2 Nephi 5:27

HAPPY 2014! So crazy 2013 has already come and gone. Church yesterday was crazy...I saw one of my good friends from high school! I was freaking out a little and Sister Kemp had to remind me not to hug him haha and remember our white supremacist gang member?! HE came walking into sacrament meeting, as we were sitting next to our black investigator! Our stomachs dropped and we were glued to our guy allll day! Luckily nothing happened :) we also taught Sunday School and spoke in Relief Society so it was quite the exhausting day.

New Years Eve this year was definitely the most different I've ever had! Our investigator (a marine) is struggling to find the motivation to read the Book of Mormon and we've been struggling to work out so we told him on the 30th to start reading every night, text us how many verses he read and we'll do that many crunches or push ups the next day. 113 the first night!!! 1 Nephi 1-4... I have never been so excited to work out! Then we went to Mission Leadership Council from 9-5:30, drove back to our valley and grabbed a pizza just in time for our 7pm curfew!

New Years is fun to me! I thought about being in Hawaii last year and never thinking I'd be on a mission a year later. I'm thankful for everything and everyone that got me out here! I know I say that every time but I can't say it enough! I know God loves each and every one of us and everything we go through is for a reason. I know everything happens for a reason...and a reason for the BEST! I thought about 2013 and had my song stuck in my head :) :)

LOVE YOU ALL! And hope you have a great week :)
With faith in every footstep,
Sister Olsen

New Years was different but probably one of the better ones I've had for sure. I thought a lot about last year and being in Hawaii...being determined to let go of what an awful year 2012 was. I thought a lot about the upcoming year though and how 2014 will be "MY YEAR" as a missionary. Not a lot of sisters get a solid year on their missions so I thought a lot about what I want to do/become. One of my goals is to read the Book of Mormon four times. Which is easier than I thought it would be. Reading six pages everyday I can read it every three months!

We have a Sister who has struggled her whole mission and President asked us this week what our thoughts would be in sending her home... I think that's what's got me so down today. They've only had 3 full work days this whole transfer (so five weeks....) and other than that they've been staying in! Which is not okay. But it's really sad and hard to think of another going home. Sister Kemp and I struggle a little bit because she's still caught in a little bit of "I need to be on top" so she's like "Honestly she needs to just go home" and I want to shake her sometimes. She doesn't understand having messed up. She's got a touch of self-righteousness. And is very immature.

I'm struggling a little. But I am praying daily for patience and charity. I know things could be worse and I'm grateful that overall we do get along great! I've learned to ignore and correct in a loving way (hopefully) but it's hard just thinking back to Pierie I think. And if nothing else, at least there aren't obedience problems! haha kill me...

So I am indeed down a little bit today. Sorry about that.

Love you tons. Thanks for always supporting me :)
Your favorite Sister Olsen

Our investigator Bryan wanted to take us out to a fancy dinner for our Christmas present. We went to the Odyssey last Saturday! It was amazing! Melt in your mouth steak :) :) This is the over look though. That's the 405 freeway, San Fernando Valley and more of LA county.