Week 49: audio letter

(Transcription: may not be 100% accurate)

Hello Hello Friends and Family,

Well, This week I thought I'd try something a little different. Alot of the missionaries here send audio recordings instead of letters to their families...saves a little bit of time in the internet place, the cyber, and it's also something a little different and I thought it might be cool make one to send you guys.

This week is gonna be my 19th birthday so that's kind of weird...I'm not really a kid anymore, but still young at heart so that's cool.

So this week's been pretty good. It's the first week of the training so it's always a little different. So you've gotta get used to the new companion, sometimes the new sector, but for me I stayed here, in Curico in the Alameda ward. My old companion Elder Heap went home to Arizona and I got my new companion Tuesday, which was Elder Guariglia from Uraguay. So he got here on Tuesday in the morning and I was in the bus terminal all day to make sure all the missionaries got to their zones where they need to be, because that's one of the Zone Leader's responsibilities down here. So he got here on Tuesday and we finally got back to the house and got settled in here and did a lot of cleaning...it wasn't SUPER messy but it could've probably been a little tidier, the house, but that was good. We got everything all organized. We got some old bunk beds nobody was using taken down and got a lot of space opened up so that was kind of cool.

On Wednesday we had a meeting with the zone, something a little different we are starting with this change...to set goals and plans for the transfer. We decided, "What are achievable goals we can set for the zone for this change?" and we had them do the same thing in districts. Then on Thursday we took those goals and plans we had made to leadership council in Rancagua...which was really REALLY good this transfer! The last time I went to the leadership council...I mean it wasn't bad but... I was having a little trouble keeping my eyes open, I'll be honest. But this one was fantastic. The spirit was incredible and it was really more efficient than last time. So we were there all day in Rancagua on Thursday and when we got back we had time to do our studies and that was it.

On Friday, everything was...let's see, did anything even happen on Friday?...oh yeah...on Friday we went to a little pueblo, a little town, outside of Curico called Serviento (sp?) which is a part of our sector. We have two little towns outside of Curico that are a part of our sector..sorry for my English...I don't get a lot of practice. So while we were out there we found a small family of 3, it was an old grandpa, his daughter and his granddaughter and they were SUPER SUPER receptive, really nice, they had a couple questions, they participated a little bit but really the cool part about that lesson apart from finding a family, was the spirit that came in when we shared the first vision. You know, I just ...you go to recite the actual words from the first vision, which we don't always do, but I felt like we should do it. And the spirit just filled the room so quick and so strong, it was really awesome. So that was a cool experience.

On Saturday morning I gave my first baptismal interview. One of the sectors in our zone, one of the district leaders, had a baptism on Saturday night so I got to do the interview on Saturday morning...which was cool, which was different, something I hadn't done before. So kind of an older lady named Margarita. She's kind of an old catholic lady, one of the ones that always tells us to get out, she doesn't want to hear anything, she'll never change. And so I don't know that I ever thought I'd ever see one of those get baptized, but to be able to give her a baptismal interview was kind of cool for me.

And then, yesterday was kind of a rougher day. None of our investigators made it out to sacrament meeting even though we had about 6 who were committed to go, and 5 of which we had committed to go the day before, so we thought we were set, we thought we were going to have a lot of people come in...but they all bailed on us. But that's all right. It's kind of the stuff that happens. You can't force the people to accept the gospel it's something that comes bit by bit. It was ok.

Also this week we found a bunch of Columbians who were visiting, who were here for work, who actually got tricked into coming down here and now they're getting paid less than they were promised. It's actually something that happens a lot with the Columbians, with the Hatians here. But we started teaching them and they're pretty receptive as well. They started coming to church about twice...to our ward...but they sometimes go to another ward because they sometimes send a member with a van to steal them. I don't know what's up with that because they live in the boundaries of our ward, but that's just more interesting stuff that happens.

So it's kind of weird to be doing this whole talking/recording thing. But I thought it'd be something different, kind of cool. I'm kind of running out of time here, but I just wanna let you guys all know that I love you, that I'm happy out here, that I enjoy spreading the gospel. It's all about getting lost in the work. I want to let you all know that I know this church is true and that Christ knows us.

I hope you all have a great week!

Take care,
Elder Olson

Week 48: Referrals are great

7/23/17

Friends and Fam,

Changes this week! I said goodbye to Elder Heap on Friday Morning, and I’ve been with Elder Neves from Rio, Brasil. I’ve been practicing my Portuguese, and I think I’m getting better. Now I at least know more than crude words, because that’s what they usually end up teaching me.

We spent a lot of the week saying goodbye to members and investigators. On Thursday, some converts made us chunchules, or Pig intestines, which was definitely different. Definitely better than I expected though! They also made us Prietas (Blood Sausage) which are awesome.

A less-active archeology student let me shoot his crossbow, which was fun.

Oh, as for the changes, I’m staying here in Alameda. My new companion is going to be Elder Guariglia from Uruguay, who’ll be coming from Talca where he was a Zone Leader. There may only be 2 gringos in my zone this change, but we’ll have to see when the trainees get here.

I’m grateful to be here in Alameda.This change 100% of our new investigators were references which was awesome.Crazy, but awesome.

This week I’ve read a lot in 3 Nephi, studying the words of Christ to the Nephites. It’s made me think of President Nelson’s promise in General Conference that by studying Christ’s life we will come to know him and draw His power into our lives.

Much love,Elder Olson

Curico Zone before Changes

Pig intestines and potatoes

Crazy walk signal light

Shooting a crossbow

Trump in Chile

Week 47: SNOW!!!

July 17, 2017

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry but not much of a letter this week. I'm uploading extra fotos and stuff. Had to get up early this morning to see the snow. I'm over my cold. Also in the interesting experience department, when I was talking to some other missionaries when doing exchanges an old homeless lady dumped a styrofoam cup of water on me and ran away stumbling and dancing and yelling that she had baptized me. So that's pretty neat. 

Love you all, pray and read your scriptures and go to church,

Elder Olson

Note on the Pictures: Elder Olson finally got to go up to the mountains and see and play in the snow. He was so happy. 

The car ride up to the beautiful mountains

Once there was a Snowman, Snowman, Snowman

Chilean Cowboys

The car ride up (turn the sound off on this one...just wind)

More of the car ride scenery (turn the sound off)

The beautiful Mountain stream and snow

Week 46: Blessings through FAITH

July 10, 2017

Hey Everyone,

I hope that you're all enjoying the warm July weather up there. We're still getting plenty of cold and rain (Luckily the cold isn't much compared to a Utah winter). The cold means that everybody starts their wood burning stoves, and the air is always full of a think layer of smoke. A lot of the zone (and the mission) has gotten sick. Luckily I've avoided most of it, I've just got a bit of a cold and cough. Elder Heap is starting to get pretty sick though, so I hope we'll be able to fight it off and keep working.

A member from another sector had promised to take us up to the mountains to see snow today, but he cancelled on us late last night.

This week I've had the chance to attend a few meetings. President Harris called us Wednesday to have us come to a meeting with the stake president. On Thursday, we also presented in a stake wide bishopric/branch presidency training. It was kind of cool to see a different side of things.

On  Thursday, we also had a zone conference, where we talked about "opening the heavens" to receive Divine help through our faith.

Moroni 7 promises many blessings that come through our faith (remembering that faith is a principle of action). Among these we can see that through faith we: "lay hold upon every good thing" (v.25), we become saved and become sons or children of God (v.26), we shall receive what we righteously ask for (v.26), we are claimed by Christ (v.28), "Cleave unto every good thing (v.28), we are shown angels (v.30), we five the Holy Ghost place in our hearts (v.32), and obtain "power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in [God]" (v.33). I know that when I have exercised faith I have seen miracles.

Love,
Elder Olson

Elder Olson told his little brother that though he didn't get to swim in a pool this week (like Archer did), he did get to play pool (on Pday).

Elder Olson and Elder Heap

New Curico Zone Hats

Elder Heap and Elder Olson sporting their hats

week 45: Happy American Independence Day!

July 3, 2017 

Friends and Family,

Hey everyone, sorry if this one`s a bit short, my Sunday Nights and monday mornings have gotten pretty busy lately so I don't have time to prewrite my letters as often.

This week flew by. I can`t believe that this transfer is halfway over.

We had a baptism this week! Well, the ward had a baptism. An 8 year old girl named Valentina who was baptized and confirmed Sunday. The ordinance and ceremony were short and sweet.

We started working with a man named Cristian, who the other Elders met at a funeral. He accepted a baptismal date this week. He's looking for work and really questioning his faith in whether or not God hears his prayers. He is a wonderful example of real intent, and I am excited to continue working with him. 

Yesterday Chile was in the Confederation Cup (kind of a pre world cup I think) soccer finals against Germany. It was the first time they'd made it to the final (or even qualified for the cup) so it was a pretty big deal, especially after beating Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo. Sadly however they lost, and now we get a little bit more hate because everybody thinks my companion and I are Germans.

I was repassing 1 Nefi 13 and DyC 100 and I love to see how inspired the foundation of the United States was. Happy Independence Day to all those who live in the greatest country in the world! Meanwhile I'm enjoying it here in the second greatest country, where my companion and I made about a million American style burgers complete with potato salad and apple pie. God Bless the USA!!!

With love,

Elder Olson

Exchanges in Lontue with Elder Bitar

Making Burgers for Zone Pday Activity - Celebrating American Independence Day