8.20.25 he had me in mind. . .

Hello everybodyyyy 

I’m here again to grant you a silly little email depicting my current life situation.

I am, in fact, still a missionary, and I think it's the neatest thing ever

Anywayyy 

To start off, every day blurs together, but to start off Thursday, we had another helping others appointment we actually prepared in Spanish this time, so big win. We showed up, and get a room and seats, another big win. As we read over our messy Spanish notes, they began and told us our lesson would be in………. You're not gonna believe it, English. So we once again threw everything to the side and started preparing a new lesson in English. We can use our Spanish lesson on Saturday for a different HOA. We then also realized we had to find someone to teach in English. I promptly texted a few of my sisters, hoping someone would respond (sorry to those I did not reach out to. Elise won). Elise, my sister, responded quickly, and we got her on a video call. To say the least, after some fervent prayer to know what to teach, we started out lesson on faith. It was actually perfect and so fun to chat with my sis. 

Send help, my entire district is ill. Friday, during class, half the Elders were deathly ill. We split the class in half and sent the sick boys to one side and the rest of us to the other. To say the least, it didn't work. I've been a tad under the weather for about 3 days now, but no biggie. 

Other than that, Spanish was brutal on Friday, and I was deep in the trenches. By the time our doctrine class rolled around, I was not sure if I was gonna make it. But then we started to learn how to share the Book of Mormon and introduce it to someone who knows little to nothing about it. It made me realize how actually excited I am to be out there sharing a book that changes lives and testifies of Christ. It's gonna be the best, I fear. 

Which leads me to a quote that has been in my mind a lot this past week. It was just a passing comment from a sister in Relief Society, 

"God had me in mind when he wrote the Book of Mormon.” 

This took me for a loop, and I then had the deepest desire to feel the same way as her.

Then Saturday rolled around and something CRAZY happened, first of all, poor Elder Kovac in our district was playing soccer and badly sprained his ankle . The CCM infermeria will pump you with any drug in reach, so he came back to class un poco high…. Butttt for the send CRAZY thing that happen is we were asked to do this activity, and I was praying pretty fervently for an answer for something. A little side note I've learned God doesn't often speak to me directly, like I usually don't have strong promptings or wild experiences with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I usually just have to act and hope for the best. So I'm praying, and I'm like, pretty much ask that if this is the right thing, help me know that you trust my thoughts. I then closed my prayer. I decided to flip open my scriptures and read whatever came up. And for your information, this isn't a practice that has worked very well for me in the past. But I opened to Alma 29:10 (everyone turn there right now) and the line I first read in the middle of the verse was “and I remember even that he heard my prayer….” I don't think a passage of scripture hit me deeper in my heart than this one did at this time. I continued to read, and he finished by saying, “Then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended toward me.” 

And that was the moment I realized God also had me in mind when he wrote the Book of Mormon. 

I'm learning God hears my prayers and trusts my thoughts. And the most special part is he PROMISES to hear yours as well. So my invitation is to pray to God and trust that he has answers for you. 

On some more happy news, every time they serve peaches at the cafeteria, I snag one and take it home to ripen since they are rock hard. So every once in a while, after a long day, my peach is ripe and I get to munch it while sitting on my bed listening to the BOOK OF MORMON (in case anyone is wondering the Book of Mormon app is so crazy and they have different voice actors for each character, it's silly fun, I would recommend). Anyway, that's been the best part of my days.

We also had a neat opportunity to have a long study time on Sunday. Time for the second crazy spiritual thing I learned this week . Pretty much. I was studying the story of the woman who washed Christ's feet with her tears and anointed them. Christ was with Simon the Pharisee. And he obviously, as a Pharisee, was disgusted that Christ would allow such a sinner as she to do something like that. He then shares a beautiful parable (if you want to know it, go look up the story), but then he ends with the most tender statement, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much.” 

This is the most hopeful statement. I hope that even though I sin much and make mistakes oft, I can have my focus be to serve the Lord and he will forgive because I loveth much. 

Elder Uchtdorf shared this story and then asked: “Do we love much? Do we understand our indebtedness to Heavenly Father and plead with all our souls for the grace of God?” 

Pretty much the lesson I'm learning this week is that God hears my prayers and can work in my life where I have faith for him to work. And in case you're wondering, he can be in your life as well. His grace is so real and so accessible!

Monday went swimmingly. I got to hear from my good missionary friends (shout out to sister janey Anne, Elder Kyle, and Sister Ainsley, you all saved me big, thanks). Also Bishop Dewy is a goat and will always have good advice. Big thanks for being God's answer to my prayer. The rest of Monday, we were cooking. I actually understood some concepts in español, so mega win. 

Tuesday, I was back in the slumps, no biggie, we had chicken bakes once again for dinner, so God is good. Trust. 

Everyone go to the temple. It's the best place out there. 

Anyway, sorry I got yappen, life is good,

I hope you understand a bit of what I was trying to say 

Love you all big time 

♡/Hermana Olsen