River, Banana, Disanimo

 Monday, February 3, 2025; Iranduba Branch, Iranduba, Amazonas, Brazil:

Bom dia, boa tarde ou boa noite a todos. Minha semana foi boa.... mas passou muita rápida. 

This past week has been busy with lessons and walking. 

One day our Branch President took us to a restaurant for lunch. The restaurant was close to the River. It was the first time my comp got to see the river Rio Solimões. To one side of the restaurant was the river, and the other side had a big green grass field with cows grazing. Someone told us that sometimes the river comes up over that field.  

Afterwards we drove up a road that runs a long ways along the river. It was super cool to do that, being that last time I was there, we walked part of it. But it's super long so we didn't get far. But this time, by car we got to see a lot more of the river. We also passed several hundred banana plants planted next to the river. 

When I started my mission I did not like fish. Unless it was canned tuna, I did not want to eat any fish. But this Sunday I ate large portions of fish. I still do not know if me liking fish is because of the fish being freshwater and not saltwater. Either way, I do like some fish. I am excited to try eating saltwater fish back home. Maybe my taste buds have adapted to fish? 

We were supposed to have a baptism this week but because of problems filling up the baptismal font and another little problem, it won't happen till next week. 

I got to talk briefly with a missionary serving from the small city I am serving in. He is in Kenya, Africa, speaking English along with some other languages. It was cool to speak to him before in Portuguese, and two months later in English. 

This past week I was talking with another missionary about some problems they are facing, and also about the disanimation [ie discouragement] they are facing because of those problems. 

I wanted to share a little bit about that today. Getting disnimated [discouraged] is normal. While I thought about this in terms of missionary work here, it can be adapted to any situation. 

In missionary work, I feel there are 3 types of disanimation [discouragement].

1- Disanimation [discouragement] because of what you did or did not do

2- Disanimation [discouragement] because of what others (companions/other missionaries/members of the Church, did or did not do)

3- Disanimation [discouragement] because of what other people did or did not do. 

Type 2, these people hypothetically have a responsibility to do something or not do it, and they did not do that responsibility. 

What I thought about though, is that type 2 and type 3 are similar. While we can try to help those people, we cannot control other people. We just get to deal with the consequences. But type 1, that's where we come in. We must control ourselves, so that we do all we can.

I have had days where I arrived home, with nothing having gone right that day. Every plan we had canceled, we walked and talked with people and didn't find anyone interested. Didn't actually help anyone become closer to Christ. That's where type 2 or 3 might come in, as people aren't interested. But when I know I tried my best, that day could have appeared to have been bad, but I feel good. I am happy that my part is going on. I am just focusing on what I can control. 

Then I was with my companion at the chapel trying to fill up the baptismal font. The water stopped coming out, so we did what we could. We climbed onto the roof and worked on correcting the problem. Soon, however, we realized the problem was beyond our control. Water was not arriving in the chapel. With nothing left to be done but wait and pray, we did that. I felt a little stressed, but I knew that in the end it will all work out. 

That's my invitation to each of you. Look in your life at what you can control, and do your best with that. But the moment something happens out of your control, relax. Don't get stressed out about it. Don't get disanimated [discouraged]. In the end, all of your work will be worth it.

Love y'all! Hope each one of you has an awesome week!

Elder David Olson

Missão Brasil Manaus Sul

Iranduba, Amazonas, Brasil

Pics- [Paula is on borrowed computer and can't access photos. Will try to post later.]

-Elder Jensen and I in the forest 

-Rio Solimões and a big barge

-Our Chapel is getting reformad [ie renovated] and they took down a wall making the 'chapel' room twice as big. 

They also added a few more small side rooms to what they already had.

-My companion finally got himself a... motorcycle!