My companion is Elder James from Utah. He is 6’ 8” and plays basketball! He likes to hunt and fish as well. He came straight from high school. He actually speaks very well already! Maybe even better than I did when I arrived haha. I was surprised to be transferred back to this area, but it´ll be nice to finish up somewhere that I know.

These past few weeks we have been working hard! We are working in a neighborhood where I had never worked before, even when I was here the first time. Hardly any missionaries have worked there in the past! There are lots of people ready for the gospel there. When we ride the bus, we stand up in front of everyone and shout out the message of the restoration and invite everyone to church. Elder James is fearless, I told him to do it on his first week and he did!  Yesterday, we brought some investigators to church that we are planning on baptizing on Sunday.

We are also helping to get a new apartment ready for an elderly missionary couple who will be moving in next transfer. They are Americans. President is focusing a lot on the branch here because it needs to become a ward soon! Once our branch becomes a ward, then the district will become a stake. And once the district becomes a stake, the mission will have enough stakes to divide into 2 missions! I think this is the President’s goal before he leaves.

Love,

Elder Olsen

I´m alive and well! It´s going great! Sorry we had very little time on the computer today because I caught up on some sleep:) I´ll fill you in on the details next week.

Love,

Elder Olsen

Polly want a tie?

Today we confirmed the whole family of Ederson and baptized Cristian, a young man who is the brother of a Young Woman member.

We had a fun last week with our convert family! We helped them out with some construction on their house. They live in a very humble house. Everytime we teach them, the Spirit is so strong because of their desire to always learn more and more about the true restored gospel. It was very hard to say goodbye, but we promised that we would come back to watch their Temple sealing in a year. They are a family who was definitely prepared just for Elder Sukhee and I to find and baptize. They are probably one of the coolest families I have met in Brazil! The little boy is named Johnny and he is so cute!  Rilary, the girl who is 9, is a big talker. And Stefanie is a bit quieter. We already talked to the next missionaries and the ward who will take good care of our family. God is always preparing more!

Elder Sukhee leaves tonight and I am going to be transferred again! But this time I will train a new missionary. His name is Elder James. I don´t know anything about him, though, because I will meet him on Tuesday. The mission is receiving lots of missionaries, so President needs me to train. I will no longer be his Assistant; I will be a District Leader. It’s funny because President loves to moves me around a lot! Just when I get comfortable in an area, I get transferred haha!

I love you!

Elder Olsen

So the September service project was cancelled. The area 70 decided it would be better not to have it as a safety precaution.

The rest of the family we have been teaching were baptized yesterday! Josiele, the Mom and Stefanie, the daughter. They were super excited! It was actually very fun because the husband, Ederson, was watching the baptism with their little 3 year old son on his lap. The son was watching his mom very attentively as she was in the water ready to be baptized. As soon as his mom went under the water, he started crying super loud. He thought his mom had disappeared and wouldn´t come back! haha. He watched as his mom came back up out of the water, but even still he kept crying.

Elder Sukhee goes home on October 10! One week from now. Yes, I will most likely continue as an assistant.

Thanks for everything!!!

Love, Elder Olsen