May The 4th Be With You! Good Things Happening!!

May 4, 2015

A lot happened this week, and so I will give you the highlights of the week!  It started on Wednesday with Kedecia’s Confirmation!  This event honestly tied so many members of the ward council together.  It was wonderful and included the ward auxiliary members as well as some other members that Kedecia chose. . It was such a great event to see someone make such a huge step in their lives and see the happiness this gospel can bring to someone who truly thought where they were previously was the best for them. They soon come to realize the amount of support and love they receive from the church members and from our Heavenly Father! They realize the unconditional love He has for us, as well as understanding the atonement and sacrifice of His son, our Savior, Jesus Christ! And they realize what gates are truly opened unto us because of it! It is wonderful to see the gospel mean so much. Unfortunately, with Kedicia’s new job she won't be attending church for about 2 months, so we got her all set with some fantastic visiting teachers and such.

Desiree is still set for her Baptism on May 9th, so we are definitely looking forward to that!! After some unexpected things, her interview was moved to this Tuesday, So we will wait and see about that. We also had a fun incident this week as well. A lady was asking us simple questions about religion in general. She said she has no previous knowledge of it and slowly progressed and got more aggressive with her questions. In my opinion, I think that was probably the best handled bash I've been involved in. We answered all of her questions, and did it very simply and calm.  Come to find out, she was "testing" us. She is a minister and "prophetess" for another faith and she wanted to know how we could handle stress and the doctrine we teach! She was impressed and happy with the calmness we had, and the answers we provided although she didn't fully agree with all of them. She assured us she wasn't going to leave her church (obviously because she is the preacher) but would like to come and visit ours someday! So that was a cool experience, and a rough one at that haha! Also I met the first stake president in Honduras this week.  Come to find out, he is in the ward I'm serving in!! So that's sweet!

This week was our Stake Conference. So for missionaries, it means lots and lots of meetings!! We've literally had like 3 full days of meetings! So that took a lot of time out of the normal schedule. A couple of area seventies came and joined us as well.  Although there was a lot I took away from these meetings, one thing I noticed it focused on (especially in Saturday’s Meetings) was our life here, currently and specifically how it takes those 'Not so perfect days to eventually have those perfect days.' President Donahue, a counselor in the OS Stake Presidency, gave a quote that I found amazing and simple and yet awesome! "This Journey is for Eternity" What we do now affects us later, how we LIVE now carries on with us. I want to be the best I can and learn from my mistakes, so that I can grow to live with my Father in Heaven again! And remember that "Each personal imperfection is an opportunity to change." -Russell M. Nelson

Anyway, that was pretty much my week and nothing else too new…except I found me a new barber, so that's cool hahah! Tony (my old barber) was arrested. So yeah!... No surprise there honestly!

Thanks for everything! I'm so appreciative and grateful for all you guys do! I hope you know of my love and most importantly your Heavenly Fathers love! I miss and love you all! Talk to you soon!

APRIL 27, 2015

It’s been a pretty odd, yet decent week! Sadly a lot of this week was actually rained out and we were on bike week, so we couldn't really go too many places. But we still were able to teach our usual lessons and get what we needed to done, plus pick up a pretty cool investigator.  She happens to live in the sketchiest part of our area, or at least one of them.  It’s on the road called Orange Blossom Trail (aka OBT) so that was a fun experience to go all the way out there! 

Let's just say we had a lot of weird contacts and things happen this week! On our way home one night we pulled up next to a car, and had a dance party with them while chilling at a stoplight. They were blasting music so we decided to dance too! It was hilarious!  They looked and one said "white boys...claws up and dance" so yeah... Also I was riding my bike this week, and sitting on the sidewalk was a squirrel. He wouldn't move and tried to run In front of my bike! So he jumped REALLY high and almost landed on my face!!!! It was CRAZY!!! But he back-flipped out of the way just in time! Phew.. Also I found a wheelchair in the church, so while we were stormed in we were playing with it! It is like...the best thing ever!

Me, a Wheelchair and My Bike Helmet!

This week was one of the missionaries’ birthdays, and Edwina surprised us all and got us lots of food and drinks. Although she isn't set on wanting to be baptized anytime soon, she absolutely LOVES the missionaries! She even gave us all a pair of Nikes or Jordan's so we can play basketball in style! Haha! Also, they were so we would always remember her and JMart!! I feel bad though because she gave us like $80 pairs of shoes!

Me and Edwina and My New Shoes!!

Kedecia hasn't been able to come to church cause of her work schedule...sadly, but we have been able to see her a few times since her baptism. And her husband has work off this Wednesday and so does she, so we will be finally confirming her then!! WOO!! Also Desiree is still set and awaiting May 9th! She's been having a rough week this week, but is SUPER excited about her baptismal date! We have her interview this week and we will be figuring the rest of her baptism out too.

It's still crazy to think that I will be here for 6 months, and possible 7 1/2 if I stay another transfer…which actually could happen..Elder Cotton is STILL in DeLand, so yeah! It is a possibility! 

Nothing much new has been happening, we had the helicopter that spotlights for manhunts spotlight us on our bikes, it was SWEET!!! 

Anyway, thank you for everything! I appreciate all you guys do, so thank you!
Love and miss you all!

-Elder A. Olson