Change Happens

Alrighty then!

So this week was amazing! First i have to tell y'all about all the great things that are happening with Holly! Holly is probably one of my favorite people in the world! So this last Wednesday was the no more strangers fireside where all the investigators in the zone come together and listen to some talks by recent converts and the mission president. Well Holly went and she loved it! I know how crazy it sounds but we didn't teach her an official restoration until Thursday. Up till then we had just been discussing and answering questions. Well the great thing is that on Thursday she asked if we could come by on Friday to teach the plan of salvation. Then on Saturday we taught her the gospel of jesus christ at the church. Which that was awesome because we taught faith, repentance, then we went and watched the baptism that the other elders were having. Talk about an amazing lesson! Then yesterday we finished the gospel of jesus christ after church. It's just so amazing, she's so excited to learn and to feel the spirit! We don't know when she'll be getting baptized but she knows she will.
 

But while teaching Holly I've noticed something. Elder Cahoon told me if the last missionary that was here taught her that she wouldn't have stayed as an investigator. But we conveniently found her right after i got here. There is no coincidence in that. It scared me for a moment to realize what could have happened if i didn't come on a mission. Holly probably would have recieved the gospel. But maybe not, she herself has told us many times that she's glad that we are her missionaries. Because she's met several other missionaries since. I'm not saying I'm a great amazing missionary and only i could convert Holly. But I believe that all of this happened this way for a reason. I'm so grateful I chose to serve a mission.

  

So i feel like talking about my scripture now. I actually chose several scriptures that revolve around the life of the apostle Peter. But the one i want to focus on is Acts 5:15. This scripture talks about how the people who were sick were put in the street hoping that just the shadow of Peter would overshadow them. Isn't it amazing that this is the same man that denied the Christ three times? Peter definitely wasn't a perfect man, In Luke 5:8 he told the Lord very humbly to depart from him because he wasn't worthy. But the Lord calls imperfect men to lead the way to perfection. Now something i found out was amazing. The time between denying the Christ to having people pray that his shadow overpasses them was only 2-3 months. Now I may be wrong, but I know that it wasn't much time. But the time limit isn't important. What's important is the change. Peter repented which caused him to change. Repentance isn't merely being forgiven, it's changing and growing into what the Lord knows you can be.

 

 For some reason this week has been big for me. I have changed a lot and i can feel it. The Spirit seems to be stronger and my desire to serve is greater. I've realized the seriousness of what I am doing. I was in interviews with President Holm and i told him about this. He said that this is what a mission president prays for with his missionaries. He prays that they reach that turning point where they understand what a mission is and give it their all. He says some reach that point the first month or the last month. But just like Peter the time limit isn't the most important thing. What's important is that that change happens.

 

Right now as i type this i am realizing how time really doesn't matter to God. He cares about the end result. Because can't someone not believe in christ for 80 years and then when they do believe and are baptized and endure to the end. Don't they recieve the same result as the one who was baptized at 8? Even those who don't recieve the gospel in this life can recieve it in the next. The plan of salvation is for everyone. And it is an eternal plan that is balanced in our favor and available to everyone. Because God loves us.

 

 

Alright so I counted all the change that i've picked us since I've been here and I've picked up a whopping $23.66. Some of that change is probably from change at McDonalds or something. But still that's a lot of change that I've got in my tootsie roll piggy bank!

 

 

Well I don't think that i need anything right now. But i'm so glad that today was "payday!" I didn't budget very well last month and it's not too fun being broke. But I will definitely tell you if i need anything. Oh! Actually i was wondering if big box of ties number two is on the way?

 

 

Anyways my life rocks and I love y'all!

Elder K. Olsen