1.5.14

So cool story, we got out of one appointment around 8 and we live like two miles out of our area, and the appoint was with a member that lives even farther out of our area. So either we were going to be biking into our area and then turning around to head home to get there on time, or we could try and do something in the sisters area (they cover the other half of the ward). So we wen't out in front of a store in there area that is close to our apartments. We contacted a few different people, and the last one was this lady sitting on a bench. She told us that she had talked to some missionaries before (when we asked a few more questions we found out it was the Elders just before us). Anyways she was open to talking, and didn't seem to have anywhere to get to, so we kept going. After talking for 10 minutes or so she asked us to sit down. We taught her there for just less then an hour. She is an older lady that is going back to college and majoring in Christian theology. She just wanted to know more about what we believed as Mormons, and she loved it. We have to give her over to the sisters though because she lives in their area. She is so cool though, I really hope that she keeps progressing in the gospel.

I got one more story for ya this week. So Elder Terry and I decided that we would try tracting in a gated community that we had never been in before, we scouted it out some, locked up our bikes, and then started knocking. As we were walking up to the third house we hear and then see this car coming down the road honking. We didn't really know what was going on and thought maybe they were the ones that live in the house that we were walking up to. So we got off of the driveway so they could drive on up. He pulled up to us and proceeded to tell us (almost yelling) that we were in a no soliciting community and that we needed leave right then. We tried to tell him that we were not soliciting. He didn't give us any chance to talk though. So we started walking out. He proceeded to back out of that drive way and follow us, he pulled into another drive way and parked in the garage. He then got out of his car and followed us on foot to see to it that we got out of the community. It was pretty great, though frustrating that he doesn't understand. We are not soliciting, we are proselyting. Not only that, but we have such a great and important message to share.

This new year is so exciting! I love that everyone is thinking so much about new starts right now. It is such a great time because everyone seems so ready to change. Change is only possible through Christ our Savior. Through him we can truly make a difference, in ourselves, and in the world. He has given us such a wonderful opportunity to change and improve, and for that I am forever grateful.

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Dane Olsen