July 12, 2016 Where the Heart Is

Where the Heart Is                                                                                                         July 12, 2016

Okay I am so terribly sorry for this terrible communication. I have a half hour before I have to be in the church building for my last district meeting and I received permission to try to write....again. I don't know what happened yesterday nor these last 6 weeks, but I don't want to spend this precious time trying to figure it out. The mission looked at my email and said that it should be okay today. So well, if not. I guess I'll just give you all a big hug and say I'm alive! 

I have a saved document with my letter from the first week of this cambio so I guess I'll try to send that as well, so you at least get somewhat of a jiff of what has been going on in this last precious time of my mission. 

Being that you all seem to have not received any real juice of what's going on, I feel like you all are a bit too worried for me and probably think I've been moping over in a corner for the last 6 weeks dreading the end of this grand adventure. 

So I'm just going to take this little time to let you know where my heart is. 

Let's just get down to the nitty gritty to save time: I'm in Puerto Montt and these last few weeks have been the hardest of my entire mission! It was incredible. We have worked so hard and learned so much and had very little tangible fruits! The emfasis of the month of June was church attendance and we were so enthused every. single. waking. moment. to help people progress and learn to make promises with God. And long exhausting but oh so satisfactory story very short: absolutely none of our investigators came to church in all this time we spent running, sweating, crying, laughing, praising God, fighting the battle of Satan´s discouraging tactics, and lots and lots of pushups and high fives and fervent prayer. 

This last Saturday, we had planned to look for a reference for the fifth time, but had forgotten a map. We both felt strongly that we needed to keep looking even though our wanderings seemed rather aimless and everyone we contacted had never heard of the street. Finally I said to Hermana Norton, ''I sure would like a map.'' And before we even had time to pray about what to do, out popped a man named Gustavo at our side asking us who we were and what we were trying to do out on the street in the cold. We told him we were looking for a street and he said, ''Busquela en un mapaPO!'' And pulled out his phone right there! His internet was slow, but it was a great blessing to fill in the time with explaining our purpose and inviting him to church. He said, ''I am going to go tomorrow because I feel like it is what I need to do for me in my life right now.'' And well, HE CAME! And not only that, he brought a notebook to write down the answers he was looking for and questions for us to answer later. He participated a lot, and he felt the spirit so strongly. We have an appointment with him later today and he told us he will be expecting us anxiously. He wants to learn how to come closer to God and he is his own agent!!! It was an amazing testimony to me of that it all really is worth it in the end. I know that all these trials and tests were God given because He wanted well prepared and better trained missionaries to find his special son, Gustavo, that the Lord was preparing. I knew it all along and never lost hope that all our efforts would really be rewarding in the end, but perhaps I did not imagine to see such a miraculous beginning of the fruits! And we have been seeing more and more even more abundantly since! And I can only have the faith that we will continue to see more today. There is a lot of work in store. I am so excited.  

Last night I packed all my bags together. Seeing all the material things I'll be taking home...reminded me of one time when I was a wee little lass on a summer afternoon when we went to the Magnolia park for a few hours. I brought my little red wagon full of fun activities and toys and notebooks and dolls and well just lots of things to do. And I just ended up spending the whole time playing on the park equipment with my brothers. When mom said it was time to come home, I realized I had all those things left in the wagon untouched or perhaps hardly used! I rushed over to the wagon, began to color as fast as I could and ran around like crazy doing all the summer salts I had imagined beforehand and boom. Time was up. We went back home. 

Well, I looked at my suitcases filled and felt as if it was just full of junk. I secretly hoped the house would burn down in the night and I'd just go home with my trusty book of Mormon in hand. (obviously...I didn't REALLY want that to happen),but my heart desires to leave them behind. I realized one of the greatest things I've learned on the mission is to treasure up the things of heaven. They are treasured not in my suitcase, but here in my heart. 

I feel like it would be easy to say to you all when I get home, ''I left my heart in Chile.'' But it's not that. I love Chile with all this heart of mine, but I'll be taking my heart with me. And I want you to know it is changed and I'm different.  There are still many unresolved challenges that remain in that familiar race of hurdles and struggles ahead (maybe like terrible communication luck); I have lots of unwritten journal entries and half written heart felt letters, but everything I have has been etched on this heart of mine. And I have given my heart to the Lord. It is in His hands. And that is where it will stay. 

I know that as I trust in him, He will take care of this weak heart of mine. I know this is true for all that He has given me in this mission and for all that is only yet to come. I feel so blessed coming home to all of you! There could be no better time to come home, not better people to come home to! I am SO HAPPY and joyful to be in your arms embrace in just a few short days! I will be entering my new mission that extends into the eternities. This ecstatic spirit of mine feels trapped in a tired body, but I guess that's just how the work goes in the Lord's eternal vineyard! There are a lot of foreign things to me now in that place I will soon return to call home, and many things that I have decided that will stay foreign, like unnecessary naps because there is not time to sleep unnecessarily during the restoration! So I'm not going to be coming home to rest from my labors, there's much to do, and I'M COMING IN FULL FORCE! Thank you Mom and Dad for the absolute examples of diligent full-time missionaries in every mission our loving Father in Heaven has conferred to you. Throughout my mission, the spirit has trained me by many of the teachings you structured into my...being? And I am so thankful to return to finally work side by side in the Lord's work! Don't you worry about making sure I'm happy! The spirit teaches me how every time I simply decide to put a smile on my face.

I know that Jesús Christ lives. He loves me. He loves you! He is the only way, truth, and light we can depend on. Through his Atonement and everlasting love, I have been redeemed and I will forever more continue to serve Him. I am eternally in His debt and all He desires is that I can return to our Father's presence and bring more precious souls along with me. How could I NOT smile? All I can think in this moment are the lyrics to ''Come thou Fount of Every Blessing'' Read those sacred lyrics and you'll know where my heart is. (Enos 1 also kind of hits the spot if you're in for a good missionary read.)

I love you! See you on Christmas morning...

Hermana Olson

OH PS! HERMANA COOKSON WILL BE GOING DOWN TO PUNTA ARENAS AND ...drumroll please.... HERMANA HESS WILL BE TRAINING HER! Can God's plan be any more perfect and rather amusing? Wow.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

Handwritten letter from her last transfer six weeks ago

This is a hand-written letter from Annamarie's last transfer six weeks ago, which we didn't know about, because she didn't send it until this week.  She took a picture of it and attached it to her email on Monday. I couldn't download it the first time I tried.  Then today, it worked. (July 13)

It explains a lot.  Her letters haven't been coming through for a few weeks.  This is worth reading! It's a beautiful letter about her peace at the end of her mission, and her zeal that will continue until the end.
(Mom)

Home Sweet Home with some Good June Gloom                                         June 5, 2016

Hey there sweet family of mine!

SURPRISE! I’M HOME!  The call came Tuesday afternoon that I would be leaving early Wednesday morning to the mid-South of the South of Chile’s bigger and busier city, PUERTO MONTT! Can you believe that?!  My last 6 weeks of my mission in a fairly foreign city!  To be quite honest, when I received that call, I felt that it must have been a mistake of some sort because there was so much left for me to do and so much left undone!  (…that’s kind of redundant).  But, if you really look for it, the Lord does a pretty great job of tying His purposes for you up with those same hands that created all the wonderful opportunities to serve as one of His many instruments.

My last bit of service in the Rahue Alto was filled to the brink with so many small and simple miracles that, at the end of the day, I could pack my suitcases with ease of heart, nothing but thrilled for the new and completely unimagined adventure that lie ahead of me. . . . . . . .

The next morning, I left Osorno for the first time in 9 months!  The lady next to me was fast asleep, so I just ended up praying and conversing with Heavenly Father about all my new hopes and desires of this final chapter of my mission. . .then I fell asleep.

And when I opened my eyes, . . .I looked out the window to see one of the most gorgeous aliment of God’s creations ever—2 majestic neighbor volcanos welcoming me home.  A new world lay before my eyes, and I felt as if I’d arrived to my promised land and the Lord had said, “BEHOLD, PUERTO MONTT.”

I got off the bus and guess who God’s great plan of happiness let me run into? . . .actually you would never guess because it’s someone none of you have ever met, but this was TOO GOOD to not be made known!  Once upon a time, a girl quit soccer and decided she would never play again.  Upon another time, (about 3 years later to be exact) she got up the courage to face whatever it was that old challenge and try out for her college team.  Upon that same time, another girl got up the courage to face an unfamiliar challenge and try out for the very first time in her life.  Both made the team as defensive line.  They were friends instantly and had some great moments playing alongside each other (and might I also add. . .having a blast in Outdoor Activities a well) and within 2 short months, they had made a fantastic friendship that would last on much longer and much farther than Rexburg, Idaho soccer fields!!

That right!  My latest buddy from college and I weren’t just meant to be defenders of a soccer ball together. . .rather we are now DEFENDERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS on the other end of the world together!

And I had no idea until I saw her face because I never learned her last name before my mission, so when I heard “Hermana Hess” it never rang a bell.  Haha!

Anyway, we aren’t companions.  She was actually just on her way down to Punta Arenas to open up a new sector of hermanas!!  They closed my dear sector of Patagonia 2 cambios ago and now they are opening up a new sector of hermanas in a part called “Rio de la Mano.” Anyway, it was a very joyous and unexpected reunion and I am absolutely THRILLED for her down there in the tippy end of the world.  I could tell she was a stellar missionary tanto como persona.  Boy, if you can’t already tell. . . I was very happy to see her here!  It’s crazy to think a year earlier almost to the date, I was headed down to Punta Arenas right after my training too!  Funny how things just happen like that!

WELL, . . .moving on.

I also ran into my new and last companion!  Hermana Norton.  We hit it off quite literally from the moment we saw each other.  I feel like I’ve known her forever.  She’s from Lindon, Utah, comes from a family of 7.  She’s the second youngest and her little brother just put his mission papers in!  She has 3 brothers and 1 sister.  She seems to come from a family with a lot of personality.  She’s a beast at lacrosse, loves to eat hamburgers, and is a professional at cracking herself up.  I’ve absolutely loved these last 5 days with her!  I’m so excited for everything we are going to accomplish together!

These past few days she’s shown me a bit of our sector and BOY IS IT HUGE!  I never imagined such a big area for two missionaries!  It makes me want to take back any “giant sector” statement I had made previously in my mission.  It’s absolutely amazing.  Our house is a box above a mini-storage unit for a small business called “Fenix.”  It’s very neat and tidy looking inside which makes me want to act like Mr. Rogers!  It’s great!  The funniest part of it all is that we live about a mile into the sector of the Elders so we’ve got some good mileage to start off our days!

Puerto Montt is the biggest city in Southern Chile, so it’s very populated and we work right in the business of it all. There are always people in the street (aydahdeedahday!)  and I can already hear the bustle of potential.  Last Saturday, there were 3 baptisms!  But now there are not so many progressing investigators, so we’ll be relying on the Lord a lot to find the people He has prepared!

The ward is amazing!  United and very mission-work focused.  ¾ of the members live in the sector of those elders, so many of the people we contact on our way to and back from lunch are contacts to pass on over to them, but we’ve been talking to everyone!  Wow! I just LOVE the city!  I realized there was a homier place reserved in my heart for one more Chilean city before I go.  It’s amazing how well our Heavenly Father knows us so individually.  I know that trusting in Him will eliminate any form of regret we could have had otherwise.

Today Hna. Norton and I were talking about our fear of regrets in life.  I had felt in this past week that I had found that hidden feeling of PEACE and hope and a confirmation that I am doing all that I can to serve my God and help others come unto Christ.

Right now, I feel the greatest I have ever felt in my life!  It is as if everything I have learned and experienced in the mission, be it good or bad, has made me fit to apply it to the maximum here in “Libertad”--- fitting is the name, right?

FREEDOM!

It’s worth fighting for!  I hope to achieve, or at least develop better here, persistence, so that I can become a better servant of the Lord and feel good at the end of zippy next 6 weeks!

That’s all for now folks.  Catch ya next week to tell you how this begins, or rather, continues playing out.

I love you!

Hermana Olson

July 11, 2016 My Last Rainy Monday Chilean Adventure

Well it all finally wound down to the last day of terrible communication...

Just a question...have any of you received any email that actually explains what has been going on with me for these past 6 weeks? Because by the sound of things...I don't think any of you even know that I have been here in Puerto Montt. Hmmm...that's rather uncomfortable and ...sad.

But at least I'm typing with some snazzy hands! We left this morning to drop Hermana Cordoba off at the bus terminal and on the way, we passed by Hermana Carmencita (she's a beautician) to drop off the remains of my dirty clothes... and she had me pass into a room, sat me down, and said, ''I'm giving your hard-worker hands a manicure!'' 

That was a pleasant surprise! I definitely was not planning on coming home all pampered up.. She even painted them....it was a blast and I'm still trying to get used to colors on my nails... it’s been a good long year and a half! eesh...everytime I look down at my fingers I double take and in a good Izma from the emperor´s new groove voice (after she gets turned into a cat and has a weird voice) say, ''Are those myyyyyyyy hands?!'' 

Ha. Well I guess it makes for a good story. #firstmanicureofmylife 

Snazzy hands down, I felt loved.

Today has been fun. It's been nonstop pouring rain all day and Hermana Norton and I have been running around like hooligans in these hardcore black mamba rain gear. We've done some fun contacts as well! 

I'm telling ya those are jumps of pure joy!

That's the wind here, not as bad as Punta Arenas... but it's more practical to just go without an umbrella (if you can notice I'm the only one with one!) and face it with your black mamba suit. 

(and that's where the computer shut off..)

Hermana Olson

June 15, 2016 Woopdeedoodaheyheehoopdii BAH HUMBUG

There is absolutely too much to tell you always. But I guess I'll get to the uttermost important part: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANIEL. 

This week was great. I absolutely love being a missionary and today my companion and I were talking about the annoying top sheet that always comes untucked and we said Bah humbug at the same time. 

WORKING HARD AND WORKING HARD AND WORKING HARD AND WORKING HARD. 

Hermana Olson

May 30, 2016 Contamination and Contageation

HELLO! What a strange word. 

Today I struggled singing Happy Birthday in English. That is the easiest song known to English man, and I could not remember the words nor the nonsequencical sequence. Wo is me. 

My companion taught me how to make an Argentinean plate today. It's called Polenta. While it was cooking I secretly threw in a few blocks of cow cheese to make it interesting. While it is hot, the texture is like unto what I would imagine eating caterpillar eggs in goo. And then when it cools down a bit, it hardens into a texture that is equivalent to Malt-o-meal. The cheese was a good surprise for my companion, and a happy addition to the yums. Needless to say, I am writing you all with a very satisfied guatita (that's how you say stomach here in Chile). 

This week we ended up not running everywhere because apparently it is now apparently banned to do any physical activity in the little city of Osorno between 7 pm and 7 am. And it makes sense because as much as you would be living the Word of Wisdom you would be breaking it simultaneously by inhaling smoke. There is now, every day without fail, a dense fog of smoke that sets in around 6 or 7. On the less moistureful days you can't see more than 10 feet in front! We've been walking around looking like bandits trying to breathe haha. The cold is setting in, so the smoke is from the little toasty evening fires everyone makes in their homes and also because Volcán Osorno is going to blow. Thus after being halted in mid run by city officials and informed of the interesting climate, we have eased into a gentle determined walk from place to place. :) 

A little less than a month ago, we put on a ward activity that had a grand total attendance of 3 people... It was a hit! But over these last 3 weeks we combined forces more united with the Elders in our ward to animate all the members to come to a super duper awesome activity that ended up not coming together very well up until the very last hour beforehand....because sometimes that's just how the cookie crumbles in mission time. BUT THE ACTIVITY WAS INDEED AWESOME. The propaganda was easy because we only had to let them know that they were invited to a free plane ticket to New York!!!!! And it called the attention of a lot of people. We created a false airplane and it was actually really really airplaney. The elders were the pilots and we even had a projected front window of footage of taking off and the aerial view of a New York evening. Hermana Serrano and I were the flight attendants and we served food on a little roller table while they watched meet the Mormons. Haha a lot of the members thought it was just a unique way to do a movie night, but lo and behold little did they expect for WE HIT TURBULANCE. It was awesome. Everyone screamed and had a good time and then we told them they all died. Then we went to the spirit world and told them to watch how they spent their life, we had games for them to play it was a blast. While they played they got tickets and after a little while, our papito Jorge started selling sopaipillas and other goods for the price of a few tickets. Everyone had fun playing and eating. And then all of a sudden the movie ended and we had a judgement to see how many tickets they still had. And those that ''gave into the temptations'' or spent it all on food didn't have a lot left over. We divided them all up in the reinos de gloria. And it ended up as a fun shocker and rather espiritual experience for everyone. 

I don't really need to get into as much detail as I already have... but Esteban came to the activity and the elders had an investigator too and the ward did a fantastic job fellowshipping and having fun with them all! In total about 35 people came!!! It was amazing. 

Yesterday we were setting baptism and church attendance of investigators goals for the month of June with the Bishop. He asked us not to set such high goals because he wanted to focus on healing the ward first. My companion and I were able to testify of the healing purpose of missionary work and that the ward will only heal itself through losing itself in the service of God and fellow brethren! He lit up as the spirit confirmed this ever truthful....truth! He told us that all day throughout the church meetings he overheard the members talking with each other of how special the activity was the night before and sharing their experiences as they explained things to the investigators and so on. It was neat because the bishop wasn't able to go because of his studies, but he was able to feel enthusiasm for the work by seeing the little difference it had already made in the ward! We set good goals and we are all excited for the month to roll on over. 

MISSIONARY WORK IS CONTAGIOUS. I know you are all fantastic missionaries :) Keep on the lookout for not only ways to share the gospel, but also ways to help others to share the gospel! 

Hermana Olson

P.S. I love you. 

Fishing rods we made for some of the games. We had no supplies, so I made like a pioneer lass and collected discarded branches off the street while my companion unraveled one of her knitted beanies... haha there are many similar shenanigans in the last minute making of this activity hahaha

Our flight attendant costumes consisted of tissue paper...and tissue paper :) Also the ramitas are in the picture because right before the plane hit turbulence I was a little out of the loop and started serving ramitas...and so while my companion was screaming, ''PUT YOUR MASKS ON!'' I just played the part and screamed, ''EAT YOUR LAST PUÑAZO OF RAMITAS BEFORE YOU DIE!'' Everyone supposedly died with a happy guatita. 

June 6, 2016 Home Sweet Home with June Gloom

Hey family! Just as always, much has happened. I planned ahead this time and wrote a bit out beforehand. Just as always, complications and no time. We got to the cyber and I realized that my camera is at home....I hope. So I'll get it to ya next week! And I really will! On top of the mountain of other complicated emails.. 

All is well, I am happy, and working hard! 

Hermana Olson