We had a week filled with adversity, but one day in particular was so
challenging. Everyone in our path completely disliked us, and we were
hurt by it. We were almost wanting to turn away, but we remembered
that the prophets also had gone through such adversity, the difference
is that we aren´t stoned or threatened to be put to death.
We were close to giving up, but then we remembered Alma 26;27 "Now
when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back,
behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the
Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give
unto you success.." I felt something telling me not to give up, I felt
like I was tried by the Lord. Sometimes I am pushed to the limit, but
I testify that we are never afflicted more than we can take upon
ourselves. We have the capacity to face our trials and defeat them, I
know, because I have lived it so many times.
Don´t let the path ahead that has a "mist of darkness; yea, even an
exceedingly great mist of darkness" deceive you, my heart is filled
with compassion to say this. Do not fall away like those "who had
commenced in the path" and "did lose their way, that they wandered off
and were lost." Keep to the iron rod (The word of god), and never let
go. As the prophet says, if we take a detour, there is no promise that
we will come back. We have the map, the gospel to guide us back to the
presence of our father, he gives us everything we need to know and to
do. I love you all
Elder Olson
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Carta de Elder Olson 01-31-2011
I am really enjoying myself, and enjoying my missionary life. To be honest,
I´m not thinking about home right now. I don´t know if that is good or
bad, I will just probably arrive and be lost. I learned to love this
life, and leaving it will be painful. I would like to dedicate this
time I have to send some pictures, it´s been too long since I haven´t
sent pictures.
This week has been pretty normal, a lot of teaching and working.
I would like to tell all of you that I am doing well, and I wish for
all of you to take care, I love you.
Elder Olson
The hottest christmas of my life
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
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, 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
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