Baptism! :)

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 Monday, April 17, 2023; Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil:

Olá!

This week was awesome!

First off, someone we were teaching got baptized! Luiz has been taught since a little while before I arrived in this area. He was prepared and got baptized. 

Funny story though...

Luiz's brother João had his birthday the same day as the baptism. Because of this, my companion and I went with Luiz and João to get açaí (It was super good). We got açaí about two hours before the baptism. On the way Luiz asked me a question which I was not expecting. Elder Paiva had started teaching Luiz before I arrived here. It was also Elder Paiva's last week as a missionary. So, when Luiz asked if I knew that I would be baptizing him I was confused for a minute. I had assumed Luiz would choose Elder Paiva. But nope, he chose me. That gave me less than an hour to learn the baptismal prayer in Portuguese, iron my white clothes and some other things. But the baptism went super well! A bunch of ward members came, Elder Paiva and I sang a special musical number, there was cake ;)

It was cool to see Luiz learn and grow as we taught him, and I am excited for him as he continues to learn and grow.

This week we also had a district meeting in person. Some of our meetings with the 10 other missionaries in our district are virtual but I love the in-person ones a lot more. 

This week was one of the few times I have eaten fish here, which is common, I just haven't had to eat it much. It was ok, but a little difficult to eat with the spines and all, and I just don't like the flavor of it. But hey I still have most of my mission to like it ;)

We also had testimony meeting in church this week. My companion bore his testimony and it was super sweet as it was his second to last week on his mission, and he shared some of the things he had learned. I also bore my testimony which was nerve-racking because of Portuguese. 

My Portuguese gets better day by day. I am understanding a lot more, and if I don't understand it, it is easier to either figure out what was being said another way, or change the subject to show my Portuguese wasn't nonexistent. Sometimes people use me to practice what English they have which is fun. Basic English is more fun than difficult Portuguese :)

This is the last week of the transfer. I love my companion, but I also want to experience other missionaries' examples and teaching, how they live and what they eat and compare to help me know what I will do for my mission. Adapting as I learn more, of course.

This week I reflected on how much hope can help us. God wants to bless us but he wants us to try first. To be prepared. Work gets results.

In the mission there is a rule to always hold a Book of Mormon in our hands as we walked. If you don't know, it is another testament of Jesus Christ, and his visit to the Ancient Americas. It is a companion to the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. I made a goal to always have Book of Mormon with me in my hands and one in my bag. No, we haven't given that many out. But having two is showing the Lord I am prepared to give one out. And still have one in my hands. I have seen how easy it is to share with someone when it's in our hands. Multiple times people have asked about it and we were able to share and give them one. Just being prepared allows the Lord to bless us and I invite you to prepare to receive and share the Love of Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven with others.

I love you all and so does Jesus Christ. Take my word for it :) <3

Elder Olson
MANAUS BR

Pics-
-Luiz Before Baptism
-Luiz After Baptism :)
-Luiz, João, Elder Paiva and I. And Açaí
-My district
-Some if the young men and members at Church

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