The Lord is good to us

Hey ya'll,

This week I have learned tons!! it has been a blast! we had a ton of disappointments this week but luckily they turned into happy things! we went to go teach our new investigator Cottie, (the one who thinks our senior missionary couple is the prophet) and she was sitting outside with the Book of Mormon to give back to us... so that was a sight to see. as we were walking up we were brainstorming what in the world we were going to say but nothing was coming so we went up to ask how she was and she promptly gave us the BofM. and she told us that she didn't want to see us anymore because it was different from anything that she knew.. so I asked her if she read anything that made her upset, and she replied that she didn't even open it. we tried to read the introduction with her but she just wouldn't have it. my heart was broken! I had been praying about this lesson for a long time but she just wasn't ready. but I also learned a lesson from this expierence as well.... if you aren't sure about something don't just not give it a try!!! how could you possible know of its worth or goodness if you don't even open it up?? the moral of the story is its okay to try things that are different, and new, these things that are scary to us are and can be a blessing. so ... be not afraid and believe... 

the one really good thing that came from that heart breaking expiernce is that that because of Cottie we were ready for the next time. we went right over to another investigators house and she was planning on doing the same thing as Cottie, but we asked her if we could read the intro. ( HER reason was that her sister told her not to even open it because we didn't believe in Christ... even though on the front of the BofM it says "another testament of Jesus Christ".)  Because of the intro and bearing testimony that the book of Mormon is another testament of Christ and the spirit softening Cynthia's heart we have another appointment with her. The Lord was preparing Sis. Glaser and I the whole time. when a door closes another one opens!! this is the Lord's work and it cannot be frusterated! 

Highlights:

Mon: we went strawberry picking on hwy 903... (so dad I didnt' miss out at all!!! lol) also we have a member in our ward who lives in this ginormous house with a pond, who will let me go fishing in it!!! I cant wait!!!

tues: we have a baptisimal date!!

wed: we found Cynthia!! and we went tracting for the first time... and the first door I knocked on... was a naked man.. so that's cool. to be fair it was a very hot day that day, but I don't think it was that hot ;D

thurs: A less active member who has been decideing between two churches made a decision to come back and stick with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! we helped her remember her baptismal day and her covanants. the spirit was so strong in her home,    we      also read the 4th article of faith and it was the scripture that her first set of missionaries shared with her before she was baptized!! it was a very humbling expierence! we cannot teach with out the spirit!

Fri: we went tracting again and found a beautiful area! we took tons of pictures... oh and we found an investigator!! ;D

sat: an investigator has been investigating the church for over a year and she is now deciding to get baptized. we went in w/o a lesson and just wanted to try to figure out what she needed and wanted out of our visits and we read 2nephi 4:19-20 and 2nephi31:17-21. she has     M.S. and she is terrified of being baptized and you could feel the fear leave the rooms as the Holy Ghost filled it! 

Sun: I figured out why it is so important to our Heavenly Father to bring everyone home! the people we invited to church this sunday came and I never have felt so much excitement as they entered the sacrament meeting !! I just wanted to jump up with joy! I was so excited I felt like a parent! 

Welp, folks this is truly the work of the Lord! I am so greatful for failures so we can be re-directed toward Christ, the real mastermind of it all. 

p.s. happy birthday to my boys!!! Marshalls on Saturday and Auggies today!!  I love you tons! 

p.s.s. the piggy picture is for miles

-Sister Olesen

Made it! Hello Virginia

Dear Brother & Sister Olesen, 

Sister Baker and I were delighted to welcome Sister Olesen to the Virginia Chesapeake mission yesterday.  She arrived in good spirits and has been assigned to her first proselyting area.  She is assigned to labor in the Greenville 2^nd Ward of the Kinston, NC Stake, and  her trainer is       Sister Samantha Glaser.  I have attached two photos of Sister Olesen: one with her trainer, and one with Sister Baker and me.

 Thank you for sending us such a fine missionary,

 President Baker

Virginia Chesapeake Mission

1115 Cherokee Road

Portsmouth, VA 23701

757-465-1051

Brother and Sister Baker with Sister Erica Olesen

Sister Olesen and Sister Glaser

Goodbye Utah

hey y'all

so this is it! i am off to Virginia tomorrow to meet the good 'ole people of Virginia and North Carolina!! i can not wait! i have learned so much here, but at the same time i feel like i could stay here and learn forever!! this week was super exciting,,, it finally felt like home... lol haha i will tell you why, but you guys have to promise not to hold it against me forever k???  i peed my pants on Wednesday; during the zone meeting when all of the new missionaries were coming in ... so guess your home really is where your heart is ;D 

but anyways we had to say good bye to some people this week which was really sad... our teacher brother Moore. he is seriously the nicest guy in the world and he isn't even married,,,, what is wrong with that picture.. so if you have any people locally who wants to marry a righteous young man... send me the info.. lol he doesn't know about t this but lets see what we can do for him eh?? 

Something i learned this week that was so awesome was the power of the Holy Ghost!! it really is the teacher in so many ways, not just in lessons it is a teacher in every conversation you have, as long as you are living the teachings of Christ every day then  he will stand by your side. 

>>power of the Holy Ghost + Communication = powerful communication

-the power of the holy ghost is (peace, comforter, support

-Communication is (prayer, scriptures, conversations, testimony, studying, repentence)

-all these things can be powerfully communication tools for (ourselves, investigators,members,friends, spouses)

you guys probably have already had this realization, but when all of these dots started connecting in my head i was so happy, i want to be able to be a missionary who always feels this connection so i can communicate powerfully to my investigators!! 

Also something really funny that happened this week is Elder Bambo (an elder in our district going to Gilbert AZ) had a laugh attack like mine.... but he looked like he was having a seizure... so it was a little bit sketchy!! i love this time in my life... stay golden

-sister Erica Olesen

Almost Forgot

i forgot some major stuff!! we taught lessons on our third day... scariest thing ever. we went to the temple today  and yesterday we did a temple walk which was beautiful it was kinda weird going out into the real world!!! i hope all is well. we have taught 3 lessons so far and we have 1 today and 2 tomorrow it is crazy how much studying there is to do. i love everything about studying though~!! its great!! we taught a member named Melka, and two fake people  (actors) named Chris and Fabiola. it is crazy even though they are our teachers when we go into teach them it is nuts, it feels like new people i dont view them as my teachers i view them as brothers and sisters who really dont have the gospel and they need to feel their saviors word and when the dont want to listen it is so madening... hello...  this is the key to your happiness.... a key... why wouldn't you take the key to get through a door to eternal happiness. yea it wont be easy once you get the key, but it is a lot more manageable!!!

okay i just thought i would add that last part in.. love you so much.. 

p.s. my niece is the cutest thing in the whole entire world.. except i dont know her name... so that s a wammy!! 

p.s.s. jo jo and eecy pie nicely done!!

Well I am done here!

Welp folks i am here in the MTC. it is pretty crazy.. lol i am pretty sure i have already gained like 100 lbs. so dont look at me different when i return ;D  my companions name is sis. Kovacs she is from torence california. she is seriously the cutest. we have so much in common. and you know whats crazy is that our other dorm comps get along perfectly with eachother as well.. the food is so good. a little too good. everyone is so awesome in our district. its called district 8... so kinda like hunger games ;D.. lol and a little rhyme.. 'district 8 is so great' there is sis Kovacs and I, Sisters Tegan and Brownlee. and the Elders are Elders Rabaut, Gilstrap, Bambo, and Wood. so all crazy names except Elder Wood. they are super funny. Elder Rabaut is 18 and the rest are super old. 

today is the first P day and it is kinda werid to wear pants... never thought i would say that, but its true. my branch is awesome and there is only 8 of us so fast and testimony meeting was interesting. but re-freshing. is kinda werid to think that i am not going home next week i am here for life. the days are long but the weeks are fast for sure!! I love you much. cool thought.... MTC= My Time with Christ. i am a true representative of christ, well each and everyone of us are actually so smile and love everyone. we are here to serve and learn the attributes of christ or rather the character of christ. we watched an old talk by President Bednar of when he spoke at the MTC a couple years ago on christmas.it is called the Character of Christ. it was so inspiring. i think it has changed my whole look about a mission. so love like christ, and do nothing more. the natural man is to turn inward when in a crisis, or when feeling insecure, turn out like christ would and love all!! i am so excited to keep learning.. if you have any tips for getting the best work out in 30 min.... send them my way eh??? love  you all tons ill see you in 18 - 5 days...lol

  

Sister Olesen