The Time has Flown, But I have to Focus on the Remaining 18 Months!

02/17/2014

My new area is called Cerro Verde. It’s kind of like Park City, just a little resort town without the snow. Really chill.  All the roads are paved and the houses are nice.  But right now I’m living in Choloma.  It’s about twenty minutes outside San Pedro.  The missionary work is good.  I’m still in a trio with the Zone Leaders and we are working in my area some days of the week and the other days in their area.  So we have two areas to work.  The Zone Leaders and I do splits.  I go with a ZL and the other ZL goes with a member for three days of the week.  I love my area and my comps.  One is from El Salvador and the other is a gringo, but his dad is from El Salvador so he speaks good Spanish, which is awesome.  I’m doing alright and we get along great. 

My area has a good ward with a lot of returned missionaries that I hope will be willing to help.  I’m trying to meet all the members and our investigators because I don’t know where anyone lives. So it’s really crazy.  I still have to meet with the Bishop.  He’s not really interested in helping us, but I’m working on it.  We have a baptismal date and there are a couple of investigators that are close to baptism.  So there is work to do and people to teach. I just don’t know them all and I need time to get to know the area. I still have no idea where I’m walking in my area, but with time hopefully I’ll figure that out.  So I’m basically exhausted.  

Honestly, I don’t really have much more to share, except for the fact that I’m enjoying this mission! And yes this week is my six months.  There will be cake involved most likely!  The time has flown, but I have to focus on the remaining 18 months! 

Something I’m learning on my mission is how to listen to the spirit.  That is something so critical for a missionary and all of us, but I’m really not good at it.  There’s a quote in Preach My Gospel by President Hinckley that says if you’re prompted to do something good or are enlightened, it’s the spirit. Because all good things come from God and the spirit testifies of Him.  I think I’ve been overcomplicating trying to feel the spirit my whole mission so far. I’ve been waiting for some voice to talk to me.  I also spoke with the President of the Mission at a Zone Conference and I asked him how to tell if it’s my thoughts or the spirit.  He said that the spirit works through our thoughts.  God knows us individually and knows our thoughts also. He speaks to us through the spirit in our individual thoughts, in ways that we will understand.  I can’t remember exactly how he said it but it made sense to me.  So that’s all because I’m running out of time. Love you all! 

Elder Ollis