So if y'all cant tell by the title of this e-mail. I went to the zoo! That was so much fun! We got to feed the giraffes and actually crazy Elder Young decided he wanted to put the lettuce in his mouth and have the giraffe to eat it that way. So Elder Berenyi got a slow motion video of this giraffes giant purple tongue slapping Elder Young in the face a few times. I'm gonna get that video because it is hilarious!
Did you know that six missionaries in suits at the zoo get stared at a lot? Well if you didn't know that before you do now! I guess people just aren't used to that for some reason.
I think my favorite animals at the zoo were the penguins. At first they were all just standing around looking all cute like you wanted to pick them up and take them home. Especially when they taunt you by putting there wings out like they're pretending to give you a hug. Yeah, then there's this thick glass in the way. Well anyways then they all jumped in the water and were zippin all over the place! It was awesome because the water went up to the glass so they'd go right by you. Really good exhibit.
Well and of course the sharks were cool. I'd have a pet shark. I'm not sure what i would name him though... hmmm.
Oh and i got a video of these howler monkeys! Funniest thing ever! Be excited to see it!
Well we also had a zone meeting this week along with interviews. They actually announced something pretty awesome! So the church has now allowed for everyone to e-mail me (excluding those people that live within the mission boundaries, unless we get permission)! So yeah, friends, church people, random strangers, e-mailing is the future. So yeah, that's kind of cool!
Some more exciting news! Let me tell you about Isiah. Isiah is a 14 year old boy who recently moved here from New York with his family. Well we were going to another investigator and he was playing basketball. So we asked if we could come by later and play a game to 21 with him and then teach him a lesson. Well we came back and ended up playing with his 3 older brothers and his sister. We got owned, they're all really good. But then we went in and started teaching Isiah, then his brother came in, then his other brother, then his mom and sister, and it was awesome! We came back the next day and played again, met the father, and then we taught mom, dad, and Isiah and they're are on date to be baptized for the 30! They all have book of mormons too! So Isiah was the only one who came to church this week, the others wanted to learn a bit more. Well Isiah had an awesome time! After church he was invited to a members home for dinner (a lot of people from the ward were getting together), well this member lives in a small community with a small airport. All these houses have personal planes in their garage (including the members) well he let Isiah get in and flip some switches ( i got in there too of course). Well after all that the member said come back and I'll take you flying in it. So yeah, Isiah had a really good first experience.
Well basketball has become the tradition to play, and then to teach. So our neighbors have a hoop and we'll be practicing in the mornings. We may also start running... maybe.
So it's starting to warm up here now! I really just wish that i could have a swinging bench on the back porch so i could do my studies out there. That would be so awesome! I love the mornings here. Especially because we have the woods as our backyard (and front yard and side yard too). But it's just really peaceful. But yeah the temperature is jumping close to 75! We can almost take off the jackets again! I can't wait for that.
OH i almost forgot! So ya know Jeff and Anisha's daughter who lives with them and never comes out of her room to talk to us??? Welll the other day we had dinner at their house and she was there! I even taught the family how to deep fry oreos (and everything else) I absolutely love those things. Anyways she agreed to let us teach her the lessons on Tuesday. And she came to church yesterday, and she's going bowling with us today. She seems pretty confident that she's going to beat us. I'm pretty sure that she's right. So that's what we'll be doing all p-day, since we're bowling with Jeff and Anisha it's only a dollar a game. Boo yeah!
Well let me talk about some scripture missionary spiritual wisdom stuff. So this week I've been learning and pondering about God's will and sacrifice. I've always thought that sacrifice was getting rid of something bad. Ya know, you sacrifice drugs, or alcohol or something. But then I think about Abraham and Isaac, the Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, "who he loved." Why is that? Why would God make Abraham go through something like that? Especially when Abraham was almost sacrificed by his father back in Egypt. He knew how terrifying it was to be on the altar. Well we know God didn't actually make Abraham sacrifice his son, but he wanted to see if he was willing to do it. At least that's what i got out of it.
I heard a talk which mentioned how we have this sacrifice buffet table for the Lord to pick from. All of the things which we are WILLING to sacrifice. Such as reading a verse a day, or bearing our testimony in sacrament, or stuff like that. And the Lord really appreciates all of that. But then we take some things and try to hide them behind us. Things that we could just never get rid of. Such as certain music or movies, or coffee or tobacco, or in Abraham's case Isaac. Well that's when the Lord comes up to the buffet table and asks what you are hiding behind you. And THEN he asks you for it. Why? Because the Lord doesn't want you to become addicted to worldly things that you can't take with you into the next life, he doesn't want you to make wrong choices, he knows whats best for you. And when you take that thing that you are hiding behind you and finally submit to the Lord and give it to him. All of a sudden you grow closer to him, because he is all that's left. You realize how much happiness and joy he has to offer, and you feel more self confident because you sacrificed something that you previously thought was IMPOSSIBLE to get rid of. But with the Lord's help you did it. Does this not grow your faith in his power and his promises? Does this not want to make you do what he says because you know the happiness behind it? When sacrifice is viewed in the manner, we should be thankful that the Lord asks for those things we hide and could "never" get rid of. I suggest that everyone thinks and ponders (chances are you already know) about what you are not willing to give to the Lord. Then i suggest you pray about it, and then give it to him. He's has more blessings in store for you then you can imagine.
17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
18 And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.
19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.
20 Wherefore, do the things which I have commanded you, saith your Redeemer, even the Son Ahman, who prepareth all things before he taketh you;
I love y'all!
Elder K. Olsen
P.S. Keep the faith, make His will your will, and Everything will be ok! :)
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