Elder Olson's Church Mission 2019-2021: week 5: One more week in the MTC

Hey everybody,

This is my last email from the CTM! The amount of lessons has increased a lot this week, yesteday we had 3 trc’s. ( where we teach someone a lesson in Portuguese). Its crazy to think how far ive come in so little time. I have 2 highlights to share this week. First, we got to watch the BIrthday celebration of President Nelson. They did a summary video of his life, and I learned a lot about seeking knowledge and loving everyone. He is a great example to us. It also had some awesome musical numbers. Watch if you get a chance.

The second highllight was there was cold cereal for breakfast the other day! I almost shed a tear.

On a more serious note, I'd like to share a quick spiritual thought. Our district has been trying to invite the spirit into our class, so we have been praying at the start of everyday. I encourage you all to do the same in your homes so that your homes can have the spirit and can be a place of love and learning.
--

Elder Olson

Notes from phone call with Elder Olson:

He said that during study time, they found some Portuguese grammar books and started studying them. It was like a lightbulb went off and he said if the teachers of the language classes had taught that stuff in the beginning, it would’ve been sooooo much easier. He also said when he taught the practice lessons this week in Portuguese, he felt pretty good about it. But he doesn’t speak fast. When the people there speak Portuguese it’s often so fast it’s hard for him to understand it all but that he usually can get a few of the ideas they are saying. He did hear that the people in Goiania (out in the the countryside) where he’s headed, tend to speak a lot slower. He’s hoping that’s true. The only other thing he hears people say about it is that it’s “muito muito quente” or very very hot. He is not looking forward to that.

Elder Olson got more vaccinations or shots of some sort today. He has no idea what they were for though. But he kind of laughed at the whole process. He said they cancelled an activity so the shots could take place and then left class early to go get them at the appointed time. When they got there, no one was around. They waited and then all just went back to class. Then they went back again and the people were there to give them the shots but told them they all needed their ID’s so they all had to trudge over to their “dorms” and up the 6 floors to get their ID’s and vaccination papers and back again to wait in a long line for shots. He said finding stuff in their room is always fun because 6 guys share it and a couple are pretty messy…especially the District Leader. Whenever they want to get their bath towel from the hanging rack on his end of the room, everyone has to step on or over all of his stuff to get their towel.

Elder Olson was so excited the cafeteria made tacos this week and had flour tortillas. He said he ate 6. He’s finally put back on the weight he lost and said he gained like 5 pounds just this week. They also had something they called “sloppy joes” but it wasn’t quite the American style which was fine with Elder Olson because he doesn’t love the American ones. These were just seasoned ground beef with onions and then the Brazilian style of Ketchup (more sweet & sour than America’s) and mayo. He likes them. Also, last Wednesday on Pday, he got some Pastels (a crispy fried hand pie of sorts) that were REALLY good.

His Pday is today (he gets to email on Tuesday nights and has Pdays on Wednesdays right now) and he’s looking forward to getting a haircut. Then with this being his last week, he has to start packing up all his stuff. He may have to pay a luggage fee this time because he was right at the limit in weight getting down there but now has a ton of lesson books and study books to bring with him from the MTC. He leaves there next Tuesday the 17th for a short flight and then a long bus ride to the mission home in Goiania. He’s excited. But because in the field, Pdays are on Mondays, he may only get to send a short note home upon arrival next week and then have to wait until the following Monday to really email anyone.

He really appreciates the emails people are sending and loves to read updates. He’s sad he doesn’t have time to respond to hardly anyone individually right now as their time on the computers in the MTC is soooooo short. But he’s hoping to be able to do more once he’s in the field. So keep those emails coming. He loves them and loves all of you.

He was able to send pictures today using the church wifi on the Sao Paulo temple grounds.