Sept 25, 2017 A Sick but Productive Week

Dear mom and everyone,

This week was interesting, I had told president about my headaches so he wanted me to get checked up at the doctors, So we went to the doctor’s office this Tuesday he said that they are probably just headaches but he wanted to run some tests, so Wednesday we went to do the test but they told me that it had been too long since the last time I ate so we went Thursday and they took out some blood and I got the test the same day but I we haven't been able to go to the doctors so well see what he says tomorrow. This isn't for anything besides me normal headaches so I think I’ll be just fine. But that ate up most of our time this week but we did get some good lessons in. 

Tuesday, we were in a bus so we didn't even feel the earthquake so we were super confused when everyone was asking if we were okay, almost nothing happened here just some scared people that’s all. It happened more in Mexico City, my comp's family is fine but there was a lot of damage done over there. 

Wednesday, we had a cool lesson with a youth named Marisa, she’s in the first picture. The spirit was so strong that she cried. We’ll keep working with her. 

Friday, we had a cool lesson with a guy named Ybram, He's been listening to the missionaries for years because his wife is a member, but we found out what he really needed and we are going to help him feel that he really is a child of God. 

Saturday, we ate with our new bishop, he was just put in a week ago and he is really excited to help us. We are going to have a lot of support from the ward. That recent convert Citlali didn’t want anything to do with the church but after with bishopric visited them she was super excited.

Sunday, we found this lady Hulga, she’s been having a ton of problems with alcohol mainly, but also her son is in jail under false accusations. We gave her a blessing of comfort and helped her realize that God listens to her prayers. We also went with the youth to visit less actives. That was cool

Welp that’s about it, everything here is safe and sound,

I love you all 

Elder Olsen

Sept 19, 2017 Hump Day

Dear Mom and everyone,

This week was pretty ordinary, we have been knocking on doors for most of the last two weeks. We found this youth that has been really interested in our message. She is so interested that she has promised to buy us the best tlayuda in the city so that’s cool. She's a foodie too so we talk a lot about the food here what’s good what’s not and almost everything that is good I can't go to because it's too far from my area :/. But oh well. We also found an old lady that is very Catholic but was really interested in the Book of Mormon so we will continue to see her. Also, we started teaching the girlfriend of one of the members and she’s progressing really well even though she’s listened to that missionaries a bunch of times. Oh, we found this guy that doesn't really was to listen just talk, we went with him for an hour and a half and we were able to talk like 5 minutes. that was pretty frustrating. but we keep on trying. Oh, and something kind of sad, we went to my convert here and she has gone through a lot of problems and has lost her faith so we will be working with her. but the other converts are going well attending every week and participating. Oh, and the 15 was Independence Day here so we went to the member's house we live with to watch the shout, they shout Viva Mexico a lot with means like long live Mexico 

The quake didn't really affect that much here. The only real damage that happened was to the Catholic church so they have been all closed from reparation. Oh, and if you want to send money to help I would have to buy a bunch of supplies to send because the money wouldn't do much and there isn't like fund I can put it in. 

It feels weird having a year now but I’m satisfied with all I’ve done. The language is coming really well, there is only a hand full of words I don't understand ever once and a while. The greatest blessing I’ve had is to really start to understand what the gospel means and how it blesses us. for example, there is a member here that just lost a baby, I thought she was still pregnant so I asked about it and she said she had lost it but with a calm smile and I asked how she could smile and she just said, I know I'll get to see him one day everything will be just fine. That was super cool. My goal is to bring more souls to Christ, (DC 18:15-16) and to finish the mission all the way to the end. Welp just one more year to go and I'll be home, but for n, w I'm focused on the work here. 

Well,

I love you all, 

Elder Olsen

Sept 11, 2017

I have made a few Missionary Momma Friends on Facebook who have son's in the Oaxaca Mission.  We have all been communicating with each other since the earthquake happened.  We were all anxious to hear from our missionaries today and most had good news that they were fine and they didn't have any damage to their area.  Some had to be evacuated because of the tsunami warning, but all was well after a day or so.  Well, one missionary gives an account of what happened to him as he was in the area that was damaged the worst.  Prayers go out to the people of the Juchitan/Salina Cruz area.  

9/11/17
Earthquake Update:

Well, I survived an earthquake. My area didn't get the worst of it but it is one of the closest cities to the major damage in Oaxaca. Thursday I went to bed a little earlier because we were going to wake up earlier to go to the zone conference. I was sound asleep when all of a sudden our air conditioner turned off, the electricity went out, and everything started to shake. It was pitch black, I couldn't see anything. I just heard everything falling to the floor and my companion saying "we have to get out, now!". I was still half asleep, I couldn't fully understand what was happening. I've been through other little earthquakes before so I knew it was just going to end in a little awhile. My companion ran outside (still in his underwear) and I stayed inside trying to keep the bigger stuff from falling, like the fridge. After it ended, I fully woke up and walked outside. We stayed outside then. I started calling my district to see if they were ok. The signal was horrible and I couldn't get ahold of them immediately. When I did, the Sister Missionaries were completely terrified, the Elders in Miramar were totally calm as if nothing happened. The zone leaders started tried getting ahold of us to give us instructions. We were then told that there was going to be a tsunami and we had to evacuate and meet up together. The missionaries met in a church in a city farther away named Tehuantapec. We got there at like 3am in the morning. We stayed there outside in the concrete trying to sleep. We didn't sleep. We stayed there until President Conde got there at like 10am and told us to stay there until further instructions. Later on we went to the house of a missionary close by to shower and then pack their things and take them to the church in Salina Cruz. We left at 5:30pm, got to Salina Cruz, wrote our families telling them we are ok, and slept in the church building in Salina Cruz Friday night.
Saturday morning showed up with Pres Conde telling us to focus on looking for new houses because ours are too damaged. My companion and I showered in our house and started looking for a new house. Saturday night the zone leaders called us asking for help in a service project by the church buying food from Sams Club and loading it on a truck that would take the food to Juchitan (where it was hit the worst). We were there awhile loading many supplies.
Sunday the church meetings were canceled, so we went to a members house to bless and take the sacrament. We then left to look for more houses. We found a pretty good one.
It’s been pretty stressful, I've been working and walking a lot, I haven’t slept in a long time but I'm ok. The earthquake didn't affect me much at all. Others had it much worst. Thanks for your prayers, and all I ask now that you pray for those that have lost more than I.

This is one of the chapels in Juchitan that was damaged

Members bring in supplies for people in Juchitan

 The map where the Earthquake hit at 10:30 in the evening Arizona time 12:30 in Oaxaca

These are the missionaries that lived in the hardest hit area of the earthquake in Juchitan

Sept. 11, 2017 Storms and Earthquakes

Dear Mom and everyone,

This week was Interesting, Oh and nothing happened to me. 

Tuesday, I had divisions with the ZL, it was fun, we knocked on doors almost all day and we had pizza from little Cesar’s for lunch.

Wednesday, we went back to all of the people we had contacted and almost no one was home. 

Thursday was the interesting day, we went to the church to teach a lesson there but it started raining really hard and there was a woman in a wheelchair with only one leg, she was looking for a place to take a bath. We took her to a store to wait out the storm. We went to the church and got super wet even though we were about two streets away. The guy couldn't come so we headed home. We beat the rain home so when we got there it wasn't raining and about 10 minutes later the rain came like a wall of water it was super crazy. There is like a ditch beside the house for rain run off that had turned into a river and destroyed two bridges. We couldn't do anything to help so we went to bed. Then the earthquake hit we were both a sleep and almost didn't wake up. but the sister we live with was yelling at us to go under the door so without realizing I’m under the door. and everything past. The rain really did more damage than the earthquake. But in El Istmo got a hit pretty hard so they asked for donations and I’ll see if I can send some money from you gave (I don't know if I can).

Well the rest of the week was pretty normal nobody needed our help (or at least that’s what they said) and the damage was very minimal. Oh and we have been running pretty consistently with one of the members we live with and his dogs. it’s been pretty fun. Oh, and I never talked with Sister San Juan. I was going to see them today but I couldn't get ahold of them but oh well.

Oh, and today we caught Chapulines they are like grasshopper that they eat here so we started cooking them all at once.

Well I love you all,

Elder Olsen

Here are the posts that Pres. Conde sent out on his Facebook Page to let us know what had happened in Oaxaca after the earthquakes.  It was nice to be able to get information quickly and know that our missionaries we safe and taken care of.

First communication from the mission:

El sismo se sintió muy fuerte en Oaxaca, hay muchos problemas de comunicacion, inmediatamente hasta donde ha sido posible tener comunicación con misioneros y hermanas están bien, estamos yendo a ver a los que no se pueden comunicar, y los hemos encontrado bien, el Pte y los asistentes están saliendo a Matías Romero que es donde nos falta tener noticias, gracias por sus oraciones diarias de protección para sus hijos porque el Señor los ha escuchado

The earthquake felt very strong in Oaxaca, there are many problems of communication, immediately to where it has been possible to have communication with missionaries and sisters are well, we are going to see those who can not communicate, and we have found them well, the president And the attendees are going out to Matías Romero which is where we are missing news, thank you for your daily protective prayers for your children because the Lord has heard them

Communication from Pres. Conde the morning after the first earthquake:

Last night we had an earthquake that affected the entire state of Oaxaca, among other states in southern Mexico.
Fortunately Sister Conde and I arrived in Juchitan last night to meet with all the missionaries in the areas of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in a conference that would be held Friday morning. So immediately after the earthquake, we under took the task of contacting each missionary of the whole mission with the help of the district leaders, the zone and the assistants. At dawn we personally visited those missionaries who could not reach us by cell phone.
Today we will visit or contact each of the missionaries of Juchitan, Ixtepec, Salina Cruz and other cities of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
We are humbly grateful to our Eternal Father for His blessings and protection.
Some parents, mothers and leaders have contacted me to know the status of their children and the answer has been the same: every missionary in Mexico Oaxaca is well and in a safe place.
Thank you for your prayers and concern for all the missionaries.
Pres. Conde

Communication after the 2nd earthquake.  This is the one that hit Mexico City:

After last nights Earthquake we can report that we have checked on all missionaries in the Oaxaca mission and they are safe and sound and are in safe locations.

Sept 4, 2017 Al Pastor & Machete

Dear Mom and everyone,

This week was pretty interesting we had some fun and ate some good food but we are still looking for more people to teach. Tuesday, I did divisions with the mission secretaries so I was in the offices for most of the day but when we finally went out it started to rain on us. So, we went to one of their investigator's house for cover. She would not stop talking about Trump and how we all hate Mexicans and stuff like that, it bugged me but I just kept quiet until we left. Then we went to an investigator that was supposed to be baptized that week and we just checked if she had any questions. 

Then Wednesday we just went to some people that we had contacted the week before but nobody was home.

Thursday, we went to a conference, it was super cool because they brought in a taco al pastor caterer and they were super good, and they also brought in fuzzball tables for everyone to play. After we went to that FHE that we had planned to the recent convert and we talked to her sisters. they were really interested but they didn't want us to come back. 

Friday, we had gone to that part member family but they weren't home so we went to eat and I was supposed to go interview someone for baptism but they were too busy and wanted to wait till the next week so we went to that family and had a cool lesson on faith. I also made taco salad that night and it tasted really good

Saturday, we did service at the recent converts house cutting tree branches with a machete that was fun but I had a big headache so we went home after that. Oh, and they gave us money to eat so we bought steaks and a salad it was really good, I found out I like fried onions so I fried some and some mushrooms with my steak. It tasted super good.

I was able to go to Sam’s but you should still send the card please :) and in the package, don't really need anything and I think I can buy the almonds in Sam’s so just maybe a tie. oh, and I thought and prayed about it and I want to finish the mission and go to school the winter semester in January so I’ll get home in the beginning of September. Well, I love you all. 

Elder Olsen

This must be the same Conference I got pictures from that I posted last week

 Al Pastor Catered Dinner at the Conference.  Marinated Pork with Pineapple.  This is a very popular dish in Mexico

 Conference playing Fuzzball

 Elder Olsen overlooking Atoyac

 Taco Salad

Elder Olsen's mother does not like onions and never cooks with them.  He has discovered that he really likes them so he fried up some onions and mushrooms and ate them with his steak. 

 A Dog?

 Service with a Machete.  He looks like a Stripling Warrior

 Gotta love the Coca Cola!. Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Bert would be proud

 And I don't know the story of the scorpion and I don't know if I want to know the story of the scorpion