Have shovel...will serve

Duncan with the Dickman children

This is how they get it done in OK.

Wouldn't you love to have these guys shovel out your driveway?

This is a big change for a desert rat.

 



 

Monday- We toured the largest Free Mason temple in the world. It's about half a mile from our apartment. It was pretty sweet. We ate dinner at the stake president's house, we brought Dakoda with us. We went and visited the Wade's then went back to drop Dakoda off. When we went to drop him off, Sister Rollins had made us delicious muffins:)

Tuesday- Finally we were able to drop off the broken Corolla at the car dealership! We walked again today. Only about 4 miles. We visited Rodger and he is doing good! We read Mark 3:1-7 with him and discussed miracles and Jesus since we're getting closer to Christmas. We walked and tried to see the Mallet's, Martinez's, Melanie, Leilani and Bibb's but none of them were home. We came back to the apartment to eat then we went to visit the Rollins for a little bit. We left Dakoda with a reading assignment. D&C 20:38-67, the responsibilities of priesthood holders.

Wednesday- Today we did exchanges. E Larson and I went to do lunch on Noble service. Then E Rumsey and E Spafford did the hands of Jesus food pantry. E Larson and I walked around trying to see people. We ended up in downtown Guthrie and found those awesome Guthrie Native American shirts. The lady working at the shop used to work at a car dealership in San Diego where the missionaries bought and fixed their cars! She was very interested in us so we'll stop by there again soon! We went to the ward Christmas party and ate some more thanksgiving food and watched little kids re-enact the nativity.

Thursday- We tried to see a lot of people today, but almost nobody was home. We were able to see Orlandress. We met an investigator today that E Spafford met when we was volunteering at the food pantry. His name is Jeremy. He is really interested in Mormons and how to become one! Sister Rollins fed us dinner at this awesome Mexican restaurant then we went back to her house with Dakoda to watch a DVD on temples. She gave each of us a Christmas present! I got ear muffs, boxers, a card, a tie, a tie bar, matching handkerchief and matching cuff links!

Friday- We spent all day in Edmond. We had our district meeting then we had to go to a chiropractor's for E Rumsey's back. Between the district meeting and the chiropractor's we did some Christmas shopping. E Rumsey figured out that he had scoliosis. Then we went to visit Zack and Natasha for a little bit and eat dinner with them.

Saturday- We did our studies and tried to see some more families. They were all either busy or not home. We went to Zack and Natasha's again to do some service.

Sunday- We went to church! Finally! I hadn't had the sacrament in 2 weeks! Church was really good. We ate a huge lunch afterwards and did our studies then went to dinner at the Smith's. We ate a really good meal then came back to the apartment and bike sprinted to 4 houses to try to improve our numbers for the week. We were only able to visit with one lady for a little bit. She is a less active. We gave her a priesthood blessing because she was sick then left. We got the call tonight for our transfer doctrine. Whether we were being transferred on Wednesday or not. E Rumsey, E Spafford, E Larson and I are all staying in Guthrie for another transfer! So we will be here for Christmas.

 

Love you all,

Elder Olson

 

Buried in snow and ice...

 

I wasn't able to listen to the Christmas devotional. We haven't been riding our bikes or truck in the snow. We've been walking.

Since I'm in the Bible belt I hear a lot about Grace and being "saved by grace." After studying it for a little bit I feel like I have more of an understanding of it. It's impossible to come to a conclusion on how to be saved by just reading the bible. In Ephesians 2:5-9 it clearly states that "by grace ye are saved through faith... not of your works." I highlighted those scriptures and wrote next to them James 2:14-26 which states, "Faith without works is dead... by works a man is justified, and not by faith only"

This is why The Book of Mormon is a necessity! This is an example on how it clarifies the bible. 2 Nephi 25:23, "for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." The bible dictionary gives an excellent description on Grace. "Grace cannot suffice without total effort on the part of the recipient." God gave us the commandment to be perfect. He doesn't give any commandment that we cannot achieve. To be perfect we have to apply the doctrine of Christ. Continually have faith, continually repent, always be worthy and able to take the sacrament, constantly striving to be more Christ-like and be able to recognize and act on the feelings and impressions from the Holy Ghost. After doing all that, the Atonement, God's grace, makes up for the rest and we are therefore perfect. Anyways, that's my idea on it:)

Monday- pday. I still am sick along with E Larson and E Spafford started to feel sick as well. After emailing we went to Jamba Juice. Missionaries get 1/2 off at Jamba Juice because I think the owner is Mormon! Then we went to the church. It was zone pday but we didn't go with the rest of the zone because we were sick. E Larson and I passed out on the stage floor in the church. We had a specialized training meeting to end the day by the zone leaders. It was on the doctrine of Christ. It was really good:)

Tuesday- Well! E Spafford, ELarson and I were all still sick. We all had stomach aches and throbbing head aches. E Rumsey made me come with him to unload a food truck for service because he wanted to leave the apartment.

Wednesday- Everyone but E Rumsey was still sick. Rumsey made me come with him to do 7 hours of service at lunch on Noble and Hands of Jesus food pantry. I was feeling pretty bad the whole time. So when we got back to the apartment, I took some medicine and passed out. It snowed about 6 inches today too.

Thursday- We're all still sick except E Rumsey. Sister Dickman dropped us off a care package of soup, medicine, "get well" balloons and cards written by her daughter. At night we gave each other blessings and it snowed a couple more inches.

Friday-We were feeling a little better today. But the car and bikes were grounded because of the icy roads and snow. District meeting was canceled as well. So we all stayed inside and took medicine. I taught the other elders how to play some games.

Saturday- Finally we were all feeling better! But our bikes and car were still grounded. So Sister Dickman came and picked us up to go hang out at their house. We ended up shoveling their driveway and driving to 4 other member's houses and shoveling their driveways as well. One of the members gave us hot apple cider:) Afterwards we went back to the Dickman's and ate dinner then they drove us back home. E Spafford and I got to sleep in our own beds again! We had been sleeping on the floor of the other Elder's apartment for the whole week.

Sunday-Church was canceled today because of the ice. Our truck and bikes were still grounded too. So we did our studies then walked about 5 miles in the snow and visited the Martinez family, Sister Martinez's mom lives with her and her mom is a southern Baptist. Then we tried to see the Rollins, but they were in OKC. So we talked with Sister Barrow for a little bit, she is a less active member. Then we walked back to the apartment, warmed up and went to bed!

 

My life as a missionary,

Elder Olson

November 18, 2013

Sister R. is like my mother here on my mission in Guthrie :) she is feeding us on Christmas Eve if I’ll still be here for another transfer after this one. She bought us pizza and we ate it at a park as a picnic and played some basketball with her son Dakoda afterwards:) We're fasting today for her friend.

I was on exchanges with Elder Bolan down in Edmond on Friday.  I had biked 24 miles up hills with him.

My thighs are very tired from all the biking.

Love,
Elder Olson

 

Boy it's getting cold here....

A little photo from Guthrie yesterday. Good thing I just finished knitting Duncan a scarf. This might not seem to cold to the family members in Wyoming, Colorado, or Montana but to the desert rats in Arizona this is a 60 degree drop!

Home away from home...with the Dickman family

The Dickman family had the missionaries out for dinner before a Cub Scout pack meeting. The boys are getting a lesson on square knots!  Love it!

Daily activities November 14, 2013

Here is his answer to--What is a typical day for you?

I wake up at 6:30, walk out to the recliner and sleep till Spafford gets out of the shower then I go hop in the short shower. Then I come out and shave, brush my teeth, put my contacts in, get dressed. Then go cook breakfast and listen to some talks on my ipod. Then we do personal study for an hour. I usually read a chapter out of the Book of Mormon then highlight the heck out of it with a lot of different colors. Then I read some of the Bible on a topic. Like yesterday I was reading over the Sermon on the Mount. Then some of Preach my Gospel. Then we do companion study for 2 hours. We review what we learned in personal study, role play for an investigator or less active that we are planning on seeing that day. Then we go over some of the 12 week program, which is training for my first 12 weeks in the field. Then lunch. After lunch we usually hop on our bikes and start to go visit people or tract till dinner which is usually around 5 or 6. Dinner lasts an hour. After dinner we go see a couple more families before we come back to the apartment and plan for the next day. Then change clothes and work out a little and clean. Then pass out!

I shared a story a couple times this week that's about trials and tests. It's compared to a potter and making a vase with clay. The potter (god) throws the clay on the wheel and like magic a beautiful vase starts to appear. By the potter applying pressure to the inside and outside of the clay, he builds it up and forms it into beautiful shapes and designs. Sometimes as people we think that the pressure on the outside is too much and we're going to collapse. But what we should focus on is God's hand in the inside holding us up. Romans 5:3-4

I have got to get going! Love you so much! Thank you for sending me out here on my mission and supporting me! have a great week!:)

-Elder Olson

He is fix'in to have a good week...

 

All the trees are actually changing colors here. People said that isn't usual so I’m enjoying it right now. There is a lot of road kill here. Lots of possums, squirrels, deer, some armadillos, skunks. Everybody here knows people I've realized. Like if I bring up something in front of an Oklahoman, they say "oh hey I got a buddy doing that. Let me know and I’ll hook you up.", or "my brother's friend's cousin's step father can do that for you cheap!" Stuff is given to us and we don't want to say no. So we have a broken hammock in our apartment, along with two 12lb bowling balls that say Fee and George on them. I’m trying to talk with an Oklahoma accent so when I come home, I sound legit. I've been saying y'all a lot. But Fixin and Reckon are harder to say correctly.

 

On Tuesday we taught again and I got my first baptismal date! November 16th. She is so awesome. We taught her The Gospel of Jesus Christ at a member's house that she knew from work with the Patriarch there. The member said on Sunday, when I mentioned that I've only been out 3 weeks in my mission, that there is no way I’m brand new. She said I taught that lesson as if I had taught it hundreds of times and that I was such a good teacher! I responded and said, "Well that isn't me teaching." It's crazy how much the Spirit will guide us missionaries in teaching and finding.

 

Wednesday was full of service. Our friend took Spafford and me out to a Diner in downtown Guthrie for breakfast. Then Spafford and I went to do service called Lunch on Noble. We serve lunch to homeless at a church on Noble. Noble is the main road that goes thru Guthrie. Downtown Guthrie looks like Downtown Flagstaff. Full of old brick buildings with skinny roads and a lot of antique shops. After Lunch on Noble, we helped some friends move till we went to the trunk or treat/ chili cook off. The 4 missionaries were the judges. Bishop Wade lost his 6 year winning streak to a sister who wasn't even in our ward.

Thursday was my first zone conference in Edmond. It went from 8 am to 4 pm. We learned a lot more about obedience. Elder Larson joined Elder Rumsey and Elder Harris. They became a trio till today. Elder Harris left this morning to the airport. He got his Visa and leaves in a couple days headed to Argentina. Elder Larson is hilarious though! He is always so happy and hyper. He is 190lbs of pure muscle. He played Water Polo all high school and was super into rock climbing.

The rest of my week didn't go so well. We didn't get to see the people we had planned to see and appointments were falling through. One lady we were meeting with said something like, "you don't know what I’m talking about. You have no idea what I've been through." Well yeah I don't know you're exact situation, but I know the kind of feelings that a person would feel in that situation. Ah it was hard. But all I can do is pray to know what to tell her and teach her.

I have been really working on charity this week. I keep thinking of "as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (Christ)" It reminds me that I should treat everyone as I would treat Jesus. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to do God's work. There's nothing I'd rather be doing.  Have an awesome week!

Love

-Elder Olson