Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Nick is transferred

Eric's email first today:

Estou sentindo muito falta de vocês hoje (I am really missing you today)! All these emails are leaving me trunkie...uh oh...

This week was pretty slow. And when I say pretty slow, I mean REALLY slow. We have had trouble with all of our recent converts - none of them went to church yesterday. And we are having trouble finding new investigators. It is pretty tough and pretty discouraging.

Yesterday the branch president asked me to give a talk in church.   .....with 5 minutes notice! I was super nervous, but just talked about my favorite gospel topic - faith. I used a suggestion that dad gave once - always talk about the Savior in your talks. And I gave a personal experience about having faith to speak Portuguese and being blessed with the gift of tongues. And I ended up taking too long! They had to come up and tell me to stop! But it was really cool - I felt like everyone was actually LISTENING, not just sitting in the meeting with their minds elsewhere. 

I didn't have any trouble with the language either. I think this was proof of a blessing that I received this week. Apparently, a prophet made a promise - that you could read the Book of Mormon in any language, and you would be fluent in that language when you finished.

I finished the Book of Mormon in Portuguese this week.

So I think that my ability to give that talk was a gift from God.

I really want to share some super spiritual experiences with you, my beloved family. (and anyone else that reads this! you are beloved too.) Unfortunately, I don't think I worked hard enough to have deserved any really great experiences this week. I will dedicate this proxima semana para vocês - com esperança que eu vou ter uma experiencia, ou algo sagrado, que eu posso compartilhar para fortelecer sua fé.(next week for you--hopefully I will have an experience, or something sacred that I can share to fortify faith).  I love you all. Ficam na paz. And be excellent to each other! 

Elder E Olsen




And from Nick:
Olá meus amados!

So this week was totally screwed up for me haha. We had to move houses first of all, and it turned out that our new apartment was 4 stories up and didn't have an elevator, so I had the privilege of carrying a TON of stuff up there. (the good part is that the apartment is chique) And so the next day I was just completely destroyed. And then I had  fever. And I started to feel really really sick. And everyone was thinking that it was dengue, and apparently if I got dengue I would have to go to São Paulo for the hospital. And so I got a blessing, and in the blessing he said "you will be healed according to your faith". And I thought, okay, this is an opportunity to gain a testimony of the priesthood! But when you think like that you always have fear haha. "what if it doesn't work?? does that mean the church is false??? WHY AM I EVEN HERE!!!???" So yes I was worried, but Sunday morning (after 2 days of sickness) I woke up cured! and I was CERTEZA (sure) that it was dengue. I gained a testimony muito forte this week, the priesthood is the power of God on the earth.

But this week is transfers... It was pretty funny because we got calls about transfers and they talked with the other 3 missionaries that I live with and left me in the dark! So I was pretty chatiado haha. But I did receive a call and... I AM TRANSFERRED! To Anapolis, the Guinness World Record holder for most churches!! And also I will be Senior companion!! So to be honest I am a little bit nervous about that haha but it will turn out good... right? I'm sure it will! My companion apparently has one more transfer that I have, and he is gaúcho (from the south) and really cool. We will batizar até o pó!!

Ahhhh I'm a little bit jealous about all this talk of bratwurst and whatnot. To tell the truth, I am getting a little bit tired of the whole "rice and beans" shpiel. Don't get me wrong, its good, but every day for 365x2 days will be a bit much. Also Mom and Dad, there is a book called "The Power of the Everyday Missionary", which talks about how to be a member missionary. It doesn't have to be hard, you know? In the end, what your doing, inviting people to the house and hopefully feel the spirit and such and such is good. Just don't have fear, because if in the end one of them comes to accept the truth, it will be a moment of great joy for you.

Also one interesting fact: The other day someone said I look like I'm 26! yikes

I love you guys! Sinto muito muito falta de vocês (I miss you very very much). Its too bad that you are such a great family because if you weren't I wouldn't have to miss you! haha

Love,

Elder Olsen 
                           
                                                                         view from the new apartment
                                                                          moving and getting sick

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