week 44: Lots of Rain!

Hello, (I learned out to say hello in dutch this week but I forgot)

It's been a rainy week down here in Curico. It's rained more than half of this week, and it's still going strong today. The not-so-fun part of that is taking the 15 minute walk to get to our sector. I'm definitely grateful for my rain boots.

The canal systems aren't too fantastic down here. A lot of the roads are in such deep water that cars can't use them. I'm grateful to be in a 5th story apartment to avoid flooding. My Filipino friend (former housemate) Elder Belayro wasn't so lucky though. We saw their sector on the news in a member's house. I called them, and it sounds like their house is filled with water and they're looking for a new one. This week we were also in a house teaching when suddenly we heard a band and water began to drip down the walls and fall through the ceiling. We were there another hour helping fix their roof and dry their things.

On top of the rain, we've had trainings to give, interviews with President, exchanges to do and lots of service. We've had almost no time to go out to the sector which is a bit of a bummer.

On Saturday, we did 3 services. We hauled a lot of huge, soaked logs. The wheelbarrow broke under the weight, so we would load them up on our shoulders and carry them the 2 blocks to the less-active member's house. My shoulders are still super bruised.

Luckily we actually have weights here in our apartment so my exercise has leveled up a little bit.

I had a weird experience in the ghetto on exchanges this past Thursday. We ran into a drunk girl and her boyfriend fighting. She ran over to us asking for help. We were worried that he was going to hit her, so we talked them down. I was basically running in circles the whole time trying to get away from the girl who kept trying to hold my arm or hand and was too drunk to understand the word "no." Eventually, we got the two of them in their houses without calling the cops.

It's been a crazy week. I'm a bit stressed but I feel good and I'm sure things will calm down soon.

Pray and read your scriptures!

Love,
Elder Olson

Wall Mural along the street

Mate (the drink) in an apple

Elder Heap and Elder Olson...Companions

Week 43: Curico

Hey Friends and Fam,

Hey all, sorry I forgot to write out a group letter by hand, so this one might not be quite so detailed :)

This week has been my first here in the Alameda Ward in Curico. I haven't been able to spend as much time in the sector as I would've liked thanks to our meetings. On Thursday we went up to Rancagua for leadership council with the other mission leaders. It was very long, and while I love trainings with President I've certainly had better. Then on Saturday, we trained our district leaders on everything we'd talked about in leadership council.

My new companion, Elder Heap, is awesome. He "dies" (finishes the mission) this change. He's from the country in Arizona. Really chill.

The sector seems pretty good. I LOVED Buin, so it'll be quite the adjustment. I also feel a lot of pressure to baptize here, especially seeing how I'm a Zone Leader and should be setting the example.. There are a lot of great converts here, and all of our new investigators this week were references from members, so that's cool.

The city is pretty down here. Much larger than Buin.

Also Elder Villegas called me from Buin yesterday, and it looks like one of my investigators, Berny, there in church this week told them "Hey so, I wanna be baptized". He'll be baptized July 9. He wanted me to be there, we'll have to see if we can maybe work out some kind of skype call. But we as missionaries were only able to visit him twice, which goes to show that God does the work, and luckily He loves us missionaries enough to let us participate.

Mucho amor,
Elder Olson

Some photos from Buin and then from my new area, Curico

Goodbye Familia Rodriguez

Jaime (Brother James) second from the left. He liked to feed us missionaries in Buin

Investigator Carolina and her family. She's 10 days smoke free. Pray for her to keep it up. (and those aren't gang signs BTW)

 Photos from Curico...

From Chile to Alaska

Pano from apartment balcolny

Selfie on the balcony looking over part of Curico

Week 42: Leaving Buin & God Forgives

June 12, 2017

Hola Familia!

This weekend we received the changes (transfers), and...

I'm leaving Buin!

I'm going down South again, to the STake Center in Curico`. It'll be interesting; I've been assigned to be a Zone Leader there. I was really, really surprised. I'll be the Zone Leader with the least time in the mission, along with 1 other Elder from my group. My new companion's name is Elder Heap, from Arizona. He's another ex-mission secretary, who goes home this change. They say that my ward (the Alameda Ward) is really strong, and their ward mission leader is a machine. This will be my first ward in the mission (up until now I've had only branches), so I'm really excited.

The sad part is that they're closing my sector here in Buin. It'll be part of the sector of the other Elders.The good news is that my companion will be staying here with one of the Elders from the other sector, so they won't be in a "whitewash," where neither Elder knows the sector.

Carolina Soto and her family are progressing! Carolina is now 10 days smoke free, and her whole family came to church yesterday. We set a baptismal date with her husband Jose`, who opened up to us and told us about his drug addiction. I'm bummed that I'll have to leave them.

In my study, I recently came across Helaman 11. It amazes me how quick God is to forgive, and how quick we often are to forget. He wants to bless us. I hope we can all take advantage of repentance and God's quick and joyful forgiveness. I also hope that we can all be slow to forget all that He's done for us.

Love,
Elder Olson

Elder Olson's District in Buin

Monday June 5, 2017 , Barbeque the Elders (Mom note: Not sure what this really means or what it is a picture of) 

A Member (in the blue sweater) likes to feed the missionaries. Final time together.

Week 41:Planning and Scripture Study

June 5, 2017

Friends and Fam,

Wow, this transfer has really flown by. It's been easy to enjoy; I have a great companion, a great district, and a great branch. I've been here 3 transfers now, and this Saturday we'll find out if I stay or if I go. I love Buin, but I wouldn't mind a change either.

The last 2 weeks an old investigator I'd set a baptismal date with in my 2nd week in Buin started coming to church again. His name is Berny, a 23 year old with a mormon ex-girlfriend and Dragonball Z tatoos. He's almost golden, but he works a LOT and it's tough for him to find time to receive the discussions.

We had to move the baptismal date for a family (Carolina and her son Jose Andres) out to the 8th of July. She's progressing, but has a hard time getting work off to come to church.They're reading (they're at about 1 Nephi 7), praying, and Carolina has gone from a pack of cigarettes a day to 2 days without smoking. Keep them in your prayers. :-)

We had Zone Conference this week, where we talked about how we study the scriptures. President Harris's knowledge of the scriptures is incredible. I enjoy comparing my english scriptures with my mission scriptures. The difference in my study before vs. during the mission is very clear.

I like this analogy to illustrate the importance of planning an scriptures study: A war isn't won on the battlefield, a war is won in the general's tent. Success in life relies on our personal planning and preparation.

I also gave my class this week on planning and goal setting. I have my district doing a daily review/goal setting session every night in addition to their daily planning session each morning. My companion and I at least are feeling a difference, and another Elder also thanked me and told me he likes the 2nd planning session. M. Russell Ballard gave a talk, "Do things that make a difference," on worthy goals which I really like.

Love you guys, the Church is true,
Elder Olson

Extra note of interest from Mom Olson: In emailing Sister Harris and the Mission Medical about a prescription Jacob needed, Sister Harris said, "We love Elder Olson! Just this past week when President Harris was ready letters from the missionaries, he said to me "Elder Olson is a great missionary! I'd take 20 more just like him!" 
We are so proud of him working hard to do his best.
As an extra treat, while he was in the city (Rancagua) getting blood work done to get his prescription updated and refilled, he and his comp got to get pizza at Papa Johns. He was super excited about that.

Elder Olson has fully immersed himself in the work and the mission. He's been out 9 1/2 months and is truly happy serving the Lord and mentioned that he just hopes to meet the Lord's expectations of him.

Elder Olson also noted that it's getting quite cold there now. He's making use of his long underwear and their little space heaters are always on full blast. The mission provides them with electric blankets too as there is no central heating or air where the missionaries live.

Notes on the pictures and video are below:
This week the video Elder Olson mentioned last week came through. It is a video of him and his housemates playing a song he wrote for the Buin Zone.

Goodbye Elder Richards

"Strange People Prohibited"

Reunited with some of my MTC Elders: Elder Haar, Elder ?, Elder Mussleman (MTC Comp), Elder Olson

Farewell "Face to Face" for Elder Richards