Good Day Sir

how are all of you?? if you're week has been as crazy as ours.. well there is something in the water then ;D 

I will be honest i don't really remember a whole lot that has happened this week it has been a blur. of miracles and sorrows as well but that is just life as well it just is up to how you look at everything. just another testament on perspective, and the eternal perspective. 

One story that sticks out is when we went to the McCreas for dinner it was super spiritual. we taught the Sabbath day and why we keep it holy. "for it is a sign between your generations" Genesis 31:13,16-17 but anyways it was good because it really hit home for all of us! but as we were leaving they gave us a referral to go see a less-active family. so as we went to visit them we saw a family outside on their porch. so after we tried the less-active family (who wasn't home) we went to say hello. We asked if we could share a message with them on how God is our loving Heavenly Father and like everyone here, they said... "yes please." so we shared the Restoration with them and they said they wouldn't see a problem with getting baptized again.... well... in fact, by being baptized by the proper priesthood authority you will never have to be baptized again. This is what hit her. so we explained the priesthood line from Christ--->Peter,James,and John----> Joseph Smith, and she was mezmorized. so... we will see what happens next :)  she didn't want to commit to baptisim.but she understood the line, so that is powerful! I love this gospel it truly just makes sense. I know that this is the restored church, and if you don't know that for yourself. its okay. i didn't know that till well about 2 months into my mission. i mean i thought i knew it ... but i didn't KNOW it. 

i hope everything goes well this week i love you all so much!! 

Scirpture of the day 2Nephi 26:24 Gods plan is the plan for us! He wants us all to return... so ask him yourself what His plan is for  you!! 

----HIGHLIGHTS---

Mon: We had a run in with Jehovah's Wittnesses. and my testimony multiplied! because he wants us ALL to return

Tues: Had another Lesson with Florita, and her prayer was Amazing!! the power was real

Wed: WE had two lunches in 1 hour!! and it was fish and tomatoes. my favorite.. However, sister Anderson was so sick!! lol but she ate it all!! i was a proud mama!

Thurs:Lesson with Ben Dixon. We met him about a month ago, and he wanted to have a lesson! He is so prepared

Fri: i stepped in gum today... and an Elder Scraped it off of my shoe. we were on our way to give Florita's son a blessing

 

Sat:Lesson with the Edmondson Family. #joyjar

Sun: we had 4 investigators to church!!! 

Love ssister Olesen

pictures: 

1. THE ORANGE VAN!!! 

2. Sister Anderson made dinner!! Meatball sandwhiches!!

Fishers of Men

okay so we were out tracting this week ... a LOT. because everyone has dropped off of the face of the earth Ann is still getting baptised in september, but everyone else has well... i am not sure. but i can't focus on that for forever or else i am going to be sad all over again, God's plan is so much greater. Its so crazy because you spend so much time on somone, and effort, and sometimes it just doesn't go according to plan. Well anyways we went tracting. We went to the Greenville commons park which is really close to downtown Greenville. We found a beautiful pond, (ill attach a photo) but we found a lady named Florita. We asked her to take a picture of us and ended up talking about religion. she has been studying with the Jehovah Witnesses for a couple of weeks and is just gathering information. so we asked if we could share a quick lesson. The spirit was so strong (mind you we are teaaching her on a dock while she is fishing over a lagoon thing that leads into a big river) So we finished and she was very interested so we did a return appointment. and all is well right?? no . she couldn't meet the time we set up as we were on our way she called to tell us, but hey, at least she remembered, that means it was on her mind. So that is a HUGE plus. 

okay so analogy time. we prepare for a fishing trip for a week or so right, get all of the supplies, to go out... well by the time you get out on the water you don't really know what to expect you just have really HIGH hopes and do the best you can do and wait for the magic to happen. NO. you have to put effort in catch and release wait for the big one, the one that can change your name for the fishing champ in the family. (thats not you dad ;) its greg at the moment.. maybe Reece actually with the sword fish) but anyways back to the analogy. all the while as you are waiting you make fun memories with those you are fishing with. and making experiences that the 'why' of fishing so worth it.

 well folks this is why 2 Nephi 2:2 "consecrate your afflictions" look up the actual deffinition of concecrate and you will see what i mean. Make your afflictions holy, give them to the Lord and just see what will happen. enjoy every fishing moment you have, participate in the spreading of the gospel. it is fun, even when it doesn't give you a HUGE memory making Fish tale, it is all worth while. 

I love you all this week there isn't much to tell, just a HUGE learning experience. and a few tears nd stuff. lol I thought i was tough... then along came a mission lol.. 

----highlights----

mon: i made a mural of Christ's life for our apartment

Tues:it rained all day.. and all of our 8 lessons fell through

wed:we had a very powerful Book of Mormon study class in our ward that the missionaries teach,      and everything that was said was exactly what we needed to hear after our week...so far

thurs:we played the lisence plate game, and i owned it , #orangevans

Fri: teaching on the Dock to Florita

Sat:had a super sketchy lesson with a former investigator, adn we were able to sense what it is      like to not have the spirit present... it was a huge motivator to ALWAYS feel the spirit.

Sun:I made the one and only Olesen burgers-- Vol. 2 to wrap up our week. 

well ya'll i love you tons.. be good okay and remember to always!! CTR it really does make a difference in your day! and READ the scriptures daily.. the power is UNREAL. 

-sister Olesen

pics:

1.the river we found florita on~~ absolutely beautiful.. my head is blocking the sunset, but it was pretty just trust me

 2. the NEW Olesen Burger.. watch out greg, the competition is on! -sister Anderson said it rocked

Pig Pickin' and the Rooftops

So this week was insanely long!! i drove for the first time in 3 months, to Virginia, and back!! lets just say that Brigham Young was not the road planner in Virginia! the roads are insane, and even with a GPS we got lost a couple of times. and a GPS is kind of like prayer too! so again the Lord is truly amazing!  we had a mission conference, and on top of that trying to catch up on the area after leaving for 2.5 days! lol and i am training! so it has been crazy! but i truly do love every moment of it! 

Sister Anderson is my new companion. she is from St. George Utah, and she is great! she and i are buds, and we have had so much fun each day! i love being her comp. we have had some pretty funny experiences. i decided to take her to the sketchy areas first, just to get her accustomed first, and now she is set for all occasions ;D. we had a real pig pickin'! now i am sure you're wondering what that is, well they litterally throw an entire pig in a smoker and then pick from it what you want! hte face and everything was in there... it was pretty cool. then the man who made the food thought it would be cool to let a ham (leg of the pig) hang for decoration, it was covered in mold, but its okay because it was cured so it wouldn't spoil. when they are ready to eat that ham they scrub it and cook it and .. well eat it. so my friends prayer is real when it comes to eating! 

the spiritual part of our week was that we went to go teach a less-active member, but she was sick and didn't come to the door, so as we were heading back to our car, these 2 girls came out and were peeking at us so we said hello and asked if their mom was home? so we asked their mom if we could share a lesson with them. so we shared the restoration on their porch. As we were teaching their husband got home, and joined later, another man from the neighborhood came up and asked if he could join as well! so it was absolutely amazing! we preached from the 'rooftops'. the spirit was strong, and we now have another lesson with them later this week. the man who walked in on our lesson has been studying the bible for 30 years and hasn't found the church for him he believes the church is in your heart. which is true... to a point. we need to live the gospel, but we also need to go through ordinances by acting on faith to live the gospel as well. 

sorry this email is long, but last thing. there was a talk in sacrament this week and a man asked us to ask ourselves this question... "am i true?" and that really hit me, especially with the man who we talked to. Are we true diciples of Christ? do we really live the gospel everyday and love everyone in every way we can? are we true? when talking about construction a true 2x4 is straight, solid, square, etc,... so that has been my soul search this week ... Am I TRUE? 

             

******Highlights******

Mon: i drove

tues: it rained so hard, and i thought i was going to kill sister Young and I in the car

Wed: i met Sister Anderson!! she is so cute!

Thursday: we had mission conference, and a pig pickin'

friday: we asked a investigator if we could 'meditate' after she prayed... i am pretty sure we're not allowed back ;D ( well it never hurts to try a new method)

Sat: preaching on the rooftops

Sunday: AM I TRUE?

Love you all... p.s. sorry its wicked long! 

sister Olesen

 100 days on the mission! (thank you so much for the hats marshall and miles! 

 me eating the ham leg bone thing. ... check that mold out!! 

Im a trainer!

so .. i forgot to tell you on saturday i got called to be informed that i am training!!! that was my hightlight i was going to share, so i am not being transfered but i am training here in Greenville. 

Love you all love sister Olesen

Driveway to a mansion that is seriously hidden. it is in the back woods of farmville North Carolina ;D 

Its Transfer Time

Hey Ya'll 

So this week was nothing but miracles. sometimes you just need to push through the muddy mess underneath all sorts of storms on top to recognize the miracles that are headed your way!! For some reason everyone has vanished from the face of the planet, so we went tracting.. in the crazy hot sun. but it was great i am tan now and full of miracles that would blow your mind.... Okay so one:

We were tracting and my shirt was super long sleeved, but i didn't do laundry last week so it was all i had. so just picture me a MESS. we tracted and finally our last two doors we were praying for some sort of miracle, praying for Heavenly Father to lead us to a family that had been prepared for the restored gospel. and the first door we knocked on of the last two was a less active family that hadn't been in forever, we didn't know that so we introduced ourselves like the last 30 doors, and he was "yep i am a member of  your church, and i actually served a mission," so that was pretty funny and awkward too, but anyways we talked for a bit, and they invited us over for dinner in two weeks so that is actually a huge deal!! now miracle two:

We had one more door to tract and so ... we knocked and a really cute black couple came to the door. well the wife, and the husband who was sitting on the couch with out even seeing us invited us in and to have a seat on the couch. so we were very excited to sit down because man were we sweaty! but we small talked for a bit, they have been married for about 37-40 years, and have kids, and are very faithful in their church. so that made us a little nervous, but we shared a lesson anyways, the RESTORATION! and on the page of the pamphlet right before the restoration (the Apostasy) they were concentrated, they were intently listening to every word, and the minute we fliipped to the restoration the spirit was so strong! it was incredible, and by the time we left they were so excited for our next lesson together, that they are going to invite the husbands sister! oh man we are so excited! there are some great things happing here. lately it seems to go so so grand, and then everyone drops off of the face of the planet, but because God is so aware he allows us to find miracles, all we have to do is look for them, and guess what, we really dont ever have to look very far. 

We had a lesson with Ann Sharkshnes this week about the creation and we talked about the miracles that happen eveyday, all we have to do is look up! 

Sister Glaser's last day was today. she headed up on the transfer van and i am so excited for her new adventures that await her! i am so proud of her and grateful for all that she has taught me! i am going to miss her so incredibly much.. she is my mom! ;D

I love you all so much! 

pictures:

1.Sister Glaser is headed home...

2. the beautiful North Carolina Sunset

Highlights:

Mon: fishing

tues: found a mansion in farmville.. toward the back neck of the woods

wed: found a man who is just like dad!! he gave us roses in pepsi cans!!

thurs: helped members move out of their apartment... probably my favorite members Clinton and Samantha O'dail

Fri:Burned Sister GLaser's bag!!

Sat: washed Ann Sharkshness dog

sun: fast and testimony meeting... i was a mess. it was Sis Glaser's last sunday...