Zone Conference, Coca-Cola and The Savior

 Monday, December 16, 2024; Iranduba Branch, Iranduba, Amazonas, Brazil:

This week was pretty packed full, with a little bit of everything.

To start the week, we had Zone Conference. In my Mission, we are divide into 4 Zones. The states of Rondonia and Acre each have their own Zones for the missionaries serving there. The missionaries in the city of Manaus are another Zone. And the other missionaries serving in the state of the Amazon but outside of Manaus, like me, are in the last Zone. 

My Zone in Portuguese is called Vulture River Zone (Zona Rio Urubu). I guess we do have a bunch of Urubu here. 

.

Normally all of the zones but mine have an in-person Zone Conference every transfer (6 weeks). But being that this Zone Conference was Christmas-themed, they decided to do an in-person conference for us as well, so we all got to travel to Manaus and had Zone Conference with the Manus Zone. 

Zone Conference was awesome! We heard some inspiring messages and got to share with each other some of our favorite names of Jesus Christ. I will tell you all what my favorite name for Him is later on in this email. 

-One day our Zone Leaders traveled from a nearby city to our city to do an exchange with us, so that we switched companions and all four of us worked here in my city for the day. I spent the day with Elder Gibb.

-One day we ate lunch at our Branch President's house. Afterwards, we walked around near his house and picked some fresh fruit off of trees. Oranges (green colored), limes, mangos, and coconuts, as well as a few fruits that we don't have in the USA. We then brought some of them home, and we will be eating them this week. 

-To get to our Zone Conference, we had to take a taxi to Manaus. Except that it was early morning and starting to rain. So, most taxis were not traveling from my city to Manaus. Manaus always has a ton of taxis there to drive to the nearby cities, with taxi company people to call a taxi if you need one. Here, however, we go to a bus stop and wait for a car to pass by. Normally all the taxis are yellow or white cars, with the name of the taxi on the side. So, as we were waiting for one to pass, a yellow car passes by, and the guy says he is a taxi.... we got in, started going and all that went through.my head was stranger danger and how sketchy this guy was. Yes, mom, we got in a complete stranger's car and let him drive us away from anywhere we knew.... but I'm alive so that's all that matters right? 

-One day we were walking down the street and a guy on a motorcycle pulled up near us and talked to some guys at a bar, while pointing a handgun at them. Then he drives off.... 

A little kid of maybe 5 or 6 called us to stop on the street, stared at us for a minute, then told us that God exists... very true. 

-It has been raining every other day, sometimes quite hard. 

-Went to Cacau Show, a Brazilian chocolate store, for the first time. 

-One day we were walking home when we heard and saw a Coca-Cola truck 'train', with 3 Coca-Cola trucks, the middle holding Santa Claus, being paraded through the streets. Interesting sight to say the least. +

-Sunday was the Branch's primary [children's] program, it went pretty well. I always love the children's songs that teach so beautifully and simply about God and eternal truths. 

This week we received the challenge to study more about Jesus Christ and pick our favorite name for Him, as the scriptures are full of names and titles given to Him. I picked a simple and common one: Savior. 

As I was studying, I saw 2 things that were interesting and important. Jesus Christ is the only person and name whereby we can be saved. For this, we learn that 

   1). Jesus had to suffer and pay to save us. It wasn't an easy or passive thing. 

   2). We can't just accept Christ's payment for our Salvation. We must take upon us His name, follow Him, and do all that is required to receive the gift He gives us. 

Jesus is the Savior of the world. He saved all of us. Now it is our turn to accept that, and to follow Him. 

So, this Christmas season, I want to invite you all to do two things.

   1). Remember and follow Christ. He who has already done everything for us. Follow him get to know him. Study him. Emulate him.

   2). Pick your Favorite name for Jesus. Study that name, understand what it really means. And then SHARE that with your family and friends whenever you can this season. This month. 

Thats it for me. It's really hard to actually describe how everything is here, cause it's all so different from there. But suffice to say, it's different.

Love you all!

Elder David Olson 

Missão Brasil Manaus Sul

Iranduba, Amazonas, Brasil 

Pics-

-2 Zones 

-Elder Gibb

-Parrot

-Me in the Amazon Rain Forest next to a chicken coop