Hey, y´all.
It was great to hear from so many of you, and know how you are all doing. I was very happy to hear the news about John Norton. That is truly something awesome. I will try to write him a letter soon. Thought I´d let you know, I received Grandpa´s letter today.
Well, this week has been great. Elder Silva and I just barely got back from Aracajú, where we have been for the past two days because of Zone conference. Zone Conference was awesome. We talked alot about personal revelation, and some new patterns that the mission is trying to start. It was cool though, because alot of the new ideas that the president had, were things that Elder Silva and I had already begun to practice. I always love Zone Conference, it is always a great spiritual experience. This was the first time that our Zone had gotten together this transfer and some of the Elders in my District in the CTM(MTC) had been transferred to my Zone, Elder Neuberger and Elder Deurden. It was a great and hilarious reunion, as we talked about our adventures on the mission so far! (Wow, Maceió sounds like a crazy place). They are friends that I will have for life.
We spent the night in Aracajú in Elder Silva´s old area. It was great to meet some of the members and people there.
This morning we had a big Zone party with the 2 Zone´s of Aracajú, in a little Sítio out in the countryside. It was a blast! I spent alot of time with E. Neuberger and Deurden, they are so hilarious. The Sítio had an orchard of all kinds of fruit trees, lots of animals, and lots of space and fields where we spent some time relaxing and enjoying the day. We also took a dirt road that led to a little secluded village in a small valley, which was kinda borderlining nowhere. There we found a soccer field made of sand and had a blast playing with all the missionaries and some kids passing by. Today was a great day.
Well, the work here is going well. In my last letter, I talked about a man named Mauricio, who´s parents live out on that farm in Estancia (Family with 15 kids)--Well, we went to his house and have been teaching him and his family. His wife is very hard, and because of this, Mauricio was about to give in. However we had an incredible lesson with him about faith, and helped him realize how we are able to discover the truth of things. (I love Alma´s example in Alma 32 about using faith as if planting a seed- it is such an incredible way to show this principle). By the end of the lesson he realized what he needed to do. He also told us that he has never felt the urge to search and learn more about religious things, until he discovered the Book of Mormon. He told us that there is something "mysterious and interesting" about it; that makes him want to read more. This book truly has something special and unique about it, something that catches the interest of those with an open heart.
Also, this week we finally began working in this little Villa that I have always wanted to work in and we found a great investigator named Jeane. We taught her about the Restoration and about Joseph Smith. She had a great desire to go church, and really made an effort (the church is really far from her house). On monday we passed by, and she told us how much she enjoyed church, and that she had already received a blessing from the Lord for the choices that she had been making. She would begin working the next day (which was something that she was really needing). Jobs are hard to come by here. After she told us this we felt impressed to just ask her flat out what she thought of the Book of Mormon, if it was true... -she responded that she really believed that it was the word of God, and that it really does help. We then, plainly asked her if she would be baptized and she answered "yes". Our part in this conversion was just too easy. The spirit did pretty much everything. We gave her the invite and told her the "good news" and the spirit told her that it was true, and led her to act on these feeling of the spirit. I could tell that this really meant something special to her. I am very excited to continue teaching her in preparation for her baptism. It was a neat experience.
I truly know that the lord is preparing people to hear this gospel. In truth, I like to think that He is preparing everyone. There are just those more willing to open their hearts and listen to him; and to give a place to a portion of his words and follow the feelings of the spirit. That is how we are truly converted.
Well, gotta go. I love you all a bunch.
tchau,-Elder Olson
