Mon., 12/26/2016
It has been a busy week as usual. I had to work with Elder Robalino 2 days this week, but its the end of the transfer so we won't have to do that anymore. President found out and he wasn't approving of how us 2 were together 2 times a week. The second day we were together, we had a service project, with Elders Passos and Hale, and scraped the walls of and repainted a house for a less active family. Then on Thursday we had another service project where we had to carry a lawn mower around 4 or 5 km to, and we cut her grass and weeds and other such tasks. The other Elders joined us, and we had 2 machetes and a lawn mower going. The yard had an old septic tank or pit or something in it that we weren't notified of beforehand, and that made it a lot harder because the yard was all wet and swampy. It was a scorcher that day, and no clouds. We worked for a few hours, and couldn't finish, so we told the Hermana(our recent convert who is getting surgery soon) that we had to leave. She was super mad, and it was knid of sad because we had done what we could and it wasn't good enough. Then we still ahd to carry that lawnmower to its owner, then walk a couple more km home. By the time we got home, Elder Robalino and Passos were home from a couple things they had to do after the project, and Elder Robalino was vomiting and such. He soon was taken to then hopsital. That night, I started vomiting and such too, and all friday I couyldn't get off my bed or I would throw up from having to stand. Fun stuff. Saturday was Christmas Eve, and I had to stay in with Elder Robalino who was just out of the hospital and finally ok after 2 days with an IV, but Elder Passos was fine from his diarrhea the previous day and Elder Bridge was fine so they went out and got stuff by members. Christmas eve here is christmas, because they are all drunk and eat tons. Theyall have different music in each house but it is all blasted and every house is different. Plus around midnight EVERYONE EVERYWHERE sets off fire works. Imagine Germany or London getting bombed in WW2. It was crazy. Sunday was Christmas. Elder Bruidge had to take a pill series called the bomb on friday that kills everything bad in your system since he is laving this week, so he finally felty it on sunday. He was super sick. We all had to give talks in church about Christmas, except for Elder Robalino. We gave Elder Bridge a blessing right at the beginning of church, and he was healed and had no pain til after his talk. Then he felt bad again. He stayed behind with Elder Robalino, and Elder Passos and I went out to go to lunch and other appointments. One lady is giving us a % gallon bucket of fruit salad... We can't even fit that in the fridge. They love the Elder here. We also taught a lesson in Portuguese, and I gave out my first portuguese O Livro De Mórmon. Elder Passos is from Rio, and the 3 people we taught are from Brazil too. They have a brother who is a less active in our ward. Then after that we skyped. Y'all know what happened for mine, but before there was an hermana in Argentina whose family and friends had to skype from the church and they started way late. After me was the 2 latinos then Elder Bridge. He isn't even emailing today because He is going to be home this week. Today we went to Asuncion, and had time so we went to Shangri La, which is like a chinese Golden Corral. It was really good, they had all kinds of good food but the best was some honey glazed fried chicken stuff. Then we went to the office and waited for Elder Bridges interview. Then we came here, and that's the week! I'll send pictures, but I don'ty have too much time. Ciao!

Los amo,

Elder Olson
matthew.olson@myldsmail.net
Paraguay Asuncion North Mission