Week 17: Prayer and Faith

December 16, 2016

Friends and Fam,

Hey everyone, another crazy week here in San Clemente. Actually, I spent most of the week outside of my sector. On Wednesday we had the opportunity to participate in a Christmas program in an addiction recovery facility. We sang a lot of Christmas hymns and a version of "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul." The spirit was so strong.

This week Elder Santini went to the temple up in Santiago to finish off his mission, so I took the four hour bus ride to Licanten to do exchanges with an Elder Pollard. That seriously has to be the prettiest sector in the mission. We had some good visits, and the second day I got to go to the beach! We weren't going to go, but we had a baptismal interview with a kid from a nearby beach town. He was going to come to Licanten, but plans changed when we got a call saying that the kid's mom had been stabbed. It was a really crazy situation, but he's going to be baptized and his family's starting to take lessons. Pretty awesome.

Awhile ago we contacted a woman named Mary who had recently lost a daughter. We shared the Book of Mormon and Alma 40:11-12, set an appointment to teach her, and never saw her again. A month went by without any contact, but on Sunday we found her again. She started reading, and she says that our book has changed her life. She's shared it with her boss and nephew, and she reads it to her aunt and every time it makes them both cry. She has a testimony as strong as any member here. Obviously we were thrilled, but she got a call from her boss calling her to work up north for the next 4 months. She leaves this Thursday. We're going to do everything we can to make sure the missionaries up there get her reference, and I'm confident that she'll be baptized at some point, even if I don't get to see it.

During my time in the mission I've seen a lot of little miracles, and a few not so little. This week especially, I've seen answer to prayer after prayer. I also know that these blessings have come to us through faith. I testify of Matthew 17:20 and 21:22, that through faith accompanied by action you can accomplish any righteous goal that you may set.

Much love and Merry Christmas!
Elder Olson

Elder Olson and his comp, Elder Santini, with President and Sister Harris

traveling to Licanten

Church in Licanten (not sure if this is the actual church bldg or just church owned bldg)

spotting the ocean in Licanten

another glimpse of the ocean

beach wedding in the distance

A Half-Meter long (18") Completos. Working on putting back on the 7lbs he's lost so far.

Elder Borges Birthday

Traveling together to a Zone meeting with the Mission President (thanks to Elder Haar for the pic). Elder Olson is on the far left. 

Elder Olson's Zone. (Thanks to Elder Haar for the picture). He is second in from the left on the back row.

A LETTER FROM THE MISSION PRESIDENT TO ELDER OLSON'S FAMILY THIS WEEK:

Dear Parents and family of Elder Olson,

Merry Christmas from the Chile Rancagua Mission. During the month of December our missionaries have been busy sharing the message, “Ilumina el Mundo”, “25 Ways in 25 Days.” The video on mormon.org has been a great way to start conversations about the gospel and following Jesus Christ.

For our December zone conferences the missionaries have come to the mission home and prepared a program of music and scripture messages about Jesus Christ. We then shared our program at care centers and drug rehabilitation centers. The missionaries and the audiences were touched by the message of the Savior.

Thank you for the love and support that you give your missionary. We love Elder Olson and we are thankful that he is serving in our mission.

Merry Christmas!

President and Sister Harris

Week 16: Member Missionary Work is important

December 12, 2016

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I wasn't able to write individually this week. For Pday we went up to a Nature Reserve called Vilches. Luckily to make up for the lack of emails, I'll be sending a lot of photos, and a picture's worth a thousand words, right?

Vilches was absolutely gorgeous. We woke up early to take the hour and a half bus ride up there. When we got there they told us the most beautiful vistas would be a two day hike, about 24 km (nearly 15 miles) to a viewpoint called Enladrillo. On the way, we saw condors, insects, beautiful views and a tarantula they call "The Little Chicken Spider." We ran basically straight up the mountain and did the two day climb in six hours because we're stubborn like that. We also met a French backpacker named Jeremy who was our buddy for a little while. It was cool to hear Spanish spoken with a French accent.

This week we've been teaching the Bolivian friend of a member family. It's really cool to see the difference it makes in the conversion process when the members are so involved.

We also found out this week that one of the only three members that accompanies us hasn't technically been a member for several years. My respect for that member has grown a lot, because they are one of the most active and helpful people in the branch in spite of their membership status. It's a great reminder to us that it doesn't matter where we are on the straight and narrow path, but what does matter is which direction we're moving on that path. The Church is true and I love you all!

Elder Olson

He said this is one of the friendly spiders in their Casa. This kind of spider eats the other spiders so they don't kill it.

Street of San Clemente

Information Center at the Nature Reserve

 

The views at the beginning of the hike

off he goes to run up the mountains

Mountain views

rest shelter

Beginning to climb to the view Enladrillado

up at the top

beautiful skyline

the views over the vista

The group of Elders at the top

Large insect

One of his companions beginning the hike

the Little Chicken Spider (tarantula)

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.)