Rain, Churrasco and The Bus

 Monday, November 11, 2024; Floresta Ward, Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil:

Olá, bem vindos a todos! Espero que sua semana foi top demais e que vocês vão ter mais uma semana cheia de alegria!

This past week has been good, bad, and everything in between. Being that it's the rainy season, that is awesome for the climate but isn't so great when you want to talk to lots of people. Brazilians here like to hole up in the house and not come out when it rains. So, during the rainy days and moments, everyone is either at work, at school, or hidden inside. 

But anyways... some other things also happened. 

-We saw a goat this week!

-Lots more bugs outside, including mosquitos, flies, beetles, and more

We had an awesome family night in the Bishop's house. He invited some other people from his neighborhood, and it went great. I used some Classic family night strategies from my family's past experiences. Things like a mini-scavenger hunt around the house. It was super fun, and everyone enjoyed it! 

I went on a divisão/exchange this week; my companion for that day was Elder Metcalf from Utah. It was an awesome day. We met a bunch of new people. 

I found out that my basic ping-pong skills are still better than some of the youth around here.

The Rio Branco bus system is such that each line goes to and from the terminal in downtown Rio Branco. Downtown RB is on the opposite side of RB from where I am, so, it can be both convenient and not. But we used it somewhat successfully this week. Except one day I looked at an APP on my phone, and we waited around 1.5 hours for a bus that comes every 30 mins... still don't know what happened there. 

Funny thing, I noticed a limit for the number of people on the bus at one time... that only applies when it's not rush-hour/end-of-school timing, cause the bus gets packed, lots of people standing squished together.

This coming week we will have a Zone Conference with all the missionaries in Acre. Then we will have our Stake Conference with all the members in and near Rio Branco. Should be awesome! The Stake members are hoping that the Stake will be divided in half and a new Stake will be created, but we don't know if it will happen now or not. 

We had an Elders Quorum activity (men's activity). It went pretty good, Barbecue was served. Some awesome messages shared by the Elders Quorum leaders. 

That night, before the Elders Quorum activity as we were on our way there, we passed this guy sitting on the side of the road. We were walking past him, but I thought to invite him to the activity. Then I thought maybe no, because I was pretty sure he was smoking pot. And while we usually don't try to talk to people using drugs or drinking (in the moment when they will be the least receptive to the Spirit), I decided to talk to him. We had a short chat with him. While we did not in that moment invite him to the activity, we did arrange to return and talk more with him, to teach and try to help him some. I know that maybe many people wouldn't think that to be a miracle, since it was something small and may not lead to much. We even tried returning and weren't able to talk to him the next day. 

However, to me it was a little miracle. Because as we talked with him that first night, he mentioned that he hadn't called out to us or tried to talk to us, because he knows we are people 'of the church' and he knows he shouldn't be using drugs. It just showed me that there are so many people who because of addiction, or anything like it, don't reach out to others, maybe don't even turn to God. Often, they know it's wrong but maybe because of that they keep to themselves. But each of us can choose to judge a little less. 

Personally, I hope that that man knows that I love, and that God loves him. While I may not have helped him in that moment, and may never be able to see him again, sometimes it's the small things. I felt the love of God for him in that moment, and felt his sorrow and regret for doing things he knows are wrong and hurting himself doing them. While I can't help everyone with everything, I can try. I can share a little love with them. Maybe they are able or ready for the change they need. But maybe I can help them just a little. 

What about y'all? How are you helping others, what little things are you doing? Who can you help, if even just with something small like a smile? How can you #LightTheWorld? It's almost that time @Christmas.

That's my invitation: #LightTheWorld. Do Good, Love is Why.

Love you all!

Elder David Olson

Missão Brasil Manaus Sul

Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil 

Pics-

-Book of Mormon picture booth after the ward Primary Program

-Elder Johnson and I!

-Pretty Sunset on a long road surrounded by fields and forests

-Goat we passed one day