Emily's Epistle 6.13.11

Mom! and fam,

I`m doing great! So far I`m staying plenty warm. Everyone keeps saying
the cold is coming the cold is coming, but I`ve been fine so far. I
didn`t even use a blanket last night. My new area is great! Super
small. I`m just between the second and third rings of Santa Cruz and
super close the center still. Its weird because it feels like a whole
other world, but the truth is that I`m way close to my other area
still. Braniff is the neighborhood, I`m not sure why you can`t find it
on google map. My Spanish is... good. I feel pretty confident
actually. Yesterday in church it was amazing! I learned so much, and I
think it helps that I can understand what they`re saying. Its so much
fun to understand people, and be able to talk with them. My accent is
still really bad, and some people just can`t understand me. But
Hermana Patzi helps me a lot, shes super great. Six months?? Wow its
already gonna be six months, thats crazy. We still have a pensionista,
she actually has a pension... like a restaurant, and its all really
good. We eat soup, and then a second course, and by the time we finish
lunch I feel like I^m gonna burst. It doesn`t help that we drink soda
everyday either. We tried to tell her that water is great for
drinking, but I think she was a little bit offended. Cultures are sure
a weird thing.

My shoes! I actually haven`t taken my Danksos in yet. But my brown,
uphill shoes are great. now... haha the front toe of my left shoe was
a little... worn. :) The soul was falling off. It acted like a great
big mouth and everytime we walked through sandy, dusty places it just
ate it all up. It was pretty funny actually because after I`d have to
do a little kick step kick kick step walk to get all the dirt out. I
felt like the DUI video where the police women pulls over a drunk guy
and he has to dance.... It was probably quite the show, watching this
choca (thats what they call us gringas here) half walk half dance kick
down the street. But we went to a show maker and he sewed around the
whole soul of both of my shoes, and I think they`re good to go.
Hopefully they last another year! Maybe this week I`ll see what they
can do about my Danksos. Is there not a guarantee?

I forgot to tell you last week! I`m sending the pictures, but last
Sunday I bent down to get something in our kitchen and when I stood up
my eye scraped the corner of the table. It hurt a little and I checked
the mirror to see the damage and found my eyelashes smeared on my
cheek! There is now a big whole in my eyelashes where its just bald.
Its pretty awesome looking, all to add to my awesome sister missionary
look ;)

Before I forget! Happy birthday to WIlliam... I think its sometime
thsi month. and happy anniversary to my mom and dad, and nat and
william, and happy fathers day dad! I love you all and hope you
have/had an awesome day. Dad! Be careful with yourself! I wanna go
skiing when I get home with you! YOu are getting pretty old though,
half way to a hundred already!

I forgot to tell you, I did receive the package of the music and
pills, and the shirt. Thanks a bunch! I haven`t received the tights
yet. Hopefully pronto.

Well the work is great. We`re still looking for more investigators. we
want to find families! THe ward here is awesome. They have a ward
counsel and everything, and they`re super willing to help us with
whatever they can. Its so nice. One thing I wish I would`ve known
before I came is that the church is still young here, and they`re all
stil learning.

AAA!!! Kaitlyn AVerett is engaged! Thats so great! I was wondering
about her. She better send me a wedding invite! That is so exciting
Lisa`s call should come this week. I wonder where she`s going! and
Grandpa`s a temple worker. How lucky! I miss the temple so much. I
can`t wait tll I get to go again. Make sure you all go as much as
possible, its such a privilige to live close to a temple.

Today I was reading in 3 Nephi 23. Jesus is visiting the Nephites and
he asks about their record. I really liked versus 6-14. He asks about
the record that they`ve kept. Nephi had to bring it to Him and He
looked at it and told Nephi that he hadn`t filled it up like he should
have. It made me think about journals, and that maybe one day we`re
going to have to show our record that we`ve kept from our life, the
revelations we`ve received, and blessings that we have. I hope when
that day comes I`ll have filled it up my record all the way, with
everything that I should put in it. I definitely need to work on my
journal writing. I really want to remember everything. There is so
much to do in the mission!

Mom! I`m sure you lesson was amazing! I wish I could have been there.
Thanks for the quotes! I learn so much from you!

Well times up already. TOday we`re going bowling as a zone. SHould be
lots of fuN! I`ll take pictures. I love you all lots and lots. Thanks
for everything!

Oh! If you`re gonna send a package off.... It would be awesome to have
some pass along cards in spanish. That aren`t any just general ones
here, or in the distribution center... weird. And I would love some
little stickers of Christ. Its not an emergency or anything...

The church is true! Iove ya lots!

Love,

Hermana Olsen