September 8, 2015 Walk Like You are on a Mission

Oops I have 10 minutes before I have to go because we went to a giant cemetery, got lost inside of it because it's like the equivalent of that maze in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire shrubbery stuff that eats you. and now there is kind of no time. Lame. I'm sorry. 

Fam, 

I just want you all to know I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! 

Yesterday in Relief Society, the president got up and asked us to think of all the possible future missionaries that are in our ward right now from the youth pool. Then she wrote all of their names on the board and said, ''These future missionaries are going to be missionaries.'' And then made them all aware that it is not easy to get out on the mission as far as money, or scared moms, or clothes or whatever it may be. Then they ALL figured out ways that they could contribute to these missionaries specifically! They were volunteering to sew skirts, give the tall kid the giant shoes-that-are-impossible-to-find-in-Smallfeetcountry that belonged to their fallecido (dead) husband and just so many things!  It was one of the coolest things I have ever witnessed because there are a lot of youth right now and about half of them really don't have the means to get out on the mission. HOWEVER, yesterday the Sociedad de Socorro de barrio Patagonia figured out the ways that we are going to get them all out on the mission. 

I know that as of right now I'm hanging solo on that board in the church. I also know that soon enough I'll have the privilege of hanging next to my big little brother, Ammon and later we'll be joined by Moises. Awesome! 3 missionaries out from Barrio Esplanade! 

But hey. Let's get serious here. It should be more! 3 out of those 12 future missionaries on that chalk board yesterday were baptized in the past year. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of other future missionaries coming from our ward pretty soon, but I can also feel pretty strongly that there are a lot more future missionaries that are not members of our ward .....YET. ;)

John, Daniel, Samuel, even Ammon, EACH OF YOU has at least one friend that can be a future missionary. Go figure out a way to get them on the mission. 

This week I learned a lot about the Atonement. Recently I have just been filled with a lot of doubt of if I was a good missionary. I just felt.....not good. I would work, work, work and feel good and then plop, for whatever reason that I couldn't figure out, I would feel not good. And a little terrible to be honest. Yeah weird. Well, finally this week I realized there were some things that I needed to change about my work and effort. I had gotten into a comfort zone of my work and effort and the all-my-might-and-heart that I was putting in before really wasn't as hard as it had been. I needed to push myself more than I had been because my all suddenly wasn't my all anymore and I needed to raise up the bar of my effort. Also I had just always looked at missionaries as perfect and they very well should be because they are representing Christ. But I am not perfect and I just kept messing up and feeling bad about messing up, whether it be not waking up on time or leaving the house a little late, or just plain not being perfect. And I felt stuck and just not worthy of being a missionary. That sounds harsh, but that's how I felt. Well I finally realized I CAN CHANGE! And so I did! Heavenly Father knows we aren't perfect. THAT is why we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ to get us to his presence where it is requisito que seamos puros. 

And guess what. IT'S TOTALLY DOABLE. Just repent every time you mess up which is a lot more common than you'd like to think and then just STOP doing whatever it is that you did.I also learned that to be worthy doesn't mean to be perfect.  Woo! Changing for the better, what hope from the atonement. 

And it makes you feel great. Yesterday we were almost going balistic (ooh dad's vocabulary) running here and there to different citas mientras trying to find as many new people we could that were ready and it was so tiring but sooooo awesome because I felt myself pushing me out of that dinky comfort zone. I felt like I was walking with a purpose. I was walking like I was on a mission. Because, ooh guess what, I am. And I love it. 

Heavenly Father also opened my eyes a little bit more yesterday when I was sitting in Sacrament meeting. There are fruits of work! When I got here there were 3 less actives coming to church and returning to be active. Yesterday I just barely realized we have 15 sitting in the church and re-experiencing being active in this perfect gospel! And one of those 15 people is Karen! And her daughter, Javiera, is getting baptized this Wednesday and I'M SO EXCITED. Ah! Wow! I love the work! It's the most rewarding joy you can feel to love someone or more than some one ''a..lot-one'' and see them come closer to Jesus Christ! I love it. 

Also fun quick Chilean Mormon fact: they talk very fast and understand how to share their testimony. This means that 22 people were able to share their testimony in the 40 minutes of sharing. It was awesome. 

Okay welp. I think I should go. happy labor day. How ironic a p-day to not labor... BUT NOW I LEAVE TO LABOR IN THE VINEYARD OF THE LORD

Love, 

Hermana Olson

P.S. The wind is crazy here and living in the third piso of an apartment means lots and lots of loud sound all the time. The other day Hna. Maready and I realized that maybe it isn't normal in the north of the world to have to talk under a slight yell during companionship study. 

P.P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HALF OF MY FAMILY! How does that happen? hahahahaha 

Happy Birthday Nicole. I love you! 

Happy Birthday Samuel. I love you! 

Happy Birthday Daniel. I love you! 

Happy Birthday Ammon. I love you! 

Happy Birthday Jarom. I love you! 

Unhappy birthday Daniel. that was a silly joke that was funny. But I love you anyway. Igual para todos ustedes mas en mi familia genial! 

MUAH CHAU! 

P.P.P.S. Oh also I will be writing you all next Tuesday because on Monday we are going to Torres De Paine y no alcanzaremos escribir en lunes. I LOVE YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LIVES! 

Seth and mom thank you for writing me. 

I ....didn't have time to respond. forgive me. 

Seth. Have a blast at BYU-i I loved your letter. 

Mom I love you. I hope no one dies so you don't have to make a million funeral potatoes. 

Okay bye now. Agh my brain is empty. 

pppppppppppS. Okay so I have fotos to send to yall but yeah. Next week. Don¡'t let me forget before they all delete themselves on a Chilean cyber computer.