Thursday, January 24, 2019

01/23/2019 - The Last Email

Well hello everyone, I can't believe this is the last email. But let me tell you about the week. We worked hard and talked to as many people as we could. It was cool, last thursday we went and taught seminary. We started and taught early morning and then two more classes right after. It was super fun! We talked about missionary work and had just tons of fun with the kids in the class. The teachers who invited us were in our ward and they love us! It was so much fun to be with the youth. One of the things that we had them do was pull out their phones and scroll through their friends list on social media with a question in mind of "who is the Lord preparing to receive a message of the Restored Gospel." It was so cool to have all of the youth come up with a name and then message that person! And there were miracles! We talked to one of the youth who said she is going to bring her friend to church in a couple of weeks! It is so cool how we are entitled to revelation and the Lord will give it to us when we are willing to act upon it! It was tons of fun! 

Another cool miracle, I mentioned what we did for our stake conference, well one name that was sent in was Liz. Liz is a less active who I taught while I was in Lethbridge for the first time. It was cool, because last night we got a lesson set up with the family (the nickels! ) who sent in her name. So we were able to go teach Liz and pass her off to the missionaries that currently cover my old area. It was such a cool miracle to be able to teach someone I knew over a year ago. It was fun! But mostly that was the week! We worked hard and it has been bitter sweet. 

But I just wanted to write a few more things, just to share how I have been feeling, some things I have learned and a little testimony. But just keep into account I am a man of few words. So don't expect anything crazy! haha. But I just wanted to say I am so incredibly grateful for this experience of serving a mission. I have never experienced anything like it. I have learned so much. I have learned more than ever that Jesus is the Savior of the World. He did suffer so that I, and you, can have Him there every step of the way. I am humbled that He would trust me to have done just a little of His work here in Canada. I feel His love everyday. I have left it all on the Altar of Sacrifice and know that I have only been able to do what He asked of me because of the help I received. I love the people here, I will be so sad to leave some of the most faithful people I have ever met. I am grateful for the leaders that I have been given. I know that each of them were called of God and placed in my path to show me the way. Pres Miles, Keung and countless district and Zone leaders each taught me a lot of what the Lord wants for me. I know that the Book of Mormon is God’s word. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I am forever grateful for his work in bringing forth the greatest book. I know that the Book of Mormon can help us draw closer to Christ. My heart is full, I can't really express through email the feelings and thoughts of two years of service to the Lord, but I do know these few things. I know that the next step is scary, but I have my Savior, and I know that with His help it can be better. I love this work. I do not want to leave it, but the Spirit has impressed upon me that there are other things and other plans for me. I look forward to the next step and will never forget this short experience in the North. I love you all and leave you with these things in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

01/16/2019 - You Know We Will Keep Going

Well hello everyone. 

Man time is flying, because it is another pday and I only have one more pday to go. So to update you on the week. It was a blurr. We just worked hard all week. It was nice, we had zone conference monday. It was an awesome conference and had interviews after. It was the last one and I learned a lot. It was super fun and sad to say goodbye to some missionaries I was good friends with. 

Sunday we presented a new missionary challenge to our YSA ward, it was awesome because it was from our bishopric, they are the best! We also had 2 cool miracles sunday. We had been working with a member family named the Olivers, they are so awesome. Anyway they sent in the name of a lady during stake conference and they have been making steps. Invited her to meet missionaries and pray for a week and we heard that she was praying and she told the Olivers she has felt relief since she is praying. It was super awesome! And another lady in our ward, sis Hironaka, we met her and her family this week (ok they are all skiers and we got along great) and we asked them who they felt the Lord was preparing for baptism. Well they thought about it and Sis Hironaka talked to us at church and said someone came to mind and she will devise a plan. She said give me two weeks and we will get a lesson. It was awesome! Then Monday to Tuesday I was in Stirling on my last exchange. I was with Elder Moore, he's an awesome guy. Work in Stirling is a little different. Stirling is about 1250 people there and 4 wards. So tons, I mean tons of members. It was a lot of fun we worked hard and we learned a ton. So that was the week in a wrap hope you all have a good week, you know we will keep going. 

Love ya, Elder O


01/02/2019 - Elder Ollis and companion, Elder Session in Waterton 

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Tuesday, January 15, 2019

01/09/2019 - I Love This Gospel!

well hello everyone,


Solid week up here in the north. Last week I didn't send an email because a group of YSA kids wanted to take me to Waterton before I leave the mission. It was a lot of fun. It was crazy windy and super cold and the whole town is closed for the winter. But it was so beautiful. The water looked like the ocean because it was so windy and the waves were huge. Yeah it was like hurricane speed winds, you could barely get out of the car and if you jumped it would blow you a foot or more. It was super fun. We have some video's but my phone is being silly and I can't send them. But things were great. 

We went up to calgary thursday for MLC, my last one. It was a lot of fun, then we did an exchange with our assistants. It was cool. After that we had another exchange with our district leader out inTaber. I learned a ton, it is kinda sad I only have one more exchange on my mission. It's really sad. But things are going well, we saw some cool miracles and I know it's because of our dilligence. We were able to talk with a member about Blake and set a plan to get him baptized, it won't happen this weekend but we will shoot for the future. But another miracle. Our ward mission leader's daughter got home from the mission last week and asked the granddaughter in that family to meet with the missionaries and be baptized. So we went over for dinner and taught the first discussion and we got permission to continue to teach and she will be baptized! It is exciting! We also found another new person this week, named Gabriel. He was at the lesson with Caroline and we gave him a book of mormon and invited him to learn more. Solid week, keep plugging along and I love this gospel!

12/25/2018 - It Was A Christmas Miracle!

Well Merry Christmas everyone!

So we got super fat yesterday. You would not believe how much we ate. It was truly amazing. My stomach was blessed to be able to hold that much food. We started our Christmas morning having breakfast with our Bishop in Fairmont ward, then had several more visits then lunch, it was a full on turkey mashed potatos ham and everything for lunch! Then we had a bunch more visits until dinner and had another wonderful ham and potatoes dinner at our Stake Presidents house. Then we had a few more visits and ended the night! Lets just say when I fell asleep all I dreamed about was eating and visiting more people. So waking up this morning I was pooped and surprisingly hungry. 

But yeah things are going good. Got to talk to the family yesterday so that was alright! Glad things back home seem to be good! But we had an awesome week, our wards treated us so nice. I love this area so much and we have the most wonderful people here. That's all I got for ya! Oh actually one quick thing. We have been teaching a less active gentlman and haven't been able to get him to church, he hasn'' gone to church since he was 17 and he currently is in his 70's. Well we got him to go to a live nativity our stake put on and then he came to church sunday! It was a christmas miracle!

12/25/2018 - Last Call before Returning!

We were able to FaceTime with Elder Ollis today and it was the highlight of our Christmas Day! The visit was way too short but it was good to see him and hear his voice.  He was hesitant to discuss coming home and wants to stay focused to the end. He loves the work he is doing in Lethbridge and is busy with the work! We appreciate the Nickel Family who fed Elder Ollis and his companion! They are such kind people and sent us some great pictures. Definitely the best Christmas present ever!!