April 29, 2014 {Cara}

The Lovely Olsen's,

First things first... Jantz. Thankyou so much for the email. Hahaha I love reading his letters. I love reading all of your guys' letters. 

Hmm... I'm not sure what to say in this email...

Well this week was Merrie Monarch. Which is like the Hula Olympics. People from all around the world come to compete. Hilo was so packed busy! Saturday there was a parade that we went to with 2 of our investigators. Louise and Lucy! Afterwards Sister Vanderhave invited us all over for pizza. Perfect fellowship! We found out she was a perfect fellowhship as we started the lesson for Louise on the Word of Wisdom and it went from "bringing a member to help us teach" to "teaching a member and investigator together" Hahaha it was the most interesting lesson! I'm realizing more and more that its not just the non-members that need to hear the lessons and the basics, but members too! I hope you all are taking on the challenge given in General Conference, and are studying Preach My Gospel. Keep it simple. 

Cynthia is amazing. We had a few lessons with her!! You guys!! It's incredible, she loves the Joseph Smith already! Her prayers are the most sincere prayers I have heard in a very long, long time. My absolute favorite thing said was, "I'm so grateful to hear this message, because I know so many people in the world dont get to hear about this boy Joseph Smith." She is the sweetest marshalese lady in the world. She came to church and decided that she wanted to stay longer then one hour.... she stayed all 3!! Hahaha.... Sister Buckner and i always hesitate when non-members want to stay for Gospel Principles class. LOL. Because the teacher, Sister Kekauoha is from Waipio Valley..... which means, she's very straight up. Says it how it is. No beating around the bush... This week we are going to clear up some things with Cynthia on outer darkness, fast Sundays (no your not suppose to starve every sunday), and the millenium.... The Gospel is so simple you guys. Stick to the basics with your non member friends:) It was just so so funny hahaha

The Domingos came to church on their OWN! No need calling, or rides:) The dad and 2 kids. That feeling Sister Buckner and I get when we are on opposite sides of the chapel before sacrament starts, greeting people, and we look up and see our investigators walk in, Louise, Cynthia, Darrell, Kiruu, Domingos..... and then we look over at each other with the biggest eyes, then we hurry and attack them with a hug. I LOVE THEM!!:) I love church!! Sometimes I just wish I could stand on top of the big tourists buses they have here with a big giant mega-phone and say, "Come to church, this way, come feel the spirit! Come partake in the free gift that has been given to you. Come feel the spirit! Come closer the your Heavenly Father. He misses you guys! Come Come!"

If they only knew.

I hope you guys are still doing awesome missionary work and setting examples to those around you. My favorite quotes is ....

"Act in a manner, so that those who dont know Christ, but know you, will want to know Christ because they know YOU."

We all have been given a special gift from Heavenly Father. A gift that no one else has or can give, but this gift that has been given to us, is not ours to keep. We are all here as instruments. We are the Lords hands. We all are here to strengthen each other. The love we have and develop for our Savior Jesus Christ is a gift, and it isn't given to us to stay and sit and rest in our hearts. The love for our Savior is given to us to give away. We are not only building and growing and nourishing our testimonies for ourselves, we are doing it for each other. For our brother or sister, friends, and cousins, strangers and family. I know that that is true, Heavenly Father knows all His children. He's in the very details of our lives, and He knows every single person we come in contact with. He knows that person you bumped into, and the lady working the cash register. So I invite you guys to give the gifts you've all been given. Give and show others the love you have for the Savior. Be an example of Him everywhere you go and to everyone you see. Show a smile, aknowledge their presence, give someone a compliment. Step out of your comfort zone and share your gifts and be and answer to someones prayer:) No worries I'm working on it to0! 

This week was M.L.C. (MIssionary Leadership Correlation) So we flew to Oahu again for another meeting. Sister Buckner, me, and the Zone Leaders. It was good! LONG day. We woke up at 3:30 a.m. caught a flight at 6:00 arrived at 8:00 in Honolulu. Meeting was 6 hours long... then we flew back last night, bed at 10:30. Then in the morning we had one hour to prepare a training on everything we learned in MLC with the missionaries in our Zone.

So we just finished that a couple hours ago. It's cool, I dont get as nervous as I was before. Actually it was really cool. I love being Sister Trainer now! I feel like everyone is training me! We stand in the front and train, and the feedback and comments we get back, are so awesome. I'm always like , "yeah, thats so true, your right........" and then I can go off what they said. Its really great. I mean from being the person who would skip class just so I didn't have to stand up in front of the class for a presenation..... to now, giving trainings on all the missionaries on the Island.... I have become more and more grateful for Heavenly Fathers help!! (p.s.- ignore that confession just made;) 

"The Lord is preparing us in a world to go to a Kingdom." - President Warner. I know that, that is true. I know the goal. lt is the Celestial Kingdom. I know who is there.It is our Heavenly Father. I know the purpose. It is true Happiness. I know how to get there. Living the The Gospel. I know the way. Our Savior Jesus Christ. He is the way, and Because of Him we can make it! We have hope and peace. I love Him. I love you! I love you. I love you. I love you. I love Jorgen and his faithful prayers. I love Gavin and his joy for life. I love Alyssa and her determination to always improve. I love Aaron for his righteousness of covenant keeping. I love Dad and the blessings he's brought our family with his faith. I love Jantz and his knowledge he has on the importance of loving everyone. I love Abby and her spirit that lights up the room. I love Mom and her example she has on sharing her gifts. I also love her because she's held us all together. 

Just keep having good days:) If everyday is not a good day, something needs to change. I'm going to quote Silas. Because I feel like he is such an amazing missionary, he needs to be quoted. I remember he would always say, at the most RANDOM times,  "Today is the best day ever." I would kinda nod my head, but then I'd say, ".......why?" Silas would respond with an even more enthusiatic reply, "It's just the best day EVER!!" Hahaha it's so true. Everyday is the best day ever you guys, lets all just find out why:)

Have the best day ever!! 

Love you!!

Aloha

Sister Cara Ann Olsen

P.s.- Mom thankyou so much for $$ in account. Umm... I totally forgot to ask you last week....... but the reason why I brought up my current health problem is because I was wondering if its ok for me to go spend $90 on massage therapy? It's my Branch President who does it... He worked on my back a couple weeks ago, and ever since he worked on it, I've gotten better. The doctors still have not called back, but he scheduled to work on my back again, next Monday. Is that ok?? I think after one more time, I should be ok. He says that my back is effecting my neck, which is what is effecting chest, which is causing my breathing thing. If you can respond soon, I have permission to check my email again later this week, and I can know. Thanks. I cant wait to tlk to you soon too:) 

April 28, 2014 {Kaitlyn}

Holaaa! Uhhh I think I´m missing some shout outs. I think it may have been your anniversary? But I´m a terrible daughter and don´t really remember when. The 23rd? Also give Nana my love because I believe that it was the anniversary of Papa´s death. Aren´t we lucky to have the gospel that gives us the reassurance that we will see them again. :) 

This family has seriously been CRAZY! We had entrevistas with President which was fun. I don´t feel like we get to see him too often so that´s always a fun treat. He and his wife are so great! His wife said that sometimes she calls the parents just to tell them how their kids are doing... so if you´re lucky maybe sometime she will call ya´ll! :) 

Well this week was seriously mentally exhausting. My comp and I are kind of dying a little bit... but it´s all settling down a bit more. Sooo I told you all about Nohelia last week. Well, Monday night we went to say goodbye to her because we thought she was leaving. Well, she backed out again. She said she has nowhere to go. We didn´t have much time but we decided to share a little scripture and in the end we eneded up talking alot about her safety. She started crying because she was afraid of Patricio. He was out drinking that night and she was worried about what he would do to her. As we left that night we both felt a bit strange. The thought of a dream that she had shared with us about her 2 kids calling for her came to my mind. We weren´t exactly sure why... but we kept on with the night. Well Tuesday we stopped by to see how she was doing but nobody was home and then we traveled to have our entrevistas. Wednesday we were informed that Monday night she had been cut or stabbed by her husband and was in the hospital. 

We went to visit her immediately and the situation was far worse than we thought. She explained the story that she had seen death and thought that she was going to live with her dad (who had passed away). She could feel the warm blood draining from her body and new that this might be the end... but then she heard her 5 year old son saying ¨don´t die¨. She told him to offer a prayer and end ïn the name of Jesus Christ amen¨ He said a prayer asking to protect his mom and not let her die. Then her mom told him to grab her phone and dial 911. He tried but he didn´t know the numbers. Instead he ran out of the house screaming at the top of his lungs. Luckily her brother and law who lives in front heard and came running over. 20 minutes later the ambulance arrived. She had lost so much blood and she is already super skinny. Miracle that she is still living and recovering super well. Her son is going to need therapy but seems to be forgetting about it a little bit. Every prayer her two kids ask that daddy won´t kill mommy. Quite a sad story, but quite miraculous. There is so much more detail, but this will give you a glimpse of our week. As she shared the story with us we began to cry as we recognized that the spirit had testified to us that something was going to happen this night. She asked us in the moment if we had felt something because Monday night she thought we had thought something was going to happen. The crazy thing is that we really did. It´s amazing that we didn´t feel bad that we didn´t do something more to help, but I think she needed this. She is now ready to start her new life. It´s going to be a hard trial, but her testimony has grown so much through each and every part of it. 

We have visited her every day since. Soon she´ll be in capital and we´re going to help her get associated with the church there. We also have heard many times that she is a liar which was hard to hear cuz we have developed a great love for her. We are hoping that she really does want this change. I believe that she does. Patricio is in jail and she always said that he was holding her back, so now is her time. She needs to find a man that will treat her with respect and then be married in the temple.

Well I´m just about out of time and I wasted it all in one story. We also talked with Monica about her baptismal date of the 31st. She still hasn´t received an answer but she is feeling a bit more confident about it. I think that in her heart she already knows. It´s going to happen :) I know it. I always leave this house with a smile. This family is the best! Hahaha the cute little 7 year old shared a scripture that she had found and liked because her mom had done that the week before. Then I showed them the scripture in 2 Nefi 5:27 and they smiled at that. Hahaha and then the other little girl said ooo and I love the next one. It said something like "änd they arrived in Jerusalem" hahahaha I seriously almost started dying laughing. Hahaha cutest thing ever. Both of the scriptures didn´t say much of anything... but they just get so excited about reading el Libro de Mormon. Hahaha Love them so much.

Love you all so much! I´m looking forward to talking to ya´ll in two weeks. Wow, how crazy! Hey let me know how Sara is doing! Kim is tearing it up. I can´t even believe how well she is doing! My friends are beasts! Love you all! Have an amazing week! :) Transfers next week... if I don´t email you will know why. I´m sure I´ll have time but just incase. LOVE YOU! Say hello to Nana for me cuz I had no idea that she was in the house! Is she going to be there for when i call? 

April 28, 2014 {Kim}

Hey. Well i just want to start off by saying that you should all be proud of me. Im a true Mexican. Besides the fact that i cant speak spanish haha. But This sista ate 22 tacos the other day in one sitting. I beat and set the record that any missionary has that has been here. hahaha. I was going to eat 24 but my companion wouldnt let me...she stole em from me and ate them so i couldnt... cuz i was dying a little bit. But be proud. Cuz im proud of myself for such a grand accomplishment. Hahaha #HechoenMexico

Well lets get real here. This week has been crazy. Well on saturday we had an awesome service project. We went with tonnns of missionaries and members and other volunteers and cleaned up this hug park that is nasty. Its like a drug/drinking hang out but they want to change it into a park for kids. So there were a lot of nasty things that we had to clean up. We had to have Hazmat bags.  but it was so fun. I love doing service. And we have seen some pretty cool miracle this week... We got a referral last week and we went and gave the wife a book of mormon last week but she didnt have time to talk with us right then and wouldnt set up a specific day that we could see her...but we decided to stop by the other night and she let us right in. They are awesome. The husband is already in 2 Nephi... Ha what. and she loved learning about the book of mormon and loved the hymns. wanted us to sing more. haha. But They are so awesome and will be baptized. Also our investigator, Josie still doesnt really have much desire to change but she still wants it for her little girls. They are literally the cutest humans in this planet. But we called her yesterday and she said that she has noticed a change in her daughters since we have been meeting with them. That they are more peaceful and such. So sweet. They are only 4 and 7 but they are setting an example for their mom. They pray now and everything. soooo cute. Well we also had a bummer with our investigator China. She and her husband (Hes a member) have been having problems. and she said the other day that she was just listening for him and going to church for him. But i know that she has a testimony. she loves reading the book of mormon and loves when we come over. She just still cant recognize her answers and its super frustrating because i love her sooooo much. I seriously love these people so much. Start praying that i stay in this area because i cannot leave this area. I dont want to leave. And i dont want to leave Sister Solomon. This transfer has literally just flown by. Well this week has also been crazy because Sister Solomon has been getting worse with her health. She has beeen so exhausted and she just isnt herself and loses just every ounce of energy she has alll of the sudden and gets super confused and her vision goes blurry and gets dizzy. And its been happening Alllll the time now. And her pulse changes all the time. Im so worried about her. We went back to the doctor today and he thinks that it could be something with her heart. So pray for her and pray that we can figure out the problem and fix it. I hate seeing her sick. Its the worst. Well I dont have much time. I gotta email president. But i love you all so much. Have a fantastic week.

 

Love,  Your favorite missionary,

Hermana Josse 

 

Read Alma 60. Its the best. Apply it to today.

 

Hasta Luego.

April 22, 2104 {Kim}

Heyyyy. Well guess what? Yesterday we had an all mission conference and Elder L. Tom Perry came! He's good friends with President Jeppson and Sister Perry is President Jeppsons Cousin. It was awesome! We first all got to go up and shake his and and talk to him and then he talked to us for a while and then we did a question and answer session. He's the greatest. i cant believe he is 91 years old. does not even look like it whatsoever. It was way cool though. He talked alot about the priesthood. Yesterday was way good. we went to try and contact a referral we had received from some other misisonaries but the house number was wrong so we couldnt find her but we met a man that is way awesome and he asked us for a book of mormon! I know we were suppose to be there at that moment for that reason. I am starting to have an obsession with the war chapters in Alma. Before i just thought they were super long and repetitive. Like come on people just stop fighting. get real. haha. but there is so much to learn from them. 2 of my favorites Alma 49:20 This chapter is when Moroni is preparing his people to defend the cause of the christians. "Thus they were prepared, yea, a body of their strongest men, with their swords and their slings, to smite down all who should attempt to coe into their pace of security by the place of entrance; and thus were they prepared to defend themselves against the lamanites." How were they prepared? How can we become spiritually prepared? Alma 49:24 - "there were about fifty who were wounded, who had been exposed to the arrows of the lamanites through the pass, but they were shielded by their shields and their breastplates and their headplates, insomuch that their wounds were upon their legs, many of which were very severe" We need to put on our breastplates and shields. We do this by doing the things we need to be doin. daily scripture study, church...etc. If we are doing this then we will be prepared. we will be prepared to overcome any challenge that is thrown at us any temptation. If we are prepared there is not any wound or challenge that we cant heal or overcome. #TeamMoroni also i really love 3 Nephi 27:21 "Verily, Verily, i say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my curch; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that whcih ye have seen me do even that shall ye do." I like this a lot related to enduring to the end. Jesus Christ endured to the end. He didnt just attempt the atonement. He did it. He completed it. He completed the most unthinkable act. there is no problem or challenge or trial that  we cant overcome. We have seen him endure "for the works wich ye have seen me do that shall ye also do"

Well i am praying that i still get another transfer here in passaic because i am in love with the people and my companion. its very unlikely but i want it so bad. Haha my companion and i are so alike its so funny. and we argue but its super funny. haha. But we have seriously had some of the most amazing comp studies ever and amazing talks at night. haha its super funny because i am tryin to help her work on not being prideful and she is trying to help me be confident. haha. I love her. and yesterday was awesome. at the mission confernce with elder Perry i got to sit by sister Garn as well as with sister solomon. So that was a good day. I love my comps. Well i dont have much time but i love you all sooo so much. have a fantastic week!

 

Love, Hermana Josse

April 22, 2014 {Kaitlyn}

Wow, I don´t really know where to start because I only have about 45 minutes to do emails today.... SOO why am I wasting time to write that? Down to the point. This week was GREAT. I have such a terrible memory though so I´m going to try and remember why.

Starting with Wednesday. Wednesday was the craziest day in the world because about a million things went, well, wrong. We talked with a less active (Nohelia) and she´s in a terrible situation with her husband (Patricio) who has a problem with drugs. They always are having problems within their relationship and they have the two most precious kids in the world. She has tried leaving quite a few times, but always ends up returning. It´s quite a dangerous situation because he is abusive as he is doing all sorts of drug. NOTE: Today, wednesday they both want to change that. Now onto the good news of wednesday we set Joana on date. It was our first lesson with her and when we entered she didn´t believe much in God. We had an amazingly inspired lesson and by the end she made the decision that she wants to be baptized. It´s quite a ways in the future but she wants to be baptized! :) June 25 is the date but we´re going to try moving it up. 

Thursday, things are a bit odd with Patricio today. We talked with Nohelia and she is still holding strong on her goal not to smoke. (She smokes when she´s nervous.) She told us some interesting things that go on in the house... we told her that the house can be blessed so we will see if that helps a little because right now they can´t invite the spirit in super easily.

Friday. Patricio was gone all night. We get a phonecall during lunch from somebody notifying us that he was in the hospital. He had been out all night and he was going to harm his wife so he asked to be put in the hospital. We went to visit him and he wasn´t in good shape. In fact, he looked dead. Super sad. Nohelia didn´t know what to do. Half of her wanted to leave with the kids but the other half couldn´t do it.

Saturday. Patricio left from the hospital. They want to better their relationship and are going to come to church. We had an excellent Noche de Hogar with the family of Monica. :) 

Sunday. Patrico and family come to church and suddenly he can´t talk. It reminded me of bedtime stories when a bee stings his tongue. They quickly left to the hospital and was notified that it was possible that he wasn´t ever going to be able to talk again. Luckily it all passed and he was talking normal a few hours later. Miracles in many situations. 

Sunday night. Best night of the whole week. We had quite an odd day this day. In fact, we had quite an odd week. But this experience almost put me to tears. We weren´t planning on this but we passed by Monica´s house again and coincidently they were outside. They invited us in and for the first time ever we were able to have a lesson with ALL of their family. The husband is just recently beginning to listen in on the lessons. Well, we shared a scripture and by the end we left with a baptismal date. The spirit was the strongest it has ever been in quite some time. I have always felt a connection with this family, but this night was absolutely amazing because I have NO DOUBT that this is going to change their lives. They have the greatest desires for their children, and this is an answer to their prayers. They need to be married still and the wife is scared of this commitment, but I think that this is finally their time. She has been listening to the missionaries for years... but now is the time. We set the date for May 31, and they are going to pray to see what they think about it. It was a GOLDEN LESSON. I felt as if I was teaching my own family... so many things connected so well. LOVED it. I´ll keep ya posted. :) 

TODAY. The Elders came here to Monte so we had quite a fun day. Eating, playing soccer, etc. Well, while playing soccer we saw Patricio. He informed us that Nohelia was packing her bags and leaving later today. This poor couple. I can´t even tell you how much stress we have had trying to know what was best for this family. The kids are the most precious things in the world and they need this gospel. We wished that they could work things out, but in the same time it may be better that they are seperated. They both have gone through SOO much in their lives. So sad... I don´t know how they do it because I left exhausted every time we visited their house. Wow. 

Sorry this letter is crazy. Hope it made a little bit of sense. Capaz que no. Sorry. Ahh I have a million more things to say! Aww... this week was interesting. TONS of amazing things... tons of crazy things... sad... and uhh depressing. But, I have learned a million from it all. All in all I am so grateful for this evangelio. It has changed my life and yours and ours as a family.Thank you so much for your examples to me. I love you all to the moon and back. Have an AMAZING week!!!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Wright