Halloween Week Happenings!

 

Here come the Men In Black...and our pug!

Hey everyone!! Well...all I gotta say is this week was quite the "treat" hahaha. Did you get it?...Halloween...treat...anyway..sorry.. Before we get to the subject of Halloween, I better say that this was a rather exciting week! We thought we had a little earthquake here as the ground shook, while we were studying one morning and without a boom or anything! But come to find out, the limestone factory about 5 miles away had an explosion of some sort. It was still kind of cool!  Then we found out that the movie "Jeepers Creepers" was filmed partly in Sumter County! It was the perfect fun fact being that Halloween was this week. I mean.. That explains a lot. This area has all those overhanging trees haha!

Halloween Day wasn't really anything out of the ordinary. The night before, we went out "Reverse Trunk or Treating" which basically means a small group of us got the list of members with children under the age of 18 and went out delivering a little bowl of candy and such to them!! It was really cool to see how happy it made those members to see that we still care, even if they don't! We got to meet lots of families that haven't attended or that we didn't know very well. It was definitely a blessing right there. We even had someone say they wanted to come back to church! On Halloween Day we just did the usual work, which was visiting families and investigators. We dressed as the "Men in Black", or missionaries, whatever one works. Someone asked if we were the Blues Brothers though haha!

But really, the highlight of this week was Saturday Morning. We had worked out a plan with the Branch President to do something exciting! Our awesome branch mission leader is in a wheelchair, so it's harder for him and his wife to keep up their property. But he never asks for help and is always on call whenever ANYONE needs help. He is Truly an amazing man! So we played a little trick on him, saying we needed to meet with him to discuss some events coming up.  Little did he know we had about twenty individuals with helping hands to come and clean up. They mowed the yards, cut down trees, pulled some weeds, etc. It was such a blessing in so many ways! Service is amazing because you know that your Father in Heaven looks down with a huge smile. It was absolutely amazing! We had some non-members come. They were friends of some of the helpers. They knew, and commented that it was a special group of Priesthood holders gathered, helping someone out and that they could feel the Spirit. He loved it and was even able to drive down and attend our Services! Like it states in the scriptures, "When you are in the service of your fellow being, you are in the service of your God." I encourage you to look around at those who may need that helping hand. Life can get crazy, and we can get carried away. Those you serve will feel of their worth, and you will feel of the Savior's love as you do so.

I'm grateful for a Father in Heaven that loves me enough to send His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, who willingly submitted to the pain, afflictions, temptations, and death for me and you. I know and can testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the only thing that is going to allow us to progress in this life. We would have no purpose without it!  This allows us to change, to grow, to become better. We don't have to be the best, that's impossible, but we do have to be better and continue being better! I know that the Atonement is for everyone and that no matter what you have done, who you are, who you were, because of the love and grace of the Savior, you do not have to be what you once have been.

Anyway, that's about it! That's my week!! Thanks for everything everyone!! You guys are truly the best! I hope you all have an amazing first week of November! WOO! I love and miss you all!

-Elder A. Olson 

Happy Halloween!!

New Investigator!

Boo Berry Love!!

Hey everyone! How has the week been? Everything here in Sumterville has been pretty good this week. We were able to see of those new "gators" I talked about, and found another! She is super awesome! She apparently met some missionaries back in the 80's. But with her moves, she lost the Book of Mormon she had! She believes it is true already, so we will see how that goes!!

Overall, it was a pretty hard week for door knocking. We knocked SO many doors, but sadly no one was home...like ever. So we were not able to get in contact with most of them. And the few we met, basically ran us off of their property haha!! BUT on the bright side...HALLOWEEN IS THIS WEEK! I just love Halloween! We found some SWEET homes decorated in the villages and so I'll attach a picture of one. Also, this Halloween I'm most likely going to dress as a missionary, or maybe a Ninja Turtle..haven't decided quite yet!! haha. AND Halloween also means the best cereal is out! BooBerry! I had to get some.

We somewhat set a baptismal date with the twins this week. We talked about baptism with them, but we will have to wait for the head of households approval for them. They are super excited, so I hope that comes soon for them!

My physical therapy went well! I had my reevaluation, and the therapist said she could notice physical improvements in my movement! So I updated President Berry, and he said he was going to talk with the mission nurse and get me set up with the missionary department to get me three more weeks of physical therapy. So we will see how that ends up.

I have only a quick scripture and quote today sadly... This is Mosiah 4:6, talking about how we can CONTINUE to apply the atonement in our lives. " I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the Atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end..." "If we are going to receive everything that the father hath, it's not going to happen without giving all that we have in return."

Anyway, thanks for everything everyone. I hope you all have an amazing week ahead of you! Thank you for all of the prayers. I'm always praying for you guys. Have a great Halloween!

-Elder A. Olson 

District P-Day Pumpkin Carving!

Twas a Week of Finding!

 

Working on shoe art!

Hey everyone, how have you all been? Things have been going pretty well here, and the area has definitely been progressing! This week was quite different than most that we have in Sumterville, mainly because it was all based around finding.. Which was pretty exciting. It was quite successful too!! Basically, we just went through our lists of Former Investigators/Potentials and went visiting those people again. We got to meet some pretty awesome people that way, we knocked some doors, and visited a few Media Referrals! Overall, we ended up finding 5 new investigators to start teaching!!

We found one investigator-Manya, who is way awesome!! She recently went to Utah and while there, she visited the church museum. She really enjoyed it and it sparked some questions inside her!! So we will see where that takes us! We got to meet with the Twins this week, luckily, health didn't get in the way too much! We had a good lesson with them talking about baptism and they are both just the most excited kids in the world to be baptized! We were able to set a rough date for them as of right now. So we hope and pray they will able to be baptized November 7th or possibly the 14th. We are super pumped for them! I'm glad they have come to realize why we need baptism and truly how important the role of the Holy Ghost is in our lives!

This week I did (for the most part) finish my physical therapy sessions. I do have a physical re-evaluation with them this week to see if there were any improvements. I do feel a little better. I mean, obviously it wasn't going to get solved that quick, but I can tell a slight difference! The pain is still there, is just isn't as persistent as it once was I guess! So we will see what they feel about it. Thanks everyone for the prayers and for caring about it! It's been awesome to have the support group I have!

For this week's thought I strayed away from the General Conference talks for now, only because I found an AMAZING quote given by Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Rosemary M. Wixom... " President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “God sent you here to prepare for a future greater than anything you can imagine. That future, a day at a time, comes alive when you do more than just exist; it comes alive when you live your life to fill the measure of your creation. This invites the Lord into your life, and you begin to let His will become yours."

We need to do more than just 'exist' right now. We need God's ways to become ours. We need to try and live up to our divine potential. We need to do our best to show our Heavenly Father that we care and desire to be our personal best and act on our faith.

Thank you! I do love and miss you all! I hope you all have a safe, and overall great week ahead of you! You truly are the best. And I hope you know of my love and prayers towards you all!

-Elder A. Olson

Powda Blue Suit!!

Sporting my Powda Blue Suit!!

Hey everyone! I Hope you all had another awesome week! Ours was pretty interesting, but a very good one at that and we are still on this awesome spiritual high from General Conference. The week started out with transfers on Tuesday and yes, Elder Uber and Cooper both left to go home! I hate to see them go, but they have served well and are great examples to the missionaries who remain in the field! Elder Cooper was my trainer so it was kind of weird to see him go! He gave me an awesome gift though.. I'll definitely attach pictures. Let's just say it's like a super retro "Powda' Blue Suit". Totally awesome!!

With Elder Cooper (My Trainer)

Then sadly, we weren't able to set a date with the Twins this week. I ended up getting sick Wednesday so we couldn't meet with them. Then their grandma got sick on Friday for our next appointment. All we know thus far is that it will be sometime in November! WOOHOO! 

Also, speaking of baptisms, I found out that Jessica, who I helped teach back in Ocoee, was able to get baptized! YAY!! I was super happy to hear the news, but sad I wasn't able to attend. Also, another surprise is that my old MTC companion has returned to this mission! Maybe I'll see him around!
I started my Physical Therapy this week as well. I only had three visits this week and sadly, not much has changed yet. I have noticed it doesn't hurt all day, but the pain still comes when I sit too long for lessons, drive anywhere, or stand or walk too much. So we will see how this next 3 visits this week end up. Thanks for all of your prayers, fasting and thoughts. I'm very grateful for you all and the constant support I get!! You are my heroes!!!

Nothing else exciting really happened.. We got a new mission car to drive around. That's pretty cool! But other than that I'm still just pushing along and trying to do my best!!

For this weeks General Conference thought, I've been thinking a lot about Neil L. Anderson's talk titled " Faith is Not by Chance, it's by Choice" Seriously this talk was amazing! He talks about how faith isn't a birthright. It's something that is to be picked up along the way, and hopefully confirmed to us that it's true! Faith, like the title says, isn't something placed upon us so we abide by it. It's something that we have to choose to live, choose to want in our lives, and choose to continue in. Because, like Elder Anderson says, faith is either growing or diminishing. How we live our lives increases or diminishes our faith. Prayer, obedience, honesty,purity of thought and deed, and unselfishness increase faith. Without these, faith diminishes.

Overall, the most important question to ask ourselves is "How does the Lord see MY Faith?" I hope that we all are increasing in our faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, and His Atonement. Because I know that this is how we truly grow closer to Him and our Heavenly Father. And to close this out, I will share an amazing quote from that talk. "I don't know everything, but I do know enough to continue on the path of true discipleship."
Thanks for all you guys do for me, I love and miss you all. And hope you have an amazing week ahead of you!

-Elder A. Olson 

Mini Exchange, Baptisms and Conference!!

 

Conference Breakfast with the Elders!

Hey everyone! How was your week this past week?! We made it through another week here in Sumterville and had a pretty awesome week! It started out pretty average, with the same meetings and stuff like that.  I also scheduled my first physical therapy session, which begins this Wednesday, because sadly they didn't have any openings until then. So I will be doing that and some more assessments!! Then this past Friday, Elder Uber and Elder Cooper got to drive down and do a final Temple Session. (Uber goes home this week) so Elder Thompson, Ashworth, and I got to spend most of the day in their area, Eustis, which is super close to Deland. It was so cool seeing familiar terrain and surroundings! We got the opportunity to go and teach some of their investigators, and see the people they visit. It was definitely a good learning experience/mini day exchange!

Also, we got permission from President Berry to set a baptismal date with the twins this week, so we will be doing that! They are hoping that we can do it mid-November, so that is what we are shooting for!! 
 
With us being in a branch that rents a little building, they were unable to broadcast General Conference to it. So we got permission to spend that time with the Lecanto Elders watching General Conference and boy oh boy was it awesome! I truly think I learned more from this last general conference than ever before! Those messages were exactly what I needed, and I was grateful that I had questions answered! Those men and women truly are called of God and inspired to lead, guide, and share what they did! And that's why I believe Elder David A. Bednars' talk was one of the absolute best with him expressing where we would be without our leaders and that they are truly called servants of God.  Many of you mention that you saw our frail prophet standing at the pulpit, as weak as possible, but still caring enough, loving enough to continue the message he knew we, as children of God, needed to hear. I love that man! The years of service and the love he has offered us has been priceless! The feelings you receive as you listen to the General Authorities is amazing, and the spirit that radiates from them is undeniable. This truly completes the scripture in Moroni 7:12 "Wherefore, all things which are good cometh from God.." 

There were so many good talks given though and it really did change a lot within me. And so over he next few weeks I'm going to highlight some of these talks in my email and explain why I like them. If that's alright?! So since I've already talked about Elder Bednar's talk, here's what I took from the beginning of his talk... "When you can not do what you've always done, then you only do what can be done. You will not always be eased from limitations or physical restrictions, you will be blessed with strength to continue on, and press forward."

Thanks for all the prayers, and thoughts, and support. I truly do appreciate and love you all. I hope you have an amazing week ahead of you, and you enjoyed  General Conference! Thanks again!!

- Elder A. Olson

Exchanges, X-rays and Excited for Conference!

 

Our pet Harold.

Well...This week was a success! We definitely saw more miracles! We were able to meet up with the twin girls again. They are just super pumped and ready for baptism. So we are going to be talking with our mission president about their situation, and see if we will be able to get them a date! We also had an awesome exchange this week. Both Elder Uber and myself stayed in Sumterville with Elder LeCheminant! It wasn't that fun of a day sadly, mainly because it was on Thursday, which was my Dr.s appointment! 

But before I get to that.. I'll tell you a little about the excitement that happened during our exchange. We caught a little baby lizard, and kept him as a little pet for the day. His name was Herald and so of course I had to get some pictures of him! But the rest of the time was pretty mellow and filled with appointments.  As for my back, they did In fact take the X-rays, and from what she had told me it was unusual for the pain to last that long, and that what she could pinpoint was a Lumbar Strain. But I took the pictures from the X-ray and sent it to our mission Doctor to see how/what he thinks. They have now asked that I start physical therapy and get massages to help out. The only problem is I have to go lots of times each week! But we will see. 
 
*Update - Further tests show a vertebrae out of place as well in my lower back.

General Conference is coming up this weekend!! WOOHOO! So I'm pretty pumped for that, as I hope everyone is! It's going to be awesome! Plus they will also be announcing three new apostles.. So that will definitely be exciting as well. There is a cool little message I'd like to briefly share about the importance of General Conference. It is given to us by Elder Jeffery R. Holland.But first here is a scripture I would like to share and it's found in 2 Nephi 33:1"....For when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men" And so like Elder Holland said in his talk "An Ensign to The Nations" he states:"If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you."

I know and can testify that if we go into this conference with a question, or concern in mind, like Elder Holland said, and as we listen by the Spirit, our specific circumstance or situation will be answered. It may possibly not be how we expect, but the Spirit will notify us and we will feel of God's love and comfort! I'm super excited for it again, and I truly hope you guys are too, and that you will enjoy it.

Sorry to cut this short but nothing much else is going on in my life haha! Talk to you all soon! I Love and miss you all. Thank you for all you do for me and for the prayers and fasting for my back. Love ya!

-Elder A. Olson 

 

Gators are good eatin' - Not to be confused with Investi-gators though........

 

Let's play!  You take the yellow one;) 

Yes yes..It's another week down and it was a pretty cool week! We've been pretty busy  with a lot of lessons, a new investigator, and best of all, I got to eat me some Alligator this week! We had a member take us to a local favorite restaurant called Catfish Johnny's. I was feeling a little wild so I decided to get the sampler! It came with some good ole' Catfish, Frog Legs, Alligator, and some fried Okra! It was really good, honestly! Alligator was seriously like the best!

We have been teaching some pretty awesome people, some of which I mentioned last week. The two twin girls Aliyah and Alora are so dang energetic and excited for baptism! We are going to hopefully set a date this week! It's been awesome though, and we basically just go over and ask them to teach the lesson to us! They are way smart and basically teach it like the way we would. We are just waiting for some last little bit of information to be finalized before they can get baptized! We've also been just talking to everyone we see. We have started teaching this lady who believes in Joseph Smith, and has already read the Book of Mormon. She already attends a different church, but she wants to attend ours and see how it is! And we also talked to a cashierat a Family Dollar store. Her name is Montie and she is like super awesome and happy, and fun! She had a friend that served a mission too! So we will hopefully be seeing her again too! Please pray for them!!

My doctors appointment is this Thursday for my back. I do appreciate all that you guys have done for me in behalf of that.. All the prayers, thoughts, and concerns.  It hasn't been the worst I guess, just kind of bothersome lately. I did tweak it a little today, but hey, that happens haha! I'm just excited to see what they do for it once they've got it all figured out!

Other than that, nothing too new or exciting this week. We did have a "Why I Believe" Fireside last night and heard some great testimonies, and we had to sing in a missionary choir!! There were like 20 or so of us and it was really good considering we only had 20 minutes to practice! I got a (crappy audio) recording of that I'll try to send. Although it might be too large if a file to send over Email. I dunno. I'll try though!!

Sometimes in our lives, we face troubles, discouragement, loss, pain, etc. So when our life seems cloudy and storms linger, when we feel like we are enclosed, and there is no escape and that a particular "storm" may never end, if we rely on our Father in Heaven, knowing with full heart that he is aware of our situation, He will bless us! He will bless us if we turn to Him and if we continue growing in Him, building ourselves higher and trusting in God. When we eventually get to the top of those storm clouds you look and realize the suns still there, shining as brightly as it ever was before! Sometimes the effort of climbing up through that cloud is all the more rewarding, because the ground can seem unpleasant. Life is like that and storms come but the sun is still there. All you gotta do is lift your sights a little bit higher, trust God, and believe it will always be okay in the end.

Thanks for all the help along the way family and friends! You all truly mean something special to me. I love and miss you all greatly and I always hope and pray that you have a amazing and safe week ahead of you! I'm always praying for you! Love you!

- Elder A. Olson