It's been a good week here. Fast! But good. A few random things to mention - EVERYTHING here is in French and English. It's kind of cool. I don't remember a lot of my French, but it's fun to remember how to pronounce SOME things. French and Spanish are getting more and more confused......haha. The kids here have to learn a certain amount of French. But they also have the option in the second grade to have French Submersion where they have only French teachers for like two or three more grades. So there are little 10 year olds I've met that are already bi-lingual! So cool. After that they can do whatever. But I haven't heard anyone really speak French yet. haha
Thanksgiving is this next week. Already! I'm not sure why it's earlier than ours, but who cares, we're eating Thanksgiving with a family - the Rance's. Sister Rance is an amazing cook. I'm excited.
Conference was an interesting experience...we invited lots of investigators out to the church to watch it broadcast....lo and behold Saturday morning the satellite isn't working! We couldn't get a signal! None of the branch presidency were there either days, so we totally felt responsible for getting it to work somehow! It was not cool. We ended up watching it on the computer in the clerk’s office. All of us crowded in there. The internet was skipping and it was difficult to watch, but it worked! Definitely a test of our patience. There were maybe 15 there to watch. By the afternoon session each day, only 6 of us. Sunday, the satellite worked! The Lord definitely helped us out there. By afternoon session again, there were only 6 of us there. No investigators. I can't tell you how hard we tried to get them there. It was sad. I felt like no one realized the importance or the amazing opportunity they had! But I don't doubt that some watched it online, or that we'll share talks with them....I know conference will work its magic. I kept thinking of people as talks were given that would benefit from hearing that certain talk.
It's funny. I've discovered there is a very easy going mentality here. They don't mind cancelling or making you wait....non committal...You can probably understand how that would frustrate someone like me. hahaha
The other day we got together with a less active who has all this music. We wanted some gospel music that was more familiar to the people at the old folks home, to let them sing along more. And share our songs with them as well obviously. But he brought us some music and we went over some of it. He is a big black man with an incredible voice! It was so fun to play for him, just as he showed us the songs. I need to work on my sight reading.....but good practice! It was funny as we left and I shook his hand, he grabbed my hand and was like, "Take care of these. NO dishes." haha Apparently he misses the piano and his music. Cool experience. We're going to see if we can get him to come along with us one of these times and perform for the people in the home!
We have an investigator that we're teaching Dot - she's maybe in her 70's or 80's. Her husband Tom has Alzheimer's and lives in a home. She's been taught so much and believes everything, but is just so hesitant to commit to baptism and coming to church and praying out loud with us and such. She has so much stress going on in her life right now and she keeps saying when things slow down...when things get better. It's hard to make her see past that mentality. She needs to exercise her faith and leap into the Lord's arms now, which are already there and waiting! Sometimes it's so discouraging to know how to help these people see things as they really are. I know that relief from the Savior is available today. For anyone.
I did a study the other day on the three kingdoms (D&C 76). And I just thought I'd share a couple thoughts. I'd encourage anyone to study it. It's so good to really see the details of how what we do now truly does affect how we will spend ETERNITY. Forever. What kind of state do we want to live forever in? I know that can seem doom and gloom, but we need to know that our greatest desires can be ours! But we do have to work for them. Can't be passive in working out our salvation with God through Christ.
The gospel is true and is a pattern of living that gives us hope, happiness, and vision! Coming unto the Savior is always worth it. Life doesn't always get easier, but we become stronger and more ready to deal with it as we turn to the Savior.
Anyhoo, in closing - shout out to SHEY! I got your package yesterday. The mailman handed it to me in the rain and I was so excited!! Can't tell you how much I LOVE the contents! I will be writing you back soon and it'll take two weeks to get there, SO know that I love you! Love, Sister Olsen
Thanksgiving is this next week. Already! I'm not sure why it's earlier than ours, but who cares, we're eating Thanksgiving with a family - the Rance's. Sister Rance is an amazing cook. I'm excited.
Conference was an interesting experience...we invited lots of investigators out to the church to watch it broadcast....lo and behold Saturday morning the satellite isn't working! We couldn't get a signal! None of the branch presidency were there either days, so we totally felt responsible for getting it to work somehow! It was not cool. We ended up watching it on the computer in the clerk’s office. All of us crowded in there. The internet was skipping and it was difficult to watch, but it worked! Definitely a test of our patience. There were maybe 15 there to watch. By the afternoon session each day, only 6 of us. Sunday, the satellite worked! The Lord definitely helped us out there. By afternoon session again, there were only 6 of us there. No investigators. I can't tell you how hard we tried to get them there. It was sad. I felt like no one realized the importance or the amazing opportunity they had! But I don't doubt that some watched it online, or that we'll share talks with them....I know conference will work its magic. I kept thinking of people as talks were given that would benefit from hearing that certain talk.
It's funny. I've discovered there is a very easy going mentality here. They don't mind cancelling or making you wait....non committal...You can probably understand how that would frustrate someone like me. hahaha
The other day we got together with a less active who has all this music. We wanted some gospel music that was more familiar to the people at the old folks home, to let them sing along more. And share our songs with them as well obviously. But he brought us some music and we went over some of it. He is a big black man with an incredible voice! It was so fun to play for him, just as he showed us the songs. I need to work on my sight reading.....but good practice! It was funny as we left and I shook his hand, he grabbed my hand and was like, "Take care of these. NO dishes." haha Apparently he misses the piano and his music. Cool experience. We're going to see if we can get him to come along with us one of these times and perform for the people in the home!
We have an investigator that we're teaching Dot - she's maybe in her 70's or 80's. Her husband Tom has Alzheimer's and lives in a home. She's been taught so much and believes everything, but is just so hesitant to commit to baptism and coming to church and praying out loud with us and such. She has so much stress going on in her life right now and she keeps saying when things slow down...when things get better. It's hard to make her see past that mentality. She needs to exercise her faith and leap into the Lord's arms now, which are already there and waiting! Sometimes it's so discouraging to know how to help these people see things as they really are. I know that relief from the Savior is available today. For anyone.
I did a study the other day on the three kingdoms (D&C 76). And I just thought I'd share a couple thoughts. I'd encourage anyone to study it. It's so good to really see the details of how what we do now truly does affect how we will spend ETERNITY. Forever. What kind of state do we want to live forever in? I know that can seem doom and gloom, but we need to know that our greatest desires can be ours! But we do have to work for them. Can't be passive in working out our salvation with God through Christ.
The gospel is true and is a pattern of living that gives us hope, happiness, and vision! Coming unto the Savior is always worth it. Life doesn't always get easier, but we become stronger and more ready to deal with it as we turn to the Savior.
Anyhoo, in closing - shout out to SHEY! I got your package yesterday. The mailman handed it to me in the rain and I was so excited!! Can't tell you how much I LOVE the contents! I will be writing you back soon and it'll take two weeks to get there, SO know that I love you! Love, Sister Olsen
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