Nov 29th and Dec 7th, 2016 Choir Rehearsal and Zone Conference

Monte Alban Zone Conference and Choir Rehearsal from the Mission Facebook Page

December 19, 2016 Christmas is in the air

Dear mom and everyone,

Thank you for making the letter shorter:* 

This week was just a normal week. Tuesday, we got the ex-bishop to come with us to a lesson but it fell. My comp was expecting him to go home after that but no he was like where are we going next. So, we tried to see another investigator but of course he wasn't there either. We finally went with this less active family. That was super cool because we planned a fhe for tonight with them and the bishop’s family.

Wednesday, we went to an hma that her mom is very sick, so we cleaned and put together a special bed for her to make it easier to clean her. Then we had lunch with an ex-misionera, and she had her neighbor there. she was this shy little 14-15-year-old and we got to teach her a little. Oh, and later that night we were looking for a member to teach because a cita fell and we get stopped by a drunk in his car. We were knocking on the door of a member and all of a sudden, screech!! quienes son ustedes. somos representantes de la iglesia de Jesucristo. (broken English) Oh you’re gueto. did you know I was in the states for 3 years? The sent me back because when I drink I drive. and here they don’t have a problem with that... I can’t imagine why.

Thursday, we get called in the morning and we have to go on divisions with the assistants so I head over to their area and E Chacon gets to stay here. It was a good time but we only ended up having 3 lessons because everything fell. Chacon went to all 5 citas back to back. so, they were working like horses. But they did find two investigators we had been looking for a long time so that’s great.

Friday oh Friday. So, Sunday we had planned to have a ward activity and the ward was actually planning it so that was great. And us being missionaries invited all of our investigators and less actives. But guess what we learned at lunch like two hours before it was supposed to start. They changed it to the next week without telling us. so, we run to all of our investigators trying to tell them that it is next week. We got to everyone but one. One of the investigators that Chacon had found went all alone. Luckily the other ward was having their activity and the misionera could call us for that and we got it all straightened out.

Saturday, we were invited to a wedding by someone we contacted but of course we had a surprise service project that ended up just being us and two others. but it was a good time we just took a bunch of empty bottles to a recycle place.

Sunday, I wasn’t feeling well so we took a nap and didn’t get much done

and today, we had a lazy day I washed some clothes and bought some food. We had planned to visit a tyluda place 2' mins away but it ended up being closed.

Okay for the call we know a member we a ciber (internet cafe) so we are going to use theirs. I don’t think too many people have computers here which is the problem with doing it at a member’s house and according to my comp nothing has changed as far as time.

The ward is awesome all the members love us and love to help us when the can. Haha about the ward mission leader, he’s in Utah for school, and I have no idea when we will get a new one. The old one didn’t do anything anyway. Sundays are easy for us haven’t have to give a talk yet but there is a member that loves to correct us and call on me when he teaches a lesson. Oh, my suit pant one of the legs needs retheming and one of the belt loops got torn off by my back pack buckle and the zipper broke on the black pants with the horizontal strips. I know a member that can fix my suit pants but idk about the others. oh, and my comp lost a lot of weight here so he had some extra that fit me with a belt that I could have.

Ok Love you all

Elder Olsen

 First is called an alambre. basically just a pile of meat and a bunch of tortillas 

 the beautiful sunset

 The next two are sunday we help set up christmas at a members house.

 Then the rest are me setting up chistmas in my apartment

December 12, 2016 Survival of 1st Changes

Dear mom and everybody,

Ok mom I love your long emails but you know how slow I read and write. so please if it's possible make them a little shorter. As far as the call its nothing specific we just find a cafe with cameras and call through skype but I think google is fine. probably around 5 or 6. we are only supposed to take an hour but who knows? 

This week not too much special happened. We did get a family of 3 to accept baptism which is great. It’s a mom and two kids and the kids are going to end up pulling the mom to church. We are focusing on the having members with us in lessons because we have a lot easier of a time getting them to do things. We had an hma come with us to a lesson with her friend. at first, she said no I can’t but with the help of the hma she let us in. The next time we came mixed her up with another cita and we were an hour late but she still let us in. It’s amazing how the spirit touches peoples live. 

I have received the package but I haven’t been able to put up the decorations because we were out of our house for a little bit to clean up the last of the chinchas. Tell Connor sorry for forgetting the socks I will wear them, But the thing is we can’t go out in regular clothes so I’ll do what I can. I have no idea what’s going on with the Christmas program. They explained it before and my comp explains things like Garrett. So I just finished my first change and here is a list of things that have happened to me, We had chinchas, a tj said I was going to hell for preaching false doctrine, I have two pairs of pants that are broken, One of the zipper broke today to I have been walking around with my zipper down today, I lost my gafete (badge) on the way home today, we left an investigator that wasn’t progressing, we put a fecha (date) with an antiguo (former), everybody says my Spanish is very good, the members are great and we have a family with fechas. I do love the mission. I’m having a great time. Oh, look up the food gringas (and be careful because it has another meaning to) they are delicious and ask bro garrison if he knows what tyludas that’s a popular thing here, I don’t think they’re that special. Yea chinchas are the tick looking things with a red color. The man with the pig is a less active that roast those over a fire for hours he does it for a living and no we haven’t had his pork yet. We haven’t had anything too special as far as food. a lot of pollo but that’s fine because we are getting fed. The keyboard is a lot of fun. I haven’t been able to find a book but with my limited knowledge of music I figured out the scales and how to play some hymns. If you want, you can send me a piano book with a lot of cool music. I sorry if my letters seem less than they should be but I am taking my whole hour to read and write. I love it but I do also want to find new songs to listen to and play. sorry. Well I love you all tell sister Heywood thanks for her letter, y tangan una buena semana.

Elder Olsen

 Gringas.  Sounds like they are similar to a quesadilla

 Companion likes to play the guitar

 Elder Olsen's District

 Strike a pose

 Elder Olsen's firist coconut

There is subway everywhere

Dec 5, 2106 Dad's New Calling

Dear Mom and Everyone,

Wow thats super crazy dad is young men's president. Don't corrupt them too much dad haha. But all joking aside, I think you'll do great. Bishop called you through revelation and will help you do your calling. 

Well this week was interesting. We had talked to a less active RM last week and I had challenged him to be worthy to return to the temple to find his animo again and invited him to come with us to a lesson. It was great when we had that lesson. If you ever have the opportunity to go to a lesson with the missionaries go, it will be a great expiriance for everybody. Anyway the lesson we had with the RM was an investigadora eterna, and the next lesson we were able to put a fecha bautismal with her. It was awesome. Most of our Citas seemed to fall this week which was weird but life goes on. We did have an awesome day on saturday. We contacted two references with members and had great lessons with them. Like I said vaya con los misioneros.

Outside of that it was pretty chill, although one of our neighbors had found a chincha in her departamento so the dueño had to come fumidate our house so we lived with the zone leaders for a few days and I think that they will finally be gone. He said the source was probably my comp's maletas.

Time is going by so fast I feel like I got here a week ago honestly. But everything is good. Im sorry if my emails have sounded sad or like I'm hating it here because that's not true at all. We have awesome members and investigators we always have food to eat that is tasty and I am learning spanish a lot faster than I expected. The keyboard is awesome, I'm mainly practising scales but i can play the top line or nearer my god to thee (I know thats the easiest hymn to play). The computer last week was a little sketchy and i think I picked up a small virus on my cameras card. If Dennis has any suggestions that would be cool. And yea that was this little kid that was baptised named Ahixell (sounds like Aesher long A) hes super cool. We are doing the light the world but its with the same vigor as everything else. Gosh I wish I got more time to write but alas no

I love you all and feel your prayer, go out and help the missionaries!!

Elder Olsen

Dear elder Olsen

Well it's been almost 20 years and they gave me a a leadership callings as  men's president. I feel Very good about the calling and not because it is a  leadership or a high calling in the ward it is that the Lord  aknowledges what I've trying to accomplish in my life. so I'm taking it very serious but not too serious you know me. I just want to thank you for your love and support through everything that our family has been through. That is what family is for to lift other people up when they are struggling. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true I know this with all my heart and soul. I also know that his plan for a husband and a wife to have children is the most important thing that we can do on this earth it is not easy but it is worth it. As a young man they told us that these were the last days,I didn't realize what they're telling me what I can tell you with the surety that you are fighting a good fight do a great job and you will be blessed and just remember when you go through hard times you are having to learn something you need to learn to just take a deep breath and deal with it! Just remember you'll be better for it! You have always been a special boy I've always known that don't forget that, I love you so much and so proud of you. we appreciate your blessings that we are receiving from you serving a mission.
 Love your DAD

Dear Dad,

That super crazy your young men president, and i can't think of a better person for it. I know you will do great at it and Who are your councilors? I love you and love that you’ve shown me how to change through Christ's atonement. I try to use your example every day. 

Love you dad

Elder Mitchell Olsen

Nov 28, 2016 Happy Thanksgiving

Dear mom and everyone,

It's hard to remember that this is the season of thanksgiving but I still have a lot to be thankful for. Being here has made me realized how blessed I am to be born in the gospel with loving parents and sibling. I am thankful for all the opportunities that growing up in the states gave me. I am thankful for the call to serve and all the blessings we have received because of it. I am thankful for the people here and the help they provide. I am especially grateful for Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us. I know he loves each and every one of us.

A lot to be thankful for and so little time to type. Well this week was interesting. Tuesday we try to find a reference from other missionaries We spend all night trying to figure out where his house is at and we had called him and set a cita but he wasn't even there. We were told he would be there Wednesday but nope. so that was interesting. 

Thursday we get new mattresses to replace the bedbugy ones so everything should be fine from there.

Friday there was a ward activity, here ward activity means oh the missionaries will take care of it. So the assumed that we had everything set but nope. So now we have to got download a movie from a computer place and get it to the church. During this whole time my comp is sick and really shouldn't be out but oh well. Well we get to the church and the projector isn't working so we find a small tv to play it on. We watch the Johm Tanner storey and it turned out nice but we should have been resposible but oh well.

Saturday, almost the same thing happens with an 8 yearolds baptism. He's 8 and his mom is a member so it should have been the wards thing but again no. so we threw together a program started an hour late but it was still nice.

Well because my comp was sick for two days we didn't get anyone new but he is better now which is good. Food is the same nothing new. This week we had a less active come to a ward activity and bear his testimony so that was cool. I don't know if it will come through but this less active roasts pigs and there's a picture of him preparing one. Right now I am just finding and marking scriptures to support what i say in lessons.

Well I love you all hope everything goes well. Glad you had fun at rocky point definitly want to go right when i get back.

Love,

Elder Olsen

 Mitchell practicing his keyboard

 Asher's Baptism

Nov 21, 2016 New Missionary Training

New missionaries and their trainers receive instruction in the 12-week training program and adapting to missionary life.