Week 15: "100th day" & "Service"

December 6, 2016

Friends and Family,

Another good week done! This week we had the opportunity to do service for two sisters in the branch here. On Thursday we started off the month with the #lighttheworld day of service. We spent hours scraping paint and sanding the doors and window frames of an hermana, and we'll be finishing the job this week. We also spent a morning sorting a bin full of garbage and firewood. I saw more spiders doing that service than ever before in my life, and they were seriously all the size of a Quarter or larger, but I really enjoy the change of pace that comes with service projects like that.

This week I passed my 100th day in themission. It's crazy how fast the time's been going. A few of my inbestigators have told me that I look like I've lost weight, and I've lost about seven pounds. I guess I'd rather get skinny than fat, so that's pretty cool.

The spanish has been coming along really well. The Brazilians in our house have apparently heard me sleep talking about the mission in perfect Spanish. So far I've had to take their word for it, but they say it happens all the time and Elder Melo has started sleeping with his camera to record me.

Also, I bought myself an early Christmas present. I'll have to try to send a picture. Let's just say we play a lot of soccer here.

This week I was reading in Alma 31 where he's praying for the apostate Zoramites. He talks about how his heart is sorrowful, and asks for comfort. He then asks not to have his afflictions taken away, but for strength to suffer. He follows that request by turning outward and thinking of his fellow missionaries, praying for their comfort and success.

Even powerful Book of Mormon prophets faced apostasy and rejection; but we all have a purpose in God's plan, and we can never know what the long term effects of our actions will be.

I hope you can all have Christ in the center of your homes this Christmas season.

Amor,
Elder O

Elder Olson opened his first Christmas package we sent in his suitcases with him. I marked it "OPEN DECEMBER 1st". He said to me... "the tree and stockings are hanging in our house now. It's awesome to have a bit more Christmas spirit in the house. " I sent some other things for him to open on Christmas day and he's been super good about not opening them early. Fortunately, his Aunt (my sister-in-law) will be going down to a city in his area to visit her parents who live there in January and has offered to bring some other things down and drop them off at the mission home for him. I am very grateful for her willingness to do that.

he found a "hover board" to play on

He's enjoying the beauty of the country

Elder Olson's Christmas present to himself. Soccer Cleats. (he never thought he'd be owning a pair for himself before the mission.)

Week 4 - 1 month down - in the Mexico CCM

From: Jacob Olson <jacobbrianolson@myldsmail.net>

Subject: Re: Emailing so it gets there

Date: September 22, 2016 at 1:12:07 PM MDT

To: Julie Olson <rjolsonfamily@gmail.com>

Dear Friends and Family,

Sadly this letter is going to be wicked short because i put it off until the end of email time and I want to get a few pics on here. It's been a good week, we've really gotten into the routine and the time is starting to fly.

Speaking of time, I had a pretty clever (yet stupid) idea for a prank involving my comp´s alarm clock. He has one of those clocks with the bells on top that you only ever see in cartoons. We locked it in Elder Haar's closet set to go off at 1:30 in the morning. Super funny, BUT the next night I woke up  at 1:30 to, you guessed it, that same alarm clock. I opened my closet (Elder Musselman being the gentleman that he is pretended he was sleeping through it and I had no problem with taking care of it) and found behind my suitcase on the top shelf the clock, padlocked inside a toiletry bag. I just threw it out into the hall so Elders Haar and Jensen could deal with it, but guys, don't play pranks in the MTC.

This sunday we watched two recorded devotionals from Elder Bednar and Elder Holland. Absolutely fantastic. Bednar's was themed around mosiah 3:19, and focusing on turning outward rather than focusing on yourself. I invite you all to search for specific examples of the savior doing this in His own ministry. We will find the most success when we are absolutely selfless. Elder Holland also gave a quote I enjoyed: "You show me how your obedience is and I will show you how your mission will be.¨" 

I've been trying extra hard to apply these talks to my life. While my comp was practicing the piano (he accompanies the choir) I noticed a man cleaning the auditorium. I asked him using my limited spanish if I could help, and spent the next half hour helping him (his name was Javier) to clean. Also, this week I placed my first Book of Mormon. There is a construction project here at the CCM, for which they use private contractors who are not necessarily members of the church. We stopped to talk to one (named benjamin) and gave him a Book of Mormon. He didn't seem particularly interested, but he took the book. I've just been glad to have some opportunities for some kind of service while I'm still in the MTC.

We also got to participate in a celebration for Mexican Independence Day, which has been our only chance to get a little wild since we've gotten here. I've attached some pics below (I also want you all to notice how scary the way my companion is staring at me in the first picture is...hahaha)

I'm loving the emails/letters/packages im getting from everyone, as well as the updates on BYU football from my fam, so keep it coming.

Les amo mucho,

Elder Olson

Also, Enjoy how fantastically dorky we all are. Love you all <3

P.S. (friends and family) I love getting pictures from you guys so please send me more of those. Thanks <3