2.9.15

Being in the city is never a dull moment. Things are always busy and people are always going places. It is kinda crazy. You would think there would be times when the buses, library, streets, and everywhere else would kinda slow down. It doesn't. It is quite the high energy place. 

We are definitely in the building stage in this area and it isn't usually the most instant gratification kind of work. It can kinda stink sometimes, but what else do you do eh? So we keep working hard and talking to and meeting with as many people as we can. Everyone always has such interesting stories. From the people that have been homeless for 15 years or more to the people living in the giant sky scrapers. Just to thing that they are all children of God is pretty incredible. Though it can also be sad, because there are so many people that could use so much help, but we all just walk around in our own bubbles. It is not just one sided either. Everyone needs help, no one is perfect. We all need each other to get through life. It is such a privileged to be able to go about sharing Christ's Gospel. So many people can use it for so many different reasons because the Gospel is like that. It doesn't apply to only one person, it applies to us all. That is a miracle to me. Each one of us, being so different from everyone else here and Christ's Atonement applies to all of us. That is incredible. 

We have been meeting with as many members as we can and have met with a lot of less actives. It is always interesting to see how people that aren't living the gospel but still know it, realize that change in their life. They know things could be better for them, but for one reason or another they refuse to look to Christ. Just as the people of Moses. When Moses was in the wilderness with the Israelites there came a bunch of serpents and bit a large number of the children of Israel. God knew his people where in a hard spot (as we all are) and so he created a way for them to be healed. Moses prepared a brass serpent that he raised on a staff, and told the people to look, and they would be healed. Some looked some did not. Yet they all knew how they could be healed. God will never take away our agency, though he loves us so he will make a way for us to be healed/repent. He declares to us one way or another how we can do this. So we all know, but is up to us as to whether we do what will save us or we don't. Most people know how to be successful. Most people know how to be happy. Most people know how to get to where they want to be. The commitment to it is the tricky part. Be committed to our Heavenly Father. With our commitment and real intent, and Heavenly Father we can do all things. Amen.

Elder Dane Olsen