Hello again!

Another fast week and 14 months to go! Haha time just is not slowing down one bit! It's bitter sweet for sure :)

But how is everyone?! It's good to hear from everyone back home of course :)

This week has been a great week. We met some very interesting people these past weeks and have really increased my testimony of the actuality of the apostasy and the essential need of the complete Restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. It's been some of the funniest lessons that I've ever been in to see how mad people get when they start to hear the truth. Elder Pongyan and I kind of look at each other and just laugh a little when we come across those people, it's been fun haha.

Magapit is a tough little area though. For the most part it's in the middle of nowhere and is the only meeting house in the entire Aparri zone. We don't have a lot of members but the members are very active in missionary work which is really nice but it seems to be that all of our investigators are students either in high school or in college so it's fun teaching them but the problem is is that they tend to go home to wherever their from on the weekends when there's no class which leaves us empty handed at church a lot. The only problem with that is that because our area is such a small area, I'm pretty sure we have visited every single house along the highway at least 3 times now. It's been tough to go finding so we have really relied upon our members and referrals recently for help, which is nice because we've been able to get those referrals to go and teach people we never thought of going to before. But it's been fun lately :)

This week we're planning on going contacting the referrals in our far areas which kind of stinks because of our apartment layout. It's usually a 15 minute tricycle ride to Magapit junction which costs 20 pesos and we usually walk to our area which is about another 45 minute walk just to get there, then our far area is about an hour walk to get there which leaves us very little time to do our original plans, but we're still doing good and getting A LOT of lessons in actually. It's been nice, but just a different kind of trials in proselyting. But we're doing great here and the area is as good as can be :) My heart is set on my mission which is nice when the only thing that is going through your mind from sun up to sun down is "how can I help the people in my area today" It's a good problem to have and I'm just happy I have the opportunity of helping people everyday of my life for two years straight. I love it so much :)

I love you all and I hope you all enjoy the email! I'll talk to you all next week! Love ya!

Elder Oslund

The miracles of charity :)

This week was one of the fastest weeks of my entire life. Where is all the time going seriously? This entire transfer has felt like a complete blur. It's just getting faster and faster as the time goes on. I gotta enjoy every second while I can before it's all gone. 

But this week was one of the best weeks of my mission as well. Not in any sense except for the learning that I was able to have through my new mission President's counsel and being able to grow because of it. First off, I love President and Sister Andrada. Right when I met them I felt an immediate connection with them. I really, really love them. They are an amazing influence and example for all of the missionaries here. They're of course different in there way of handling and governing the mission than President and Sister Barrientos, but I love them so much, it's nice to have these changes, the mission will benefit from it :)

But let me just tell you about my week, we had a much better week of proselyting, still not good, but better for sure haha. Elder Pongyan and I are learning and growing a lot together side by side. It's amazing how much you can teach your companion and how much you can learn from one as well, I hope I've been able to help Elder Pongyan as much as he has helped me become a better person. I really feel that Elder Risenmay is a big brother to me. (Aside from his actual name being Marc haha) but Elder Pongyan is like the little brother I never had. I love that guy so much. 

Basically, we may be way different in personality, but in all honesty, we're not too different at all, it's just been a lot of fun being able to be his companion lately. It's just been a blur I'm telling you. But I can say that it hasn't ALWAYS been like that. 

I like to think that through out my mission that I have developed amazing friendships and relationships with the Elders and Sisters around me, and I have with out a doubt, these past 10 months have been some of the best months of my life in being able to be around some of the greatest and most amazing people of my life, but I felt that the work was missing something. One thing I could tell from the impression and stories that President Andrada gave to us was jut how much he loved his companions, and how much his companions loved him. And he gave us his first training about "How people can know that you love God, and you love the people" I thought to myself well of course I love God, and I love the people, I'm serving them each and everyday to my ability. But President Andrada said the way you can tell if you love God and you love the people is by how you love your companion. My heart just sunk and just thought I haven't been doing that as well as I should have. The words sunk deep into my heart and I went back to our apartment and just pondered on the things we were taught. I ended up praying for the longest time on my knees for charity for my companion. After, everything was just BETTER. Work was the same but I had more fun doing it because I loved the person I was doing it with, the conversations were more fun, the days were faster, and just everything was better. The gift of charity truly does never fail and upbraideth not. Some of the greatest feelings of peace, joy, and happiness came after asking Heavenly Father for charity for my companion, now I can't even notice days go by, it's just been one big day of happiness and love in our work and apartment. It's been fun. It was an amazing week for sure and even a greater learning experience. I love my experiences on my mission and my leaders. I have truly changed my entire nature because of my mission. I'm so grateful for my companions and for my Savior and for this opportunity to share His gospel. I'm in love with my mission, I just can't control how happy I am now. I love it :) And I love you all back home as well of course! Everything changed after asking for charity. I'm so grateful for this experience and for EVERYTHING :)

I love you guys so much. I'll talk to you again in another fast week :) I love you all so much :) I couldn't be happier than I am right now. It's impossible to be any happier :) I have found God and I have found true happiness. :)

I love you guys so much I hope your week is great :)

Love,

Elder Oslund

Week 4 of 12 Week

Hey everyone! 

I hope the 4th was good for everyone! It was good here, just not the same haha. We took our fellowshippers and Magapit missionaries to the caves in our area this week and had hot dog and hamburgers down there with them and explored in the caves for a little bit. I lost my missionary handbook and Ministerial Card in the process which stinks but at least we can go back now and look for it again haha! Just kidding. But it was a fun time remembering America and helping others celebrate it here too haha :) Then later on we had Precious' baptism at 3 which was amazing. I was able to conduct the baptism, Elder Pongyan baptized Precious, and yesterday on Sunday I was able to confirm her a member of the church by the laying on of hands which was the first time I ever did that. It was an amazing experience and it was amazing to feel the spirit guide and direct the words in that special blessing of hers :) Now, we're starting to teach her father because Marina moved to Manila to go work abroad for a few years in Taiwan. It was a bummer when we found that out, but it happens here, a lot haha. 

But this week was a hard week. Remember the warning of my faith being tested? Yep, it's happening. Of course not each day and not each week is going to be golden and happy and perfect. But it has been hard this week. Basically, one of our recent convert family's (The Cortes family) had their father drown in the Cagayan River this past week which has been awful on the family. Riel the teenage son is now smoking, drinking, gambling, hanging out with the wrong crowd, and the recent converts who are high schoolers are mostly all less active with no real desire to come back to church. Our investigators who we tried to focus on this week were all out of town or working on their farms this week so we couldn't teach them, then no one was progressing or coming to church because we had a typhoon and earthquake yesterday afternoon. No damage at all, but we'll have another either today or tomorrow. Either a signal 1 or 2 typhoon coming in. But it might sweep away from us, we just don't know now. But our focus areas have been hard to focus on this week. Each day is a test of faith to keep going and doing what's right. I just feel bad for Elder Pongyan because this is his first taste of missionary work and we're just not doing good (in results, baptisms, lessons, investigators at church, etc.). We spent a couple hours last night to really plan out what our next goals for this week is. We tried everything that it said in PMG to do to find new investigators, searching the area book, doing everything for the last few nights, so I hope we can see results hopefully soon. It's been hard though. Let alone, fighting a small earthquake and some typhoons and having your power go out in the middle of summer here is just another faith tester. It's been a trial I guess you can say. But, we'll do better. 

I know I was warned by the spirit it was going to be a hard transfer for me, but it's just hard because Elder Pongyan still doesn't know too much about missionary work, and still getting adjusted and just trying to follow what I'm doing. He gives great suggestions which I'm amazingly grateful for, he's a very, very good companion and an amazing trainee. So I'm very very grateful for him and I love working and being his companion. I'm excited for this next week though. It'll be good this week. There may be some more tests of faith, (everyday is a test of your faith) but it'll be a better week. I can feel it :) But we are increasing baptismal dates and our teaching pool which is really helpful to the least, but this week will be better without a doubt. :)

Anyways, I love you guys, this just about does it for my week, pretty eventful and not too much to write home about haha, but it was good, we'll have a better week next week for sure :)

Anyways love you all! Hope you have a great week! :) Love you Stay safe guys!

Love,

Elder Oslund 

Hey all!

So sounding by the news in America, it seems like I'm in a good place to be at now haha. The news of God's eternal truths being hidden or TRYING to be done away with  because of social fads or pressure is disappointing to say the least. But it makes me that much more grateful to be a Latter-day Saint and to defend these truths even if it means persecution and ridicule for standing for what's right. That lesson has been learned, and  I'm grateful for the experiences I've had in my mission to stand up for what's right always and to not be afraid to face persecution. The growth during the mission and the growth in the gospel protects you from all the opposition the adversary may throw at you, including the social and political problems of today's generation. 

Anyways, How is everybody? Not really too much to report on this week. Training is going well. Elder Pongyan is a good guy, but it's been a little hard lately, but he's a good guy to be around. He's growing just as I grew in my 12 week program. At the end of it, I'm sure he's going to enjoy it just as much as I did. It's fun training him :)

Precious' baptism got pushed back to July 4 because she's 8 years old with her mom as a member so she's a child of record. I'm not upset at all that she is a child of record. It's been the most amazing thing to be apart of teaching their family back into activity and seeing the growth and changes in their life because of it. President Barrientos said "The greatest miracle you will ever see in your life is when you see someone change" Seeing someone change from a person they once were to a COMPLETELY new person is nothing short of a miracle. 

Speaking of President Barrientos, tomorrow is his last day as my mission president. I'm going to miss them to say the least and I'm sure it won't be easy to have a new mission president at first but we'll get along and be alright :)

Speaking of Presidents, the new Assistant President will more than likely be Elder Risenmay when President goes home. It's not 100% for sure yet but he went straight to zone leader after he was with Elder Kelley in Santa Ana to prepare to become the new AP. I hope it happens. He deserves it. If there's anyone in the mission who deserves it it's him. I love Elder Risenmay a lot and I'm so grateful to have him in the mission longer. He's my favorite companion hands down. And anyone who can survive training me at first deserves to be AP haha just kidding of course :) It was a struggle though to say the least.

We're getting good work done though. We're teaching A LOT of 18 year olds now which is A LOT of fun. We play basketball a lot with them as well because of course all of them play basketball but we're doing it every P-Day which is nice. We should have some baptisms coming up hopefully but the biggest thing with teenagers in the Philippines (and just about anywhere else) is pressure and ridicule from friends and of course cigarettes and alcohol , just the word of wisdom in general. But these progressing investigators seem very good and we'll be focusing on them this next week. But it's been a fun time this week and it keeps getting better :) 

I love you all and I'm excited for the new change with President Andrada this week! I'll let you know how it goes! Love you guys!

Love,

Elder Oslund

Hello from Laoag (Again)

So this is the second time in one week being in Laoag haha. We're here now for a mission conference before President and Sister Barrientos go home after next week. It's going to be awesome but I'm sure it'll be hard for them. I'm excited to see the changes and the new mission president come in! It'll be interesting to see what ends up changing in the mission. Right now, we have some of the strictest mission rules in all of the Philippines but also some of the most successful K.I.'s. It'll be interesting to see what ends up happening. 

But speaking of the mission, there's a lot changing already. We had one of the highest baptizing missions in the Philippines last year but we've dropped A LOT lately. Like it's been not too good of work recently here. I'm not too sure what the problem is, we're working hard, but we do have some problems within our missions but it'll be okay. When I first got in we had about 200+ missionaries but after the October batch there will only be about 140 missionaries in our missions. I really don't know why it's dropping and changing so much, maybe it's just to get ready for the new mission president but it's been a really substantial drop so far. It'll pick back up though :)

But as for the week, it was a lot of fun! You learn a lot from training. Training is DEFINITELY the best calling as a missionary. You have so much fun doing it and you learn to build the greatest relationships with the members here because of it. It was a weird adjustment having to do EVERYTHING in the area for the first few days, it was hard but it was a lot of fun. Now it's getting better and it's fun being a trainer :) I love it :)

My companion's name is Elder Pongyan and he's from Bacolod, Philippines. He didn't go through nearly the changes I had to go through but he's doing good. It's hard right now just because he's just kind of socially awkward but it's fun still. I enjoy it :)

We have a baptism this coming Saturday with Sister Precious! It has been amazing to see the miracle in her family's life to going from completely less active to VERY active within a span of a few months. She'll be baptized and Elder Pongyan is the baptizer which will be good for him for that experience :) Hopefully we'll have more with some other investigators but we're going to start proselyting an area in SITE which is the housing projects in our area, I just felt last night that's where a lot of the prepared investigators are, so we'll go with the revelation and start going there now :) 

It's been fun so far in the mission though. Brother Bhong declared me as one of his type 5 favorite American missionaries and if you get to know Brother Bhong, it's an accomplishment haha! Man it's been fun working though! I'm just being myself and loving to teach and to go to investigators houses and find new people. I actually dislike coming home at times because I wanted to just stay out and proselyte longer. I love it so much! It's crazy to see just how much my faith and teaching skills have grown throughout the mission because of my studies though. It's been the most amazing thing to see. Miracles just continue to happen in my life and in the lives around me :) I'm so happy to be a part of this work :) Everything will be going great now in the mission and in our area :) I'm so excited for what the future has for the Philippines and specifically the Laoag mission :)

I love you all! I'm excited to talk to you again next week :) Love you!!

Love,

Elder Oslund

Back in 12 week program!

Hey guys! So I won't write a lot today. I'm in a huge hurry to get things for the apartment before I head down to Laoag for a few days to get trained on how to train a new missionary! I'm excited to be a trainer but when I was praying last night the spirit told me my faith will be tested this transfer. I don't know exactly what that means, but I hope and pray my faith will be able to be strong enough to make it through and help my new companion. But, I'm excited for it. Just help me out a little bit if I'm struggling of course :) It won't be easy this transfer or two I'm sure. 

I won't be too long on here but basically the story is that I don't want to go home haha. Saying goodbye to Elder Kabiling was hard to do but I apologized to him and he asked why, I just told him "because you're going home" Ha! I of course miss you guys a lot but I really never want to go home. Life here as a missionary is just too much fun and just so awesome. Living in the Philippines has it's challenges but I never want to leave. Ever. This place is a place that was prepared for me to go since before my mission call even came. I know I am supposed to be here. It makes me sad knowing it's only for 2 years. I told my friend if I could be a missionary for my entire life and live in the Philippines my entire life, I would die the happiest man ever. It's true. I don't want to leave. I don't want to ever think about leaving. I hate even thinking that the day will come that I'm going to go back to the United States. Like I said, I love all of you a lot and miss you dearly but there's no better place in the entire world than the Philippines. I hope my family can come out and see why I love it so much when I go home. 

I'm sorry for the short email this week, but I'm in love with my life here. I'm sure I'm going to need that testimony later in my transfer. I don't know why, but I feel like I'm going to have a lot of really hard times coming up ahead of me. Please help me out if I'm having trouble! I love you guys a lot! Please keep me in your prayers and I'll do the same of course :)

I love you all a lot! Sorry if it sounds like I'm in a hurry, but I need to prepare a lot of things before I bus off to Laoag for 6 hours tomorrow at 4 AM. Fun stuff right!? Haha I love you guys!! I love you all a lot! I miss you guys!! 

I love you!

Love,

Elder Oslund

Here are some pictures that give a little feel for what life is like for Elder Oslund...what it looks like where he teaches, goes to church, and the happiness he feels!

Hello from Aparri!

Hey guys!

Everything is great here now! Some tough experiences to get through, to learn and to get better. Moving up to Cagayan was like another culture shock for me all over again but it's a fun place to serve!

Basically my area now is one stretch of highway with houses on both sides and we proselyte there everyday so I've seen the same people each day for the last few weeks which has it's ups and downs but it feels like a small town here where everyone knows everyone and they really love seeing the missionaries here. It's a branch in a meetinghouse in Magapit, the meetinghouse is old and worn down, there's no air conditioning and the fans only blow hot air during Sunday service so needless to say I'm about to die during some of these hot summer days here. It's full of all new challenges but it's fun :) We haven't had a single second of work here without a member helping us so it's been a blast to have that kind of help here and share some experiences with the people here.

Like I said it's different, the food, the area, everything. It's very country here. It's very green, everyone is a farmer here no matter what, so we end up eating some pretty nice fruits and what not, but we eat other things. The other day Brother Bhong bought us Chicken heads, chicken feet, grilled chicken blood, intestines, Pork flesh, and I cooked a dog after it got ran over by a car also. I didn't eat it though. So yeah, it's pretty crazy here. A whole new culture shock but it was an easier adjustment this time :)

Our area is mostly walking but since we're in the middle of nowhere we ride on the back of flat bed trucks a lot that are driving along the highway. Elder Kabiling says they pull over especially when they see an American so I guess that's a plus for us here :) It's been a pretty crazy new adventure here for sure but the work is all the same :)

We're teaching a part member family and reactivating them right now and the 8 year old Precious will be baptized on June 27th here. It has been a lot of fun receiving the revelations for them :) They've changed a lot since I first arrived. The main concern is how hard it is to be a member in our church. One thing that I've learned, no matter where you live in the world, it is NEVER easy to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ because it was Never easy for Him. Elder Holland said that we need to pay a small amount of the price that has been paid for us. This mission has helped me to understand about 1/10000000 of what the Savior had to go through, and I still have trouble getting through at times. I'm grateful for the Savior in my life!!

The members here are so much fun to get a long with. Everyone here is easy going and just encourages you to work hard and have fun, and it's just so much nicer when you're with a companion and an apartment who enjoys doing the same. I love working hard, I love being obedient, and I love being a missionary here in the Philippines despite some of the hardships, but you experience hardships no matter what mission you're assigned in. I'm grateful to be able to experience them here in the |Philippines though. I have never loved people so much in my life, but I have never been tested to such an extreme in my entire life as well. Each day has been worth it, each day I've grown and I've gotten better. And I hope that each day from here on out for the rest of my mission will continually be a learning experience. 

I love you guys so much and thank you all for your emails! Sorry I wasn't able to respond last week but everything is great here now. I love it in Magapit! I love you guys! I'll talk to you again next week :)

Love,

Elder Oslund