July 29, 2009 Olá..‏

I really can't believe how fast the week goes by some times.
Well, it had been a while since I had received a letter from anyone and then last week when I arrived at zone conference there was a stack waiting!! Thank you so much for all that you sent. You made alot of great people very happy. The shirts fit perfectly! I think that I received a card or package from everyone in the family. It was great to hear how everyone is doing (even if it is news from 2-3 months ago). I was so happy to see Daniel and Ramilo serving the sacrament with their new shirts and ties, and large smiles on their faces. Here in a few weeks, we will give the priesthood to Paulo and Macelo, so that they can help out too! I am so happy to see the strength, testimonies and friendship that these young men have developed in the church.
So last week, Elder Ramos and I were thinking of having a day long division with 2 priests in the ward(the only 2 here). Their names are André and Erasmo, they are both coming to the age of going on missions, and we saw that they were in need of a bit of motivation to prepare for it. I called and talked to the Mission President, and he said to me,"I think it would be better if you did it for a week"! We split the village in half and have been working like mad-men. It has been so great to help them. I have already seen a huge change in their point of view about missionary work. Its difficult, but worth every second. We arrive home tired, aching, and hungry, and usually stay like that for a while. It has been a bit of an adaption for them. Yet there is no better feeling than arriving home knowing that you have been anxiously working to save souls.
I love the people here! The work of the Lord is an incredible thing. Although I am just a young kid, I can testify that no one can confound my words and nothing can stop me when in the service of the Lord. He has been at my side, all of the time.

Thanks for all that you do. I am happy to know that all goes well.
-valeu,-Elder Olson
p.s.-for p-day today we went to "O Haras", I´ll send some pictures, and mom, you may receive a letter or two in portuguese from some people here. I guess that you can translate it online or get help from someone who speaks spanish. love ya.

July 22,2009

I cant believe that it is already p-day again!It seems like I was just writing to you all yesterday. Glad to hear that the cabin trip went well. I dont know if it was just the photo, but it looked like most of the kids got a little sun-burned.
This week has been really busy, as we have spent alot of time helping a few members and visiting some inactive members. Unfortunately we haven´t had too much time to find new people. Yet the time that we have had, didn´t seem too successful. Patience is probably one of the greatest things that I have learned here.
We gave Ramilo and Daniel the priesthood on sunday(2 new converts) and I am hoping that the shirts will have arrived in time for zone conference tomorrow.
Zone conference is always a great time. I dont think that I told you guys that my new zone leader is Elder Silva (my old comp.)! I was pretty excited about it. The only bad thing is the 2 or so hour drive into Maceió, we just got back monday night from another meeting. Its good though, I am grateful for the training and opportunities to learn from our leaders here.
This saturday will be the baptism of a way cool woman, Roberta. This past week the branch has helped us alot by visiting her and bringing her to activities when we are unable to. On sunday the stake leaders came to speak here, I have already met them many times yet, on sunday I found an old friend of president Bart Olson son. (I had forgotten that he served here too) It was kind of cool to hear about him as a missionary.
Well I need to go, but before let me just share with you all, the miracle that has happened with us here.The members are feeding us!!! -alot too.
Hope you all have a bacana week.
galera!,-elder olson

July 15, 2009 OPA!

It was good to hear from you all.
I hope you all have a great time at the cabin this week--those times were always full of experiences that I will never forget.
I love you and miss you all a bunch...

Well, transfers came and went... and I was assigned to stay here in Viçosa!!! Elder Ramos and I were both very excited with the news.
Last transfer we were able to see some incredible changes in the branch here. Although there are still many problems, I have been able to see so much more love and unity between the members.
It doesn't make too much sense to baptize a bunch of people into a ward that is unworthy to receive them, or one that is with contention.

Well there is not too much to say about this past week other than the baptism that we had on Saturday. Paulo and his sister, Ana Paula were baptized(they are the cousins of our recent convert, Ramillo) We have been helping their family, and are working to marry the parents and get them baptized as well.
We were also able to help fix some problems here between a few people in the branch.
Mom, you asked about the mission president here:
President Beynon, is an incredible president, I have heard stories of mission presidents that are really strict and stern with all of the missionaries. Yet my president is like an extremely spiritual and loving uncle. He expects that we do what is right without him having to get on us about it. It´s good for me, yet I think that it maybe isn´t the best for some other missionaries.

Somehow, during the 4 or so hours that we spent tracting yesterday, I am pretty sure that we ran into every crazy old man in the city,one guy in particular was hilarious!
When we first clapped outside of his gate, he appeared at the window,(naked) and told us that he didn´t want to hear our mormon conspiracy theories and that we would never convince him of anything! Ending, "I was born catholic, and I will die catholic!"(it is kind of a common thing to hear, being a missionary here)
We told him that we were not here to convince him of anything, but merely to tell him about a new prophet that God had called.
He just gave us a look that I imagine an assassin usually gives before killing someone. After that we just began some normal conversation with him and it turned out that he has an incredible life story; adventures of traveling and working all across the world, Indonesia, New York, Germany, Portugal (where he was actually born). We had a great conversation with him, and he invited us back for another visit.

Well you had asked to hear a little more about me this week and a little less about the branch and the work. -so here it goes,
It would be close to impossible to describe what has happened in the time that I have been in this area.. but let me give it a shot.
Last transfer was by far, the transfer where I had the most growth. We were thrown into a situation that would have been impossible to fix without the help of the Lord.
I learned so much about the faith that is required to accomplish miracles, and also the importance of remembering that everything will happen according to the will of our loving Father in Heaven.
My testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ grew, and I was truly able to perhaps feel(just a little bit) of what his Atonement did for humanity...
I am so grateful for His constant love and help in my life..
I can testify to you all that the spirit literally speaks through us, and as a result others are able to feel and recognize the power and authority that is given to one ordained.
I can testify that every other church is false! It is so much clearer to see the corruption of man when you are living in the world but are not being a part of it. It is so clear that this is the only true church of Christ.
I can truly declare to you all that Satan exists, and his influence is among us every day. His voice can be heard, normally, or just as that of the spirit.
God lives, and is the author of any good influence in our lives... anything else does not come from him..

Thanks for your support... just know that I am doing great, and am happy..
Valeu,
-Elder Olson

July 8, 2009 - Oí em casa!?‏

This has been a great week. We have really been able to see some great changes in the branch here, more unity, more love, more interest in the things of God. We have held some great activities and firesides that have strengthened not only the members, but also some less-active members,and investigators. I am loving it here! This transfer has been one of great growth, learning, friendship, joy, and success. Sometimes it is a little hard to actually see the progress occur within ourselves, yet at times it is a clear and strong change.
I am very pleased to hear about the large number of missionaries in our ward that are just leaving or have recently recieved their call. Ha, boy do they have a surprise in store or them! The restored gospel is truly something incredible, in the fact that it has the capacity to change us... if we are fully envolved in it. It seems like when you live in a way that truly elevates you, you are able to have a better point of view at things that seemed so large, complex and distant from you.
I know that it has only been a short 10 months, yet it has been enough to teach me and show me a thing or two, and I look forward to the next 14. The work is going well here and we are finding great new people to teach. The Lord has really been helping us lately with all of the activities, classes, firesides, and work in general. It is kind-of funny to think that the Lord would leave two 20 year old boys to lead and direct his church here. It´s kind of alot of trust, né?
Just want to let you all know that the Lord lives, and He is actively working miracles among us. It is sufficient that we put our trust in Him and excersize faith. I´m not talking about just believing in anything.. but actually DOING something to make a difference!
This week we are going to baptize Paulo,a 14 yr old garoto de poder!(powerful lad) and his sister. I am way excited!!! Next week is transfers, and I am really hoping that I will be able to stay here in Viçosa for one more.
Well, gotta go.
love you all.. valeu,_Elder Olson

July 1, 2009 Yapois!‏

So guess what?..........its raining ...
Well, this past week has been great. This morning we gave the house a much needed cleaning, and have been just relaxing a bit today (we were really needing it).
The work is going well here. We have been working really hard with alot of the members and have seen some great improvement. Over the past week we have been working in the large weedfilled backyard of the churchhouse (kind-of reminds me of home, ha). Elder ramos and I, along with a recent convert family decided to transform the back of the church-yard into a mini orchard and vegetable garden. There is alot of room and will serve to help alot of needy families here in Viçosa. This next week will be pretty busy as we will start reading the Book of Mormon with the young men and women of the branch and I will start giving english lessons at the church. We have started a bunch of great little programs like this here to help the ward become closer and more unified. Also to help the members, investigators, and recent converts get to know each other. I have truly gained a testimony that by small things, great things come to pass (Alma 37:6-7. I will be honest, the work here is not the least bit easy; yet somehow i find myself smiling, laughing, and enjoying every minuite of it (I think the Lord helps alot) It's funny how I once looked at work as something almost horrible--and now I get excited for it...weird,isn´t it? I have been able to see the importance of having a willingness to work. It is like my trainer always said, "if you (personally) do nothing, nothing is going to happen." If we are not doing our part, how are we going to see things get better, cleaner, brighter? The world is only changable if we are willing to make it change.
This past week we spent a day visiting the huge colony of people living in tents on the local soccer field because their houses were destroyed by the rain. There is a recent convert family (Carlos + Lucia) that we have been helping that are living there as well, and they were happy to introduce us to all of their friends and neighbors. We have found some excellent families that we will be working with the next few weeks. I am very excited. Also, the 12 yr old boy that we baptised 2 weeks ago has started bringing some of his friends and cousins to church with him, and through this we have been able to meet their families as well. He is an awesome kid. It has been incredible. Although we are dedicating alot of time to the existing members and inactive members, I have found that as long as we are working the Lord is helping us to find people to teach (or in many cases, helping others to find us) -I just want you all to know that I find this gospel incredible. It has a way to change others into something better, brighter, and happier too. I am really loving my time in Viçosa. It has shown and taught me many things.
I miss you all a bunch... but not that much...j/k-- take care, -Elder Olson