05/29/2018 - Just Evidence That the Lord is Looking Out For His Servants

Hello Everyone. 

So THIS WAS A WILD WEEK. Just going to start with that one. So Tuesday we had a great lesson with a less active sister in our ward. Her daughter is not a member yet. So we were teaching her. It was a super good lesson. Then we find out that I taught her sister in Cardston. So small world. Kinda cool little thing that happened. 

Then we got transfer calls. And much to the surprise of us, Elder Sagapolu got transferred down to Lethbridge and I got Elder Johnson from Lethbridge (who is actually from Cedar City, Utah), they did a switch. And I really excited to serve with him! So Wednesday we were biking and had a good day and then transfers Thursday. Transfers are weird here because up in the North everyone meets who is getting transferred in the morning. Then the two vans drive everyone who is going south down to Lethbridge where all the south meets and do transfers, and the missionaries going north get back into the vans and come back up north to meet all the missionaries and their new companions from those coming from the south. My comp was coming from the south. Anyway, weird day because they just put me with another Elder who was waiting for his comp too and we went and did a little work in his area while we waited. Kinda strange day. 

Well we make it back to transfers and one van arrives but the other is late. Well we keep waiting, and waiting. Turns out the transfer van carrying 6 missionaries (including my comp) wrecked, it got blown off the road and rolled 3 times. So we were just waiting for our companions. It was a wild day. Just evidence that the Lord is looking out for his servants, none of them were seriously hurt, the worst was the driver who got a cut on his head and that is it. And crazy thing too, two of the missionaries' seat belts came off when they rolled but they were totally unharmed. But after a long wait 3 elders made it up and 3 went to the hospital and all were released that evening. So we finally got together as a companionship and had to cancel our appointments because President wanted us to go to the doctor to get checked out. So that was the big news. 

The rest of the week went better. We were out searching for people and in member's homes searching for people to teach. We almost picked up a new investigator, we tracted into this lady that seemed interested, and got an appointment for yesterday. But she wasn't home when we got there. We will try again, but it was cool, they had a lambo and a Mazzarati chillin' in the drive way. But that's a wrap of the wild week. Love you all.

05/25/2018 - Elder Ollis and Elder Johnson with Cheese Buns from Glamorgan Bakery

5/22/2018 - It is Officially Summer

Hello everyone.

Well crazy quick week. Last week was fun, we went to a military museum and saw a bunch of stuff. Lots of guns and things. Pretty cool. It was cool to see things from World War One, as Canada played a big part in that war. Also to see all the Royal things they had since this isn't the US, it was a unique experience. Also it is officially summer, all the nice cars are out. I saw probably 10 lambo's, a couple of ferrari's, an audi R8, a ton of muscle cars and tons of porsches. So that has been cool! And I see a bentley probably everyday. 

But we had a super fast week. Wednesday we had our walking day. And we took our bikes out. Haha it was fun but my bike was a piece of junk. We found them at our apartment, the seat was made of duct tape, I had two gears (1 and 2) and the kickstand would prevent me from pedalling until I ripped it off. IT WAS SUPER FUN! you get some funny looks but I loved it. We talked to a bunch of people which was the highlight of our week. We keep searching to find more people to teach and we are close. We have some potentials we are working with and they are so close but we just need a lesson. Then a new gator. 

Transfer calls go out tonight and transfers are thursday. I will stay since this is my first transfer here and Elder Sagapolu will probably stay too. But our zone is getting mixed up. 3 are training and getting new missionaries, one is going home and two elders are getting replaced by sisters. So most of the zone will get changed around. But that is about all I got for ya. Love you all! 

05/15/2018 - Elder Ollis at the Military Museum

05/15/2018 - Keep Going, You Know I Will

Well hello to all.

Another week has cruised by. It is wild. This coming sunday is the last sunday of the transfer. So Elder Sagapolu and I should stay another one together. But about our week. Well nothing too crazy happened. We did our walking day saturday and were out all day talking to as many people as we could. Then we had a ward party that night with the intent of getting some non-members there. They didn't come but it was good we were able to be around the ward and there were a couple of other non-members that showed up that a member invited. So we were able to talk with them. It was cool. Also one of our members rolled up in a Lambo. So that was cool. I didn't get pictures though. Kinda sad but we ran out of time. 

Then we got to see the fam on mother’s day. Kinda weird to have my third call but it was good to see the family. They have changed so much. So that was cool. Happy graduation to Syd!  Then later Sunday night we went on exchanges with the assistants. It was super good. I was with Elder Grinwis in their area. It was cool because Elder Grinwis has only one more exchange. He goes home soon. So that was fun to be one of his last. We had a solid day and we put in work just like always and had a great exchange. 

And today, well we actually have been up since 5:45 this morning. We went to seminary and helped out role playing with all the youth and helping them answer questions they might encounter with Scriptures. It was really weird to do that today but it was the only time we could get in. Super fun. But love you all. Keep going, you know I will!

Elder O

5/13/18 - Mother's Day Gift of an Amazing Testimony!

We received a very thoughtful email from sweet Sister Morgan, who hosted Elder Ollis and Elder Sagapolu for dinner on Mother's Day.  She wanted to know a favorite meal or dessert so she could prepare it for them so they felt right at home on Mother's Day.  What a thoughtful lady!  She shared a great meal with them and then they were able to FaceTime with all of us at home. We appreciate her willingness to share her Mother's Day with the Elders and make her home available for a visit!

So good to see Elder Ollis and hear that he is doing well and enjoying his newest area in Calgary! It was good to visit with him and get caught up with everyone at home.  Elder Ollis asked if he could share his testimony with us at the end of the call and I have posted it below!  What a beautiful testimony and way to end my amazing Mother's Day!

05/08/2018 - We Do Not Doubt Our Mothers Knew It

Hey yall!!!!   (If you don't think yall is proper english then please look up 3 Nephi 18:24) 

Well we had another week. They keep flying by. It is wild. But we had a goodish week. Didn't start off the best, wednesday we got dropped by one of our two investigators. She has been taught for months and just can't be baptized because of a tricky situation that I don't want to explain. But she still will get baptized sometime, she came to church and comes almost every week she just doesn't want to meet with us anymore. So that wasn't the best start but things are still good. We keep working hard. We meet with as many members as we can and are trying to find those who have someone they can invite to learn more. It is a slow process but we are working hard. When we are not meeting we are out working hard. Trying to find as many people as we can. We have also been working on our areabook. A little bit each day. We have to enter manually every former investigator and potential investigator into our areabook app. Which needs to get done so that is not my favorite thing but we are doing it anyway. But that is about all the exciting news. 

We went on another exchange this week with the Wildwood Elders again. I was there again with Elder Sessions, our distirct leader. It was good, I served around Elder Sessions back in my Lethbridge days. It is cool to see how much people grow. It was awesome!  We were biking around downtown calgary, which was a first for me and I almost died. My legs were toast. But it was fun. That is all I got this week. Nothing too exciting, we have a lesson tonight with a potential who seemed excited about the book of mormon. So we will see how it goes. 

But lastly, it is mothers day this week and I just wanted to share a little something to say thanks to my wonderful mother. And as I pondered this thought, what my mother has done for me, I couldn't really explain that one. So I will do my best. I am so grateful to be on a mission and I know that the best preparation for this experience came from within the home, especially things I learned from my mother. No way would I be able to do the things I do without the help of her. Especially grateful for the testimony I developed of my Savior. I know He lives, I know He loves us and I know that He helps us through the toughest of times. I am grateful for my mom sharing this with me. I know all things are possible with the Savior on our side. And the words of Alma support me in this thought, as speaking of the Stripling Warriors, Helaman says " We do not doubt our mothers knew it." Love ya mom, thanks for all the help! 

See ya! Elder Ollis

05/03/2018 - Zone Conference

05/01/2018 - It's Short Sleeve Time...."Suns Out, Guns Out!"

Well hello everyone, can you believe it is May!

So this week was a good week. We saw some cool miracles and we are working hard. Nothing to crazy to report. We had some sad news too, where one of our two investigators said she doesn't want to get baptized anymore. So we are meeting with her tomorrow to see what comes of it. Our other investigator is tricky to meet with right now, they had this big move all week and the ward was great in helping out. It was awesome. But as for that it was a wonderful week. The temperature was amazing. It was short sleeve time! Suns out, guns out! It was nice to not have a coat on. And that means people are out and we can talk to them! But we were also able to go on exchanges with the downtown Elders. I was with Elder Reed. It was a great exchange, Elder Reed goes home this transfer so it was cool to be with him on one of his last exchanges. It was great. I will send a picture of down town from the window of their apartment. 

Also big news! President Nelson and Elder Rasband are coming to this stake to give some sort of devotional. I AM SO EXCITED!! He is first visiting Edmonton, then here in the Calgary Stake then down in Raymond. We haven't had a member of the 12 visit this mission in a long time so pray for us that they meet the whole mission! But either way pray that I don't get transfered before that happens here! It happens in June! 

Other than that had one more cool experience. We had dinner at the Atkins this sunday. They are a super awesome family and have a house down in Utah. Holladay, Utah. Turns out they know Reid Dimond. So that was a cool experience. Still finding connections to home. Kinda wild. But love yall. Hope you are enjoying the snow. It shouldn't snow again her but it is canada. Love y'all! keep working hard. You know I will!