HIS BEST TWO YEARS

Behold, I send you out to reprove the world of all their unrighteous deeds, and to teach them of a judgment which is to come.....And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Hello-Feb. 27th

Well i don't know why but I keep having interesting medical experiences here in Tijuana. First of all, during our meeting with the ward mission leader, his daughter began to throw up next to me. And she didn't stop, so I had to support her so she didn't fall over, while her parents went to get rags. But don't worry i didn't get any throw up on my shoes.

And the other is a member in the ward that can't come to the church because has sever diabetes. And he has to have his dialysis 4 times a day, but he does it in his house. So the two times we went to see him this week he was in process of his dialysis. Without a shirt on, and his tube connected to sometime inside his stomach. It was not a pleasant surprise, but i held my composer, and we made it out alright, and I didn't even have the fainting felling come over me.

But this week was good we keep working, and this week we are going to have division with the young men in the ward. Where i go with one and Elder Rojas goes with another. it will be good. We hope to have a baptism this saturday, the husband was to be baptized, but the wife was some doubts, so we are going to work with her so she feels ready.

But other than that not much has changed here either. Today should be really calm day, with only 2 appointments en the afternoon, but with more tomorrow. hope all you are doing good. Reading your scriptures, doing your prayers, and giving service to others. and always remember,

that everyone loves a missionary!!!!!!,
elder olsen.

remind me to send pictures the next week.

20 of Febuary

Well once again another week down. And this one sure flew by. Seems like yesterday that i was writing home, and here i am again.

The past week was good. The best news we got from this week is that one of our investigators, is going to get married. They came to church last sunday, and said that they weren't going to get married.

But we went to their house tuesday, and they started to talk, almost fight, and when they stopped talking. I asked them, "Entonces si se van a casar o no?" and they said yes. So now we have their ride to get married organized and ready for Thursday. And we hope that they are baptized the next tuesday!

Also we got a little rain this week. not a lot but enough to wet things down a bit, and make a lot of mud. It didn't scare us off.

But the work goes on. We keep working with our ward also. trying to reactivate a couple familys, one of which came to church sunday. which was really nice to see them there present.

But the Scripture of the week, probably the month also. is in Alma 60:36. Love it, and i love the example of Captin Moroni.

But that's all for this week. right now we are going to eat at Taco Buffet. which i am really excited for because we haven't eaten anything all day trying to save more room in the stomach.

Se que el libro de mormon es verdadero. Y que fue escrito por nostros, y por nuestros tiempos. Se que Jose smith fue un profeta de dios, quien restauro la iglesia de jesucristo aqui en la terria, para darnos la luz, en un mundo de obscuridad. Espero que todos ustedes esten bien, y recurdense, que todos aman un missionero,

Elder Olsen

Another one bites the dust-Feb. 13th

Yes thats right another week flew by and full of adventures. First of all i got a package last week. thanks so much. But is was a valentines package, so it got here in perfect time. BUT still no letters.

Also this week I went with the district leader on divisions and i learned a couple of things to help me better. Then we went to the baptism of the bishops son, and the had all sorts of problems with the font. So we emptied out water with buckets. then when they went to refill it. they didn't have hot water. So he got dunked in pretty cold water. but its a good thing that my church doesn't have so many problems with the font.

Also we had a multi zone conference, thats were i got my package. And yes i was in the same zone as Elder Boyer from Springville. Really cool guy. I am still taller then him, but he sure does weigh more that i do.

But the work goes on and remains consent. Still working with a couple investigators that have to get married. We just have to keep teaching the importance of it. And hope that they will do it. Still knocking doors, talking with people in the streets, and always inviting to the church services. But always remember that everyone loves a missionary,

Elder Olsen reporting live from Tijuana, Mexico

I feel a little bit at home-Feb 6th

Well a little funny story that has me feeling at home again.

The 24 of january we helped a family move out of our ward, because they lost their home to the bank. Sad story. but we helped them move and they thought that the problems would end there. but this past friday, they called us again, and asked if we could help them move again. I didn't ask why, but we did. Turns out the house they moved into is falling apart. When they went to look at it to rent it, they didn't see the cracks, or the lack of earth under the house, but its going to fall apart. so we helped them move again. and thats why i feel like i am at home . (you all know how much my sisters like to move around)

But we are still working here, looking for new investigators, but we did find some. we are once again looking into marrying people, but know the problem is that they don't want to that easily. I don't know why, they have 14 years together, and a 13 year old son. but we keep working with them. And also there is another couple that are activity attending the church, but not baptized because they are not married. because he is not divorced from his first wife. SOOOO thats a problem.

Glad as always to get your letters and support. I havent gotten your letters but i know that you have written them. but don't have much time today. we played soccer, ate, now we are going to eat with investigators, and end the night with a Family home evning. But i love you all, and remember, that everyone loves a missionary,

Elder Olsen

Did you burn a shirt this week? Jan 30th

Well yes its official, i am half way over with the best to years and its flying by!! i dont know if its the new sector or what but the two weeks have flown by. Elder Rojas is good. I had heard many missionarys here in the mission say that training a new missionary is great. And i never understood why until now.

They always said that you get to see your progress as a missionary. To see how the missionarys come to the mission field, and what to do everything, work hard, talk with everyone, do this, do that. But they don't know how to do it. so this is where i come in. I am doing a lot to help him, and sometimes a love to look back and see how much i have learned and experienced. Hes good, we get along a lot better then my last companion which is really nice. but we keep working, and are struggling to find new investigators, but this week we have faith to find some really good ones.

Yes i did burn a shirt.(note: they are a lot more flammable then they look) i took pictures. someday you'll get to see them, but today no.

Yes, we climbed up the attic to get the dog in our suit pants, but don't worry it all washed out.

Sorry to here about the losing of timpview, but i guess since they won girls volleyball, maybe timpview is changing??????

what team is Jimmer on?

But all is good here on the boarder, and no need to worry, but remember that everyone loves a missionary!!!!!!!!!!!!

love you all elder olsen

Hello & Pictures---Jan 23rd

Well since I am going to send photos know much time to write. But it definitely was a different week for me. With new companion, new sector, and new responsibility. All going great.

Things are going good, getting used to the new sector, and everything, but sunday was alright, not very members showed up, so i didn't get to know to many members. But my new compaion is good and that all is going well.

Hope to send more pictures, but not sure if i will be able to. Hope all of you are doing really well, and have a great week.

but remember that everyone loves a missionary,

elder olsen


A stand we put in the street to contact the people
My past zone
One of my old companion in the river of tijuana
My New Companion
After me and elder rojas dug out a dog out of roof of a member. We don't know how it got in, but it didn't want to come out, we went in after it.

BIG CHANGES-Jan 16th

Well i am sorry once again for writing really late again today, but i have an excellent excuse. i have a new sector!!!!! but at 7 oclock in the morning we left to the bus station to wait for several missionary, then they took us to the offices. and they then began to train us a little bit. And the best part about it is that they trained us to train missionarys!! so after a while the band new missionarys got there, and we were assigned new compaions. So long story straight i am training a new missionary!!!! and super exited. really cool. Elder Rojas got here from mexico today and we had our first day in tijuana.

BUt in all the changes i am a little bit nervous, because i do have a new companion, and sector. I opened a sector. There were missionarys here but they took them out, and put us here. And i am still here in tijuana, and i thought they were going to change me away from the temple spot, but now the ward i am HAS THE TEMPLE GROUND IN IT!!!! We passed it going to our house. really cool. but i am a little nervous with all the changes, and not knowing the sector or the members, investigators, and still training a missionary, but i will be aright.

I have to be short because there are so many things to do tonight, so i hope your all good, and have a great week, because now i have a whole butt load of work to do.!!!!, but remember, that everyone loves a missionary,

elder olsen

Heeeelllllooooo...Jan 9th

Well hello to all of you this fine week.

The christmas and New year, and now day of the kings(hispanic holiday 6 of january) is all over its back to work. Its been a little bit low or slow in the work the past two weeks but now its time to get back to work. We have spent more time with new converts and members the past weeks because the people are harder to work with this time of the year. But now its back to knocking on doors and talking with people in the street. so all is going back to normal.

I did get mail. thanks so much for the package of birthday cards that you sent, i really enjoyed that. Then i got a christmas card from Uncle Eric and family, thank you! and then a card from the Scott family, from denver Colorado. ( MOM: can you tell them thanks.) and that was it. so maybe I will get the christmas cards around march time. hahahahaha

Thank you very much Mary ann for the christmas present, Thanks grandpa and grandma for the christmas package, thank you brandt famliy for the package as well. thanks Eric and family. Thank you everyone.

Well this week like i said was pretty boring. we are looking for more investigators to teach because we dont have very many now adays, but we keep working.

The best thing that happened this week i think happened yesterday at church. we started with about 60 members to start the services, but after the sacrament we had a whole bunch show up. so long story short we had about 3 inactive familys show up to church, and when we talked with them they said that they wanted to start the new year off good, and that several members had visited them. so that was really nice.

The work goes on. I hope that all of you could read the talk from Elder Hales. because i am going to give you another homework. Same conference, October 2011. but now its elder Alonso"s talk.

He was a mission president here in TIjuana about 7 years ago!!!!! so several members here know him. but i really like his talk about do what we should in the right moment. really good.

hope all you are good, and that you have a great week, love you all and remember,

that everyone loves a missionary,

elder olsen

Happy New Year...Jan 2nd

Well yes it is 2012, hard to believe but it is here. The past week was a little slow in the missionary work, with christmas, and new years both on back to back sundays, made it a little harder to get investigators to come to church, be in their houses so we could talk with them, and in general the people here get a little bit more drunk then normal. But with all that said, it was a good week.

I even got to celebrate new years.

So saturday Elder llaguno asked the president if he could go visit a family that he baptized here in Tijuana. Wo we went. it was about a 30 min drive but we got there and ate dinner, and talked and then at 830 we left. By 9 we were in our house and we stayed up until 1200. It was nice, we even had some fireworks that we went out and threw.

Then sunday we had church at 1000 will a very small numbers, but it was good. en the night we had another chance to celebrate the new year a little bit. We went to the house of the zone leaders, and meet up with our district. ( en total we were 6) and we talked for a little, then we played UNO, and then we had a little dinner. we played another game. i think its called guesters. (were you have to act out the word and grab it before it falls) it was fun, and lead to a lot of laughs. Afterwards we had wrestle time. and it lasted for a good time, and by the time we ended we were are all really tired and ready for bed.

So that's why i am writing late today, because of our activity last night it put us behind schedule today. but now we got everything done and writing my family

This week i read a little bit of the Ensign of Noviember (p.s. thanks mom, but they do give us all the ensigns to read. they just get them when the mail comes. so i got mine a little early from home) and i really like the talk from elder Hales. I loved when he said, that we pray for patience, but we want it right now. and that we should press forward as we wait on the lord. really liked the talk so for everyone that reads this, its your homework, to read his talk. its a good one.

I hope that your all good, that you can start the new year with some goals, start reading the scriptures more, doing daily prayer, and serve others. but have a great one,

and remember that everyone loves a missionary,

elder olsen

thanks for everything, maybe i will get mail this week, which means those birthday letters you told me about. we shall see

Hello-Dec 26th

Well hello again.

this will be a rather short letter because of our conversation yesterday and that all was good. I was happy to hear from you and to know that all is good on the home front.

Yes i do have a coat, that keeps me warm, and now I have the scarf to help keep me warm also. so i am good.

i hope that you all had a very merry christmas and that this week you can all have a happy new year too. I am not one for new year resolutions, but i am going to put some goals starting the new year off, and i would encourage you to do the same. (but please don't call them new year resolutions) just goals.

Hope that all you are well, and that you have the lords blessings in your life, and that you are happy. Because men exist so that they can have joy!

Happy new year, and remember that everybody loves a missionary,

Elder Olsen

Merry Christmas...Dec 19th

Well first of all, I don´t have much time, like normal so i will say the most important and the rest can be saved for sunday.

The family that i am going to on sunday, have a phone plan that allows 100 mins of calling to the U.S. so i thing that in order to save your money I will call you first, and if it doesn´t work out then you call me.

So i will call at 5:30 my time here, (630) your time. on the 25 of December. Not really sure how to call so, if i am not talking to you by 545. my time. you should probably call me. i think i should be able to do it but if i cant you call me.

I got my packages from you guys, thanks so much, we decorated with the package from ashlee (thanks). And now we have our presents to open on the 25th.

This thursday we are going to have our christmas dinner, as a mission, here, and i think thats when i should get letters(i haven´t gotten any for about 2 months i think. The mail system is really weird)

But i am good. pretty normal going here. All is good. looking forward to the 25th, and i hope that you all are good.

and remember that everyone loves a missionary,

elder olsen

Well Well Well....Dec 12th

What an interesting week i had here. but by the emails i got sounds like it was a good week for everyone at home also. Sounds like that things sure are changing. and that i sure missed a lot of gossip at the olsen family party. But i think i will share a couple things about my adventures this past week. about calling home. exactly i don't know yet, more info next week, but i am thinking, 5 O'clock here, which is 6 there. but more info next week.

But first of all, i am very glad to hear that you are going to talk with the poone family. it is always so nice when the members talk with non members, about the church. and it always makes for a great experience.

But now for a story about last week, that i wasn't going to share but i think i am going to.

It all started out last, wed. when a couple of missionarys called us, and gave us a reference to go and visit. They only told us that this person was sick and wanted a blessing. so we went looking for the house in the morning, and we didn't find it. normally its really hard to find the directions around here, because the people don't know and there are no signs. but we decided to push it off until another time, and went to our other 2 appointments, and lunch. After lunch all of our appointments fell though, so we both thought that we should find the reference from the morning. So we set off, and call the number, still not very good directions from her, but we went looking for the house. and when someone outside there house yelled at us and asked if we had called her. So at last we found the house. We entered and talked with a older man that is about 75 years old, and he told us that it is his daughter that has cancer, and about 5 days before she had her first chemo therapy. NOTE noone in the house is a member. But we passes into the bedroom, and there was maria, who has cancer. with her 2 sisters. we talked very shortly with them then we gave her the blessing. We thought that we really wouldn't teach anything and wait until tomorrow to teach a lesson to them.

So the next day, we went at the scheduled time at 7 at night. We knocked when a young man came out, and asked what we wanted. we said to visit maria. Then very plainly said that she passed away in the night. but that we could come in and talk with her dad. WOW, I cant describe how i felt. We went in and talked to her dad, and he said that in less than 50 mins after we left the night before, she passed away. Holy cow. it's a very weird feeling that over whelms you, but we knew that she needed that blessing. It didn't cure her, but the only thing i remember from the blessing is that we said multiple times, that everything would be aright. wow,


But the mission is great. it's really hard. harder than i thought it would ever be, you learn so much, more than i thought i would ever learn, and i only have 10 months. and you have so many experiences that only happen to missionarys.

I know that the plan of salvation, is true. It's a topic that interests so many people, but to have that knowledge and that blessing, its great. I know our heavenly father know us, and teaches us, as does our earthly parents. But he teaches though trails, faith, blessing, familys, church, and so many more ways. hope you all have a great week,

and remember, that everyone loves a missionary,

elder olsen

Another Week Has Passed-Dec. 5th

Well thanks for all the birthday wishes that you all sent me. I had a good birthday yesterday. It was pretty chill. Went to church, and all was good there. Then afterwards we went to eat, and ate a dish called Pasole. Its like a soup, but it has a different feeling to it. Meat still attached to the bone, with onion, and lettuce, radish, and hot sauce, and other little things that i am not sure exactly what they were. But it was all good. Then they made me a birthday cake.( well they bought me a cake) and they sang in english and in spanish. Then here in mexico they have a tradition, that i am not very fond of but i had to do it. After they sing, who ever´s birthday it is, they have to take a bite out of the cake. and then afterward they cut it and serve it to everyone. But the trick is when you go down to take a bite out of the cake, they smash your face into the cake. i don´t know why. So the goal is to try and bite a piece without getting your face smashed into it.

Well i didn´t have success. I got a pretty good chunk up my nose, and around that area. I have pictures. but i will have to send them to you later.

Also this week, there were trasfers. But they didn´t change us.so i am in the same ward, with the same companion. but all should be well. i just got back from seeing off my zone leader that is going home tomorrow. and also my very first companion Elder Guerrero, is going home tomorrow as well. so not to much new news here. we are all looking forward to christmas, as it is less than three weeks away. Still not 100 percent sure that i will be in this sector, but i think i will be here for the holidays. but once again thanks for all the support that you give me and, hope you have a great week.

scripture to read.

All of Chapter 12 of the book of Ether. its great and talks all about the faith.

and remember, that everyone loves a missionary,

elder olsen

Otro Semana en Mexico-Nov. 28th

Well yea its monday again.and here i am washing clothes and writing home. Not much news this week like the last, so it will be a little shorter letter home.

But yes last week was thanksgiving. i did have many things to be greatful for. And it definitely was a different experience to be away from home for the holiday. But i think it was a good warm up for Christmas. But it went well. Mexico really doesnt have it as a holiday here, but being along the border, they take traditions from us, and vis versa. but our ward mission leader invited us to his house to eat in the afternoon. got there around 4 and ate shortly after. then the rest of the day we visited new members and ward members, so it was a pretty chill day. they even cooked turkey. but all went well.

We still keep working here, and all the missionarys are looking forward to Christmas. but we still have one more month left. looking forward to talking with you also. BUT there are transfers this next monday, so i don´t know if i will be in this sector for christmas, or not. i won´t know until saturday. but we shall see.

I gave a talk in sacrament meeting sunday also. it went alright. about a 15 min talk. ANd i was the last speaker, which i learned that its not to fun to be the last speaker. but i talked about the atonement of christ. and it is a topic really hard to talk about, because there are a lot of scriptures about it, but in the words of Elder Holland, no human can FULLY understand the atonement of Christ, But i think it went well. I feel pretty good with my spanish speaking skills, but i still need to work on it a lot, but its coming.

Hope everything is good wherever you are reading this, just know that Jesus is the christ, our redemer, and savior, and there is no other name given which comes the salvation of man.

and like always,

everyone loves a missionary,

ELder Olsen

Pictures From November








Another Week Nov. 21st

Well this week was good, and Saturday was great!

So yes saturday was our big meeting with our apostal. and he came with three surprise quests also. But who were the four people you ask.,

The three surprise quests were:

Elder Mario Carlos, i think he from the third quorum of 70.

Elder Octaviano Tenorio, from the first 70., and he is the area presidency of mexico.

Elder Walter Gonzalez, from the presidency of the 70.

All really good, and all three speak spanish perfectly, but the main event was Elder Rusell M. nelson, from the quorum of the 12 apostals.

All four walked in and all the missionarys from our mission,about 160 or 170 all stood up, and all four shook our hands before we started the conference.
Elder Carlos didn´t talk very long, ni Elder Tenorio, but they talked and motivated us. Then Elder Gonzalez talked for a little bit about the language. How we, as americans, have to master spanish, and how the mexicans have to master english while we are on our missions. how big language is in the world today. then he talked about a couple other things.

But elder Nelson then followed. He brought a translator and they both stood at the pulpit and talked together. He is so intillgente, and i am not surprised that he was a surgeon. but he talked about a lot of things. and was quite personal with us. he has 4 grandkids in the mission field and it was great to hear him talk. he talked about our purpose as missionarys, in the gathering of isreal. the next time you look in the bible look at the map of the inheritance of the 12 sons of jacob. you will find that 2 sons are missing. Reben, pretty sure it is him , the oldest son, and he didn´t have any because he lost his birthright, and the other son is Joesph. and why doesn´t jose have any land there in Jersualen. its because his inheritance is here in the americas. elder nelson gave us a whole bunch of scriptures about the topic. but this is why the majority of the people here in the americas are from the Tribe, Ephram, or Manass. Just a little info about what he told us. Then he thanked us, and did something i have never seen or heard before,

After his testimony, he said and now i bless you, each and everyone of you, ¨as if i had my hands on top of your head¨ wow, then he have us a blessing from the pulpit. WOW it was so powerful.

But he didn´t say much about the temple, only that it will be started, but he mainly said don´t think about how we can prepare the temple in Tijuana, think about what you can do to enter the temple, and enter with your ward members. really cool.

But all in all it was great. thought i would let you all know what the Book of mormon in the keystone of our religion in so many more ways then i ever knew. I know that the book of mormon is the tool in the gathering of isreal. and that it was written by profets in the americas.

hope you all have a great thanksgiving week, because we all have so much to be thankful for. and in the words of Kelly Wright,

HAPPY DAY, the gospel of Jesus Christ in the world today!,

so count your blessings,

and remember,
that everyone loves a missionary,

Elder Olsen

Hello Again This Fine Day-Nov. 14th

What an interesting week its been.

first with the bad news.

it rained again. it rained a lot to. Friday, it started around 8 or so in the morning and it didn´t stop until 7ish at night. so that means that we got wet again. and it was wet, cold, and it was bad because there wasn´t many members here, but i will talk about that a little bit ahead in the message.

And the second bad news about this past week, was that it was actually really hard week. Me and my companion don't get along as well as my other comps. and we didn't have much success with investigators at all either. and of all the people we invited to come to church, not one of them came. not even the 3 we were almost positive would be there didn´t come. So i will a little down the truth.

BUT BUT BUT BUT,

i am really happy and i will tell you why,

even though the week was hard, i have a lot to be thankful for.
1. we have a special visit from a general authority this week, that is going to be really sweet. no idea what he is going to talk about but it will be good
2. this week our ward went to the temple. normally we have about 70=100 people come Sundays. so when i saw the buses leave with 72 members from our ward. i was soo happy. also 2 familys got sealed, and 4 people received their endowment. one that is going on the mission in January. wow i felt so happy. Those that have passport or visa to the USA go to the temple in san dieago. but the rest have to go to hermosillo. and thats 13 hours away. So they rented buses, and left friday at 6 thirty at night. they got to the temple at 8 in the morning. did the ordinances until 6 at night. then loaded up and headed back to Tijauna. and got here at 8 in the morning sunday. our services start at 11 30. and there was a lot there. so good for them.
3. My last because i have to go. was for the services the bishop gave the time to the people who went to the temple for the first time. wow they had such a great experince. and to here the testimony's of some of the people i baptized. WOW, i forgot all about the bad week i had. such a miracle.

I know that the temple is the house of the lord. I know what they do in temples are true. I know that miracles exist in the world today. Yesterday was probably one of my favorite sundays of my life.

until next time remeber that everyone loves a missionary,
elder olsen