hey everyone..
Well, it has been a long week.. Full of new and strange things every day.
This past week we have a found quite a few new investigators.. almost anyone will let you into their house or stop to talk with you for a while.Most of the time though, we are teaching or tracting with a member (that is very helpful).
The members are awesome here. Each one willing to help out with the work, and they all love the missionaries. Many of them I have gotten to be good friends with. Also, everyday, we eat lunch at a members house.. ah, the food is good!
Well, to explain things a bit more:
Estância is somewhat spread out, the central part of the city has kinda nice roads and it is relatively city-like. We live near the center. But it is not our area. There are two other missionaries Elder Wurtz and Hoeppers, that take care of the central.
Our area is about 3-4 little sections of the city that are on the borders, in the poor parts, with alot of patches of jungle and mostly dirt roads and such. One section, we have to cross over a big river, and the others are on the far side.
It is truly beautiful here and the people are awesome; very friendly and easygoing. All of Estância is one branch, and our chapel is near the center of town.. (actually the chapel is just a house). But it is great, and always packed full of people on sundays. Elder Gonçalves is an awesome companion, and such a great teacher. Each lesson is full of the spirit, and he has a very good way with people.. able to joke, and still leave a powerful message. We have alot of fun together, he is an awesome elder.
The bikes are pretty good.. though, there are almost dead (because of the roads here) ..and once they are, that´s it. They are banning bikes in all of Brasil.
Well it has been a crazy week, a hard week, and an incredible week..
I know that this work is true with all of my heart. I love you all, and love hearing from you. I hope that all goes well.
Take care,-elder olson
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
November 19, 2008
Hey everyone,
Well, I have survived the first week, maybe with a few battle wounds or so but it has been great. We ride bikes everywhere! (until they break down..which happens alot) Our area is pretty huge... almost all of the roads here are either made of a very rough, uneven cobblestone; or just dirt.(i think that there is maybe 2-3 paved roads. it´s pretty sweet.. we usually have to share the road with many horses, chickens, dogs, wagons pulled by horses, other bikes, naked kids playing soccer, or beat up buses (and they are exactly like you said Blake).
It is great here, and so beautiful.. I wish I had pictures but I havn´t really had time to take any. It may be extremely poor and dirty everywhere but i love it nonetheless. The views are spectacular.. most houses are maybe a little bigger than a common bedroom, and each houses a large family. People have almost nothing, yet what more do you really need than family.
Elder Gonçalves is awesome.. what a great missionary. I could not ask for a better comp. he has a certain way with people and is very sincere.
Well, on Saturday we had 3 baptisms.. Gil, Thaica, and Marcos Alan. It was great, they already had committed before I got here but I was able to get to know them.(mostly all Elder Gonçalves´s doing) This Friday we have 4 more baptisms.. all great people with a great desires. I am very excited!
The people here are very accepting of the gospel but they are very simple. Many people cannot even read, for this reason we have to teach very simply and explain a lot. I have a testimony already that this work is true, already.. The members here are incredible.. we spend most of the day teaching with 1-2 members. It is amazing to see their dedication and faith in this work. I love them all so much..
The food is good.. I have never eaten such good rice and beans - sometimes there is more, but i couldn´t explain to you what it was.
Well, this has been quite a week.. probably the longest week of my life.i dont think that anyone can really understand how difficult missionary work is until they actually do it. it is difficult... mentally, physically, all of the above. Yet I am happy. I still struggle in the language alot, the people here speak very very fast and sloppy.
I am grateful for your support, and the advice you all give me from your missions. It helps immensely. I miss you all so much.. and I hope that all is going well back home.
Take care..-elder olson
p.s.-send things only to the mission home address because it will definately be stolen if you send it here.
Mission Home:
Av. Dom Antonio Brandão 333, sala 402ED. work center - Farol Maceió - AL 57051-190
Well, I have survived the first week, maybe with a few battle wounds or so but it has been great. We ride bikes everywhere! (until they break down..which happens alot) Our area is pretty huge... almost all of the roads here are either made of a very rough, uneven cobblestone; or just dirt.(i think that there is maybe 2-3 paved roads. it´s pretty sweet.. we usually have to share the road with many horses, chickens, dogs, wagons pulled by horses, other bikes, naked kids playing soccer, or beat up buses (and they are exactly like you said Blake).
It is great here, and so beautiful.. I wish I had pictures but I havn´t really had time to take any. It may be extremely poor and dirty everywhere but i love it nonetheless. The views are spectacular.. most houses are maybe a little bigger than a common bedroom, and each houses a large family. People have almost nothing, yet what more do you really need than family.
Elder Gonçalves is awesome.. what a great missionary. I could not ask for a better comp. he has a certain way with people and is very sincere.
Well, on Saturday we had 3 baptisms.. Gil, Thaica, and Marcos Alan. It was great, they already had committed before I got here but I was able to get to know them.(mostly all Elder Gonçalves´s doing) This Friday we have 4 more baptisms.. all great people with a great desires. I am very excited!
The people here are very accepting of the gospel but they are very simple. Many people cannot even read, for this reason we have to teach very simply and explain a lot. I have a testimony already that this work is true, already.. The members here are incredible.. we spend most of the day teaching with 1-2 members. It is amazing to see their dedication and faith in this work. I love them all so much..
The food is good.. I have never eaten such good rice and beans - sometimes there is more, but i couldn´t explain to you what it was.
Well, this has been quite a week.. probably the longest week of my life.i dont think that anyone can really understand how difficult missionary work is until they actually do it. it is difficult... mentally, physically, all of the above. Yet I am happy. I still struggle in the language alot, the people here speak very very fast and sloppy.
I am grateful for your support, and the advice you all give me from your missions. It helps immensely. I miss you all so much.. and I hope that all is going well back home.
Take care..-elder olson
p.s.-send things only to the mission home address because it will definately be stolen if you send it here.
Mission Home:
Av. Dom Antonio Brandão 333, sala 402ED. work center - Farol Maceió - AL 57051-190
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
November 12, 2008
Well, here I am..
Wow what a crazy couple of days. I don´t know if I will be able to remember too much.. and I am in a huge culture shock right now...
The flight to Maceió was good, it took about 2 1/2 hours or so. As we flew in I could already tell that I was going to love it here.. It is a huge country side, with little towns here and there. Basically the exact opposite of são paulo.
In the lobby, President Beynon and his wife were waiting for us.. What awesome people! I am so grateful to have them as the leaders of our mission.. I could not ask for anyone better.
Well, we went back to the mission home, ate, and had a few meetings..then, we were to meet our companions.. Most of them were there to pick up their filhos. But Elder Bevan and I were told that we were going to Aracajú, which is around a 5-6 hour bus ride south in the state of Sergipe; and we would meet our companions there.
We took a public bus and arrived in Aracajú around 11:00 that night, and met Elder Bevans companion and o líder da zona.. I was told that I would meet my companion tommorrow, because I would be serving in Estância (I think that is how it´s spelled).
I stayed at the zone leader, Elder Paulo, and his companions house last night..
Today is our assigned p-day, so this morning we went to the stake center in Aracajú and played some soccer.. It was alot of fun. Wow, you would not believe the poverty here.
Around noon my trainer came and picked me up, Elder Gonçalves..wow, what an awesome guy.. I am very happy to serve with him, and I know that he will teach me alot.
We took a taxi for ~2 hours to the town Estância.. It is in the middle of nowhere.. I have no clue where I am. But I know that I am going to love it here.
I have never been so happy I guess that this area is the furthest away from the mission home than any other.. by far..also Estância is the only area where the elders have to ride a bike..
Wow, it is crazy here..but I love it already,
-take care,-elder olson
Wow what a crazy couple of days. I don´t know if I will be able to remember too much.. and I am in a huge culture shock right now...
The flight to Maceió was good, it took about 2 1/2 hours or so. As we flew in I could already tell that I was going to love it here.. It is a huge country side, with little towns here and there. Basically the exact opposite of são paulo.
In the lobby, President Beynon and his wife were waiting for us.. What awesome people! I am so grateful to have them as the leaders of our mission.. I could not ask for anyone better.
Well, we went back to the mission home, ate, and had a few meetings..then, we were to meet our companions.. Most of them were there to pick up their filhos. But Elder Bevan and I were told that we were going to Aracajú, which is around a 5-6 hour bus ride south in the state of Sergipe; and we would meet our companions there.
We took a public bus and arrived in Aracajú around 11:00 that night, and met Elder Bevans companion and o líder da zona.. I was told that I would meet my companion tommorrow, because I would be serving in Estância (I think that is how it´s spelled).
I stayed at the zone leader, Elder Paulo, and his companions house last night..
Today is our assigned p-day, so this morning we went to the stake center in Aracajú and played some soccer.. It was alot of fun. Wow, you would not believe the poverty here.
Around noon my trainer came and picked me up, Elder Gonçalves..wow, what an awesome guy.. I am very happy to serve with him, and I know that he will teach me alot.
We took a taxi for ~2 hours to the town Estância.. It is in the middle of nowhere.. I have no clue where I am. But I know that I am going to love it here.
I have never been so happy I guess that this area is the furthest away from the mission home than any other.. by far..also Estância is the only area where the elders have to ride a bike..
Wow, it is crazy here..but I love it already,
-take care,-elder olson
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
November 4, 2008
opa..
Well things have gone pretty good this past week.. I can´t believe that I am almost out of this place! I have really enjoyed my time here at the CTM. Yeah some days aren´t so great.. and some days I would rather eat my socks than what they are serving for dinner.. but in all it has been great. The elders in my district have become some of my closest friends, and while here I have been able to grow much in heart and mind.
One thing that I will miss the most besides the people are the incredibly meetings that we have here: all of the sunday meetings as well as the devotionals that we have through-out the week. I have never felt the spirit so strong, since I came here..
There is an immense love that everyone has for each other, its impossible for me to describe it to you..
Probably the most important thing that I have learned here is love..- The best example that comes to mind is of our older brother, Jesus Christ. Even though he was rejected, mocked, spit upon, and beaten.. He loved everyone so much that He still paid the price for us.. "He died for the ungodly" - Romans 4:6-8. This is charity, loving everyone despite their faults.. If our Savior could still love someone after being smitten, persecuted, and rejected by them I think that we can all show alot more love for each other.. plus its not a suggestion.. it is a commandment. I have stuggled with this alot, but I can tell you that I know that life becomes easier as we strive to love everyone..
On friday we went on our last proselying trip to downtown São Paulo, to a place called Avenida Paulista.. Wow it was incredible! It is like the equivelant to Wall Street.. so many people, and we were completely surrounded by giant, oddly shaped skyscrapers.. It was an awesome experience.
Oh yeah, sorry mom but I dont know my mission address.. or anyone elses, because my second week here I left my paper with everyones addresses in an internet cafe somewhere. So you may just have to look through some stuff..
Well, I better go for now.. You may not hear from me for a while as I will spend my whole next p-day traveling to Maceió and getting settled in. I am a little worried because I still dont know the language very well..but I will be fine, I am so excited to get there.
love you all,-elder olson
Well things have gone pretty good this past week.. I can´t believe that I am almost out of this place! I have really enjoyed my time here at the CTM. Yeah some days aren´t so great.. and some days I would rather eat my socks than what they are serving for dinner.. but in all it has been great. The elders in my district have become some of my closest friends, and while here I have been able to grow much in heart and mind.
One thing that I will miss the most besides the people are the incredibly meetings that we have here: all of the sunday meetings as well as the devotionals that we have through-out the week. I have never felt the spirit so strong, since I came here..
There is an immense love that everyone has for each other, its impossible for me to describe it to you..
Probably the most important thing that I have learned here is love..- The best example that comes to mind is of our older brother, Jesus Christ. Even though he was rejected, mocked, spit upon, and beaten.. He loved everyone so much that He still paid the price for us.. "He died for the ungodly" - Romans 4:6-8. This is charity, loving everyone despite their faults.. If our Savior could still love someone after being smitten, persecuted, and rejected by them I think that we can all show alot more love for each other.. plus its not a suggestion.. it is a commandment. I have stuggled with this alot, but I can tell you that I know that life becomes easier as we strive to love everyone..
On friday we went on our last proselying trip to downtown São Paulo, to a place called Avenida Paulista.. Wow it was incredible! It is like the equivelant to Wall Street.. so many people, and we were completely surrounded by giant, oddly shaped skyscrapers.. It was an awesome experience.
Oh yeah, sorry mom but I dont know my mission address.. or anyone elses, because my second week here I left my paper with everyones addresses in an internet cafe somewhere. So you may just have to look through some stuff..
Well, I better go for now.. You may not hear from me for a while as I will spend my whole next p-day traveling to Maceió and getting settled in. I am a little worried because I still dont know the language very well..but I will be fine, I am so excited to get there.
love you all,-elder olson
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