March 28, 2016 The Feria

All of our district went to the feria.   

It was a fun activity. 

DOORKNOBS AND TOOLS. I took that picture for Dad. The man in charge was named Irwin. He's 80 years old. Taking the picture striked his interest in who we were and telling him it reminded me of my dad, he started talking about his dad and how he caries on the work from his dad and that he dad is dead and family good stuff so we talked to him about family history work and boomskadoosh he was super interested. YES! 

...thanks dad :)

That church is our neighboring ward´s church. It looks like Nauvoo a lil bit :)

Our mamita gives us bananas every day :) Every day we try to think of something new. This day it was Angel Moroni. 

A family night with Hermana Talimatasi. And a glorious batman face door entrance in La Union terminal. Out of the many picture-worthy things I've seen in my mission, I finally got a picture with one of them. :)

Hermana Olson

March 21, 2016 Keep it UP!

Thank you so much for writing me always. I think I am the worst missionary that keeps in touch. And it surprises me tanto because I love keeping in touch so much. But well, my mission has been a whole chunk of time of plain basically not keeping in touch the way I would have imagined it haha. Don't take it personally, please. I absolutely love your emails and everything about all of you. For me at least, my service here just hasn't permitted much time to dedicate to you. And that is how it is. I just hope you all understand that :) Every Monday I get all excited and say, ''I'm going to reply to everyone this week!'' ...and then it just doesn't happen. Thank you for your patience always. I treasure you all! 

This week was great. It passed by so fast! ...as I look back on all that went down, though, it feels like a lifetime (...well, I suppose that ends up flashing before your eyes as well). 

Monday we cleaned the house and bought food and wrote to you all. Then we met up with an Hermana from Francke ward! Because her daughter's last name is Segura and she had a dream always to take a picture of her little girl with Hermana Segura’s missionary placa. When I said bye to her two weeks ago (before knowing I would be Hermana Segura's companion), I gave her the number of the missionaries in Rahue alto. She called on Monday and when she found out I was Hermana Segura’s companion she and her daughter screamed and ran to us across the street with tears in their eyes. It was a precious tender moment. Hermana Segura felt like a Disney Princess :) 

Then we waited for a colectivo to our sector. They take forever to find one that has space for two people. I don't know why those colectivos are so limited for where we live. Two grannies butted in front of us while we were climbing in. Then half an hour later, a mom and her son did the same. haha I guess we missionaries just have a good nice impression on the world so much that they don't fear my ninja powers. My ninja powers have not been released for a long while. haha Anyway we made it home eventually. I always like to think that we did those impatient people a favor. A lo mejor they had an emergency to take care of! 

Enough of that nothing. 

Tuesday we had a meeting then scurried off to intercambios with the hermanas in Centro. I went to their sector with Hermana Leiva. They had to wait for an hermano to come repair some things in their house, and it just so turned out to be my old missionary leader and another hermano from barrio Francke! We also ended up going to their first ward council in that barrio centro. The zone leaders of Osorno were just put in that ward. And being as it they were my old zone leaders they called on me to put in my two cents from my experience with Francke with the missionary work with the ward. The council got super excited to put in more effort. That was pretty cool. 

Wednesday we had another meeting and Hna Segura and I found some new people to teach, then a member met up with us for an appointment that fell through. And so she walked around with us for a bit as we tried to enter more houses. Meesh. Nothing ended up happening while we were with her, but it was a good time anyway. She wants to accompany us again. 

Thursday we had zone conference with Presidente. It was filled with much learning and evaluating. I loved it. He let us know with all the love of his heart, that we aren't doing everything that the Lord is expecting. There is a lot to do. We focused on ourselves as missionaries and how we are going to change and do it NOW so we can get on moving and progressing even more. We had a very good day that day. 

On Friday we had intercambios with the sisters in Rio Bueno. I stayed here in this sector with Hermana Sosa. She only has a week and a half in the mission, but president had called us saying she wanted to go home already. She misses her family terribly. She talked to me all the hour ride back from Rio Bueno and said she just didn't feel like the mission is the greatest just like ''everyone told her.'' 

Well, we ate lunch with the mamita and got to work. ....we were lost for an hour and a half trying to find the house (I had no idea where anything was in this area) so that we could drop off her suitcase. We looked pretty desperate and it turned out to be a great street contacting tactic. We had so much fun and found a lot of new and cordially receptive people. By the end of the day, we had contacted 30 people, and taught two families! And they both accepted to be baptized! It was a really fun experience. When we were leaving, Hermana Sosa said, ''The mission is incredible. Tell president I'm not going home.'' 

Saturday Hermana Segura and I reunited again and finally planned for the next week. It's a pretty odd point in my mission right now. There is a lot to be done and a lot to be balanced (as always but like times 14). This upcoming week we have 3 intercambios. It's crazy! Lots of meeting and lots of traveling and lots to do! And not to mention our own working area! It will be alright though because the Spirit fills us in on everything that we need to know and what we've gotta do. I gotta focus more on that. 

Hermana Segura and I have been enjoying each other’s company a lot lately! We are always laughing and every moment is a great adventure. One of our favorites was trying to contact a reference of a 15 year old boy named Belham. When we showed up at tal house, we found ourselves with his Evangelist Priest Grandpa with his little oyente half-drunk man. They both started trying to argue about whatsoever thing possible. It was pretty silly. I don't have time to tell you it all but just imagine Voldemort with Wormtail (the weird rat man sidekick?) and the missionaries. It was so interesting and rather hilarious. Ask me about it someday. I'd like to have a good laugh! 

One tarde while walking in the street, we found ourselves in silence. And randomly, Hermana Segura said, ''Do you know what I want'' And without hesitation, I said ''Chinese food.'' She freaked out because I was right. I was completely right. I just smiled. She was practically jumping up and down in unbelief. I still don't know how I knew that, but in the moment I also felt like it was one of those DUH thoughts.... haha Chinese food doesn't even exist here. We had never spoken of that either... The weirdest part of it all was that was all said in English. Pretty sweet. 

We both bought a separate jar of peanut butter last week. That was a fat mistake. Quite literally because it's already gone. 

This ward is so used to sister missionary ''deaths'' here that it is pretty much ALL they talk about. Then they all go into their lamentations of how depressed they were when they got back home and how the life never really is the same. And that we only have so long before (most say the exact amount of days) PSH! Please! I feel like I have opened that cursed Jumanji board and I am involuntarily being sucked into that black globe! 

Pues, we are running, I feel very alone. Kind of like my junior year cross-country days... However, I remember just pressing on until I caught a second breath and began gliding toward the finish line. 

I love the scriptures. I love the hymns. And I love prayer. They all turn my heart to my Heavenly Father and keeps me hopeful and happy for the end. I'm here now and I will gladly keep going. The challenges right now is like a constant lucha libre in my mind. Constant prayer has the greatest punch. I am constantly receiving answers. Yesterday, I had a spectacular finding in the scriptures. I was searching some footnotes on something and found D and C 34 written to Orson Pratt. In the Spanish version, it begins with his name and so the giant all cap letters say ORSON, but I just so happened to ''accidentally'' read it as ''OLSON.'' 

As accordingly, I read something that I had felt had been written just to me. It was a very clear and special answer that I needed in this time! 

I'm just gonna keep going and as I do, my Savior, Jesus Christ will be with there with me. Always. Even to the end--the very day He comes again. 

Isn't that marvelous? Wouldn’t any person in this trying life like to feel that? And have it be their own?

Yes.

And this is my privilege in this moment. And forever more. I'm a daughter of God helping my brothers and sisters come unto Christ. He is my shield and buckler of any challenge or fear that tries its way. 

Soy Hermana Olson. He sido llamdo de Dios a predicar su evangelio como voz de trompeta. Y en esto, me gloriaré. 

That second breath will come. I'm happy. I'm smiling. My foundation is built upon the rock of our Savior. There are only great things to come and great things already! 

We have a family night in the house of our bishop and his family! And we are bringing along a family that is investigating the church! The husband is menos activo, and his wife is preparing for her baptism in two weeks! I also just finished a pretty perfect loaf of banana bread. So tonight will be GR8. :)

Miracles are always happening. High fives all around. 

I love you.

Hermana Olson

March 14, 2016 Cambios!

Francke feels like it's a world away. But it's really just down by the banks. 

On Monday, we went to a family night with Family Muñoz to teach Victor about the Obra Misional. When we showed up, we opened the door to a full house of very special people. They had all come to say goodbye to me! After teaching the lesson, Hermano Marcelo showed a Mormon message video about missionaries, BUT THEN it continued a little longer into a slideshow full of pictures of me with the ward! It was all very special and I was completely surprised. I love that ward so much. They are so thoughtful.

That ward is going to the temple in Abril together and all of our 8 converts are preparing and reserving to be able to go! The temple is everything. You are so blessed to have one 20 minutes from your house. Imagine only being able to go once a year, if even that! I haven't gone for a year and 2 months, boy do I miss it. 

Go. 

Our leaders forgot about Hermana Gardner and I once again and so we were quite interestingly surprised when the mission nurse (now Hermana Arroyo) called us on Wednesday at 8 am and said, ''Hi! I need to communicate me with my new companion!'' ...oh. haha She couldn't believe the elders didn't tell us anything. So we got everything together in a jiffy of 2 hours and skedaddled to the grand change!

I am in an area called Rahue Alto. It's just across the Chaurakawin Bridge (from Francke) and up a ginormous hill. Boop. Here I am. And it's about ELEVEN TIMES BIGGER than Francke. ....but Francke is about the size of our dinner table...so perhaps that's not an adequate multiplication. This sector is very huge. It's also known for the death place of many hermanas. ...including my companion! Hermana Segura. She's from Syracuse, Utah, the oldest of 3 kids. Her dad is from Colombia.  She and I were in Punta Arenas together so it's cool to be comps now. And she is finishes in 5 weeks. She has been in this sector for 4 months and is kind of sick of it. We have about 2 progressing investigators. We had about 5 set appointments every day and every single one fell through. The people aren't really out in the streets and everyone works outside of Rahue and are pretty reserved. The members don't support the missionary work very well. So her experience here has been a lot of walking and knocking. She hasn't had a great time here and doesn't have very animated opinions about the ward. She has basically decided to hold out, no más, till she finishes. 

....little does she know that this is going to be the greatest cambio of her entire mission!!!! 

I know that the Lord is expecting a lot from this ward. I know that He knows perfectly well the circumstances and difficulties, so what better way to do his work than to rely on Him and His counsel? It's the greatest secret of the missionary work for this week because I've learned so much! 

On Wednesday, we ran into a member on the street and we got to know her a little. The she expressed her concern for her daughter that was distancing from the church very much and she and her husband didn't know what more to do to help her. I told her, ''Don't you worry! We are in this together!'' She put on a huge smile and said, ''Really?'' Then we said Of course! Then she invited us to her house! We went in, met her daughter, taught the whole family a short lesson and felt the spirit. We fell well with the daughter and the mom was beaming with smiles! At the end we asked if there is anything we could do to help them. The mom said, ''Bring your investigators to our house. We'll do a family night.''  OKAY THEN! 

Before leaving, her son came home. The sister had already mentioned that he had put in his missionary papers already! So I said, ''I heard you are preparing to serve a mission.'' ‘‘Yeah'' ''so I bet you are helping the sister missionaries a ton!'' he looked a bit surprised, then after a good second of silence he said, ''I am now! ''  Wooooo!!!! 

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we had similar experiences. The lord put more members in our path and they guided us to their house and now they are very excited to work with us! Woo! It's amazing. I don't even know why I am trying to write any of this down. It all sounds so lame written. 

Yesterday we had stake conference with all of Chile broadcast. President Nelson spoke in Spanish. 

Last night we went to the bishop’s house to get to know him. He lives there with 4 returned missionary children and another member in the ward and his wife were there. All 8 of them are converts. We shared a scripture with them, felt the spirit and we invited them to help us in the work. We said, ''Que les parece?'' BAM. They all were more than excited! Aaaaahhh!!!! 

Anyway I'm running out of time. I don't even know what I really want to say to you all. I just know that Heavenly Father is expecting a lot from my companion and me this month and the ward. I am super excited. Miracles are happening. And I can't tell you all of them obviously. 

This week to come will be FANTASTIC. 

Well, I gotta go. I love you all. Forgive the scattered email. Too much happens in a week. 

Hermana Olson

March 7, 2016 Something's Fishy

Annamarie’s hand-written letter:

Good Morning Family!

It’s 6:30 a.m. and I got up to use the bathroom and now I can’t go back to sleep.  So I thought I’d take advantage of this extra half-an-hour, before we gotta exercise, and write you folks yet another hand-written email!

It’s really dark in the mornings now.  I can see the moon. . . well, you can always see the moon, but it looks like the fall season finally crept its way around the corner.  Supposedly, fall lasts about 2 days here and then comes the 7-month rain storm =).  I remember when it was dark in the mornings here back in October, then ever so swiftly the sun came out more and more and MORE until it was up at 5:45 ish and down at 10:15!  I’ve lived in Francke for quite some time.  Enough time to experience nearly all 4 seasons! =)

Yesterday, Hermana Gardner and I realized that summer really is on its way out, and that she arrived right in its blooming.  That’s a pretty neat way to start your mission in Chile Osorno.  It’s ideal!

This time with Hermana Gardner has been so ideal.  We still can’t believe it.  Yesterday we were remembering experiences tras experiences and work tras work and after a while we both looked at each other a little worriedly and thought “What’s the catch?”  We feel like there must be something huge like a Twilight Zone twist that puts the entire story in a shock.

We concluded that really Hermana Gardner and I are just the figments of imagination of our real missionary selves, suffering in the pouring rain with no success or enthusiasm, just day-dreaming of what they wished could be their mission.  Imagine that!  We are day-dreamed missionaries!

These 3 months haven’t exactly been easy, but they would classify to be what I would call missionary bliss.  We got along extremely well, we worked extremely hard, and we tood advantage of every moment to enjoy plain old refreshing PREACHING THE GOSPEL!

Well, I could go on forever. . . this is why I wanted to write so that I could save time in my limited time because there is just too much that happens in a day, how could I possibly give a sum-up of a WEEK!

. . .So I guess to get started telling you about my week:

I’ll start with Monday.  And rewind a bit to Sunday. . .we visited Jose and he still was mas o menos with his decision to be baptized.  Long story short, we tried calling him on Monday, but he wasn’t answering.  Then our neighbor, and Relief Society President, Sandra, stopped by his house in the afternoon to invite him to their house for family night.  She let him know we had tried calling him earlier in the day.  He said, “Oh I was in centro buying some “ropita” (clothes)” and Hna. Sandra said he put on a huge smile as if he were a little boy and said, “Shall I show you?”  The next thing she knew he walked into the room wearing ALL WHITE spinning (ever so slowly) and saying, “Que tal?” (How is it?)  He had gone to the market to buy his own baptismal clothes!  Unfortunately. . .the only pants he could find were long john thermal underwear. . .haha  so the bishop made a friendly visit and gently offered to lend him some pants for the service.

All in all, his spontaneous shopping trip got him super enthused and more certain in his decision to be baptized.  He passed the maximum in the Noche de Hogar (family night) with Hermana Sandra and her family.  She said he brought an entire cake.

Continued from the cyber cafe:

Ah! Hola familia! I am here! And this computer is a little terrible. I have to bend down to type in the keyboard because the drawer thing isn't really working and is caved in... and just my luck. I get stuck with this thing. Well, enough with the batter. I will try to write this out.

I'll just have to limit my words and thoughts and amazement of the Goodness of God to a minimum because it is taking forever to type....

Okay so I am sending a foto of the beginning of my handwritten email--what I was able to write in half an hour. Then we exercised and studied and now we are here.

So to continue on with my letter:

On Sunday, Victor came to church and was very happy and content. Then later that evening we had a lesson with him in the church. And he was absolutely and entirely deflated of whatsoever enthusiasm or desires to learn, to participate....and to be baptized. While he was at church someone had entered his window and robbed his wallet that had over 400 dollars inside, and it wasn't exactly his money either. He works in a charity and half of that money was donated. He was devastated because his activity he was in charge of is next week and he didn't know what to do. We told him to trust in the Lord and his purposes. At the end of the lesson, he informed us that he doesn't feel like he should be baptized for another year or so because he needs to be sure that it is all true. He said he wants to be baptized not to be baptized, but to keep going. So he wants to be sure. We told him that knowing isn't so much a thing of time as it is a thing of faith to know. That all he had to do is kneel and pray with sincerity of heart to know, and trust that he would receive an answer. He said very unenthused, ''Yeah...alright.'' It was such a drastic change in him... We were worried, but we knew we did our part. On Monday, Victor called us and said he wasn't going to go to the family night because he had a terrible accident with his back while searching for his wallet in every knook and cranny and had been stuck in bed all day...and he didn't find his wallet. I mean, HE WAS PLAIN MISERABLE.

Later, when we got home, Hermana Gardner realized she had been robbed about 200 bucks, because just that day in centro we had taken out our money for the month and she had taken out personal money. It was a bummer and we felt pretty bad. But anyway that's another story.

On Tuesday, we wanted to find Victor because the interviews were going to be on Thursday, but we needed to know if he was going to baptized, and he wasn't answering his phone. So like any missionary, we were worried. Well, we stopped by the tiny cyber to enter in some referrrals and POP! There was Victor! 

He told us he needed to talk to us. So he did :) 

To make an incredible story more normal, he said that that morning around 3 am he was sick of being in pain and confusion. He hadn't slept for two days and all he did was lay there on his bed. So he decided to finally do something about it. He got up, went outside and knelt down in front of his trees ''like José Shcmidt'' and said a prayer for Heavenly Father to help him know and recognize an answer to know that what we had taught him was true and if he should be baptized on Saturday. He said after the prayer he opened his eyes, saw the trees and got scared because he didn't want anything big to happen, like what happened to Joseph Smith. So he skidaddled inside....hahahaha Oh, Victor. 

Anyway, he said that when he went inside, he got the impression to recheck his bed for his wallet. So he did. But to his dismay, there was nothing. So he sat down to try to recognize an answer to his prayer. But all that entered into his mind again was ''recheck your bed.'' So he did! ....and yet again there was nothing. He said he got a little bummed out and decided to just try to sleep and not think so much. Then he said all he remembers is having a dream of someone knocking on the door and him sitting up in his bed, but not answering because he was freaked out that someone was at his door so early in the morning, so he laid back down. That's all that he remembered. And then. . .

He woke up, it was normal morning. The first thing he remembered was his prayer he said. Then the first thing that happened was he moved his hand. AND THEN, there, in his hand lay his wallet. He told us that he knew he was prompted to check his bed twice because his normal more doubtful self might have excused this miracle to be a coincidence. He knew, and testified to us that Heavenly Father answered his prayer and that everything we had taught him was true. And there in his heart, he recieved his answer.

There was so much joy when we heard that. This measley typed up story doesn't do the way he told us justice. But the best line of it all was what followed right after, ''Así que, hermanas, vayan a calentar el agua, en sábado, me bautizo.'' (So, sisters, go warm up the water, Saturday, I'm getting baptized.)

And the great circle of life just so happened to put us there in that cyber in that moment where it all began. We invited him to an English class and he came. Hermana Gardner and I started this class to find people. And well, we found Victor.

He and Jose were baptized this Saturday. It was so special.

There is so much more to tell you. But here is when the clock ticked too fast and I must end.

I know I am leaving Francke. It's been the greatest time of my life. I treasure this ward more than I even know. It's difficult to describe my feelings, so I won't.

But I will say, I never felt more calm in my life, a pesar que los lideres no nos van a decir los cambios until tomorrow! (even though the leaders aren't going to tell the transfers until tomorrow.) So we know something is happening. I guess you'll all find out next week!

I love you all! 

Pictures:

 

What a happy day

 The picture of them walking above was so awesome. Jose was so giddy and said, ''Me voy en avión!'' (I'm flying in a plane!") After his baptism he said "I feel so light! ...but it seems like the water may have been a little to hott because I leave a little balded." hahaha he has a good sense of humor

 Someone got a candid shot of when I dropped Victor's camera.... yeah the picture explains it all. The lens went super chueco and it looked pretty bad. Victor was patient and loving...thank goodness. hahaha 

AND we all said a billion prayers in our hearts and I smacked the lens sideways and bAM! WEehee it fixed.

This is him in his suit that he saved especially for his confirmation. And that tie is from California he was pretty thrilled about all that! 

yeah buy1 

Hermana Olson

February 29, 2016 --------------

This week was even better than the last. Last week's me would have said, ''I still don't know how that is possible,'' but this week's me finally figured it out. 

Line upon line. 

That's how life is and how is always will be. 

On Wednesday we had a South American-Wide missionary conference with Elder Bednar. It was amazing. I learned so much from all the things I already knew. Elder Bednar gave us two guidelines for our notes of while he spoke:

1. Don't write anything I say down. (I wrote that down....)

2. (I don't remember what it was because I didn't write it down....hahaha and I literally just realized that I don't remember the second guideline, but I do remember he gave us two guidelines) 

Anyway he told us to write what the Spirit is saying and not what he says. It was the coolest note taking experience ever. I learned a lot and my comp as well. We applied it immediately and saw many many many fruits. 

We focused on the making sure that the Spirit was the teacher in our lessons and studies and not ourselves. The Spirit is a perfect teacher. All of our investigators´progress just TOOK OFF. It was an accelerating miracle. 

José stopped reading the Book of Mormon picture book because he decided to put confidence in himself. He's read all the way up to Alma. He doesn't remember much of it, unless he opens up and then teaches us everything! 

Victor now not only is our trusty faithful English student, but is a faithful nonmemeber member of our ward. The ward loves him. He's hilarious and sincere. This Friday we had a goodbye party for Hermana Cristina and her new husband that are moving to Antofogasta, Victor came and talked to the bishop for about an hour. The bishop absolutely loves Victor and is excited for another priesthood holder so enthused for to contribute to the ward. 

We found out more about Ismenia from some neighbors. She had a stroke about 2 years ago. She also had a husband two years ago. When she got the stroke, she didn't lose just her ability to speak, read, write, but she lost a lot of friends and her husband. The ward is amazing and has developed a ton of love for her!!! The bishop put light in her house. Some other brothers from the ward cut her foot tall grass and now people in cars go to pick her up in the morning for church. It's amazing how much love really heals people. She still has a paralyzed side of her body, but her heart is alright. AND all of a sudden she looked down at the Book of Mormon and screamed and looked at us and pointed to the book and looked at us and looked down at the book and said ``ESO!`` ESO!!! After a few guesses she we all concluded that she was able to read and understand what the cover of the Book of Mormon said! She was very excited to be left a mini tarea to read a few verses. She can read!  

All three of them have accepted to be baptized this Saturday. 

The mission is the maximum. There is no purer joy than seeing the effect the gospel has in the lives of those that are willing to permit the Spirit work in their hearts, or their minds, or even their strength. I love it and I love the work. 

There is so much to be done this week, just as them all. I'm excited for what lines fall upon the lines of last week! This is the last week before cambios. Everyone in the ward talks about cambios as if they knew. But they've been doing that since the second week of this cambio. haha I feel calm. I feel content with the work we are doing and the work we will continue to do up until the last moment, which in the eternal scheme of things...doesn't exist :) 

Well that's all I have time for! I love you all!

Hermana Olson

P.S. HOLY COW EMILY WHAT MORE RANDOM CALL COULD EXIST. But I know that it wasn't random because Heavenly Father made it the most precise in the timing. ...I'll see you in another two years I guess :) 

P.P.S. Mom I still don' have my pendrive to load pics from my camera so these are from my comps cam. I'll send the other written letter emails next week. I love you. 

fotos:

Lider (chilean walmart) apparently had a great celebration for my companion today!!!! hahaha 

She is the best. I love her.

This is the family night last week. Franco brought his sister and Yovanny brought his mom! New investigators!!!! I love these people so much.

This was an activity with Barrio Francke a long time ago, but I found these pictures and still love them. 

The stake president, presidente Muñoz. He has a lot of energy and enthusiasm always. He's in our ward. The older brother of our ward missionary leader. Super awesome. 

The ward!!! hahaha they are all so great! This is a dance called Chichiwa. It's like the children's song equivalent of I don't want to be Chicken. But it is REALLY long and annoying unless you're with a good company. Unfortunately, missionaries can't dance. :) 

In the right corner is our fantastic bishop and his wife! THEY ARE SO FANTASTIC. 

February 22, 2016 !!!!!!!!

(This is Annamarie's reaction to the news that her cousin, Katrina Cookson, just got called to HER mission!  She will be arriving the same week that Annamarie leaves.)

I have been staring at this computer for way too long. I figured I had better start writing before my time runs out. I don't know what to write. My time is practically up. 

Ok. I guess I'll just get down to the nitty gritty because there is literally nothing else that comes to my mind to tell you. 

DKFHASDF AFGUIGIDUSHSDI UGKJGHSDUFGHADIGUHEIGSDKFJHSDKFGRIKGHIGHFDKGHSIGIRG REUFH EIEITU EIETEIUFGHIKDGH SEIUSFH ILGUHSDLGUIHSÑG ERGU ERG UEG DSUIGH DFKGH SDFH SDIG SDIGUF SDGUIH SDGLHSD GLSDHG LSEUGH KATRINA.SEIUGH IUGH RUIGH RKUGH IUGH ERGUH EIRGU ERIGH RIGUH ERIUGHERIUG LG FI HADSGKÑH GLÑUHG RIUGH VJKBNDFILHGUYREI FDÑ DKDSFKHDASFISDFHKDSGHF DFKGJHSDLH GLDFÁDKFHD A´DFD `PGDLGKJDL FHDHERG ERUIH KJHD GIUHRGUILHDLIUHÑDUTGH IAEUDGHKJGHIUGHEUIH IUG SIUGHASDIUGHLDG EÑUGH IUGH  KATRINA. ALÑUGH ALIUGHAÑIOGH AIUGH ARIUH SIUGH AIGUH RIGUÑH ARIUÑGH DAILUSGH ÑFDIOGH AFIUHIGUHARIUGHER GÑHRG PGHFLGHAÑGUHPGHERHÑGÁGIOHAGIHAÑIG HADGÑHIGUH AGA´SÇADS GOIDAÇÇASDGKATRINA. A´DIG A´DSIGAÇÇASDG AÇG A´G ÇAGÇAD GÁDSG ADSIGAÑDSG A´DIGJ FOIB ÑAELRIJPÑJZ-JAÑO AÑLGJ AÑOGIJAÑGNAIOGH AÑDIGJ ADÑUGH ADÑJUJ DOIASJ-JIDOÑGHJA´D DSFLJPHADGLJQE.IHÀIDHA-LDSKGÉO IEOFJ-ILHFDÑGIHADOIELAJ-A DSAIFG ADIJAD SODGUJODÑAIGJ AEDGJ AÑOGI EIOJ EPIOJ OGIJASD -EJI ÁIOJ ´DOIGJAÑOIDGH ÉIOJHQ-´PI UQOIJH ÁDLKSJG AOIDGJ ADÑGJ A´<EOUJ OIHJNG<ALDJD ÑGIOJAD ÁDJ-QAEOJ UADOIJMAG ÁSDT-OJ AOIJ GÁSDGJA<DLÑGJ ASÑOIGJAS´DIGJE-LKJ EOÑI SDOP JAE-ADSIO JDSÑOIGJALKJ ÑKLJ ADÑJ DÑSIOGJADÑSIGJ ADÑGIJHFPG FG-JKÑOQIJOIJGÀIOJG Q´J ÑFSIJ COÑBIJA-LJG QIOJ F´JA-FJ QÑOIJZÒIGJ-J AS´G´D´KATRINA.GJAÇAÇÇD A´SDJ AÍODFGJA<ÇADSF AD´SADÇSF ASDOIF ADÍOJ SD IQWH-EIPJ ÒIAJ.GJ ASDOH ADG DFKLJASÑDFLKJASDFOPSDAIFASD SDFOIJSDFPIOSDJF ÀSDIOF SDFJSDOÌFJ SDOFIJDIOFJSO`DFIJ ADS`FIJ DSOFIDGOJIASD`Ç DLKFJASÑDFHADSPFHDSGOSDIGASDFJÑAIDFO OIDFJASD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay. That felt good. I should have just done that a long time ago. 

There you have it. The Osorno-Chilean Spanish Language. ....leaving the fingers of a super duper literally trembling from excitement sister missionary cousin person that is super excited. 

Katrina, I am thrilled. Completely 100 percent thrilled. Now there will be someone else in the family that can say they served in the greatest mission! 

Wow. 

WOW! 

I am so excited for Katrina!!!!!! A new world just opened up... And I am so excited!!!! That is literally all I can come to say! I don't know what else to say. What an enormous alegría! WOOOO!!!!! 

Okay. I guess I should try to buckle down (I really am shaking), and tell you a bit of this week´s happenings. 

....I am drawing blanks! 

Franco and Yovanny were baptized this Saturday!!!! 

....something tells me that I haven't mentioned them before either and I don't know HOW because these boys are two of a one of a kind!! 

Franco is 10. His mom was baptized when she was 15 and has been inactive ever since. He's the youngest of 3 kids. He started coming to church in November. One day he just showed up. He said he was checking out the churches. Hermana Laguna and I tried passing by his house to teach him, but his family didn't want us to, so we didn't. But he kept coming!

Yovanny is 14. He lives with his mom. One Sunday (actually the first one of the year), one of the sisters in the ward pulled us out into the hallway and said, ''There is a kid looking for you.'' And Yovanny was out standing in the hall. We didn't know who he was, but when he saw us he smiled and said, ''Here I am!'' And we said, ''HEY......YOU!'' .....and ran through every single name we ever thought of in our minds to try to place with the face of some teenager that just showed up to church! 

...well I didn't remember seeing him ever, but he said that Hermana Laguna and I had contacted him in the street while he was playing soccer back in OCTOBER and told him where we meet on Sundays if he ever had the interest to come. ....and three months later he came. I felt pretty bad for not remembering him, but he didn't seem to mind! 

Dooodooodooooooo! A little later Franco turns the corner and says, ''PRIMO!'' Ha. So they are cousins. They were both pleasantly surprised to see each other there in the Mormon church, and since have kept each other good company. 

Franco is the smartest Chilean child I have ever met. In some of our lessons, we would be teaching a concept to Yovanny and begin to look up a scripture, and just by saying where it was, a good number of times, Franco would recite it word for word at super velocity speedy rapidez! He had been reading the Book of Mormon Hermana Laguana and I gave him back in November....and he can tell whatsoever story up to the stripling warriors. Yovanny's interest was very similar to the reason Joseph Smith was investigating. The first time we taught him, we asked what he was looking for. He said, ''I am worried about my spiritual well being. I want to know who God is better and I want to learn to trust myself more.'' Ok. To keep the short long story not so long ni short.....

They were baptized! And they are quite popular here in the streets of Francke....and it was a pretty special to be there at their baptism because we had 21 nonmembers that assisted. And only 8 of those nonmembers were our investigators! It was so special!!!! And they really made an impact on their families. Franco's sister is 20. She came to church yesterday and today, we are going to teach her for the first time. 

Happy happy happy! 

Francke is great. I love being a missionary. The Chile Osorno mission really is a treasure. It will be even more so once Hermana Cookson arrives, of course :) 

That's all I got time for now,

Love,

Hermana Olson

February 1, 2016 Become as a Child

I'll tell you about some of the investigators we've been teaching.

José lives just around the corner from us. He's always sitting out on his lawn chair in front of his adorable house. About a month ago we FINALLY stopped to talk to him. He told us his wife had passed away in November and his life felt very empty and pointless. They weren't able to have children so he really doesn't have anything. We shared a little bit of the great message us little missionary girls have to offer. He's 84 years old and said at this point of his life he wasn't looking for religion. 

A few weeks later we passed by again with a member, and entered his house. After realizing he was terribly confused about the unknown state of his dead wife, he asked us what we had to say en cuanto de what is happening with his wife. He was drastically comforted to know that he can see her again, and thus he was interested in learning more (not to mention, his wife, too, is being taught). With a little more time he acquired a desire to be baptized, however he was doubtful that he was capable of gaining a testimony due to his retention of new information. We simplified our teaching and his commitments, we passed by each day and retaught what we had taught him the previous day; sin embargo, his discapacity of retention continued! Each day we would arrive and he couldn't remember much of what we had taught or what the small scripture he had read five minutes before explained. 

He's 84, and from all the diplomas on the wall, he's a wise and intelligent man-- you can imagine the frustration he must have! It got to a point that he felt bad to ''waste our time'' and said it would be better for us to focus on other people. He was in tears. He simply want to learn! After he said that, we sat there in silence for a few moments.  His likeness to a child brought to my attention a very child-like solution! My Children's Book of Mormon that I bought in Santiago! We told him the story of the tortoise and the hare and told him to wait just a bit! In a few minutes we ran back and gave it to him. He laughed seeing all the pictures and simplified chapters, but he said he'd try it out. 

The next day, he sat us down and said, ''This book has moved me. I found two chapters last night that arrived at my heart. I just reread them, and I am equally amazed.'' He had found 3 Nephi 11 and 12 and gave us a summary of it all in his amazement. Then he opened up to it and said, ''Did you know this was in here?! Can I read it to you?'' So he read, and as he read, the Spirit testified to all of us the truthfulness and the grace that the Book of Mormon has. Josè wept. The spirit was so strong. At the end, he shared with us his testimony of the Book of Mormon. Then he said, ''I know I have a purpose in my life even at the few years I have left. Nothing has made me feel more complete as did this experience. I feel like I'm beginning to live again, but this time with a purpose.'' In church he introduced himself to the gospel principles class, ''I'm José. I have 84 years. I lost my wife 2 months ago. Shortly after, God sent me the sisters. I'm born and raised Catholic, but his gospel is conquering me so much that it makes this old man cry.'' Everyone laughed. He loved church. 

José said he feels so energized that he polished his entire chandelier! He was pretty proud. It was worthy of taking a foto...and I guess for him to take my hand? hahah JOSÉ!!!

Isemenia is another child of God. We met her out on a bench in front of her house. She's mute and the whole left side of her body is paralyzed. We ended up singing a hymn and passing by the next day. We sat outside on her porch and told her the story of Jesus Christ coming to the Americas. To perk her interest a little more, we taught her with the same enthusiasm as Dad's hole-in-the-roof story-telling powers. She loved it! Then we invited her to come to Claudio's baptism that day. We came back later.  She showed us her little wheelchair with deflated tires. She lives at the very end of our sector and the church building is close to the entrance. There is a super fast shortcut up a little hill and across the train tracks and down a mini rocky road...but that with a wheelchair would be (almost) impossible. We tried figuring out which way would be the best route to the church (....because we had 30 minutes before the baptism. oops.) And we finally decided to speed down the mile-long Chuquicamata road which half was in the middle of construction to get around the corner and run a quarter mile down the road back to where the church is. Boy oh BOY did she have a blast! Her hair was blowing behind her and all she could say with the biggest smile ever was ''EEEESSOOOO!'' I think it's one of my most cherished memories on the mission. We got to the baptism super sweaty but with 14 minutes to spare! Our church is two stories and so it was another ''ride.'' 

We've visited her everyday since. The members absolutely love her and she always has a giant smile on her face. she can say, Hola, sí, no, eso, chuta, po, and a new one she picked up ''men'' or Amen when we finish the prayers. We have really needed to adapt our teaching and not only for her to understand our lessons, but for us to understand her needs and what she really thinks. It's been a challenge, but it is so special and fun! 

Victor is the most dedicated student of our English class. We met him in a cyber and invited him to come the day of our first class. And he lives literally right in front of the church. He's 40 years old and very silly. The first thing he said when he walked in the classroom on the first day was, ''I'm just here to learn English! I'm not going to pray or anything!'' ---and then in English--- ''Do you get me?'' We told him not to worry, but we knew at one point or another the time would come that we would teach him.

Welp, this last Thursday, very oddly, NO ONE showed up, except for Victor. There wasn't another woman in the building so we had to teach outside, but we got to know him better and he is AWESOME! He created his own job of providing and serving those with disabilities. His parents are both super sick and he just serves and serves. We started diving into the gospel with him just by relating everything he was saying to what we teach. haha And he was getting all excited and asking us questions and then after a few minutes he like flinched and said, ''WAIT! Hold on...I'm not going to commit myself to anything!'' We told him not to worry, we don't obligate anyone, the desire to listen will just come naturally. He said, ''NOT FOR ME!'' And we said, ''Ok that's fine.'' Then we had to go home, but we told him we were teaching someone with disabilities the next day and invited him to come. He perked up and said, ''Of course!'' 

So he came and he also learned. He and Ismenia, actually, hit it off. She chose him to pray and he willingly did so! We invited them both to church, and as new buddies, they both accepted! haha it was pretty cool. 

English Class is so much fun! We've been doing it for a month now and it's people of all ages and understandings. It's fantastic! And SO. FUN. We are all laughing the whole time. It's pretty cool to see everyone all on the same child state, innocent and willing to learn ....and in childish ways. On Tuesday we taught them the I'm a little teacup song! And to end the class each time they all sing Barney's  "I Love You" song. 

And well, those are a few of the many children of God we are teaching. This is truly amazing to be here. From the sound of things, I bet you all think the mission for us is just whistling a dandy tune all the day long and skipping our ways to citas. haha, When it all comes down to it, that's the way it ends up! But let me just tell you, the mission is hard! But it's the most intelligent thing I've done. 

Hermana Gardner and I are continually humbled that we, these dinky younguns, are allowed to be a part of so much success and progress in the lives of others, when neither of us really feel like we know what we are doing! But by having a portion of the responsibility of these dear people, we've needed to work on overcoming the natural man. 

Mosiah 3:19 

When we open our heart to the Lord, he fills it with his power and helps us realize the potential we have of being his servants and becoming perfected in HIM. It's organized in such a way that our opportunites to succeed are maximized. And if you think about it, it's easier! For his yoke is easy and his burden is light. 

This week we got to have another newby for a day (actually I just so ended up already knowing her because she and I shoveled water out of her apartment when the Rexburg flood happened a little over a year ago....how small this silly world.) I felt a twinge of desire to just start everything over again.... be better! ...but the critical measure of success is by my own delegation of who I have become and in relation to my own abilities and comparison to my past self. And ever since my 13 year old birthday, I've never felt more like a child. I am doing my best. I have a lot of weaknesses and a lot to learn. But am withholding nothing from the Lord. I am serving with all my might, mind heart, and strength. And when there comes a time when I falter, the Spirit simply makes it clear that there is yet another weakness I must strengthen. 

Truly truly dooly this is the easier way to live. Life is hard. Not the gospel. 

Let us all becometh like children :) 

I love you all---you fantastic children of God, you! haha

Hermana Olson

And hermana Hoskins, my neighbor in BYU idaho. We had a blast. It oddly rained the entire day and we literally were rejected by everyone. What a comparison to hna. Gardner's first day in the mission. hahaaha WOO! 

My companion is da bessssss. Seriously, we love being companions.