You Will Know. I Promise.

05/11/2015

Well, here we are another week down, and it was pretty awesome because I got to see my amazingly, awesome mother, that is better than all your mothers.  And you can challenge me all you want, but it’s true, my mom is the best.  I don’t remember where, but I was reading something about how sometimes people have children that stray. The writer was saying that maybe before this life, God had told those future parents that he was going to give them one of his children with a lot of problems and difficulties because he knew they were the best option for that spirit child, and that coming to the earth in their care would allow this child to become the best that he could be.  That they would help this child more than any other person could.  I’m sure my mom was one of those, ha ha, ‘cause she got me.  

Anyways, this week was pretty normal.... hot! ha ha.  We are still working on getting all six of the investigators that aren’t married, to get married.  Sadly, I won’t get to see any of that because I’m getting changed on Wednesday.... just found out.  Weird.  Only two changes here and they are kicking me out.  Anyways... things are good... just trying to contact a lot of people to find more people to teach. It’s pretty hard but I’ve been getting better at talking more. Even though I don’t like it much, ha ha.  The people are pretty rude sometimes but it’s what we do.

I’ve been trying to finish the Book of Mormon [in Spanish] before I finish the mission and it’s been going pretty well.  I just love that book!  It’s just full of awesome stuff.  I love reading about the people like Nephi and Lehi in Helaman who taught with such power.  I wish I could teach like them.  But I really do know that this book is true.  It is a guide book for us.  It tells us what we should do to get back to live with God. I know that as we read it, we will feel a difference in our lives, because I felt it when I read it before the mission.  The promise of Moroni is true. I’ve tried it and I have received a testimony from the spirit, just as he said would happen.  I invite you all to continually read the Book of Mormon.  And if you don’t know it its true, to try the promise of Moroni, to read and to pray and ask if it’s the truth.  You will know.  I promise it.  

So that’s all, not much this week sorry :)

Elder Ollis

[Note from Mom: We had a great skype call with Elder Ollis on Saturday.  Unfortunately, we couldn't see him very well, so no pictures.  A bad connection or camera (not sure which) made him look very pixelated, although he could see us just fine. In fact, first question of the call was....Thomas, are you wearing my pants?  And yes indeed, Thomas was wearing a pair of his pants.  

He said the ward building where he is serving is in a scary part of town so it's hard to keep members active.  They are afraid to go to church.  The ward has 900 members but only 140 attend each week. They have spent a lot of time trying to find those on the ward list, but often there is not an address, only a neighborhood to reference.  Many of the members have started attending other churches or are just no longer interested.  It breaks his heart that they don't understand the covenants they made through baptism and they have fallen away.  

As mentioned, he will be transferred on Wednesday back to Cerro Verde, Choloma.  This was his second area.  He is excited to renew friendships with members there and we will be anxious to hear how his first week goes.  And he promised more pictures!]