February 20, 2017 Apostolic Witness--Barberena, Cuilapa 2

This week was sikTALica! as an elderly woman shared with us in the CCM (missionary training center) in one of her talks. 

I just feel so good here. I truly feel that I am among the Lamanites. We are just working super hard to find people that the Lord needs to edify His kingdom and not only people that need the church. --Thanks Seth for that focus. 

On Thursday, we went to a historic conference. There were present, President Caffaro (mission president), President Markham (mission president), Elder Ochoa (of the seventy), Elder Alonso (of the seventy), Bishop Davies (presiding Bishop of the Church), Elder Christensen (President of the presidency of the seventy), Elder Ronald A. Rasband (of the quorum of the 12 apostles), all of their wives (each one with their wife), and two entire missions. 

It sufficeth me to say, it was . . . . Cooliboppin!!!!!   (Thanks mommy for the word).

This area is golden!!!!!!! We are working super hard just to get things running here and then it will just take off!!!!!! The family closest to their baptism is family Cardona. They are the ones I was talking about last week (I feel as though I have been here for two months already). They are awesome!!!! They are excited to be baptized this Friday!!!! Their super catholic grandma (mom of the wife) came to church this week and loved it!!!! She is so sweet!!!!! 

I am really looking inward to who I want to become and how much time I will waste wanting it and not going after it!!!!! 

The most important is that we plead with God to give us spiritual impressions, and then act on the FIRST one and not the second or third. As we act, we are able to do the Lord's will and do amazing things that would not otherwise be possible. I acted just after the conference in a big way that I don't think I would have and wow!!! What a wonderful and filling experience!!! No FEAR!!!

Here's the key: if you find yourself feeling like you want to do something and then say in your head, "No, it's better to not because..." (if it be something good) that's your key to act and DO IT!!!!

I challenge each and every one of you (member of the church or not) to kneel down privately and speak with your Father in Heaven out loud with your voice. Tell him that you promise to keep every prompting that you receive and will act immediately. I promise you that as you finish that prayer, you will feel a clear prompting to do something simple, seemingly unimportant, but it is your first test. My first time doing this, I was 16 years old and it was almost midnight. I was super tired, but I felt the desire to make that deal with God. I climbed in bed and felt, "write in your journal" I laughed and popped out of bed . . . then it all started. Gradually, I felt more and more the promptings until every act I did in the whole day was obeying a prompting. My very steps were being guided by the Spirit. I found myself doing marvelous things like eating lunch with a shy girl or a blind kid, inviting the principal to church, studying when I ought to. My smile on my face grew bigger and bigger and entered into my heart. It lasted about two months before I lost my focus and came back down to the worldly level. Take the initiative to do it. Invite all that you know to do it too!!!!!

Remember, all of the awesome and amazing things you will do will NOT come from you! Enjoy the experiences, but do not take credit for them. The credit is only for Him from on high. As we understand that we are even less than the dust from the earth, and that Christ empowers us to be able to do all things expedient to Him, our life takes off in unbelievable progression!!!! 

Share some of your experiences with me. 

Love you all!!!!!

-Elder Olson

wiwi

February 14, 2017 Home Sweet Home--Barberena, Cuilapa 1

Okay, well I LOVE BARBERENA!!!!!!

(first email said: I'm in barberena WOOHOOOO!!!!  Love you all.  I'll write more next week)

I sent that earlier mail just as a joke, but the computer that I was on got me back. I spent an hour just trying to do the dats of the Zone and maybe write to president or to anyone really, and all I achieved was to send that joke mail and corrupt all but two of my Barberena fotos. I had a lot of really neat ones in there. Well I hate Goku computer number 4 if you were interested. I am now on his better neighbor. 

Anyway, I simply feel wonderfully splendid here in Barberena. For those of your that do not know, I spent the first six months of my mission in Nueva Santa Rosa which is the neighboring area of Barberena. I feel as though I am with my people once again in a tiny little branch. Our branch president is a 24 year old married guy that likes to program and lives in the Capital. He just comes out here on weekends. 

This week we got to know the Sorensons. They were a senior couple of missionaries here two years ago, but Guatemala got their heart and they couldn't go on another mission for heart issues of Brother Sorenson. They just came back on their own and are establishing a tutor school for the poor kids here. We were able to clear a spot for a chicken coup.  . . . . there were a ton of logs and trunks and tin lamina sheets and about 500 beer bottles. We showed up in normal missionary attire. and left very dirty. The Sorensons took us to eat in the only restaurant here. Pollo Campero. That picture was also corrupted. I do not like computers of Guatemala. 

When I left Villa Lobos, the very next day, a nice young mother was going to be baptized. Well I came here to meet a golden family!!!! Luis and Lucrecia Cordona with their three princesses. They are the little girls in those pictures. Well they got all caught up in a giant mess of moving and the elders arrived exactly when they were needed to help them. They recognized the sign and went to church. They have already received an answer from God and are preparing at full speed to be baptized here in February. They are amazing and have had to move three times in the last month. 

There's not much more to be said right now. All of those pictures would have said the rest, but we'll see if I can take a few more without getting them ruined. 

I love you all and I hope you have a great valentines day!!!!!!

There is also a senior couple that comes to my branch, the Smiths. Elder Smith grew up in Garden Grove California just there on Lampson and went to elementary school on Chapman and Magnolia when Hales Recuperative School was an elementary school. Love you all. I can't wait to visit Nueva Santa Rosa!!!!!!!

Elder Alegria is amazing!!!! Way cooler than I thought he would be!!!! 

Love you all!!!!!!

Elder Olson 

February 6, 2017 My Precious Pueblito, REPENT!! Villalobos, Mariscal 18

Wellsies family,

Today is a sadly EXCITING day. My gang-infested pueblito is going far away from me tomorrow. (I Don't travel, I simply allow the world to rotate beneath me feet -- Chuck Norris taught me that one).

But first, this week was . . . . Take a guesss . . . . .yep. MARVELOUS!!!!!!

We had a Mission Council on Friday. We sang to president for his birthday. He shared with us the absolute importance of REPENTANCE. We need to help everyone repent. Sometimes we can lose track of our purpose: 

Invite others to COME UNTO CHRIST by helping them recieve the restored Gospel through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement, REPENTANCE, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. 

It is not: Invite others to BE BAPTIZED by being visited and passing an interview. 

We need to be MEN and call the world to repentance. They need it. It is not a hard thing (not difficult nor striking) but rather an act of Love and Care. If they do not repent, they can NEVER be happy. 

I do not want anyone to get to heaven and turn to me in unbelief and say, "you knew? you knew about all of this and didn't share it with me?" 

President Henry B. Eyering has promised that not one friend will be lost for trying to share the Gospel. Who could be mad at an intention to share what it the very most precious to someone with others?

On Sunday, Jennifer Chacon, Jorge morales and Norma yat and Tatiana and Guadelupe, Gerardo Arias and Melany Barrios and Herman Barrios ALL came to church. Norma bore (shared) her testimony there in front of the church with me. Then Gerardo and Herman shared theirs.

Well. the time has come. I am leaving Villa Lobos. I am going to BARBARENA!!!!! HELLOOOO CUILAPA . . . . again!!!! I spent the first six months of my chapin life in Nueva Santa Rosa neighboring Barbarena . . . more or less (it's the closest, but it's 1 hour). When I was in Nueva Santa Rosa, elder Galvan and Elder Magdaleno were there in barbarena. I will most definately be visiting Nueva. WOOHOOO!!!!!!!

Elder Marroquin, my papi (trainer) had returned to Nueva Santa Rosa, but tomorrow he will leave from there to be an Assistant to President Caffaro. This is his last change or transfer. The daddy of elder Lainez is going to be his campanion there. Elder Wright is who I replaced in Nueva when I came in. This will be the third time that Elder Marroquin and Elder Wright will be companions. Ha!!

This is a precious place. Guatemala is going downhill as far as the news broadcasts are concerned. There are killings daily. This week there were about three in Villa Lobos and many more in other areas. We don't feel the danger at all. The News Reporters are ignorant of the Lord's army and forces here in Guatemala fighting evil day after day. Guatemala is a wonderful place. The more evil there is, the more RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!!

Well. Let's get off the computer and GET TO WORK!!!! This week I give you all permission to drop your fear, put on the armour of God and ACT. To invite the world, one friend or aquaintance at a time. Don't think it out. Just go. Or, dial the number and think about what to say as the phone is ringing. 

I leave tomorrow being Tuesday and on Wednesday, Ingrid Cifuentes will be baptized. She is amazing. 

I love you all. Share your missionary experiences with me.

-Elder Olson