Thursday, May 18, 2017

May 15, 2017 Happy Mother's Day Mom

Dear mom and everyone,

I just realized I didn't said happy Mother’s Day to you yesterday. sorry and Happy Mother’s Day. The call was super cool and sorry for not being a man of words. 

Well this was another slow week. We had two more lesson with Felix and Mari Cruz. It was super cool because we have new pamphlets that talk about how the church works with calling and family home evenings and stuff like that. They seem super ready to be baptized. They came to church yesterday and I had to teach principles of the gospel alone that was interesting but I think I did a good enough job for them to understand. 

Saturday, we had our Zone conference. It was super cool we talked about Elder Bednar's talk from priesthood session. The talk was about the difference in being called and being assigned. It doesn't matter where we are as long as we are doing the work of the Lord, we can't go wrong if we are sharing the gospel. He also pointed out that the assignments on the mission don't matter we are but to do the work of the Lord not to receive assignments. 

This week I was reading in Mosiah 4, at the end to of King Benjamin’s talk in verse 26 he talks that we need to show kindness and visit other and minister to them and it will help us receive a remission of our sins. So, I challenge you guys to be kind to other's and to read Mosiah 4 

Well I again have an infected computer so I can't send photos again.

I love you all 


Elder Olsen

Here are some of the Pictures that were posted on Sis Madsen's FB page from the La Costa Zone Conference on May 13, 2017.  This will probably be the last time we will receive pictures of Elder Olsen before the Madsen's leave to go home (unless he is transferred next week).  Their time in Oaxaca has almost come to an end and we sure have grown to love them as they take such good care of our missionaries in the Mexico, Oaxaca Mission.














May 14 , 2017 Mother's Day Phone Call

Sunday, May 14, 2017
Mother’s Day phone call
We left church about 20 minutes early because we were expecting Mitchell to call home around 4 pm.  When I got home, Garrett had the computer all hooked up to the family room tv and both Connor and Spencer were connected on Google Hangout.  Lauren and Dennis and the kids were there.  We grabbed a few snacks to put out to hold us over until the call was done and we were ready to eat.  Grandma Linda, Clarke, Shelly, Mike and Curtis came in.  We sat ourselves down on the couch and the waiting game began.  We talked with Connor and Spencer for quite a while and then everyone started to get a little impatient.  I reread the text he had sent that he would call between 4 and 5.  As it got closer to 5 even I was getting anxious.  And then the call came in and there was my boy.  He was calling from the church computer.  He was sitting in a little closet and his companion kept coming in and out of the room. We got to meet Elder Mendez and he seems like a nice young man.  He organized a closet a lot of the time that Mitchell talked.  He called his mom on Wednesday which was Mexican Mother’s Day. Mitchell looked great.  His blonde hair that he had as a young boy was back.  He has lost a lot of weight and he looked so handsome.  He was very pink from being out in the sun so much.  And then he got silly and giggly.  It was so good to see him.  My heart was so full at that time. 
The internet connection wasn’t perfect.  He kept breaking in and out especially as people were talking and asking questions.  He went to go answer the first question (I can’t remember what we had asked him first and he started to speak in English but we weren’t sure if he was speaking English or if he was speaking his own made up language of English and Spanish.  He had admitted that he had
He loves where he is.  He lives about 15 min taxi drive or 30-45 min walk to the church.  He had fish for dinner at a member’s house before he called us.  It was fun to have him explain to us about the fish dinner.  They eat fish quite often and he really likes it.He loves his area and loves his companion.  They get along well and they work well together.  They are working with a family and they will be having a baptism on the 27th with a bunch of investigators.  It’s a big event that day because there are so many that are getting baptized that day.  He walks a lot and his shoes are getting worn.  He needs new shoelaces and some more garments.  I told him I would put a package together but I will wait until next week after he finds out if he gets transferred or not.  If he gets transferred he thinks he will go back to the city.  But then he said that he doesn’t think he will be transferred.  He is getting a new Mission President the first of July and he doesn’t think Pres will make any changes before he leaves.  He had Zone Conference with Pres on Sat and he said it was really good.  I’ll try and remember the conference talk he referenced to.  He doesn’t get to really see any other missionaries except the ones in his district.  He lives 12 hours away from the mission home and he doesn’t ever go there.  The Mission Pres and his wife comes to visit them.  He doesn’t really know very many missionaries so far because he was only in his first area for one transfer and he’s been where he is now for 6 months.  He will be out now for 8 months on the 20th and if he doesn’t get transferred he will be in Puerto Escondido for 7 ½ months.  It’s a touch area and it’s hard to find people to teach.  They knock on doors and it’s hard to get the members to give referrals.  He also talked about how there are 4 different kind of areas in his mission, The City, The Coast, The Mountains and the South. 
He likes the food and he eats a lot of soup and chicken.  He wants simple skillet recipes.  He only has a single burner in the kitchen and doesn’t have an oven.  He likes to make pizza with members and he’s getting the dough recipe better.  He has only eaten about 3 meals his whole mission that hasn’t had tortillas.  They eat tortillas with everything.  The sushi he had a couple of weeks ago he really enjoyed.  His brother Spencer said it looked really sketchy but Mitchell said it was pretty good. He doesn’t have measuring spoons or cups and it seems like no one there does.  I told him that that’s probably the reason his dough is so sticky.  He blamed it on the altitude but I don’t know.  We talked a lot about recipes he could make.  He eats a lot of ham and chicken.  He’s tired of grilled cheese sandwiches.  It was hard to talk to him because the internet kept kicking in and out. 
We talked about his piano and he tries to practice a couple times a week. He has learned a few songs with his right hand but its difficult with his left hand.  He wants to make sure he practices.  He said he asked for it so he needs to learn.  Garrett told him that he was going to the Imagine Dragons concert and he was a little jealous and the big brothers teased him about seeing Guardians of the Galaxy.  Of course we talked about golf and that dad was golfing about once a week.  Mitchell said there is a golf course in the city and when he returns to the city he wants to go play on his pday.  We talked about the summer plans and the trips we will be taking.  We talked about his dad working in the temple and what a blessing that is in our family.  We also shared how well his dad is doing as the Young Men’s President and how much he loves doing that.  Mitchell is in a very small ward and there are only 3 or 4 young men.  It was fun to hear the brothers talk to him in Spanish and compared their missions to his.  Connor gave him some advice on how to find people to teach and that was nice to hear.  The boys take care of each other and they love each other.  Garrett told him he doesn’t want him come home anytime soon because that means that Garrett will be leaving on his mission.  Taymar sang to him and told him a couple of stories and that was fun.  We show him how Aaron crawls like a monkey and we told him that his sister was having a baby girl.  When he gets home she will be almost 1 years old.  That is crazy to think.  We talked a little bit about Uncle Mike and his accident and how he was feeling.  We talked about what he wanted to do about school and when he comes home.  He wants to finish out his whole mission.  If he came home in time for school to start, he will have to come home a transfer early.  He doesn’t want to do that.  He wants to come home on his release date and hang out at home, maybe work at Harkins for the holidays and go to school in January.  Connor told him he has an extra room right now.  He could be his roommate if he came home now.  We teased Connor about getting married and we said that Garrett would be married before Connor or Mitchell. 
He is happy where he is.  He loves sharing the gospel and he loves being a missionary.  He wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.  He wrote to Andrew and Devin his two buddies and he wanted us to get him in contact with Zach his buddy in the Ward that he got to help teach the first missionary discussion to. 
Well, this is about all I can remember with my old memory.  We had him bare his testimony in Spanish and he’s getting pretty good at it.  His brothers of course had to tease him about his Mexican Spanish.  Overall he is happy, he loves being a missionary, and He’s excited about his baptism next week.  We are so proud of him and the decision he made to go on a mission.  He’s a good missionary who is obedient.  He wants me to send him a package and he wants chocolate covered almonds. I told his I would do the best I could do to make that happen.  His companion came in and held up 2 fingers which meant Mitchell had two more minutes.  I held up 4 fingers because we still needed to take a family picture.  He giggled and said ok but we needed to hurry.  I knew the time was getting short even before his companion gave us the 2 min warning.  We gathered around and took the picture.  We said good bye for about 2 min and I wasn’t going to hit the end button.  He told me not to cry, and of course the tears started to flow.  I did my best to keep them in. We said good bye and he was gone.  And then the tears came and they came hard and fast. 
I am so proud of my son.  He has the spirit inside of him and he glows.  He is happy, he is healthy and he loves what he is doing.  I wouldn’t want him to be anywhere else or doing anything differently at this time.  Time is going fast and he will be home before we know it, but I’m not worried about that or even think about it.  I want him to find people to teach and to share the gospel. 

We love all of our children and have been blessed with some amazing kids that love the Lord and are good examples to those around them.  I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true.  I know that if we keep the commandments and do what is right, we will be blessed in so many ways.  I know that the power of the priesthood is real and I am so thankful that I have a worth husband and sons to hold that priesthood.  I am thankful for the Book of Mormon and I know that as I read it and listen to it on the way to work, that I can find answers to  questions and can show me the way to return back to our Heavenly Father.  I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and if we truly apply the atonement in our lives, we can come closer to Jesus Christ and He will be there during our trials.  I know that our family is blessed when we attend the Temple.  There are angles among us that watch over us and keep us safe.  I know that I have an eternal family and that I will be able to live with them again.  I am thankful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and I am thankful for my husband and my children and my family.  Families are Forever.  If you have any questions about what our son is doing in Oaxaca as a missionary or about the Church we belong to, please ask.  We love the Lord and we want to help those that are searching for the truth to Come Unto Christ. 







Monday, May 8, 2017

May 8, 2017 Mosiah 18:9

Dear Mom and Everyone,

Well this week was another tough one. We walked a lot this week with very little lessons. Tuesday, we had splits again. me comp is dl so he's just getting them all done at once. That day we looked and looked and looked for people but all of our appointments fell and everyone else said "Orto dia" (another day) so we walked a lot. We had one good lesson on baptism with our most potential investigators.

Thursday, we had another family home evening again making pizzas, we ended up getting there late because my comp had to do an interview so I took elder Svedin. He's a cool greeny from Idaho that just loves sharing the Gospel with EVERYBODY. It's super cool to see how hard he works and being so new in the mission. I think the pizzas came out good this time but we had to leave before they were ready so I’m not sure. Saturday there was a supercool branch activity for dia del NiƱo (kid’s day).
that branch rented a huge inflatable water slide and it was super cool because our investigator got to come. oh, and that day was also clean the chapel day, but everyone was so focused on the activity to we swept and cleaned windows and called it good.

Sunday was a little disappointing again. We did have a lot of less actives and the ex-branch president (he's coming by himself because we haven't been able to find him which is great) there but our investigators did. oh well there’s always next week.

The migraines come and go, it's hard to tell sometimes which is a migraine and a headache. I haven’t had too many bad migraines though which is a good thing. Everything between my comp and I is great. I'm talking better so we're having better conversations. Splits can be cool if you're going with another cool elder but sometimes you just get the elder that eats all your food and sleeps on you bed.

whelp that’s about all. something I’d like to remind all of you of our baptism covenants we've made. found in Mosiah 18:9 you cry with those who cry and comfort those that stand in need of comfort. I'd like to challenge you guys to find a way to help out someone who needs help. 

I love you all sorry for the lack of pictures I don't trust this computer


Elder Olsen

May 1, 2017 Beach with District

Dear Mom and Everyone,

Well, this week was pretty slow with a lot of walking. Tuesday, we didn't really do anything until 8:30. We had finally found a less active that was the first branch president here, and basically started the church in Puerto Escondido. He's super cool, he's super animated to get back to church, they said it made him shameful to comeback to church, but he would be great to fill the spot of branch president because we don't have one here. 

Friday, we had divisions, I was with Elder Svedin but I had a migraine to we only went to sure appointments. We ended up only going to two appointments and study in the house. but we did eat some pretty good pizza. 

Saturday, we had to help some missionaries get their house ready to leave and fix some stuff they broke so we didn't get much done either. 

Sunday was a little disappointing but there were a few less actives and investigators that we have visited.

Today we went to the beach as a district and played some frisbee and played in the sand, I didn't take too many pics but I’m expecting some from some other elders. It was cool and we got some coconut water after, still don't like it but it quenched my thirst. 

Well, Something That I really Like to tell people is that If we take the sacrament worthily we get to have the holy ghost continue to be with us and continue guiding us, and there are only a few things we have to do, I challenge you to find these things out by studying the sacrament prayer in Moroni 4 &5 

Well I love you all,


Elder Olsen