If any of you even know anything about Hurricane Earl........yes, we survived! hahaha If you were wondering. We found out only on Thursday and were wondering when ANYONE was going to tell us that a hurricane was headed our way. But Saturday ended up just being a tropical storm. Our power was out all day and we stayed in watching the storm. It was kind of fun! Not much damage was done to the area....just a few broken trees everywhere. I wish we could have been out in Eastern Passage to see the waves tho! The few days before were SOOOO hot. It was like a record breaking hot week for Nova Scotia. We were sweating buckets while we were out knocking. And people here don't usually have air conditioning either; so no reprieve. And most don't have a concept of how to cool down their houses at night and trap in cool air either. They just leave all the windows and doors open all day and swelter. But since the tropical storm, things have really cooled down. I'm sooooo grateful. I am so much more of a fall person. Layering clothes, not sweating......Good stuff.

But anyway, I noticed another difference here I found strange and thought I'd point out. When at dinner appointments and they say we're going to have strawberry shortcake.......we all expect some angel food cake or something. But every time, we've eaten it on biscuits! Like biscuits that you butter! In fact one time, this older lady buttered them for us and then piled on the strawberries and ice cream!! I'm sorry, but I just don't think biscuits and sweet deserts mix hahah. Call me American. Or maybe just too young, I'm not sure.

This week is going by fast. We had leadership training 8:45 to 4pm yesterday, today, and then will tomorrow! It's intense. But its good stuff that we're learning/reviewing. And I love seeing all the other missionaries. I'm so dog tired and come away with a headache every time though!! We found out yesterday at the meeting that Kingston Sisters were going to spend two nights with us on exchanges, and we were totally unprepared for that. But it turned out alright, they just have no food of ours to really eat, or towels to shower with, or anything hahahaha. So it's been a busy but fun week. These meetings are always inspiring to get out there and do a better job. So I enjoy them. Oh and yesterday morning as we were getting ready to go, the power randomly went out before I got to fix my hair! That was pretty. And then I broke a dish in the dark haha. What a great start to the day.

I hope you all are having a great week! I want you to know I'm so grateful for my testimony. It is the foundation of everything I am, whatever that is or isn't. I'm so grateful for the experiences I have had in my life, and the experiences I am having here. My mission President said yesterday that everything we experience after our missions will in some way reflect on a smaller scale the things that we have experienced here. I know I will be better prepared to face life. I'm so grateful for this experience of a mission. Thank you to all you who support me in being here. I love you all! Sister Jen Olsen