Sept 23, 2013 Tegucigalpa ACT Test

Hey mom dad and everyone,

Man Taymar is looking sooooo cute I can’t wait to go see her. Man her eyes are sooooo big she is sooooo cute. But man Lauren is using her like a little baby doll hahaha.

The act went really, really well. I took in in a place called the American school over by the president’s house. I thought there was going to be traffic to get over there because you have to take the freeway type of thing call el anillo periferico. So we left the house at like 630am to get there because my report time was at 8am and I still didn’t have an exact idea where on the campus I needed to go. But the dumb this was is that there wasn’t any traffic and we got there at like 7am so we had to sit there for an hour waiting for the test to start.

There were 3 others there with me but they were all from here in Honduras. They obviously spoke English but were talking to the teacher who gave us the test in Spanish even though she spoke to us in English. She was a nice lady the one that gave us the test. She is from here but studied counseling in the states and spoke prefect English. So it was a good time. The night before Boe help me out a ton. He is a math genius, and helped me with a bunch of formulas that I couldn’t remember for anything. It he helped me a lot. The easiest parts were the English and math. I’m still at horrible at reading. And the reading and science parts killed me. I wanted to die when I was taking those tests. But I think I should be fine. The test results will be going to the house.

The Mejia family is doing ok. It’s just really hard to try to move on when they keep asking the same thing over and over again. And they make every lesson 2 hours long. I went up there with elder Oveson last Tuesday to try to get things going again. We challenged them to baptism and cuz they are sooooo many it’s hard to try to teach them all at the pace they need thing. But we are still in the fight with them.

Yesterday went really good. We had a bunch of people at church. It felt really good cuz we haven’t had inv. in church for 2 weeks straight. My last week with elder head we found a family that the fathers mother is the owner of the hotel in langue. The guys name is Lenin. I met him while I was there in langue and we always tried to get him to go to church. But finally this week we got him to go with us him and all his family except his wife who works all weekend long. And he has an 18 year old son who has a big desire to go on a mission so we are helping with that too.

Then after church we went and ate. Then went to a cita that we missed Saturday because of my test. But it was really good it was with a kid named Roni that is really intelligent that when we left him a chapter in the bom he not only read it but he studied it. It was awesome. We left him 3nephi 11 that talks about when Christ establishes baptism and hey realized a lot of things that most people don’t recognize. Like how Christ calls and gives Nephi the authority to baptize. It was awesome.

Well it’s been a good week we should have 2 baptisms this week. So I’m really pumped for that. Can’t wait to see you guys just 24 days a way. Love you all

Elder Spencer Olsen

Sept 16, 2013 Tegucigalpa Staying Strong

Hey Mom Dad and everyone,

Well... what can I say? This is going to be a difficult last month of my mission. So when I got to the area of my last change, the investigators that they had left me with were just a bunch of little kids. It was really bad. So we got in and started working with those that were the best and left the others behind. The big majority of them couldn’t get permission from their parents or they were just indecisive little children. So we started to get some references from the members in the ward, and they were going good. We were working with the YSA (Young Single Adults) teacher’s mother and that was going great. We are still working with the reference that the Elders Quorum president’s wife gave. They are going ok but just don’t want to seem to progress. It’s a little frustrating. And the Mejia family. They are just too stuck with that all you need to get to heaven and have an eternal family is just to have enough faith and everything will be ok.

So it just seems like everything that we had or have is just falling underneath us. So on Thursday I went on division with the missionaries from a place called Sabena Grande which is like an hour out of the city. It’s a nice little town. And they took me to the middle of nowhere I felt like I was back in the south in my little pueblo towns. It was great. It’s a very beautiful. I didn’t have time to take photos this last time but I will take some the next I go.

My comp is really chill. He is from Napa Cali but his parents are moving to South Carolina. He is just a really big guy, it’s unreal. He still has a little trouble with Spanish but I’m helping him a lot. He is just a really chill quiet kid. So I’m not too worried about him in the act because he normally just sits in silence. He likes to program computers and so I think in might be writing down code and stuff cuz he wants to make his own phone when so it should be fine.

Well everyone is getting on my back to get on the computer. I’m on to get off. I’ll try to get to a cyber a little later to write a little more. But I love you guys and I’ll have you photos next weeks. (It was a holiday in Honduras and the Stake was doing an Indexing Event at the building he was at.  They wanted to use the computer he was on, so he wasn't able to download pictures.)

Have a great week

Elder Spencer Olsen

Sept 12, 2013 TRAVEL PLANS

On Thurs, Sept 12, 2013, we were sitting at the Highland Football Game, (Spencer's Alma Mater), and I opened up my email for the first time that day, and guess what was the first email.....Spencer's Itinerary.  He's coming home.  I was screaming and all excited.  Thank goodness nothing exciting was going on for the other team we were playing.  So, here it is, Spencer is coming HOME:

October 17, 2013
Depart Tegucigalpa 11:48 am
Arrive Houston 3:55 pm
Depart Houston 5:38 pm
Arrive Phoenix 6:29 pm

He gets to have one carry-on, one checked luggage up to 50 lb. and 2nd luggage is $40 up to 50 lb.  I'm sure he is planning on leaving most of his things there and bringing home souvenirs. We are so excited and I can't wait to hold him in my arms.  He has already told me how he wants this to go.  We all have to be waiting down in Baggage Claim.  We have a long escalator from the gates down to Baggage.  He wants me to be waiting at the bottom of the escalator with a Diet Mountain Dew Circle K in one hand and In and Out in the other.  I told him we can go to In and Out on the way home.  He agreed to stopping on the way home.  It's going to be so exciting!  I can't wait.  If anyone wants to join us at the airport to welcome him home, you are more than welcome to join us.  Come join the FUN!

Sept 9, 2013 Tegucigalpa - LAST District

Hello Mom dad and everyone,

So we started a new change. But not just any change but my LAST change. It feels absolutely unreal. I did have change. I got a new comp, and his name is Elder Boe. He is from Napa, Cali. So that’s another comp I can go see his parents before he gets home hahahaha. He is really a chill kid. He has 7 months in the mish so he has a good idea how everything works now and that’s good. But ya it should be a good last change.

Let’s see in the aspect of work it’s been a little hard. It seems like everything we had or have is all falling. The familia Mejia is having some issues with Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. It’s been a rough ride with them. They always ask the same question over and over again. But we are still going with them. We are going to watch the restoration video with them so that they can understand a little bit more about Joseph Smith.

So yesterday we didn’t have anyone in church, not even recent converts that go to our class were there. So Elder Boe and I started to try to get references and that worked out ok. We got like 5 to go and contact. It’s been a very baggie week. I have tried to stay motivated but its just so hard at times, but me and Elder Boe have made up a deal for how we are going to do things so we can both stay animated in all we do hahaha.

Man it’s getting down to the wire I take my ACT in 2 weeks. I’m studying. I think I should do fine. Just pray for me. Well I love you guys and can]t wait to get home and get on with everything. I’m sooooo excited.

Love you all

Elder Spencer Olsen

Elder Olsen's Last District.  Elder Boe is on the Left

Sept 2, 2013 Tegucigalpa

Hello mom dad and everyone

Well man it’s really coming down to the wire... I can’t believe that I am an uncle!! And Why thank you so much for the news that you guys got me a car. Next would-be the cell phone hahaha. Jk But ya it’s been a pretty crazy week. I feel like I just wrote you guys. It was on Wednesday. So on Thursday the Zl’s told us that they were going to split our area. So that was kind of a big hit for us. Because we were going to have a split the area and find them a house. I’ll get to that in second.

So then after district meeting we went on divisions. I went with Elder Martinez. He was in my 1st zone nearly 2 years ago. He is from Monterrey Mexico. The really big thing we did was that we had a baptism on Friday so we had to go do her interview. That went over really well. But then we really didn’t do anything. We for dinner that night went to a pulp and bought beans, eggs, a little bit of bread and mantequilla. It was really sad hahaha.

So then on Friday we finished our divisions Friday afternoon and then went to back to the area. We were getting ready for our baptism knowing that the sisters had a baptism shortly after ours. And at about 3pm we get a call from a random number. I answered it and it was the mission leader of the sisters. So he started to get really upset with us that we were kicking them out of their time when the sisters told me that they we going to do their baptism 7pm. It was really dumb. But the guy called and freaked out for nothing cuz he was saying that we needed to be done and out but 7pm that they were going to NEED the baptismal room at that time and of course they when we gave them the room didn’t even start on time.  But it turned out really good.

So Saturday was sooooo dumb. I have never really liked touching doors. And my comp wanted to go contact this area called the Victor. First off to find a house for the new Elders that were coming and to also find them some inv so they weren’t starting with nothing. So from 12 noon till 4pm I swear we touched every single door in that place. We only found 2 houses that were for rent but they didn’t have any info neither phone members to call them with. Man it was unreal. I don’t ever want to contact again hahaha. Sunday we had stake conference. The stakes here always ask Pres Hernandez and his wife to come to stake conferences. Man my Pres knows how just to take the simplest stories and make them so interesting.

Then we went to lunch at a member’s house and when we were about to leave it started to rain until like 7pm. So we chilled there and went to the house at like 4 to wait it out. Then went to another member’s house to get dinner and finished the day.

Today we went to a place called Valle de Angels. It’s where Tarver finished his mish. It is a huge tourist part. But we just went shopping the entire time. No big thing. And they also told us that they aren’t going to split the area. And they are going to take out Elder Head I will know who my new comp is tomorrow night. But I’m doing great just serving, hahaha. 44 days and I’ll be coming down those stairs in Sky Harbor Airport hahahahaha.

Love you guys

Elder Spencer Olsen

 This is my district

 This is the baptism we had this week. Her name is Paola. She took nearly 4 years to get baptized 

Ws with some of the ward missionaries. Their dad is the 1st Counsolor of the Comayaguela Mission

Aug 28, 2013, I'm An UNCLE!

Hey mom dad and everyone

WOW THAT’S SOOOOOO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so even more excited to go home. I’m already planning a road trip to Utah when I get home so Idaho might just have to be part of it now hahahahaha. But that’s sooooo awesome for Lauren. Just think in about 4 or 5 years I’ll will be having my 1st. That’s a very scary thought hahaha.

But man this week has been just a normal week again. We did have a really good lesson earlier in the week. We have this girl named Paola that for the last 3 years she has not wanted to get baptized. So we ended up doing was without her knowing we asked her the baptismal questions. And she answered them all just perfectly fine. And then I told her that that’s all she needed to know to get baptized. And then my comp asked her why she was afraid of getting baptized. And she told us that is was because she didn’t want to pass in front and give her testimony. So it was kind of weird but she is good to go.

We do have this other girl named Dulce that man she has all the desire to be baptized but her family is keeping her from being able to do anything. She has a catholic grandmother that doesn’t even really realize what she is saying normally hahaha. It’s kind of funny. But we are still trying to see if she can get baptized this week.

So man it’s really coming down today there is exactly 7 weeks left in my mission 49 days. I can’t wait to get home and see all you guys and just be able to relax a moment, then get right back into the real world. I may talk like I am baggy but I have been working really well. It’s just really hard to stay focused all the time hahaha. But I love you guys see you all in 49 day haha.

Love you all

Elder Spencer Olsen

 Final Zone Conference - Tegucigalpa

 The New SUIT - Who is Harvey and who is Mike?

This is the Mejia fam. The guy in the suit in the middle is the head of security at the temple and we are teaching his family. Its way tight 

 This is my current Zone

Elder Olsen - Looking Good Again

This is Spencer's Niece, Taymar Pearle Nielsen.  She was born on Monday, Aug 26, 2013

Aug 19, 2013 Tegucigalpa Final Testimony Zone Conference

Hello Mom Dad and everyone,

Man well I read Connors letter and I would love to say unto him how unfair he has a car and members that feed him and everything. But I did like his testimony about how the new guy always gets burned hahahahaha. Here in the zone Elder Head is one of the newest guys. And I have become really close with the gringo ZL that we have in the zone. He is the one I got my suit made with hahaha. And he was good friends with Elder Head. But now because we have almost the same time with Elder Oveson who is the ZL. We have done division a few times and Elder Head always gets stuck with the Latin ZL. It’s just funny that the new guy always gets burned hahahahaha. And the whole Spanish thing will come along no big deal. I mean look at me I’m doing just fine and I really haven’t spoken English with my comps for the big majority of my mish so don’t worry too much it will all come eventually.  But man a car. The area presidency of Central America just prohibited bikes in all the Central American missions it sucks.

Well let’s see this week has been a very baggy week hahahahaha. The cool thing about it all is that on Tuesday we got a call from the bishop telling us that he had a reference for us and that he had put an appointment with them for that same day. So we went up there and it ended being a family of 10 people that lived in the same house. There was an older couple that one of their sons is the head of security at the temple. They are really positive. The guy’s father has a lot of really good questions. But it makes the lessons really, really long. The 1st lesson, the restoration, lasted 2 hours because the bishop answered a lot of questions. But it went really well and they had told us that they were going to go to church with their son to his ward. But on Sunday just before the bus took off, the whole family showed up to go to church. Man I wanted to do a back flip when they were all on the bus. Then just before the sacrament meeting ended, their son showed up to help us out. And he sat through the inv class with us and helped his parents understand the class a little bit better. I have a lot of faith that the whole family will get baptized it has been an awesome experience with them so far.

Then on Thursday we had my finally zone conference. So that means it was my turn with like 7 other missionaries to give our finally testimonies. So I went like 6. And everything was just too quiet and no one had made a joke. And then it came to my turn. So I go to start talking about that it had been a long time to finally get to this moment. And while everyone thought that I was going to say that it was time to go home. I said that I had finally got to come to Tegus hahahahaha. But it was really good. I think mine went the longest. But it was a great conference. Pres like always talked about repentance. It was really good. And this was the first time I had put on my new suit. And cuz I got it with Elder Oveson we put each others coats on each other to be super gentlemen hahahahaha. But it was really good. And to make us just look even more goofy. Just to remember we got the same suit and the same style. Sis Hernandez needed 2 volunteers in her class. So  Elder Oveson and I went up there in front of the 2 other elder that were going up there. And when we were sitting there waiting for the conference she had also mentioned to the both of us that we looked very handsome. It was sooooo awesome.

Man so after the conference we went to Wendy’s to go get frosties. And it started raining. Then the Zl’s asked me and Elder Head to go help them do divisions in their area. So we went over to their house to drop our stuff off and that’s when it started to rain too hard that we didn’t leave to do anything. And so we need up staying the night there at the Zl’s house. Tell Connor that at least he has an air mattress. Elder Head got stuck sleeping on the hard tile floor that night.

So what we came to find out the night we stayed at the Zl’s house like 2 blocks from our house there was a drive by shooting and they killed a lawyer that lived by our house. They passed by killing the guy at about 830 or 9 at night. When we found that out man I really feel like the Lord was really protecting us that night. It was sooo amazing cuz if we would have been in the area we would have passed right by there right as those guys passed by with the guns. Man did we luck out I feel sooooo blessed.

Well it’s been a really good week. But man I can’t wait to go home. But I’m still doing great. Have a great week love you guys

Elder Spencer Olsen

Putting on the new SUIT.  What a Gentleman!

The next group to go home.  Zone Conference

Their Final Testimony Meeting.