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!!

12/19/2018 - Merry Christmas!

Well hello everyone,

We had a crazy week. Can't even begin to tell you what we were able to do. But it was a great week. Transfer calls came out last night. And transfers are tomorrow. I kinda figured but I am staying and finishing my last transfer here in Lethbridge. Which I am excited for. I really love this area and we have some amazing people here. Much to our surprise however, my companion is staying. So we are going to do 3 transfers together. So that is pretty surprising. But that's how it goes. 

But on to the week. We had an exchange with our district leader out in Taber. Finally, we had a crazy transfer with that area, had one new companion, then the one that had been there got a concussion and got emergency transferred to calgary because of it and now there are two basically brand new missionaries there. They are doing awesome. Taber was a cool place, a little town with lots of members and it is also known for it's corn. It has some pretty good corn that is grown in Taber. So that  was great. Then we were a blur of things that we have been doing. Not really sure what but we were super busy rushing around, talking to as many people as we can and meeting with members. It has been awesome. 

We also taught Blake sunday night. It was amazing. We told him to pray if baptism was right last week and he did. So at our lesson we followed up and he said at church he had this feeling that it was right. It was awesome. So we put him on date for December 30th! Then monday night we had another lesson with him and we had to bump his date back because of the holidays to January 12th. But he is still getting ready for baptism and we have a solid ward that supports him. He went to mutual last night and we popped in to see if he and another person we are teaching made it and he was loving it! But yeah. That is the cool highlights of the week. I will keep it short since I will get to talk to you all tuesday! Merry Christmas!

12/12/2018 - The Lord Works in Miraculous Ways

Well hello everyone,

So this last week was a good one. We have been working harder and harder. And we saw some cool miracles. First we have seen countless miracles since our stake conference from what we were able to do. It is such a cool experience we were able to be a part of and I would like to share a few. 

First off, our end total of names referred was 110! 110 people that were inspired names to be contacted. It was super cool. But one thing we noticed was people are not afraid to refer someone. Most lessons we go to know we get a name to try after. Which is so cool! So don't be afraid to send a name to the missionaries. Also this one is super cool. Our missionaries and us worked hard all week and organized the names into wards and reported them in ward council so the ward council can make specific direct assignments on how to contact. It was quite the coordination between us and our missionaries, and us and President Stewart. 

Well one name we brought was Mike. Right when I said the name I could see that the bishopric recognized the name and they were interested ( it was clear that they had tried but seemed to be at a dead end) Well, my next comment was that we have had contact with him. President Keung and Sister Keung went and visited him this last week. Apparently Pres Keung had served his mission with Mike's father and his father (from australia) told President Keung to go visit him. Well when I said this everyone was blown away. After Ward council our ward secretary asked us when the Keungs contacted him, so we found out and he told us Mike had text him the next day. Which is a miracle because they hadn't contacted him in a LONG time. It was such a cool miracle! Let's just say there are no coincidences, first that President Keung came all the way from new Zealand to see Mike, second that someone felt impressed to refer him and third that we were able to connect the dots with someone else that talked to him. The Lord works in miraculous ways. We are working on developing this story further but we will let you know how it goes. 

But another miracle this week we were able to begin teaching 4 new people. One already dropped us but we were able to teach Blake finally. His parents are members but are going through some tough times and he isn't baptized. We had a lesson at a member's house and he came and we talked about baptism with Blake ( he comes to church every week). Well we are teaching him now and we are going to hopefully put him on date for the end of December. So pray for us. I am going to cut this short now since we just got a call to go help someone change a flat tire but I love you all. I know this gospel is true and the Lord is at the works. He can help

Elder Ollis

12/4/2018 - I Love Being Exhausted for the Lord. It is Worth It!

Hey everyone.

Well sorry to surprise you on a tuesday, but P-day was moved for this week only. But to recap our week. WE DID SO MUCH! and to give you a taste I am just going to give you a run down of the week. I usually don't do this but here it goes. Thursday we had Zone conference. We were visited by Elder Anderson of the seventy and he was great. What an inspired man. He shared about our desire, he said that if our desires are aligned with the Lord we can achieve what he wants for us. It was awesome because our mission is doing so much right now to get 42 baptisms this month. Which we have never done. We are all working to get a "white Christmas". There is so much energy and excitement. Pres Keung even sent an email to all the stake presidents in the mission to ask them to add one or 2 baptisms this month. It has been awesome!! 

11/29/2018 - Elder Ollis with Brother Heninger,
a missionary who served with his dad

Later that night we visited with the Heningers, a member family in our ward. It was cool as we were talking Brother Heninger mentioned something about his mission. I asked where he served and he said SACRAMENTO! I got excited and said my dad served there and Brother Heninger asked when he served there. Well I couldn't remember the years but I said it was right in that spot where a year and a half was standard. He says that's when he served too! It was super cool because after I asked if he remembered and Elder Ollis and he did! Haha it was super cool. He said he remembered my dad was a heck of a missionary! So that was super cool. Also we got a picture after and when I stood up Brother Heninger said I was a lot taller than my Dad! Haha I laughed at that one. But that was such a cool experience. 

Friday we did some service in the morning and then worked with our High Councilor over missionary work in our YSA ward by visiting some people, and then we drove up to Calgary for an MLC with Elder Anderson. It was awesome. Got to hear from him twice and it was great! Then we spent the night in Calgary and drove down in the morning. We worked all day and then attended a Stake Leadership meeting that our Stake Pres invited us to, and then we went to the adult session. It was awesome we met another Seventy! Elder Sexton of the Seventy was there for the meeting. He was awesome and had some amazing stories about missionary work. He was so awesome to listen to and I know he loved us! 

Anyway, there was a lot of build up for Sunday! We had been coordinating with our Stake President, President Stewart, to have President Keung ask the stake members during stake conference who they wish was with them at the conference and text the name to our number. It was legendary! Our phone blew up and we have had to work the past few days to get all them organized so missionaries can contact them and organize them to wards so the ward leaders can contact them. It was A LOT of work and the total was 100 referrals!!!!!!!!!!! It was crazy! After the meeting we had the coolest experience, we were talking to p\Pres Keung about a few things and President Stewart and Elder Sexton approached us. Well Elder Sexton said he felt so good about the missionaries in our stake and loved what we have been doing! He was so giddy! We were the first people he talked to after the meeting! He then goes on to say we are going to quadruple our baptisms this month! IT WAS SO COOL! Anyway we have been tirelessly working none stop and it has been insane. But that was the week, full of miracles and blessings and the work is rolling forward. I love this gospel and I love being exhausted for the Lord. It is worth it!

Love, Elder Ollis

12/4/2018 - Photo from Sister Keung's Facebook
Spending P-day with a few missionaries, including Elder Ollis
and his companion Elder Sessions

11/28/2018 - I Know This Work is True

Crazy week. To be honest once again I don't know where the time went. Time is truly flying. Well not much  to report, or really I can't remember. Last wednesday we picked up a new person to teach which was awesome. But yeah. We just put in work this week. We met with a lot of less actives and are trying to get them back to church. It was super fun. We also did a lot of door knocking. President wants each of the missionaries to street contact or tract for an hour daily! I am pumped because I think a lot of our missionaries need that! It puts hair on your chest for sure! Haha I am super excited for it. 

We also had a leadership meeting which was super awesome! Such inspiration from President Keung to help with our mission. We as a mission have been working on a thing called 1+1 which is a new way to work with ward council. It was cool because  the changes in elders quorum and relief society and ward council reflect it perfectly. So it was great! We have seen lots of success with it. But that is all we got. Things are going good. We had interviews with President and it was great to see him, I am so grateful to have a mission President like him. I know this work is true and I love being a part of it. Hope you all have a great week!

11/21/2018 - The Lord Really Does Bless Us for Our Diligence

Well, what a wild, wild week we had. Boy it was a long week but now we are here. SO MUCH happened this week it was crazy. So this week I am incredibly grateful for the Lord. He really does bless us when we do what he wants us to do. We have been working so hard as missionaries and the Lord really does bless us for our diligence. Just like when we do what He has asked us to do everyday. I am so grateful for my Savior I can't really explain how much I am. But I must go on to explain why

So it began last Friday when we were going to visit some YSA people in Lethbridge (our ward boundaries cover some other small towns) And every friday we go out with Bro Patterson. He is the high councilman over missionary work and a baller! I love the guy. He is from Cardston and I served in his home ward there, so we know a lot of the same people. Anyway our lesson cancelled so we were stopping by some less-active girls because we had him with us and it is really hard to get in any other time. So we decided to try someone neither me or my companion had met before but brother Patterson had. Anyway that individual left, but we found a girl from Kenya, a member who had been going to a different ward. So we visit with her, and her roommates come home a little later. Both of them are non-members and we invited them to church. They wanted to come and so we are going back this friday to teach them. 

Also Thursday we had to go take a missionary to the bus.  He went up to calgary because of a concussion and we waited for another missionary to come back out. It was awesome to pick him up and he is excited to work. We are hyped! We also began teaching another couple. We taught them about the book of mormon and read 3 Nephi 11 with them and went back yesterday to teach more. They are Catholic but have some good intent. It may take some time but they will get there. On Sunday night we also tried a guy named Jordan we tract into. He said come back monday so we went back and taught the plan of salvation. He also had some solid questions and asked what he would need to do if he were to join. So we had him read the baptismal interview questions and he said he agreed with it all except joseph smith. (he thought we worshipped him haha) So we went back again tuesday and taught the restoration and cleared up his concern about joseph smith. Anyway we are going back again tomorrow, and plan to put him on date to be baptized!!!! All in one week! It was a cool miracle. 

Anyway, there were lots and lots and lots of other miracles but I just couldn't explain them all to you! But this week was great. It goes to show this scripture is true. The Lord says in D&C 124:55 "... that you may prove yourselves unto me that ye are faithful in all things whatsoever I command you, that I may bless you, and crown you with honor, immortality, and eternal life." The principle is the Lord gives us commandments for our benefit and so we can show we want his blessings. And WHAT A BLESSING!

Brothers and Sisters I love this Gospel, it is true. But I want to invite all of you to ponder those things, the blessings we can receive when we act in faith to God's commandments (that is the most simple faith, a belief that is strong enough to test what the Lord has asked) And I would like to invite you to focus on one, a simple one. Prayer. This week pray daily and more fervently, whether it be more gratitude or telling Heavenly Father exactly how we are at this point. Whatever you feel you need, do it. I can promise you, He will listen and He will answer your prays. And as we obey we will feel happier. Love you all and hope you have a great week. You know we will #keeppounding.

Love, Elder Ollis

11/14/2018 - Quick Report

Hello!

Last week I didn’t send much of an email because we were able to go to the temple! I love the temple! The Sunday before we had a regional broadcast and Elder Holland spoke from Salt Lake. It was awesome and a very powerful talk!

So Quick report for this week. We got hammered with snow twice last week. It was wonderful. Now it is windy and Chinooking so everything is melting. It’s a wonderful time of year and I love it! Also now that Remembrance Day is over (it's a holiday to remember the veterans, everyone wears a poppy on their shirt for weeks) it's all about Christmas. So everyone is putting up trees and now it's snowing again (even though it already snowed in September).

Transfers were last week and we stayed, so I will probably do one more with Elder Sessions and then he goes and I finish up. Weird. But things are going well here.  Cool miracle, we taught a kid named Hans this week. And he came to church in our YSA ward. It was super awesome, only sad thing is he is going to the Philippines for 6 weeks. So see him next transfer. We are going to try and use our technology to the best of its ability and teach him over skype or face book messenger but we will see how that goes. Things are going, we are working hard but that's about all I got. We are always trying to find new people to teach.

Elder Ollis