5.25.15

Sorry, may or may not of used most of my time playing around with the
other missionaries. Today most of the zone ended up at the same church
building to email. We don't get to see the whole zone here very often
and it was a lot of fun.
Anyways this week was great! We stayed busy and saw quite a few
people. Saw quite a few miracles.
The work is great the church is true.

Elder Dane Olsen

5.18.15

This week has been another great one! We had L again at church yesterday! It is so awesome to get to keep working with him and helping him develop this ever growing relationship with our Heavenly Father. We even finally set a baptismal date with him this week! We had kinda set one before but it is past now and he is actually committed to this one. June 13th will be the day. He is so excited he has already invited two of his friends to it. It has also been neat to see how many things have been changing in his life. There is more light about him then there used to be. He simply seems to have an even greater desire to do good. I hope and pray that I will stay here to see him baptized and also to see him go through the temple in a year. Because I know that there will be nothing greater then for him to continue in the gospel. It is amazing to feel the love as you watch and help people grow in and through Christ. 

Christ really is the only way that we can change. If it wasn't for him we would remain here in this fallen state. With out improvement, without progression. We would be stranded. Our progress would be damned. There is nothing we can do to make a difference on our own. We could try to make changes, we could try to become better, in the end we would continue to dwell in a fallen state. Yet because of Christ, we can overcome both physical and spiritual death. We CAN learn and improve. We CAN repent. We CAN become clean. That is the miracle of the gospel. That we CAN do anything. Anything through Christ. Because of all he has done for us we can progress, not only in this life but in all eternity! Now that is a miracle.
The greatest of all miracles.

Elder Olsen

Pictures from Elder Conrad's family.  He has gone on to India but they came through for a visit. They sent me an email.(mom note)

5.5.15

This week has been pretty great! We have been busy, especially with meetings Saturday through Monday, so that is why we are emailing today. We were able to meet with G and his wife last Monday night, sad news is we probably won't keep teaching them. They are great people and they are curios, but they have about learned all that they are curios about. So that is to bad, but maybe some missionaries will come along later down the road. That can be a kind of hard thing. So often people just aren't ready right now. Often times we can help them get ready but sometimes they just aren't even ready to be helped. For that matter that is most people that we talk to. So many people that aren't interested, that just don't care.
And that brings me to Les. (I always think of Newsies when I here his name Haha) Les is in his 60s or so and we have been meeting with him for a little over a month. He is so great! He said that his sister was a Mormon before passing away and that she gave him a Book of Mormon but she never really talked about her beliefs. When we first talked to L that is one of the things he told us. It was actually a really neat thing that we even talked to him. We were in his apartment complex because we received a referral from some other missionaries that lived in there, so while we were in there we also went and found a former investigator whose name is M. We were able to talk to M and as we were walking from her apartment back towards our bikes we walked past L and around the corner. We stopped for a second and decided to go back because I saw L sitting there on his porch and had the prompting to talk to him (at the time I just thought it was a thought). We went back and talked to him and found out what I already said and that he and Mattie are good friends. So we got his information and came another day. During that first lesson just as we were getting started he told us that he had lost the copy of the Book of Mormon that he had before and needed a new one. He then asked if there might be a way we could get him one. Jokingly I said "Well we can only get you one if you ask for it." He did, and we gave him one. He has been reading out of it consistently since then. We are still meeting with him and making great progress. Another reason this weekend was so busy is that it was stake conference. L came! He said he would so we got him a ride and it all worked out! We told him this week would be a bit different then normal and that next week would be more like the regular Sunday meetings. He said "Ok, I'll come this week because it sounds interesting and then next week I'll come again and see if I want to get baptized." He still is planning on coming next week and we will be meeting with him in a members home this week! Miracles are great! I am so excited to keep working with Les and helping him come unto Christ and in becoming converted. It is such a neat thing to be a part of. 

Now I finally get to the quote in the subject line. Isn't it good? It was something that Elder Clarke told to everyone at a meeting. (Missionaries and ward and stake councils.) Missionary work really is a huge part of the Gospel. It means so much to our Heavenly Father. That is his purpose after all. Moses 1:39 If we are ever going to become like our Heavenly Father we should probably be doing what he is doing, having our purpose be what his is. If we are truly living the gospel we are already doing this. How neat is that? So great job everyone. Keep up the great work!

Get 'er done!

Elder Dane Olsen