Things have shockingly been going incredible! I love it! I love the spirit here, I love how happy I am and I love how friendly and happy everyone else is! I love hearing all the different languages as we pass each other out walking. I love feeling like I'm being pushed and learning so much. I love my companion and I LOVE my district! I'm glad I got some good advice before coming and in Taylor's letter my first night. It's helped a ton!
We had a few shockers already... Turns out, my alarm clock does NOT work! We set it the first night here, went to bed, and the sisters we live with finally woke us up at almost 7am...it was still ticking and everything but for some reason just never went. I SWEAR I did nothing to tamper with it. Our second day here we have interviews with the Branch Presidency and at the end my companion and I got pulled back. We got put in as "Sister Training Leaders" which is the equivalent of Zone Leaders for the sisters. So it's been a bit of an adventure to try and balance MTC life with trying to get to know the other sisters in our zone as well. We don't get home until 9:30 every night and have to go do sister visits, get ready for the next day, journal and be in bed by 1030. It's been a challenge but it's been good! I liked my district right from the start but on Friday, one of our Elders went home. :( It was so sad! He left at 10:00 that morning and we felt it right from the beginning. We were super down the whole day. Saturday night, my companion, Sister Hughes, had a total breakdown! She couldn't stop crying and was ready to go home. Like, packing her bags ready to go home. After three hours, I finally talked her into letting the Zone Leaders give her a blessing. It helped a ton! She passed out almost as soon as we got home. Thankfully, she's still here and seems to be doing really well! I think that's the biggest reasons we're sister training leaders.
I can not even begin to explain all of the tender mercies I've had! IT HAS BEEN MIND BLOWING! I know I am supposed to be here, without a doubt. And I know the Lord is blessing me like crazy because of it. Our first night here, we were in the chapel by the football Stadium and when we walked out, the band was out practicing on the field. I thought I would suddenly get homesick but I was fine! I had this feeling where I knew the Lord was gonna bless me to be here. Waking up in the morning? As soon as I decided not to throw a fit that we have to get up a half an hour earlier than anybody else (BUT SERIOUSLY?! What are the odds?!) I haven't even struggled with getting up early! And I'm not a beast about it either once I'm up! I think I have prayed more in the last five days than I have the whole 23 years I have been alive. Constantly! Praying to stay awake, praying to stay alert, praying to feel the Spirit, praying for patience with other sisters, praying for my companion to feel comfort, praying for our investigator, praying over our food, praying at night, praying to start meetings, praying to end meetings.....we are always praying!!!! And when we aren't praying? I feel like we're singing.
Our first night here we had a new missionary fireside with the MTC Presidency. We sang some of those really powerful hymns like "As Zions Youth in Latter Days", "Called to Serve", "Hope of Israel"... at the end of the fireside we sang "We'll Bring the World His Truth" but they had changed "and we will be the Lord's missionaries" to "and NOW we are the Lord's missionaries." It was one of the most powerful moments of my life I would have to say! It was amazing! Everybody had so much feeling behind it and there were probably over 100 of us so it was super loud!
I love that I finally made it here! When they handed me my badge, I seriously couldn't stop smiling! I don't think I've ever worked harder for anything in my life and I am incredibly grateful that I did! I love getting to be a part of this work. I love and miss you all! Saying goodbye was probably one of the HARDER moments of my life but I have to admit that it was already worth it. See you soon!
With faith in every footstep,
Sister Olsen
I did get the package!! THANK YOU! We have only gone to the main campus today. The Temple was closed, and the bus that takes us to the Temple wasn't running so we walked from our campus up today just me and Sister Humphreys. It was great! Even though we went at 7am in the rain. I FINALLY got my pictures by the plaque they always talk about :) :) :) We go to the main campus Wednesday for in field training (???) but other than that our church, classes, cafe, bookstore and everything is down here.
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| Our district started as 8 then we had one Elder go home. Then we lost both of our teachers because of BYU schedules. THEN we had 2 of our sisters get sick and go to instacare. So today we were laughing that our District was dropping like flies and took a sad picture we're only down to five. |
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| My companion Sister Humphreys and I outside out door the end of our first night. With out little orange "We're brand new" dots! |
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