3.31.26. Hawaii Rollercoaster ride 🌿🥕

 Proof of life coming at you from Hermana Olsen

Ok, I've actually got 0 time..... I thought the mission would give me some good time management skills, maybe that will come later 🤷🏼‍♀️no promises. 

Anywayyyyy. We have been missionarying it out here in Zillah, Washington, and it has actually been the grind. In so many good ways, we literally have had so many moments of right time, right place. We had a friend come to church this week! It has been like 2 months for us, so super awesome. His name is Ruben, and we met him on Saturday, pulled up to the church on Sunday, and gave him a little church tour since he could make it for the actual service. But then, as we are participating in the sacrament, we glance over and see him standing hesitantly in the doorway.  We motioned that we would come meet him after. And the moment the sacrament ended, an elder sitting behind me jumped up and practically ran to get him, lol, so he sat with the elders, but it was so awesome. 

We have some insanely awesome friends right now, and it's the best. The work here is popping off, and I love being a part of it and a missionary 

Memories, lock in time:

- A Mexican man invited us to join him to talk about the word on the local spanish radio station 📻 

- A Mexican man invited us to his house in Mexico🏡

- Saturdays are my favorite, we get to talk to so many people. 

- Our recent convert Yerson gave us both a sitch squishmallo (he has no idea who stich is) 

- I hit 8 months as a missionaryyyyy 🫨🫨

- got to teach someone from Haiti on exchanges

- We got to go to the temple and after Chick-fil-A and that combo will always have a special place in my heart.

- My heart is full every day. 

As a missionary, there are moments when you freak out because you realize you're living in the boonies of nowhere, and you just approach people all day, and then no one wants to talk to you, or algo a si. And you haven't seen your people from home in idk 8 months... but then I remember and im like wait i feel so loved out here. Somehow, people will say thank you so easily, and you realize your efforts are needed and seen. And that it's actually all ok and God is really, really good. and is at the center if all this. And that's why my heart is so full because the joy is unreal. And it makes no sense. But somehow it does because there is someone who has love greater than all. And his father is our father, and that means we also have the spiritual capacity to love so big. And then you get that fuzzy feeling that makes you realize home is right where you are when you let the love of Christ change you, and you go and share that good news and those glad tidings. 

Everyone, go watch this video please, please, please 🌿🌿🌿

Jesus Christ's Greater Love for You | Easter 2026

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/easter-videos/jesus-christs-greater-love-for-you-easter-2026?lang=eng

Have the best week ever.

Our savior has come! Go celebrate it, and let that knowledge change the way you live.

♡/ Hermana Olsen 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/enS6qVdNZ1tQC8b78

2.16.26 #sweettreatneverhurtnoone

Ok gang 

This is is everything I ate this week 

🥭🍎🍄🌯🍪🥛🌰🫘🍌🍚🥥🥚🍠🍯🍫🍪🍔🫑🥑 

So its been a pretty good time 

Jumping in. 

So the last few weeks have been, to say the least. CRAZY. Not exactly, but a good time at least. 

So sorry I've been a little MIA this transfer, literally it's about to end, and I feel like I've not given my experience here good standing, so I'm here today to redeem myself. 

Some silly things that have gone down:

We've literally been having way too many lessons with pastors…. Like actually we've hit 4 this transfer… dont ask me i just work here. But one of them we did a little church swap, which meant we sang a spanish alabanza to the tune of “my country tis of thee” i was dying. After we got Mexican food, so I'm not gonna complain.. but actually the pastor and his wife pulled to church on Sunday, kinda chill 🤷🏼‍♀️ 

One day we got too tempted to get a little sweet treat while we were trying to do some public finding… (there was actually nobody out side) but as we were wondering this mexican tienda we see 1st one of our great friends Mario (we are gonna get him to the font soon just you wait) and his little girls #bars and then right after our recent convert and his brother who we are teaching walked right into the store and we were like pause this is a little tooo perfect. Turns out his brother is going on vacation to Mexico for like 6 months, don't worry, we were invited. And don't worry, we politely declined. But a good testimony that God takes our weaknesses and makes them strengths, #alittlesweettreatneverhurtnoone

Last p-day, we got to go to a Native American museum on the Indian reservation right next to us. And I was actually fascinated the whole time. I literally wish I could live so many different lifetimes so I can experience the different cultures I am learning about every day. I hope I can just implement things from each of them and create a life i love 🙏

I got to go to a mission call opening for the first time as a missionary. And HOLY there were tears streaming down my face. Literally to the day, 11 months since I opened my mission call…. There is something so special about seeing someone be called Jesus Christ. It's the best kind of atmosphere.  

I cried over cookies this week… don't exactly know why, but all pointed to the fact that I miss my mom… if you have a mother close to you, go give her a big hug for me. Please please please 

On the subject of crashing out… I've had a few these last few weeks, but especially this week. I don't know why, and I think that is why it's so frustrating. But I got to get a blessing from my district leader. And let me tell you its just what I need. I felt God's love so big and my saviors. I felt seen and understood. And I also got some loving advice on how to be better. And that night, I received further testimony that goodnight, this church is the restored church of Christ. That this is the same power he used, and all on earth and throughout all the scripture stories.

Lately me and my comp keep on finding ourselves in conversations where people are telling us how our church is wrong or confused, and we are crazy for believing in a prophet in our day. But through every tough situation i walked away with a calm knowledge of what i know and an assurance from the Holy Ghost that I am choosing the right path. And holy I am so blessed to know and belong to a church that loves so openly and to have faith in a God that loves his kids in every way and time of this earth. As I was studying in Come Follow Me last week, I read this talk that explains who God is and the merciful god he is throughout all of time. He is the “God who is urgently, lovingly, faithfully at work on every page of that record from its Old Testament beginning to its New Testament end. Yes, in an effort to give the world back its Bible and a correct view of Deity with it, what we have in the Book of Mormon is a uniform view of God in all His glory and goodness, all His richness and complexity—including and especially as again demonstrated through a personal appearance of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.” 

Elder Holland: The Grandeur of God

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2003/10/the-grandeur-of-god?lang=eng

From eveything that has gone down this week, it all led to la día de amor y amnistad (valentines day) where i gained a better understanding of Gods lobe for me. Everyone, go read and listen to the talk, please, please, please 

Anyway, I love and miss all my people. 

But know our Heavenly Father loves you so much and wholly he is in relentless pursuit of all of us. Don't forget it. 

♡/ Hermana Olsen 

2.3.26. Your graus is munched

Deborah Olsen	12:02 AM (16 hours ago)
to me

Its February lets gooo 

Practically I'm gonna try and do a little update since I chose to play nurtz on p day instead of writing an email. 

But as some of you know I changed areas… big sad but don't fret i am finally adjusting and I'm loving the new one. We are to say the least cheffing. 

But some neat miracles from my last area. My last day in Selah we visited out bestest girlie ️Estefany ️ and she told us about an incredible experience she had with prayer and God answered her prayers. It was beautiful and she crying and we were and after we all left and the Elders took over they put her on date the very next day. So Estefany and getting BAPTIZED! So so excited for her. 

️ Zillah ️ 

My little daughter came and picked me up from transfer cites and we hit the down but low key it was foggy and cloudy for my first 2 weeks so i honestly had no idea what my area looked like for a hot minute. But no worries the sun indeed came out last week!! It was a miracle sent straight from heaven. I always seem to forget that if I don't get to photosynthesise I tend to be IN THE TRENCHES. but they sun came out for like 2 days and one morning we actually had a sunrise and i've gotten like 2 sunsets! So to say the least we are on the up.  

Besides the weather throwing me and my compy for a loop we've actually been doing great! I get to live with the english set of sisters here and let me tell you its a dangerous thing to put 4 sisters together and expect them to get to bed on time, our nights consist of racing to put our jammies on and then either yapping or play 4 rounds of nertz and yes your girl is in fact racking in the points. Our district is also on top. Our area and zone is full of missionaries with 6 months or less on the mission so we are practically just a bunch of babies trying to figure things out. But literally it's been great and Gods really blessed me with some awesome people to serve with. 

Our day to day looks like fighting a little for our lives in lessons but my compy actually has some fire spanish but we are both still trying to figure out how to be missionaries. And then after leaving said lessons you can literally catch us running  to our car because its too cold to walk. One of the towns we work in has a wild amount of dinosaurs and we are either doing comp study on a dino or snagging a photo with one. And then the occasional sweet treat run to switch things up after grinding all day. 

But there are some really amazing people here. And actual Spanish members because we have spanish branch!! Which has been a wake up call for my spanish skills (everyone say a little prayer that I will get my brain together and actually conjugate my words) but they're awesome. 

A 50 year old spanish man said i looked like one of the women in ABBA so im feeling pretty good about myself and then he proceeded to tell me he needed to take a photo with me to show his mother. So if any of mamá mía and think I somehow made it to Grease dont worry I didn't… I'm just grinding here in the boonies of the great state of Washington. 

We also had Zone Conference this week and it was so fun to see all my mission friends  love them big and i walked away with sole great insight from our mission. Leadership. 

I've been having a lot of thoughts as of late and something is that God doesn't change our circumstances because he gave us agency to act. But he can change us. So the prayer is not to take this away but to give me the strength to become more through this. And to be frank i've been having a hard time with faith lately and knowing what is possible with the faith I have. But as I've thought more about it I am recognizing that the end goal and our end is to be with God and our families again. And the gospel of Jesus Christ is the means. And so everything we should be doing should be a means to that end. And so since we have been gifted the choice to choose what and who we become; I have a new hope to strive to become more then what I am now. Y ser Franco orta vez I don't know all my next steps but I do know that we have a Loving Heavenly Father and a brother who gave everything so we could come back is always ready to help us. 

Presidente Oaks said 

“Because of His atoning experience in mortality, our Savior is able to comfort, heal, and strengthen all men and women everywhere, but I believe He does so only for those who seek Him and ask for His help. The Apostle James taught, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). We qualify for that blessing when we believe in Him and pray for His help.” 

Anyway I truly don't know all my thoughts right now and you're probably just as confused as I am. But know that I know my savior lives and loves and our Father loves us well too. 

Love you all big timeee 

♡/ Hermana Olsen 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/enS6qVdNZ1tQC8b78

1.20.26 I'm God's favorite, I swear

Ok gang.... heres the thing

SOOOO MUCH HAS GONE DOWN.

This is a series of the things ive eaten in the past few days 

  

It's been a good last few days. 

O,k starting off strong with going over the random things that have been going down. 

We had our last District council, and we celebrated by going to a bar and playing pool, and to say the least, I did not win, but at least I was having fun. Lol selah Distruct on top. 

We got to go to the temple with Lalo!! It was actually so wild to go with someone for the first time and stand there soaking wet and freezing with tears streaming down me and my compys face as we saw a son give the best gift he could to his dad. And that of not being alone in this work anymore. He did it. He was poco nervioso, but he did it, and he was just so tender about it. We left the temple, and I asked him how he liked it. He felt that there was something different about it, but it was special, and he was just taking photos and videos as we walked away. I realized that night, driving home, which was about 2 hours from us, that our Father is a good Father. One that guides us and then gives us opportunities to feel the joy of a lost soul finding home. I don't think I've had a super strong testimony of God's plan for us. I've always just tried to trust in it. But being there in the temple with Lalo made me realize that I can't deny this feeling. That God's plan is individual and all-encompassing. 

I was low key in the trenches last week and i could not figure out why. Just a little overwhelmed and unsure. And then Sunday ran around GOODNIGHT I NEEDED IT. We got to attend both our sacrament meetings, and I think I cried through them. I don't know why, I think I just needed the sacrament. 

That evening, we had a big devo where converts to the church shared their stories, and so we had Lalo share!!  He got up there, the only Spanish speaker speaking, and bore such strong testimony, he was beaming. We were laughing and crying all at the same time. I don't think I have felt joy like that before. If you guys could see the difference that has come over Lalos ' life, you would all just be amazed. It wasn't big, but it changed him. He is not the same person we knew in October. He shared in his testimony that, when he met with us, he felt something.

Dios me habló y dijo "la razón que ellas están contentas y felices es porque estoy con ellas. Si quieres ser como ellas, necesitas estar conmigo"

God told me and said, "The reason that they are content and happy is because I am with them. If you want to be like them, you need to be with me."

And holy. 

As I watched Lalo step out of his comfort zone over and over, I saw the atonement working in his life. And the full weight of it hit me in that meeting. That this gospel, I don't always understand. And trust me, I'm trying to, but somehow it makes up all the difference in someone's life. The light everyone talks about is not something I felt like I ever could recognize, but I got to witness firsthand see that light grow. My heart felt overflowing. 

Transfers happened... I was worried I'd leave my home in Selah, and unfortunately, it happened. I got transferred to Zillah. That meant that our last few days were filled with goodbyes and too many hugs as we tried to leave the homes of people who now feel like family. I did not know my heart could love this much, but goodnight, it was a hard goodbye. But I'm so lucky it was because I'm hoping that means I did do my part. 

 I am second tranfer training! Just finishing training a new missionary this transfer, so everyone pray for me. Please. 

Anyway, I have so many thoughts and no time, but just know God is good and you will never find the kind of joy you can unless you are with God. 

Jesus te ama! 

♡/Hermana Olsen 

1.6.26 Feliz Navidad and un bien ano nuevo

Ok guys… I fear I have been slacking on the emails. Tell me why about 20 minutes for me to get the motivation to write, and now I have no time…. Pero

We got this.

Ok starting strong with CHRISTMAS 🎄🌫❄️🎅🪾🌟🎄✨️

To say the least, Christmas was incredible. 

On Christmas Eve, we did missionary work and mostly just took cookies to our friends and inactives along with our favorite members. And that night, we were invited to a member's Christmas Eve dinner. We had a little Jewish-themed dinner, it was awesome!! And then we played Dradle, folks, I don't know if that is how you spell it, but somehow everyone knows what this is, and I had never heard of it. But we played for a good hour, and to say the least, your girl almost won. Top 2 💪🎗 it was hype. Christmas Day was such a random day, but also great. We did a little Christmas morning and got to open our Christmas packages. It was so fun. We had District council so we got to all hangout for a little and then me and my compyies headed over to a cutie member family that invited us over. And it was so fun because since it was Christmas we didn't have to worry about time, and we just to hang out. We visited, drank eggnog, had pizza, and played with Barbies. It was awesome. I got to focus more on Jesus Christ this year. I mean, before, yes, I tried, but truly, without all the other normal distractions that I missed so much, and it was very special to remember why this season brings so much joy. It's because Christ is in every bit of it. Grateful I got to experience Christmas a little differently this year. I'm gonna cherish it forever. And the neat part is 1 done 1 to go, so I'm excited to continue to see what God has got in store.

So very huge things have been going down this transfer. And I sincerely apologize for my lack of info in my email and the lack there of. So here's some good old bullet points so we are all on the same page

President Holland died. I love him so much, grateful I got to be here and feel the power in his testimony. Everyone, go listen to one of his talks.

I got to hand some letters straight to the mailman. This was a very good day for Hermana Olsen 

Me and one of my Compys, Hermana Larsen, hit our…. 5 MONTHS!!!! Very exciting We got sushi to celebrate 🥳 

Lalo said my Spanish has gotten better 🙏💪 

New Year, new me??? Maybe… but ¡FELIZ AÑO NUEVO! 2026🥳🎆🥂

We met the cutest old lady while public contacting in a parking lot. And she invited us over. Turns out she is a member and is literally the coolest lady ever. She's like a little witch living in a cottage, and she makes jewelry, and her heart is so big. 

Our friend Estefany had a dream about being baptized, and started reading the Book of Mormon and is already in Jacob 🫨 . Everyone, stay tuned for updates 

A few old Mexican men want marry us. So that adds a little color to our lessons  

I got bangs and so far have convinced 2 of my comps to chop their hair 

ok I can't think of much else, but know we are having a lot of fun. 

For my last thought of the night, I wanted to talk about something this old lady Vicki Jo (mentioned above) said to us, talking about her children, “they are more than the dirt on their shoes.” When she said this, I actually had to take a step back. It hit me that I have been thinking of people as not much more than the dirt on their shoes. Meaning the mistakes and messy parts of themselves. And even thinking of myself that way. Since being out on the mission, I have realized how much I truly lack. There are so many things I need to work on and things I want to learn. And ways to improve in almost every aspect of my life. And it's been a little overwhelming. But when Vicki Jo said this, I realized I needed to take a step back. Remember who I am, who everyone else is, and remember I have a loving Heavenly Father who understands we are all gray people, even when the gospel is so black and white. Christ reminds us everywhere and all the time that we are more than that dirt on our feet. And he is literally washing them clean for us. His love, along with God's, is that big. 

President Holland said, “Christ knows better than all others that the trials of life can be very deep, and we are not shallow people if we struggle with them… he just expects us to believe.” That is how we find grace for ourselves, right along with others.

So my invitation for the new year is to recognize people for more than just the dirt on their shoes. To love bigger, love deeper, and love more. 

Anyway, I'm doing really well. I've had several reminders these last few weeks of why I am here out here serving. And I am so incredibly grateful I get to be here with such amazing people. Nothing better than worrying about others and talking to as many people as possible. And realizing that faith can move mountains. 

This is God's work, we are so lucky to be a part of it. 

Goodniguy slayers, and I hope you had a happy New Year

♡/Hermana Olsen

12.22.25 White Christmas

Hello, dearest family and my cutie friends. Welcome back to another holiday episode of the WYM ft Hermana Olsen 

  

That is an assortment of things I ate this week. 

Ok, gang, crazy week. Every day is packed with random things. Like, tell me why when you are in a trio everything takes 17 years to complete, but everything is 10 times more entertaining, so it evens out. 

This week was wild, and I don't even remember. Lol, but the biggest news is LALO GOT BAPTIZED!! So hype. If you don't remember, Lalo aka Eduardo is on top. So good to see him glowing in white. Pov we got him a white Christmas. His testimony is so strong. He told us that after his baptism, he felt happy and content. And then, when he was confirmed a member of the church and received El don del Espíritu Santo, he gave his testimony, saying he would always have a permanent smile with him. Guys, it was so tender, literally glowing with the light of Christ 24/7. It was so special to be a part of it. He's going to be the most insane member. Stay tuned for when we get to go to the temple with him.

We had such a crazy week with so many giggles and some fighting for our life. 

On other news, we've been having some crazy flooding here in Washington! And the other day it was like 70° out, and it felt like summer. My district literally just ran around playing frisbee on P day at the park because it was warmer outside than in. Also, a problem because the flooding is doing a lot of damage, but don't fret, we got some snow this week, and things are on the up. And the rivers are going down. 

A big thing I've been learning lately is what our prayers can mean. There are a whole ton of things I do not understand about this gospel, but the one thing I want to trust in and I'm trying to grow my relationship with is prayer. My comp was telling me there with everything she's doing and how missionary work is so random. But to at least know that when we are praying, that can just be us with God. We say a lot of prayers as missionaries. Pretty much before we do anything. Usually, this prayer is a jumbled mess of Spanish as we hurry out the door, running late to whatever our next thing is. But ive started to see the difference in taking time each time to make my prayer a prayer with God in it. This is still something I'm trying to figure out but I'm feeling grateful that we have a Heavenly Father who is patient with me. Everyone God say a prayer and let God be there with you. 

With Christmas I'm thinking a lot of what it must have been like to be the parents of Jesus. The many prayers Mary must have said and she worried about what the life was gonna be for this little baby she was bring into it. But then I realized that God can give us the strength, comfort, and peace to continue to trust God. 

I really don't think this is making much sense. But my idea is that even the most incredible people in the history of the world struggled and needed God's help. So I want to make my reaching out to him more personal and meaningful. And in return, God steps in and makes it all worth it 

Anyway I love you all this email comes to you from my thought form last week becuase im bad at managing my time and in turn I did not finish this before p day finish but here you go. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALLLL I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WHITE ONE 

♡/Hermana Olsen