The week of Lasts (last e-mail)

Well last week i guess huh?

 

It's been a week full of lasts. Haha i always thought that i would be super depressed and sad at this time of my mission. Every missionary i see seems to be a walking zombie the last week.. just waiting to die. But I am filled with so much peace right now! Granted i did feel a little sad yesterday when i said goodbye to so many people at church. It was announced while i was in ward council, and everyone was like wait you're leaving? Than someone else would hear and say wait you're going home? Every time they said that i clenched my toes and my teeth, I mean it's good. But i don't want to hear it said over and over. Luckily it was announced over the pulpit in sacrament.. that made me cry. But it feels so great when after the meeting everyone comes to you and wants to thank you and shake your hand and tell you how appreciative you are. Even people i didn't get to know very well. It's a very humbling experience.

 

Well I'm completely packed. I'm not sure if it's because I'm dads son or because i worked at fed ex. But I was done packing when i woke up this morning. I've been slowly doing it here and there, it just seemed like a challenge. It bugged me that i couldn't just pack it all right then! But i guess i still need to use some of the clothes. Although i will be chucking a lot of my "white" clothes if you want to call them that. Beige or gray would be a better term. But I also shipped three packages home today, they're just full of my stuff so be expecting those. But yeah I was able to get my large bag and my small bag far under the weight limit. It was funny though cause the weight limit is 50lbs right? Well in my big bag i fit all my clothes and bedding and my bowling ball. It all fit just fine. But since the bowling ball was in there it weighed 55lbs. Seriously?! Oh well I'll just put it in my backpack and use it as a carry on (which i wasn't planning on having but oh well). I fit a ridiculous amount into my small bag, three pairs of shoes, all my hygiene stuff, and all the stuff from my desk (scriptures, pmg, letters, clock, etc.). But yeah it's really satisfying to pack a ton of stuff in a small space. That's why i like camping, i like to try bringing the smallest bag and the least amount of stuff. Unlike my first scout camp if you can remember that (who needs that much stuff!).

 

I did hear about yellowstone and i'm super pumped! I love yellowstone! It will also be the first time going there with my new camera which makes me extremely excited. Don't worry i wasn't bummed when i found out it was no longer a mancation. I don't need to miss y'all for another week ;)

 

You should probably hold on to mikaylas letter cause it wouldn't quite get to me in time probably. Just to be safe.

 

Well i find it appropriate that i should simply end my final e-mail with my testimony

 

I know the church is true. It brings joy and happiness to all who embrace it. The Book of mormon is true. It's the convincing evidence of the Restoration, that Jesus is the Christ, and that the Bible is truly the word of God. The priesthood is absolutely necessary for baptism and other saving ordinances. Families can be together forever. I know obedience brings happiness, that being a servant is an extremely honorable title which i have humbly held. I know the atonement works, i know it with all my heart. It can erase all pain, guilt, sorrow. It can enable you to grow, help, serve, and function in all aspects of your life. It is meant for all, the more wicked the person the more it is meant for them. Everyone is good enough if we give them a chance. We are all Gods children, He loves us. Christ loves us. I love Them with all my heart. I know i have served with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. I have no regrets. I have worked hard. I have done what is right. I have developed charity. I have become converted, and I have strengthened my brethren because of it. All good that i have done i owe to the grace and strength of The Father. I couldn't have accomplished a single productive thing without His guidance through the Holy Ghost. I love this gospel. I'll never leave it. I can't wait to continue to serve. And i say it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

I love y'all so much and I'm excited to hug every one of you!

Elder Kyle Olsen

Okey Dokey then!

Okey Dokey then!

 

This has been a pretty average week i guess. It's been raining here a ton! I guess if it rains again tomorrow it will break some record for consecutive raining days. I think in the last 50 or so days it's rained 45 of them? Either way I'm not complaining. Usually the weather doesn't get under 90, even at night. But it's been in the 70-90's the past while here. Which is awesome! Supposedly it's not supposed to rain the next few days though... yeah whatever.

 

So I think since the beginning of May Elder Bowen and I have accomplished nearly 800 miles on our bikes. Which i think is great because we also had a car for 3 weeks and drove about 700 miles in the car. So needless to say my legs are pretty ripped right now. Haha and my chain is getting pretty rusty, gonna need a new on of those!

 

I finished the Book of Mormon this week! I'll be done with the New Testament and The Pearl of Great Price by next Monday. Then i will have succesfully read the entire church canon in about 3-4 months! Awesome sauce! The Book of Mormon i just finished is full of markings. I went through marking everything that defined or had to do with charity. Obviously i underlined a lot and have a great understanding of charity. I'll be grabbing a new Book of Mormon next week so that i can start studying a new topic.

 

Alright so I'll jump into planning for the future for a moment. I want to jump into college immediately. I know that I can apply to UVU latest by August 1 which is something I'm strongly considering. I just don't want to sit around until January to begin. So if you could do me a favor and look at surrounding schools and getting applied and details like that that would be wonderful!

 

We had some fun helping a member this week. His son had bought a 58 corvette. Well it doesn't run or anything right now but they needed to fix it up. So Bro. Gerald got his tractor and pulled it out while Elder Bowen got in the car and steered it backwards the whole way home. It was just down the street. But it was really fun, i took a lot of pictures. The best part for me is that all the tools were in the back of the golf cart. Which i got to drive around. That was awesome! I want one.

 

I had my last zone conference on tuesday. I'm having quite a bit of "lasts" lately. Next week will be my last district meeting, pday, church as a missionary.... sort of kind of. But yeah it's some crazy stuff. I feel like i should be freaking out right now, and be all super stressed. But i feel so at peace right now. I feel as if I have given my all and worked hard. And I haven't slowed down towards the end. In fact i feel that i have sped up. It feels so good to be a missionary.

 

Well next week will be my final e-mail home! But until then...

I love y'all!

Elder K. Olsen

It's raining!

It's raining!

 

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this or not but it has rained off and on every day for the past couple weeks. And it pours out here! It's all nice and sunny then all of a sudden we're completely drenched. Not to mention the lightning. One just struck next to the library and made the power go off for a second. Awesome! Luckily we got a ride here.

 

Hmm so i don't really understand the rules either. It was under my assumption that i would be released and then i was free from the missionary rules. If possible maybe you could talk with my Dad and he could talk to my stake president to see how that all works out. I mean i don't mind wearing my suit to members homes (it's more comfy than it looks, plus i look great). Also we can do an extra day in Charleston, I'm really not to picky about the whole situation. And for the beach i don't want to really get in the water that much anyways, so that works.

 

The 4th of july was fun. We needed to be done working by 6 and could only stay out if we were with a member until 8... unfortunately fireworks start about 9:30. So we didn't exactly get to see any fireworks because we live out in the woods. But we could hear them everywhere! It felt like we were in the middle of a war. Which Elder Bowen and i had a good time with.

 

We did some service this week doing some yard work. And when we were finished we asked the member if we could have some of the bamboo that was growing in the back. She told us to take as many as we wanted because they're a nuisance. Well we both only took one. But they were both over 20ft tall! It was awesome! So we chopped them up into three 6-7ft pieces and are thinking about getting more to outline the back porch. Awesome right!

 

This week we caught a big frog and a big turtle. The turtle we left in a box on our back porch, but when we came out it climbed out and got away. Didn't realize they were capable of that sort of manuevering. But we're on the look out for another one, there's a member here Bro. Marsh who's in his 70's and drives us around a lot and loves pranking the sisters. So we're gonna catch a turtle and then give it to them. It should be really funny. The frog on the other hand was about the size of my palm, which funnily isn't that big of a frog. In other random news i found 12 different mushrooms growing in our backyard.

 

Our teaching pool is currently empty :P But on the bright side we went to ward council this week and i asked them a ton of questions about less active members and which ones we should go see. So we got many assignments there. Many of which are part member families which is always good potential. Some other members fed us yesterday and said they wanted to feed us again next week and that they would have some people for us to teach. So this week should prove to bring many positive results. 

 

My stark watch (the one with the hole in it) battery died a while back and i got a new battery in it. Evidently its old enough that a couple screws in the back were rusted out and broke. On the other hand i have this awesome watch which i also replaced the battery that I'm excited to show y'all!

 

Honestly it still hasn't hit me that I'm coming home soon. I'm waiting for some big nervous attack to hit me. Every few days or so i look at the calendar and i just can't seem to comprehend the amount of time i have left. Which is a blessing to me. I've seen many missionaries slowly "die" at the end of there mission. They get really quiet and sad and just stare at stuff. I honestly still feel i have a year left of my mission but that i just have two years of experience.

 

This past week i finished the old testament and the doctrine and covenants. I'm really close to finishing the book of mormon and the new testament. I should be done with both by the end of the week. I made a study plan to read all the standard works in the time span of three months. And guess what i actually stuck to it and finished it! I'll be excited to really get into studying after my mission, I have a few ideas of my next study plans. We'll see i guess!

 

Elder Bowen is a funny character. I really haven't told y'all much about him. He's way into working out, don't worry none of that has rubbed off on me. And when i say he's into it, we've stopped by GNC the last few pday's for protein and other things. He's bought dumbells, then he bought more weight for it later. If i ever want him to bike faster i just need to pass him, he does not like to be behind me i think. I laugh every time it happens. He's fearless in his teaching and besides maybe the context that he teaches you wouldn't know he is new. He's very confident and has a wonderful testimony. He's obedient but still likes to have fun, almost to often (which may be strange to hear from me i know.) I love being with him and have full confidence in him as i leave him to take over the area. It wouldn't surprise me for him to also become an assistant.

 

Well that is where I'm at, I'll see you soon!

Love you!

Elder K. Olsen

 

P.s. Did you say you don't have my 16gb card with the Toynes pictures on it? Cause that's probably not good haha :P

July 1!!!

July!?!

 

So i had a great experience this last weekend! Patricia who has been taught by the sisters wanted me to baptize and confirm her. So i did!! She's so great and it's such a humbling experience to get into the water. I always find it interesting when i do such a spiritual thing because i always feel as if i am only watching the experience. I'm not sure if that makes sense or not. But then after church i interviewed another one of the sisters investigators who will be baptized on July 6. I absolutely love being a district leader.

 

I love being a missionary at church because there's always so much that i need to get done. I'm all over the place and it's always exciting. It doesn't always feel as looooong as some people say ;).

 

Well it sounds like for once it's hotter back home! Its only been in the 80's and 90's here. But since it rains alot every single day the humidity is very high. It's impossible not to sweat. There's a lot of techniques that missionaries use for wiping the sweat off there head. Some use there ties, some use shirt sleeves (like me), or for the ones who sweat a lot have sweat rags. Awesome right? I'm excited for y'all to figure out what I'm talking about. We'll have to plan a lot of outdoor activities. Speaking of activities, there's the one aquarium, but there's also the ripleys believe it or not aquarium in myrtle beach which looks awesome. Thats an idea. Also i found out (and i'm sure you have too) it's not the robertsons but they're actually the Rodgersons... my bad.

 

I got to be in a car a couple days this week. We went on exchanges with the zone leaders. It was funny because Elder Bowen stayed in gilbert and planned a 23 mile bike ride. Well the zone leader isn't used to that, was ridiculously tired when they were done, and talked about getting us a car! Alright! The funny thing was is that we didn't plan a long biking day for just him. We bike about 20 miles a day every day. Needless to say my legs are ripped... and ridiculously white.

 

Elder Bowen and I decided to call all the less actives in our area this week which actually worked really well. Many people appreciated the phone calls and we were able to set up some appointments (which is something we've been lacking lately). We've also finished our map and are thinking about calling all of the former investigators in the area. We'll be calling David today to set up another appointment which will be great. Also we talked with Veronda and she said that she doesn't want to go to our church until she's finished the book of mormon. What shocked me was when she told us to give her a week or two because she's half way through it!

 

Also i don't know if i ever mentioned Roberto in the past. But the spanish elders taught him yesterday and him and his family are on date for the 27! Hoorah for Israel!

 

I admit I'm running out of things to say. I feel as if i just kind of repeat myself every week. But that's probably only because i do the same thing every week! Haha, teach, bike, sweat, knock, sweat. I love it!

 

Also if you could send those birthday cards thatd be awesome! I don't plan on spending the money. But it's just exciting to get stuff in the mail!

 

Elder Bowen says, "How can you know if something is impossible if you haven't tried it?" Pretty cool huh?

 

Oh! So they opened up the Georgia Macon mission a week ago and we had 41 of our missionaries go there! Some may sound familiar. Like, Elder Young, Elder Tippetts, and Elder Harding!  Which means Elder Brimhall and Elder Bowen are the only companion and former companions i have left in the mission. It's just me and my boys now!.... I'm an old missionary. Do you realize that right now there is no missionary in the mission (besides those who came out with me) who have been on a mission longer than me?! Weeeird.

 

And i think i said this in my last letter. But could you send me my other memory cards so i could send these ones? Thanks love you!

 

Love you again!

Elder K. Olsen

(So here's last weeks letter, it said that your address was wrong. So here we go again!) 6/24/13

(So here's last weeks letter, it said that your address was wrong. So here we go again!)
 
Well hello!

So guess what i just finished doing? I went to the zoo! Again! The sisters wanted to go to the zoo and we were able to go as an entire district which was really fun! I took a lot of pictures of ME this time which should be more exciting.

I guess i forgot to mention it last week (sorry). But i got your package on my birthday! The assistants came and dropped it off (isn't it nice that the assistant is my son? But i loved the t-shirts and toys and we've been having a lot of fun with that star wars thumbprint thing. It's great when i make every one of my companions star wars fans. Mission accomplished!

Yesterday was great! We had stake conference and i learned a lot from it. Also there was the big worldwide mission broadcast yesterday and that was awesome! I think it's crazy that missionaries will be using facebook and blog and all that other stuff. Although i was sad to hear when they said over the next couple of months we will be bringing this to your mission. Greeeeeeat timing people. But oh well! It's still exciting to see the work progress! I'm just glad they put so much attention on member missionary work. That's really the only way to do it now a days. Knocking on doors is alright. But everyone is so busy, and aren't as trusting to strangers as they used to be. Plus when a member introduces they're friends to the gospel there's already a support system. I really hope everyone listens to the prophets and apostles voice and make members and missionaries one team as it should be. We as missionaries really aren't effective without the members.

Well David rescheduled for tomorrow so we'll be seeing him then. Hopefully he's read a lot! And more importantly prayed. You can't really read the Book of Mormon without praying. It doesn't work. You just can't read such a spiritual book in a temporal manner. Its just not the way things work.

We also knocked into the Coleman family. They are now on date for July 13. Although it's a very tentative goal. But i loved teaching them because it was such a straightforward lesson. I usually build things up and hint towards things. But I was very blunt, but in a good way. I just wanted to make sure that they understood. We told them what we were teaching, why we were teaching it, and how it will help them. I also love telling people that if the church is true they need to be baptized again by the priesthood authority and that their baptism wasn't exactly the way the lord wanted it done. Not to be rude of course and rub it in their face. But i just used to be so scared that i might offend them that i almost wouldn't even bring up baptism. I was very hesitant. Now i realize its more loving to tell them they need a authoritative baptism, and not just tell them there's was good enough. Jesus taught one way and I'm here to teach as His representative.

As for the upcoming travel situation. I will be sending a good bit home, so probably the sooner i do that the better. Also when y'all come out i will need some clothes. Got a lot of white shirts and ties. I'm not sure if my leather flip flops are still around. But i would really love those if possible. Then shorts, i need shorts. My legs will be blinding white, but i wore jeans all day at the zoo and it was HOT. So when we go to the zoo we'll do it early in the morning (9am). I have some t-shirts but there are some normal button up shirts i liked that i may get.

Also i don't have my 16gb sd card. I'm really sure i sent that home. I have 3 8gb cards and a 2gb. They're getting pretty full so I'm gonna have to send them for the last time. So please send them soon so i can send these to you!

Well i love y'all!!
Elder K. Olsen

Birthday, Miracles, and Fathers Day

Hey I'm 21!

 

So I'll first start off by talking about my birthday. It was awesome! I kind of took my time in the morning, then i got out of the shower and while i was getting dressed i heard voices outside. So I step outside and Sis. Da Rosa and her son start singing Happy Birthday! So that was an awesome start. There was a nerf gun in the basket that had a laser, but it needed batteries. Well we needed a screwdriver to put the batteries in, we don't have one. So i spent all my personal study breaking into this nerf gun. But it works now! We ended up tracting a lot that day, we were out of miles on the car so we biked. Then we ended up at the Toynes! Where i had a great dinner and they sang Happy Birthday again! Then i lost at horseshoes to Elder Bowen 9-21 :( . Also as we were at the Toynes we got a call that the missionaries were coming by to take our car. So yeah it's gone now. So the day went by and we got home, and there was a plate of cookies on the table from the elders. Then there were two packages on my chair! Did I mention that Elder Brimhall took the car? There's perks to training an assistant. He doesn't forget your birthday and made sure i got my presents. I do have to admit i was confused when there wasn't any letters in your present, haha i figured they would just be coming in the mail. And i was right! Then I called the sisters to see how there day was, and when they answered they sung Happy Birthday! That's three times in one day! Plus i got tons of Happy Birthday texts. So overall it was a great day.

 

Well it's ridiculously hot now, and only getting hotter. Perfect timing to start biking everywhere. The other day we did 25 miles, not to shabby right? Elder Bowen makes me a protein shake every day, so my legs are going to be ripped pretty soon.

 

We had a miracle last night! So i don't remember if i mentioned that our teaching pool was empty. But it was. Well last night we were tracting and i looked back down the road where our bikes were locked up. And i guy came out of his house and looked at them. I felt he really didn't want our bikes there. So i suggested we go get them. Well we get close and he comes out of his house and yells, "get your bikes out of here!" I didn't argue, got the bikes, left and wished him a good day. So we took the bikes down the street to a members home and asked if we could leave the bikes at their house. They were fine with that. Then Elder Bowen jokingly asked one of the members if he wanted to knock with us. This man got off his mission 4 years ago and was really excited to come with. So we figured, why not? So we knock on the first door, no luck. Then the second door a man answers and lets us right in. Turns out his wifes grandma is a member, and even better, after talking for a bit we find out that she's related to the member that came with us. And it's only three doors down! Well the man, David, has just recently gotten into religion and is golden. For the last year he's really gotten into the bible and is addicted to it. He'll be listening to it while he falls asleep, so often actually that his wife, Jessica, bought him wireless headphones so the wires wouldn't choke him while he slept. Well as he's done this, he's started praying as a family every morning and night, he switched jobs so he could go to church, he's so happy that he doesn't argue with his wife anymore, and he now has a good relationship with his son. Well he taught him of the restoration, and answered many questions. We gave him the book of mormon and he said he would be open and would start last night. Well we are going to see him again tonight. I'm so excited. It's just perfect. The member, Bro. Katz gave them his number just in case they have any questions. Also David wants to get baptized, but he wants to be set in stone in the church he gets baptized into before he commits and he says the church he's going to doesn't feel like the place yet.

 

The sisters have been doing great down in Pelion! They have a new sister with them, Sis. Bailey who is waiting for her visa to the Melbourne, Australia mission. But the sisters had 3 investigators at church and 5 less actives. One of their investigators is Patricia who they knocked into who is practically already a member. Well I'm interviewing her tonight and she'll be ready to go. But here's what awesome, the sisters were setting up the baptismal program; talks, songs, etc. And Patricia asked the sisters if i could baptize her! So i get to get in the water again, I'm so excited!

So Father's day in the gilbert ward has a tradition. All the women make pies and then bring them to church, after the second hour all the guys eat the pie! Well i walked in the gym and there was tons of it! I was stunned! I couldn't pick one. Then i was told i could eat as much as i wanted to. So i ate 6 pieces and was very very happy. I really like pie. I didn't look around, but I'm pretty sure i ate the most. Which I'm very proud of.

 

Speaking of Fathers Day! Happy fathers day dad(s)! Haha how often do y'all see that sentence? Don't worry i agree, i feel i get jipped not being able to call. But oh well! That's life i guess, won't be too much longer where I'll be able to talk face to face!

 

So I just went to the driving range (golf) and i sweat so much! I can bike all day long.. and sweat a lot. But hitting a basket of golf balls had a constant stream dripping off my nose! Gotta love the south! Sheesh!

 

Well that's my life and it's pretty amazing huh? Yeah i know y'all are jealous!

 

I love y'all!

Elder K. Olsen

Happy Birthday Elder Olsen!

A big thank you to Sister de Rosa who help me send our 'baby boy' some balloons and treats for his 21st birthday today!