Hello-August 22nd

Well first random fact from here in my ward Tecate, if it wasn't for us missionaries we would be declining members in the ward, because we had another member die yesterday morning. So we have another funeral service tonight. Yipeee!

But, this past week I had another conference in Tijuana with Pres. Carreón. It was good. He has changed many things here in the mission since he got here. Thanks for the package which i received there. But, thanks to weird baptismal interviews I stayed in Tijuana Thursday, friday, and came back Saturday in the morning. I was with the zone leader in his sector there in Tijuana. In his sector is going to be the temple! Another interesting fact.

But the work keeps rolling here in Tecate. As of today we no longer have a bishop in our ward. He was relesed yesterday, and they didn't call anyone new. So, it will be something new that I haven't seen before. I gave a talk in sacrament meeting yesterday, and it made me feel alittle bit better of my spanish because I talked for just under 10 mins, and it went much better than my last talk.

Here in tecate we are starting to work with the in-active members more. We should have a baptism this week of a child that is not baptized, and we are working with the family. but things are good here., and remember,

That everyone loves a missionary,

Elder Olsen

P.S. Yes it's hot here, but I am surving, just fine. I will tell you that I actually bought sunscreen. But 90 percent of the days I forget to put it on, but hey I have some.

Another One Bites The Dust-Aug. 15th

Well another interesting week. First of all I spent friday with the zone leader in his sector in Tijauna. I learned some things from him and it was nice. But I now know where the temple is going to be built because it is in his sector. The church has the land but now they are trying to buy the land next to it also.

Also this week we had another funeral here in our ward. The last one was a funeral expected. this one was not. He came to church sunday and was perfect, Thursday he felt pain in his chest, Friday morning passed away of a heart attack. Saturday was the funeral. What is special about him is that our last baptism, was his great grandson. And he got to baptize him. Little less than a month later he pasted away. SO this is the picture of him with his family at the baptism. Good man, good family.

So thats the big news of the week. We have a lot of work to do now that we have the whole city to ourselves. But we keep going along.

About the camera. I have decided that it would be best if you bought it and sent it to me. Don't worry about it attracting to much attenceion to be because my stature, white shirt, and lack of spanish already draws enough attencion. But one that is nice. Thanks and until next time, remember,

That everyone loves a missionary,

Elder Olsen

Well my calender that I have said that Kez turned two, so I decided I would do my best to celebrate it...took some fotos

Hola-August 8th

Well another week has gone by. This one was a little different with us trying to find investigators in our new part of the sector/ find members to help us-that sort of thing. which lead us to being lost a couple of times (see photo with sign, and have Jake translate) but it was good. We didn't have a baptism this past week but we are going to do all posible to have one this week.

So also this past week has been the start of the hottest month here in Mexico. So, it's been warming up nice and toasty this past week.(p.s. i don't think i told you but last week we got to go to EFY here in mexico. EFY just started here and it was a great sucess. In total there was 1150 kids there. About 300 nonmembers, and 3 of the 300 were investigators of ours.) Sorry just thought of that.

1. yea Pres. Carreón does belive in the piano, but there are many other people the play it.

2. I am doing just fine with clothes, but lets talk about clothes a little futher ahead in the game.

3. there is no officail talk about the temple yet. only that Elder Anderson will come to do the ground breaking. offical, offical, loctaion nobody knows but generaly yes. It is under a large hill that says, "Jesucristo es el senor" it could make for some pretty sweet photos. but the ground breaking, some say november, some say september. I don't know.

But until next time know that i love you. and remember,

that everyone loves a missionary,

Elder Olsen

New Sector-Aug 1st

So every 6 weeks we have transfers. that was today, hence my really late letter home. But yea I did get a new sector but not a new companion. That's right, there used to be 4 missionarys here in Tecate. now its just me and my companion. So it makes for a lot of work and a lot of ground to cover.

I did go to Tijuana today to send off the other missionarys. One which went to Mexicali (remember almost the hottest place in the world) But yes i did get letters for the first time in three months, and my package. Thanks for the letters and the package.:) But the work here in Tecate is harder than Tijuana I am coming to learn the longer I am here in Tecate, but we keep working.

More pictures. So the tradition in the mission once you have 6 months in the mission you burn a tie. So here i am burning it. Then the rest of the fotos, we hiked up a hill we have in our sector and i must say that i was a pretty good model for my fotos that i thought i would share them with everybody.

But oh how the time goes by so quickly i can't believe it. Thanks for your support, and i love you all,

Remember that everyone loves a missionary.
Elder Olsen.

P.S. Kez is so big i can't believe it. and Savion sure does look like a Savion

More Pics-July 25th

Well I thought I would send some more pictures of this past week. I didn't know about the missionary in Guatamala but, sort of crazy.

This past week has been a good one. I am sending a couple of pictures of a little ranch we went to here in TECATE. the other two missionarys baptized a girl that lived there so we went to visit them. It was sweet and definitely reminded me of working at grandpa's farm. But it was cool.
The new companion. Elder Padilla. My first companion that i am older than.(about 14 days) he has 1 year in the mission, and is our district leader.

Crazy lesson of the week came from last Monday:
We went to see a less active member in the church to give her a lesson. Her baby of 6 months, had died 3 days before and asked if we could come and visit her. Well we got there and taught her the plan of salvation. Wow the hardest lesson i have taught, but also one the most powerful. When it was my turn to talk about Jesus Christ and the atonement, the words flowed with out me even thinking about what I should say. The lady cried through the whole lesson which made it hard to teach, but we did it. At the end she asked us for a blessing. During the blessing she held her baby's ashes. WOW. then she cried the hardest of the night.

One can learn many things in the mission, and the mission also teaches many things.(THINK ABOUT IT) but i can say that yes i am learning many things in this difficult, hard, frustrating, happy, sad, painful, joyful, thing they call a mission.

Hope you all have a great week, and until next time remember,
Everybody loves a missionary,
ELDER olsen

New Companion-July 18th

Yes the past week has been a new experience in the mission. I said goodbye to my companion Elder Cedillo yesterday in Tijauna, and by now he is at his house in southern Mexico. It has definitely made me think and act a little bit different here in the mission seeing him and how he felt and the end of his mission. I first thought that it was bad but not it is good. and my new companion is Elder Padilla. We went and got him from Tijuana today.(yes this has been a week of traveling) but we are all back here in Tecate. My new companion has just under a year in the mission, and my first impression is good. but normally when we do go to Tijuana it is by bus. yesterday and today we got rides from the members here.

We had a baptism last saturday of the kid in the picture. His name is Alan.(but you have to say it with a spanish accent) in the last email i sent i told a little bit about a couple of investigators. Well in the picture of the three men is them. the one on the far left is in fact a member that was baptized a long time ago. but the other two are investigators. no we didn't have their baptism because one smoked and the other, is waiting to receive his answer from heavenly father. but they both have a new date for the 30 of this month.

The weather has been a little calmer this week, then the past couple of weeks, The interview with Pres. Carreon was good. we went friday to Tijuana to meet him. He is a good guy and really like him. He told me to say hello to the whole family for him.

Yes i have a microwave, yes i ate the food from past package, no i have not gotten any mail, but neither has the zone, so i am not the only one without mail for a while.
This week we are going to try and find new investigators.
Got to go but remember,
Everyone loves a missionary,
Elder Olsen