Thursday, December 11, 2014

ATTITUDE of GRATITUDE

December 1st

This week was amazing! I felt such an overwhelm of love and appreciation for all of the blessings I have!

We were well taken care of for Thanksgiving! We actually ended up having TWO! We went with some members the day of Thanksgiving. It was really fun! They have a big family so it was fun getting to know people and it made me feel right at home! They were super nice to let us come crash. One of our investigators lives right by us and works at the hospital. She had to work the day of Thanksgiving so her family did it on Friday, and she invited us to join them as well. I felt really really blessed to have people take us in on the holidays and let us spend time with them. It was also really fun!

Sister Aholelei had the flu this week so it was pretty uneventful aside from that. I spent LOTS of time reading the Book of Mormon, cleaning and getting a little bit ready for CHRISTMAS! I can't believe how fast it is coming, it'll be here really soon! I got the package from Wilsons...THANK YOU! Aren't they such a fun family?!?! I love these people. So much! I feel blessed to have lives "cross" like this week when people I love out here and able to meet people I love back home. It's like the best of both worlds for a minute. I have the pictures of the babies up of course!!! First things first.

I am so thankful for the gospel. I know it's the only way we can have true and lasting peace in our lives. I know we are never too far gone or past hope. I know cause I've had to go down that road myself. Heavenly Father really is our perfect father who loves us ESPECIALLY when we are struggling. I'm thankful to have three months left to be a missionary. Heavenly Father has blessed me more than I deserve!

LOVE YOU ALL WHOLE HEAPS!

With faith in every footstep,
Sister Olsen

Yes it was in the 80s and I was sweaty the day of Thanksgiving!

​Thanksgiving round 2

​Thanksgiving round 1

Such is Life Nov 24th

​This little girl has been reading the Book of Mormon. She went to get it to read her favorite verse to us. It was 1 Nephi 3:7 which is my favorite too! And we even had it marked in the same green! It was really really cute!




Short On Time!

November 17th--

My time went by way too fast today! This week was WONDERFUL! And it flew by. Here's some fun pictures to catch you up on the latest and greatest! One funny story from this week...we went to leave dinner one night and I look over to Sister Aholelei. She's got some wire thing in her hand that she's wrapping around her handle bars. She had somehow disconnected her brakes, drug them for a while and then was sick of them dangling so she wrapped them up. I was CRACKING UP! She's been scared to bike and said that day she felt like her bike was out of control. Turns out it was because she had no brakes! I love her. We've had a lot of fun and are working really hard. We also have been freezing here.....nothing makes you want to put on a coat like hitting 60 degrees! I wish I could say jk but seriously, I AM SO COLD! I have become truly pathetic after teh 115 degree temperatures. Hope you have a great week, LOVE YOU WHOLE HEAPS!

With faith in every COLD footstep,
Sister Olsen

ALOHA!!

November 10th-
Alooooooooha from my new companion, Sister Aholelei, and I! I am training her and as of today she is about 2 weeks out of Hawaii. And she's Tongan. I KNEW at some point I'd officially have a polynesian companion! I love it.

This week went by really fast! It was so so good! We had transfers Tuesday. Before we went I just had a really strong feeling I was going to have a poly companion and when the new missionaries came in, there were only 2 english speaking. The other one got assigned pretty quick so I just laughed cause I totally called it.  That night was crazy with both of us trying to move into the Saugus apartment and get established there.

Thursday we set a baptismal date with one of our investigators. She is so little and precious! At one point, she told us she really likes primary and coming to church. We asked her why and she said "I feel happy. Primary is my family." She is crazy shy and still hesitant to pray in front of anybody but us, but it's getting SO MUCH better! After one of our lessons this week she said it in front of her family,. We asked her how she felt and she said good. We pointed out that everytime after she prays she has a HUUGE smile on her face! I'm so excited for her!

I tried this meal called "Caribbean soup." It was kinda interesting but really really good! An interesting combination... raw shrimp, fresh peaches and a vegetable stew! IT WAS SO GOOD! I kinda laughed when people asked if I was bummed I stayed in the states for my mission. just in the last 2 weeks we have had Swedish food, Peruvian food, Persian food, Mexican food...and ELK! haha So I guess full on American food. What better place to be serving a mission?!! It's like I get to hop around the world while speaking english!

I love it out here. I love being a missionary. With holidays coming up, it's so exciting to get to spend this time with people i love so much and try to help them out in any way. I am so grateful for the gospel and the role it's played in my life. I had to speak  in church yesterday on faith and quite a bit of my "story" came out... I am incredibly thankful for a Savior who never gave up on me. And if HE never gives up on us, then we have no right to give up on ourselves.

Hope you have a wooooonderful week! Enjoy that cooler weather! We were in the 90s yesterday walking home from church but I have my quilt on my bed for nights. LOVE YOU WHOLE HEAPS!

With faith in every footstep,
Sister Olsen

Funny story for the week:
One of our investigators is married to a less active member. We asked her to say the prayer before we left. She did which is AWESOME cause usually she tells us no. She was uncomfortable and so she went pretty fast. As soon as she finished her husband starts laughing and says "Did you say HALLOWEEN Father?!?! That's not His name...." Indeed it is not. It was hilarious!

Attitude of Gratitude

November 3rd-

I have felt so overwhelmed this weekend with gratitude! Tis the season anyways but especially this year! I thought about all of the MANY blessings I have recieved lately. I felt flooded with love on my birthday, THANK YOU THANK YOU so much! I have some funny pictures I will try to send but my computer is fighting it right now. I thought about how even though I'm sad to say goodbye to Mint Canyon twice, I'm grateful for having the chance to go back there for three more weeks! I LOVE THAT WARD! I'm grateful for all the people I've been able to meet so far on my mission. They have left an influence and impact on me for sure! I am grateful to still have the time left that I do. I'm thankful for Heavenly Father answering my prayers. I'm thankful I get to have a real companion again tomorrow :) :) SO thankful! I'm thankful we had weather cool enough on Halloween that I even got to put my coat on :) Felt like Halloween at home.

I'm thankful for everybodys constant support and prayers. There really are days where I just feel them! And I appreciate it. Things are good here. So gooood! I don't have much time today but thanks for everything. Hope you have a great week! LOVE YOU WHOLE HEAPS!

With faith in every grateful footstep,
Sister Olsen 

Bledsoes are so sweet! We had dinner with them right before my birthday and when she found out I love oatmeal cream pies, she went to get some for dessert. ...expecting a real little pie haha she had no idea what they were!



Birthday with the Jones kids! I LOVE THIS FAMILY! They are adorable! Emma drew that picture for me and right as we went to take a picture the baby left the dishwasher and jumped in. Austin (big brother) came running over saying "YOU'RE A BOY! YOU CAN'T TOUCH HER!" Thanks Austin haha



Tender Mercies

October 20th--

I got to see the Whatley boys this week! I JUST LOVE THEM! We went to the church to meet with the Mint Canyon ward Relief Society President and it was mutual night so after just a few minutes of being there, they came walking in. Those boys mean so much to me! For some reason I feel such a connection to them and will definitely be coming to visit them for a long time.