Happy Halloween and What's Been Happening the Last Two Weeks

Hi y'all!

It has been another great week. This week week Sister Atkins and I had
a couple of funny experiences. One afternoon we knocked on a
potential's door. He wasn't there, but his friend was there. Every
once and awhile we meet people who just want to argue with us and this
man was one of those people. He seemed surprised when we didn't argue.
He was also really surprised to see sister missionaries. He had never
seen sister missionaries before and asked if he could take our
picture. We didn't know what to do so we said yes. A couple days later
we were biking home and another guy stopped us and asked us if we
could interview us. He writes for some online newspaper that focuses
on cultural diversity. He hasn't called to set the interview up yet,
but hopefully he does. It would be fun to do an interview. Either way
I guess we were pretty popular this week.

This week we had a lesson with a man that we met going by potentials.
He wasn't the potential we were looking for, but was interested and
invited us to come back.  We went by this week and he let us right in
and we were able to teach him and introduce the Book of Mormon.  He
seems pretty interested and was asking good questions. He also kept
saying that it wasn't a coincident that we came by. Hopefully, we are
able to meet with him again this week.

Funny story Lindsey shared:  Also this week we were at a member's house for dinner and they had broccoli. She asked if anyone wanted anymore broccoli and Sister Atkins said that I loved broccoli. So I got the rest of it. You can be proud to know that I now eat vegetables. So that is one good thing about being on a mission. You learn to not be picky.

Spiritual Thought:

This week I have been studying the Gospel of Jesus Christ (faith,
repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and
enduring to the end).  This morning I studied Elder Oaks talk, "The
Challenge to Become" .  His talk was about how we need to be truly
converted. He gave two examples of how we can know that we are
becoming converted.
     "After King Benjamin’s great sermon, many of his hearers cried
out that the Spirit of the Lord “has wrought a mighty change in us, or
in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do
good continually” (Mosiah 5:2). If we are losing our desire to do
evil, we are progressing toward our heavenly goal.
      The Apostle Paul said that persons who have received the Spirit
of God “have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16). I understand this to
mean that persons who are proceeding toward the needed conversion are
beginning to see things as our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus
Christ, see them. They are hearing His voice instead of the voice of
the world, and they are doing things in His way instead of by the ways
of the world."
 I know that by applying this the Gospel of Jesus Christ into our
daily lives that we will be able to change and become more like our
Savior.


Have a great week!
Sister Olsen

From Last Week:
Hi y'all!
It is crazy that I will hit 5 months on my mission tomorrow. Time
continues to fly by! This week we spent some of our time serving at a
place called Providence Place. It is a place that teaching independent
living and job skills for people with disabilities. We were able to
help them out by doing yard work and other tasks that they have around
their facilities. The woman who is the volunteer coordinator said that
they had been praying to have more volunteers. Their facility is
getting old and they needed volunteers that could come regularly to
help with the different projects. She was so grateful for our service.
It is always a nice feeling when you know that you were an answer to
someone's prayer. :)

Also, let me take a second to say how much I love Sister Atkins. She
is so much fun and l love being her companion! We laugh so much. She
is an amazing missionary and I learn so much from her. I am so happy
that we are companions again.

We had a pass off lesson this week with May, the woman I wrote about
last week. Since we no longer cover the area that she lives in, the
Elders will now be teaching her. We gave her a tour of our chapel and
then taught her with the Elders. She has a lot of great questions and
is studying the Bible and the Book of Mormon together. The lesson went
really well and I look forward to hearing about her progress during
district meetings.

I cant remember if I have mentioned it before, but I love the Because
of Him video. Since we are mainly trying to find people to teach right
now, we have been sharing it a lot. I have seen it way too many times
to count, but it never gets old. I love watching people watch the
video. You can see the smile on their face and the happiness that
comes as they remember their Savior Jesus Christ and how we have
everything because of Him.

Link to video:
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-00-1420-because-of-him?lang=eng

I love serving here in the TSAM and I look forward to the upcoming week!

Love y'all
Sister Olsen

Two Great Weeks in San Antonio

Hi! 

It has has been another great week here in the TSAM. The weather is cooling down and is starting to feel like fall, or San Diego. 75 degrees really is the perfect temperature. Transfers are next week which is crazy. Time goes by so fast! I am curious to see what will happen. Hopefully, I can stay with Sister Atkins because she is an amazing sister and we have a lot of fun together. Either way, I am looking forward to next transfer and all of the adventures and blessing that will unfold. 

We continue to try to find new people to teach. This week we got a text that a woman in our area that she wanted a Bible and a Book of Mormon. We get these referrals every once and awhile, but usually people aren't interested and just want a free Bible. Anyways, we bike all the way down to her area she lets us in and we start teaching her. She used to be of a Non-Christian religion and has recently converted to Christianity. It was really interesting to hear how/ why she converted. It was sincere prayer and scripture study that helped her come to know her Savior. While I was teaching her, I felt especially guided on what to say. I knew that I couldn't leave until I had shared with her the restoration, specifically Joseph Smith's first vision. She seemed pretty receptive and interested our message. Hopefully there is more to come on her in the coming weeks, but either way it was an amazing lesson. 

Spiritual Thought: This week I have been reading the new conference talks and studying them to find the invitations and promised blessings. One of them was Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita's talk, Be Ambitious for Christ. In it he invites us to be ambitious for Christ, which he  explains as being " motivated, focused, and dedicated to his work. It " means that we serve faithfully and diligently... without complaint and with joyful hearts". I echo the promise that he gives that as we are more ambitious for Christ we will find more joy in our lives. 

Love, 

Sister Olsen 

Pictures 1-2: Sister Atkins and I with the sisters we live with, Sister Redd and Sister Gillespie

Hi y'all!
So much has happened this week!
The crazy: This week has been crazy busy. We have received 5 media
referrals in the past week and a half ( People can go on lds.org and
order a Bible and then we deliver it to them). We have been biking all
over in order to contact him. We also had another lesson with Pam and
her son this week. We were going to go by on Tuesday, but that morning
we felt like we had to change her plans. Sure enough Tuesday didn't
work for her and we were able to reschedule the lesson and bring a
member. We had a couple of other lessons  this week too. So we were
busy going to the different lessons and contacting the Bible
referrals.

The amazing: There have been so many different ways that we find
people to teach. Most of the time it is through referrals ( either by
members, family, friends, or themselves), however sometime we are lead
to people and we don't even know it. That was the case for Mary.
We knocked thinking it was another potential. She told us through the
door no thanks. We started to walk away when she came out. We told her
we thought she said no thanks and she said "I did, but God told me
told me to ask you to say a prayer". She then let us in side and then
explained how she was going through a very difficult point in her
life. While she could be very angry, she has chosen to be very humble.
Her heart was so soft and she was so ready and willing to hear our
message. We said a prayer then introduced the Book of Mormon.  She
asked about our church location and came to church yesterday! I walked
out of May's apartment speechless and filled with gratitude. I am
amazed at how God was able to direct us to her when we weren't even
look for her.

The bittersweet: Transfers news was this morning. Sister Atkins and I
are staying together! I am so happy to be with her for another
transfer. We work well together. We have a lot of fun together while
still working really hard. However, we will be doubling out of Leon
Valley and only working in the 9th ward area. This transfer the work
has really picked up in Leon Valley and we have met a lot of amazing
people. I will miss working with them so much. I have grown to really
love people that live there. I look forward to being able to focus
solely on 9th ward and help the missionary work progress there this
upcoming transfer.

Have a great week!
Sister Olsen
Picture: 3-5 We also went on exchanges this week and I was able to
work with Sister Judd. :)

Conference, Flat Tires, and the Restoration

Hello everyone!

It was another great and eventful week here in Texas. This weekend was
General Conference ( when our Prophet, apostles, and other church
leaders speak to us). It was so nice to hear their words and counsel
for us. All of the sessions were so good and I would encourage you to
go back and read or watch it (lds.org). I really enjoyed President Nelson's talk
on Joy. He talked about about how we can always have joy no matter
what our life circumstances are as we focus of Jesus Christ. He
mentioned how as missionaries we teach people so that they can have
joy. That couldn't be more true. Over the last couple of months I have
seen that as people focus more on Christ, they become happier no
matter what.

Our adventure of the week was when we biked down clear to the other
side of our area ( about an hour bike ride). We parked our bikes and
were talking to  some people in an apartment complex. When we came out
we realized that my tire was completely flat. It took a while, but we
were able to be picked up by a member and fix everything.

In addition to getting a flat tire...Sister Atkins ran into a construction sign biking home this
week and was sore for a couple days. She is fine, but has a big bruise
now. Biking, especially in this area is like those computer games
where you have to avoid all of the random stuff in the road and where
if you run into something you loose a life. They should make a game
about sister missionaries where you have to avoid signs, thorn bushes,
trees, cars, bumps, logs, dead animals, trash cans, mailboxes and
getting your skirt caught . Then you could get a bonus when someone
gives you a ride or water or there is shade. The goal would be to get
to your lesson on time.  (Note all suggestions come from experience
and that we aren't always successful at avoiding these things...)

This week we went by to see Mary. She was referred to the missionaries by
another member who met her while she was working at a gas station.
When she first answered the door, she sounded like she was busy. We
asked to share a quick video (the Because of Him video) and after
watching it we were able to go inside and teach about the Restoration.
( I love that video so much). I could tell that she appreciated how
simple and straightforward our explanation was of how Christ's church
was restored. Her work has her scheduled to work on Sunday, but she
says that she is trying to get Sunday's off so hopefully that will
happen soon. :)



Picture 1 & 2: flat tire :(
Picture 3: giant asparagus
Picture 4: sunset

Waterfalls and Sloths? Ok - really just rain storms and a stuffed sloth ;)

Hi!

This week was another great week here in the TSAM. The highlight of
the week was when we got a call from a member in another part of San
Antonio. She met a woman and her son who were interested in meeting
with us. We went by the next day and met Pam. Pam is such a nice and
caring lady. She cares for people who have disabilities and is one of
the most genuinely kind and caring people I have ever met. We were
able to give her a Book of Mormon and will be going back soon!

Last night we had a huge thunderstorm. I slept through most of it, butmy companion woke up and said the streets were completely flooded. Ithaca stopped raining and isn't as flooded anymore so don't worry.

We had service this week at the San Antonio Food Bank. There were a lot of people there. We sorted through the food and threw out the bad stuff. They were playing music really loud and it was really distracting. There was a bag of flour that wasn't closed that made a big mess.

We also had Women's Conference this Saturday ( it is a meeting where
the general authorities of the church speak specifically to the Women
of the church). It was so great to hear them speak. We had a couple
investigators there and they really enjoyed the messages and songs
that were shared. I really enjoyed Sister Bingham's talk about how we
should have charity, the pure love of Christ. It reminds me of one the
talks we had in Church yesterday. He spoke about how we live in
practice mode and not at performance level. He urged us to realize
that everyone, including ourselves, make mistakes so we shouldn't
judge others.

I am so excited for General Conference this weekend! I know that it
will be great and that we can make it more meaningful as we prepare
ahead of time and go with a question or goal in mind.

Have a great week!

Sister Olsen
We got wet again this week. It started dumping and we were biking over
to dinner. I think this was the most wet I have been. We might as well
have been standing underneath a waterfall.

Sister R's pet sloth likes to hide;)

Week 2 in Leon. Teaching, moving and peacocks?

Hello everyone!

We had another crazy, busy, hot, amazing week here in San Antonio.

Tuesday we had zone conference and were able to hear from our Mission
President and our other mission leaders. The theme of the conference
was prayer. It was so amazing. The spirit was so strong. We talked a
lot about how prayer is essential in conversion. As missionaries we
invite people to pray all the time because we know that no one can
know of the truthfulness of the gospel without first honestly asking
God in prayer. We know that those who do ask in faith with receive an
answer through the Holy Spirit.

The rest of our week was filled with biking all around our area trying
to find more people to teach. We were specifically focused on trying
to visit people who don't always come to church.  We visited one
family who the husband served a mission in Long Beach California. That
night when we were eating with a member, we found out that the husband also
served in Long Beach at the same time. Now both our member and
the Mission President are going to reach out to this family.
Hopefully, we can all help this family to come back to church.

The craziest part of the week was when we were at service and got a
call from the Assistants. They called to tell us that we were
moving... in an hour. So we rushed home and packed everything.
(Missionary apartments have a lot random stuff that gets left behind
from years of missionaries that come and go). It is nice though, the new
apartment is a lot nicer and it is fun to live with another set of
sisters.

This week we saw a lot of animals kittens,dogs, deer, and peacocks. I
don't know why but, there is a neighborhood here that has tons of
peacocks.

The best part of the week is always when we are able to teach people
and testify to them how much God loves them. We visited an older woman
this week and I could feel how much her Heavenly Father loved her.  It
was amazing. I know that God is mindful of each of us and loves us
more than we can comprehend.

Have a great week!
Sister Olsen

Picture 1: Biking action shot ( some other sisters saw us and took the picture)
Picture 2/3 peacocks
Picture 4 kittens

Biking with Butterflies... First week in Leon Valley Area

Hi everyone!

On Tuesday I met my new companion, Sister Atkins, and moved into my
new area here in the Leon Valley area of San Antonio. Sister Atkins is
great. She has been out 6 weeks longer than I have, so we are both
still pretty new. She is from a small town in Colorado. Our area is
right by the medical school and it is pretty urban. Most of the people
that come to church are young couples who are there for the medical
school.

This area used to have a car, but they are trying to reduce the amount
of cars in the mission so they moved a car to another area. So I
continue to bike! This week there has been tons of butterflies flying
around. They all seemed to come out this week. It makes biking a
little more adventurous.

We don't have anyone that we are consistently teaching here so we have
been doing a lot of service. We helped out at a diaper bank where we
packaged diapers that are given out to families. We also always offer
to help people as we are biking around and talking to people. One day
we saw a woman mowing the lawn. Sister Atkins asked if she could mow
the lawn and she actually said yes. So Sister Atkins jumped off her
bike and started mowing the lawn right there in her skirt and
everything thing. While she was mowing the thick grass, I talked to
the woman about the church.

This week we met a man at an apartment complex. He had a lot of
questions about God and faith. We were able to explain that the Book
of Mormon could answer a lot of his questions. We gave him a copy and
some chapters to read. Hopefully we will be able to follow up with him
soon. We were able leave him with Ether 12:27 "And if men come unto me
I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that
they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble
themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and
have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto
them"

Have a great week!
Sister Olsen

Last Week in Stone Oak

Hi Everyone!!!

I got my transfer news this morning and I will be headed to a new area
in San Antonio ( Leon Valley).  My new companion will be Sister
Atkins. I have grown to love this area so much.  I will definitively
miss the people who I have been able to get to know here. I loved
being Sister Martin's companion so much. She taught me so much and I
am so grateful for the opportunity to be her companion this past
transfer. I don't really know how to adequately put into words how
much I love this area.  I know that Sister Martin and her new
companion will continue to do wonders in this area.

This past week was really busy. Wednesday was probably my busiest day
in the mission so far. We were biking all over our area in order to
teach four different lessons. One of those lessons was with "Joe". We
were not able to meet with him last week because he got a job.  So, we
were a little concerned about our lesson with him this week. We were
going to have to tell him some news and we didn't want him to get
discouraged or anything.  We prayed and discussed a lot leading up to
that lesson in order to discern the best way that we could teach him.
When we met with him, he addressed our concern first without us
bringing it up.  It was such a relief and a blessing. I know that we
were blessed because of our diligence and effort.

I look forward to updating y'all about my new area next
This week I would like to include Luke 9:24 and our prophet, Thomas S.
Monson's, thoughts on that scripture:

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will
lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it".
"I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in
service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who
live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose
their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow
and flourish--and in effect save their lives".

It continues to be a complete joy to serve here in Texas.

Have a great week!
Sister Olsen

Picture1: our district this transfer
Picture2: it rained again this week
Picture3: double rainbow:)
Picture4: a nice member gave Sister Martin and I dresses
picture 5: me and Sister Martin with sister Scott and Bell ( they
always take us grocery shopping on Mondays)