December 23, 2013 {Kim}

Hola :) 

Holaaaa! How is everyone? Well this week has been quite the week! I am finally over my sickness!! whoo whoo! I had been sick for like a week and a half and it had been pretty hard for me. But all is well now! Soon Wednesday we had specialized training. We went and all the new missionaries (me) stayed in a room with president and sister Jeppson and our trainers went with the assistants to the president. It was so good! Haha we all just talked about what has been going on with us and discussed and shared stories and then president and sister Jeppson gave an awesome talk/speech. But funny story.... on the way there we had to pick up the union city sisters. ummm ya...we missed the last exit for New Jersey! hahaha...yep we were forced to go through the Lincoln tunnel and into Manhattan!! Let me tell yah...thats a good way to waste 13 dollars. My companion was freaking out and crying  because we left our mission boundaries and she didnt want to be red-dotted (aka cant drive anymore the remainder of her mission) So ya... we were in the car for a good 3 hours that morning. Good thing we left way early for our meeting. phew.haha.

 Wednesday night we were knocking doors and found some new investigators that are awesome!! It is a family... Judith & Luis and their kids (8 and 6) We taught Judith and the kids the restoration yesterday and they loved it! Judith already commited to be baptized on the 26th of january. Awesome! We also commited 2 other people! So its been a really good week! Im SO excited for them! On Friday we had Our all mission conference with Alex Boye!! BEST THING EVER. He gave the best talk i have ever heard. He is such a good speaker. and his voice is insane. He said everything i needed to hear. It was such a good day.Well i dont have too much time. i wish i could write everything that has happened this week but that would take forever. But i love love love you all and hope you are doing well! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Peace, Love, and Blessings.

Love,Hermana Josse

*Quote of the week* Molly Mormons and Peter Priests really irritate me sometimes but what i have come to realize is that the Celestial Kingdom will be filled with Molly Mormons and Peter Priests So YOU BETTER BE
ONE!

December 23, 2013 {Kaitlyn}

ARGENTINA!!!!

Hello hello my dearest family! Oh my goodness it´s going to take me AGES to write this. The keyboard is different because it has... ñ y otros cosas. Also every word is underlined with a red sguiggly line. That´s going to drive me CRAZY!! 

Anyway, boy do I have stuff to share today! It is soo sooo different here. Definitely feels like I´m partially starting my mission over. I´ll start from after talking to you guys on Wednesday. The plane ride was good. Another sister gave me dramamine and that was excellent! I still regret the suit cases I brought. They´re a pàin in the rear to drag arround! Well, we arrived in Argentina and went straight to the mission home. There we had orientation and then interviews with President. Based on the interviews President then chose who our companions were going to be. Well, when they got to me he said that there had been a little misunderstanding. My companion had just found out and was going to pack up and be over here in 4 hours. He proceeded to say that I was going to be the Senior companion, opening a new area, and my companion didn´t speak English. AHHHH I couldn´t even believe it. I thought that I was basically going to be trained again here... but I guess I was WAY OFF. Welcome to Argentina :) 

We arrived at our home around 10:30 and quickly recognized that the lights were not working. Thank goodness dad packed me that nice flashlight! Haha we also couldn´t use the fan which is a MUST here. No air conditioning. It was SOOO HOT! We don´t have warm water for showers though, so that cools us down! The next day the Elders showed us around a little bit and introduced us to some people. We split their area into two so we actually do have people to work with which is nice. We met with the Bishop and he is SUPER nice! We´re in a ward of about 700 people.... but about 50 of them are active. It´s so SAD. MUCH MUCH different than Virginia! We didn´t have as many members, but the ones we did have were very strong! 

The next day we just went around trying to meet more people. We had a few lessons!  The kids are adorable here!! When we get there they run inside and bring the chairs for us outside and then listen in on the lessons. We are walking for now, but hopefully eventually they want to find us some bikes. It is HOT and takes lots of time to walk everywhere, so bikes would be very useful. I did not bring the right clothes for the weather here! I´m going to go out and look for some more tshirts. I sweat like a HORSE!  

Yesterday we had church and then lunch with Bishop and his family. Ayyy we were there for FAR too long. The food wasn´t even ready until after an hour of being there. We´re supposed to leave in that time! I was stressing about that... but what do you say to the bishop?  We then went to a stake activity that they had. Noche de Luz (Silent Night or Night of Light). They had a choir singing and did very well. That was super fun!  Guess who´s in my district?! HEATHER HANSEN!  It was so good to see her yesterday! She´s doing so so well. She´s a transfer after me but she came straight here. We were the last group of Visa waiters, because now they send everyone with a visitors Visa. Crazy eh? I wouldn´t trade it for anything. I LOVE VIRGINIA! 

Sorry there aren´t really any MIRACLE stories. I´m sure there will be many this week. This past week was just SUPER crazy and we were just running from place to place. I have heard that many people usually are sick and throwing up their first week. Fortunately, I have yet to throw up. I was a bit sick this past night, but didn´t ever throw up. Just the other way. Haha The WATER is miserable here. It´s full of dirt! Hopefully my body handles that transition well.

I am loving it more and more here every day! I´m not going to lie... it has been a big change. Everything was just going so well. I can already tell that I am going to love it here as well though. Yesterday I already was feeling that I was developing a relationship with the members. The few that they have are wonderful! Now we just need to get all those menos activos coming back!

My companion is excellent! She´s waiting for a Visa to go to Venezuela, but she doesn´t think she´ll ever receive it. She doesn´t speak any English, so that has been fun. We play sharades(I don´t know how to spell that) all day long. Hahaha just kidding it has been fine. I can understand her!  I still have a hard time understanding the weird random conversations that go on. It has been pretty good though. I didn´t want to talk with the accent they have, but I have started doing it. It´s not as bad as I thought! Hahaha Anyway, she´s an excellent teacher. She´s had lots of experience with that. She was a counselor for EFY and also a seminary teacher. It´s been interesting pùtting together both the differences in missions and companions. I have no idea if I´m doing things right or not here! 

Anyway, love you so much family! I look forward to talking with you on Wednesday! I´ll tell you all about everything then. Oh by the way, our President seems super cool! We have a Christmas Lunch at the mission home with our zone today!  Should be fun! Have a fantastic week!! 

December 17, 2013 {Cara}

HIP HIP HORRAY FOR JESUS 

Mom- I'm not worried I haven't gotten my Birthday package, I think it will come this week. But no worries. Because I got a jar of peanut butter for my birthday from the Reyes family haha they're so sweet. Gavin is awesome at emailing. He put a very descriptive picture in my head of how the weekend went at home:) Love that happy kid.

So some exciting news..... I had to talk to the zones about how to "QGC" (which means having Quality Gospel Conversations with everyone you see and meet.) We got the most QGC's in the zone, so I had to talk to the zone about, how to talk to people. haha mom- honestly- thankyou so much for teaching me that skill. Little did I know that all the times I watched you talk and start conversations with people in the store, and resturaunts- would rub off on me and help me soooo much in the missionary field! I just love the gospel. Our message is so simple, and easy, and you just can't ever pass an opportunity to share it. I love being here so much... I have learned that if you aren't having a blast on your mission - then your doing it wrong.

So this week we were on the LCC campus, and ran into a lady- She is looking for a church and a place where she can get baptized......... well as we were walking with her to class she opens the door and BLURRTS out to the teacher that 'she found missionaries!' and pushes us into the classroom hahahaha. Sister Teuscher and I were like, "uhhh.... Hey class!" The teacher asked us to introduce ourselves, so we did, ( by the way I told them I was from Oklahoma- and everyone went nuts because they've never see someone from Oklahoma haha) Well the teacher then went off on how much he LOVES the prophets in our church. The class started making a big commotion because they were confused... and so then I took the missionary opportunity and explained more about who we are and our church. The teacher was so excited to see us, it was awesome. And we met with a few people after class. Super cool. I love spreading the good word. Especially in front of a random college class.... haha

Interesting huh? When it comes to speaking in sacrament and preparing a talk, I am soooo so so nervous, I dont want to at all (I have to speak in another ward this week and fireside- so scared. so scared..) You think that since I'm a missionary I'd not get nervous. wrong. BUT when it comes to on the spot opportunities- I love it. No worries. It will be ok.. feel free to pray for me...

Anywayyss.. theres two really big miracles this week, you could say it was the 2 best days on my mission. Just Kidding, no such thing... but they were 2 really good days.

1- We were on exchanges. Me and Sister Uasla'auvaha. I got to go in her area and teach two of her investigators. WOW. Best two lessons ever. Quintinn- Is someone who had previously had 3 baptism dates five years ago, and he is just now starting to take lessons again. Apparently- He doesn't want to get baptized. He just wants the lessons is what Sister UV said. So I looked at this as a challenge from Heavenly Father. Well we are giving the Restoration lesson, and I noticed we kind of brushed over the book of mormon because I guess they talked about it last time..... but I felt prompted to stop and talk about it.

 

 GUESS WHAT!!! After we asked him to read the last two paragraphs of the Intro page, He pauses ........ and just starts crying. Then I was crying, then UV was, then the member at the home was. The spirit was sooo so strong. Usually I dont like the awkward silences, but I knew that the it was the spirits turn to teach. After a long long pause Quintinn says, "I'm ready." He asked if he could get baptized TOMORROW!!! We asked if he could wait a week, and if we could just do the interview tomorow instead. Turns out he is clean and worthy and getting baptized December 23. How awesome, ya?! I said the closing prayer, and I dont ever remember the spirit being so strong during a prayer. One of the most powerful and spiritual lessons. Not my investigator... but I love him. And I learned in that lesson that the Holy Ghost is the teacher. Really though- I'm just a missionary sharing my testimony, following the spirit, and that I need to just ZIP my mouth sometimes. ha ha.

 

Then we helped the cutest little lady decorate her house for christmas.

 

Then Sister U.V. and I went to the next appointment with Agnus. She is a mother of 3 little girls who are all baptized, but she wont take the lessons. She had gone through 3 set of missionaries. So believe it or not, you get spiritually drained after lessons like Quintinn's. Me and Sister U.V. were like, "oh my goodness, Heavenly Father we know that Agnus needs a baptism date but we are just out of missionary fuel."

 

 Well.... me and sister U.V. say a prayer, and we head into the lessson with Agnus. I'm telling y'all, prayer works!! And Heavenly Father was not going to let us missionaries run out of fuel. When we went to Agnus's home, she was surprised to see such a white blonde sister from Oklahoma. She asked about me and my family for a little bit, and then she told her children to go upstairs because she was going to listen to the missionaries share a lesson. WOW!! I guess Agnus has never given the missionaries a chance to teach her, but she did and all we did was talk with her and share one scripture. It was like a replica of Quintinn's lesson. The long pauses that I use to think were awkward, are actually what convert the invesigators. So once again, Agnus was crying, U.V. started crying, I was crying and the Auntie was crying. And then she also said, "I'm ready" and SHE asked if she could get baptized on Sunday. The HOLY GHOST is real! It's the best teacher!! I'm so grateful I am worthy of having it, because I dont know how these lesson would go if I didn't have the Holy Ghost there to help us teach. Agnus is getting baptized this upcoming sunday!!

 

I can't wait for Sister U.V. and her other companion baptisms:) I do believe that everything happens for a reason, I'm grateful that Heavenly Father placed me in those very spiritual lessons and that I was able to share my testimony and be there to witness the change in their hearts, and to be able to hear the two best words a missionary can hear! "I'm ready" I learned a lot in those two lessons, and a lot from Sister U.V. Best day ever:)

 

OK THE BEST IS SAVED FOR LASTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARE YOU READY OLSEN FAMILY!?!!??!??!?!?!?!??! THE VILLEGAS ARE AMAZING!!!! We have been having lessons with their WHOLE FAMILY together!!!! The ward donated a lot of money to help Christie out for Christmas, guess what we did today?!?! Took Christie out with a relief society sister and went christmas shopping for her 5 boys that we are teaching!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are the cutest ever.If i could adopt them, I would. I love them soooo so much!!! We had a lesson last night with their family and cutest chantz was falling asleep on the couch, but he jolted up and said a prayer because he was scared he'd fall asleep. These boys are ALL praying! And going to church! And getting baptized! We are trying to get it so they can all get baptized on the same day... Which requires them ALLLL to be at church 3 times, and every week one of them can't make it, ha ha but it's going to happen soon!! And Christie is trying her hardest to get work off for church too!!! OH MY GOOOODNESS!! She was so happy when we took her out shopping and she was able to buy presents for her kids. Ok. I can't wait to tell y'all about the Villegas on Christmas when I talk to you. They are the best. I'm so happy we tracted into them!! I love them!! They love Jesus, and Joseph Smith. But what I love, is seeing their mom be so happy when she is around them. The boys are the ones who help her pray. It's so cute. And the ward is going to give them old ties and shirts for the boys. and a table. and christmas dinner. I'm just overwhelmed with joy I cant even discribe it!!!!

 

Mikey's baptism was awesome:) Very very spiritual  baptism. His non-member family came and we introduced them to the Samoan Elders and they're now being taught.

 

I know you have no idea who these people are that I  tell you about every single week.... but I just want you all to know that they're children of our Heavenly Father, who are all turning toward him:) They are all AMAZING and I love them so much. I love you all too, that's why I ramble on and on about everyone here! I want you all to know that the Atonement is real. When you act on faith in Jesus Christ, blessings pour. Joy comes. and miracles happen. I love Jesus Christ so much. I am so blessed to be a member of his church. I challenge you, my dear family, to reach out to another family this time of year. Bring them the joy that you all have, and you will be filled with an even greater joy, I promise you that:) I love you all so so so much. Our family is forever, and eternal.

 

Well I will just close and say that..............I know this church is true, because I know that our Savior Jesus Christ wouldn't have given his life for it. I know Joseph Smith would not have given his life to Restore it. And I wouldn't be out here trying my hardest if I didn't know it was true. 'Tis the season y'all!

 

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY - As duck dynasty would say. Haha;)

 

Mele Kalikimaka!

Aloha

Sister Cara Ann Olsen

 

P.s.- LOVE YOU <3

December 16, 2013 {Kim}

HOLAAAA

Hola! So i dont have much time this week! ahh. but this week has been crazy! i've been sick so thats been a bummer! but im trying my best to keep it up! I lied when i said it hasnt been that cold. Its been super cold!!! and we cant drive on days that it snows... so we've had a lot of walking days this week. Which i actually like sometimes but it makes it hard to get to certain appointments and restricts us cuz our area is so big! We had a big bummer this week...church was canceled yesterday and we had 4 investigators that were going to come!!! ugh. we were pretty upset about that!! Hopefully they will still be able to come next week! We went to the manhattan temple this week! It was awesome! Its beautiful inside! Its so weird cuz its crazzzy out on the streets and then when you go in you dont even realize that you are in New York cuz its so peaceful. well i dont have much time but i love you all so much!!! thanks for everything!!!

 

love, hermana josse

December 16, 2013 {Kaitlyn}

Argentina here I COME! :/ 
Hola mi familia, 

Well, as you can assume this has been the craziest week of my LIFE! I couldn't even BELIEVE the news that we heard on Monday. Ayy ayy ayy. It's been so weird this week as we have tried not to think much about it. I think I have experienced every singles emotion out there mixed in one, which leaves me thinking absolutely nothing. I still can't even comprehend that I'll be on the bottom half of the world in 3 days. Haha during weekly planning on Friday we got to the end where we plan for the next week. We both just started bawling and decided it would be best if we skip that for now. Hahaha It was so funny, but sad sad stuff. I'm going to MISS HER!!! She's so so good to me! She has been an amazinggg companion. I've been blessed with excellent companions here. 

Anyway, now on to the rest of the week!  It was EXCELLENT! My birthday was so so fun! We went to Hermana Mier's (President Mier's wife) house for lunch. We had the BEST burgers you will EVER eat. I'll send a picture of it after I finish the email. :) She's so so so darling! The rest of the day was excellent. We went to the church to practice a song that we are singing (yes I'm SINGING! I'm sure you are shocked. So am I! Haha) for the Mission Conference tomorrow, and after we were supposed to play soccer. President was there and ended up wanting to take us out for a little birthday treat. I was bummed that we didn't get to play soccer, but that was so sweet of him! We had an excellent day. Hermana Dangerfield LOVES birthday's so she was sure to make it a good one! I'm bummed to be missing hers now, but that's ok.

Saturday was Christmas/birthday for Hermana Dangerfield. It started off with Santa's visit.Then we had a birthday breakfast for Hermana Dangerfield. Thenn President Mier wanted to make us dinner for our birthday's so we had it on the 15th so it could be for both of us. It was excellent! I had my last dose of beans, rice, and tortillas. Ohhh he and his wife are both excellent cooks! We had cake that had our names on it and then a lady in our ward even got us gifts. Our branch is DARLING. I've been so so spoiled here!

Update on Maria. I just wish you guys knew Maria and Javier. Javier is the most humble person I have ever met! He has more desire and motivation than anyone I have ever met! Example for this week: He's working on getting the Priesthood and so he decided to do a special fast for a few different things. He told us that he didn't want to do it during the week. I was thinking probably because he wouldn't have energy to work or something, and then he proceeds to say "It wouldn't mean anything because I usually don't eat much while I'm at work anyway." He then continues to say that President told him he could start out with doing a 12 hour fast. He decided that wasn't hard enough and that he wanted to do a 24 hour fast. Sure enough, Sunday they come to church when of course we get Cinnamon Rolls in class. Maria had decided to join him. Ohhhh they are STUNNING!!! I can't even explain to you how stunning they really are! Maria talked to her mom about being baptized and her mom wants to be there! Her mom is in Guatemala for the month or else her baptism would have been last Saturday. You can tell she has a huge desire though, because her baptismal date is set for the day after her mom returns. I'm so so so excited for her!!!

We had a lesson with them Friday and Javier asked if we would be able to come back one more time before I left. He said "we need to start having our own Noche de Hogar's. We have them with other families all the time, but we need to have our own." He asked if we would be willing to teach them how to do it. We're super busy tonight so we did it last night. Ohhh it was so fun! We told him how the head of the house usually conducts it and so he did that. Hahaha he's so cute! "Bienvenidos hermanitas a la noche de hogar de la familia Marquez. Hahaha Oh they are just the greatest! We read Luke 2 and then talked about things that have drawn us closer to the Savior this year, and then goals for next year. You can only imagine the wonderful they had to share. So so fun! They want us to stop by one more time tonight, so we're going to go caroling to their house. I'm going to miss that family!!! What a blessing it has been to work with them :) They teach me more than I have taught them! Hahaha oh ya I forgot to say, in church they already welcomed Maria into the ward. Hahaha she's not even a member yet! 

Ok, last but not least. Yesterday. What a DAY! It was sooo hectic! It was excellent though! It made me recognize really how wonderful this branch is. They have been an amazing

December 9, 2013 {Cara}

MELE KALIKEMAKA

My beloved family. One big Mahalo to you all for all the birthday wishes. Thankyou all so much! It was so exciting to open up my mailbox and see so many letters from everyone! I truly wish I could write each and everyone of you all back individually but theres just not enough time in the few hours we get on P-day. So mother- I LOVE reading all about your experience in New York. How fun, what a blessing to be able to finally go!! I can't believe it! I also can't believe theres so much snow there. It's hard to picture snow right now.  I swear its getting hotter everyday here in Ewa. 

Welp. This is the best Christmas ever. Best Birthday ever too! Tomorrow  I'm speaking at Zone conference with two zones combined and we also have Mikey's baptism that night, and right after we have sports night with the branch and a lot of our new investigators are planning on coming! I can not wait! 

Well we have found so many solid new investigators this week for the branch and its super exciting! Me and Sister Teuscher go ''tracting'' on the college campus in Waipahu. What pretty much happens is, we walk around campus and sit down next to people and the first thing they say is, 'OH hey! Where are you two from!? then they ask.... Well why are you here?'' It's great. What a wonderful way to start a converstaion with a misionary, ya? :)

Well Alika is one of our less actives, and he is super awesome guys. The Atonement changes lives. He was the most smarty pantz person I've ever met. Took lots of patience for me... but now- He is SO AWESOME!! His whole accountenance has change. Picture a punk with long black shaggy hair, scruff, peircings, ect. And now his hair is cut, parted, shaved, dressed nice and he is such a gentlemen now!!! And he is staying for 2 hours at church now. His calling is handing out programs and he LOVES it!! He even passed me up in our race to read the Book of Mormon... and He's praying now. All for the first time in 18 years. INCREDIBLE!! He also gave us pepper spray after we told him where our area was...... Sooo no worries guys... I now got a nice pink pepper spray thingy. haha

Well How? What did he do to go through this change? What made this all possible and enabled him to experience the joy he once felt before? The Atonement. I know you guys hear it all the time, and I know I say it all the time, but it changes lives!! He started with the 3 very. very. very. basic things we challenged him to do. Church, pray, read. Thats how you access the Atonement. That's how your faith is exercised and how the blessings you are promised come. As simple as that.

I have never felt so close to my Savior before. This time of year is truly incredible. Dad you are right, the spirit out in the field is something special. Something incredible. I think of Grandma and I love it.  True joy is what it's all about.We were at the Christmas Devotional yesterday with Alika and it was a powerful experience to listen to the closing song, Silent Night. I'm sure that it must have been a silent and very Holy night when Jesus Christ came to earth. I love imagining it. I know that He lives. I know that this is His church He set up. I know its His because I know it's true. I have felt the power of the Atonement and I have seen it touch others.

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I TOTALLY forgot to tell you about RENO!! The Villegas Uncle. Yep. So he's the uncle who is always out in the garage drinking while we go into their home to teach Christie and her boys. Kinda just in the background of everything. TURNS OUT- He has questions he wants answers. Sooo upon our arrival visiting the Villegas, he is out front in the garage sitting in his car. He wasn't drunk. And he is probably the coolest guys I have ever met. Local kine guy. Ummm yeah, just know he is probably getting baptized next week. He's already loving the Book of MOrmon. I got to go though! Tell ya more later. 

Lvoe you all!

I can skype for Christmas by the way.............. get ready to see Chubster Olsen. hahahaha jk. but really. Ok love you bye

Pray. Remember the Savior Jesus Christ. Sory this was rushed and crazy letter. It's been a crazy morning:/

aloha

Sister Cara Ann Olsen

December 9, 2013 {Kaitlyn}

SURPRISE!!!!

I broke my President's heart. (President's request to start the email like this. Hahaha he's so funny.) The time is here. 12/18/13 2:36. Very mixed feelings right now, but I guess it's where the Lord needs me to be. I can hardly believe that I'll be heading out there next week. Ready for the craziest/best/miraculous news ever? I'm having a bit of a heart attack. I just got off the phone with one of our investigators. She said she said "I have two things." One "Tengo un compromiso entonces no puedo tener la charla esta noche." (I'm not going to be able to meet tonight.) and two "Quiero ser bautizada. Pronto. El 26 de Diciembre." I want to be baptized. Soon. The 26th of December. Awwww my heart is dying right now! I am beyond excited for her, but I am so sad that I will not be able to be there! Maybe she'll want it this weekend when I tell her I'm leaving?? ;) Isn't that the coolest news ever?? We asked her to pray about a date. Originally she wanted to wait until her mom was here from Guatemala, but now she just wants to be baptized asap. Awww it's like this isn't real. She received an answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) Tell everybody I am so sorry but there won't be any letters today because I have just run out of time with all that has been going on! Give everyone my love :) Talk to you next week I suppose! Hahahaha by the way the first thing I did was started crying and said "well we're starting these 12 days of christmas. Hope you don't mind but I think I'm just going to have an early Christmas with Hermana Dangerfield. WOWWW I'm going to miss it here beyond what words can describe. LOVE YOU MUCH! Have an excellent week!!! 

Thank you all for the birthday emails! :) It made my birthday already and it's not even my birthday yet! Thank you thank you :) Happy birthday shout out to my birthday twin Hermana Olsen! We're having a birthday shout Hooray! ;)

Ok, so what a week it has been. It was so so strange. I say that because we weren't able to have 1 single lesson with any of our investigators until FRIDAY! Everything fell through. EVERYTHING. Hermana Dangerfield and I were stressing wondering if we were doing something wrong. Our lesson that we had tried having with President for 2 weeks now feel through again. Ayy ayy ayyy  that same day our dinner got canceled and so then we were joking around saying "just wait, correlation's going to be canceled as well."  5 minutes later guess what call we got? "We're not going to have correlation tonight!" I kid you not, every single thing that day got canceled. We had a good laugh about that one.  Don't worry I only tell you all of that bad luck because it completes the second half of the story. Friday and Saturday were MIRACLE DAYS!!! We were filled with great things to do.  

Friday we had a lesson with an English girl (Jenaya) that we had on date. We gave her to the Elders and then a few weeks later she texted us saying that she needed to talk to us. Out of nowhere she decided that this was not something she wanted. "She wanted to see what Mormons were like, but she wasn't looking to become one." Keep in mind that earlier she was GOLDEN. Well fast forward a bit, and this Friday we had our first lesson with her since then. We decided to talk about Faith but of course doubts always lead back to the Restoration, so it became a review of Lesson 1 more than anything. The things that she was saying to us just made no sense whatsoever. Hermana D asked her if her church taught about eternal life. She said yes I believe so, but had no idea how it happened. We then explained that we have temples and the Priesthood to perform these Sealing ordinances. After a long lesson she still had decided that she wants to go to her church. Moral of the story isn't the sad ending. We're hoping she goes back to her church and then recognizes the difference of our church. She LOVED our church, so we really do not understand what happened there. Anyway, the point is that my testimony grew more than ever this week on the power of the priesthood. Other churches don't even claim to have it, they just don't teach it. They don't understand the HOW of everything we learn. It is through this Power of God that we UNDERSTAND the Lord's Plan. Nothing is complete without this power.  It is amazing to be able to teach that Joseph Smith received the Priesthood the same way that each of Christ's apostles did. I absolutely love comparing each and every thing back to Christ's ministry. The church is true. We have the truthfulness in it's fullness because of a young 14 year old asking the Lord. Ask and we shall receive. I read this quote during studies today that of course I don't remember, but the end was that "we may know of Him, but we don't truly KNOW Him until we ask." Aww I just love these experiences that I have to teach this great message. It was such a testimony builder to recognize that even though this lesson broke my heart, it strengthened my testimony more than ever! 

Ok, now unto Saturday's miracle. We had a lesson with President finally! It was amazing how much he was able to participate in the lesson even though he can't understand a lick of Spanish. His spirit alone was all that this family needed. It was the family of Ixchel. I think I told you how we are really trying to focus on getting Ruben baptized so that his family can be sealed in the temple. Well, unfortunately nothing has changed with him. I think it's just going to take time. He's willing to read the scriptures and pray with his family, but he just does not want to come to church. AHHH it's so frustrating. It's ok though, we're going to find out the real reason that's stopping him. The lesson went super well though. It was cute to see the connection with President's testimony on eternal families with Roberta (lost her mom in March). Someday that family will enter the temple to be sealed for eternity.  

After the lesson and dinner with President we had a little bit of extra time before our next appointment. It didn't make sense that we did what we had planned, so I suggested seeing a less active. Maria Amado is a less active that works SOO much. We haven't been able to see her for a month or so, and we had no idea why. We've passed by multiple times a week, but for some reason or another we haven't been able to get a hold of her. Nevertheless, we decided to once again try to knock her door. Can you guess it? She was there!!! Oh we just lit up with Joy as she opened the door! The poor Lady is just going through so so much in her life right now. Her son is home ALL day long all by himself. She literally works from morning until 11 at night every single day. Well, something fell on her at work and she had to get stitches and ended up taking the rest of the night off. (What a miracle eh? She wouldn't have even been there!) We read a few verses from 3 Nephi 11 and she just started tearing up saying how much she needed this right now. We explained to her that she was not in our plans for the day and that we had just felt the need to go visit her. She explained how she understood that Heavenly Father is always with her. Awww it was such a testimony builder for the both of us. Unfortunately we had another appointment and couldn't stay longer, because she just didn't want us to leave. She wants us to come over for Christmas!  Ohh she so so darling! 

The Lord really does do everything in this work. We needed those last two days to the end of a rough week. Yesterday was a weird day as we were not able to drive our own cars because of the storm. We only had one our of church and it was hardly snowing! Hahaha it's alot different than you Utah out here! We went over to a member's house for a bit which was fun. They're always looking out for us. We watched the Christmas Devotional on the computers at our apartment. Well actually we read it. We didn't have any head phones so we just had to use subtitles! Hahaha but I LOVED it! Isn't this time of year just amazing?? I absolutely LOVE this time of year! What better time is there than a time to celebrate our Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope you all are enjoying the Christmas season as much as I am!  Love you so so much and hope all is going well! Feliz Navidad!

December 9, 2013 {Kim}

Holllla! how is everyone??? Well its weird to think that i am about to go into my third week in the field! This week has been good! we've taught more lessons than usual and we got 4 NEW investigators this week!! yay! We were pretty excited about that! and yesterday we had 2 investigators at church!! Doesnt sound like a lot but it is. Ha people just dont like to come to church. And lots of people just cant come to church cuz they work on sundays so thats a big/annoying problem. Because we have 2 investigators that would get baptized if they could come to church. Hopefully after the holidays they will be able to get work off. We are praying. So we picked up one of our new investigators actually at church yesterday. He came with his wife & daughter. The wife is a member and the girl is 7. Cutest girl award. So apparently she loveees loves primary and begssss her parents to come to church. what a little angel right? haha and her dad (our new investigator) said when he comes home from work he will grab a beer and open it to start to drink and the daughter will come grab it from him and poor it out and say daddy thats bad. haha like i said...Angel right? shes the cutest. the difference a 7 year old is making in her parents life. We should all strive to be like her and set an example for everyone. awesome. And the other investigator we picked up is the daughter of a member who is like 20 and her boyfriend. We were over just talking to The member and the younger daughter when the boyfriend came over and just sat down and started listening to our lesson. so then the older daughter came in and sat in to listen. MIRACLE. everyone is shocked that they are listening! especially the daughter! ha shes crazzzy. but hopefully they will continue to progress. They literally started from the bottom though. they didnt believe in God or anything. But we got the boyfriend to pray in our first lesson so that was awesome and he actually read what we assigned him to read! yayyy! But the bummer part is...we have to give them both over to the english sisters because the boyfriend doesnt speak spanish :( ha so story of the week....We had a dinner appointment at the Lazaros (One of the families we went to for thanksgiving) and i have NEVER come so close to throwing up. oh my goodness. haha. They feed us sooo much. and if you dont eat something right away that they set out he goes.. .oh what? you dont like this? try it. eat it. So we have to eat it. and this time they were all just sitting in the room with us so we couldnt get our containers out. worst thing ever. haha. and after the HUGGGE meal. literally about to blow. She brings out 2 whole canteloupes ( dont know how to spell that haha) i couldnt take it ( and this girl can eat A LOT) so just imagine how much food i was eating. ew. But i was trying so hard to eat the fruit but i got to the point i seriously couldnt take another bite. So i grab a wad of paper towels...wait till they turn away just grab half the fruit and shove it in my purse. haha. oh my goodness. i felt sick the rest of the night. But i cannot tell you how amazing some of the food i have eaten this week is. I LOVE Mexican food. Hermana Bravos (one of the greatest women alive) tacos are the BESTTTTT! We helped her make homemade tortillas last p-day (sooo good). And we ate them with Cactus on them. Sooo good. So we go see the cutest little old albanian lady every friday as basically service but we teach her as well. shes 83. We go over and read the book of mormon with her. We read it in English and she follows along with Albanian cuz she is more comfortable reading in Albanian. She wants to be baptized but refuses to be baptized until her grand daughter gets back from her mission. but her grand daughter just left. so we are really worried cuz Rose is super sick. we dont know if she will make it that long. So we are trying really hard. She is seriously the cutest and nicest woman though. She calls us her little angel. and everytime we ask her if we can do something for her she says Noo das alright honeys. So we just start doing it. ha. Love her. Well the spanish is still super frustrating. But its ok. Itll commme. Well i dont really know what else to say. but i hope you are all doing well and staying warm. I hear the weather has been crazy in utah. I decided its way colder in utah. haha its only been 30's here. so it hasnt been bad. you can definitley tell that the humidity makes what it is feel colder but it hasnt been too cold yet. We just got our first bit of snow yesterday. there is a huge problem with ice here tho. We almost crashed yesterday ( my companions driving scares me. She is from Arizona so has never driven in snow before) but we were crossing a bridge yesterday and it was iced over. We slid like 10 feet and almost rammed a car. esta bien tho. scary moment.wellll illl talk to you next week! hasta luego! peace, love, and blessings

 

love, hermana Josse

December 2, 2013 {Cara}

Well What a Wonderful Week in Waipahu:)

It looked like your Thanksgiving was so much fun! Well you know how I said we had 5 Thanksgiving meals planned? Yeah... well we still have been having Thanksgiving...... actually, now that I think about it, pretty much everyday is Thanksgiving here! So much give give giving, and love and graditude and.......... food. Eating is a chore now. Really. At times I feel like I could go a whole year without ever eating again. Ahh... so much of it.. but I pray every night that my stomach will be ok, and it hasn't exploded quite yet. I start every morning with doing sprints up and down our stairs outside our apartment for 15 minutes, then I do insanity for 10 minutes, and then I'll do abs or something, or jump rope. But for some reason, that aint good enough.... No big though. 'Tis the Seasons!!:)

Ok sorry about that rant. But just a quick update..... the Villegas came to church!! Well 2 out of 4 of the boys - that have a baptism date. (which now is pushed back again) Cody (16) and Chantz (8) came. Chantz LOVES church you guys, It is the cutest thing in the entire world!! It was his older brothers first time coming to church and Chantz was showing him the hymn book and telling him how cool it is that, "he gets to take the bread and water today to remember jesus!" When the water and bread came around, I looked over at the boys and they're heads were poking out with a smile SO BIG because they were SO excited to take the bread and water. It was a lesson taught to me. To be more like that when taking the sacrament. ( on the inside haha ) but I think a lot of times we take advantage of what amazing priviledge we have to be able to take the sacrament each week!, We actually even KNOW the full effect it has! All these boys know is that they take it to remember Jesus. So I challenge you to all remember that next Sunday:)

Also- The Villegas mom, Christie, has nooo money for Christmas. It's sad to hear her tel her boys, "sorry but this christmas isn't going to be that good" and the boys go, "we know mom", They dont have any decorations either... So me and sister Teuscher went to the store with the Purcell's (they're my family away from home) and they were going to buy them a little tree for us to give them. While we were at the store, some lady came up to me and asked, "Are you buying yourself something tonight?" I said, "Yes...." She then slipped me something in my hand and hurried off. I rushed up to her to let her know it isn't for us, but for an investigators home, and tried giving her, her money back. She then said, "Oh! then keep it please." and she disappeared! It was the greatest blessing ever! We bought them a little christmas tree, and stockings, cheap stocking stuffers, and ornaments.

GUESS WHAT!!! We are going to go to their house right now and decorate it with the boys to surprise Christie when she gets home. I can hardly wait. It's the best feeling in the world. I hope you all can look for opportunities to make someone's Christmas Jolly and Bright. It super fun:)  We also have a Nativity set someone donated for us to give them:) This is going to be the best night ever!! Best Christmas ever! I'll take pictures and show you next week:) I LOVE THE VILLEGAS!!!

Mikey- He bore his testimony at church on Sunday. We didn't hear it because we were at the family ward with the Villegas, but on the 15th I'm going to be speaking and so is Mikey. Mikey will be speaking about his baptism! I can hardly wait! He actually wants to move his baptism sooner and picked December 10th to be baptized. I'm so excited! He is so ready! At church he learned about all this stuff about the temple! He is learning so much faster then we can teach him! He's always coming up to us saying, "Sisters! Why didn't you tell me all this cool stuff about the church!?" Haha you guys, if there is anyone that the Lord has prepared, it's Mikey.

Alika ( a less active that we have reactivated <<- that sounds so weird?) He asked us how we felt knowing that we're the ones helping people come closer to Christ. All I could say was grateful. I truly am so grateful this time of year, actually this time in my life....... to be a part of the Lords great and marvelous latter day work. Anyone else could be in my shoes, and teaching these people, I'm so grateful that its me! I'm truly so blessed to be an instrument in his hands in Maui, and now it Waipahu.

At this time of year I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I was reading a talk by Russel M. Nelson this morning and I loved it! I love reading about the Atonement. I read John 18:37 (or it might be 32?) This Gospel IS simply- the Atonement! It is our Savior and our Redeemer Jesus Christ. How wonderful it is to have the Book of Mormon, to be able to read prophets of ancient time testify of of Savior. How wonderful- that we can read of when Jesus Christ himself appeared in the Americas. What a wondeful day that was! What a wonderful day it will be when it happens again and he appears to us all. How wonderful it is to have Thomas S. Monson today to add upon and continue the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ,. To have a prophet who understands our Father in Heavens plan for His children. He is the same yesterday today and forever. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the Gospel.

In fact- funny story- I just told someone that yesterday. We found a random guy in the streets who is Inactive and left the church. I asked him why, and he said, " because their music is too old and boring and every other church is getting better music and changing but the LDS one. " ....... Yesterday, Today, and Forever. I'm so glad our church does accomadate the world. What a mess it'd be.

 

Well family. You are all wonderful, and radiating with spririt. I can feel it through your letters and your pictures. I love reading about how amazing fellowshippers you are in the ward. I visualize it and I love it. I love knowing that you are actively engaged in church. You magnify your callings and you always have a helping hand extended. Keep it up over there in Oklahoma. I'll keep doing my best here as well.

 

Have a wonderful week! It's the best time of the Year:)

Aloha

Sister Olsen

 

P.s.- We had to drop Taylor because he lives out of our area. We do that SOOOOO SOOO SO SO MUCH HERE!!!  I should've told you guys that forever ago. Our area has Marshalese, Tongan, Philipenes, and Samoan ward. Considering we (white people) are the minority here, we are alwayyyys giving our investigators away to the Elders. It's stinkin tough trusting them and always giving them away but, that the way its gotta be.

 

P.s.s..- I also love the Branch. Wish I could tell you about all the people and investigators here. No time:/ Got to go! Thanks for the letters!!! and CHRISTMAS BOX!!!

December 2, 2013 {Kaitlyn}

SHOUT OUT TO HEATHER :)
Big birthday shout out to HEATHER WRIGHT today!!  Hope you have the most amazing day!  Brother better do something extra special for you.  Also happy birthday yesterday to Shelby! I sent a letter but my scatter brained self forgot to put a stamp on it so it just came back to me. That would be something I would do... Hahaha but HAPPY BIRTHDAY! LOVE YOU BOTH!

Hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving weekend! It was sure weird not being around all you, but we had an excellent day. Wednesday we went over to Hermana Ainsa's house and helped her cook up some pies. (Mom I'm embarrassed to hear that you didn't even make a homemade pie. Haha She was so cute to invite us over. She wanted us to feel as much at home as possible. It was so so fun! Thanksgiving morning we got up and did Personal Study and then we went to the church for Turkey Bowl. Pero, being Hispanics, they decided to play soccer. We ended up playing for a good 3 hours. Ohhh it was sooo much fun! I haven't played soccer in AGES! It wasn't just a friendly little game either, it was so intense! I'm embarrassed to say how soar I was the next couple of days. Boy oh boy am I out of shape! Anyway... We had our first Thanksgiving dinner with the Ainsa Family as well as a few other families from the branch. It was SO FUN! Good old American Turkey Dinner :) We had so much fun helping her prepare the food and crafts! She made us feel right at home! Later that night we went over to another members house for the second dinner. It was a Turkey dinner with rice! Now there's the true Hispanic turkey dinner.  It was an excellent day though. I was thinking about you all lots. I truly am so grateful to have such an amazing family!

Apart from Thanksgiving not too much happened this week as many people were out of town. We had a cool lesson with one of our newer investigators. She didn't like how we were telling her that only one church was true. We continued to try to explain to her that many churches are good but that only one holds the power of God. We weren't really sure where to go with the lesson after she kept saying that same thing, but then the spirit led us one way and the lesson ended up being amazing! We're excited to see how things end up with her! :) She wants to come to church, but unfortunately couldn't make it this week. It's truly amazing how the spirit works in the lessons. We would have gotten nowhereeee without the spirit! 

Church this Sunday was absolutely amazing! Our investigator's (Maria) daughter (Melanie) was blessed this week. Her husband (Javier) has an interview to talk to President about receiving the Priesthood this week. Then he would be able to baptize her!!! Ohhhh I'm so so excited! They are golden. Seriously, I've never met somebody with a stronger desire than Javier. His testimony is soo amazing! Maria's is as well. The only thing that's holding her back is her Catholic family, but I'm sure she'll make her date ofDecember 14th. Awww they're sooo AMAZING! They want to have us over for Christmas. How cute is that?? We aren't sure if we'll be doing something with the mission or not but we'll have to see but that would be the best Christmas ever!!  

Next we also had the confirmation of Ixchel. Guess who came?? Her dad, RUBEN! He had said that he would, but he always says maybe about coming to church so we weren't sure. I almost plowed all the kids over when Ixchel asked me where her dad's class was. YAYYY! We're working with him lots. There poor family wants to go to the temple so bad. We had an amazing lesson about temples with them, and we asked him if he wants to be sealed to his family some day. He said "I don't know, maybe?" (He doesn't really share his feelings very much) Ixchel gets after him and says " WHY NOT DAD?!" It was so amazing. I think it helped him realize how much his family really does want this. Ahhh he knows EVERYTHING, he just isn't willing to listen to the spirit. Well, or at least act on it. We'll get him though. They'll get to the the temple some day. Someday hopefully being next year :) 

Well family, I love you so much! Sorry to all who are writing me and I don't write back. I'm even getting lazy with the emails. It's so hard to stay caught up with all that! AHHH so sorry about that. I would say I'll try to do better but I'd probably just be getting your hopes up. I really do love you all so much though! THank you for all the love and support! Enjoy the holiday season and remember the meaning of them all. It all started with a little baby born in a manger. I love this season! I keep thinking about how I'm going to miss the reenacting the Nativity scene. I've already told Hermana Dangerfield that it's a must that we do that on Christmas Eve.  Love you all so much! Have an amazing week! 

Con mucho Amor, Hermana Wright