Carta de Elder Olson 3-27-2011

Something that has helped me push and fight on even when the difficulty and the intensity has increased, is thinking about the atonement of Christ and how he knows me. His bowels were filled with mercy, because of what he had felt in his suffering in Gethsemane. You and I may never have the same experiences, but the Lord has. Knowing that he suffered my pains, and for the punishment of my mistake help me imagine how great this act of love he did was for each one of us.
        His suffering was so great, that his soul and body was in total anguish. Our loving heavenly father sent him an angel to comfort him and he allowed this to happen... because of his love for us. Our heavenly father, and the Lord´s love for us is infinite. With that convincing evidence given to us, we can never say that we are not loved by God.
        I´m satisfied with what the Lord has made me from before and up to this moment of my mission (I have no regrets), there is still so much to change, and I will do my best so the Lord keeps on building me. I will keep working, and I want to come home needing help to get off the plane. I still got good time left!

Carta de Elder Olson 3-21-2011

It´s the coolest thing in the world to be a missionary. We always have the Lord at our back to protect us and guide us, I know that we are constantly guided and protected in the mission. This week we were able to find people to teach, a lot and it has been success given to us by the Lord.
       I have been working on an attribute of charity lately, and trying to apply what the Prophet Moroni suggested us about praying with all our heart to be blessed with this love, and I feel that as days go by, I can inch and inch a little more with this attribute. I know if we develop this attribute, we will have the unselfish desire to help others. Sometimes it is so hard to develop these a attributes, sometimes we feel like we can never develop them... we shouldn't feel that way, we should recognize our weakness and depend on the Lord to make them strong unto us. It works, I have lived it, and I know it´s true.
       The results are great, I don´t get upset when people reject me, instead of doing that I pray for them and be friendly to them. This is the greatest feeling in the world, to not get offended. Elder Bednard said that it is a choice to be offended.
       The bishop in my area is an excellent bishop. He had a dream about me having an interview with him. He asked me if I was O.k. and I said yes. He asked me again and I said no. So he pulled me into his office and he testified to me of the atonement of our savior. The spirit filled the room, and he told me that NOW is the time to apply the atonement more than ever before, and have the Lord carry some of my weight because I can´t do everything by myself. I need to have more faith that the Lord can carry some of my weight and help me with my trials... I felt a lot of stress and hearing that helped me a lot. I felt in my heart that the Lord used him as an instrument to communicate this with me.

The Lord works amongst us, and many times if we have faith he can work
miracles.

Elder Olson

Carta de Elder Olson 3-14-2011

I don´t feel old yet, but I guess I am old in the mission. It took me
awhile to get use to this life, and finally when I learn how to love
it, the time just flew. In my new area, we started with absolutely
nothing so in these past days we have been working hard to find a
teaching pool. So far we have been seeing great results from old
investigators that we started to teach again. I´m applying everything
that I learned and it seems to be working, we just have to be
constant.
        I really felt this passage of scripture has impacted me and helped me in my trials in the mission... "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 lived and know that the Lord blesses us as we are diligent, if we give up we
could be risking the loss of many blessings.
         I can assure you, our heavenly fathers love is immeasurable. If we embrace his word, we can come to feel his love. The spirit will confirm his love to us and our identity Romans 8:16 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:"

Carta de Elder Olson 07-03-2011

I called Sister Lindahl about a problem I am having with my shoes. Apparently my back is starting to ache because of the worn out shoes I am using. She called my father, and then called me back to notify my. In that phone call she assured me many things and what she had said to me, felt like one of the moments that I would call "Tender mercies" of the Lord. She said that I am good with keeping track of my "Expenses" and many other things, and she trusts that I am very ready for the next part of my life. I am now in San Raphael. It is a really green area, it´s very pretty In a area called pueblo diamante (Diamond town). This Sunday, I was able to share my testimony with the new members. When I shared my testimony, I could feel the change since the 6 months that I started in San Juan. The experiences I had in San Juan had totally strengthened me. I still have the district leader calling, usually missionaries get the calling sooner in there mission, and later they drop and slow down. By having this calling is going to help me not slow down and be strong from the beginning until the end.

I love you, take care!

Elder Olson