Emily 2.13.12

So I have been born again! Transfers happened, and they sent me back
to Equipetrol, where I started the mission. Its almost the exact same
time of year that I was here last year, and its crazy to be back. Its
really fun to see everyone again, and slowly I am remembering who we
visited, see how they`re doing, who is progressing, and how the ward
is growing. And my companion is Hermana Gayol- she pronounces it
ga-shol, she`s from Argentina and has an awesome accent. I think I
might now have an idea of Camìs Spanish. Hermana Gayol is from Buenas
Aires Argentina, from the city La Plata, and she is 29 years old.
Crazy no?! Oh and she is brand new in the mission, yep I am training
again. Its weird to think she is older then my sisters, but she is an
amazing missionary. I honestly feel like she came pre-trained, I don`t
need to teach her anything. She talks to everyone, has an awesome
attitude, wants to be obedient, and is very humble and teachable. I
feel very privileged to be her companion, and her trainer. She is very
patient with me, and is helping me a lot with my Spanish. We are
opening the area, and its been an adventure. I am slowly remembering
the people, places, houses, everything, and its awesome. This area was
closed because one of the hermanas got sick and had to go home, so the
ward is really happy to have missionaries again. They all gave us a
very warm welcome, and they want to help! hooray! The sisters left
some investigators with a baptismal date so we have been contacting
them and are hoping to help them finish what they started, so they can
enter the baptismal waters in March! We are also looking for lots of
new people.
Dad I think you are right,  your prayers are helping a lot. So here`s
the list! We are visiting J, and E .J was gonna be
baptized in January. Her mom said that she was a little sad and
because the sisters just stopped visiting her one day, but we talked
to her and explained what happened, and we have an appointment wit her
tomorrow. We also going to be working with Da and F, they are a
couple and their two sons were baptized in November. They have gone to
church want to get baptized, but the dad needs to stop drinking, and
they need to get married. We have also met lots of really neat people,
and we are excited to follow up on them.

Last night we went to find a reference we had received from one of the
 brothers in church. We knocked the door, and a lady came to answer
it. We started talking with her, about her family, and God and suddenly
she just opened up. She said she had passed through a lot of hard
things, but that she believed in God, but sometimes its just hard to
forget the hurt and the pain. There we were standing in the dark, and
she was pouring her heart to us. We didn`t have time to visit her
cause it was late, but we scheduled an appointment for today. But its
incredible to see how people just trust us right off, recognizing us
as servants of God.

This week is Carnaval, and we are not allowed to leave, so I won`t be
writing for two weeks ;(. We`re gonna be in the house for 3-4 days.
They tell me carnaval is crazy -they throw paint on everyone - and
foam and to me it sounds like a blast! Like Oakcrest all over again!
haha but hermana Gayol and I are gonna have some awesome bonding time
in our little house in Equipetrol.

SIMEON! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I am so excited for you! I have been thinking
about you all week. I hope you have an amazing birthday and that you
keep preparing for your baptism. I am so proud of you. Thats really
neat that you all memorized the Living Christ and recited it for them.
I love you Sim! happy birthday! Have fun with your party, and take
lots of pictures to send me!

Mom, sounds like an awesome lesson you gave. I had never thought about
the creation that way before. Thanks for sharing your insights, they
always help me. Our lesson was the same, but it was really funny
because the teacher asked "who is George Albert Smith" and someone
said he was the dad of Joseph Smith, then they said he was the cousin,
and we spent a good rato explaining that he was neither. haha it was
an interesting adventure yesterday in church. its a good thing we`re
there to help them understand the doctrine a little.

That's to bad you haven`t had much snow. It has been raining all week
here, and i love it! Its very refreshing, and it hasn`t been quite so
hot. Definitely a blessing.

Dane thanks for writing. To bad you lost your first match - i remember
feeling the same after basketball season. It was like ya, its alright
that its ending i`m tired. But are you gonna run track? Are you goin
on dates? Hows your truck?

Mom I received  a package today, but I haven`t opened it yet. I think
its the DVDs. I also got a letter form Neil!!! But i haven`t read it
yet.

Well, I think I gotta go, I love you all lots and lots. I am sending a
picture. the sign says no parking for one block, and then you can see
all the parked cars for this hole block. Haha Gotta love Bolivia.

Take care, happy valentines day and talk to you in two weeks! Thank
you for your love and prayers!

Hermana Olsen