March 20, 2017 Don't worry, be happy now. Barberena, Cuilapa 6

Dear Family,

First off, if you know where the subject title is from, you'll know all the memories that were passing through my head this week. 

Well Barberena has changes !!!!!! I am going to a faraway land of Barbie-Queen.  . . . Barberena. I'm staying. Elder Alegria is leaving though. I thought I would be able to stay with him until he died. (He is finishing his mission this next change). Anyway, He has been my very best friend in the mission for this 

... a guy just came up to us and contacted us saying that one time his friend invited the elders but they never came. . . .awesome!!

A seventy visited us a couple months ago and said if we were exactly obedient and worked diligently, they would find us.  . . . neat.

Anyway, Elder Alegria is going to be the new assistant to the President. I will be receiving two companions. Elder Monson, from my same district and Elder Beltran, my tech master buddy from Mexico. It is going to be so much fun!!!!! 

My buddy elder Hansen is leaving the zone. =( He is awesome. We are going to go farm it up later in Idaho. 

We did divisions every single day this week. Basically it was just a high five to my comp and off to another area every morning. It was super fun, but we are both dead tired. The Lord is showing His hand. Satan is attacking like never before, but he only has the power we allow him to. I will not back down from his petty shows of his miniscule power. 

There is not worry. Only be happy now. Worrying doesn't help anyone. It never makes a situation better. Just smile and live as though watching the movie of your own grand success story. Already knowing that you will win in the end. 

In this life we generally get what we want.  . . . that comes entailed with the question: How much do you want it?

Meditate over that before shutting the thinking box. Think about what you want. How much have you shown how much you want it. What more would someone do that wants it more than you. If you REALLY want something, you will get it. 

I love the mission. I love the Book of Mormon. If any of you are wondering whether you ought to go on the mission. stop wondering. just say yes and ponder over all of your wonderful experiences and the eternal innumerable blessings afterwards. If I had not gone on the mission. I would be NOTHING. Compared to who I am and what I have obtained already, there wouldn't be sense to go on living on such a low level. God has better plans for us. 

Read Isaiah 55.

Love you all.

-Elder Olson

Oh!!! I worked in Nueva Santa Rosa on Wednesday and I visited Ofelia. WOOHOOO!!!!!

Picture:  This is Elder Hansen from Idaho.  Divisions were awesome.

March 6, 2017 Wait, what? x 5000 Barberena, Cuilapa 4

Okay, I'm going to be an Uncle?!!!!!!!   "Uncle Elder" I like the sound of that.  . . . nope "Uncle Ammon" much better. Keep him in there til I get back!!!!!

This week has probably been the craziest week of my whole life, however, I have experienced calmness and tranquility (no stress). The Holy Ghost or the Spirit guides my life. I am obedient to the commandments of God with all my heart to the fullest and so I live in His hands. He organizes the parts of my life that I don't understand and allows me to attempt to do what I do understand first before He intervienes to organize that too! We are having so much success and great accomplishments like you cannot imagine. Is it because I am here? No. The Lord loves me enough to permit me to witness the works of His hand. 

My precious mommy Olson shared with me that Christ taught our relation and works to His doings in the earth; Think of an apple tree (Christ shared it with a grape vine). The wonderful fruit comes from the branches, but the branches do not grow them. The tree or the trunk is what grows them. The branch on it's own cannot grow them, but neither can the trunk without branches. Think and ponder about it before reading on and make your own relations. 

...

Christ is the trunk the fruits are good works, miracles, baptisms, happiness, marvellous acts, etc.

I see these fruits all the time related with my being here, but I do not dare take credit for them. I am the branch, you are the branch. The Lord needs us to "do" the things because His work and glory lies in our success and progress as royal children of a God. However, all that I do is a privlege that God make this fruit through me. Ponder that more.

Mom asked me if I ever have a bad day. What you think is a bad day I have ALL THE TIME!!! But I have learned what the true definition of a Good and Bad day is. I don't have Bad days anymore. YOU DECIDE. Everything depends on YOU!!! we are free agents and are not subject to anything.

Anyway. I have to get off, but just so you understand, My companion, elder Alegria and I worked together for a grand total of 5 hours (all added up) in the whole week. Yep. Too many details to explain. We also didn't really sleep. 

Love ya all. 

Elder Olson

February 27, 2017 If You Believe Barberena, Cuilapa 3

WOW!!!! This week was FANTABULOUSly scrumpcious!!!!

We did a ton of a lot of divisions with missionaries that bring endless stories. The most special of the week would be the baptisms of Luis Cardona and Lucrecia (Luki) Hernandez and their precious daughter Blanca. (She was so valiant that day -- she is afraid of water). This family is something else. The have the Gospel and the very name of the Lord Jesus engraved in their hearts. I think Luis will be the next branch president within the next two years. He was smoking before and could not quit, but now he says. I have my master. He is in my heart and I have not reason to smoke more. 

I went to a place called Ixhautan on Thursday with an Elder that has two weeks in the mission. His name is Elder Cruz. This place is a town up in the mountains about two hours from Barberena and it is surrounded by little mountain villages. Have you ever walked before? I thought I had, I learned a quick lesson of what real walking .... and walking.  .. . and walking (hiking) is. Ha!!!! We tried to find a secret path to avoid walking the whole mountain range and we were going well.  .  .  . (were) we took the wrong turn and  . . . well . . . climbed an entire mountain face. (If Seth remembers climbing the avalanche site with me . . . nope. not even close). We went up and up and up and entered into corn fields and up and up and up. Then we saw an electric pole up high (WE HAD FOUND civilization!!!!!) After getting there, my entire body was SOAKED with sweat and my face was covered in salt (salt deposits from the sweat) -- I wiped my face with my hand and my hand was white with salt-- well, it was one of those long distance power lines. (one pole per mountain side). Then we looked up and saw a cross monument even higher (the peak). Having heard that the village we were looking for was on the other side of the mountain, It made most sense to go up there right?  hmmm.  When we arrived at the cross, we could see the whole world. Elder Cruz and I rejoiced and we walked "towards the village". Our relief quickly died to see it at .  .  . the bottom of the other side of the mountain. "the pioneer children sang as they walked . . . and walked . . . and walked". We arrived to Manuel. He grew up in this village. In his baptismal interview, I asked him how he planned to go to church every week (being a rented house in the town). He chuckled and said, "ha! walking of course. It's super close!! How blessed I am! it's only an hour!" He is in charge of some cattle in a place called Puerto Rojo (red port). Well, that place is 5 hours away walking and he walks down there to check on them. We also found a garter snake and grabbed that which was neat. Guatemala is so cool. Even though we got lost, these elders get to have adventures like that every day!!! Anyway, Manuel, having 64 years of experience showed us the secret path over rivers and through fences that took about 10 minutes on level ground to take us back to where we took the wrong turn. We felt pretty ridiculous, but we were able to give a Law of Chastity pamphlet to a teenage couple we found there at the cross. 

There are oh so many experiences to share with you all, but I will have to save them in my heart. The mission is the very best thing anyone could ever do for a strong basis in Christ and in being a Child of God. 

By the way, Elder Alegria just wrote to his little sister the council of mommy Olson about having a boyfriend or girlfriend: If you really want to have one, it's okay. . . .if you want to lose a friend. You will go too far in the natural progression that a relationship entails, or you will break up and hate each other forever (at least it will never be the same). He got that from one of our conversations the other night. Thanks mom for being all that you are. You have no idea how many people you are blessing world-wide. 

I love life. It couldn't get any better. I love you all. I`ll try to write down all these stories somewhere, but better, just go on a mission. Get them for yourself. WOW!!!!! The Lord couldn't have made a better invitation. 

Love you, 

Elder Olson.

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 

Power of 3--Villa Lobos Mariscal 17

Hey Family!!!!! 

This week has been amazing!!!!! 

To be honest, it started off dryer than I have ever experienced. On Tuesday, we went to Santa Fe on divisions with the assistants to the President which was awesome!!! 

On Wednesday, we watched the world-wide broadcast to the missionaries in all of the world. It was titled, "Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts" They spoke a bunch about how many times we assume that the people already have faith in the lord and we mention that they should repent and then JUMP to the baptism. The majority of the world believes in the name of Jesus Christ, but don't have actual faith in Him,  .  .  . because they don't know how. 

Elder Duncan on Sunday reminded us that each and every human is a christian because all that are here already chose Jesus Christ. Everyone believes in him and beilieves the True Gospel, they just don't remember it. Their spirits do though.

Alright,

There is a simple power of three that is the center of a strong base in life and in the Gospel. It is almost too simple to believe it's grand power. It's even so simple that you all already know it. 

1. PRAY always asking inspiration and asking questions to the Lord.

2. READ the scriptures EVERY day.

3. ATTEND church every Sunday. 

In spanish, Orar, Leer, y Asister spells OLA. which is the same sound as Hola or hello. We teach this to the members with an object lesson with the three cups and three butter knives or forks and a ton of novel-sized books as the "burdens of life" the three utensils are Pray, Read, and Attend. We tell them we see the simplicity of these things and doubt that they can support all of the burdens of life. We challenge them to use the utensils with the cups in a triangle and the utensils on the ground inbetween each cup as a connecting line. They can move the utensils but not the cups to make the books float or rise above the ground in the center of the cup triangle. They try and try and become frustrated and give up. They doubt. We teach them that if we confide and trust in the Lord by always doing these three things, He will teach us how to form a strong support with them to support whichever weight. We put the tips of the utentils on each cup and make an overlapping triangle with the other ends in the center of the cup triangle (the cups are upside down) This can support up to about 25 pounds. We put the books on it and then add more and more and more. 

SO. . . 

Are you praying every day? there is a difference between saying words for prayer and PRAYING.

Are you reading even just a tinsy bit of the Scriptures and the Book of Mormon each day?

Do you attend Church EVERY Sunday?

Trust in the Lord. HE knows the way.

If you do not know yet if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true, or if the Book of Mormon is true, This is the very SAME recipe to know for your self if it is all true and directed by God himself. Put God to the test. He has said, "Prove me now in this".

-Read the Book of Mormon and Pamphlets from the Church and medidate their contents.

-Pray and literally ask God each day something like this, "Father, is the Church of Jesus Christ thy Church? Is the Book of Mormon True? Is it inspired by thee?"

-Attend or visit the "Mormon" church on Sundays without one single commitment or obligation to obtain your very own experience. Would you rather experience the peace and Holy Ghost for yourself or would you rather continue only being told about it. 

More than 15 millions people around the World have tried this recipe and have recieved an ANSWER from GOD. I am one of these people. I KNOW becuase GOD has answered me. Put it to the test. 

It's like lemonade. You need 1. Water 2. Lemon 3. Sugar 

Without one part you don't get lemonade. Follow in faith.

Okay. If you want to know how I feel right now. Read Alma 17:23 from the Book of Mormon

 23 And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to ^adwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die.

also,

remember this about sacrifice 3 nephi 9:19-20

 19 And ye shall offer up unto me ^ano more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

 20 And ye shall offer for a ^asacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I ^bbaptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not. 

No more time. Love ya all!!!!!! write me about your life and what you are learning. Share with me a missionary experience that you have had.

-Elder Olson