One of the coolest moments of my life

Hey! Hope the Family is doing great! 

Sorry this week will be short but we had a baptism yesterday!! Maria was baptized! Man was it work. Because she can´t walk and can barely stay seated we have to pick her up and heat up the water and do a bunch of things. When the baptism happened we already had my comp and a member in the water helping but I needed to get in at the last minute. In my church clothes and everything, man it was crazy but everything worked out and it was a really special moment for everyone, one of the coolest moments of my life. This week was a lot of work but it was good, we had some members of her family that came to church, and managed to bring a few teenagers that were less active back to church. Anyways I have a bunch of interesting experiences that I will have to write you guys next week. Everything is going great and I am really loving my mission. I pray that you are all good and well. Love, Elder Ottosen

Working a bunch!

GOOOOOOOOOO UTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! haha I was so happy to hear about the game!!

Anyways now that I got that out of my system how was your guy´s week. I never did get an email from last week. I got all the pictures multiple times, but never the letter, but don´t worry about it. So Alessandra got confirmed this week! I was really happy to see that, I think the church will help her out a ton.

So Maria the elderly sister has a wheelchair, but because of her health she can´t even sit for a long time, she has to lie down. But she is full of faith the she will be baptized this next week. She has even invited a ton of people, so we are going to pray and see what happens!

As for Marcione the 18 year old. He told us that he decided that church wasn´t important, and that to follow Christ you just have to believe in him. This is a super prevalent belief here in Rio. But we are going to keep teaching him and see what happens. I have never really used technology to teach. Most of the people don´t have computers, at least in my area. I know that in some missions technology is used more, but not here. 

That is so true, we are surrounded by miracles, especially on the mission. It is just a miracle to be healthy and safe everyday. I was reading Mormon 8 Saturday, amazing chapters, 7 8 and 9. But I think it was 8 that talked a lot about miracles. I loved that story about the fish. It is so awesome how when we put just a little trust and faith in the lord he shows us miracles. 

We had another cool investigator come to church yesterday. Sabrinha, she is the niece of a member. She is young but already has a child of 3 years. Anyways we are starting to teach her, but we are going a bit slower. I really hope we can help her out though, she needs it cause listen to this. She didn´t finish high school but needed money for her kid so she took a job as a maid. She works 11 hours a day, 6 days a week. She even goes to school after she gets done working. And she earns 110 dollars a MONTH! Man I feel so bad, but I am certain the church can help. So we will work with here. 

Anyways the transfer just has 2 weeks left so we are working super hard to try baptize some more people. Trying real hard to work with members to get references and to teach families. 

So while your weather is cooling down, the weather here is quickly heating up. haha already in the 100´s some days. But you get used to it real fast. 

I am glad school is going well for everyone! Sad about the Alta game though, Alta´s last year as a powerhouse school.

Tell any missionaries leaving or returning congrats for me! It is awesome to be part of a missionary ward.

I am always praying for Grandma, I hope that she gets better. And as for a package, I can´t think of anything at the moment... And good luck with the neighborhood party! It is going to be at the church or where? Also that is cool about the family night! Visiting so many members you really see what a difference family prayer, scripture study, and family night make in a family.

Anyways things are great in Rio. We are working a bunch and getting a bunch of work done. We also have a good number of less actives that we are trying, and sometimes succeeding in bring to church. Always look for missionary opportunities throughout your days! the help of members makes all the difference. 

Anyways things are going great here! I love you all with all my heart and hope you are having a wonderful September! Anything I can do for you guys, just send me an email

With tons of love, 

Elder Ottosen

Summer's coming early

Hey Family!

Hope you guys had a good week! Besides the Utah game that is... ugh. And congrats mom for doing the temple hike!! That is awesome and the picture you send look really cool! Same with the mountain hikes! Oh how I love Utah’s mountains.

 Anyways yesterday we had a baptism, Alessandra! She was a reference of a member, and a single mom of 1 that lives with her Stepdad and mom who go to another church. She had a strong desire to be baptized and I know she will be a great member. We also are teaching an 18-year-old boy that we found while looking for a less active member. His name is Marcione and he accepted a date to be baptized the 23rd. He has read parts of the Book of Mormon and liked it! I am really excited for him. We also have Maria, she is a little old lady that is confined to bed because she is sick. She talked with her brother (a member) and said she wanted to be baptized. We went over there and taught an awesome lesson, and she really has a desire to be baptized in our church. It will be a bit difficult because she can´t walk, but everything will work out. The Lord will provide a way. 

Things are going pretty well, I think the next few weeks should be pretty good, as I am getting a better feel about how to do things, it is all through members. And with their help lots of great things will happen! We had an awesome training with president last week because I am training. It really showed how important the Book of Mormon is to our church and to missionary work. It is everything! Besides that not a whole lot is happening... Summer is returning early, these past few days must have been in the low 100s. It is killing my poor comp, haha but everyone gets used to it after a while, more or less. 

Oh I had a dream so you guys need to do this. That you guys built second floor on the barn/garage with 2 bedrooms, bathroom, kitchette and living room. Wouldn´t that be cool! (Also lots of money I know.) haha But I won´t complain if you decide to do that and rent it out to me.... hahahahaha. Anyways how are things going, school and everything? How is the weather over there? I got a bunch of news articles from you guys Friday and some other letters from people. Thank you everyone for the letters and emails! I think that is about it for this week! Love you all and wish you a great week. Make you dreams and wishes high!

With tons of love, Elder Connor Ottosen

Off to the waterfalls!

Hey Family!
Wow it is school time already!!?? Good luck to Kade and Paige, should be a fun school year! haha So this week was pretty chill. Not a whole lot happened. Lucas got confirmed yesterday and he likes the church. I hope we can help him prepare to serve a mission that would be so cool. My email will be a little short because we are actually going to do something this pday. We are going to some waterfalls in our DL´s area. Should be awesome I hope. This next Saturday we have those free marriages, so this week we are going to be working a ton with anyone who qualifies for it, and hopefully have a few baptisms next week. That is a cool story about Romney! Just goes to show that show much depends on our attitude and how we take things. The gospel always helps us to have a better outlook on life and the future. In fact yesterday we were teaching a family. Just 20 days ago two of their sons were murdered at their door.  I imagine it must be horrible either way. But with the gospel you have the hope of happiness and peace, and an opportunity to see your loved ones again. Without the gospel everything looks so bleak. Unfortunately we lost some good investigators last week. They all decided to stop investigating the church, because of pressure from family members and friends, but we continue working and hopefully they will have their chance down the road. 
I am glad you guys got the package this time!! Sorry it didn´t have a ton of things, maybe for Christmas I will find more things to send. haha. But that is cool you talked to Joe, how is everyone at home?
For sure you should send me pics of everyone. haha Those caves in the picture were at a park we went to back in Irajá. The park is called Quinta da Boa Vista, if you want to look it up. It was way cool and had a museum and zoo, both closed on Monday. :( haha
Kory should be getting home soon! You will have to go to his homecoming and tell him hi for me. haha . 
So that is also way cool with the temple walk! For sure send me some pics. 
Thank you a million billion for the love, the advice and comforting works. I love you all so much and can´t wait to see you again, but I am so happy to be a missionary and to help others. Love you guys! 
Elder Connor Ottosen

God does answer prayers!

Hey Family!

We Baptized!! Finally the last day of the transfer too, haha. We have been teaching Lucas, the boyfriend of a member, he is 18 almost 19. He has been really interested but got a job where he works every Sunday. We didn´t really have lots of confidence that anything would happen. I fasted that we could find someone to baptize this week. Then on Thursday we went there and he had quit! I was so happy! but still didn´t think we would have a baptism this week, but Friday we had another lesson, he loved it, said he believed and wanted to be baptized. Saturday he said he receive an answer! He dreamt that he was in front of a pool really deep and big. He was really scared to jump in, but finally he jumped, and when he came out there was he girlfriend and her family waiting and smiling. He said he didn´t want to wait and wanted to be baptized Sunday! So yesterday he was baptized, and he even said he would consider a mission. It was really one of the tender mercies of the Lord, really shows that he tries people´s faith before showing the blessings. We also got another reference of a member that wants to get baptized next week! We will be working with her this entire week. Really it shows how much better it is to work with references, haha we have done about 680 contacts this transfer and until now no baptisms of contacts, but we still have many to teach. Another super cool experience happened. Friday we had a bunch of lessons fall, and so we thought of a reference of a recent convert/less active that I have never met. I had heard that she wasn´t interested from the missionaries before but we decided to go there. Her name is Flavia and when she came to the door she got a huge smile. Turns out that the night before she was really depressed, passing through some major difficulties in life, and she prayed telling Heavenly Father she missed the missionaries, and wondered if he could send them to talk to her again, the next day we showed up! Nothing cooler than being an answer to someone´s prayer, and Sunday she went to church! This week was a good one. Now I have just one more transfer training, but we are hoping to work a lot better with members and try and baptize a family. 

But anyways that’s what is happening here. The weather is starting to heat up again, 80´s and 90´s more often, bleh. haha 

Yeah we walk a pretty good amount, the members don´t really live close to each other so we are always walking, but it is good. Anyways things are going great here, I am so happy to be a missionary and be an instrument in the Lords hands to change people´s lives!! Really there is nothing that can replace the mission and I love it! I love you all and wish you a wonderful week! Love, Elder Connor Ottosen

The work goes on...

Hey Family!

This week I admit was pretty hard. We worked like crazy, but still no baptisms. The District leader, Zone Leaders, even assistants were calling trying to get a baptism, if they just knew how much I want one too. This week is the last one of the transfer, so we are going to do everything to baptize. haha  Rafaela, the 10 year old girl will be baptized, just not yet. Her mom wants to wait so we are going to try and prepare her mom and try again later. Tiago and Gracilene we tried to get ahold of this week but no luck. They work and have school at night so that was kind of difficult. We had another lady come to church. She was looking for help to pay some bills, but to also find a church to attend. She was awesome and I am certain that she will be baptized, but unfortunately she lives in the neighboring ward boundaries. The one other person that we are exciting about is Maria. She stopped us in the street and asked us to pray for her. We visited her and she had never attended church and never read the bible but was looking to start now. We will visit her tomorrow and see how she liked it her.

 Anyways that is crazy to hear school is about to start again. Seems like the summer started yesterday to me. The time absolutely flies in the mission field. Good luck to everyone and going back to school! Glad the US was able to do well in the Olympics. There isn´t a whole lot of talk here about 2016 yet, I think it is still a long ways away for people. Plus I live out of the main city, where all the action will be.

Haha yeah there are some missionaries that love to sing hymns. I would but have absolutely no talent singing. haha 

I am glad to have a comp that knows so much and is eager to work. I pray things are going well there. I got you pictures of the Cruise! Looks like that was awesome. I sent you guys a package. It has a memory card with all my pics, you can post them on my blog is you want. Anyways love you guys to death! Have a good week.

Elder Connor Ottosen