August 26, 2014 Elder Olsen's been Transferred - Tortugas & Senior Companion

Hey how is it going!

What a crazy week you guys had! But yeah I didn’t feel good about them either! (Our house fell out of escrow so we are not moving yet!) Haha! =P But yeah things are going good! I also had a crazy week this week! Monday we went to the River Stadium and that was pretty cool! We got to take a tour of the whole thing and go out to the field! It is kind of like the BYU stadium. Nothing really special. But it was nice! On Wednesday we ended up doing a service project for a member in the ward. He has 2 months to build himself a house. And so the members are helping him build it. He does work and he doesn’t have the money to pay for someone so he is doing it all by himself. But he isn’t like really in the best condition. And so he uses this work to keep himself focused and away from the life that he used to have! But he is a really great guy! Then all this week one of the Zone Leaders got sick and they couldn’t leave the house. So on Wed we did divisions so the other Elder could go out and see their investigators. I was so tired from working on the house that when i got to go take care of the sick elder I made sure he was okay and I passed out! Well at 9 my comp and a could members passed by to pick me up, and I was asleep and they all made fun of me that the sick elder was taking care of me and that I was just sleeping. Haha! But it was so bad, I was sore in my back and my legs for like the whole week! Then my comp got a call telling him that he was going to train this next transfer and so we had to go to a meeting in the mission office! I learned a lot there! Then when we went to go have the interviews for our baptisms we couldn’t find one of the kids. - I started to get nervous because my comp was talking about dropping him. I was like WHAT! He is going to get baptized tomorrow why we would drop him. Well on Saturday morning the zone leader and my comp went to look for him. They found him and he passed his interview and on Saturday night we had 2 baptisms! Martin and Maxi! Maxi is a friend of Aryton who got baptized the last Sunday. And Maxi lives with Aryton because he doesn’t have a very good home condition. And now all of Aryton’s family have a Baptismal date and are going to church. The dad will be baptized this Sunday or the Saturday. And then we want him to get the priesthood and baptize his other son and the mom! But we will see what happens. On Sunday night (After they were all confirmed) we went to the Despedida. That is like a last testimony meeting for the missionaries that go home. And so we took Aryton Martin and Maxi. It was fun to go and see a bunch of missionaries and the converts. There I saw a family from my first area here in Argentina. And so that was really cool! On Monday it was basically my day to say goodbye to everyone because I knew I was leaving. It was so cold and it was raining. And I was sick! And so we ended up just staying in the house of our converts and we brought a couple investigators to teach over there and then we taught the Family. Then when I had to leave they all were crying. I told them there was a very slight chance I could stay because they put another companionship in that ward and so they were all saying that I was going to stay. They wanted me to talk to President and have him make me stay, haha! They didn’t understand that it didn’t work like that! Well after we went to have a family home evening with some converts of the zone leaders. They made deep fried Oreos. But they didn’t turn out very well. And when we were over there I got a call telling me that I was going to be Senior Companion! And they told me my new Area. Tortugas. It is right next to Grand Bourg. My other area. Right next to it. And it all looks the same. I’m kind of bummed because I wanted to go to the Capital. But now I’ve got to prove myself and show that I am ready for this responsibility that the Lord has trusted me with!

Thank you for all the support! I love you all! Take Care

River Staduim! There is 2 really big soccer teams in Buenos Aires. 

Boca and River. I've now been to them of both

Building Willy's House 

Martin and Maxi's Baptism 

The Portillo Family 

 Elder Gines, another Missionary, and Elder Olsen

 North Zone

August 18, 2014, Aryton Was Baptized

Yeah. I forgot to take a picture with my new pants but I got them hemmed up and they look good! And things are going good here! We are safe. We are healthy and we are working hard! We also had a Week kind of strange! A little crazy! Basically it happened with the Elders in our District. They are a little disobedient. And so we have been working with them to help them get a little better! We did divisiones with them and then my comp had to do a Bap interview for them and so we were going to change back at like 3. Well they don’t have a cell phone and we said we would meet up at the church. Well our lunch called us and said they would be a little late. And so we ended up getting at the church at like 345. And we waited for them for a while and we didn’t know where to go and eventually we met up with them and we didn’t get to our area to start working until like 6. And that happened again on Saturday because the lady didn’t pass her interview and my comp wanted to do it again on sat. Well she felt bad because she didn’t pass and so she told the elders she was done. The elders got mad and didn’t want to talk to us. And so we were worried what they were going to do. We ended up going over there to do the interview like normal and what had happened was that they went to go talk to the lady and convince her to get baptized. But it was a huge thing! They felt like my comp and the ZLs didn’t trust them but we talked about it. Got them a new phone. The lady got baptized and it’s all good! I felt bad though because one of the members in my ward baptized his daughter on Saturday and since all of that went down we couldn’t stay for the baptism. They had even called the mission president to ask Permission for us to stay. But I don’t think there is any hard feelings. Haha! Then On Sunday one of the Elders got sick and they asked me to stay with him during church. So we went to sacrament and then we left and I got to take little nap. That was nice! Haha! =D and then we had the baptism of Ayton. Oh and Yesika got confirmed! It was a good week! One week left for transfers! We will be writing on Tuesday next week! Love ya!

Aryton got baptized!!!

August 11, 2014 Uruguay Visas/ Puerto Madero Site Seeing

What freaking crazy that you guys are moving! I knew it was going to happen, it was just one of those things that you think would never actually happen. Like graduating High School. Going to college. Or going on a mission! Haha! But things are going good! We had a weird week this week! On Monday we got a message that my comp was going to have to go to Uruguay to renew his Visa. So on Monday we had to work and on Tuesday we had to take the train and be in the Boat Port at 730. We got there nice and early. Bought Churros and Hot chocolate because it was cold and then went and took pictures because it looked really cool! Well we got there with the other missionaries they gave us money and our new comps and they sent us off. It was like 8 am and they released us into the city! I’m not sure why but at first we did a lot of walking! We went to the stadium of the popular soccer team, the Boca Juniors. They have a tour but it was kind of expensive and not everyone wanted to do it. So we walked around the team shop and the other stores that were close. They have a place called Caminito that is a street that is bright colored and has a bunch of shops! We went there and we bought some souvenirs! And I took a Selfie with the Pope! =P

From there we left and went to a place called Once. (pronounced Own-say) and that is a giant area that has a bunch of stores. You can walk into a building and it is just filled with stands and selling stuff really cheap. Clothes, music, movies, shoes hats, jerseys. I misunderstood. I thought it was a place to buy stuff from Argentina like souvenirs. But it was like shopping for stuff that I would need here. And so I bought a tie and a new pair of pants.! They are really cool but I got to get them sewed up. Like on the bottom. I was looking for a new jacket but i didn’t find one that was worth it. I found a leather one for 50 dollars. But I decided not to. Because you cant use that to proselyte. Haha! From there we went to McDonalds because it was lunch time and we were hungry. Unfortunately, all of the ´´cool´´ places to eat were far and we had planned to do that part of the city last. So hopefully I will have an opportunity to go eat down there. I think I will because all of the trains go to that one spot. Haha! After lunch we went to the Obelisco. Which is the white tower that looks like the Washington Monument. And then we walked down a street called Florida. That has a lot of stores in it. But it’s like the right part of town! It was very cool! And there I ran into an old friend from my first Area! It was really weird to see an old face! But it was night to see her! And she knows someone in my ward now! Crazy! Small world! It was funny. In that street there was a bunch of people saying ´´cambio, cambio, cambio´´. Which means change. They exchange dollars for pesos. Since it’s the right part all of the Gringos go there to shop. They always looked at us. Gringos. In suit... we definitely have dollars. No? Haha! We found a park and just kind of sat down and rested for a bit. Someone went and bought a giant water bottle to share. It was a beautiful day! Then we walked from there to Puerto Madero. It made me think of San Francisco. Out there next to the water they have a bunch of fancy restaurants. And I was looking at the prices and it wasn’t that expensive. 12 dollars for a really good steak! Too bad I was already full and tired. Haha! But one day! There were also old boats that we could go on and take a small tour! And from there we had to end our day! It was fun! But it was a tiring. I was dead! I had a huge headache and my feet were going to fall off! But we got back about 7 and went out to work, did the things we HAD to do and then went back to the pension and died. haha!

Later on in the week we did divisions with the Zone leaders and the other elders in the district. It was a little hard with the zone leader because we didn’t have very much planned and then they called us and wanted to do divisions. So I was stuck... It didn’t turn out very well. but they next day we had a lot planned a really great day. But I went and did divisiones with the other elders, and so I told Elder Gines what I had planned and then I left the area with him that wasnt there the day before. But it went well. It’s always nice to see the way other elders work and apply them with your own area.

Super crazy. On Saturday we passed by the house of Yesika to see if everything was good and another recent convert that lives in front of her, Carla( 14 years old) started screaming at her own aunt and like getting in her face and they were like fighting and screaming just saying I don’t even Care!  We didn’t really understand what it was about. And then Carla started picking up giant Rocks and chucking them. That’s when we left! Super crazy! But we found out that everyone was fine. No one got hurt.

Sad day. The daughter of Yesika got sick on sat night and was in the Hospital and didn’t go to church to get confirmed! So that was kind of sad and now we are working hard with her so that she comes the next week! But we can already see the changes in her! She understands better and she got a job! Her mom too! So that’s really cool to see!

Last thing- Last night. We did divisiones with some members because the elder’s quorum councilor wanted to do some visits. And so I went and taught Yesika and other investigators and my comp went with him. Well right before they got to the place where we were going to meet up they said they were walking in the street and heard a motorcycle behind them. It stopped and the kid started asking for everything! Luckily my comp just kind of kept walking and they didn’t see him. But the kids he was with (kids being 2 ex missionaries) lost a watch, suit jacket, 50 dollars, and a really nice cell phone. But everyone is safe thank goodness. I am always super careful, that’s why I haven’t been robbed yet. My comp doesn’t get it yet. But now he is kind of scared. But it’s all good! We are protected! Love you all! See yall later!

Some of the Missionaries are in Argentina on a Temporary Visa.  So they had to leave Argentina, go to Uruguay for the day and come back with a stamp in their passport.  So the Companions of these Missionaries got to spend the day in Buenos Aires being tourists while their companions were out of the country.  They had a really good time seeing the Capital.

We went dark and early (not bright and early, it wasnt bright) to go to Urugauy. 

This is Puerto Madero. Its the port that is in Buenos Aires

Elder Gines & Elder Olsen 

 Then we went to the Stadium of the Boca Juniors. They are the mot popular soccer team in Argentina. 

 Troy Hicks went to Highland with me. 

After we went to Caminito. which is a famous Argentine spot. haha! Its got a bunch of Souviners and stuff to buy. 

 And I took a Selfie with the Pope!  

I ran into an Old friend from Lugano! Hermana Anabel Alarcon. She is AWESOME! 

Our tour group! we got tired so we went to a plaza to rest

Back to Puerto Madero but in the day!   

In Puerto madero there is a bunch of cool restaruants (including TGI Fridays! ) but we did it last and we had already eaten in McDonald's. I regret that! because they gave us 150 pesos (15 dollars) to go eat somewhere. But we went to McDonald's. Also found a place with hot wings! (new goal in the mission because they don't have hot wings here) 

 

Oh and we got to board a boat! for free! I was the fearless captain!   

 MY comp getting back from Uruguay! 

August 4, 2014 Yesika is Baptized

Hey!

 Well I am doing great! Best part of the week was that yesterday we had a baptism! Yesika. She is awesome and I’m so happy for her! Im so excited to see the change that will happen in her life! But more than that this week we did divisions with some elders and it was really fun! IT was nice to go and talk to him and get some good insight. Then the rest of the week happened really fast! On Saturday there was a baptism of the other elders and we had ours on Sunday night! We have been finding a lot of families that are willing to listen to us. It’s really nice! Last night we ate Tongue! It was a little weird but it was good. We got there late and it was cold and asked them to heat it up and they all laughed at me. Apparently you eat tongue cold. Haha! But this week was a lot of fun! And tomorrow my comp is going to Uruguay to renovate his Visa and so I will be in Capital all day! I’m going to go and do tourist stuff and buy stuff. It’s going to be a great day!! =D im excited! We should be having some more baptisms in the weeks that are coming too! Sorry got to go!"

 Love you!

 I think Connor bought a new coat. 

 I'm so glad because he has lost so much weight that his big coat just drowns him.

Divisions with Elder Franco! 

Had to go to paper work. My comp is going to Uruaguy tomorrow!  

 Yesika is Baptized

 Last night we ate Tongue! It was pretty good actually!