Peter, 9.26.11

Dad,

wow, that is so crazy that you've been bishop for 4 years now! it does sound like you went on a working vacation to Idaho. but i think that would be the best kind. i enjoyed your insight about prayer. i have noticed that prayer is so powerful and it truly is a kind of work that is often required to have us receive blessings. i have noticed that when we pray specifically for our investigators we are able to see them progress and bring up concerns that we didn't know they had. one script in Alma 10 :6  talks about how the people of Zarahemla were commanded to pray mightily and fast for those "who knew not God"  and we have shared that with some member. it is a commandment to pray but not only to pray and fast but to pray and fast for those were are not members of the church.

 

we had russ' confirmation in sacrament. Russ wanted the bishop to do it but when we arrived at church the bishop was not their. so i had the opportunity to confirm Russ a member of the church and bestow the gift of the holy Ghost. it made think of how much I've grown and changed from the start of my mission to now. the first time i confirmed someone was in February and from that time to now i can see a difference the first time i was scared to death yesterday i was much more confident.

 

Emily, baptism with pictures 9.26.11

Dad! Its always so fun to hear from you. Thanks for sharing your
insights on prayer. I have been thinking the same thing. It always
seems like the miracles happen thanks to the prayers of the faithful.
I hadn`t thought of that with the brother of Jared. I always thought,
ya, I don`t want to be chastened for not praying, but it wasn`t just
for not praying, it was for not praying for your brethren. Sounds like
an awesome ward counsel. Ward counsels here are... a little different
:)

MOm, it sounds like the general relief society session was awesome! We
were in the stake center for our baptism, but the stake president
forgot, and they didnt end up watching it. It was sad because some of
the sisters from the ward came and no one was there. We sent them to a
different stake center and they were able to watch half of it. I can`t
wait to read the talks. Sad news, We don`t get to watch the saturday
sessions, the prophet has asked us to work all day Saturday. Kind of a
dissappointment, but we`re gonna be obedient :) Sunday should be
awesome! I can`t wait for thsi general conference! Its gonna be
awesome! I`ll be looking for you Sunday afternoon!

This week has been good. The Yapura family was baptized!! and I am so
so so happy for them! They are so great. Jussara, their daughter (11
years) was first, she came up out of the water laughing and she
couldnt stop. haha She was just full of happiness! I think she feels
the spirit the same as me. Elvira, the mom, was second and you could
see  her leviation, she just looked  relaxed, peacfull, and finally
Alex was baptized! It is so neat to see a man baptized, sometimes I
think they`re a little more hard hearted, it takes a little more to
help them. But he is so awesome. He always jokes around with us.
Yesterday we went by their house to fill out the baptismal registros,
and it was so neat. There is a different spirit there, its special. We
asked how they felt when they were confirmed and each one of them bore
a very simple, very pure testimony. It is so so so so great to see! I
am so happy to see this family receive the gospel in their life! ALex
is gonna receive the priesthood in two weeks, they`re gonna go to the
temple in a year, and they`re gonna be happy, forever! It just makes
me so happy!

This week we also went to visit some inactives. They make jam, but not
just any kind of jam, they make vegetable jam! Que gross, no?! From
what I understood, they make it of tomatoes, pumpkin, spimach carrots,
potatoes, and other crazy vegetables that i`m not really sure if
theres a translation. They are also going make ice cream, our of
vegetables. I tried it and.... we`ll just say it tasted as good as it
sounds :) haha but theysay they have a lot of success with it, the
mom`s love it. Don`t worry, he promised me a recipe this week! haha

Well family, I love you all lots and lots. I am so grateful for your
love, support, and prayers. This church is true, the gospel changes
lives, and is the only way to true happiness. The mission is awesome.

Love ya lots and lots!

Love,
Hermana Olsen

Pictures, a happy surprise

Another missionary mom emailed me with a few group pictures with Emily in them.  No explanations to go with except that they had a service project.  Looks like they had a great time.

Happy Birthday, Emily 9.19

Oh my goodness, its my birthday! haha It has already been such an awesome day. I got another package Thursday and waited until this morning to open it. You should all be very proud of me :) But I was dying to open it all week! This morning I woke up, ran to the bathroom (like usual), we prayed, then I went to wake up Hna Castro and Hna Font (shes here on an intercambio, she`s leaving today) saying, its my birthday! Its my birthday! haha they all joined me to open my packages and it was a blast! I feel super spoiled. I love the shirts, recipes, headbands, pictures, cards, candy, RANCH!, earrings, everything!!! Thanks a million times over. I feel so special! I
whipped out some peanut butter rice crispy treats, with honey comb cereal, and sugar and water for corn syrup... I`m not sure how they turned out yet, but hopefully they`re absolutely delicious! My cute little companions told me we had to go to the church before internet to take all of the elders and show them where its at, but when I entered the church everyone started singing - I`m not really sure what it was, a mix between happy birthday, feliz cumpleanos, and something else I think... haha but tit was awesome. They bought me a cake, and juice, because they all know I don`t like soda. Tan buenos son. :) Thanks for all the notes this morning in my email, and for all the love you`re all sending me, I can feel it! This morning we`re gonna head to the office to take hna font to her companion, and then we`ll be in a trio again. This family invited us to make brownies with them and then we`re gonna have a family home evening with them and this older couple. Should be an awesome day. I`m excited! Thanks a millions times over for everything. I couldn`t be happier!

This week has been good. The Ya family is amazing! The parents, El and Al, and one of their daughters - Jus are going to be baptized this Saturday and I am so excited for them. They are amazing. They all came to church yesterday before nine o clock, beating most of the members, and they were there participating and loving every minute of it. They are SO happy, and ecstatic for the baptisms this Saturday, and it is absolutely amazing to see. Its been a long time since I`ve seen a baptism, and I can`t wait. Its amazing to see the change in their lives. They have their interview this week on Wednesday, and President Calderon is going to baptize their family! Hooray for the gospel!

This week we have looked all week for Di,`we`ve gone to his house almost everyday, called him, this RM in the ward has called him and gone to visit him, and even the bishops wife took down his number to call him, and nothing. Poucha. I don`t know what happened, we`re a little sad, he is so awesome and so humble. We fasted for him this weekend, and we continue praying for him, hoping that we will find him and be able to help him.

The other day we were walking past a store when this little angel of a 3 year old girl ran up to us, calling Hermanas! Hermanas!" She grabbed Hna Castro`s hand and pulled  her over to her parents. We introduced ourselves and it was a family that had assisted our open house the other week. We made an appointment with them, talked for them a bit, found out they were married (which is a miracle sometimes), and were super excited to teach them. When we went to our appointment they were there working in the business, but they put some
seats in back, invited us to come in, and they both joined us with their kids. It was SO neat! They didn`t accept a baptismal date - yet! but they promised to come to church this week, and we`re really excited to keep teaching them and helping them come unto Christ.

We also talked to another family this week. They have seven kids under the age of 11, and still going strong! They`re not married, but all of their documents are in place. We taught them the law of chastity and before we left the mom said the closing prayer. In her pray she prayed that they would be able to get married this month. Her kids accepted baptismal dates (only 2 are older then 8), and they committed to come to church next week. I`m excited for the possibilities. 

The Lord keeps blessing us and helping to find the elect, and it is an amazing feeling to be doing missionary work here in Bolivia. I feel very blessed. The Lord is taking good care of me, and working hand in hand with Him, we`re going to help people obtain eternal life. The church is true! I love ya all like crazy! Thanks for everything!

Love your birthday girl!

Hermana Olsen

Peter, 9.19.11

from what i hear it sound like you all  spend more time in Idaho than in Manti. oh well.. the work here is going great! Russ was baptised yesterday and Ry was confirmed it was a very good but stressful day. I'm not sure if I've every seen someone so excited for their baptism. Russ has been telling everyone about it since the day we set his baptismal date. the baptismal service was right after church. and their wasn't a whole lot of people there but there was enough, a few ward members and russ's family. russ's baptismal program was a little rough because his 4 youngest children, which are between the ages of 3 and 7 were tired of being in church after being there for four hours. but with the help of some of the sisters in the ward they were able to keep them entertained for the last half of the program. 

this week I also went of exchange in L. with elder Nash. it was fun to be able to work with him and to be in his area is less stressful because you don't have to worry about what we are going to do and who we are going to go see. 

missionary life continues to seem to go faster and faster. its great! l love it! this is God's work, He has restored His church. 

love you all

Elder Olsen

Peter's paragraph 9.12.11

hello

I'm glad the bbq went well! and the pics are sweet! thanks for sending them.

this week was kinda crazy! their was a 2 day training my comp. had. We had to finish preparing ryan for his baptism, teaching and then having the interview. and then yesterday it all came together. it was great! the program was good and their was a good turn out from the ward. i ended up conducting the music, thank you bro Thomas.

last night we had a candle light (the power went out) lesson with R and C. we went in knowing that they didn't understand authority and didn't know how we were going to bring it up and talk about it because we had already talked about it so much. and when we got to the appointment their son was their and asked questions which allowed us to teach more about the authority without us having to bring it up. it was definitly a blessing from God. He really wants this family to join the church but satan is also aware and throwing many stumbling blocks in the way. 

This Gods work and he is directing it. I'm so greatful to be able to serve. 

love you tons

 Elder Olsen

emily's epistle 9.12.11

Family! Hello from Bolivia. Guess what?! For the first time in my mission I`m in a internet cafe with air conditioning - awesome! Sounds like your still keeping busy. Corn on the cob, how delicious! They
have corn on the cob here but it is insanely huge, and a little... weird... they eat corn a lot here, but this great big overgrown corn that everyone here loves, i`m learning to love it :) I love your jumping pictures, those are always my favorite. Thats so great you got to go the Nashville tribute concert, I would LOVE to see that. I can`t wait to listen to their new cd, i`m sure its awesome! Its my birthday next week! I think I`m gonna go wild in the grocery store and buy the ingredients for peanut butter rice crispy treats... rice crispies are pretty expensive here, but I figure my birthday is worth it! This month is Santa Cruz month, and I may just buy a Santa Cruz shirt for me too.. haha

Elise, thanks for your quick note, I love ya lots too. In my email it says that John wrote me, so I began reading your letter thinking it was from John... and found it a little... different... when John was telling me that he loved me so much! haha but its all good, i love you all too! haha

Ya, this week has been crazy awesome, combining our two wards and working like crazy. This is Hermana Castro and Hermana Patzi`s last transfer, and they are definitely not trunky, they are in the we have to work like locitas before the mission ends, I like it. :) This week in the San Pedro Ward we had a talent show, it was awesome. Everyone danced. I love the culture here, everyone has their own dance, every city, and town, and its so neat. I wish we had more of a dancing culture. I loved seeing it all. Hermanas Patzi, Castro, and I put words to a songs and sang about missionary work, knockin doors, asking for referencias, and everything, it was awesome. This Saturday was also an awesome experience. President Calderon organized an open house in ALL of the churches in Santa Cruz, all in the same night, and it was cool. We had ours here in Braniff and San Pedro., and my cute companeras decided we needed a really big bible and a really big book of mormon to show and talk about. We whipped out two really big scriptures, a really big missionary nametag, and some really big, lightweight gold plates. It all turned out awesome. The open house was supposed to start at 5pm, but we`re in Bolivia, and Bolivia Mormon standard time is was worse then Mormon standard time. ;) by 6:30 everything was ready to go, but no one had come yet. My companions and I decided we were going to find someone to come and get to know the church, so we went out in front and began inviting EVERYONE in sight! When the members saw us working hard soon enough they joined us. Stopping everyone in the street and telling them to come and see what "the mormons" believe and do. I think my favorite part was when I looked at our Bishop, I saw this determined look on his face as he looked at two people walking past the church. He went over them and started walking with them, and invited them to come and join us. It was so neat. Pretty soon all the Young adults were out there inviting everyone. We went to our classroom to present "missionary work" and from then on we had a constant stream of people coming. It was so neat. We have about 30 references that we`re going to be contacting this week. Its so great when the members support us and help us. President and Hermana Calderon also surprised us by coming to our open house - aaaa! Luckily it was all beautiful. We were talking with one lady and she said the missonaries were visiting her before, and president calderon  very directly asked her, and when are you going to be baptized?! She said I don`t know, but said that she wants to learn more. It was awesome to see how direct he was. Its true, this is our purpose, to baptized, and we should tell everyone. and when people say "you mean your out to convert everyone?" we`re gonna say EXACTLY!

One awesome thing I have seen this week is a single adult, named Dimar. He is single, a little older, and has a mountain of things to change before he can be baptized. Drinking being one of them. He promised us he wasn`t gonna drink anymore, and we have prayed a lot for him. The other night we were teaching him in the church. I was explaining the apostasy and how the bible changed from its original form, and before I could finish he said "oh, thats why there are so many churches!" Exactly I said, I have never seen anyone understand it as well as he did. Later Hna Castro was explaining the desire that Joseph smith had to ask God about which of all the churches was true, and Dimar was finishing her sentences. It was so awesome. He just understood the restoration SO good! As we were leaving a member asked him "when are you gonna be baptized?!" He loooked at us and said "I don``t know, its up to the Hermanas." We said how bout Sept 24?! he said sounds good to me! haha So great! He came to church yesterday and he went out with his friends again last night, the ones that like to drink. He said he drunk 4 cups of beer, but for some reason, he doesn`t know why, he just wanted to leave, he got up and left and didn`t drink anymore! He explained a whole bunch of changes that he has seen in his life. He says I`m changing! I`m coming better and I don`t know why, but I love it! It is SO SO SO neat to see. Absolutely amazing. The gospel really does change lives.

We also found an older couple yesterday, that received us, understood everything, accepted baptismal dates, and are super excited for our next visit. Missionary work is awesome. I`m happy, working here in this corner of the vineyard. I am learning a mountain of things, and I hope little by little, I`am progressing with my investigators,together coming closer to Christ.

I love you all lots and lots. Have an awesome week!

Love,

Hermana Olsen

Emily, 9.5.11

Sounds like things are going awesome there. Today is labor day huh? Does that mean pete won`t get to write until tomorrow? Today is also my 8 month mark, crazy! The time is flying, i hope i am doing everything the Lord wants me to do with this sacred time of His. That is so great that the THomases are back, I`m sure they have some awesome stories. Maybe someday I`ll get to come to Bolivia again with my husband when we`re old! That would be sweet! Mom, I like your definition of wisdom, its something that we try to teach our investigators. That you have to ask with real intent, really intending to act on your answer. Our investigators have the knowledge after we have taught them the restoration, but they lack the wisdom to know what to do with it. If they can just pray to know what to do with it and to know if its true, then they will be able to experience all the blessings of the gospel. 

This week we were teaching a lady, Saida . She is really awesome. She asks us questions and we respond. She was confused about Jesus Christ and his spirit, and if he has a body of flesh and bones how is his spirit with us, we explained the Godhead and immediately the scripture in matthew, that talks about when Christ came to visit his apostles after he was resurrected came to my mind. I found it, glanced at it, and then we read it. I didn`t realize how much it applied to her in that moment. It was really awesome to think wow, I am guided by the spirit! haha we answered her questions and shared with her the restoration. We invited her to pray about Joseph Smith to know if he was a prophet of God. She said she would because its important to know. She said she heard on the news that there is a church with a prophet that had a bunch of wives and kids with every wife. That they lived together, everyone, in some mansion and how crazy is that?! haha It was a little hard not to laugh, knowing that it was Brigham Young, we just smiled and asked and how could you know for yourself if he was a prophet of God, and commited her to pray. When we ask when we come visit her again, she always says when you want to! I`m excited to watch her progress, she has an 11 year old daughter, and lives with her "husband," they aren`t married, yet, but hopefully we can teach the law of chastity and she can have the courage to act. 

I did receive the birthday package I think! and one from the Porters and the Van Ormans, I haven`t opened them yet, I am saving them for my birthday, but thank you so much! I am excited!

This week I also tasted one of my new favorite fruits, the tomarindo, i think! It is absolutely delicious! it has a hard shell, you peel it, and inside its like fruit leather. It is so GOOD! An investigator gave us a whole bag full and Hermana Patzi and I are eating them like crazy!

Yesterday in relief society they talked about Love at Home, and you guessed it, i sure thought a whole lot about all of you. I just love you all so much and I hope you all know it. I also received a whole bunch of dear elders last week. From Hermana Maxwell, Heidi Bird, Natasha Hill, and  a whole bunch of missionaries (thanks mom!), but my favorites to read are the ones I received from mom and nat. My family is the bomb, and i just love you all the most! But don`t tell anyone, wouldn`t want them to be jealous! But really, thank you so much for your support, love, prayers, and for being my awesome family. 

I read talk by elder holland this week that talks about liberty jail and how it was a temple prison experience. It was hard, but he learned so much. This week things have been a little hard with my companion, but I have learned so much, and I feel much closer to my Savior. Today Hermana Vasquez is going home. She has some health problems, but we are hoping she÷ll be back soon. In the meantime Hermanas Patzi, castro, and I are going to be in a trio working in to wards. Our are just more then doubled in size, its should be another awesome growing experience. I÷m gonna miss hna vasquez, shes a favorite. 

Well times up. I love ya lots and lots, Take care of yourselves, and good luck jumping back into a schedule. 

Love ya!

Hermana Olsen