The Lord is Preparing People for Us

6/22/2015


Well another week has come and gone.  We will be having changes this Wednesday and we will see what happens. 

This week was pretty good. I’m still just trying to become like Christ day by day.  Today I think I failed.... ha ha.  We had a zone activity and it ended up with everyone doing their own thing.  So I got a little frustrated... but like my wise little brother said... rough times make me stronger.

This week we had a pretty cool experience that once again proved to me that the Lord is preparing people for us.  The other day we ran into a recent convert named Hector.  He’s a pretty funny guy. He’s like a big teddy bear. Unfortunately, we found him a bit drunk.. just a little buzzed I guess.  But he brought us over to his mom’s house.  So we started teaching his mom and his sister and they are super interested. The other day we had an appointment with his sister and we started talking to her. She told us about a lot of her problems she has been having lately. Her son got stabbed in front of her, she can’t find work, her house burned up with her in it... crazy hard problems.  She has also been pretty sick lately.  They had to take her to the hospital the other day and she stayed with relatives in San Pedro.  But she came back to her house for the appointment we had with her.  She told us that as she was on the way to the hospital, she prayed that God would let her be okay so that she could join the church.  It was a pretty cool experience to hear her say that and I know that she has been prepared by the Lord.  So we will see what happens in the future with her and her mom.

So just keep trucking along everyone!

Elder Ollis

I Love Christ and What He Has Done for Me

06/15/2015


Well another week has come and gone.  This week was pretty good.  I had an interview with President, which is always a great opportunity.  He is seriously one of the most Christ like people I’ve ever met.  We also had a meeting with all the leadership of the mission.  It’s funny, because last week I mentioned that I’m not like Christ yet, and the leadership meeting was about being a Christ like leader.  So I was able to learn a few things.  Good stuff.

As for the work in our area... it’s going along.  We have some promise.  There’s a few people that have shown some interest.  As for baptisms... well, the people we had with fecha [dates] aren’t completing their commitments. So it looks we won’t be having a baptism this week. A little frustrating... but I can’t do much about that.  Just keep inviting them.

This week we also have a stake activity planned.  It’s going to be a mini-MTC  with the youth of the stake. We are going to do a few workshops and teach them some of the stuff from Preach My Gospel and have study time and everything.  And then we are going to do divisions and work with them.  So I’m pretty excited about that. 

In my reading of the Book of Mormon I’ve been doing... I just passed through the sermon of Abinadi to King Noah and his priests.  These chapters are really awesome.  He talks a lot about Christ and that only through him can we be saved and inherit eternal life.  He mentions about those who will be resurrected in the first resurrection and those who are the posterity of Christ.  He also talks about how blessed the people are that preach the gospel. I really like these chapters and the way he talked about Christ.  He truly is our Savior and our only hope.  Without Him we are lost.  I cannot express how much I have enjoyed being able to teach the people about this gospel.  I know the Lord has blessed me in this whole journey, and I know that preaching about the Savior is something that brings true happiness.  I love Christ and what He has done for me.  It is one of my greatest desires to live worthily to be able to come into His presence for eternity.  And the only way, is through the principles of the gospel.  That’s why it’s so important for all these people here in Honduras.  So go read that part of the Book of Mormon, it’s awesome!

Elder Ollis


06/14/2015 - Elder Ollis with Jonathon, the "golden investigator"  (See May 26, 2014 post)
06/11/2015 - Just a regular day in Honduras

06/15/2015 - P-day fun playing Basketball....jammed thumb


I Need More Than a Week to Change

06/08/2015


Well all you people, sorry I don’t have much time... so I won’t write much this week. I don’t have much to say. Sorry, I think the letters get shorter and shorter. This week was pretty stressful... I’m still not Christlike enough. I need more than a week to change ha ha.

Just an update for the baptisms we were going to have... the two kids, Johan and Jordan... kinda  just disappeared.  They didn’t come to church this week, so I have no idea what happened to them.  The good side is that we are teaching the family of the both of them and Johan’s brother or uncle, not quite sure...came to church on Sunday.  So that’s awesome.  We are also planning on having a baptism soon for Paolo.  We have pushed it back a little because she didn’t come to church on Sunday. 

Other than that... I honestly don’t know what to say. It’s really frustrating to see how far away you are personally from being like Christ sometimes.  That’s my problem right now, and it scares me that I don’t have much time to fix all of that. But thankfully we can.  Christ died for our sins, and for all of mine too.  And I know that as I humble myself and try to do all that I can to be more like Him, He will help me out. So just got to keep on swimming because I’m not perfect yet. 

Elder Ollis
P.S. At least I got to play with a chain saw today. [Elder Ollis visited the fire station today!]





Elder Ollis always loved Big Trucks....

And Big Power Tools!

Just Like the Scriptures Say, Without Charity We Are Nothing

06/01/2015


Well, this week was pretty good.  We had a multi-zone conference with President. It’s always good to learn from President.  He’s such a great person.  I wish I could be as Christlike as him.  We talked a lot about the spirit and how if we don’t have it we shouldn’t teach!  Really, the spirit is such an important tool in this work.  It’s how God can guide us as the “boss” of his work. 

We also had divisions with the assistants to the President and that helped my comp and I a lot.  We learned a few things about bettering our companionship.  I also came out of that experience a bit humbled.  I guess I haven’t developed patience enough yet. ha ha.  So I’ll be working on that one.  

As for the work.... the area is awesome!  There’s a ton of work to do.  I feel like we could work a bit more efficiently and we are going to get to that little by little.  But we had a ton of people come to church on their own on Sunday and everything.  So that’s something I’m happy about, that we have work.  Unfortunately the two baptisms we were supposed to have this Saturday, two kids named Johan (14) and Jordan (13), didn’t get baptized.  We were sitting filling the font and Jordan called and said that Johan didn’t feel ready and that he didn’t want to get baptized alone.  So I guess we are going to have to wait on that one.  We are going to try and prepare them a little better and see what’s up.  We also have another lady named Paolo who is preparing for the 13th.  So things are good!

I guess more than anything, I came out of this week reflecting on how I’m doing personally.  I was a humbled a bit this week more than once.  I guess I’m just not perfect yet….ha ha.  Something I really am going to try and develop is more love and patience.  I try to work hard and do everything perfect, but that’s for me more than anything.  And I think maybe I worry too much about that stuff, and not really loving people and caring about them. So I guess I’m going to have to work like always, but look more at the people, what they are doing , how they feel, what they need.  I’m very far from loving as Christ did.  And I know it.  So that’s something I’ve got to work on this week.  Just like the scriptures say, without charity we are nothing.  So I’ve got work to do!

Elder Ollis
That doesn't even show the 70-80% humidity....it's hot!


Just a look at the area