Transfers, fish tank...

 Monday, June 24, 2024; Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil:

My week was pretty simple but still busy.

I had transfers. That means a lot of packing, cleaning our house, etc. 

Wednesday night I took an 8-hour bus from Porto Velho, Rondonia, to Rio Branco, Acre. The bus was super nice, actually easy to sleep on. I woke up briefly a few times during the night. At 2 a.m. I woke up, checked the time and took a look at Google maps. I was super close to the Bolivian border. 

Here in Rio Branco the weather seems similar enough to Porto Velho, pretty hot, a tad bit humid. 

The time zone here is currently an hour behind Manaus, which is also an hour behind North Carolina, (and an hour ahead of Utah). 

My new companion is Elder Whipple, from Arizona, he's got 11 months on the mission.

I am now covering two wards, and--sadly for us--they each have their own chapel [and meet at the same time on Sunday]. So, [for attending] things like church meetings and activities, we will have to rotate where we go and such. We live in the boundaries of one of the Wards and the chapel building is a 5-minute walk from our apartment. The other Ward's chapel is around an hour walk away from us.

We live in an apartment, and the owner put a large 'fish tank' in the ground where we walk into the apartment place, so we get to see some HUGE fish everyday entering and leaving home. Like, several feet long fish. Cool but random. 

Anyways, this week was a lot of waiting, traveling and getting to know new people, members, attending a few activities, etc. Next week should be more normal.

This week I was thinking about the fact that God always wants the best for us. It's not that he doesn't like where we are, but he wants to help us become better. I was talking with one of the members here who seems to be doing decently financially and with work. He mentioned he was working on more schooling, so he could get a better job. He was seeking to learn more and increase his opportunities. God wants that of us.

Just like President Oaks said in one of his talks, there is always the Good, Better and Best. We can accept something that is decent, maybe accept our level of a Christlike attribute. Or we can seek better. We can seek the best. Our Father in Heaven wants us to learn more, grow more, understand more, and be more. He wants us to not just be ok, or acceptable. No. He wants us to be the best possible. And He is there to help us with that!

So, my invitation to all of you is.... Learn more, grow more. Understand more. Become more. Follow the example of Jesus!

Love you all! Amo todos vocês! Espero que vocês têm o melhor semana até agora, e ficam bem felizes e estão progredindo e sendo melhores cada dia. 

Elder David Olson

Missão Brasil Manaus Sul

Fé, Obras e Poder

Fotos-

-Fish tank

-Last day: I love Porto Velho pic with Élder Pohm

-District P-day here in RB

-My new comp Elder Whipple and I, along with Elder Bezerra, who's leaving from here to serve in another part of Brazil soon