just too
attached at this point where I can´t imagine leaving. Today we find
out if I go or stay. This will be my greatest cosecha (Harvest) of my
mission if I stay. There is a high possibility that 6-8 people get
baptized for this transfer.
This past week we had experiences that are hard for me to describe.
We have been teaching a Mom, and a daughter, and they recently told
us that they received an answer to their prayers. In a lesson that we
had earlier, we were thinking about who we could invite (One of the
members from here in chimbas) To help us teach. We thought of a
Sister, who had lost a son. We came to find out that the son of this
investigator had died as well. We were guided by the spirit to know
who it was to help us, their is no other explanation! The lesson was
powerful and the spirit was present, everyone ended up crying, I tried
to resist but couldn´t.
Never will I forget these moments, my testimony is fueled by them
every day. Our Savior lives, and he is always in some way reaching his
love to us. But are we willing to accept his loving hands? Do we
overlook his love? He does too much for us, because his love for us is
greater than we can imagine.
Take car, I love you
Elder Olson
I love the members, and the converts we have. We are just too
attached at this point where I can´t imagine leaving. Today we find
out if I go or stay. This will be my greatest cosecha (Harvest) of my
mission if I stay. There is a high possibility that 6-8 people get
baptized for this transfer.
This past week we had experiences that are hard for me to describe.
We have been teaching a Mom, and a daughter, and they recently told
us that they received an answer to their prayers. In a lesson that we
had earlier, we were thinking about who we could invite (One of the
members from here in chimbas) To help us teach. We thought of a
Sister, who had lost a son. We came to find out that the son of this
investigator had died as well. We were guided by the spirit to know
who it was to help us, their is no other explanation! The lesson was
powerful and the spirit was present, everyone ended up crying, I tried
to resist but couldn´t.
Never will I forget these moments, my testimony is fueled by them
every day. Our Savior lives, and he is always in some way reaching his
love to us. But are we willing to accept his loving hands? Do we
overlook his love? He does too much for us, because his love for us is
greater than we can imagine.
Take car, I love you
Elder Olson
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Carta de Elder Olson 1-10-2010 Monday, January 10, 2011 10:09 AM
I had some interesting experiences this week. Someone said that I
didn´t have a heart on the street. he told us "Your a bunch of bums,
you don´t do anything, you don´t work or do any good to the world".
Our reaction was, whoa and we told him that we are doing something
that will bless people forever. And he said we don´t have hearts
because apparently we got "Upset". It was interesting, and I felt like
I could have responded a little better and not react in a defensive
manner.
Then I was reading in Moroni 7:45 which says "And charity suffereth
long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not
her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not
in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth
all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." The key part of
the scripture in my case is "Endureth all things". Many times, this
scripture was repeated in my mind. I was thinking that I did not
"Endure" when I let this person offend me. When we stop enduring thats
when we allow the negative to come in our hearts (Anger, hate,
frustration...etc..). As we learn to endure and apply these things I
know we will inch more in our development in the christlike attribute
of charity.
And of course, "we should pray unto the Father with all the energy of
heart that ye may be filled with this love" Moroni 7:48. This love
will be key in helping us endure.
I´m so happy to serve here in Argentina. Take care everyone.
Elder Olson
didn´t have a heart on the street. he told us "Your a bunch of bums,
you don´t do anything, you don´t work or do any good to the world".
Our reaction was, whoa and we told him that we are doing something
that will bless people forever. And he said we don´t have hearts
because apparently we got "Upset". It was interesting, and I felt like
I could have responded a little better and not react in a defensive
manner.
Then I was reading in Moroni 7:45 which says "And charity suffereth
long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not
her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not
in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth
all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." The key part of
the scripture in my case is "Endureth all things". Many times, this
scripture was repeated in my mind. I was thinking that I did not
"Endure" when I let this person offend me. When we stop enduring thats
when we allow the negative to come in our hearts (Anger, hate,
frustration...etc..). As we learn to endure and apply these things I
know we will inch more in our development in the christlike attribute
of charity.
And of course, "we should pray unto the Father with all the energy of
heart that ye may be filled with this love" Moroni 7:48. This love
will be key in helping us endure.
I´m so happy to serve here in Argentina. Take care everyone.
Elder Olson
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Carta de Elder Olson 1-3-2010
These holidays are always challenging
But the work never stops, and we gave it our all. We proved ourselves
that we can reach goals even though there are challenges such as
Fiestas (Parties) with drunk people all over. We didn´t stay outside
when everyone was getting drunk, but we did work a lot and hard during
the other days. We reached our goals, and our zone is seeing the fruit
of our labors, we are all bringing the areas in the chimbas Zone to a
new level.
I don´t like to mention baptisms often, but we are having quite a
few. The Lord is showing us to the people that are prepared, and we
feel great because the Lord is working through us. There is no better
satisfaction.
The greatest thing that I have learned in these past months is the
value of setting goals. I never would have pushed myself so hard if it
wasn´t for challenging myself and setting goals. Like the quote says
in preach my gospel, we will never reach our full potential without
setting goals. They are hard to master, but with persistence, and
diligence we can find the form of putting goals and use them to
increase our potential. They represent the desires of our heart. There
was a great explanation of goals that a 70 gave us one time (Elder
Autikitus). If we don´t have a bar to measure a high jump, then we end
up throwing ourselves in whatever direction, but if we have a way to
measure, we can gradually get better and reach higher.
Have a great week, take care
Love,
Elder Olson
But the work never stops, and we gave it our all. We proved ourselves
that we can reach goals even though there are challenges such as
Fiestas (Parties) with drunk people all over. We didn´t stay outside
when everyone was getting drunk, but we did work a lot and hard during
the other days. We reached our goals, and our zone is seeing the fruit
of our labors, we are all bringing the areas in the chimbas Zone to a
new level.
I don´t like to mention baptisms often, but we are having quite a
few. The Lord is showing us to the people that are prepared, and we
feel great because the Lord is working through us. There is no better
satisfaction.
The greatest thing that I have learned in these past months is the
value of setting goals. I never would have pushed myself so hard if it
wasn´t for challenging myself and setting goals. Like the quote says
in preach my gospel, we will never reach our full potential without
setting goals. They are hard to master, but with persistence, and
diligence we can find the form of putting goals and use them to
increase our potential. They represent the desires of our heart. There
was a great explanation of goals that a 70 gave us one time (Elder
Autikitus). If we don´t have a bar to measure a high jump, then we end
up throwing ourselves in whatever direction, but if we have a way to
measure, we can gradually get better and reach higher.
Have a great week, take care
Love,
Elder Olson
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Carta de Elder Olson 11-6-2010
I feel like Jacob, when his prayer was answered Jacob 7:22. I have a
strong testimony of prayer, and there has been a great amount of
evidence that my prayers have been always answered. I was in the
streets, ending the night by opening the mouth and I had a prayer in
my heart asking to find someone that we could bless. We found a lady
smoking and she looked very sad, I started to talk to her and I found
out that she was feeling really depressed. At the end of our
conversation she said "That much of her sadness had left her". I don´t
know what I had said word for word, but I know the lord used me to
extend his love.
The mission continues to bless me, and I assure you all that I
couldn´t be happier here. I´m about to contact all the people I have
found in the phone book here with the last name Loyola, to find out if
I have relatives that are still here in San Juan.
Another transfer is about to end, time has never been so unreal for
me. Transfers are like days (They are 6 weeks). They just end,
constantly. Apparently the president says that I am going to stay here,
that it is assured that I am going to stay here. But my companion
Elder Linares will leave. I love this companion as my brother, we had
gotten along very well, and had worked well together.
That will be all the news I have for now
Love
Elder Olson
strong testimony of prayer, and there has been a great amount of
evidence that my prayers have been always answered. I was in the
streets, ending the night by opening the mouth and I had a prayer in
my heart asking to find someone that we could bless. We found a lady
smoking and she looked very sad, I started to talk to her and I found
out that she was feeling really depressed. At the end of our
conversation she said "That much of her sadness had left her". I don´t
know what I had said word for word, but I know the lord used me to
extend his love.
The mission continues to bless me, and I assure you all that I
couldn´t be happier here. I´m about to contact all the people I have
found in the phone book here with the last name Loyola, to find out if
I have relatives that are still here in San Juan.
Another transfer is about to end, time has never been so unreal for
me. Transfers are like days (They are 6 weeks). They just end,
constantly. Apparently the president says that I am going to stay here,
that it is assured that I am going to stay here. But my companion
Elder Linares will leave. I love this companion as my brother, we had
gotten along very well, and had worked well together.
That will be all the news I have for now
Love
Elder Olson
Friday, December 3, 2010
This week was incredible.
We were able to help our investigators progress, and many have
arrived at church. We witnessed a strong testimony of a converted
investigator, who has a baptismal date in December. Who came to know
the truth, because she did exactly what we invited her to do, and what
the book of Mormon invites. Her name is Monica Zavaleta, and other
investigators also witnessed her testimony that came to church. It was
incredible.
I feel so privileged being here. I wasn´t called here to be a
missionary by luck, with all my experiences that I have had up until
this moment, I am absolutely convinced that the Lord called me here
through the prophet. In this moment, I am keeping in touch with a
member that is helping me find the burial site of my great grandpa
that died here. I will send the photo when I find him.
Thank you for all your prayers, support, and love.
Love,
Elder Olson
arrived at church. We witnessed a strong testimony of a converted
investigator, who has a baptismal date in December. Who came to know
the truth, because she did exactly what we invited her to do, and what
the book of Mormon invites. Her name is Monica Zavaleta, and other
investigators also witnessed her testimony that came to church. It was
incredible.
I feel so privileged being here. I wasn´t called here to be a
missionary by luck, with all my experiences that I have had up until
this moment, I am absolutely convinced that the Lord called me here
through the prophet. In this moment, I am keeping in touch with a
member that is helping me find the burial site of my great grandpa
that died here. I will send the photo when I find him.
Thank you for all your prayers, support, and love.
Love,
Elder Olson
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