Okay family, buckle
down because we're gonna write this all at super speed.
Do you remember Luis
and Luki that were baptized in February with their 8 year old daughter? ... and
there are the other two princesses?
Well they are so
insanely cooliboppin! They teach me so much simply with where their heart is
placed. Mommy Olson taught me that in the judgement, it probably won't be
counting how many times you yelled at your sister or helped a stranger in the
street, but rather God will look upon our heart to see where it is placed. If
it is placed in Him or in anywhere else . . . AND... to what degree it is
placed in Him.
Luis and Luki just
want to do more. They visited those recent converts with me (with the boots) and
they don't have doors on their house nor food for their children. Luki started
crying and this couple went to work! They are organizing to rip doors off of
their own home and make more out of metal. Members are taking turns taking food
to them, and the whole branch is searching for work for him.
Luis and Luki also
jumped up to action when they heard about family history work. They are going
to do Baptisms for the Dead this week in the Temple of Zone 15 of the Capital
of Guatemala for many ancestors (it is not forced salvation, but rather
providing the opportunity to those spirits that did not have the chance or that
chose otherwise in their life here --
Read from the bible 1
Peter 3:18-20
An awesome quote from
"The Fourth Missionary"
"You can't be
happy if you don't want to do the things that lead to happiness, even if you do
those very things"
In the words of CCM
President Cox and Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the quorum of the 12 apostles:
"Ya gotta WANT IT!"
INVITATION: talk about
that quote as a family. Discuss it.
Okay, this week we had
a branch activity where we did what I call "the doughnut atonement" .
. . but we weren't able to use doughnuts. Instead, we just used a hula hoop
looking cheap cake called a Magdalena. For lack of time, here is the basic
scoop. We sliced it up into super thin slices and asked who wanted one. We
chose one and said, "Okay come and take it, but it will cost you five
pushups." She did two and then fell (even though it sounds bad, we
chose someone that obviously couldn't). I stood up (as part of the activity)
and said, "Don't worry, I'll do them for you." I did five pushups
with ease. Then my companion asked, "Who else" many raised their
hand. Elder Beltran chose one and then turned to me, "Elder Olson". I
half shrugged and did five more, again, with ease (I can do 20 without
struggling too much). Then the same process, "Elder Olson" This time
I shrugged a bit more with a sigh and a slight look of frustration. And so on.
After many times. I had to focus mentally and do them with shaking arms. Many
had compassion on me and tried to get the others to stop asking for more. Some
were fixed on having more, others glanced at me questioning in their face if
they could. I said, "I am willing". Well to shorten it up. They
finished the Magdalena. I didn't know what to do with my arms or any of my
upper body for that matter. They understood by the little that I did how grand
what the sacrifice that Jesus Christ offered for us. Meditate that more.
Later that night my
companion mentioned to me that I had done more than 130 pushups. (Thinner
slices than I planned on)
That really amazed me.
Like I mentioned, I can normally do 20 pushups without struggling too much.
Many times, we put our own caps. We ARE CHILDREN OF GOD. Just take a moment to
imagine what YOU can do. Don't let the world cap you off, but more importantly,
don't allow yourself to cap you off. Now, I'm not trying to show off, my whole
upper body is still on fire. I have a LOT of physical recuperation to do/receive
when I get back (I'm out of shape).
I really do love you
all. Please keep sending me ideas as they come to mind. I'll send the rest of
my thoughts next week.
-Elder Olson
#untilthelasthour!!!!
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