Closing remarks

Well this past Christmas week though tiring was quite wonderful and I was able to skype my family. It was a very strange feeling to know that I would be seeing them again within 11 days as of that point where as here I now sit reflecting on everything that has already come and gone over the past two years. The mission looked quite large and ultimately was forever from being done but it would seem that my forever has now become a count down timer of being able to do as many good things here as I can before shipping out back to snowy Utah (it was 70 degrees here on Christmas). There weren't to many events to report on besides being called on to give a five minute talk at church since we were under time. I guess the main thing that I would like to say is that I know for a fact that God lives and that we can return to him through Jesus Christ. I know that if during trial and fear of the unknown if we just hang in there for just an extra bit of time that we will be able to look back and see how we have been helped and blessed. To also know just how much we have been able to be apart of helping other individuals along the way. I know it because I have tried and experienced it. I look forward to seeing you all within the coming weeks and months. I hope that each of you had a wonderful Christmas week and that you have been kept safe but as for now this will be my last and final email home from the mission. I will see you all later! Sincerely, Elder David Macrae Olsen

My Plan is Finished, First Goodbye, Investigator power over 9000

Two weeks and counting, wow I can't believe just how quick things are ticking down here in the mission field. I am excited for the trip to finally come home but to be honest I am now starting to get pretty Nostalgic :(. I just got an email that is having me send in 9 photos of what my mission meant to me and what do you know.... Looking back through all of those photos makes one pretty happy and sad at the same time. Anyways I will now proceed to move away from my puddle of tears and tell you some of the highlights. First off is I no longer have to deal with My Plan stuff that they have tried to have me do the past four weeks. After four attempts of starting it up and making my way through to then not save my thoughts I just decided to crush it this morning and download it to my IPad. So that's done and out of the way. Now I will give you my favorite moments from the week. We had another troubled week as we moved about with things being set up and then canceled. On the other hand Tudesday night we went and saw the Alfonso's. They are doing well and are loving the warm weather (Porta Rican's). Family history was the topic but it would seem that this was the last time I would be seeing them on the mission since they will be going to Florida for Christmas. I am going to miss these two and I hope that things go well for them. I am hoping to hear from my companion that will be left here whether or not they are reactivated soon! Thursday we went and saw our investigator named Nick who self referred himself about two weeks ago. In less than a weeks time he had already read through 1 Nephi twice! Loved the Restoration and is now taking a Book of Mormon to his Mom over Christmas Break! Super stud! Well everyone I hope you all have a great Christmas! I will be seeing you all very soon here!

Lockout, Exploding Sinks, Presidential Appearance, Golden Catch

Woof, I can feel the commercial jet plane engines warming up... Oh never mind, that's just the crazy warm weather we've had around here But it is getting pretty close here ;). Anyways after that miss fire of an email here comes the full story. So his week has had many stressful moments as well as some pretty amazing miracles. I shall now reiterate the weekly agenda. Nothing too abnormal about Monday and Tuesday besides our one investigator being a bit tipsy from his liquor and wanting to talk about the illuminati when we brought up the great apostasy. So aside from the normal events Tuesday morning we received a call from our Mission President that he wanted to come and teach with us the very next day. I've never had him out with me before but it was both exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. So after a long day and a pep/rebuke talk from my zone leader, Wedensday happened and both my companion and I knew which family we needed to see. The Garrido family. And for those who I don't normally write they are a family of four who have been less active for a number of years now but the wife is now making the push to come back while her husband tries to derail the conversations. Well to say the least it went extremely well (wonder why). We were going to talk about the church family and the support we have from each other but President Anderson then segued into talking about the temple and eternal marriage. It was a very spiritual lesson and it got Sister Garrido teary but like a champ not a drop was dropped. We would seem them again yesterday and there has been an overall family change which was interesting to see. They are one of my favorite families. So Thursday was district meeting as usual which was ok but that's about it. We had a rough day with every appointment canceling and then later that night when we were going to go to choir right as the door closed I remembered that we didn't have the house keys.... So for about a half hour of trying to card back in we left with the only reward of a cut up finger and had to spend the night at the Nazareth Elders apartment. It was fun but I don't think my body agrees with air mattresses. Anyway we had an amazing appointment that day due to earlier in the week a guy texted us and asked to meet with us. His name is Nick and he is from New Jersey and has a family of four. We met him in a Panera bread and got to know him. He has had a friend of the church for 15 years which is how he learned of the church and from their gained an interest since he has never felt like he has fit into the church he currently goes to. Super sweet guy and is so prepared, can't wait to meet with him again this week. Well last up in news is that we had to go home after that to type up a paper. We opened the door to the sound of splashing water and found that our sink was up heaving its contents! We got a maintenance guy in immediately with a shop vac and after six buckets full it still kept up its black roiling thunder. The only way we were able to keep it at bay was to have the garbage disposal on constantly but after 45 minutes it keeled over. Thankfully by then the Plummer had arrived and the main source of the problem was found. The people up stairs were having a minor back up problem and for some odd reason felt that if they kept running water that it would solve the problem........ Logic! Anyways that's my crazy week, hope all is well and that everyone has safe travels this Christmas season!

Potential Energy, Checking check list, Rainy Days

Monday, decided that we were in need of some more potential energy for this area but all in all I can't complain. Seed planting is a main part of the job discription and I would rather work to allow others to harvest while they plant as well. So what ended up happening is that we had a referral come to us by the name of Patricia. We tried two times to get in contact with little to no success besides someone yelling through the door that they couldn't get up and to come back later. Well later ended up working for us since we were finally able to meet her and drop off the Book of Mormon that she had ordered. She was super excited since it would give her reading material for her plane ride. She had found out about it through facebook and her friends talking about it and said that she would love to have us over sometime... In March when she gets back from Germany. Oh well. Someone will be super happy to get that one! Meanwhile we had a very rainy week. And when I say rainy I mean that I woke up a total of two times this week to work out and upon looking out the window I became super excited since it was white outside! Which means snow! Denied, it was very thick fog and I felt pretty bummed out by it besides that it was super cool but sketchy to drive through at a later time on Wednesday night. So after a very wet and cold Tuesday with little success in finding we then moved to wednesday which was raining even more so than the day previous. We had prayed for a miracle of an idea that we could do to be productive and after about thirty minutes of walking in the rain it hit me that we could make a lot of treats and thank you cards for the members who have been helping us! It worked fantastic and to be honest I was quite happy to get out of the cold rain! Not much happened Thursday besides a member being quite unhappy with us for not making it to their house on Thanksgiving. Apparently they made a lot of food to not only have us absent but for their adult children who lived there to not show up as well. Felt really bad about that one. Besides that we had my last wing night with the Elders quorum where for the second time my companion failed the wing challenge :/. I guess before I forget about it I also had my very last Zone Training of the mission. 23 out of 23 completed and I must say that it was probably one of the best ones I have had on the mission. The main focus was on the importance of having each our own individual purposes being good and correct ones for being on a mission. As tradition would have it those that are "Dying" missionarys get up and bare their dying testimonies. Just short and sweet I would like everyone to know that I know that with endurance and obedience I know that God blesses us. It is by enduring and just giving things another try. trying to see how God blesses us rather than how we want to be blessed, that we can come to know that he is still there. I would not give up the experiences I have had on this mission though the struggle has been very real at times. Something I could not say at the beginning but because of pushing through I now know it. Thats what I know. So to finish off our week we had some fun with the Garrido's on Saturday night when we went to their Daughters 1 Birthday. Sure it sounds like an excuse for a free meal but in doing so we were able to meet her family and talk with them. They even took a special intrest to ask us what we were all about since we showed them that we aren't just church firing robots but actual people. I really do like that family. So that about does it for my week. I hope everyone has a good day this fine, beautiful day (great weather here) and I will see you next week!