Oct 23, 2017 A Hard Week's Work

Dear Mom and everyone,

This week we have been working super hard, in the area and in the zone. Tuesday, we had an appt with a lady that has problems with her husband drinking, we went Tuesday because that’s his day off of work. We got there at noon, but he had to go to the doctor so we came back in the night and he was drunk, so we just left, but it was cool because we met someone else named Marisol. She is a young mom and she was super receptive, she’s just looking for the truth so we're going to see if we can teach it to her and if she'll accept it.

Wednesday we went to Puerto Escondido to do divisions with the district leader over there, the trip is expensive so we both went and stayed over there. My comp went to Rio Grande with the DL and I went to Zicatela to help out a greeny over there. It was cool. They have some cool investigators but they are struggling to help them progress, and to find more to teach. I was able to say hi to some members and my converts over there. They are doing well.

Thursday, we had an appt with a guy that had studied to be a catholic priest. He stopped studying because he found out the church wasn't true, but he didn't like us either. We came prepared that he might want content with us but he ended up listening until the end he pulled out his phone and looked up contradictions in the Book of Mormon and the bible. They were all super easy to explain very calmly and he accepted to see us again. 

Friday, all of our appt fell through so we went tracting most of the day and got some more appt for next week. 

Saturday was cool, we found 3 new investigators and 2 potential families. We had another lesson with the guy from Thursday Dasajev (dasahef). He had a problem with the celestial Kingdom but we talk him to pray about it. In the night we talked with a family that got really interested it was a cool lesson the really accepted the restoration but only the kids came to church on Sunday.

Sunday was crazy, we met a member from Tijuana Baja California. He had come late and wanted us to give him the sacrament the branch president said it was fine, then he wanted us to come with him to pick up his wife from the airport and that he had reference for us over there so we went he said that he had a bunch of care packages for the Istmo for the people that needed it for the earthquake. so, he came over in a boat and his wife came over Sunday. Then he asks if they could eat with us in the members house, the members said it was ok, and he invited the taxi driver to eat too. then they left it was really weird. But that’s the mission sometimes

Today, I got my hammock, its super nice it from the best string, it usually costs 2000 2500 pesos they gave it to me for 1100 its really comfy and handmade, they just got the color wrong, I wanted blue and black but they gave me like and orange and yellow but its fine. I also got a speaker because mine broke it’s a nice little Bose blue tooth and USB speaker, I think I’ll use it a home too. OH, and the ATM was just out of money so there was no problem, they didn't charge me so I took it out the other day. 

Well I love you all

-- 

Elder Olsen

Misión México Oaxaca

The first one it from a place called Argentinos, it Argentine food and of course I got BBQ ribs

 Then an iguana that we found in an abandoned house

 The people on the right is the guy from Baja Cali and the others are some members (they gave us a really good meal like a orange fish casserole)

 The last one is my hammock.

Oct 16, 2017 Zone/Leader Conference Results

Dear mom and everyone,

So, this week was an interesting one. We started out by going to the leadership council we talked about a lot of things how we can be better as leaders and how we can better help the other missionaries progress, in the work and personal. President told us that we need to have a model area, that everyone can look at and say, that’s how things should be. He also gave us the goal to baptize 10 people a month. That's crazy, I have 12 in the whole mission, so we have been working really hard to bring the area up to that level. 

Wednesday, we had our Zone conference, we talked about the same things that we talked about in the council. He told us to have more faith to work harder to set high goals, so that's what we did. Thursday, we had our weekly planning, we set goals and specific actions to gain those goals. To gain the goal of 10 baptisms we are looking for families, and we want to baptize them all together. So, we are trying to find people more at night, when everyone is done with work and home with their family. 

Thursday, we put the actions into practice looking for families tracting in the night and we had a little success but not a lot. We ask everyone for referrals we have had more success with asking everyone even the people we just met for people they know. That night we came home really tried.

Friday was the same we didn't have too many lessons this week just getting to know people, teaching them in front of their door, setting appointments. It's been fun but exhausting. 

Saturday more of the same and Sunday we kind of calmed down a little, but at the end of the week we ended up contacting and 20-30people and we have this week full of appointments. 

Huatulco is beautiful. being a ZL is cool but nothing really special. My comp is cool, we get along well and he has till march for his mission. Yes, the members feed us, they usually give us money here too. We haven't done splits yet but we are planning them on Wednesday. we have to go all the way to Rio Grande, it 3 hours away. cooling is fun we have an over but I’ll have to see if it works, I’m going to make some biscuits and gravy soon so that should be good. They've given us shrimp twice now but they don’t skin them so that makes it harder to eat. They Johnsons work more with the Less active but we do family home evenings together at a less actives house. and we live like 2 mins away from their house, it’s like having grandparents next door. The church is super close too like 1-minute walking. 

Well I love you all, I found a restaurant that’s really interesting it’s not open yet but we’ll see if I can go. And I found something amazing in the store today.

Elder Olsen

Oct 10, 2017 Huatulco and Tag Picture

Here are more pictures Mitchell sent from his new area of Huatulco.  Now you can see why he didn't want to serve a mission in a beach area.  We now definitely need to plan on going back and visiting his mission after he gets home. Oaxaca, Mexico is beautiful.  He even has members that love us so much already that they want us to come and visit.  I received a Messenger Message from the family that Mitchell lived with for 5 months in Atyoac and says how much she loves him and how much she misses him.  She says he is a very special Missionary.  

Oct 10, 2017 Salina Cruz Zone Leader Conference

Dear mom and everyone again,

So yesterday we left and we went to Salina Cruz for leadership council it was cool. We left yesterday at 5 and we got there at like 8. We stayed at another elder’s house, it was in the middle of the damaged area but it didn't look like it. I sent pictures of the church ceiling. the council was cool we talked about training and our role in it and the district leaders and stuff like that it was cool. 

Huatulco is supercool its very pretty and it makes me want to not be a missionary here. Remember that I said that I never wanted to go to a mission with a beach well now I’ve had it twice. The earthquake didn't hit here. the work is slow we are trying to find new investigators I’ll let you know as the time goes by. Welp I love you

Elder Olsen

This is the same church that Pres. Conde was at when the earthquake hit.  Mitchell had a Zone Leader Conference there 

The following pictures are from Pres. Conde's Facebook Page.  He posted pictures of the Zone Leader Conference Mitchell attended in Salina Cruz

October 9, 2017 Elder Vasquez and Huatulco

Dear Mom and everyone,

So, I've been here for a week, it's been super cool. The area is cool we have an older couple named the Johnsons they beach is very beautiful, more than Zicatela. The members are cool, my comp is Elder Vasquez an ex assistant. The Johnson’s have a washer and dryer that that’s wonderful. We baptized this week. but today we have to go to Salina Cruz for a leader’s meeting and now I don't have time to write we leave in about a half hour so I love you hope you enjoy the pictures and I’ll see is I can write more tomorrow

Love you bye

Elder Olsen

October 5, 2017 Letter From Pres. Conde

Mexico Oaxaca Mission

Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca

Dear Olsen Family:

This letter is to inform you that your son, Elder Olsen, has been called to serve as a Zone Leader here in the Mexico Oaxaca Mission. He has the responsibility to teach, take care of, inspire and edify the missionaries in his zone. His service has qualified him for this responsibility.

There are high expectations for your son in this new assignment. A Zone Leader must be an example to his zone in every aspect: for example, the work in his own area, his personal worthiness and his obedience to the Lord. The missionaries in his zone will follow him and I trust that your son will be a great example to them.

Your son will teach the missionaries and district leaders in his zone monthly. He’ll meet monthly with the Stake President/ District President and, sometimes, with the Bishops/Branch Presidents to coordinate and improve missionary work in his zone.

He’ll represent the Mission President in many situations and will make decisions that will increase the level of commitment of the missionaries and priesthood leaders with whom he associates. I’m sure your son will inspire his zone to follow the Lord and to fulfill the high standards that He expects of them as His representatives.

I congratulate you for raising such a responsible young man and I thank you for sending us such an excellent missionary. I only ask that you continue praying for him so that he can fulfill his new assignment in a way that pleases the Lord. Your son has all my support, love and trust while he continues to progress as a servant of the Lord.

Sincerely,

President Félix Conde Beltrán

Misión México Oaxaca

October 3, 2017 Huatulco-Elder Vasquez Zone Leader

Dear Mom and everyone,

This week was cool with conference and everything. 

Most of the week I was saying goodbye to everyone because I kind of knew I was leaving. 

Conference was cool. I need to go and download them because I had to watch some of them in Spanish which was cool but it made me tired, I didn't sleep but it was hard to pay attention. I can’t remember what happened so I’m going to listen to them again. But I really enjoyed the First session lots of great talks.

Oh, we had met this guy named Fidel last week he’s a friend of a member named Sol. He’s super cool he was progressing really well but I had to leave him but I’m not too worried about him. 

Oh, yea I’m on the coast again in Huatulco, they put me in as a zone leader which is cool but the assignments like this don't really matter, just jobs that need to be done but I think that he put me in at this because of a district meeting I gave. I was talking about teaching with power and authority and Pres came in and listened. Well, I wanted to read some scripture but I had written it down wrong so we read in aAlma instead of Mosiah but it was cool because my district saved me with a bunch of stuff that had to do with the topic. Someone said it was for that but who knows?

My comp is an ex-assistant again name Elder Vasquez he’s from Monte Rye. I watch conference in an office in the church but for some sessions, they didn't make it because they had to be in the mission office so I had to watch it in Spanish. Elder Chacon is on his way home tomorrow he just finished his mission.

Sorry, no pics this week I don’t trust this computer. 

Los quiero mucho

Elder Olsen