06/27/2017 - The Lord Knows What We Are Supposed to Do and What He Needs Us For

Hey everyone! So this week was crazy, super busy and just flew by. We did a ton of service all week, it is that time. So many people are moving or need help with lawns and painting and we had a super unique opportunity to help out at a triathalon! Saturday we were out in a tiny town of Strathmore, which is 45 minutes outside of calgary. These members of the ward out there have started a triathalon and always have missionaries come help. So we were giving people medals and I was taking peoples ankle bands off. Almost got puked on but it was a ton of fun. We also had a super solid week meeting with investigators. The most exciting thing that happened was we had a great meeting with our new investigator from vietnam. We talked with her about the first part of the Plan of Salvation, the spirit world and creation. And it was so cool. She understood it, (she is way smart, she is currently learning french and english at the same time) and told us about Buddhists beliefs. Which oddly weren't too far off. But the cool part was she was full of questions, and all great questions, like how do we return to live with God, what are we supposed to do on earth and the best one was what about those people that never hear about this!! We had all the answers just not enough time! And to add a little more we had invited her to pray this week and she did and she said since she started meeting with us she feels closer to him and she believes us! it was a cool lesson and we are so excited to go back and teach her. 

But on a different note I had some thoughts I had been stewing on all week. This week I began reading something my wonderful mother gave me to read while out in the field. It was some family history stories of Alexander Robertson Curtis. I read it multiple times this week, and learned a ton. One thing I learned was first off, I am so proud of my heritage, and I strive to work as they would have (Alec Curtis would work harder than anyone). Also another cool fact was that I share a birthday with Mariam Works Young. Exactly 190 years between us. Also Alec Curtis moved to Canada to farm wheat, likely in this very mission. Which is really cool. But something that struck me was first off why I read this? I just felt that I should, but I have never been one to really care much for family history. I think the answer came today. We recieved a phone call from a potential investigator we had been trying to teach for months now, he asked if we could set up a time with a friend of his who is interested in family history and wants to talk to our consultant and us. It was a cool experience and a testament to the fact that the Lord knows what we are supposed to do and what he needs us for. I probably never would have read those stories but the spirit put it in my mind to learn what I needed to learn. I love you all and want you all to know that our Savior lives, he love all of us and he knows what he wants us to do. 

SEE YA, Elder Ollis

06/20/2017 - Elder Ollis is a little excited for July 4th! He drew this on their calendar.

6/20/2017 - Always Remember the Lord!

Well Hello again everybody. So I am going to be short this week. To be honest, I can't believe it is tuesday again. Like I am shocked at how quick the weeks are flying. In fact, this week I hit 5 months. Where is the time going? I really don't want it to go this quickly. 

But as for the week. Not much to say, we tracted,  taught, served and were both struggling with sickness all week. Just the regular stuff! We had another lesson with our new investigator, she doesn't have an english name yet so we don't quite know what to call her. But we got to talk about prayer and God, the Basics. It was a super good lesson and she will pray this week. 

As for that, tonight is transfer calls. So everything is going to be changed around. I won't leave this area though, but our zone will be really different. It will be interesting however what happens next transfer. Next transfer we lose nearly 40 missionaries, and are getting just as many. That means nearly half of our 180 missionaries in this field will be training or being trained. There is a good chance my comp will train right after I leave. So pressure is on for me to help as much as I can. Other than that our week is pretty busy coming up. It is summer and that means there is service opportunities all over the place. we are stacked this week with helping people out (in fact it is too much, we need our ward to help us out) But that is all, always remember the Lord!

Elder Ollis

06/20/2017 - Elder Ollis with Elder Coe, District Leader

06/13/2017 - We Had An Incredible Miracle

Hey All!

So this week was a bit tiring. Mostly because I can't really breathe and I have been kinda sick most of the week. But we don't rest so I hope it goes away! We were cutting some lady’s lawn wednesday with hand clippers (no idea why she wanted it done that way) but all the pollen kinda made me swell up. My throat was swollen and my eyes were on fire and I have been trying to get over it since then. But this week was a good one and we had an incredible miracle. 

Saturday we had an appointment with a less active lady we had been teaching. Well we went and had an excellent lesson as we taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and she bore her testimony about her conversion. It was cool. But the best part is we got there and she told us she had a friend who is here from Vietnam, she is spending the summer and hoping to get a teaching job here to stay permanently. So Kathy had told her we were coming over and she said she wanted to join. Sure enough she came and sat and we were able to teach her. Got a new investigator! We don't know her name, because it is crazy and her English isn't very good.

But the second miracle came the next day. We committed Kathy to come to church and she said she would have to hurry through some work to make it. Well sure enough Sunday comes and she made it to sacrament meeting! …and so did her friend! We were talking after and she said there wasn't that much work for her to do and we told her it was because she prayed for help to get to church. It was really cool. But that was our week.

Wanted to thank you all for the birthday wishes. To be honest I nearly forgot about it, if it wasn't for you all. And I didn't really do anything for it so no pictures. But love you all and miss you tons! 

Love, Elder Ollis

06/06/2017 - The Lord Really Does Bless Us

Hello everyone, 

06/02/2017 - Retrainers Meeting

So this week was LONG! But was a good week. Lets just say however that 8 days with no P-day was hard! It was weird yesterday waking up and going to work again, this whole week was weird. But Let’s get down to it. So the week started off good, we were out and about on foot this week. We did our Book of Mormon class Thursday and didn't get as many people as we would have liked but it will grow. Hopefully quickly. Friday we went to retrainers meetings so that soaked up most of the day. But we got to see President and Sister Miles, which is always good.

Also interesting fact about what I am doing right now, we are being filmed by the Calgary news. They are doing something about the library and we happened to be here. They also interviewed one of the sister missionaries. So that’s fun. Some guy has a camera right behind me.

But anyway, I thought Monday would be hard with the Pday change but we were blessed, a lot. It was really cool. We did planning in the morning and realized we had some time to fill and we just prayed for some service opportunities. And sure enough about 30 minutes later we get a text with some service for us to do. The Lord really does bless us. I am grateful for Monday. I thought it would be hard but I just kinda changed my attitude and tried to talk to everyone and we ended up picking up 3 potentials in a day. Which is something we really needed and hadn't done in over 3 weeks. So things will pick up. I am super excited to get back to work. I just know that the Lord will bless us. We just need to be better. That simple.

Love you all. Elder Ollis

In a letter to dad: Also I have a funny story to tell you. You will appreciate. We were at a part member family for supper last night. The husband, R isn't a member but is super nice and a really cool guy. One of those people it just kills you because they aren't interested but would be an excellent member. But we were with the mandarin speaking missionaries because we do a week where they come with us to supper. Anyway. We were leaving the family with prayer and Elder Chen, from Taiwan was asked to say it in Mandarin. While he was praying, the daughter about 3 years old, suddenly in the middle of the prayer bursts into speaking what she thought was Chinese. It was one of the funniest things I have heard. R apologized for the slight racism.

T is doing well. She can't be baptized. Her parents won't let her until she is 18, in December.  But we keep meeting with her. And she has a STRONG desire to serve a mission. Which is cool. I am super sad I won't be the one to baptize her though.