White Christmas and Scrooge

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 Monday, December 25, 2023; Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil:

This week, three of our friends-Lucas, Eraldo and Letícia-were baptized! It was awesome to help them with that important step in their lives! Baptism is an awesome start to the most important path in life. It leads to what's most important: returning to be with our Father in Heaven. 😀

On Sunday, for Christmas, we had a special Sacrament Meeting. Both of the Wards [congregations] meeting at our chapel met together. During that meeting, our friends who were baptized, received the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

On Christmas Eve, Elder Schmidt and I went with 4 other Elders to be with some members in the other Elders' area. There we talked for a little while, ate an awesome dinner, and then returned home. We had to be home at normal time, by 9:30pm. 

Also, Christmas Eve, from 6pm until about 11:45pm, there were frequent fireworks going off, combined with the occasional super-loud motorcycle zooming around the block. 

Right at midnight, a ton of fireworks went off, continuing for about an hour. And tons more motorcycles driving around making a ruckus. We definitely did not sleep until 2am. 

Sadly, most of the fireworks here are not pretty, they are more for noise and less for sight.

Then for Christmas day, I called my family for a little while, then we got together with 3 zones of missionaries here in Manaus, and played some games, ate food, and watched the Disney version of Scrooge. It was fun.

This week I was thinking about some stuff. One thing especially was the Birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He was born as a pure child, perfect. He taught us to be as a little child, to be perfect. To be happy, and humble. 

Sometimes in this world we focus too much on becoming better at our skills. Skills are important and we need to cultivate and use them. But for me personally, I feel I have skills that will help me in life. However, those skills, or the world view of those skills, may not let us love others. 

Just like Scrooge-he was very good at saving money, working hard, staying focused and increasing his profit. But in that he didn't have love for others. He wasn't happy and had no friends.

So, my challenge for all of you (besides continuing to light the world) is to use your skills. Learn what you need to live in this world. But remember Jesus. Become as he taught, like a child. Humble, full of love. I promise if you do that, you will become more perfect. You will develop the skills of our perfect example, Jesus Christ.

That's it, hope y'all had an awesome Christmas and have an awesome New Years!!! 

Elder Olson
🌴MANAUS🌴

PICS-
-Baptism!!🌊
-Last week's mall choir performance
-Last week's full Mission Zone Conference, can you spot me?🌴🌴🌴
-Our ward gave us a big present/gift basket for Christmas ♥️

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