I <3 Hartsville!

Well i guess i'll be reaching my year mark in a few days which i admit is really weird. It doesn't feel like I've been out nearly that long, and a year left seems like such a small amount of time left. I find it funny because i look back on what I've done so far and think, i need to do a lot more! It's just so strange that when before my mission i looked at two years as such a long time span, i looked at it as something that would just never end. But here i am halfway through it and i still remember vividly sitting in the park right before we crammed into the minivan to go to the MTC.

Well I believe i told y'all about Mikayla last week, so I'll just try to give you a good update about it! So it was awesome because she is a friend of a member of the Laffidy family and Sis. Laffidy is helping us out so much! Last P-Day we had the strangest impression to go over to the Laffidys and to bring the hair clippers with us. So we go over there we go inside and Mikayla is there! But guess who else is there! Her mom! Guess what she does!? She cuts hair for a living... well isn't that a happy coincidence? Of course i got a free haircut... So basically we needed to get permission from her to teach and baptize Mikayla. Because Mikayla wants to be baptized, i don't know if i mentioned that. Her Mom and Dad are totally happy with that, and even better they want to sit in on the discussions as well at the Laffidys house. Then we also found out that Mikaylas grandma had moved here recently and she had had missionary discussions before, she loved them enough i guess to give Mikayla a Book of Mormon which she reads every day. So yeah, Grandma wants to be in the discussions as well. I just love it when the Lord is just kind of like, "Here ya go." 

Yesterday was a really good Sunday service, it just felt really uplifting. Last week i pondered a lot about the sacrament prayers and it really strengthened my testimony about the sacrament. Because i noticed the differences between the bread and the water prayers. I noticed that the bread talks about if we are willing to take his name upon us and what we are going to do in the future (keep his commandments, always remember him.) In doing so we will (in the future) have His spirit to be with us. But then i noticed that the water is completely different. The water talks about who we are at that moment. The prayer of the water says that we "do" always remember Him and keep His commandments so that we can have His Spirit to be with us. I just found it interesting that that's what I'm saying to God when i partake of the bread and water. I remember I took the bread and just looked at it for a bit instead of eating it purely out of habit. And it was great because for those moments i forgot about everyone else in the room, for those few moments it was just me and the Savior. And i loved it.

I guess I've changed a lot more than i had realized. Because when the Avengers came out in the past i freaked out and would have really liked to have seen it, i didn't of course. But when i found out that the new batman movie came out i didn't freak out. Which is funny because that was the number one movie that i didn't want to miss before i left. I guess at this point I've just realized whats really important right now. So I'm very thankful that the Lord has taken some distractions from me. It makes this a lot easier to do.

It's great to hear that Chris is so close to going on a mission! I thought for a moment how awesome if it would be if he came here to the south and i got to train him. But then i realized, the Lord is smarter than that and probably wouldn't want to put us together. But anyway tell me when he puts in his papers! I'm excited to hear where he goes, because missions are capital W aWesome!

As for the package that you plan to send me i have no idea what i need. Unless you want to send me a new fluffy pillow! But for the most part i never really know what i want. Because i've pretty much got everything that i need i think. So i'm probably just gonna leave it up to you because you're always really good at finding that stuff i never knew about but wanted my entire life. 

But anyways my life is great and stuff

Elder K. Olsen

p.s Love y'all!!!

Staying in Hartsville

Hello Back!

So i got the stay cool package and i loved it. I have to admit that the spray bottle isn't really whats needed in the south because I'm already wet. But the fan works fantastic! I especially love the necklace fan, it's been an odd thing when i turn it off because I'm getting cold. Also I'm very grateful for the water bottle for my bike, I've just been using normal water bottles that i keep in my backpack. So it's pretty "cool" when the water is still cold after a couple of hours. Plus the water bottle makes my bike look pretty legit.  (We sent Kyle a "Stay Cool" package, since it's been so hot in South Carolina.  We sent an Insulated Water Bottle for his bike, a fan he can wear around his neck, and a spray bottle with a fan attached.  We also sent him treats, like Cool Ranch Doritos and a variety of blue candy.  I realized after I sent the package, that a spray bottle with a fan probably wouldn't help in a State with extreme humidity...but I'm from Utah, and I wasn't really thinking, and it's really the thought that counts, right?)

So Elder Dietz and i have begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel from our hard work. Many people are showing interest and members are talking about people that they have thought about sharing the gospel with. I know that this is the Lords work and i think it's time for people to be gathered into the fold here in Hartsville.

One person in particular is showing interest. Her name is Mikayla and she is a friend to one of the youth here in the ward. I guess her grandma gave her a book of mormon and she has been reading it. She also practically lives at the members home so she has a lot of good influence. But her grandma isn't a member so we talked to Mikayla at church and asked if her grandma would care if we came by. She said that she wouldn't and that she would get the address. Then we told Mikayla that we want to teach her as well. As we said that she got a big smile on her face and said Okay! I wish i couldve taken a picture.

I guess many of you are wondering! I'm not getting transferred! Which means i get to stay another six weeks in Hartsville with Elder Dietz! I feel so blessed to stay here longer. Because i feel as if many things are about to happen here and if i work hard enough the Lord will allow me to be here when it happens. 

I truly have loved the experiences that i have gained from being sent here to Hartsville. It's a testimony that our Heavenly Father knows each one of us personally and knows what is needed specifically for us. Again i am so grateful for the trials that the Lord has blessed me with. Not because i liked having them or that they were fun. But i see a trial as two paths, one path leads away from the Savior and the other leads towards Him, and it's our choice where we go. I can truly testify that I am closer to my God than i ever have been before because through these wonderful challenges i have had to give my burdens to the Lord because i could not carry them alone. I wish i could somehow send the feelings i have through this e-mail but words can't seem to describe how much i love my Savior. 

Isn't this gospel fantastic! I feel as if i could talk about it for hours and how much joy it brings to me! There is so much to study it almost seems never ending. We have the scriptures and general conference talks and ensigns, we have a promise from God that if we ask we shall receive. I just love that we have the fullness of the gospel. I see so many religions and faiths around me that are happy to an extent but still feel as if something is missing. They all are great followers of the Savior, but they have questions and are confused about all of the different doctrines that are being taught. Oh how i wish i could help every one of them, but unfortunately that's not what the Lord wants me to do at this time. He wants me to do my very best to help every one of them, but their agency will be the deciding factor.

I feel as if I'm rambling but i just love talking about these things. I am just filled with the Spirit as if I'm about to explode. I love being a missionary

Elder K. Olsen

I'm on a mission!

I'm on a mission!

Well this week was awesome! Still pretty hot and humid, but hey thats the south! 

So we don't really have a ton of new investigators this week but we have a few potential investigators. Because since we don't have a ton of investigators we decided we're just gonna work until we drop! So what we do is plan a whole bunch of members to see and we knock around them until we teach someone. Then we keep moving! 

I also decided that we're going to get our church in the newspaper like every other church does. A newspaper goes to every resident in hartsville on tuesday and they might as well have one good ad in there. Just kidding theres other good ads in there, like the taco bell one! Also I'm thinking about setting up a big get together at the church where people will invite their friends to play games and have food, i'll possibly just do it on july 24th so that i can celebrate pioneer day too!

I just feel like i got a jump start! Because as i've explained the last few weeks haven't been the easiest weeks of my mission. Things started out slow because the agency of others chose not to accept the gospel, when that happened it affected my agency and my efforts. I have a bit of regret for not working my hardest the past little while, but i've repented for it and have told myself that I WILL do it. Because my faith doesn't rely on the agency of others. I've decided that I'm going to work really hard and I'm going to have fun doing it. Because i chose to do this, so i'm going to have fun with it!

I'm really gonna have to start writing down notes for the week when something exciting happens and bring it to the computer with me. Because i feel bad when i sit down start typing and go, duhhhhhh.... yup can't remember what happened. I just remember hot and humid and doors, lots and lots of doors.

Well there is a family that i may have mentioned before. There name is the Johnsons and they are a referral from a member. Well I've met the father a couple times, but they like going on a lot of vacations during the summer so they're really hard to catch. Well a little while ago we were at the members house and he said, I saw the Johnsons the other day and they're interested. I just kind of accepted it and was like "that great!" But then the member said, "no, they're Really interested." Then i started getting really excited! So i called the Johnsons and... they're on a vacation.... But we'll get them eventually!

It's pretty crazy but when i write y'all next time i'll get to report about transfers! Yup another six weeks has gone by. So I'll let you know if i'm staying or going next week.

Love ya!

Elder K. Olsen

Whole lot of Humitidy

Hey!

 

So i have to admit that i laughed a bit when i heard that it was hot over in Utah. This weekend has been from110-115 degrees with a whole lot of humidity. It's ridiculous because i stepped outside yesterday morning at 9 am and it was already 100 degrees and i could see the humidity it was so thick. But as for fire stories we definitely didn't have anything quite as exciting.

 

This week ended off pretty good but it took foreever! Haha, it was funny because after i learned so much about 'Ocean trials' last week and how they make us grow. Then i read the talk by President Eyring about having Mountains to climb. Well i did something rather foolish and prayed for one of those trials so that i could grow. I can assure you that the Lord hears and answers our prayers.

 

But i truly learned a lot this week! I learned that everything depends on my attitude. Because when everything started going bad we started talking about why everything was going bad and then it got worse. But then i learned at the end of the week that if i just have a determined and good attitude that everything will work out. I also learned that two very great words will get me far, those words are, "I WILL." Elder Dietz and i have been saying that a lot and it keeps us motivated. I really don't know any logical reason to not go on a mission. I've grown so much from this experience and if i would've stayed back home i feel like i wouldve just played video games and went snowboarding. Basically i would've stayed a child, and i have too many dreams i need to accomplish that a childs attitude cannot handle.

 

David is doing great! I know i say this every week but i just love that guy! We came by the other day and he brought out a notepad full of scripture references and questions. Plus he's mentioned many times that he can feel the Holy spirit more strongly with him.

 

There's not a ton to report this week besides that i'm happy and i love being a missionary!

Also i will find many investigators this week and the Hartsville area will grow!

 

Love y'all!

Elder K. Olsen

Elder Olsen with Elder Harding and Elder Fugal (his MTC companion).  This is Kyle's District

Elder Olsen and Elder Harding with David.  They let the Priest who would come to David's discussions baptize him.

 Elder Olsen and his new bike.  It has made a difference having a bike with tires that actually work :)

 Kyle's new companion, Elder Dietz.  Yes, this is a picture of his head with Kyle's body...silly boys

 Elder Olsen

 Beautiful picture of South Carolina

The fried chicken Kyle is so proud of he sent the picture twice.

Hello again!

Hello again!

Well first off I'm pretty happy to know that the house isn't burnt down. I found out when we were at a less actives house and they had a deseret newspaper. So I wasn't too worried because i figured someone would call me to let me know if the house burned down, but still seeing my mountain on fire was kinda freaky.

But it's been a good week for us. A little slow but still good. Actually i gave a talk in sacrament meeting yesterday. It was really interesting because it was the first time that i didn't have anything to read off of, besides my book of mormon. I had been thinking about the talk during the week, but i got up to the pulpit and i trusted the spirit that he would take over, and he did. I've never felt so calm giving a talk before, and i said things that i hadn't thought about while i was thinking about it during the week. I love giving talks because its one of the few times that my spirit is in complete control, where i don't even recognize my body to an extent. Because I've been told my knees shake, that my face gets red, that i grab onto the pulpit like a death grip. I wasn't told any of that this time, but it's amazing how i don't notice it. Because when i stand up there, or when i teach someone i feel extremely calm. So i gave about a fifteen minute talk and i think it went rather well.

What i started with is some stuff i have learned in my studies. What i talked about i refer to as "Ocean Trials", and i get that from the Brother of Jared. Because when they arrived at the sea they had already been traveling for quite a while through the wilderness "where no man had been before." So when they arrived at the ocean and saw the beach they set up their tents and got comfortable. Because the ocean is a challenge for everyone, especially if you don't have a motor, actually the ocean look impossible to many people. So when the Jaredites saw this impossible challenge they set up camp and got comfortable. But it says that the Lord would not suffer that they stop at the sea but that they would continue forward to the land of promise, which is a land choice above all other lands. Now to apply it to ourselves, we get to a time when these "ocean" or impossible challenges come into our lives. Challenges that seem impossible to overcome, challenges that seem like they have no end. But these challenges are placed in front of us for a reason. Because if the ocean wasn't placed in front of the Jaredites they wouldn't have needed to turn to the Lord. But they never would have been able to overcome it without the Lord. But it's also important to notice that on the other side of these challenges are blessings that are choice above all other blessings. The Lord has so many good things in store for us, but we can't get comfortable and set up our tents on the beach, we have to turn towards the Lord and keep moving forward even though the trial seems impossible. And if we do that the Lord will provide a way to overcome. But that doesn't mean he'll hand us the answer, but he'll hand us the blueprint so that we may act a make the answer. Because that is how the Jaredites MADE the barges, but then even with these there were problems. The barges lacked light and air, sometimes the Lord will give us the answer, just as He gave the Brother of Jared the solution to the air problem. But the Lord wants us to grow and learn, so if He knows that we can solve a problem and it will help us grow, then that's what will happen. Then if we just do the very best that we can, even if that is bringing simple stones unto the Lord, He can turn them into something amazing. So the main point is that we never get comfortable, we turn to the Lord, and we push through all of our challenges because the Lord promises us blessing if we do. He is always their for us.

Also something great that happened this week is that we all got to meet Elder Walker of the seventy. And his current assignment is that he is over all of the temples. So this past Wednesday we got to spend practically the whole day with him. And I'm glad i took a lot of notes because right now off the top of my head i can't remember anything. But i assure you that it was really great.

So we knocked a ton this week and it is really hot and humid! Unfortunately with all of our efforts nobody felt like talking with us. But that's okay because i know if we keep working that eventually we'll find another "David". I know i just talked about it in my talk. But in a very strange way I am very thankful for this trial, because i know that that only means that the Lord has blessing in store for us. Because at the moment we have three investigators. One we met this week and hopefully she'll be able to progress, her name is Lizzie. The other two are John and Clifford, both of which we were not able to teach this week. So it was kind of rough to have nearly 20 investigators drop in two weeks, and hopefully they'll investigate again down the road. But I will keep working and i know everything will be okay. I know the gospel is true, because how else could i still feel so much happiness!

But on the bright side we have set up a ton of appointments for this upcoming week! I love being a missionary!

Now i feel like I'm forgetting something important....

oh well!

I love y'all!

Elder K. Olsen

P.S. Just kidding i remembered! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMMY!!! I love all of the crazy pictures that mom sends me of you, i got to admit that you're a dork, but you're a very cute dork and that's awesome! I cant remember but you're like 29 years old right? Whoo! You're getting old! Haha just kidding. Hey i want you to do something for me.....

 Go and get a squirt gun and attack 

Hey i'm 20 and stuff!

Hey i'm 20 and stuff!

So i had a pretty awesome birthday. It was actually a really fun dinner because we had pizza hut. I ate an entire cheese pizza and two chocolate cupcakes, i was very, very full.

But yeah i got my new mountain bike last week and it is really awesome! I have to say that i love to bike now, i didn't realize it but this whole time it wasn't that i was a wimp, it was just that my back wheel has always been broken. I guess the bearings didn't work, and the back axle snapped in half, and the back rim was slightly bent so it wobbled, but besides that it worked. But now my new bike is awesome! I meant to send a picture today, i remembered really hard to bring my card reader. But unfortunately i forgot to bring a card that it could read... so i guess I'll be sending home pictures next week!

But yes i got your awesome package! I got to say that i love the new watch, I'm actually wearing it as we speak. And actually those orange sticks weren't melted when i got them, and they tasted delicious. I'm also very grateful for that new CD case, i needed that really bad. I had CDs all over the place. Oh, and those MIB3 sunglasses are pretty awesome, i wear them a lot now, and i realize most of my pictures i'm wearing them. So i'll try to get some pictures without sunglasses. But now Elder Dietz and I want to get one of the memory erasers so that we can be even more awesome. 

Yeah President Holm called me back and told me that dad was in the ER, but he told me that everything was ok now. I've got to say that it didn't sound okay at first. I thought you were gonna end by saying, and he's dead. I'm very grateful that we have the medical knowledge in these days. Because that sounded pretty crazy!

Okay so i cooked! I made two things so far. I made some KFC wings, but i have to say that mine taste better. And i have a few witnesses that say i do it's not just me. But the wings that i made weren't dry. Then i made some buffalo wings! I am addicted, I'm really excited that i'll be able to cook all of this stuff when i get home. Now i know that so far everything has been deep fried, but i got a really good recipe for some ribs that i will be attempting really soon... probably today. So it's not gonna be healthy, but when i get home i'm making, fried wings, buffalo wings, ribs, fried turkey, bacon salad, and twice baked potatoes. I love the south. Plus i also learned how to make orange julius, but we don't have a blender so i haven't been able to do that yet.

You'll have to send me a picture of dads mountain bike, because when i get home i also plan on doing some mountain biking. I may actually do some road biking too because it's really fun when you get going on the road, and i bet i could get going a lot faster on a road bike.

So David is doing great! He's reading the Book of Mormon like crazy and when he comes to church he comments a lot in class and the spirit is just really strong. He says that he'll be reading the Book of Mormon at 8:00pm and then he'll look at the clock again and it will be 12:00am. Then he has to force himself to put the book down and tells himself that he'll be able to read more of it the next day. Right now he is in the book of Jarom.

We have a new(ish) investigator that i may have told y'all about. But his name is John and we have had some very interesting visits with him. For the most part our visits with him he's usually pretty drunk. But two times ago we went over and he was sober and we taught him the word of wisdom and he told us he would quit. He actually knows a good amount about religion because he has a minor degree in theology. But we went their last night and he was sober again and he hasn't drunk anything since the time before. Plus he's been reading the Book of Mormon and he's told us in the past that he knows that it is a true book. So i just said, "wait, i'm confused by your answer. If you believe the Book of Mormon is true, then why aren't you a latter day saint?" Then he said that he had been thinking about converting. So i invited him to be baptized and he's on date for July 28!

We also have another investigator who is dating a member right now. His name is Clifford (he's blonde) and he's super solid. The only problem right now is that he lives in the middle of nowhere and he doesn't have a car. Plus he lives farther away than any active member so nobody passes him on the way to church. But he really loves to read and he's hopefully been reading since we last saw him. But we taught him about the Restoration in the church with another member that he knows and it went great!

But yeah thats my life

Love y'all!

Elder K. Olsen

HaPpY BiRtHdAy KyLe!

20!

Alright so I'ma be 20 in just two more days. I gotta say that i still feel like a little kid that just has really long legs. But anyways i guess everybody wants to know how transfers went. So Elder Harding is now serving over in Columbia right next to the temple actually. While i am here in hartsville with..... Elder Dietz! Pronounced Deets. But if that sounds familiar its because while i was first in Conway there were two elders in Marion which was in our district. Elder Dietz was one of them. He is from Las Vegas, so that's my second companion from there. But he has been serving for about 16 months now. He's a bit shorter than me, but we found out this morning that he can run faster than me. I'm not to good at running. But he's a funny guy who wants to get work done, so I'm very thankful to have him here with me.

Now last Monday we were able to go to Darlington raceway. Plus our ward mission leader played an awesome trick on us. So we got outside of the track right next to the tunnel that the cars drive through to get inside. When all of a sudden the pace car drives out. Which is a new Dodge Charger with 475 horsepower. But anyway we get in the back seat and he drives into the tunnel and we are inside the racetrack taking pictures and stuff. Then he does something Elder Harding and I weren't expecting, he turns onto the track! Then he did about ten laps, going around 85 on the turns and 115 on the straightaway... it was fun. Don't worry though i got the whole thing on video.

After that we went fishing at our ward mission leaders backyard pond and i actually caught some fish. But even more amazing i actually picked up the crickets and hooked them myself. Let me say that again, i picked up a freaky cricket with my own hand, and put it on a hook. Then when we were done fishing we had some peach cobbler.

Okay i want to really thank broken in blues, i probably won't have any time, well maybe. But anyway I'm gonna send them a card. Because i didn't think it was possible to have too many ties. But i think i may have too many ties. I'm currently at 171. Sorry Sadie i gave away those ties that you told me to burn. But at least i don't have them anymore!

Also thank you for the birthday package. It was actually really funny because we got home and opened the mailbox and Elder Dietz and i got really excited because there was a stack of eight letters and a box at the door. Then i felt really bad because they were all for me. But if you want to do it again that's okay. But i have to say that i love that pillow tie, I'm going to use it at church next week.  Also i really liked that Captain Moroni figure, although i took a sharpie to his face because i think he looks a lot better with a beard... and i was right. 

So Elder Dietz has a cook book and I've gotten really into cooking. I plan on making tater tot casserole and peach glazed chicken. Also I'm gonna make some traditional southern chicken wings and a Orange Julius. Plus some other things, but it's actually a lot of fun. I'll let y'all know how that turns out next Monday after I've tried to make all of this stuff.

David is doing great. He's getting a lot of fellowship at church and he actually said that he has seen a few people during the week and they all stop and talk to him. Which I'm very grateful for because he is a really great guy. It's amazing to see how the holy ghost has changed him. He's so much happier and he laughs more. He's not as reserved and he can speak faster actually. I love being a missionary!

Well i love y'all and I'll have a better update this upcoming week!

Elder K. Olsen