My 1st transfer!

Tchau Tchau Irajá. haha so unfortunately I didn´t last another transfer with Elder Kerr at Irajá. But I am going to Saracuruna with Elder Connell as my senior! Elder Connell was one of the missionaries that was in our house when I arrived. He is really cool and I am excited to work with him. I know nothing about the area except that it is still in the City of Rio but I think more towards the outskirts. I will miss Irajá but I´m also excited for the furture.

So we had our Baptisms and Confirmations Saturday and Sunday. I baptized and confirmed Tânia and Elder Kerr, Yasmin. It was really awesome, and I felt the Spirit a ton the last few days. Tânia and her family are like our family in Brazil, haha they will be strong members I am sure. Elder Kerr will continue working with them to get the rest of the family baptized. The actually made us shirts and little memorials which was super nice of them. The only thing is they put the temple in the background, not knowing that the temple often signifies marriage, so it was pretty funny. Really cool experience this week, I gave a health blessing to Tânia because she has some sort of stomach problem. When I said the blessing it was really like I wasn´t speaking, I was just there while the Spirit was saying what needed to be said. I thought it was really cool, and noticed if we are worthy and it is God´s will we can be his mouthpiece. But that was the pretty big news of the week. Unfortunately lots of our investigators weren´t progressing so we had to cut lots, Elder Kerr will have his work cut out for him this week.

So how was Memorial day! Sounds like dad had fun, hope you guys did too. Tell Kade congrats on Lax, Paige too. That is sad they lost last second, but always next year huh. Oh and tell Cole congrats on Graduating. I can barely believe it, seems like yesterday I was. Hope that job works out for him, and school too. I love college and I’m sure he will too. So I got 3 packages, your and Grandma´s birthday packages... Thank you guys so much, I loved it. I will actually make some cookies tonight. And the last package was the ward poster from Christmas, hahaha just a tiny bit late. But thanks a million and tell the ward thanks. I also got the family history and loved it, thanks for that! I love you all so much and hope everyone is doing great! Love, Elder Connor Ottosen

Got some letters!

Hey Family,

This week was pretty calm, not a lot happened. We are preparing Tânia and Yasmim for their baptism Saturday. I am super excited; it will be a great day. haha. We still haven’t had tons of luck finding the rest of the family to teach and baptize but we aren’t giving up. The pizza party went great! We are really getting them integrated into the ward. We actually made pancakes for them last Saturday! It was exciting to show them some American food. ha. Then we have Marcio and Denise. Sunday started out a bit rough because my comp is sick and all of our Investigators but two didn´t come to church. We were kind of down, but as a Tender mercy of the Lord we had 5 investigators in church brought by members, a total of 7! The best we have done on the mission so far! And a really cool but inactive family of Alfredo returned to church! Needless to say I was really happy, The Lord is always by our side. We also had zone conference this week. It was really cool; the President talked a lot about real growth, baptizing families, and having a Temple in Rio. It got me really excited. Rio isn´t exactly a strong part of the Church in Brazil, regardless of the fact there is over 10 million people, but it is growing and improving. So we had a reference yesterday. We went there and apparently it was this 80-year-old guy who was baptized like 40 years ago, but never went to church again and never even got confirmed. We are going to work with him and try and get him confirmed. Wow the Lord really never forgets people huh? Unfortunately we have transfers next week, I think I will stay but I have been here a long time so we will see.

Tell Grandma Ottosen and Fitzgerald hi for me. We got letters last week and I got a letter from both of them, also family history, the letter sent by the ward during conference (Tell them thanks a million) and a Letter from Cutler!!! We will get packages today so I am super excited for that. So I have to admit I miss the Porter Rockwell trail, I haven´t gone there in a long time but I always remember going there lots when littler.

Man a solar eclipse? That is pretty awesome.

 So thanks a lot for the history. I love reading it and really appreciate it. Love you and the family! Send my love and thanks! Love, Elder Connor Ottosen

Don't eat yellow peppers!

Hey!!

It was wonderful seeing you all! Send my Love to everyone again. haha My email will be short this week since we talked just yesterday. So Tania and Yasmim? They invited us to have pizza with them for Yasmim´s birthday tomorrow, haha they seriously feel like family and I am super excited to teach them about temples and temple marriage! It was cool because they have a special needs 8-year-old daughter and the ward had practically adopted her, they love her to death. haha. We also are getting a lot of references and good contacts, honestly I feel like we need 24 hours a day to just contact people, or maybe a car would help out. haha. The hardest thing right now is deciding who to spend our time with, figuring out who will progress. I’m really hoping to stay here another transfer, I´m positive we will see more miracles. Oh so funny story, the other missionaries brought home a yellow pepper the other day they got from a member. They said it was supposed to be super hot and wanted to see if I would eat it. Me being me, I did. hahaha man I ate 3/4 a carton of ice cream just to take away the burn!!! Hottest thing I have ever eaten, but made for a pretty funny video. But I think I told you guys pretty much everything else. The work is really picking up and I am loving it here!! Love you all and hope everyone is safe as well.

Love, Elder Connor Ottosen

Finding a family to teach!

Hey!!! So this week was one of the most tiring but best weeks on the mission. Elder Kerr and I worked tons trying to find new people and find people at home. It can be hard during the afternoon cause everyone is at work, and then they get home a just want to party. But we found a family super elect and prepared. We actually haven´t had a chance to talk to the dad and son yet. But the Mom and Daughter loved the message, went to church and loved it, and will be baptized the 20th. It was cool because while we went over the first vision, which is pretty much the best way to invite the spirit, I´m the one who spoke it. And I could feel the spirit super strong, it is almost like I wasn´t the one talking. Super cool experience, then my comp got prompted to share the word of wisdom. We found out that the mom, Tania, has a problem smoking. But she really wants to quit and has been trying, so we fasted for her Sunday and I know she will have the help she needs. Well I am super excited for them, and also the bishop gave us a list of all the members in the ward who are inactive, or part member families. So we are going to be visiting lots of them and see if we can complete families and reactivate others. All in all it was a good work, lots a lessons fell through, but we found Tania and Yasmim and their family so I am super excited. Elder Kerr is a great example to me.

So living in Rio has reaffirmed my belief in never doing drugs. It is super sad when you see homeless people and/or complete crazy people in the streets. We probably have at least one drunk or crazy guy come up to us every two days. One guy told us a story about how he was the first member in Brazil, but then started into cannibalism. Man I hope he was just crazy, but it really is sad because the vast majority of Brazils problems, violence, favelas, crazy people, they are all because of the huge drug problem. The Devil really works through dangerous methods, and I have talked to many less active members who testify to that.

But Anyways glad things are going pretty well back at home! Tell Kade, Paige, and Dad congrats on LAX. That is super cool that they are enjoying it. And Paige has braces now!? Wow, I feel like I will return and not even recognize my own family. haha but cool!

So no I haven´t gotten the package yet, but we will get everything on the 17th.  I love you all and thank you guys tons for the prayers, love and help. With Love,

Elder Connor Ottosen.

To my Friends... "6 And now behold, we desire to know the cause of this exceedingly great neglect; yea, we desire to know the cause of your thoughtless state. Alma 60:6" (Refering to lack of letters by friends.) But I hope that you will follow the counsel of the prophets in Mosiah 24:6  "6 But they taught them that they should keep their record, and that they might write one to another." and maybe, just maybe I will have faith, which is Hebrews 11:1 (Now ^afaith is the ^bsubstance of things ^choped for, the ^devidence of things not seen.) Love you all and hope to hear from you!