Danli Sept 24, 2012 No Letter, Just Pictures

This week, Spencer's 1st email came around 1:20 pm.  That was earlier than usual.  And the email only consisted to 3 pictures with captions.  So I waited and waited and waited and no letter came.  So I was happy to just get the pictures that I did.  What great pictures they were though.  This is the boy that he talked about last week, and what a great picture of his companion Elder Caal.  He is so little and remember, he is from Guatemala.  He probably won't be with him too much longer.  What a bond and friendship they have made.

 this is the baptism i think he is going to be a great member

 Me and Elder Caal on Sunday in our coats

 yo solo me alone

Danli Sept 17, 2012 Iginio's Hot Dog

We have owned rental property in a Hispanic community for several years, and our manager, Iginio now has a hot dog stand.  We were at his place one night and they offered Allan a hot dog.  He had bacon wrapped hot dogs with all the fixings.  It was very tasty.  We had to send a picture to Spencer and of course he got a kick out of it.  Spencer also explained about the phone call.  He is so funny.

Spencer's Dad Allan making a hot dog at our apartment at Iginio's, our manager.

Those pics of Iginio are really funny cuz I see those all over the place and they put a crap load of stuff on them. Ya so that whole thing yesterday I couldn’t believe that that member did that. His name is José Espinosa. He is a real prankster. He is a way cool guy and they are the family that gives us the best food all week long. Ya so what happened was people always seem to have like 2 phones because there are 2 major cell companies here, Calro and Tigo, and to call the states is really cheap. So what I did is I had one of his phones and put the home phone number in and said I wonder what my mom would do if I called here right now as a joke. So he asked me for my number I thought he was just kidding but he really did it. That’s why when you answered I was really shocked. I almost let you hang up but. But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity, hahaha.

But this week was normal. We did have stake conference and they mainly just talked about the temple and being on time, because this is Latin America plus Mormon time these people always start late. So we will see how that goes, hahaha. But it’s crazy how fast the time goes. There is only 2 weeks left in this change. I can’t believe it.

So the few questions. We take both taxi and bus. When we go to our far areas there are some places that the taxis go to but to get to a place to Jacaleapa we have to take the bus or if we are tired because the lady that  washes our clothes lives like a 20 minute walk from our house. So depends on what we are doing that day. We will sometimes take a taxi so it all just depends. But just imagine this about the taxis -the worse little cars in the world that nothing on the dashboard works and they are all manual. The buses are all school buses.

But this next week we are going to have a baptism. The kids name is Ricardo. He is a cool kid. When we were in charge of that other area, a member brought him to church, and then we found out that he was part of another ward. But before that one Sunday he showed up to church by himself and asked us if we could talk privately, and we thought he was going to tell us something bad he did or something like that. But he basically was like, so I really feel good here, when can I get baptize?  He wanted us almost to fill up the font right then and there to baptize him. But we told him that we had to teach him a few things and he would be good to go. So we ended up having to pass him to the other missionaries. Then a week ago he came to our building on his own again and said that he wanted us to teach him and wanted to go to our ward so we are going to baptize him this coming week.

Today in the morning we did our first hike to a place called Piedra de Piwis. It was one of the hardest hikes I have ever done. When we got to the actual mountain it was just a strait up mud path all the way up so it made it really hard, but a lot of fun. I got a few pics of that I’ll get you a pic of that other stuff next week.

But I’m doing good. Doing the best I can, trying to be as humble and patient as I can. I love you all keep working hard.

Love

Elder Spencer Olsen

ps. so the other day I found some new shoes. They are Rockport shoes from an American store I got them for 500 limps. But I’m running a little low on pisto (money). If you could send me some money and let me know about it next week and also send how much I have in my bank account that would be awesome.

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The Circus is in Town

 

Jacaleapa at sun set

here is one of the high school band just for mitchell. highland would probably be world champs hahaha

 

Sept. 16, 2012 HE CALLED!!!

Ok, I know our missionaries are not suppose to call except on Mother's Day and Christmas, but, I got a surprise tonight that I wasn't expecting.  I was cleaning the kitchen after dinner and the phone rang.  I looked at the caller ID and it was an international number.  I reluctantly picked up the receiver and said hello?  I heard some loud giggling and then, "Hi MOM!...giggle."  I said, "Spencer, is that you?  What are you doing?"  He said, "I'm at a member's house and he asked for my home number and he dialed it."  I asked him what he was having for dinner and he said chicken and rice and green beans.  That made me happy because that was a typical Sunday dinner at our house.  He then said something is Spanish, giggled some more and then there was a click and he was gone.  I just wanted to say I love you, but it all happened so quickly.  Boy did that phone call put my mind at ease.  I know he is doing well, and he is watched over, but to hear his voice for 30 seconds brought joy to my heart.  I love him and miss him so much, but I am so proud of him and the great work he is doing.  I'm sure he felt badly for calling and that's why he hung up so quickly, but I hope he was as happy as I was!

Sept. 10, 2012 Danli Picture Update!!

This was a good week.  I had asked for several pictures, so there are a few more than normal.  Well, a lot more than the past few weeks.  I asked for some of the Mission Home and his Mission President, but I guess that won't be happening soon as you will read.  

Hey mom and everyone,

This week was just another week in the mission. That family I told you guys about last week we went to visit them on Sunday, and when we got there the sister was there who we are also teaching had a little baby boy so cute. We got talking about her brother and sis in law and she told us that they broke up. That just one day she packed her bags and just straight left him. So I don’t think we are going to have to marry anyone anymore hahaha. But the sister who lives with her brother is really positive so that should work out.

But the week really wasn’t that different. We are really struggling to find new people right now, especially families. It is really getting hard. I’m so sick and tired of Danli I have too much time here. I don't want to be here anymore. But there is only 3 more weeks left in the change so I hope the time goes quickly. I’m so done out here. Just patience is all I need right now.

The one cool thing is that there was a 70 that came to my building yesterday and seemed really cool. One of the missionaries told me that he in his ward and basically just told the members that the missionaries are working too hard if they have to knock doors. And we have stake conference next week. I hope he is there to tell that to everyone. Cuz that’s all we do is knock doors and it is horrible. I can’t stand it. It’s not fun. But hopefully it will change when this 70 speaks.

Oh and those things like mission house and stuff I have only been there once lol so I cant really get that. And the mission office we can only go by the permission of Pres and that generally means special interviews, so I really don’t want that to happen that would be bad lol. But I got a few more pics this week.

Well that’s about it I love you guys I’m doing the best I can.

Elder Spencer Olsen

  

 my bed room and front room

 my kitchen it may be bigger then Connor's but alot less stuff 

 this is my pila and bathroom

this is our closet 

  this is our study

this is my huge backyard it has a mango nancy pear and someother types of fruit trees back there sooo tight 

look at how trashed my tag is 

 this is my chapel I go to

baby cow just chillin in the street 

this is the store we buy at on pday

September 3, 2012 Still in Danli Corn Festival

Sorry, but there still are no pictures.  Elder Olsen promises some next week.  I sure hope so!

Hey mom and everyone,

Ya this is really getting interesting out here. This last week was the corn festival and it was crazy. Just imagine the dirt mall in Mexico that we go to but like times 50. It was unreal. I ended up getting everyone a little something for Christmas so it should be good. But I didn’t take pics of it. Just remember mom I’m not in the states. People steal a lot more often especially when they are gringos. So it really isn’t that often that I take out my camera. But next week, send me a list of stuff you want and I’ll get pics of it this week. I'll get you the ones of my house, my chapel, and the internet I go to.

So one of the things the ward does is a ward family home evening with a different member every week. So they did it at the house of the new family that we just baptized. They live about 20 minutes outside of Danli. So there were about 30 people that were going and we had 3 cars, hahah, one little car, an SUV and a truck. So all the ym &yw got in the SUV and we couldn’t go in there and another family got in the little car so there was just the truck left and so they told us to have the ym &w go in the bed of the truck but no one would go and we asked to kick the kids out. We explained like 6 times that we can’t go in the bed of the truck only in the cabin.  So the lady and her daughter that was in the car got out and got in the bed.  But in all honesty I am really ready to get out of here. The next time we have changes will be 10 days before I complete one year in the mission so it shall be pretty interesting if I stay or not.

But anyway... umm it was a great week. We found a family that was a reference from a member of another ward but the only issue is that the member wants to take this family with her to her ward, because what the old stake president told to everyone that if they were renting that they could go to whatever ward they felt good in. So there are people from all over the place. It’s not even where people live. It’s where they feel like going. So it’s kind of hard to work with references because the people always want their friends to go with them to their ward and not where they actually live. It’s a little frustrating with that. But the family is really positive. They are Honduran so they are obviously not married. They just live together and call themselves husband and wife. So that will be kind of fun trying to convince them that they need to get married, but I think we can do it.

But we are doing really great. Me and my comp are doing great we don’t fight. I thought if I was with him for this amount of time something might happen but we are both relaxed people. There are only small things that bug me about him but I just get over them. It’s whatever most of the time.  I promise I will get you like at least 15 pics for next week I love you guys. I’m doing the best I can to stay focused and do all I can to be the best missionary I can be.

I love and miss you guys with all my heart

ELDER Spencer Olsen

August 27, 2012, Danli NO CHANGES!!! and no Pictures!

Well, Spencer didn't get transferred.  He was disappointed but he has some baptisms coming up so that helps the discouragement.  There was an earthquake last week in the ocean near El Salvador.  I was curious if he felt it so I asked him....

Enjoy Reading!

Hey mom and everyone 

Ok to start off... NO I DID NOT HAVE CHANGES!!!!! When we called the zls (Zone Leaders) we asked who all had changes and they basically said everyone but you. So I’m still here in Danli. I think that this is one of those God wants me to learn patience kind of tests. On Saturday at about 9:30pm or so my neighbor comes and tells me that I have to give a talk. I have less than 12 hours to get a talk ready when as missionaries we have to go to bed at 1030, so it was even less time than that.  And then when I tried to call him he had his phones turned off and wasn’t at home. But I’m alive. I killed it in my talk. This is the second one I have given here, so what I did is basically just give the talk I gave last time but just a little more intense and in a different order.

But other than that, I’m good hahahahaha. But there is some cool stuff going on in Danli. There is a corn festival going on right now so they have all kinds of cool things. People from all over Central America come to sell stuff super cheap. I bought 2 jerseys the other day for 40 limps each. So if you could do me a huge favor that before Wednesday that there is at least 50 bucks in my account so that I can go buy you guys Christmas presents because there are some really cool Honduran things that I want to get for you guys. So I’m just going to trust that you guys are going to put it in and at about Wednesday at 11am I’m going to take out that money :D thanks I love hahaha. 

The one thing that could happen is there is a missionary that goes home on the 30th of this month so I’m hoping that I have mini changes that day. But any way. So the big thing around here is about the photos is that I have just been here for so long I have sent you everything I have done here. I’m really trying to use my camera but it’s just hard to take out. And this morning I didn’t realize that the battery was dead but I do have a few to send you so for sure there will be pics next week I promise. And the family did get baptized those pics are coming too. 

In all honesty the food situation is good I always have a little bit of bean rice and tortilla every day in well but if you would also like to send me some money so I can make stuff to cook in the house that would be awesome. hahaha man I really want money hahaha. 

What earthquake??? I didn’t feel anything. We are on the opposite side of Honduras over by Nicaragua like I’m pretty sure the boarder of Nicaragua is about an hour from here in my zone hahah-. 

Hmm so about those kids on Monday morning last week we called pres and got permission to go over there with the sisters because that is their area. so we set up with some members to go out there and the lady that brings them so we are going to go visit just about all of them on Friday. There are at least 2 that a for sure baptisms. So it should be really good stuff. 

Oh ya Tarver is a cool kid.  He was my dl (District Leader) last change so we talked a lot. He is one of my best friends in the mission currently. Oh and the other missionary from Queen Creek, still haven’t gotten his number yet but I’ll work on that this week. He has all of your  info so I don’t know why he hasn’t gotten in touch with you guys yet. 

Any ways I’m doing great. Doing what I can to survive here. Just doing my thing. I love you guys 

Elder Spencer Olsen   

August 20, 2012 Danli Lots of Answers!!!

I am a member of missionarymom.com.  It is a site that mom's that have Missionaries can talk and communicate with each other.  Well, this past week, I met a mom whose son is good friends with Spencer and she sent me a couple of pictures that she found of Spencer from her son's pictures.  It was nice to get them because he didn't send any pictures again this week.  These were taken a couple of months ago and I don't know the story about them, but at least they are pictures.  He has such a contagious smile.  I always get comments about what a great smile Spencer has.  Br. Eliason from our Ward said that he brings his own sunshine through his smile.  Boy do I miss that boy sometimes!!!!  But I am so proud of him and wouldn't want him anywhere else!!

 

Pictures from one of his fellow Missionary Friends

This past week, I wrote Spencer a bunch of questions.  I guess I need to start doing that because he sent a really great letter this past week.....long and full of details.  So as you are readying this post imagine the questions I asked him especially the one about weird food.  Enjoy the letter, it's a good one!!!

Hey mom and everyone

So, when we went to tegus on Tuesday it was zone conference.  We had to wake up at 5 am so that we could be at the stake center to leave at 630am. The house is really far from the church like a 25 minute walk.  So we had to leave early. But all the zone conference was is president wants us as a mission to be obedient.  And then Hna Hernadez talked about the 3 types of missionaries that we could be. I’m pretty sure I’m in the middle of the top 2, hahaha but not quite perfect. And we didn’t have time to do any of that stuff I wanted to do.  But when I have changes I have plans with my current DL to do all that stuff so just make sure there is money in my account, hahaha.

We did get the family baptized. It was a really great day. We went out to pick them up and they were there ready to go with their 2 little daughters all dressed up. Then on Sunday they showed up to church
before us. That was a huge relief. Oh and right after the baptism the bishop did the Aaronic Priesthood interview and then on Sunday during Priesthood meeting they confirmed him a priest and then Sept. 16th is stake conference and they are going to sustain him to be an Elder, so this baptism turned out really well just at the perfect time to get them into the temple in one year. That will be so awesome.

On the bikes we still haven’t asked, and I’m out of this area so I’m really not too worried about it anymore hahaha.

The new place is nice.  I still need to take those photos, haha , still haven’t done that.  But I have to do it tomorrow or tonight so that I can have those photos.  The good thing is that the water comes really
often.  Oh ya you guys don’t understand that. So there is a water line that passes through the entire colonia that I live in and we live at the top so it takes a little while to get to us so it only comes like
3 times a week.  But we have a tank so we always have water so it’s all good for us right now. And we have a member that lives next door and we share the backyard with her so she is always asking us if we have food or if we are sick she takes care of us.  I started washing my clothes like three days ago so when I had it out drying it started to rain and she brought it in and ironed it for me. I still can’t iron and
I haven’t done it really in the mission.  Neither have I really had to wash my cloths.  Doing that is really hard because it’s by hand and everything has to air dry, that’s what really sucks, hahaha.  But the house is awesome. The only thing I miss from the other house is that it had a water heater on the shower. So about 3 times a week, I had warm showers.  Many cold showers blow in the morning,  hahahahaha.

So you ask about eating hahahaha.  Well whatever you guys are doing with the missionaries right now you might want to keep doing until Garrett gets back home from his mission, because I think out of the
entire zone we are the only ones that have consistent food every dinner and lunch. For lunch we have a cook lady. She is really cool. Her name is Nilda.  She is kind of a mad lady and the house seems a lot like
ours, always a bunch of people yelling and screaming and crying little kids. Her grandkids come over all the time, and me being me, I have to be that pot stirrer hahaha.  I’m pretty sure that’s the one thing that will never change about me hahahaha. But I have a lot of fun with that family. And then for dinner when I got Elder Caal people started fighting over who was going to feed the missionaries which night but
we got that all fix and we are really good on food, hahaha.  Hopefully, it’s the same in my next area. But we walk a lot and mainly has to do with beans and eggs for dinner so it’s all good and we basically live
on a mountain, hahaha.  Oh and the whole soup thing, I have made it clear with a lot of the people we eat with that I don’t like soup.  I tell people that it doesn’t sit well in my stomach, so people don’t give it to me.  Weird thing- not really- the big majority of people that eat weird things are the people that live outside of major city limits and Danli is a pretty big city so there hasn’t been to many weird things here in Danli. But I’m doing great on food haha.

So about that missionary in queen creek, he should have everything  I sent him which was a bag for you a jersey for dad soccer shorts for Mitchell and Honduran cheese balls for Garrett.  He has all of that. I’ll
try to get his phone number at changes because he has all of that stuff. It should be there.

Me and my comp are fine. If they really did leave us together for one more change that would be ok. But it would get really, really quiet in the house. The big thing we have going currently is that there is a
member that works as a teacher out of our area.  And she brings like 15 of her students to church on Sunday.  So in our ward council we had yesterday the bishopric talked us because we weren’t going to visit these 15 kids. The bishop told us it wasn’t sinning to go into a different area and that we should go over there.  So we talked to President about it this morning and he said that we should work it out with the sisters who are in that area, and that he prefers us to go out there with the sisters to go visit these
kids.  Two or 3 of them we have permission from the parents and they want to get baptized so will see how that whole thing works out.

Don’t worry about the questions.  I never know what to say.  So at least this way you can get all the info you want.  But I’m doing great.  But it’s time for changes and I’m excited. I really want to get back to Choluteca so I can get a little warm again haha

Love you  all

Elder Spencer Olsen