Feb-Mar 2017 District and Zone Conferences

Elder Olsen's Mission President's wife has a facebook page and posts pictures as they have district and zone conferences and activities.  It is so fun to get random pictures of our missionary when we are least expecting them.  Here are pictures from the past 2 months.

Happy Valentine's Day from Puerto Escondido

La Costa Zone Conference February 14, 2017

 Elder Cook

February/March Interviews with President Puerto Escondido

La Costa Zone Activity March 13, 2017

Church in Puerto Escondido Branch March 26, 2017

 La Costa Zone Conference March 25, 2017

March 27, 2017 Birthday Week

Dear mom and everyone,

I woke up this morning with food poisoning and I am so exhausted from that, that this letter might be a little short. 

Tuesday was my birthday. I did tell a few people but I don't think anyone remembered so I bought root beer ice cream and pizza and I celebrated on divisions with an elder named Gonzales. He's super cool and we had a good time en casa.

Friday, we had divisions again and we did not plan well. We walked from one side of the area to the other 4 times. that was a fun night.

Saturday was the zone meeting that was good but I don't remember anything because I haven't been getting enough sleep I have no idea why but I’m just always tired. but we did get to go to the women’s conference because with brought an investigator and I was so tired that I don't remember that either.

and then we got to Monday where I woke up with food poisoning and I took some pebtal and that helped but I’m so tired from that.

Well I love you all, I hope Curtis gets better and finds the church again and congrats to shelly for the recommend. I wish we could go to the temple more but no se puede. 

Elder Olsen

March 20, 2017 Happy Birthday Elder Olsen

Dear mom and everyone,

I got on my email today and checked and saw everybody had sent me a birthday letter except mom. It must mean I'm not loved. oh well live goes on.

Haha no I know she’s busy driving and that’s fine.

Well this week was very plain and we didn't do a whole lot of fun things but we. Tuesday, we had divisions. I stayed here and did my best to lug around the dead missionary Elder Hernandez. We had a good time but couldn't get much done.

Friday, we had a missionary activity. We invited all of the young men to the church for a spiritual thought and to play soccer. We only have like 3 active YM and only one ended up showing up. 

Saturday I woke up feeling really dizzy and so we stayed in the house until we ate and then went to a baptism of another branch. Sunday was uneventful too. We are really trying our best but it seems hard and hard to find and teach people every day. But I know I have a message worth sharing and with that, I’ll keep working.

Oh, and today we walked along the beach in front of our area and I think I got burnt again Haha

Whelp I love you all 

Elder Mitchell Olsen

For my birthday, I'll be working don't have any real plans for that because there’s no cool place to eat that’s convenient. I haven't burnt a tie yet but I don't know if I want to I like all my ties. Pdays We usually just clean the house and cloths, go to the store do something fun and write and eat something. and that’s what we did today. My comp is good still trying to break down the language barrier. My area I know pretty well. I have only gotten lost once but I got us super close to where we only need to know which house it was. The food appt are okay. Still have yet to have something really good from a member. right now, we are teaching 3 couples that don't want to get married and an alcoholic. and for that experiences this week I can't really think of any.

March 14, 2017 New Companion Elder Mendez

Dear mom and everyone,

This was interesting. Monday, we got up at 4 am to get Elder cook to the bus in time and then went home and slept for two hours. 

Tuesday I was with another pair because my comp hadn't got there yet. that night he got there at 8 and we just went home. 

Wednesday I started showing him around and that’s been super hard because I’ve only been here for a change and you know how I am with directions. And that’s how the week went, me just doing my best to show him around the area.

Well, it’s been an awesome week on Facebook.  Sis Madsen has been busy posting lots of pictures of you and your area.  How fun it is to be scrolling or wake up and look on Facebook and see pictures of you.  She is so good to do so.  It looks like you had a good weekend with them and it’s fun to see the missionaries that you work with.  How are you doing? How is your new companion?  Did he make it there safely? What is his name? Where is he from? Does he speak English?  How long has he been out?  How are you doing showing him around and meeting members and investigators?  What was your best experience this week?  What was a trial that you endured?  What are you studying?  Do you have any investigators you are working with?  What was the best thing you ate?  What was the farthest you traveled? How is your apartment? Did you buy the pan? How is the language coming? I have so many questions this week sorry

I'm doing great, but I did get a little burnt at the activity. My comp is good he only speaks Spanish so we are dealing with that I just don't know how to really have fun in Spanish yet. He got here fine and he name is Elder Mendez and is from Mexico City. He knows a few words in English. he has 9 months in the mission. It's a challenge to show him around but I’m getting along. I'm still mainly studying how to teach and the scriptures that go along with each lesson. Haven't really eaten anything really good this week. We went to a beach called Puerto Angel for the activity and that was super cool but it killed me on money for the travel so I wasn't able to buy the pan. 

The activity was super cool we went to that beach and got our feet wet, some of the other elders practically swam. I wanted to swim so bad but obviously, we couldn't. We put up a volley ball net and enjoyed the beach. I forgot sunscreen so I’m pretty red right now. then we went back to the church to eat pizza. that was super fun.

Well that was my week this week love you all,

Elder Mitchell Olsen

Zone Activity at Puerto Angel

March 6, 2017 A Week of Delicious Food - Good Bye Elder Cook Hello New Companion (who missed his bus)

Dear Mom and everyone,

This week was super long and we didn't end up doing much. Monday, we ate at a place called Gringo Burger. It was super good, it was better than most of the burgers I've had in the States. But I will always be true to In N Out. 

Tuesday, we had divisions and me and Cook ended up both getting sick from the food we had on Sunday. So, I sat in the house all day and watched church movies, it was a well needed rest.

Wednesday was also divisions with another greeny, too. I had to show him around my area and lead all the lessons and I would say I did a pretty good job.

Thursday, I picked up Cook from the other area and we picked up a this that he had made. A hymn book with a spiral spine and a wood cover and it looks super cool and I kind of want one ;).

There’s a picture of it too. 

Friday, we tried to go at this real Americanish butcher thing where they cook the meat you buy for free. We were trying to get ribs but they already closed the kitchen at 5 so we started our fast then and got the meat on Saturday and it was soo good.

Saturday, we finally found out the changes when we were promised them on Thursday. We found out that Cook was going to Oaxaca City as a Zone leader.

We didn't do much more than pack and say good bye on Sunday. Oh, but there is this sister here that is an amazing seamstress. She altered my comps jacket that was about 10 sizes too big to fit him perfectly. It was incredible.

The weather just gets hotter but its humid so it's worse. oh, could you at least get the sweat and sour meatball recipe I kind of want to make a chicken with that sauce.

Well I love you all

Elder Mitchell Olsen

I talked to Mitchell for a few minutes and found out that Elder Cook was transferred and he was getting a new companion.  Elder Cook left in the morning and Mitchell heard that his new companion missed his bus so he wouldn't be there until tomorrow.  He spent the day with some other missionaries and a set is going to be staying with him tonight so he won't be alone.  Thank goodness for missionary work.  

The Beef that he got from the local butcher

 This is a Hymnal with a spiral bind and a wooden cover.  He asked if he could get one. Of course we said yes.

 Lunch with some buddies.  

 Mitchell has learn to love Al Pastor.  Its a pork marinated and soaked with pineapple and roasted on a spit.  He had a torta today for lunch.

February 27, 2017 Twenty Six Lessons

Dear mom and everyone,

That is a quote from Elder McConkie from one of his talks I read this week, The Bible a Sealed book.

(Songs of Solomon: read the article for find out what he's talking about).

The week was normal but busy, we ended up with 26 lessons this week. That's the most I’ve had my mission. It started on Tuesday, we had divisions and I was in my area. we found stuff to do. We ended up talking to a Jehovah’s witness, well she talked to us the whole time. We offered her all on the commitments we have and denied them all so we just left. Oh, and we found another lady in an interesting way. We were walking up a path and these two little kids stopped us and asked if we could teach them the word of God we said we need their parents’ permission first. They left and came back and asked if we could teach their whole family. The first was drunk and rejected us the second accepted us and we had a great lesson with her. She even asked us if we could come back before we offered it to her. Then later that night we found a lady with an addiction to alcohol and with all the desires to quit and we had a great lesson while promising a lot of help from the atonement that was probably the best experience this week. The spirit was so strong

Oh, and something funny, when we went to teach her again we brought a member to help us that was addicted too. He talked about a blessing he got to help from. We offered her a blessing and thought that this member just got the Melchizedek priesthood we asked him and he said yes so, he did the oil and my comp the blessing. We left and asked him you did get the priesthood, today right? and he said no. so we are going to have to do that again.

I don't use sunscreen right now. the piano is slow and steady. I'm coming home exhausted so I don't have a whole lot of time to practice. the travel was nothing special I got on the bus at 9 with like 10 missionaries and little by little the all left and I was alone for 2 hours on the bus. I know the area well enough to go by myself. we take a bus for two hours to a city called Huatulco. 

Well I love you all 

Elder Olsen

our distrct and a member has a huge coke bottle