Mint Canyon Lovin'

 August 11th-
Hello hello from the sunshine and good times!

This week was amazing!!! It went by way too fast. We had a lesson last Monday with one of our members friends that he told us to call. She is INCREDIBLE! She's a single mom of two boys and a girl and they have quite the story! For example: the boys are huge into hockey!  Holden is the 14 year old boy and last year he BROKE HIS NECK! He got checked in a game and was out. Not only did he live and is back to fully functioning, but he's just getting back into hockey again as well. He's a tough one! We were able to set baptismal dates with all of them! And in our very first meeting the mom asked: "How soon will we be able to go to the temple?" :) Yep, all RMs reading this, read it again! That just doesn't happen. Ever. It was a huge testimony builder that when we work hard and do what we're supposed to do, the Lord truly prepares the way! And we are SURROUNDED by people who are ready for peace and more happiness in their lives. So a roadtrip next September is already being planned for when they will be sealed!

Last week, Ashlyn sent me this video and I LOVE it! http://www.mormonchannel.org/mormon-channel-daily/213?v=1839005837001#.U9_POjjFWYU.email

It's something that's been on my mind a lot this week! Sometimes the Lord is going to cut us down. And sometimes it hurts...a LOT! Watching it, I thought back to some of the moments in my life where I was crying because of being hurt. I know that the Lord truly was not only there for me during those moments, but that it was all a part of His grand design for me. I have seen that many times with those people surrounding me now! "Thank God for all I missed...cause it lead me here to THIS"

Transfers are tomorrow and I'll be staying but Sister Johnson is headed out. I'm so grateful to get to have more time with these people! I love them! I love this area! I love getting to be a part of these peoples lives for only a moment and help them to see how the Lord is cutting them back for their benefit as well. This week I also got to teach at a baptism in the YSA ward. HUGE tender mercy to get to go back and see some of the people there who meant so much to me.

Hope you have a great week. LOVE YOU WHOLE HEAPS! Check out the dress Marisse gave me that she wants me to wear to her baptism..... Definitely called for a photoshoot! It's a fiesta down here!

With faith in every footstep,
Sister Olsen

Last week we finally had RAIN! Never thought I'd miss that stuff. And yep...I again got ALL bundled up for 70 degree weather

The shirt Rebeca sent me for an early birthday present! Isn't that adorable?!?! I'm obsessed. Now I have one that says HOME with Utah and LOVE with California :)

Yesterday at church with our investigator Marisse :) She's from Poland and is a HOOT! I love her so much. I first met her when Sister Hacker and I were in YSA. The Mint Canyon Elders called us to "help her organize a little bit" and when we got to her apartment her door would barely even open! A little help Elders?!?! She's getting baptized in 2 weeks :) And her apartment is also now fully established :)

Connor and Kameron! I LOVE THESE BOYS! We are teaching them and their parents but we had just found our Kameron and his dad were moving out so we were taking pictures and telling them bye. Both of them are very talented at skateboarding. Jax needs to come learn some tricks ;)

Wasn't gonna show this to anybody but it was pretty funny! Connor was doing pull ups on those boxes so we joked about arm wrestling.... If you look close you can see how flexed my arm is. And how close I am to seriously losing haha oh well! Sometimes you just lose to 9 year olds... ​

Meet Delane and Kaleb! They are 2/7 kids at our complex that have figured out where we live and that we constantly have candy with us. EVERY time we come home, within 2 minutes of our door closing, they're out there knocking and asking for candy! I LOVE THEM! If I could adopt them, there's a chance I would. They can't come inside so we put that table out there and gave them a mini ping pong kit they can play ping pong while we make lunch. We've also taught them about service so now they also love to come "help" us; they check our mail and take out our garbage :)

We did a "literal fireside" with our youth a few weeks ago. SO FUN! But every better sat way far back haha A fire pit in 114 degree weather? Oops hahaha  I love working with the youth!!!