December 29, 2014

This Christmas has definitely been the best ever! It is really cool to see that it wasn't about anything except for the Savior and family! The coolest thing to see was how happy the kids were on christmas.  They were just happy to celebrate it.  It wasn't about anything worldly at all just about being with their family! It really made me feel selfish.  I now have a real testimony that nothing the world can really give us can bring real joy.  So when I get home I will make a one room cabin and have nothing.... lol just kidding but it does make me want to live more simply at home and just love the simple and little things in life that God created for us.  So this week as far as missionary work went really well we were still able to find people to teach even with the holidays.  It was fun!

We also were able to watch Meet the Mormons! Some how Pres Dunn was able to get it for us! That was also really cool.  It shows that we are just normal people that are extremely devoted to Jesus Christ and sharing the gospel.

I also gave a talk in sacrament about missionary work and how we need the members to have the work progress at a great rate!  It was nice but sad cause we didn't have too many members there for them to listen to it because of the holidays! But all is well here in south africa i'll keep working hard I promise.

All - I received this message from man in Jon's mission.  I'm sorry if it comes across vain, but it meant a lot to us so I decided to share it.  Thanks for your indulgence. Jon wouldn't be the young man he is if it weren't for all of you and the influence you have had on him.  He is very lucky - and so are we.

Brother Olson - my name is Kevin Farquharson and I am a member in the Centurion stake, South Africa. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to you and your wife for raising an amazing, selfless, humble son - who served here in our stake, in Hospital View ward. I serve in the stake young men and got to meet Elder Olson when he first visited our home, with one of the zone leaders. Since that day I have seen how he selflessly has given of his time and energies in helping people find Christ.

Sorry for the break in messages -just was having a challenge with our internet here. Brother and Sister Olson - My wife a I have grown very fond of your son. I in particular have found Elder Olson to be one of the most trustworthy missionaries I have ever come across. With serving in my calling I am able to visit with a lot of less active members in our stake. When your son was in Hospital View there are some particular men who have shared with me very sacred things about their struggles in remaining worthy / feeling worthy in the gospel. Some are with addictions, which they keep falling with and have stayed away from church feeling lost, alone nd without hope. One told your son and Elder Smith-Holley to never come back again. When your son was here I met with some of them and asked if they trusted me, to which they replied that they did. I asked if they would trust another person whom I trusted, (as we would say - with our lives) - that I believed was trustworthy enough for them to tell him what they are going through - because I trust him too, just as much. After some reservation - they agreed and sat down with me and that other person, then being filled with the Holy Ghost have changed their lives. One cut his dreadlocks off, shaved and is a changed person. That miracle trustworthy person, that angel, bro and Sis Olson is your son; Elder Olson. I cannot express how deep my gratitude is to the Lord and you for him. If ever I could visit your beautiful country I would do so, in person. There are many more miraculous experiences I have been privileged to have with Elder Olson - of which has strengthened my faith, increased my testimony and brought me closer to Christ. Thank you again for raising him in righteousness to be willing to do what he has done and is doing right now - for all of us. We love him to much - and in turn love you for preparing and sacrificing him - for us. Regards Kevin.

December 8, 2014 "Crazy but inspired things"

Wow!  Life is crazy here and I am loving it! It is really a big adjustment though.  The past two weeks we have been traveling like crazy!! we did 1300 kilometers this week alone! we went to joburg and had a great MLC (mission leadership council)  Pres Dunn is going to do crazy but inspired things to get this mission moving which is amazing! While I was in that meeting I could really see that Pres Dunn really does hold the keys of this mission.  

 I had a really cool experience while praying this week! This area is really hard and we have been finding like crazy with no success but then as I was praying a voice came to me and said.  "Your diligence will pay off."  Right there and then I knew that it was true and I thought in the scriptures there many times when the lord tests us before he rewards and I know that this is the case with this area.  I just need to work hard and not think about the trials but the blessings that I am receiving for being on mission.  but ya!

 So I went and bought some supliments for my christmas.... hope you don't mind! We are getting big!! haha I have my bench to 90 kg. so I am getting up there!!  I love you guys I am so grateful for all of you! Especially Mom and Dad.  Thank you for doing your best to keep me in line my whole life... I am surprised both of you still have your hair

 Also, right now I am memorizing The Living Christ and I am going to challenge anyone in the family that thinks they can do it! We will see on christmas we has it!!! hahaha

>> Much love, JON JON

??? DL in Tzaneen

Shout out for Madi! I definitely thought I would be the first to be married.... no offense. The pictures are sweet and it seems to be a lot more romantic than when dad proposed to mom... hahahaha

So, life is amazing here up in Tzaneen.  It truly is like Hawaii... We wake up every morning and go running and I think that if I keep going I'll run into the Gazebo (Jon's favorite pancake house in Hawaii).  It is paradise here but either President Dunn really likes me cause he put me in paradise or the opposite way around because I am the farthest a missionary can be away from the office... But the area I am serving is called Lenyenye and it is a village / township.  The work is amazing.  My new comp is Elder Hepworth and he is from Idaho.  He is an amazing missionary and we were actually in the same district for 6 weeks while I served in Tembisa.  The district is awesome.  The last AP just got released and is now working with a new missionary that is struggling with disobedience and so that really helps so that I don't have to worry about him.  Then there is one companionship that is very obedient and another that is a pain in the butt.

It is interesting, I love the new responsibility but it is a lot of telling people things that they know that they should be doing.  It is also hard because I am younger than most of them so they don't really like that.  However back to the positive. I taught district meeting and I planned out this great lesson but then I taught like half of it and taught some things that I didn't even plan.  It was cool cause the spirit really took over and brought in the spirit that was so strong.

This week we worked really hard and taught 26 lessons and we didn't even work monday or tuesday because of the road trip here.  Right now we don't have a lot of investigators but I plan on changing that and making an impact here.  We do a lot of less active work because there are about 400 less actives just in our area.... So everyone knows the missionaries and seems to love us.  All the little kids love WWE which is that fake wrestling thing and they all yell John Senna when they see me... haha which is cool.  I am loving it here so far.  This has been the easiest transition to a companion so far.  We just laugh a lot.... We also drive a truck because we do a lot of off roading and it is stick so I am perfecting that! But no one speaks Zulu up here... So now I have to learn Sepedi which is hard....

High of the week: Coming up to the garden of eden and teaching non stop.  And not failing in my first DL meeting...

Low of the week: I just found out that Smith-Holley is really struggling which is making me so sad.  He just is not finding the joy in missionary work.  So pray for him.

President Cook just before christmas

Jon was proud of kissing a hippo and I believe the other couple in the group photo is Elder and Sister Cook - the Area 70 he speaks of.

This week on mission has had to be one of my coolest weeks ever!! We worked really hard and actually had some success and also were able to get extremely personal instruction from a General Authority! It was amazing!

I will start with a story that I have been neglecting to tell you! So There was this guy named Freddy that just showed up to church one day and so we asked if we could visit with him.  He said of course and so we went and as we were talking to him we asked "what made you come to church?" He said I have been going through a really hard time in my life and I realized the only time that I have ever had true happiness was when my family used to go to this church when I was little.  After further digging we found out that both of his parents were members but none of the children.  It was amazing to realize that it is exactly true what he said!!! This gospel is the only way to true happiness in this life and in the life to come! 

So we had the mission tour this Saturday with Elder Cook and his wife.  Ours was extremely special since our zone was the only zone that attended this one.  There were only 16 missionaries compared to the 80 in the other groups so it was much more personal.  First it started with about a 30 minute leadership meeting that was with 5 missionaries, President and Sister Dunn and Elder and Sister Cook.  To say the least it was an unbelievable experience.  We talked about how we need to lead with love, compassion, and understanding. The spirit was so strong you could literally feel it. He just went on to say that it starts with us... If we aren't obedient then our zone won't be obedient and so on.  I realized that it is really true.   

I have learned a lot on mission but what I have learned the most is personal accountability.  That it is up to us and in the end we pick eternal happiness or eternal peace. And with being a missionary that I am held to a higher law therefore I have more accountability to live in righteousness.  After this we then went to meet with all the missionaries and had great lessons from both the Dunns and Cooks.  From 9 to 3 so we spent a really long time with them.  During it there were some things that I learned that really hit me hard.  One am I totally converted to the Lord or do I just have a testimony.  Also that conversion is a life long process and not just a one time event.  Recently I have been studying alma and in alma 5:46 it talks about even alma the younger needed to fast and pray to know these things were true.  and I also learned how much of a gift it was for heavenly father to actually gi​ve us his son.  It is the most amazing gift and matchless.

Well, I will tell you a lot more on Christmas about the mission tour cause there is a lot!! 

Elder Olson​

December 1, 2014 "ZL's drive a lot"

This week has been a big change from missioary life and a lot of driving.  This whole week we only were able to spend 3 full days in our area.  I never really realized how much the ZLs really helped and now I am grateful for that.  So on the up side we were able to have a full on amazing Thanksgiving dinner! I was so full.... For dessert my comp wouldn't let me stop till it was gone.  Also he is a crazy workout freak so we have been going crazy in the mornings for working out.  I think what I want for christmas is some money so I can buy some things.  Also I am feeling a lot better.  It was good for me to get sick because I lost some weight! But mom you should probably email sister Dunn and say thank you.  She got me into the doctor in like three hours! She is amazing! She actually reminds me a lot of you.  This upcoming week we will be in Joburg for training so I will actually be staying with the Dunns for a night! So another week of tons of driving.  Life is good I am happy and thankful for all of you! have a lekker week!!!

November 24, 2014 "Puking my guts out"

Well this is going to be really short but this week has probably been my worst week on mission.... I got the stomach flu and the way that my comp describes it is that the whole neighborhood could hear me puking my guts out..... I love ginger ale and mangos so much I just needed to taste it at least twice!!!  And then my luck I get this huge rash on my face and now I look like a crazy college kid with really bad acne..... haha but really I am missionary that satan is trying to do anything so that he can discourage me.  However my attitude has not changed I am still happy, I just don't like to be in public and I was told at church yesterday by everyone that I look like I am dying and that I should go home...  So embarrassing and right now I don't really want to laugh about it but in a few weeks I will be able to!

However, I had a really cool spiritual experience with my comp.  It was before church and I was feeling like crap and I really needed a blessing but of course I am kind of like dad and it is hard for me to take help from people.... So, I really didn't want to ask for one then I finally did.  Also, I wanted a blessing so that I can fulfill my new calling (Jon has been called as a zone leader) and I was feeling extremely inadequate and nervous.  But before the blessing he suggested that we should pray and I said I would.  Right as I started to pray nothing could come out of my mouth I just started crying and it took about 10 minutes for me to say what I wanted and I really poured out my heart.... We were both very emotional and then he gave me a priesthood blessing which was amazing and strengthened my testimony of the priesthood even more.  Even though I was not healed, a miracle did happen and that was the love and the power of my Saviors arms around me as I was needing him in every temperal and spiritual way possible.  I know without a doubt and I have accepted the Savior as my personal Savior. I know He knows exactly how I feel and I am grateful and also torn apart about it.

Please pray for me especially with my new calling. I am the youngest in age and in months on mission that has this position and I am extremely nervous but I know I can use the atonement so I'll be XAP!

I will be up north still so I will be over the district I was just in but living about 1 hour away from tzaneen where I used to live.  It is a town called polokwane and my companion is Elder Reed who is from astralia and I freaking love him so it will be good. And I have been working out a lot. I almost have my fat gone enough to see my 6 pack lol

November 18, 2014 "Who I was to Who I am"

This week has been quite an interesting week.  I was barely in my area because I had to do 4 baptismal interviews in other areas.  It is cool to see the progress and how things are changing up here in the district with obedience and hard work.  However it is already transfer time and things are changing! There are going to be a lot of changes but I believe that I will be staying with Elder Hepworth.  We still have a lot to do and sometimes you can just kind of feel that we haven't completed what we are here to do. So I am looking forward to see what the Lord has in store for us.  Also something sad, one of our recent converts little brother just died. He was only two and there is no sign of death.  He was so cute and the spirit testified to me that he has a greater work on the other side which he needs to fullfill which was cool. 

My back is really getting better and I am also really enjoying working out everyday.  I am starting to feel as healthy as I did when I was home.

We have this one investigator and her name is Mamela and she is just amazing! She is only 13 but she is so committed to be better and to strive for baptism.  There is a lesson that we all can learn from her and it is how much she loves the Book of Mormon.  She will not put it down! She reads and reads and reads.  She takes it to school and reads it when she has a few minutes, she will not leave home without it.  I know that most of us back at home feel it is a burden to read but as we feel the spirit we will slowly change and our testimonies will grow.  Every one back at home can have it on their phones and so when we have free time read a couple verses.  If we are laying in bed about to go to sleep just read for 5 minutes.  I think since I grew up with the Book of Mormon I never really realized how unique it testifies of Jesus Christ and his atonement.  We can all be like Mamela or even be a little better than we are at reading the Book of Mormon.

On mission my testimony is continuing to grow and especially with the atonement.  It is real and it works.  If we haven't felt it cleanse us and purify us seek for that.  I know without the atonement I would feel as Alma the younger wracked with eternal torment.  Our sins and imperfections will be wiped away through the atonement if we are willing to change.  One thing that I am going through right now on mission is that I have changed my behavior 100% from who I was to who I am.  However, I realize that I need to change my nature not just my behavior.  When we say that "its just who I am, God will understand" that is as if saying the atonement isn't real.  I need to change my nature and make sure I can become who the Lord wants me to be.  He desires us to be as he is and so would he really make it impossible for us to become perfected? I do not think so.  I know that I have a lot to work on but I am looking forward to that because I know I have the atonement to lean on and to use in every situation in my life.  Yes mission has changed me and yes I thought it wouldn't but that is because I did not understand the atonement.

Well, sorry for my huge email. I just am grateful for the gospel and my family.  The other day I was talking about how I would have friends over and how mom would come down and cook for all of us and just hangout with us.... I had to leave the room cause I was about to cry. I love you all and keep being awesome!

much love, JONNY