June 30, 2015

This week has been hectic to say the least! We took all the missionaries to the airport and then we did loads of office work.  I am learning heaps about computers and all that stuff and I am actually enjoying the office work.  It was super funny cause I got pretty frustrated because I messed up on something so I grabbed President Dunns baseball gloves and told my comp we were going to play catch for 5 minutes.  First time in almost two years so it definitely cleared some stress. But we don't spend too much time in our area with everything going on.   

The Dunns told us about the mission split before hand and we had to keep it extremely confidential so that was scary. It was cool to be around Elder Cook, the 70.  He really put it in an amazing way and just was able to help the elders understand what was happening.  Also President Dunn ans Sister Dunn spoke. It was quite an emotional day but we will reunite someday, that's what the gospel is.  It was super hard saying bye to Elder Smith-Holley.  That Guy is just amazing and has come such a long way.  The boundaries have been set so it is absolutely forbidden to cross so I won't see Limpopo til we travel at the end of my mission.  Which is sad but it will also make it more special when we do go.

So I love my new comp.  We work out super hard so that is fun.  It is also super spiritual and he is teaching me so much. 

Love you all,  Elder Olson

As Jon mentioned in his email, his mission was split this week.  Had he not been transferred one week earlier, he would've been moved to a new mission - the Botswans/Namibia mission.  Here is the posting from the Dunn's blog that talks about what has transpired.  

Divide and Conquer!

As we travel to Pretoria today in anticipation of a BIG announcement, we wanted to post this and share as much information as we have.

Growth in the church and changing circumstances in countries has historically resulted in mission boundary changes. But when it happens in YOUR mission, it is suddenly very, very personal and impactful. In our 12 months here, this is the biggest news that has hit us and we are responding the best we know how. Below is excerpts from a letter President Dunn has just sent out to all the parents of our missionaries.  In a few hours this news will be announced to all impacted missionaries and then to all the SAJM. 

We have just hosted President and Sister Wilson overnight in the mission home and discussed details and logistics with them. It helps it feel better to be able to hand off these great missionaries to great people.

We are glad to have Elder Worton and Elder Olson to assist in this transition and be helpful at every turn.

President Dunn and I have spent the past few days visiting with all the senior couples in the impacted area, explaining all of it, so they can be on board and helpful to the junior missionaries.

Here is the letter sent out to parents:
I will post more pictures of the event later today:

On Sunday June 28, 2015, we have a historic milestone in the missionary work here in Africa which was announced this morning, and will take effect this coming week.

In a recent meeting of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, approval was given to realign the boundary between the Botswana/Namibia and South Africa Johannesburg Missions, and to transfer the Pretoria South Africa Stake and the Tzaneen South Africa District from the South Africa Johannesburg Mission to the Botswana/Namibia Mission. This change will be effective 1 July, 2015, and will affect 45 missionaries currently serving in the Pretoria, Sunnyside and Tzaneen Zones of the South Africa Johannesburg Mission.

This change in mission boundaries coincides with the splitting of the Pretoria Stake and the formation of the new, Mabopane Stake. Both the new stake and the adjustments to the mission boundaries were proposed and sustained by the members and missionaries in a special stake conference held this morning in Pretoria. The net effect of this move is that it transfers a stake and district from the South Africa Johannesburg Mission. It will also immediately bolster the compliment of missionaries in the Botswana/Namibia Mission which has struggled to get missionaries into those countries due to visa issues for the past 18 months. As a geography reminder, these two countries are adjacent to South Africa, and are located on its northern border. The affected zones from the South Africa Johannesburg Mission are the northernmost areas of our mission, and a logical addition to the Botswana/Namibia Mission.

Afterwards, we gathered all the missionaries that are now part of the new Botswana Namibia Mission. What a terrific, resilient group.

The missionaries officially reassigned to the Botswana/Namibia Mission are:

Elder Theodore Dandrick Barendse

Elder James Rex Bryner

Elder Kenneth Dylan Christie

Elder Duwayne Fernando DeSouza

Elder Peter Mpaulo Diogo

Elder Enoc Teancum Garnica

Elder Seth Alexander Going

Elder Afina Hunt

Elder Ray Hunt

Elder Teemu Samuel Kankkunen

Elder Ken Kobbina Kenyah

Elder Brian Kusi-Poku

Elder Daniel Liera

Elder Jarom Alexander Lybe

Elder Albert James May

Elder James Almon McAllister

Elder Kelly McClellan

Elder Jorden Paul McQueen

Elder Elisha Mugenyi

Elder Sicelo Falakhe Ndlovu

Elder Václav Novotný

Elder James D. McKay Oldroyd

Elder Felix Paul

Elder Aaron Leslie Reynolds

Elder Turner McKay Richards

Elder Jacob Blake Saunders

Elder Duke Malcolm Smith-Holley

Elder Joshua Alexander Stilgoe

Elder Simon Ssendege

Elder Jared Michael Cornelis Stomps

Elder Mose Johnny Togiatomai

Elder Andre Edward Daniel Thompson

Elder Teamakaia Louis Adolph Bonard Tumarae

Elder Andries Petrus Van Heerden

Elder Kayl Michael Williams

Elder Mitchell Allen Williams

Elder Gerald Woniala

Senior Couples:
Elder Max Butler and Sister Janis Cardon Butler

Elder Steven Roy Campbell and Sister Loretta Evans Campbell

Elder Larry LaVarr Hansen and Sister Melanie Hansen

Elder Bryan Mark Winward and Sister Valerie Jean Winward

While we are obviously saddened to part with these great missionaries whom we have come to know and love as sons (…along with four of the best senior couples to be found anywhere), it is inspiring—and in fact more accurately, dizzying—to see the hand of the Lord move the work forward on this African continent. In addition to strengthening the ability to handle the burgeoning work of building the kingdom in the north, this is a pioneering opportunity to stretch and grow which will bless the lives of all involved. Even though these missionaries will be adding and expanding their experience, they will always be a part of the South Africa Johannesburg Mission.

We are excited to introduce the new Mission President and Companion— President and Sister Wilson

We know President and Sister Wilson and they are

outstanding people and seasoned servants of God. They have already served two years of their three-year call in the Botswana Gaborone Mission, and so are experienced leaders of a mission. Their home is in West Jordan, Utah and they are the parents of five children. President Wilson, who was born in

Columbus, Ohio is steeped in church experience having served as a counselor in a stake presidency and is a former bishop, high councilor, elders quorum president, and Young Men president. Professionally he worked as an engineer with Ceramatec, Inc. Sister Wilson, who is from Payson, Utah, has also served in many callings including as a former ward Relief Society president, ward Primary president. Again, your  sons will love serving with this terrific couple.

 I testify to you that God is indeed in charge. And that this is but one more evidence of the hastening of the work. As the Book of Mormon asserts, “But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men…” (1 Nephi 9:6). Elder Neal Maxwell also reminds us that all things do work together for our good. “Trust in the Lord as He leads you along,” said Elder Maxwell. “He has things for you to do that

you won't know about now but that will unfold later. If you stay close to Him, You will have some great adventures. The Lord will unfold your future bit by bit."

June 22, 2015 "Phone call from President Dunn"

Well, they are kicking me out! Haha!  This week has been quite an eventful week! We taught loads and had a lot of fun!  Then Thursday rolled around and we were sitting in a lesson and right as we were about to start our phone rang and Elder Beers answered it.  Shortly after he handed me the phone and said, "It's for you".  So, President Dunn was on the other end of the line and we just talked for a bit.  Then he released me from being a zone leader.  I was actually quite stoked for that! I was thinking to myself how nice it will be to only worry about my area.  Then he kept talking and asked some personal questions... So, now I was thinking... What did I do wrong!?  Then he asked if I would be his assistant.  Well, I couldn't really speak and all I could say was, of course! and thank you!... It was super embarrassing! But since then I haven't slept a minute and have been super tired!!  I used to never get nervous about anything back at home so now that I have stress I don't know how to deal with it! 

Oh, funny story.  So, I woke up in the middle of the night to get a drink and as I was drinking I heard a snap right behind me.  I thought that Elder Beers was trying to scare me so I yelled, Elder Beers!!!!  Then I heard him say what?? from the bedroom.  Then out of fear of ghosts I screamed and ran to the bedroom and then just started to laugh as I was hiding under my covers! It was bad how scared I got.    Soo... YES...I am still a baby! Haha!

Elder Olson

June 8, 2015 "Bear testimony"

Well this week has been super amazing!! We have worked hard and are finding some amazing people.  When I first came into this area we had no what we call "layered teaching pool" we had some that were close to baptism but that was it! it made me really worried because once we baptized these people we would have no one to teach.  So through a lot of prayer we really are finding loads of people to teach!

We also had an amazing zone conference and the APs talked about the power of bearing testimony.  They showed the last testimony of Bruce R. McConkie and wow it is powerful.  It made me tear up a bit. If you haven't seen it I would suggest watching it.  Through all of this we committed to bear testimony more often.  We had a lesson with a family that has been really stubborn and we were thinking about dropping them.  When we got into the lesson we knew we had to bear testimony so we did.  After our testimonies the family was completely silent and then the mom expressed the love she feels when we are in her home and even broke down and cried.  For them it will be a long process but I think our testimonies helped!!! Never be afraid to bear testimony to anyone it can touch anyones heart. 

have fun in Newport.  If I was there I probably would be dating that babe that you saw at church! lol 

much love, Elder Olson

June 4, 2015 "Pictures"

Pictures:

June 1, 2015 "We met with Elder Lynn G. Robbins"

Another great week in Springs! We are truly doing really good right now and I do feel that the Lord's hand is helping us in everything we do.  It has been a really different week though because two of the days I was in other areas doing baptismal interviews! I love doing baptismal interviews because I can really see first hand how much the gospel has changed that persons life! I did 6...  Yea I was tired....they really drain you!! But other than that this week has been quite uneventful! We are just working hard to replenish our teaching pool because we should be having 5 baptisms this June and we don't want to be left with nothing sucking our thumbs wondering what to do! 

It takes work.

Well sorry that this email is so short today.  I had a lot of other people that I needed to email and so today family took the backseat

haha..

Love, Jon

Oh I forgot to mention.  Put this in the mass email.  We were able to meet with Elder Lynn G. Robbins who is in the Presidency of the 70!! He taught us for about two hours and it was all about how mission can help you become a better parent and so on! It was so amazing and all of the great examples that he made I was like oh ya my dad did that and also mom... It was super cool and a great experience!

May 26, 2015 "The APs didn't believe our stats"

So life on mission is great!! My comp and I are killing it here in the area. The aps actually didn't even believe our stats haha!! We have 7 on date and 7 came to church it is weird how things are just falling into our laps and I feel it is because of hard work and obedience.  So this week has been hectic but there is really just one story that I want to share!

The other week we visited this old couple and urged them to do missionary work and with that we promised blessings and happiness. They both took up the challenge in very timid way and so we were quite skeptical but we set a return appointment for this week.  When we got

there for the follow up appointment we saw the wife and asked if she had anyone for us to teach.  She said she tried but couldn't find anyone but she said my husband is working on the car so you can ask him and see.   So we went the garage and asked him and he said no as

well.  Then I looked over and saw someone working on the car.  We greated each other and then a light switched in the eye of the man and without hesitation his said he isn't a member but his wife is you can teach him! haha I looked at the guy and said "would you like that?" and he said "yes I need it."   We set up an appointment with them for this Wednesday and he even came to church yesterday! It was so amazing to see how blinded we all are from missionary work. Especially in Utah.  I never realized until mission how often I could have shared the gospel.   

So really what I am trying to say is I know we live in Utah but I am sure there are people that Heavenly Father has prepared for us.  Otherwise he wouldn't give us a commandment that we can't keep.  But for myself I am excited to be a missionary for the rest of my life and to share the gospel with my friends because for me that will be how I will show my friends love.  The gospel brings true happiness!

Well love you all!!

Elder Olson

May 4, 2015 "Just stay focussed, put the gospel first, and everything will work out"

This week has been a really eventful week and really fun at the same time.  It was quite busy as we had the new missionary orientation and interviews with President Dunn.  It all went really well and Elder Henderson and I did a whole presentation for the new missionaries with the Dunns help.  It was super cool cause that was the first time that we have ever had it up here which was something we were really pushing for. It was also really nice to have a personal interview with President Dunn.  I came with many questions and he helped me realize to not worry and just stay focused and to always put the gospel first in my life and everything will work out.  Also it is amazing to see the progression of the zone these past 6 months that I have been here.  There is a baptism almost every week in the zone of only 7 companionships.  The fruits are starting to show and we can't slow down now.  Transfers will be next week but I still have no idea if I will be leaving or staying.  Honestly I have come to the point where I have seen how inspired everything is and I know wherever I go it will be great and that I am either meant to go there or stay here in Polokwane.

The work here in Polokwane is good.  It definitely has its ups and downs but the key is to stay diligent through all of it.  I have been super blessed to have a companion that doesn't let that bring him down.  He has taught me to stay focus and to just work, work, work!! We have 3 powerful investigators right now and two of them have come from Itu.  He just understands that once we are baptized that one​ of our covenants that we make is to share the gospel with everyone.  Their names are Queen, and Tshepo.  They are both on a really different level of spirituality but I know that what they both need is the gospel. Also we have this guy named Marius.  He is super sweet and I have been teaching him since I got here and have grown really fond of him and his family.  He is white and his wife is a less active member that is just getting back into things.  Marius is going to take awhile till he gets baptized but since I have been here he has accepted that the book of mormon and that joseph smith is a true prophet so he has grown heaps! I really feel one day he will accept the gospel and the sacred ordinances that only this church has.

Much love, KUNU... Jk Elder Olson