July 2, 2013

 Dear Mom,

 I'm so sorry I didn't email you yesterday!  Yesterday all the Libraries were closed for Canada Day, but we had an amazing Day!!!

 Our new ward is the Waverly Ward! It's incredible, I really loved the Members back in the gateway ward but it's so good to be serving with Elder Kenney, I've been assigned to take the lead, but Elder Kenney and I are so much more equal and it's incredible being able to rely wholly on the Lord as Elder Kenney and I have very little experience and knowledge.

 Since Thursday we have taught nearly 10 lessons, and we have found 3 new investigators, all of who showed up to church!! It's incredible how hard work and desire can really make things happen.  I've really been evaluating why I'm serving out here and I've come to the realization that I'm changing.   My biggest regret that I left at home was doing a poor job of explaining what I'd be doing as a Missionary to all of my friends who aren't members of the Church.  I used to think that they wouldn't understand that I wouldn't be making a "visible" difference building schools and churches in africa or south america, but I've come to realize that it does make a visible difference in the lives that I'm able to touch.

 Teaching is central to everything I do.  I spend a lot of time helping people move, helping them do yard or garden work, or work around their homes, including renovations and such, but through those opportunities I always strive to teach.  A habit that I've been falling into is: "LOVE. SERVE.TEACH" (In that Order)  It all starts with loving the people I serve and Teach.  Because I love all those that I meet, I have the desire to share with them, the message that has Changed my life.

 This area is incredible, on our second night here we taught a Less active man who is deaf and Struggles with Alcoholism,  we had a lesson with him through writing on a pen and page, he told us about his struggles to communicate with people, and I wrote down, Ether 12:27.

(Ether is a prophet in the Book of Mormon.  The scripture Elder Olguin is referring to reads: "And if men come unto me I will show them their weakness.  I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.")

 He started to cry and he accepted our offer to give him a blessing.  Afterwards he gave a prayer and his wife who has a speech impediment interpreted for us.  We went to their home again and this time we brought one of their friends from church who is a sign language teacher, she was a great blessing and we were able to communicate much more strongly with him, and she offered to teach us ASL, so I've been learning ASL!!

 Also some of our new investigators are from China and we actaully met them when they showed up to the ESL class that Some missionaries were teaching on Saturday, we offered to teach them english and about the Gospel, and they asked if we'd like to learn mandarin, so we've been learning madarin too!!

I hope I stay in this area for a while!!!

We've been staying at the mission office in the basement cause we don't have an appartment till friday but it's been amazing!! The assistants live upstairs so I've been living with ELder B. Lyons since thursday!!! It's amazing, he's grown so much, and he's been teaching me so much.

(Elder B. Lyons is Brendan Lyons who Elder Olguin mentioned when he opened his mission call that he has looked up to and called his "hero" growing up.)

 Elder Kenney and I have been making quite the racket around here, in a good way and in a not as good way....  In a good way, we had a very short week(thursday-sunday) and we had more lessons taught and more people at church than most missionaries in the mission, so we are really excited about this full week!!! and then, We have been making a lot of trip ups and mistakes where everyone kinda just shakes their head's and chuckles to themselves; "greenies.."  ;P It's amazing being out here mom.  Teaching is central to my purpose, and I've been getting so much better at it as I invite people to take the steps that I took to change my life around and Be as Happy as I am.

 Know that Christ is the Center of our Religion.  Everything else is an Apendage.  The Book of Mormon's Central purpose is to convince all People that Jesus is the Christ.  NOT that the bible is incorrect.  The Book of Mormon is the Keystone of our religion because it proves that God is the same today, yesterday, and forever.  He still inspires men and calls them to do his work.  Right now there is no more exciting or important time to be engaged in missionary work.   Lift up your voice, Lovingly invite, and Stand as a witness and as a testament of what this Gospel means and brings.  I love you mom.  Be anxiously engaged there is not greater joy than that that comes from the restored gospel.

  

 Love,

 Elder Olguin

This is his first district in Winnipeg