AN INCREDIBLE WEEK!

Hola Familia y Amigos!

This week was INCREDIBLE.  If you thought I was happy last week, this week blew it out of the waters!  I would like to share some of our numbers for this week. We taught 17 lessons, received 21 phone numbers, and had 7 new investigators!  It was a week full of teaching and contacting! It was beautiful!

This has been a very spiritual week for me!  I have received a lot of revelation about the importance of just working hard and not worrying so much.  There were several afternoons that were just killer.  Nobody would listen to us, they wouldn´t accept a card, nothing.  We had 2 contacts in a row where they didn´t even acknowledge our presence.  It was really hard to keep going.  I just wanted to go home, and give up.  

But of course I didn´t.  And each time this happened, the rest of the day would be full of miracles.  A night full of teaching and receptive people.  Para que sepan (so you know) we are not teaching many Spaniards.  But we are teaching 3 Nigerians, a Bulgarian, someone from Morocco, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Peru, etc. I love the diversity here and how many people God has put into our path, or put us right where we need to be!  

I wish I had time to describe it all, so many of these people I was not planning to talk to, but in the end I found the courage.  We even had one received because he started talking to me.  Or we would pass the person, and then walk up the street, contact, and come back and talk to them.  God has guided me and Hna. Hansen sooooo much to talk to the people that want to learn more!

I want to focus on our friend from Morocco.  He is Muslim but has so much potential.  I have never met a Muslim like him.  We had a lesson 0 (get to know, learn his expectations, briefly describe what we like to talk about and what we will invite you to do) with him and it was incredible.  He told us he wanted to learn more about Jesus.  He wanted to know if he really died on the cross (they believe it was someone that looked like but was not Him and that Jesus did not suffer at all).  He also wanted to know where it was written that Jesus is the Son of God.  He committed to pray about Jesus being the Son of God.  

We talked about prayer and he state that he knows God will answer his prayer.  We also asked him if when he came to know these things were true, would he be baptized.  He said, por supuesto (of course).  OH my GOSH!  I was so excited.  It was a spiritual lesson!  I felt the whole time like I  knew what I wanted to say and I was bold.  I told him I knew our message was true and that it could bless his life!  I know it can!  I am so excited to continue teaching him!

It is very likely that I will be training starting next week.  I am very nervous.  There is sooo much I still feel that I need to learn.  Sometimes I am down on myself because I almost have 9 months in the mission, and I think how is it that I still don´t ask inspired questions. Or how is it that I forget to leave a commitment?  But I´m not perfect.  I know with God, I can train.  I cannot be a perfect trainer or a perfect missionary.  But I can be the trainer and the missionary God needs me to be.  I am glad I know this, now I just need to accept it more.  And really believe it.

I have a lot to learn, but i have come a long way.  For example, the phone does not scare me anymore.  Sometime I cannot understand much, but I get enough to carry the conversation.  God helps me.  I love it!  Before the mission, I was terrified to call people, offices, stores, if I did not know the person.  That was when I was speaking my native tongue.  Now, I can call whoever I want, in SPANISH! No problem.  Who is this girl?!!!  Wow.  

Please don´t think this is prideful.  I am only this way because I have HUMBLED myself and sought the power of God through faith.  And I am still working on this EVERY day. Sometimes I have little faith.  But I KNOW God is molding me into the person I need to be.  Never have I felt so close to Him and never have I felt like I was fulfilling my purpose and changing for the better.  How grateful I am for the chance to do this, and to help others do it too!

I wish I could express how much I have changed!  For the better.  I cannot explain it, but God is refining me!  It is not easy, but how great it is!  Forever I will remember my praise for Him! I feel like Alma 26:12 and that whole chapter in general!

Okay, those are my random thoughts. I had no plan to write about that, but I hope you enjoyed it!  And prayers that I can remember God and be the trainer and missionary he wants me to be would be great!  I am nervous :)

Con Amor,

Hermana Olsen