August 9, 2014 and last letter for the MTC

This MTC stay has gone so fast! It is so crazy! But at the same time I look back at being dropped off and it seems to be forever ago. It has been so great! I have learned so much, my favorite chapter that I read in the scriptures this week is Alma 29 so much to learn about missionary work and respecting our calling and even how vision boards work. Incredible scripture, and I want my plaque scripture to be Alma 29:9. Another cool story from scripture study. You remember how in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Frank is frankincense because there are no F names in the Bible? Well it's not true. Look up Acts 23:24. :D I thought it was hilarious! 

Anyways, everything is going so great! I love it all so much! I am constantly learning and progressing. The more I learn and progress the more I realize how much there is to learn. I am always striving to learn more because as I learn more and understand things deeper I will be able to explain them simpler.

Something that I find interesting, I don't recall ever learning much about the doctrine of Christ before my mission, yet it is essential to everything! Why don't we focus on it more? 2 Nephi 31 is an amazing chapter on the Doctrine of Christ. That would also be a fantastic chapter to read. 

So this week me and Elder Langston have been teaching two investigators. We both learned so much! Rick was a fantastic investigator, he is excited about the gospel mostly because of the relationship it creates between himself and God. He read and prayed on his own and was progressing wonderfully! But on our last lesson with him on Thursday he said he didn't want to take the lesson's any more, and I was shell shocked. I had no idea what to say so it is a good thing that Elder Langston kept talking until I got back on my feet. I couldn't let him just give up like that. So we helped resolve his concerns and helped him see how continuing in the gospel is what would help him most in his life. Helping him see that when we come closer to God things will get better again.

Our other investigator was Lawanna. She is such an incredible woman. But we had a super hard time with the first lesson and the first part of the second lesson. Finally part way into the second lesson she just said "Y'all are dry. You're dry, so I'm dry." Basically we weren't teaching like we were real people. Though we were trying to teach to her needs it wasn't getting anywhere because she wouldn't give us anything to work with, she wouldn't open up to us. At first I didn't know what to do, but the day before in our preparation I had been telling Elder Langston that we needed to be vulnerable with her to actually be able to gain her trust. (Something I learned from James Ure at elevation.) So I told her about some of the really hard times that I've had this last year, and how the only place I found true comfort was in prayer. Then she listened. She connected and opened up. There was so

much in the Gospel that was meant just for her, but we couldn't teach her as a person until she trusted us enough to open up. It was such an incredible experience and it just got better with the following lessons.

The gospel is true. I rely so much on Christ every day 2 Nephi 31:19-20. Keep the faith strong. Faith is the key to being successful in any and everything.

Love you all!

Elder Dane Olsen