March 2, 2011
Familia! Hola! Momma, thanks so much for writing me. Its awesome to hear from you. Thats so fun that Steph is now in the field! I just realized out of my bunch of friends, I am the ONLY one still in the mtc. Haha great. But not for long. Rumor on the street is that I´ll leave Tuesday morning at six for Bolivia. Crazy! I am feeling so
excited. Nine weeks in an MTC is a long time. I am very grateful for the time that I´ve had to prepare, but I am also very excited for the real work to begin. Its crazy, I can´t believe its March already!
Thats pretty cool they´re doing an MTC special between conference. I can´t believe its almost conference time! That should be fun! The MTCs really are amazing. It is a very sacred place where the spirit can dwell and teach us so much. The teachers are all amazing, and inspired. Its a pretty neat program. My teacher in Provo, Hno Arnell
compared it to the time that Christ´s apostles had after he was resurrected and Christ taught them and prepared them for their missions. This is the closest thing we have to that and I have felt the need to make sure I am realizing that this is a sacred time of learning and preparing. But its been awesome.
So... things are going great! Saturday was awesome. I was a little nervous to go with the three of us, I thought maybe I would end up just sitting and listening and not saying much, but my companions were good to include me. We were contacting in a market place which actually ended up being a pretty awesome location. At first it was my trio, Hna Maxwell and her companion, Hna Avañdana, and the teacher who was supervising/helping us. We were all talking to the same person so Hna Maxwell and I tried to start talking to other passerbyers (is that a word?) Generally all I could get out was an enthusaiastic ¡hola! Or ¡Buenas Dias! and they were gone.. hmmm but then this mother was walking by with her maybe 4 year old daughter and she saw me. She stopped maybe two feet in front of me grabbed her daughters hand and pointed at me and said "¡Esta es una gringa!" translation - thats a gringa! then kepts walking. Haha so funny. Sign me up for the next museum exhibit. Maybe I´ll start offering to allow them to take pictures with me if they will let us come teach them a lesson. haha it really was so funny.
Later all of our compaions were talking to another lady and so Hna Maxwell and Yo started talking to these two little girls ages 9 and 6 I believe. They were adorable. I really miss children... anyhow super cute and they asked if we were Christians. We of course said yes and they said that they went to church. When we asked why the girl said to learn the words of God. Wow! You gotta girl! haha The 6 year old was wearing a Hannah Montanna shirt and when we asked who it was she piped up, "Hannah Montanna!" Ha wow, who would´ve guessed Hannah Montanna is super cool here too! haha she never fails. Once we were talking with the children all the sudden all these people were watching us and listening. It opened up a great opportunity to contact, all the sudden everyone wanted to know what we had to say. It was awesome.
excited. Nine weeks in an MTC is a long time. I am very grateful for the time that I´ve had to prepare, but I am also very excited for the real work to begin. Its crazy, I can´t believe its March already!
Thats pretty cool they´re doing an MTC special between conference. I can´t believe its almost conference time! That should be fun! The MTCs really are amazing. It is a very sacred place where the spirit can dwell and teach us so much. The teachers are all amazing, and inspired. Its a pretty neat program. My teacher in Provo, Hno Arnell
compared it to the time that Christ´s apostles had after he was resurrected and Christ taught them and prepared them for their missions. This is the closest thing we have to that and I have felt the need to make sure I am realizing that this is a sacred time of learning and preparing. But its been awesome.
So... things are going great! Saturday was awesome. I was a little nervous to go with the three of us, I thought maybe I would end up just sitting and listening and not saying much, but my companions were good to include me. We were contacting in a market place which actually ended up being a pretty awesome location. At first it was my trio, Hna Maxwell and her companion, Hna Avañdana, and the teacher who was supervising/helping us. We were all talking to the same person so Hna Maxwell and I tried to start talking to other passerbyers (is that a word?) Generally all I could get out was an enthusaiastic ¡hola! Or ¡Buenas Dias! and they were gone.. hmmm but then this mother was walking by with her maybe 4 year old daughter and she saw me. She stopped maybe two feet in front of me grabbed her daughters hand and pointed at me and said "¡Esta es una gringa!" translation - thats a gringa! then kepts walking. Haha so funny. Sign me up for the next museum exhibit. Maybe I´ll start offering to allow them to take pictures with me if they will let us come teach them a lesson. haha it really was so funny.
Later all of our compaions were talking to another lady and so Hna Maxwell and Yo started talking to these two little girls ages 9 and 6 I believe. They were adorable. I really miss children... anyhow super cute and they asked if we were Christians. We of course said yes and they said that they went to church. When we asked why the girl said to learn the words of God. Wow! You gotta girl! haha The 6 year old was wearing a Hannah Montanna shirt and when we asked who it was she piped up, "Hannah Montanna!" Ha wow, who would´ve guessed Hannah Montanna is super cool here too! haha she never fails. Once we were talking with the children all the sudden all these people were watching us and listening. It opened up a great opportunity to contact, all the sudden everyone wanted to know what we had to say. It was awesome.
My favorite experience of the day was when we decided we needed to talk to one more person before lunch. I saw one lady who had been watching us and suggested we head that way. We approached her and the two women with her and they were very friendly. My companions started talking to them, and this little grandma started talking to me. I´m not sure if I couldn´t understand her because she was speaking Spanish or because all I could do was look at both of her teeth. Anyhow, she kept talking to me and I reverted to my awesome trick of smiling and nodding. all I got from the conversation was that she was really hot, and that "they make um cute in the US" haha what can I say? Anyhow, she kept talking to me and I was trying really hard to understand her and keep track of what my companions were teaching so I would be able to share my testimony when the time was right. All the sudden Hna Tueros turned to me and asked if I could share my testimony. I responded "sobre que?" about what? and they just smiled and nodded. So there I went. I opened my mouth and out came a testimony of how the gospel blesses families and how her family could be blessed to. Later my companions said it was awesome, and exactly what they had been teaching about. I know Heavenly Father is helping and strengthen us missionaries in his work. I know that when we open our mouth it will be filled, if I can just have the faith to open my mouth. It was really neat.
My Spanish really is coming, and I am learning to trust in the Lord. Life here is... an adventure. The best way to explain my Spanish abilities... lets just put it this way. I had a weird dream the other day and I wanted to tell my companions about it but I didn´t know how to explain what a beauty pageant was... Entonces... ya. haha my teachers are way funny. Hno Garcia served in our mission and he told us that it gets up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit... right.... I just might melt. I´m not ready for the heat, but I´m sure it´ll work out.
My study times have been amazing. I am learning so much. I have never had such a strong desire to study the gospel. I wish I got to just study and study and study all day. It really has turned into a love affair with the scriptures. I love it!
You painted you bathroom? So fun! I can´t wait to see it all when I get home. I´m sure it´ll be beautiful. I can´t believe its turning into spring there. I´m slightly jealous. Sounds like you have a fun weekend planned. Happy birthday Isaac! I hope you have the best day ever! I was wondering if Nellie's blessing would be this week. Wow! Already shes over a month old. Well. I love you all! I hope things are going great. My next letter to you will be from BOlivia! Crazy! Thanks for the package mama, I pray it gets here too. Thank you for your support and prayers. Love ya´ll!
Hna Olsen
Taxes? Tithing?
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