August 25, 2013 SLS Mission Address

If you would like to write to Connor while he 

is in Salt Lake City South here is his address.

His birthday is coming up on October 1 and 

I know he would love to hear from anyone

that would like to write to him.  


Elder Connor Riley Olsen

8060 S 615 E


Sandy UT 84070

August 16,2013 SLS Mission President Welcome Letter

This is the letter we received just after Connor arrived in Salt Lake City South.  Pres. Chambers has been a professor at BYU-Idaho Religion for the past couple of years.  When Connor found that out, he was pretty excited.  This letter was sent to an email that we don't look at very often, so we didn't see it until Sunday evening.  I was very emotional when I saw it, because we never did receive a call the day Connor traveled to Salt Lake City.  Boy was I a relieved Mom when I read this just to know that he was ok.

The Church of

Jesus Christ

Of Latter Day Saints

Utah Salt Lake City South Mission

8060 South 615 East

Sandy, Utah 84070

August 16, 2013

Allan and Wendi Olsen
872 North Harmony Avenue
Gilbert, AZ 85234

Dear Brother and Sister Olsen,

What a pleasure it was to welcome your son, Elder Connor Riley Olsen to the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission while he waits for his visa to clear so he can report to the Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission where he will speak Spanish.

After prayerful consideration, he has been assigned one of our best missionaries, Elder Julian, to be his trainer and missionary companion.  Upon his arrival at the mission, he had pictures taken, received instruction, met his trainer and went to work. You are welcome to email your son each week but other mail and packages should be sent to the mission, addressed to Elder Connor Olsen at the address listed above.

Elder Olsen arrived happy and in good spirits.  We are so impressed by his enthusiasm to be here and begin working in the field. We look forward to getting to know him better as he serves in our mission.  We will be happy to have him here as long as is necessary.

May the Lord’s choicest blessings be yours.

Sincerely,

Robert E. Chambers

Mission President

August 19, 2013 Salt Lake City South Reassignment

Hey! Things are going good. So we took the train and the plan was to find someone with a cell phone. Also to place a BOM on the way, but the train was completely empty. I got put in charge of watching everyone’s stuff on the bottom level while everyone went to the top. It was me and 2 other Spanish elders watching the stuff. The rest were Portuguese (going to Brazil). 11 of us total. Kalvin Thomas was in the group going to Brazil (he is in the Ripley’s ward). Traveling with all my stuff was a little hassle but I made it work. It was only a 45 minute train ride. At the train station we got picked up by Elder Southwick. He is a senior missionary working in the office over transportation. Great guy. We found out there is 250 missionaries in the mission. 71 cars. They had just got 35 missionaries the day before that were originally called to this mission and said good bye to 5. So we are basically at max capacity. We got to the mission home. Met the mission President. First thing he tells us. This is a Baptizing mission. We have baptisms every week and we should be baptizing. After that we had a 2 minute interview. I told him I was excited to be here. I am ready to work and my goal is to have him beg for me to stay when I leave for Argentina! Haha. I walked outside and met my companions. They are Zone leaders so yes I am in a 3some. We loaded up the car (yes we have a car. it is a 2013 Chevy Cruize. it only has 200 miles on It.) and went straight to work. Basically we talk to everyone. Oh yeah. I am in Kearns! Spanish speakers everywhere! So I am going to learn Spanish pretty quick. First thing we do is pull over the car and start talking to a Hermano that just got back from work. We talked to him for like 5 minutes. I got like 40% of what was being said. Suddenly they lean over to me and said, bare your testimony... WHATT?!?! Haha. I’ve bore better testimonies in Spanish but I was caught off guard but still. After that we dropped off my stuff and we around meeting members and non member. We ask everyone for referrals. 5 o clock was dinner. Every other week we have dinner at English. So luckily this week was English. We went and met a family that made turkey burgers....bleh! (2nd night was bbq chicken in a hot dog bun, 3rd: rotisserie chicken from Sam’s club,4th: a gross casserole with potato chips on top, last night we had BEEF pot roast that was dry. best thing I’ve eaten is at every place they had bread! haha!) But that first night I had to give the spiritual thought. Went better than expected especially because it was in English. Tonight we have Spanish and I have to teach! Pray for me! Haha! But for the past couple days we have just been meeting people and talking with the leaders of the area. They really stress Member missionary work. We wouldn’t have a work without it so I hope you are doing your part! Let’s get the Slater’s Baptized! And Gail! Baptism is the only way we can be saved! And it is one of the most important commandments of Christ! Haha! They talk about baptism so much here! Haha! Except they say "Dunked" haha! "That family is SO getting DUNKED!" they used to be called the "Kearns Dunkers" haha! But really! I know that their lives will be blessed and your lives will be blessed!

So about the house I live in. They were only expecting to have 2 elders in their house hold! So there is a bunk bed and an air mattress. 2 closet spaces and 1 desk that comfortably fits 2. And that is all in one room. So I sleep on an air mattress in the middle of the room. They moved some of their stuff over so that I could hang up my shirts and then moved some stuff off the table so that I can have a place to study. It is one tight fit. OH and the air mattress deflates... EVERY NIGHT! So that’s fun. But we all get along. Since they are the zone leaders, they are constantly on the phone, and I get to go to all the meetings and I’ve been to baptism interviews. So it’s a fun experience. And we drive everywhere. We have bikes, but we haven’t pulled them out yet. Hopefully tomorrow! To them it’s been hot couple days. Like 96. And it’s been beautiful cool days for me. Nice cool breeze! Haha! So my companions are Elder Toborg and Elder Julian. Both from Washington. They are cool elders and just ready to get work done. Apparently Kearns is a GREAT place to be in for Spanish speakers and so they are both so excited to be here! On Thursday night and on Sunday after church I got to anointed Oil in Spanish. That was fun. I was nervous but it went well. It is so awesome to see the Holy Ghost guiding our steps. On Saturday we said a prayer for guidance and like an hour or so later we went to see a family whose dad is not active. And we had been by their house probably 5 times in the passed 3 days. And right when we started walking up, the dad walked outside with trash. And so we got to go inside and teach an awesome lesson. We had not gotten them to open the door yet. So that was good. She is a member and she is ready to change her life around and get her temple recommend but she is nervous for her husband because they live with his family and they make fun of him about the "Mormon" stuff. They make fun of him when the missionaries come around and they went to temple square (yeah we can take investigators to temple square, I haven’t gone yet). It was a great experience but when they got back they just tore him up. We invited them to an FHE which is out of their home and we try to have as many lessons away from the family as much as possible.

So we had made plans to play basketball with some kids and less actives on Saturday. We were just inviting everyone from like 13-25. Anyone that wanted to come. So we stopped by a recent convert’s house to see if he was home and just say hi, but he was working and his brother answered. The rest of the family is not members. I asked the kid if he liked basketball but I didn’t invite him. My companions were already close to the car so we left. That night on the way home at like 915. I was prompted to say "hey lets go invite Jorge to basketball" so we flipped a Uie and went to the house. We met the father and asked if we could come back and talk on Sunday. The kid couldn’t go to basketball because he works with his father ALOT. And so if I would have asked him the first time, he would have said no I have work and I wouldn’t have thought about going back. But we went to their house Sunday night (they didn’t come to church :( but its okay.) and they taught the dad (in Spanish so I couldn’t really participate too much) but I noticed the kid sitting off in the corner. I and Elder Toborg started talking to him. In English! Haha! And we gave him a pamphlet about the restoration and a BOM to read. he had a lot of great questions about the church like didn’t God only make one book" and "If we are bad we go to Hell and we don’t remember our families right?" haha. He had more that were funny but yeah. He’s a good kid and I look forward to working with them. We got both of them on date for the 15 of September. So hopefully that works out! Crazy thing. On Sunday. after a meeting with the branch presidency we get a text "hey you are coming to speak in the English ward today right" and this was 10 minutes after their church had started. So we ran and got to the English ward right as Sacrament was over. We had to talk about missionary work. Right there on the spot. It was crazy but went well because it was in English. Not excited for when something like that happens in Spanish haha. But basically what happened was on of those "hey you told the missionaries they were speaking today right?" "No, I thought you were" "uhhhh...." hahaha! But it all went well. In the Spanish branch we had an investigator come to church that was awesome! And then this new family that had been invited came. They said that they are ready to change their lives and do what is right for their family. They want to go to church and they stayed all 3 hours their first day and they really enjoyed it! And are excited to go back! We saw them that night and it was so great! They are so ready. Their family is awesome. 2 little kids and a bunny rabbit. I got to feed him a carrot! Haha! Also in priesthood I got to stand in to give someone the Aaronic Priesthood. That was way cool!

But yeah. Things are good.  We only have an hour and a half to write so I think we are leaving, we are so busy because they are Zone leaders. I might not have time to shop! AH haha! But things are good! Love ya! Stay strong!

Elder Julian & Elder Toborg

August 12, 2013 Final MTC Pictures

How fun! I love the pictures! Elder Bigmane! what a dork. haha! well... I got just about an hour left till i leave! last night we got to listen to Elder Richard G Scott at Devotional! It was so awesome! When he walked in you could just feel that there was an Apostle of the Lord in the room! it was so awesome! he talked about prayer. it was so great.

I just looked up my reassignment mission presdient. Robert Edward and Robin Sue Christensen Chambers. feel free to look them up. He was a teahcer at BYUI! so ishould get along with him fairly well. He was one that was called that started july1. cant wait to get started and get to work! 

 The MTC District

Elder Eberhard wasn't feeling well, so he had to go to the hospital.  Connor volunteered to be his "companion" while he was there.  They ran some tests thinking it was his appendix, but it ended up not and he was sent back to the MTC .

Elder Enright. one of the funniest and coolest guys i know.

 

Elder cannon and elder russon put on the wrong coats

 my companion is the one on the floor.

so one of the Elders got glow in the dark bouncy balls. and the lights were off and so i decided to take a picture and flash them and the guy with the captain america shirt bounced the ball and that red circle in the  middle of his shirt is the ball. crazy right! really funny!

So Elder Enright is really good at drawing but whenever he draws anything the teachers ask him how they relate to our purpose as missionaries. so there is the orginal (Elder Enright es un ladron de felicidad(the theif of happiness)(I wrote that causing the inspiration for the drawing!)) the second one is the teacher changing it. and then the final version..

 Haircut Day

Snapchat!

August 9, 2013 Reassignment Letter

August 09, 2013
Missionary Department
50 E North Temple ST 3WW
Salt Lake City, UT 84150-5400
Elder Connor Riley Olsen
8060 S 615 E
Sandy UT 84070
United States
Dear Elder Olsen:
Visa Status
By now you are aware that your visa to Argentina has not yet been approved. While this is undoubtedly
a disappointment, please know that we are doing everything possible to secure your visa. We will notify
you immediately when it is received. We ask that you and your family members not do anything, such as
call or e-mail the consulate, to try to secure your visa more quickly. Such actions may actually slow
down the visa process already in place.
While you are waiting, your mission experience in the United States will prove to be a great blessing in
your preparation to serve in Argentina. We encourage you to work hard, remain focused, and be
involved in all aspects of missionary work. As you serve the people in the Utah Salt Lake City South
Mission, your testimony and ability to teach will increase, you will set the pattern of study and hard
work for the rest of your mission, and you will come to love the people.
May the Lord continue to bless you and your family as you dedicate yourself to preaching the gospel to
those who are seeking and ready to accept your invitation to come unto Christ.
Sincerely,
Eduardo Gavarret
Assistant Executive Director

August 7-9, 2013 MTC Reassignment

August 7, 2013:

Sounds like you had a fun anniversary! I’m glad that you had a good experience! Well first off. We do not get our reassignments until this Thursday or Friday! And so that means that I will not know when I am going or anything till I get my travel plans. So I don’t know when I can call or anything. All I can say is that it will be on Monday or Tuesday! It’s usually in the morning but I really have no clue! I wish I could let you know but my letter would not get to you in time so you should just expect it when you least expect it. HAHA! But yeah. I’ll try to keep you posted and maybe I’ll ask if I can email you or have them email you or whatever, just a waiting game.

So one of the guys in my Zone (the one that was good at volleyball) had knee problems from playing volleyball. Like meniscus or something like that. But he had to get surgery on his knee on Monday, and he was supposed to go to Panama on that day so he is stuck in the MTC for another 2 weeks plus. Crazy! But he basically gets to lay in a bed all day and when he is awake he gets to study just right there.

That stinks about my package! I thought that you had said you had sent it and I would get it tomorrow! Hmmm... I wonder if I will even get it before I leave. That would be really nice. Oh well. Thank you so much for putting it together! Hopefully it comes fast! Now with the money I am supposed to have 200 with me at the airport. Right now I have about 100. So the only question is do you think that the package can get here in time. Because if it can than that isn’t a problem. But if it will come after I leave on Monday or Tuesday than I should get it out of the ATM. your call. if you think that the package can get here by Saturday than I will use the money I have and you send money in the package, but if you do not think it will make it by Saturday than don’t bother sending money and I will pull out of the ATM. send me an email by 6pm (I’ll check later tonight) if not send me a dear elder telling me what to do. If I do not hear from you by Saturday I will pull $200 out of my account. It is totally your call. I hope that made sense.  But I can call at the airport and I got a calling card so I will be calling no matter what, I’ve been sick the past couple days! Running nose, massive headaches! It sucks! Trying to speak Spanish and listen to Spanish while you are sick is not fun! The other day they did this activity where we were all blind folded and we had to teach a lesson just by hearing our companion and the spirit. It did not go well for my sinuses and stuff. By the end I was swaying, about to pass out! Super weird! But the point of it was to not get distracted during a lesson and I realized that I needed to work on that like a ton! And then that night (which was two nights ago) I was really sick and so excited to finally get to bed! And these Elders were up till 1230 in the morning out in the hall being really loud and annoying! At like 11 I walked out and yell at them but it didn’t really do anything. If it wasn’t for the fact that I felt like crap I would have gotten up and kicked some serious butt! It always seems to be the English speaking missionaries. Since they are only here for 12 days they don’t really take it serious and are really annoying all the time. Since today is Wednesday and we get new missionaries. We saw a new missionary walking and he said he was from Gilbert so I started talking to him. He is going to like Missouri or something like that, English speaking. And he is right down the hall from us. So I said "be quiet at night or I PROMISE I will kick your butt." haha!

But yeah. Things have been good. Last night was our last Devo. It was pretty dry. It was given by a brother that graduated from BYU with language. Than he was a seminary teacher, trained seminary teachers. And created curriculum and was like president of the scripture thing or whatever. And his whole talk was about effective ways to read and to mark the scriptures and stuff like that! Haha! Complete opposite of my personality. So it was only okay. But it was after the Devo that was awesome. We have an after Devo discussion with our district and one of the members of the branch presidency. And we got my favorite member. Haha! Brother Don McGee! He is so funny but such an awesome speaker. We all went through and bore a testimony and than it was his turn to talk and he just like kept talking and it was so powerful. We went 15 minutes over and no one was complaining! Haha. Um. Let’s see. What else. I started to teach my self how to shine shoes. I don’t think I did too badly. Haha! Both of my investigators are getting baptized on Saturday! So that is pretty exciting, Britany Brienholt wrote me. (Spencer’s friend. she is a twin. and her twin is married. she is on a mission in Atlanta) so that was pretty exciting. That was pretty cool about Spencer and I enjoyed the pictures! Things with my companion are okay. Nothing really to comment on. We’re just working hard and enjoying the time being on a mission. Oh! Speaking of packages, you may or may not be getting a package in the next couple days. Idk. It’s very possible, just make sure that if there happens to be a package that Mitchell and garret don’t open it. It isn’t for them. Well I am going to email Taylor..... Elder Kerr. I’ll probably hop on later so feel free to email back. Love ya! <3

Is my letters and blog and stuff going on my FB? Has people been seeing it? Like more than just people from the ward? And I need the addresses or at least emails for Ryan and Ashley from Frys! Or at least tell them to write me. Um.... and other people... I’m not sure haha

Haha! Don’t you love it! And okay. Well, these Elders in the district asked the travel people and they said they wont get our travel plans and everything till tomorrow night and then they have a lot of work. 150 missionaries being reassigned just this week. And so we won’t get them till Friday.

August 9, 2013:

I AM GOING TO SALT LAKE CITY SOUTH for my reassignment!!!!! No joke. I promise

I also got the package! Thank you! I tried texting you and dad but no response so I’m guessing its not working

There is at least 8 golf courses in my new mission

So. I leave on Wednesday. I leave here at 12pm. my train leaves at 1250. And I arrive in Salt Lake at 130. I hope I am able to call. So that’s when it would be.

August 4, 2013 Happy 25th Anniversary

Hey Mom & Dad,

Happy Anniversary!

I didn’t really know what to get you from the Missionary Store, so I found a card and this picture.  When I bought it, I was right there in the Book of Mormon and I really enjoy what it says and what King Benjamin says to his people.  In Mosiah 4:1-3 it talks about how the Spirit of the Lord came upon them.  I really liked that because there was no doubt they trusted in him, trusted in the Lord and they got that confirmation right away!  I encourage you to read the scriptures everyday, personally and as a family and pray and ask God if what you read is true.  That is something that we can do everyday.  The Lord will bless your lives SO much, even more that He already has.  I love the Articles of Faith.  They are so simple and wonderful.  I encourage you to get some pass along cards with the Articles of Faith on them and use those with your friends.  There is not one person that is too good or not good enough to hear the words of Christ.  Even if you don’t get baptisms, people’s lives will be blessed just by the little words you share.  Missionary work isn’t meant to be pushy or annoying (though it might seem that way).  It is to help other people come unto Christ and have blessings in their lives.  Trust in the Lord.  Pray daily. Read the Book of Mormon daily.  And share your testimony daily.  You don’t need to have the Lord’s name on your chest to have the Lord’s name impressed on your heart!  Love you!  I hope you have a great weekend, I haven’t gotten my reassignment yet.  We got a little letter saying we were suppose to get it Thursday or Friday and it wasn’t there yet.  Today is Sunday and I am checking on Monday.  Wish me luck!

Guarde` la Fe!

Connor Olsen

Dear Mom & Dad

I just wanted to say how much I love you!  I would not be here without the love and support you have given me!  I’m so glad that you are still together.  It strengthens my testimony of marriage that when something doesn’t always work that it isn’t an excuse to give up or quit.  You are great examples and I don’t think it is fair that I got put with the best parents and everyone else has to deal with ordinary.  I just want to tell you that I am working hard and trying to be the best example I can be. My testimony has really grown especially of the power of the Holy Ghost.  Also in the power of simple things!  I know the Church is true.  I know that Christ lives and that through him we can all be cleansed of our sins.  I know the Book of Mormon is true and that it can change lives.  I can’t wait to go out and see the changes it can make in the lives of the people of Argentina.  Joseph Smith is a profeta of God.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is called of God and that although he is the president of the Church, I know that Christ is at the head and directs the Church.  Stay strong!  Enjoy each day.  Come what may and love it. 

Guarde la Fe!  Love Ya!

(AKA the Favorite)

Elder Connor Olsen

July 31, 2013 MTC

Well. Things are going well. How fun that you are going back to work. I hope that this year is a good one! I know it will be for me! Thanks for getting all the information about the Mission! That was really great! Not excited to miss carpet, but I know it will all be worth it. Um. So I think it is safe to say that you don’t need to worry about a bad at all. If I need one when I get down there and they don’t give me one than I’m sure I’ll be able to find one. Thanks a lot though. So today I got a new CTR ring in the book store but instead of CTR it says HLJ. Hace la justo. Basically it means do the just! Which I like a lot more than choose the right. Pretty cool! I love learning all the differences between Spanish and English. Like the phase "feast on the words of Christ" translates to "delight in the words of Christ". Slight differences but still pretty cool!

I got emails from both Hunter and from Taylor. They are both doing well. They both got to their areas and are loving it so far. Today or yesterday Hunter got to go to the beach in Savannah and go play sand volleyball! So jealous! Hunter also gave me a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon that was really cool! They both are having their struggles but they are both loving the work and loving the people. For Hunter for church they just have like a Spanish section in the back and they have to translate for the Spanish speakers. That'll get him speaking Spanish real good! And then with Taylor, he had something in his scriptures that would fit in the lesson but it was in English and so he prayed and prepared himself and actually translated it for the investigator! CRAZYY!!! They can also have 4 baptisms if everything goes right! It’s so cool! I cannot wait to get out into the field.

Let’s see. On Sunday we watched a talk from Elder Holland called "Missions are forever". SO good!! Right now I can’t really think of what exactly to say about it. I probably will right after this haha. But yeah. I’m finding it easier and easier to stay awake and such. On Sunday during Priesthood we got a lesson from Brother McGee in the branch Presidency. He is my favorite! He is so funny and fun to talk to but he gave such a good lesson. He started off testifying. Talked a little, testified again, and through out the whole talk was constantly testifying! And he was getting the Elders involved and it was just a good lesson! After wards I went up to him and I was going to say "that was a good lesson, it actually kept me awake" but instead he beat me to the punch and said “WOW elder Olsen you actually stayed awake for my lesson. I was ready to call on you whenever you fell asleep" haha! He is a lot of fun!

Let’s see what else. So yesterday we had TRC. And in there we were teaching about the Book of Mormon. I tried to tell stories about my passed and reading and I realized that my Spanish really needs some work especially while telling stories. I challenged the District to tell 5 stories in Spanish by the end of the week because we just learned how to talk like that and such haha! Any who. In this lesson I was trying to say truthfulness. And to say truth in Spanish is "verdadero" so I used my Spanglish and said "verdadero-ness" Haha!!!

SO this morning we had scheduled to get our hair cuts at 1130. Right after we did our laundry. While putting our laundry away at like 1115 I realize that I am pretty tired and would kind of like a nap and I asked my companion what he wanted to do and he said he didn’t care so I took and nap and I think he wrote letters! We both totally forgot about our hair appointment until we went to lunch and I saw someone who had gotten theirs done. And you have to have it done on Pday and have to schedule in advance. So we have to wait till next week, Haha!

So reassignments and travel plans come out 10 days before you leave the MTC so I will find out where I am going on Friday, like in 2 days! I can’t wait to see. So stay tuned. Hopefully I will find out that my visa is here and I’m going straight but that probably won’t happen!

But yeah things are good! I am learning so much! And I am learning so much from reading in the book of Mormon! There is no way that it isn’t true! Things with my companion aren’t necessarily better it is just different. He was made DL and he wasn’t prepared and he still doesn’t like being it.. Today one of his nephews (I told you he has 41 nieces and nephews right? his oldest brother is dads age) came into the MTC today and we tried hard to stand out there and wait for him and when we saw him my companion hugged him and his nephew had to go into the building and as we walked around to the other side to meet up with him, my companion just started crying and his face got all red and he said he couldn’t explain why it was happening. I was there, comforting him. Telling jokes so he laughs and helped him feel better. It was a good moment. Haha!

Oh! So I am out of the drink mixes! So if a package is coming I need more of that! If possible, maybe like mio or something different. Its not that I didn’t enjoy the Great Value stuff... its just if it was me I would have got different. But whatever. It is your call. =D also, if not a big deal. A hackie sack. The sand bag one that you can get at Zumies. Like we got for Spencer haha! uhhhhhh.... I think that is it. I’m not sure. I can get on again later so maybe I’ll think of more and yeah. Well. LOVE ya! Have a good weekend! PAZ! (Paz means peace in Spanish)

July 31, 2013 MTC Funny Story

So great story. Y'all are going to love it!!!!

So one of the Elders in the district is from Arcadia, Cali (Where Tara’s brother is on his mission.) and his mom sends him packages at least once a day if not two or three! It’s ridiculous!! And so last week he asked us if there was anything we wanted. I said I would LOVE a diet dr pepper. He doesn’t say anything he just starts typing. So on Monday the package comes. We can’t open stuff till 9:30. So we are hanging out in the bedrooms and I wasn’t going to bring it up, have him give it to me. I see a 6 pack of bottle soda in there. So he gets out like board games and card games that his mom sent with it. And they get out Farkle to play a game. He says “Elder Olsen you are going to play right?” I say Nah. (Id rather go study get ready for bed and do what I am supposed to do. I didn’t say this out loud but what I’m thinking) so the elder says "No game, no soda". That wasn’t really a hard one. "Soda isn’t that important to me". He handed me one soda and I left. SO... the next morning I had planned to bring it with me to lunch so I can have it with ice. But I decided to bring it to breakfast. I put it in my pocket just so I wouldn’t have any problems with the people that let you into the cafeteria. I patiently got a cup of ice, sat down. I looked over at the elder that gave it to me, and said thank you as I pulled it out of my pocket. Out of sheer excitement I quickly opened it. And it exploded and sprayed ALL over me and my zone leader sitting next to me. The zone leader that went to Highland in Gilbert. Hahaha!!! It was so funny!!

July 24, 2013 MTC

I'll send an email later, I haven’t even read yours yet, but just wanted to let you know that I activated my new card, and my credit card (VISA) works, and my new debit card works. I also tried my temporary card, just in case. And that one didn’t work. So that is a good thing

Hey! Well... just woke up from a two hour nap. Now I’m more tired than before but it’s okay. I love Wednesdays (aside from the fact that it is P day.) but I get to see all of the new missionaries coming in. It’s a lot of fun! We got some new guys in our district that are going to Jed Buehner’s mission. Santiago Dominican Repulic. Pretty cool. They are a good group of guys. So I figured out that I am the oldest in my district and one of the oldest in my zone, now some guys call me grandpa haha.

(So there has been some confusion about having backpacks or not.  So Connor wrote his Mission President this email)

Hey! I hope this is the right email to send this to. If not I am sorry! I am Elder Connor Olsen. I am serving in the Argentina Buenos Aires Norte mission. Right now I am in the Provo MTC and I’ve been on my mission for 2 weeks now (got here July 3). I had a question about back packs. I’ve heard rumors that we aren’t allowed to have back packs or that we are allowed shoulder bags only. I am just a little confused and would like to go straight to the source so that I can prepare in the States before I get to Argentina where it is more expensive. Do you suggest having my mom send me a side bag/shoulder bag? Or get one down in Argentina? Or not have a bag at all. Thank you so much for your service and I can’t wait to get down there and start working for the Lord!"

(And this was the response)

 I got an email from my mission President:

Hello Elder Olsen,

We look forward to having you in the mission. 

You do not need a back pack. 

Take care,

President

So I don’t need a bag of any sort, so you do not need to worry about it. I will have to mail my back pack home or something. I thought about bringing it with me to my reassignment and if they say I don’t need it there than I will send it home. 

NOW. Haha. Stop asking about my visa. I'm not going to hear anything about that till I’m almost out of here. I will get my reassignment on Friday before I leave so like the 10th or so! I wish I knew more... you have no idea... but yeah. So if I have to wait so do you! =P

I saw a MTC Devo given by David A Bednar titled "Recognizing the Spirit" SOOOO GOOD! You guys would love it but it is only available at the MTC. He talks about being in the right place and the right time. He gives a story about how when he was a missionary 20 years old in Germany, Elder Packer called him at the mission office and he and his wife needed a ride. So they picked them up, took them to the empty mission home, made dinner and bought tickets for them for a train to wherever they needed to go. Well in Germany at the time it was split between East and West Germany. And before they got in the train in West Germany, Elder Bednar gave them 20 marks (Which is ALOT of money) just in case they needed food or whatever. Elder Bednar did not even remember giving them money, it was just something he did. Well,, when they crossed into east Germany, soldiers started checking people’s passports, Sister Packer had a 3 year passport that was extended to a 5 year passport, but those were not valid in East Germany, They were motioning that they would throw her off the train. Well. Elder packer grabbed his passport, her passport, and the 20 marks in the passport, handed to the solider, he left came back and the marks were gone and they were able to proceed. Elder Bednar said that wasn’t a bribe it was a "Righteous exchange" hahaha! When they got off they were told of people getting thrown off the train and dying on the side of the tracks so they didn’t realize how blessed they actually were. Elder Bednar did not know this story until he was a 40 year old stake President. The one thing he told us over and over “Be a good boy, be a good girl, remember and honor your covenants, keep your commandments. You will be in the right place at the right time, and when your mouth opens it will be filled" He also said that When we ask ourselves whether a prompting is our own head, or a prompting from the spirit he said the answer is very simple... "QUIT WORRYING ABOUT IT!!!!! Be a good boy, be a good girl, remember and honor your covenants, keep your commandments. You will be in the right place at the right time, and when your mouth opens it will be filled" Hahaha! So great! 

That sucks about Mitchell and the parking pass. You aren’t kissing the right butts. Too bad I am not there! I would get it done.

So I don’t know if I told you but my companion was made District Leader. The branch president, after he told me was like thinking I was sad I didn’t get it. He was saying stuff like, I’m sorry. Leadership roles aren’t always for the person who is most qualified but to help people. And that he knows I will have plenty of leadership roles in the field. He was acting like he wanted me to be district leader but some one upstairs thought otherwise, haha. I can definitely tell that my companion needs it. He doesn’t like being a leader and is very shy and has a lot to learn. My branch president said that it is my job to be an unassigned leader so that I can help my companion and kind of lead where he can’t but not really get the credit for it. Which I feel is what I do anyways! =P

We had TRC yesterday, I can’t remember if I told you about it, basically members come in and we teach them, We got assigned to teach two old guys a 20 minute lesson about prayer and why it is important. The guys were very cool and really funny. They helped us with our Spanish and such! So my teacher served in Argentina and has the Argentina accent and teaches us how to use it because we are all going there. And so when you try to say "I" like "I know the church is true." it is spell "yo", "yo se que la Iglesias es verdadero" but with Argentine Spanish the yo sounds like you say "Show". and when ever I bore my testimony, I would say "show" and the old man would try and correct me because he thought I was trying to say the Spanish word for "to show" haha! I was very confused. And even after I explained to him he would still correct me. So I started saying "yo" and he would get mad and say, "NO! Say it with your accent" HA!! Hopefully you understood that story. Also the same guys when we left and shook their hands they said that some of the guys had a lame hand shake and that if they don’t show strength that no one will take them seriously. It was really funny! Especially cuz I always have a strong hand shake! =P

Hey so I want to get some more songs on my iPod/ hopefully you have some time before you go back to school. I have a small list and such and I’ll send my iPod home. I would of sent it today but they have it all closed down for Pioneer day! Dumb! A small list is

Les Miserables, 

Josh Groban

Reliant K.

Light on a hill. 

More Disney

Fortress of love and other Goodman family songs

Track 20 from the LIGHT stuff.

I have more written down that I will send with the iPod. 

So speaking of dumb being closed for pioneer day.

My blue suit pants ripped right at the pocket. I was singing in the choir and when I stood up I notice that they ripped. It was just the seams for the pocket so all it means is that it was crappy sewing! So dumb! I was going to take it to the sewing place but they are closed! I also need a hair cut but it’s closed! Ridiculous! 

I still need more addresses and such! Either email or home, or both. Haha! I sent Lauren a scripture that Dennis needs to look up. Jacob 6:12. Let me know if she got it. 

Well. Things are good. I’m working hard and having fun! My branch Presidency is a lot of fun and I get to mess around with them a lot! One of the councilors said that it was okay to laugh and have fun on your mission! Haha! That was a relief haha! (Not really). Well... I think that is it for now! I am happy. I am healthy and I am going to endure to the End! I suggest you do the same! Love you 

So... we got in trouble for our classroom being too cluttered. And so they made us get boxes from the cafeteria to keep all of our stuff in, When we got to class our desks were moved so that you could see how unorganized we were.... BUT! I always keep my stuff neat and organized so my stuff wasn’t moved. My area was clean and such! So I just got to sit and watch everyone else organize their stuff! Oh and laugh! HAHHAHAHAH! Jk. 

 Boys will be Boys.  Having to clean up their messy Study Room

One of the guys is a really good artist

Hey you should see if you can find out a little about my mission, the geographic size, how many missionaries and stuff like that! See if there is anything. If u are too busy no big deal