Emily, 1.2.12

2012 and its not the end of the world . . . and happy birthday anna curtis!

Everyone here has said whats gonna happen in 2012? is it really gonna
be the end of the world? We always tell them that only God knows, but
I was happy to wake up yesterday and know that the end of the world
hadn`t come? Although I think my companion was thinking it might have
been the end of the world. She said at midnight they lit off a whole
bunch of fireworks and it sounded like we were in the middle of a war
- i on the other hand didn`t hear anything! I slept like a baby, all
night long! Crazy. Sometimes I worry about my future children - that
they`re gonna cry in the night and I`m just gonna keep sleepin -
hopefully my husband doesn`t sleep like a rock like i do!

I miss debbie too. Thanks for sharing, it made me feel good. We`ll
definitely play lots and lots when I get home, and i hope she never
gets bored! We`ll make cookies and play dress ups, and I think I`ll
join you mom in just being present. I really like your word mom.
Yesterday Hermana Iquise and I were talking about new goals we could
have for this year. I asked her about her goals and she said she had
been thinking - she doesn`t like to share anything personal, or
anything. I have no idea what her goals might be, but I know she`s
been "thinking" :) but I told her how lucky she was she was gonna be
on a misson all of 2012, she could do just one goal. I feel like my
mission goals will be a little different then my normal member living
at home goals. But maybe they don`t have to be different. The gospel
applies to everyone - both the Hermana Olsen part of me, and the Emily
from Manti UT part of me. I`ll have to keep thinking and looking and
praying about what I need to do this year to keep progressing. Like
peter said once, am i a progressing child of God? What am I gonna
change this year? We had a really awesome church yesterday. The first
speaker talked about our attitude, and how everything depends on our
attitude. How we choose how we are gonna react to everything, if we
are gonna be happy or miserable. She said if we think it, it will
happen. She shared a study someone was doing. They had two groups, one
group strengthened their muscles lifting waits, and the other group
strengthened their muscles thinking about lifting waits. Haha doing it
in their mind (thats my kind of exercise :)) but she said that those
who did it in theri mind, mentally actually had an increase of muscle.
She talked about how the mind is powerful. and its true. Like hermana
Iquise said yesterday  the mind combined with faith in Jesus Christ -
thats even more powerful! Something I liked that the speaker said is
we should think "I have the best spouse, teh best kids, the best
family" and they will be. I decided I should think "I have te best
companion" and she will be. So I`m workin on it :) But we`re
definitely - different. But she is the best!

This week we found a new investigator, taught her, and dropped her.
but we had a cool experience. Her name is Edith, we talked to her in
the street, and she said you don`t want to come visit me right now, We
said yes! So we did, we shared the restoration with her. She is
catholic, turned baptist, and loves to read the bible. Which means she
had a hard time accepting a new prophet, modern day revelation, and
the need for a restoration. She also thinks The sabbath is Saturday.
We left her with a pamphlet and went back the next day.  We taught her
a litle more, the hardest thing for her was to accept Joseph Smith -
we tried to commit her to pray but she just didn`t want to. She had a
whole bunch of other questions, which we told her we would answer in
the future. We spent almost 20 mins trying to get her to commit to
pray and ask God, but she didn`t want , para nada. We went back one
more time, answered her questions. She wanted to know where it talked
about the restoration in the bible, so we showed her. She read it, saw
that there was a cross reference in duetermony (is that how yo spell
that?), and so we read it. I was little nervous that it was gonna say
something that we didn`t understand or that had been translated
incorrectly, but we read it and it just kept supporting the
restoration. IT talked about a prophet God would raise up in the last
day, and how everyone should listen to his voice. She didn`t
understand, but for me it was really special. The more we read, the
convinced i was that all of it was SO true. The restoration, latter
day prophets, everything. Its all true, without doubt! She didn`t want
to believe it, didn`t want to pray, didn`t want to touch teh book of
mormon, thats why we dropped her. But maybe I needed that experience
more then she did. Once agin my testimony has been confirmed, this is
the true church of Jesus Christ. I know it!

To finish off the year 2011 i finished readin the book of mormon in
spanish! We had to be in teh house early for new years eve because
everyone drinks like crazy - and with the extra time I was able to
finish it, and like pres Eyring counseled the the YW in conference in
april, I put Moronì`s promise to the test. Once again, I felt of the
truth of the book of mormon. It is SO true, its all true! and I am so
grateful to be hear telling everyone about it. We`ve got the truth!

I love you all lots and lots! What did you do for new years? Thanks
for your prayers and support.

This is the Lord`s church, the book of mormon is true, and God is our
Heavenly Father and He loves us.

Love ya!

Hermana Olsen