Lost in the rainforest???

- March 05, 2024

Monday, March 4, 2024; Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil:

Olá one and all, como vocês estão?

This week was pretty good, had some awesome moments. My comp and I got lost in the Amazon Forest... but wait.

Firstly, we had some really awesome lessons. One of our friends will be getting baptized this weekend, Jeysy. She is learning and progressing a lot, and really trying to make her life better.

This week when I went to get some money out of the bank, the ATM charged me but stole my money. Now I need to go deal with the bank: long lines and wait times.

Now to getting lost in the forest. My current house is close to a big forest park. [Samaúma] It is in the city, but honestly it isn't used too much. One day my companion wanted to go through the park as a short cut to the other side. There were trails crossing the park at several points. He had done it before, so I agreed. As we got going, we came to a few other trails, and in the end, we got lost on the wrong trail. We did reach the end of the trails, to find the edge of a highway. Not where we were going. Eventually we found our way out. I guess a big park isn't the real Amazon Forest but...

Something I love and hate is the responsibility of being a missionary in my specific area. Throughout the world there are a ton of people, and a ton of missionaries. But each missionary and their companion are assigned an area. So, anything we do should be focused in that area, and if we don't do anything, nothing gets done, and no one helped in that area. This week while we were contacting people in the street, one lady mentioned that she had seen missionaries before but never talked to them.

It helped me know that it was the time and place for us to be talking to her, and also made me wonder, how many people around the world who live in an area or city covered by missionaries have never talked to us? They don't know who we are, what we do, or what our message is? And how important is our message!

Knowing where we humans come from, why we are here on Earth, and where we are going is essential to our decisions during our lives.

Just like each missionary dupla has a responsibility, each person on earth has a responsibility. Each of us have our own families, friends and lives. And during our lives, each of us have unique opportunities to bless the lives of others, to show love for our neighbors. As we put ourselves into God's hands, He will lead us and we can help others.

That's my challenge for each of you. Bless and help others as God would that you do.

I know God has a plan for all of us, collectively and individually. I know He knows us all and cares about us. I know that He will help all of us as we strive to follow Him.

I love y'all!

I hope you all have an awesome week!!

Elder David Olson

MANAUS

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