10 Nov 2010

Family,

I am so excited!!!!! Today is my first full day out of the office. And I am loving it. I have really missed serving full time, but at the same time I am very thankful for the opportunity that I had to serve in the office, I learned alot. But now I feel like we will be able to be more effective APs being in the field full time. During our visit that the area presidency made he had told us the importance of the aps being examples in the work, that we need to be baptizing the most on the mission, and so it was hard to really establish a teaching pool while only working limited hours, now working basically full time we will be able to have alot more success. I am really excited. Elder Castleton my old companion went home on monday, it was hard to say goodbye.. we worked for 3 months together and he really became one of my good friends. I gave him our address and he is going to stop by this month and get to know the family. Elder Hansen is my new companion. He is awesome!!! He is a little nervous to be ap, but he will do great. He has about 1 yr and 5 months on the mission. I cant believe i only have 2 more transfers. it is crazy. I get a little sad sometimes thinking about how fast time goes by. but i am really excited to be here. This area is called Costa e Silva. It is a really good area. It hasnt had alot of success. Only 3-5 baptisms in 8 months, but last night we got here for the first time and we talked with the bishop(he served a mission in the states speaks english) and the ward mission leader and they are both really excited. We are going to baptize alot of people. Our goal is at least 20 people this transfer!! 4 families!! we know that is possible. I really want to end my mission just going all out, working as hard as i can. I am really excited. We got here and we had to break into our house, and then there was nothing inside of it, so we had to sleep on top of matresses on the ground. It was awesome. well i loved to read justins letter. I laughed alot.. i love him so much. It was weird i started crying reading justin's email.. I just couldnt help but feel like alma in the book of mormon. I felt such joy hearing my little brother tearing it up in the mission field. I felt so much peace, i just started crying. I love this work, i love serving the Lord with all my heart, to just be here working and serving the Lord. I love you all, i love this people here in brasil!!! I love my Savior Jesus Christ!!

Hurrah for Israel!!!

Elder Olsen