Ether (week 32)

Guys.....it is June....time on the mission just flies right on by. (I decided to try sounding like everybody else for once.....never again!)

This week was good....we are making some progress here in Mariluz. All of our investigators are progressing and doing soooo goooooood, the problem is that they do not come to church....uggggh.

Yamilet (mama de Jhon) is doing good...she basically has just about all the lessons. But she will not commit to a baptismal date because she wants to get baptized with her husband and her other son. I am not sure if they are really interested or not BUUUUUUUUT, I have faith that all will work out.

Juan Camillo and his grandma are doing really good too. We have started to teach his dad...and they are doing really well!!! The problem is that we figured out they live in the area of the zone leaders so we had a lesson where we introduced them...it turned out way good!! The LZ are leaving this week for meetings in Cali, so we will be teaching them all this week which is good.

We have also found a bunch of new people to teach through the list that the Hermanas left us, and some references from the members. This area is kinda hard though, it is hard for us to find directions and even when we do most of the time the people are not even there. It's good though, we always have people that will come with us to teach. There are a few boys with mission calls that always are willing to help us, which is good because sometimes we need all the help we can get!!!

My relationship with John is good....he has quirks but unlike all my other companions he like actually helps me sometimes sooooooo, all is well.

Our house is soo great.....PERO there is one slight problem, our stove cannot even boil water. My diet at home has consisted of picante chicken cup noodles (Mom have you tried those? They are sooooooo gooooood!) (Mom has tried them, she also says they are sooo goood!) chips, grilled cheese and lots and lots of Gatorade and la cigarra! (It's a soda that you can only buy in the Colombian state of Nariño and it's soooooooooooooooooo gooooooood!) Buuuut yeah if anyone has any ideas on good food I can eat without a stove, that would be way rad!!!!

I am really liking Pasto so far.....really liking my district too!! I met Elder Corbett during the Christmas conference and I have always liked him. He is doing a rad job as a district leader so, nothing to complain about.

Today for P-day the Elders went out and played some indoor soccer.....if I am being honest I really do not like playing soccer with Latinos....I always feel like

A.) I am REEEALLY bad at soccer

and

B.) I am going to die.

Hahaha the soccer hit me in the chest today really hard and my name tag literally went up and SMACKED my face and then landed on another court.....on the other side of the field xD It was intense!!! After that we met up with the Hermanas at the church and had a BBQ type thing because today was Hermana Espinos last P-day of her mission. (We are having early transfers because our new Mission President is coming soon!!) Yeah, I guess yesterday our Bishop told Elder Flores that he could have a BBQ at the church, and then today he said we only could outside. Soooo Elder Flores had the BBQ grill moved to the back of the building (savage LZ) and some of the meat was grilled back there and some of it was grilled in the building hahahahaha it was a good time!!!

How are guys doing? Like spiritually.....I worry about you guys mucho. Like you guys better be doing everything that you are supposed to be. I know that I have worried you guys a little during the mission but I am doing just fine, I am a lot better right now...I promise!!! But really it's really not about me, I am not here for me. I am here because I know that my Heavenly Father has reserved special people that I need to teach......and by doing so I am growing and growing and growing. That's just kinda it, it all works when we align our desires and our wants with those of our Heavenly Father, and we receive SOOOOOO MANY BLESSSSSINGS!!! Sometimes it's hard, sometimes it takes a ton of faith. But without faith and sometimes without the suck we cannot learn, we cannot grow, and we cannot become like our Father in heaven. I have 2 scriptures for you guys this week....the challenge is to

A.) Read them.

B.) Write about them in your challenge journal.....MAKE GOALS!

C.) Put those goals into practice.

The scriptures are

Ether 12:6 and Ether 12:12 (because lets be for real ETHER 12 is rad!)

You guys got this.....cannot wait to hear all about it.

I LOVE YOU GUYS MUCHO!!! NEVER FORGET IT,

Elder Olsen

"Have Faith...Have Hope....Live like his son....Help others on their way"