12.18.23

Diego 

My boy Diego Got baptized on Sunday super cool! his parents both got baptized like 2 months ago and now everyone in the family are members! they've got goals to go get sealed in the temple so I'm super excited for that!

Transfers 

I got transferred last week! crazy, hard, sad but also really exciting! I had been in my last area for 6 months! I love and will miss all the people I met and love them all so dearly! but now I'm in LA Ligua! and it's like a whole bunch of dope little farming communities! it's super cool and the people are so nice! We are gonna have a lot of success and a whole bunch of fun! I'm super pumped!

Spiritual thought 

I was listening to this Christmas song recently and I really love the message it shares! 

1. I heard the bells on Christmas day Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat Of peace on earth, goodwill to men. 

 2. I thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along th’unbroken song Of peace on earth, goodwill to men. 

 3. And in despair I bowed my head: “There is no peace on earth,” I said, “For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.” 

 4. Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, goodwill to men.” 

5. Till, ringing, singing, on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, a chant sublime, Of peace on earth, goodwill to men!

This is a message I think all need to hear and ponder! God us not dead, nor doth he sleep the wrong shall fail the tight prevail! what a great message! I testify this to me true! and invite each of you to ponder and pray about how you can declare these tidings of great joy today!

I love yall and Jesus does too! have a good one! 

Elder Olsen 

12.4.23

What a week!!!! 

Diego

Our dear friend Diego is so great his mom and Dad got baptized like 2 months ago and last week he decided to also follow the example of Jesus and get baptized. He will be baptized this next week!! ima so excited for him! He truly has such a pure comprehension of the Gospel and a strong desire to follow Jesus Christ. The changes this family has made to follow Jesus are incredible!

Juan y Juan

The other day we were knocking some doors that we had planned that morning and one was further away then we thought, it was a hot day. Part of me wanted to change plans so we didn't have to walk as far, but the thought came to my head saying "trust our plan and knock it anyone" We went and knocked the door and the person we were looking for but ended up talking to his dad and grandpa both named Juan! they are great and found the restoration very interesting! Score!

Andres Cieguito

Andres was a street contact we did a few weeks ago. He is blind and such a good guy! He just is so great and has decided to be baptized on Christmas Eve!! this last week we helped him get to church and while I sat with him during sacrament meeting I explained what was going on! I tried to visually explain the baby blessing, sacrament, and testimonies. I started to think about what faith is, how we obtain it, and the role of the Holy Spirit! It really is interesting while helping our friend who remember is blind I thought of the scripture "For we walk by faith, not by sight" As I talked to our friend Andres I couldn't help but marvel at his faith and trust in God's plan and His timing, yes its unnatural to have faith and unnatural to trust in something we cannot! But it is possible!! and if we learn and practice having faith and trusting in the Lord we can one day receive all the blessings God has prepared for us! Faith is so important I invite you all to study more about faith and find ways you may grow your personal faith! 

10.30.23

Hey everyone!!! how yall doing? hope all is well! here are a few highlights from my week!!

Gary

Our friend Gary got baptized on Saturday! it was so special. Gary is a spectacular man that the Lord has been preparing for some time now. He loves the gospel and is very motivated to move forward faithfully on the covenant path!! He is excited about the temple and can't wait for the temple here in Viña!!! 

Jesús

Tender moment with our friend Jesús in the street, He started talking to us and said he was thinking this morning shoot I haven't been dedicating any time to the Lord how can I start dedicating more time to Him? and then we found him in the street and started talking and helped him make a plan to be able to get to church and keep meeting with us to dedicate more time to the Lord

Encuentro Misional

Yesterday we had a great meeting with all the missionaries and members from our stake and it was really good. We enjoyed some great talks and had a very motivating meeting it was so cool! 

intercambios 

This week we had 2 sets of exchanges so that was fun!! I am learning a lot and was able to help the Elders from Anibal Pinto with some problems they were having!! it was awesome and we had a great time! one of the exchanges was with an elder Reid that is heading home in 2 weeks! and it was super special to be able to hear and learn from him some wise councils and tips and really just his grown testimony was so cool! The mission is awesome it has very literally changed my life I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I've had to serve and I'm so excited to keep serving the rest of my life! for anyone who might be thinking should I or should I not serve a mission, I would highly recommend just do it!! it is the best thing you can ever do to learn how to love, serve, and help everyone around you! and learn to understand Christ's love! This is His work and their is still lots to be done! this is the gospel of Jesus Christ and it will bless anyone's life if they so choose to accept it, and live by it! How Nephi once said "I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell. I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat." Christ loves us and wants each of us to repent and come unto him! and He made it possible to do so through his atonement! 

Yall are awesome keep up the good work!! 

Elder Olsen

10.23.23

I would like to inform you all that I am alive and doing well!! this is the Lord's work!! He loves you!!! don't ever forget that 

Quick quote I really love from our prophet 

"What does it mean for you that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth? It means that you and your family can be sealed together forever! It means that because you have been baptized by one who has authority from Jesus Christ and have been confirmed a member of His Church, you can enjoy the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. He will guide and protect you. It means you will never be left comfortless or without access to the power of God to help you. It means that priesthood power can bless you as you receive essential ordinances and make covenants with God and keep them. What an anchor to our souls are these truths, especially during these times when the tempest is raging."

The restored gospel brings the greatest and most abundant blessings ever!! I'm so very grateful for God's love for us! and this beautiful gospel he has given us so that we might be eternally happy!!

Elder Olsen

PS here are some random photos from the past while

10.9.23

These past few weeks have been insane!! but in a really good way!! I'm loving our area so mucha and the people we are teaching are just incredible 

Argenis y Nerlin

   Our dear friends Argenis and Nerlin got baptized last week they are some of my favorite people I look up to them in the great faith that they have and the amazing example they show of Christlike kindness! They are so great and so excited for the new temple in viña! and have the goal to get married in the temple!! I love them so much! I'm so honored to have met them and so excited to watch them keep progressing!!

Gary

 Gary is so cool he is a person we have been teaching for 2 weeks and has such a special desire to learn and understand the gospel has asked some great questions and has shared with us some really cool experiences he has had with the spirit! a member asked him if he was a member or and investigater( I hate when members ask that question it makes our friends so uncomfortable and unwelcome) but I loved how Gary responded he said no I'm not but I think I will be soon!!🔥 I am so excited for him it is though he has found something he has been looking for for a long time!

Elder Naylor

I'm comps with Elder Naylor from the Manti 10th ward so that is pretty fetching hype!! it has been so fun and we have been working so hard I am loving it!

A temple in Viña!!!! 

I don't think there are words to express the joy and excitement I feel for the announcement of a temple here in Viña I am literally so excited, God is good! Temple work is so important! and I am so happy for the people here in viña wow will now have a temple much closer!! it truly is a blessing and a miracle! 

I want to leave guys with a quick quote from an apostle of God that's said "God sees us not only as a mortal being living briefly on a small planet; He sees us as His sons or daughters. He sees us as beings capable of becoming what we were designed to be. He wants you to know that you are important to Him.  (Elder Dieter F. Uchdorf)" You have such great potential and you can achieve it! don't forget that and don't forget God's loving plan He has made for YOU! God loves you! 

-Elder Olsen