Emily's last email 7.23.12

Hey elise! happy birthday! Thanks for the letter.... and no
information! haha guess i`ll just have to be patient:) That`s to bad
John won`t be there friday, but i`ll see him soon ;)

Sounds like things went great! Youth conference sounds awesome, Neil
and Caitlin are sealed for forever! thats so happy! And the olympics -
justito voy a llegar.

It has been an amazing week. We visited Paola this week. She is
progressing like a weed! It`s amazing. We called her on Monday to see
how she was doing and she cleaned her room! Ever since we met him she
always said that her room is a huge disaster and that it was aweful.
But she received the gift of the Holy Ghost and didn`t want to live
like that anymore. So she cleaned it, dejunked everythign, and she
started reading the book of mormon. Yesterday she told us she was in
Enos! She`s flying. She also read about half of the daughters in my
kingdom book - she is super excited to belong to such an amazing
program -.relief society! She also asked if she read all of the gospel
principles book if she could go to the other sunday school class. -
haha. She is so funny. She asked us if it was a sin to call her
boyfriend a lamanite. When she got to church yesterady she said she
has sinned gravely. We asked why? and she said they invited her to
help clean the church on saturday and she didn`t go - cause she didn`t
find out till late. haha she is so great, and so much happier. She is
loosiing all her excess weight, taking better care of herself - and
its amazing. The gospel changes lives.

We talked to Diego yesterday. He is amazing. According to him he used
to be a hard core rocker. And then he met his girlfriend (who also
loves rock, but is a member). He has been going to church with her in
another ward and has changed completely. It is so amazing. Now he
spends his sundays in shirt and tie, visiting in active young adults,
and going to church everywhere! haha We had taught him before and we
told him he needed to pray about hte church and baptism. He told us he
wanted to have a dream, and we explained that God doesn`t always
answer that way, sometimes, but not always. But he is a man of great
faith  -.because saturday night he received his answer in his dreams.
He knows the gospel is true, and he needs to be baptized. He is so
excited! The picture i sent with the couple is Diego, and his
girlfriend, Margot. He is going to be baptized on August 11. awesome!
They promised to put their pictures on facebook!

Arturo and sara started their family history this week. Arturo had his
interview to receive the priesthood, and hopefully the sunday he can
receive it. I am so happy for them.

The gospel is so real. Its true. all of it. And it changes lives. The
atonement is amazing, and i am so grateful to be able to apply it in
my life.

I can`t believe i am going home this week. It still doesn`t seem real.
The mission is so amazing. I have learned, struggled, enjoyed, and
grown so much. I feel eternally grateful for this special, sacred time
to be a full time representative of Jesus Christ. I am just hoping to
be able to keep up the excitement all my life. I love you all lot and
lots. See ya soon!

Hermana Olsen

Peter 7.23.12

Mother Dear!

 sorry i don't have much time today! this week has been great! we decided to go through all of the potentials in the area book. it has been great! we had 1 potential from earlier this transfer and had been struggling to meet with him but as we were persistant we met his dad Joseph who moved here from Jamaica 6 or so years ago. at first He started telling us we had a different Bible... but as we talked to him he eventually told us that he had met with missionaries in Jamaica and actually remembered their names. he also remembered parts of the Hymn I stand all amazed' the spirit came and he agreed to have us back. we are super excited to begin meeting with him. 

Tomorrow is transfer day and i will be picking up the New missionary at the mission office at 9. I am excited but i will definitely need all the prayers and help i can get as we begin our companionship. well i've got to go. 

 I love you 

Elder Olsen

ps did you figure out anything about the absentee ballots I think they have started accepting them.

also give Sister Olsen a HUGE HUG for me! 

Peter 7.16.12

Wow thanks for the updates! i recieved both moms and danes letters, Thank you! i'm glad you got the package! the t shirt is tight on me so i figured you could save it for me till i get home. good luck with everything this weekend! sounds like fun! 

I will be training a new missionary next transfer! it should be pretty fun. we had a Trainers meeting last week and i'm super exctited. its weird to know so far in advance what i'll be doing next transfer (i won't be picking him up till next July 24) but i'm super excited!

this past week went very fast! we recieved a referral from the spanish elders this week. S H 14 and has been attending the spanish branch with a friend only thing is he doesn't speak a lick of Spanish. He has a baptismal date for aug 11. and we are hoping to begin teaching his family too.

I've learned a lot about setting goals this week. we had a district meeting about setting goals first and then making plans to achieve them. so we decided to try it out being that we usually make plans and then set goals. we did it and plans came and we were blessed to achieve our goals as we trusted that God would provide a way to accomplish them. This is Gods Church today. It is directed by Jesus Christ. and the Church was restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith.

I love you

Elder Olsen

Emily, 7.16.12

 A good example is better than advice!

That is the inspiring message i read on the back of a car this morning in the bus on the way to internet ;)

Wow! It is so awesome to hear from you all. Dad, thanks for your letter. ITs true. Everything is in God`s hands, and that way everything works out exactly as it should. We find the people we are supposed to and help them find eternal joy. I love it! That`s great that Steph is home, I am sure she was such an amazing missionary.  I loved reading her letters, they inspired me. Thanks mom for representanting me in all of the important acontecimientos (.... events, happenings, i don`t remember how to say that) of my friends and family. I hope you can make it to Neil`s wedding this weekend. 

NEIL AND CAITLIN.... MUCHAS FELICITACIONES! I am so excited for you both. I have been thinking about you tis week, and instead of counting how many days till i go home, i count down how many days till you`re married! haha I hope it all goes super well and that its the best day of you`re lives! Until now... ;) I love you both!

We taught arturo and sara about family prayer, and showed them the pictures you sent. I told them that you all pray for them, and they felt very grateful. They send greetings to my mom, and family ;) Thanks for including them in your prayers. 
I am so glad that you have gotten more rain this week. That is awesome! And dad thats great about your work. What blessings we receive just for being obedient. Even if we serve all our days with all our strength, we will still be unprofitable servants.. 

ELISE mom keeps droppings hints like... looking for work... or moving to Alton??? and you haven`t told me anything! Whats going on, i thought we had to go horseback riding when i got home? Tell me everything!

I was thinking about how DJ should be getting home this week too... bueno, Sorry i picked such a busy time to come home! Presidente says I could stay another 6 months, maybe it would be easier? ;)

Issac, take lots of tomato baths! i don`t want to hug a stinky boy when i get home! Sim! Can we go swimming? Deb, maybe you could borrow me some of your awesome flower clips? and do my hair too?

This week was great, and is going by so fast! We had a service project in satelite this week and it was awesome! we left Santa cruz for the first time in my whole mission! It was in the middle of nowhere, and here in the middle of nowhere there aren`t buses or taxis.... there`s moto taxis. That is a motorcycle that is a taxi and we got to take a moto taxi! It was AWESOME! We weeded and cleanted out a lot where someone is gonna build a house. It was great. I love service! 

P Nr was baptized this week. She is amazing. The gospel really has changed her life so much, and I saw the change. I can`t even explain it. She was a mess when we met her. She didn`t take care of herself, was overweight, smoked, and creeped me out. And now she is a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints, and says that the gospel has filled the  dark hole she had in her chest! yay! 

Times up, i love you all!

Herman Olsen

Emily is coming home!

Emily will arrive in our home state on JULY 27!  We are so excited to have her home again, hear about all her adventures and enjoy the spirit of missionary work and a radiating missionary.

She will report on July 29.  If you would like to come, consider yourself invited.  We would love to have lots of family and friends to welcome her home (and teach her English).  If you need more information then please leave a comment with your email and I will be happy to share.

JUST 2 WEEKS more.

Peter 7.9.12

Thanks for the Pictures! it looks like the 4th was a blast! i'm glad there was a water fight and all! it just doesn't seem the same without it.

we had a ward party and breakfast on the 4th that included pancakes, sausage, wheel barral, 3 legged, and sack races. along with water melon. we recieved permission to stay out till 10:30 to watch fire works but didn't have firework shows to see. but as we were riding our bikes home a whole bunch of our neighbors had huge fireworks. it was almost literally like they were still fighting the revolutionary war. well... almost... we took chairs onto our patio and watched them for a while. it was cool because you didn't really know where the fireworks would come from. and then on thursday when we went running for exercise there was a lot of lingering smoke. i thought of you all back home with all the fires.

 

this week we started teaching T. he is a great guy but has had a hard life. he wants to change but is really struggling to do so, because it seems like everytime he does good he then falls again right back to were he started. but he has felt the spirit as we have testified and taught about the atonement.

 

C is doing great! He is going to be recieving the priesthood this sunday and in a few weeks he will baptize his daughter C (8). when we taught him this week. he said that since recieving the Gift of the Holy Ghost his desire for sin decreased. the Gift of the Holy Ghost is real! it does make a difference. and it is changing C.  he also came to church in a white shirt and tie for the first time. it was great!

 

 got to go,

 I Love you!

Elder Olsen

 

Ps i'll be expecting to recieve danes letter soon!

pps debbi looks great in a cowgirl hat! Thank you for the pictures

Emily, 7.9.12

Mom, thanks so much for all the updates and for responding to my
letter. My friends are such amazing women and i love them so much. It
was fun to see the picture and know that they are all doing such
amazing things. Married, sealed, return missionaries, everything.
Lacey, i am SO excited for her, and so glad that i`ll get to be there!
yay! I^m sure Feleicia`s homecoming was amazing. Her farewell was
amazing too. She is a super amazing girl. I am already thinking about
how i am gonna be able to come back in a year when Arturo and Sara are
sealed in the temple. My plans are pray, fast, work, and look for a
rich husband ;) haha But it really is my dream. I feel so eternally
grateful for the opportunity I have had to teach and help arturo and
Sara. THey are amazing. I feel like they are the reason that i came.
When i wanted to go on a mission in Sept I couldn`t, but if i had left
early, i never would have met arturo and Sara. God`s timing is so
perfect. I am so glad too that they are all high tech and we`ll be
able to stay in contact. Thats fine that my homecoming is the 29, i
have no idea what i am gonna say, but pues, i think its better to get
it over with ;) Should be awesome (to see everyone.. my talk... well
we`ll see ;))

Debbie looks happy. I hope she had lots of fun. I thought about her
all week! Looks like the 4th was a blast too. Thats a great action
shot you got mom! We did service with Sara for the 4th. We cleaned a
great big rug, and another one, it was great. I made sure to proudly
wear my red white and blue. Arturo and sara invited us for lunch
after, and we brought cheesecake to share (out of a box, but still
good). Then when we got home at night hna gayol made me some popcorn,
and we put some ranch with it. It was delicious ;) I wished everyone a
happy fourth.

I am so glad you all got some rain!! Prayer and fasting works. And the
timing of God is perfect. That`s great that the garden is producing.
I told hna arminda, our pensionista, that we always eat tons of
zucchini, with EVERYTHING. She said she would like the recipes. She
makes a really good zucchini soup.

This week was one crazy whirlwind of going to the clinic (hna gayol
was still a little sick), baptismal interviews, lots of praying for
arturo`s documents to get here from peru for their wedding, and crazy
preparations. It passed by amazing fast. But they did it! The ward was
amazing and supported them so much. I am so grateful. They got married
on saturday at 6pm, and their baptism was at 7pm. The RS sisters
organized a small reception-/party after, with food, decorations, a
wedding cake, and everything. It is so much more then what arturo and
sara were hoping for. It was a surprise and when sara saw it she just
cried. It was neat. Their confirmation was special too. They were
blessed to be examples for the friends and family and be able to help
everyone come unto Christ. Sara was blessed to be an inspired mom that
will teach her son, arturito, and prepare him to go on a mission. They
are both so happy, and me too. It has been a week full of miracles. I
love the gospel so much. It changes lives, and helps us every single
day if we let it.

Please take care of yourselves this week. Enjoy summer. I love you
all. The church is true! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Hermana Olsen

 

Emily, 7.2.12

Deb! I hope you have an awesome birthday! I sent you a letter, but
just a week ago, maybe you`ll get it in time - and maybe i`ll beat it
home, but I love you! and HAPPY 4th of JULY! I was telling Hna Gayol
about how awesome it is Manti and it made me so excited for you all!
Have fun, take lots of pictures, and eat something rico for me!

Looks like pageant was a blast. I don`t know all of my little cousins
anymore, so it`ll be good to get to know them again!. And me nephews
and neice. Hey, i was going through some of my old letters and found
the christmas card from Amber - is she still pregnant? If so, what is
she gonna have and when? Thats so fun that Nat got to listen to her
baby. I am so happy to see our little family growing. Yesterday we
meet this super old couple and got to teach them. They couldn`t really
hear, haha, but they are awesome. And when i asked how many kids they
have they astonished me when she said SIXTEEN!! She had 16 kids, can
you believe it? and I thought 8 was a lot! The more amazing part is
that she did it all on her own, in her house, without any help. She
said she gathered her alcohol, scissors, and sewing supplies, and had
her babies all on her own. amazing. She is now 81, and her husband 88
and they are both in good health. And they have great great
grandchildren. wow!
I have been praying for rain all week for you all, and it hasn`t
rained here at all, so i imagine that its all on its way to Manti ;)
But if it travels slower then the mail it may take a few weeks to get
there.
Mom! Thanks for the update on my friends! and Feleicia looks ---
exactly the same! haha great! I am excited to talk to her too. Which
zone leader found her?? hmmm.. Thats so great! and Lacey is getting
married?! yay! Justo i was talking to na gayol about how I don`t know
if anyone else has gotten married, or whats going on there with all my
friends. And steph gets home next week. Crazy.

Well this week has been good. We haven`t been able to work very much
because i got sick Tuesday, and Hna gayol got sick the rest of the
week. But today we are both feeling much better, and are excited to
work double to make up for last week.

We were able to visit Arturo and Sara and they are absolutely amazing.
I can`t believe how much i love those two. I hope to be able to be
friends forever with them. We asked them how their plans for the
wedding were going and they both just smiled. Arturo explained that
after we had left on Friday and talked about fasting and everything
they decided to fast. They started that night. Didn`t eat anything Sat
in the morning, and about mid morning Sara told Arturo what she felt.
She said that the most important was to keep the commandments of God,
get married, and be baptized. It shouldn`t matter so much all the
material things they had wanted (dress, tux, rings, a band), and that
they should just go to the civil office and get married! It is
absolutely amazing because they always said. "We don`t want anything
big, but we do want a great memory to remember. We would never just
want to sign some papers and ya, we`re married." and now that is
exactly what they are gonna do, all thanks to a fast. Being willing to
humble themselves and do  put God`s wants before their own. Arturo
asked if it was always so hard for be able to change, and stop wanting
the material things. They told us now all they had to wait for was for
their documents to go through  (its a little tricky because Arturo is
from Peru...) and to find the money it takes to get married. The next
day we went and arturo came running into the room telling us he now
had the money to get married! He said "its amazing how when we decided
to just do it, God is providing the way!" We are still waiting on
their documents, which means they may not get married till July 14,
but they are excited. They watched a President Monson`s talk about the
divine gift of gratitude, and they said it was really special. Arturo
has downloaded the book of mormon to his cell phone, and he just walks
around listening to the book of mormon. They paid their tithing
yesterday. THey are progressing like crazy. I love them.

Well, times up. I love you all so much and am so grateful for your
prayers, letters, and support. I just got a bunch of letters. One from
Jena, two from Neil. And i haven`t seen teh rest. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
The church is true, and the gospel changes lives.

Hermana Olsen

Peter 7.2.12

Mother!

I've been thinking about pageant this last week! it sounds like it was great and you all look so good in you nephite attire!  

this week was great! C was baptized on saturday. it was a little crazy when it started because our ward mission leader didn't show up to conduct. we ended up starting late but that was all. we took some pictures but we can't email them from the library computers that we have so i'll see if i can get them mailed to you. C 's 8 yr old daughter ca  told us on sunday she wants to get baptized as well. we are excited because C will have recieved the priesthood by then and will be able to baptize her. Elder dupaix confirmed him yesterday in church. it was great! 

We were taught alot this week.

 Happy 4th of July!

Elder Olsen