Feb 9, 2015 Almost ONE MONTH Yeah!

KICKBALL

So the kickball court is out next to the Forbidden Forest. Yes, there is a thing called the Forbidden Forest. It's waaaaaaay out off the end of the campus out next to the hustle and bustle of the Mexico City world. But it's forbidden probably because there are ground trolls that guard this place, and when they smell the "blood of an Englishman" they can't resist but to eat them.  Okay, believe it or not, I made that up, but the Forbidden Forest is real, and that is what the staff call it here. 

Anyway, the kickball field is way out there. We played as a district on a REALLY hot P-day a few weeks ago. There are 10 people in our district, so it was 5 to a team and very exhausting. The other Hermanas left a little early, but we played for a good two hours. It was so funny. Part way through, one of the elders said, "You guys, it's a Tuesday afternoon, and we are playing kickball in Mexico." Yeah, pretty stinking amazing. It's so cool to be out having the fun experiences here in the CCM, but also the amazing spiritual and learning experiences. 

Okay so let me get to the good and CRAZY part! It was really really REALLY windy when we were playing, which made the game that much funnER ("more fun" isn't as fun to say). A while into the game, I was caught up in a GIGANTIC TORNADO. Yeah, maybe some of you heard about that Tornado that just swept over South Mexico? Yeah, I WAS IN IT. 

Well, okay, it wasn't a tornado... but it was an enormous dust devil that carried a VERY pointy fence that whizzed past me, slicing a gigantic whole in my sleeve! ...just barely scratched my skin. It was INSANE. And I'd like to say it were a tornado, but it wasn't. 

Yeah, yeah. Okay. Fine. It was windy. VERY. And there was a fairly large dust devil that surrounded me for a good FOUR seconds (long time to be getting smacked in the face with leaves and dirt okay). Then it swung across the field over to my companion. It was cool, okay. AND a fence did nearly IMPALE me....but it isn't such an epic story as being swept up in a South Mexican Tornado. 

I was skipping. And suddenly I flew back onto the ground with my sleeve still attached to the fence. Yup. That is my life. 

Oh this reminds me, this week I SAT ON MY TOE. I was in the computer lab for the hour of TALL, a language program, and I sat in a chair and scooted my chair closer to the desk, and somehow my toe got under the leg of the chair and all my body weight sat on it. And I said Ow and then sat on it right when I came back down on the chair from jumping up a bit in pain. And then I jumped sideways or something and fell off my chair and then stood up. I probably said ow a lot, don't really remember. And then the rest of my district was just wondering what even happened and all I could think to explain it was, "I SAT ON MY TOE." They thought it was very funny. I did too, but it was really painful and I'm pretty sure my toenail on my big toe is going to fall off in the coming week. All is well :) 

So last Sunday was fast Sunday. The best one ever. I also bore my testimony in Sacrament meeting it was really neat. My Branch President, Presidente Ruiz, pulled me aside after the meeting and said my Spanish was excelente. I was very happy. 

THEN this week, I drank a whole bottle of water before sacrament meeting because I was very thirsty, but during sacrament meeting I REALLY had to use the bathroom. So I waited until after the sacrament was passed around and was JUST about to get up when the first speaker would get up, BUT lo and behold Presidente Ruiz whispers to Presidente Lindemen (who is standing at the pulpit) and Presidente Lindemen smiles, and says, "Hermana Olson hablarà sobre fe en Jesucristo." And so I could not leave to use the bathroom because I was just impromptu called to speak to the branch! I looked over at Presidente Ruiz with a big smile, but his was even bigger. hahaha So I grabbed my Libro de Mormòn and stood up, shaking a lot,  partly because I was nervous, mostly because I had to use the bathroom very badly.... Anyway, I got up there, and said, "Hola, mi nombre es Hermana Olson. Soy de California. Voy a servir en Chilè Osorno y me olvidè de usar el bano antes de esta renuniòn." ....so in English, Hi my name is Hermana Olson, I'm from California, I'm going to serve a mission in Chile Osorno and I forgot to use the bathroom before this meeting. Then I apologized about dancing or shaking and what not and went on with talking about faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone laughed, but it was definitely a unique experience to be called up in front of everyone without any warning to give a discurso. hahaha it was really neat to be led by the Spirit and be able to just speak in Spanish from my heart actually besides having to use the bathroom so badly! It was really cool, I had actually been studying in 1 Nefi that morning and so I shared the scripture that he puts his trust in the Lord that he will know how to build a boat. I talked about the Nephites that had faith in Christ that he would come and he did because he does not forget us, I really enjoyed that talk. A great and scary experience. :)  After the meeting, Presidente Ruiz came up to me and talked to me in Spanish. He said he is impressed with me and wondered what I did to get to this point. I told him I LOVE SPANISH! He said he could tell and I also explained how Mom and Dad served missions, Dad grew up in Mexico and so on. Anyway, I have to go know, but I absolutely LOVE it here in the CCM and in Mexico. I have been blessed so much with the language. I am very excited for the challenge I know it will be to go to Chile and not understand a word they are saying... hahaha but I am so happy!!! 

Okay. Wow, I wish I could say more. I love you all. I love Mexico. I love missionary work and I love Spanish and PEOPLE. 

I have been learning a lot! Lunch interrupted my e-mail time so I didn't really respond so well, but I hope all is well at home! 

Love, 

Hermana Olson

P.S.  I AM SO EXCITED FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE! I hope you all are getting ready for it :)

oh I forgot to talk about the temple! next week I guess! here's a pic!