ONE MORE WEEK!

My last time teaching English class.  I have been teaching English for so long!  I would do it my last week, but we have a baptism, hehe. :)

I´ve always wanted a picture with the bench and the trees.

BOWLING FUN!

Me and the Sullivans (ex Motab members--They came too!  So nice of them to see me once more.  They serve in the Spain MTC and so they don´t know me as well as they know the other missionaries that actually passed through the Spain MTC but they still love me!)

 Plaza de Castilla the 2 leaning buildings are a famous landmark of Madrid. And in our area.

Me and Hna. Hansen (Norway and one of my favorite companions)

This one, I think you will like the most.  We were taking pictures and all, and then these four hermanas (all serving in Alcobendas) decided that they needed a picture of the Alcobendas Hermanas holding Hermana Olsen.  So they picked me up, and this is the result.

Me and 2 awesome Elders.  They were companions and made matching shirts.  They are awesome.

Me and Hna Stepp, also going home this transfer.

Me and my Hijas (Hna Manner with the coat was my first but i only finished her training)  (Hna O´Keeffe is my full hija and my second)

Hola familia y amigos,

This last week has been amazing! Copied in grey is my letter to President. This week has been another amazing week. The Lord is truly blessing me. I can feel His love and support and we have seen so many MIRACLES this week.

First things first, the Boliver family, Roger and Maria are getting baptized this friday at 8pm.  We are so excited for them. They have been through so much in trying to get married. But through it all, I can see that these trials have really tested their faith and helped them grow. They have such strong testimonies of this gospel. I know they are prepared and ready for baptism. They are on their way to an eternal family!

Before Roger had his baptismal interview we had the chance to just talk with him about everything.  The way he talked about the trials they have faced and the importance of faith and just the change they have had over the 2-3 years they have been investigating was an experience i will never forget.  It really reminded me why i am here.  Here is someone that really understands the gospel, because he has seen it work in his life, he has seen the changes and the blessings that come from the gospel!  He is converted!

Also, we had a miracle contact this week. We got on a bus and this girl sitting in the front stopped me and, pointing at the book in my hand asked if it was a Libro de Mormon. I told her it was and she asked if we had more or an extra. I quickly gave her the one I had and told her she could keep it. The excitement on her face was unreal.

Wondering who this incredible person was, we began talking to her. She told us that she has read many religious books like the Bilbe and the Quran. She said she was missing the Book of Mormon. We got her information and are going to start teaching her this week. We already have someone who is commited to reading the Book of Mormon! As we gave it to her she also told us with emotion in her voice that she had heard about the Book of Mormon but never held one physically in her hands. The way she looked at the Book of Mormon was priceless.

People here are very sad to see me go.  We will be eating a lot this week, because some people have offered to feed me my last week.  The people here are incredible.  I have also recieved a few offers to move in, and a few threats of kidnap.  They tell me that way i won´t have to go back. I´ve almost taken someone up on the offer.  Our relief society president, from Mexico, is going to feed me something Mexican!  

Speaking of food, the Bolivers continue to feed us weird things.  I cannot remember where I left off on my list of weird things she has cooked but I have now also had rabbit (it´s DELICIOUS!!!) and fish head soup.  

That one was last night, and not as delicious.  The fish was good, but eating around the bones and scales was a bit messy.  The worst part was the eyeball. I just swallowed it whole! and washed it down with broth.  I felt a bit sick after that one.  It was not BAD, but i wouldn´t want to do it again.

I know this church is true and I am excited to make this last week the best of my mission. I am going to work harder than I have ever worked before. I know these things are true. I have a better understanding of Christ and the Atonement than ever before. I know this is a gospel of change. It is not for perfect people but rather so that we can become perfect people.

Today has been SO GOOD, but a bit hard.  I invited all my favorite missionaries to go bowling.  Not everyone came, but my closest friends did.  It was sooo good to see everyone!  I took lots of pictures and had lots of people write in my book.  It was hard though, because it will be a long time before I see these people again, some of them don´t even live in the States so, that is even harder.  

I feel super sad, and it was hard to say "see ya later" to these people.  I cannot stand the G word. I have come to love these people sooo much.  They have been such a big part of my life the past 12 months and I am really going to miss them!

I want to talk a bit about my mission.  As it comes to a close, i have done a lot of reflection. I have reflected on who I was in the MTC and who I am now.  

When I was in the MTC I would get sooooo nervous to teach our investigators.  Probably the closest thing I have ever had to a panic attack.  My first bit in the field, I was secretly glad when lessons would fail because I was scared to teach.  

NOW, I LOVE TEACHING.  It is my favorite thing EVER. I get EXCITED at the thought of a lesson.  I have learned a lot about faith and prayer and have learned and am still learning about relying on the Lord.  As I succeed in doing so, everything goes better and I am lifted when I am down.  

I have learned so much about the Holy Ghost and following the promptings we recieve.  I am not perfect in this either, but I KNOW the times when I have successfuly followed the Spirit I have seen miracles beyond my imagination.  

I have learned about repentance for the times that I have not done as I felt I should.  I have come to understand better than ever, that I am not perfect, I am going to make the same mistakes. But I also know that I am going to keep trying, every day I try harder than the day before to be better than I was.  That is what God wants of us, and that is what it means to persevere to the end.

 If I could sum up all that I have learned it would be as follows:

I understand the Atonement and the Gospel better than ever.  I understand just how much the Atonement covers, and I understand the Gospel in how it is to help us change.  I have learned so much on my mission about change, and how the gospel can help us become who we are meant to be.  We have so much potential, and as we apply the gospel to our lives, we will change and become the person God wants us to be!  I have changed.  I was weak, now I know where to find strength; I was shy, now I am confident.  I am so happy, and I understand where this happiness comes from.  It comes from my love of God and the Gospel and my desire to share that with others, because I love Him and I love them!  My inner person is the same, but I have developed on the good, and gotten rid of the bad.  I am NOT perfect, but I am on the path.  I am changed, and I am converted.

Con amor,

Hermana Olsen

MIRACLES

BODA! (WEDDING! )

eating with Dantel (sunday night)

 Snow (this morning!!!!) It wasn´t enough to stick,  but it snowed for about an hour or so.

Next 5 pictures:  Sol and Churros and chocolate (super spanish)  And we went to the San Gines Chocoletería.  So there is a special family that that made me think of!

 we found this in the church primary class room.  We  don´t know what age group, but it is supposed to be the first vision.  We think the UFO is Joseph Smith??? How funny!

Hola Familia y amigos,

This week has been wonderful. Many more miracles.

The first that I want to talk about and probably the biggest, was that this morning, the Bolivars got married.  This is the family that almost got married and baptized the Christmas transfer.  They have been meeting with missionaries for 2ish years.  The wedding was a simple civil ceremony, but for us and for them it was magical.  

They can now prepare to enter the waters of baptism.  There is no greater miracle.  They have asked us if they can be baptized on the 14th of February, my last weekend as a missionary.  I am so excited for them.  I have come to love them and really see them as part of my family.  I am so happy for them and their progress.  They have been through a lot.  But now, many blessings are in store!

Also, we continue to teach our 2 Muslim investigators.  We have started teaching both of them the Restoration.  We are taking it slow, and focusing a lot on profets because that is something they already accept.  I think the hardest part is helping them understand that Jesus was the son of God and that we too are children of God.  I tell them all the time, and I try to invite the Spirit to testify of it, I hope it is getting through to them.  With time, I know it can.

This week has been a little hard, we had a few investigators drop us.  They were people I really thought were going to progress too.  It is always sad, but it makes me so grateful that we keep a record of our teachings to them, so that missionaries can talk to them in the future.  Maybe now is not their time.

Things are going well with our Peruvian investigator that we taught the Book of Mormon on the street.  We had a 2 1/2 hour lesson with him the other day.  We just wanted to teach the restoration, but only got through a part of it, before he started asking questions about EVERYTHING! In the end we taught him tithing, the organization of church leadership (to which he asked what he had to do to become profet) the gospel, word of wisdom, and we gave him a church tour.  He is super interested in our church meetings, but doesn´t want to wake up that early.  Hopefully his curiosity will get the best of him.

Our recent convert Dantel is AWESOME.  He invited us over to eat and told us to bring Hna. Arana.  She helps us in our lessons with him.  So I called to invite her and then he called me back to make sure I invited her two kids too.  He is such a kind person.  He fed us the best chicken and rice and fried platanos.  Which are basically bananas.  SOOO GOOOD!  I love Latins and their food!  He is from Ecuador.

Sunday was really cool.  We had a regional stake conference.  All the stakes in Spain, Portugal, and Cape Verde.  We got a broadcast from salt lake and got to hear from some area 70s, the 2nd counselor in the General RS presidency and Elder Ballard.  It was super cool! 

This week has been wonderful.  I feel like I am working hard, and trying my best.  I am seeing so many miracles, it is amazing how good God is to us!  I know this church is true.  I know God is my Father and Jesus Christ is my Savior.  As I learn to trust in Them, I grow, receive blessings, and know I am able to reach my potential!

Con amor,

Hermana Olsen