Week 9--3-2-3-2

This is why I call this post 3-2-3-2:
3rd Baptism, 2 months down, 3 weeks in Ecuador and two experiences with robbers :) (not what Mom wants to hear about!)

This week I had my third baptism and completed 2 months in the mission and 3 weeks in Ecuador! I love the people here. They are very friendly and open to learning new things.

This week I had a crazy experience! I almost got robbed twice... and it all happened within like 10 minutes! Don't worry, I'm fine! The Lord protects His missionaries! So this is the story:

We were going to go talk with an Investigator to see how he was doing with his upcoming bapt. date this Saturday. His mom is super Catholic and he is worried what his mom is going to think. He is in his early 20s. The area where he lives is the more dangerous part of my area. There are tons of robbers there. While we were walking there we ran into a group of three guys, on of which my trainer knows from before I came. The convo was friendly but the way my comp was talking to them seemed different. (I can understand alot more spanish then I can actually speak but i cant understand everything yet) once we said goodbye and walked away I asked her what happened. She said "that group are robbers, I was making friends with them in hopes they don't rob us." 

   So we finally get to the Investigators house and we see that they the group of boys had been following us and were coming our way. WE had been knocking on the door trying to get inside but no one was home! so we gave up and decided to hurry over to a couple down the street to talk with them so the group of guys wouldn't try to rob us. This whole time we are praying for safety and help. we were not going to make to the couple in time but luckily we were able to stop a random man that had just turned down the street right by us. The group of guys walked away but watching us the whole time. We contacted this random man and once we were done another guy came running out of his house, yelling "Hermanas, Hermanas!"

    WE started talking to this man like the first, just talking about the gospel like good missionaries, the moment the first man was out of ear shout the man stop his sentence bad said "do you know who you were talking to? He's a bad guy, he's a robber! I felt like I had to come out her to save you!" 

  The man then walked us out of the area to a safer part.

This whole time I felt super uneasy and like I had to get out of there. The whole time I was praying that the Lord would send us someone to help. The very moment that man ran out I felt save. He wasn't a member and we will teach him with someone to accompany us in that area.

The Lord loves all us His children. Trust in Him and he will keep you safe both temporarily and spiritually! 

Love Hermana Olsen

    

 What missionary work looks like---

                                                               Learning Spanish

Much needed relief!!!

Week 8 -- Life in Ecuador-- rain, humidity and another baptism

Quevedo is great!! I can understand most of what is being said but im still learning how to speak! So we get feed lunch by the members everday. basically we have some kind of soup with a hunch of meat in it and then lots of rice with another hunch of meat on top.... I eat that everyday! We have like 10 investigators! We had another baptism this week! Her name is Virginia and she is super awesome. At first she was super catholic, she wouldn't even read our pamphlets but slowly she started to be more interested and she loves being a member! I dont not have hot water.... needless to say my showers are short... Its super humid! I dont wear my hair down ever because its too hot and im like always sweaty! the rain come randomly but you can usually tell if its going to rain like im pretty sure its going to rain today! so there are a lot of Jehova witnesses here and they always carry around umbrellas so we are not allowed to use umbrellas.... 

   I didnt even know it was easter... so I guess they dont celebrate it. 

 

                                                           Virginia's baptism

                                                     

First area-Quevedo, Ecuador-Week 7 and a baptism already!

So I'm in Quevedo, Ecuador! its great out here mom! the members are so welcoming and feed us lunch every day! I love the food here.... but not the fish, luckily I've only had it once! My trainer is Hermana Scott! She is from Ohio and super sweet and loving! She has been out for 6 months now. she is helping me with my Spanish! 

So i have some cool stories for you! so we had a lesson with a lady for the very first time (on my very first day) and I'm still learning the language so my comp does most of the teaching but at the end I felt STRONGLY impressed to share my favorite scripture with her which his 2 Nephi 22:2 after I shared it I testified about it and why it is my fav and I started crying and she was crying! She felt the spirit sooo strong It was amazing! 

we had a baptism on Saturday! my first baptism! when I got there Jorge Peña, the guy that got baptized already had like all of the lessons and a date. I only taught him one lesson but I love him and his wife which was less active until they started having the lesson. My comp said that when they started teaching them, Jorge would not look at them but now he is baptized! haha ive only known them for a week but they already love me so I count him as my baptism! that was my week!!

I love you so very much mom and very grateful for all that you have given me! 

Hermana Olsen arrives in Ecuador! -- April 9

                                                   Kendall with Pres. Amaya and his wife
                                                         and the other new missionaries

                                                Kendall with President and Sister Amaya

                                               Kendall and her first companion and trainer
                                                                        Hermana Scott

Kendall is off to Ecuador!

Left for Ecuador Monday, April 7. Flying all night with a layover in Columbia to arrive

in Ecuador mid-morning on the 8th.

Safe travels Hermana Olsen!

 

 

Last week in the CCM

It's my last Pday in the CCM!!! Its crazy how fast these 6 weeks have gone by! My last week has been the same old thing for me.... learn Spanish, teach my "progressing investigator," coaching, and countless hours of studying. But there is nothing Id rather do!  

      If there is anything that I've learned while being here is that through Christ you can do all things but you can not do anything with out Him. There have been so many times while I have been teaching that I sent a silent pray to our Padre Celestial begging for Him to help me with Español. He always answers. But He only answers according to my faith. I have to open my mouth first, saying what I do know and then He will make up the rest. If we want something we have to act in faith first and then He will give us what we need or strengthen us. Rely on the Lord and He will help you!

   I'll be in Ecuador this Tuesday and my mission will really begin! I cant wait to be there with all of my brothers and sisters! I got an email from a friend in the Quito mission, right above me. This is what he said, "Let´s see... Ecuador is not what I thought it would be, I knida pictured like jungle and animals and things like that but it´s really not. A lot of cities in the Quito mission haha. It´s still pretty awesome! You always have soup, before every meal that you eat when you don´t cook. And I´ve never used anything other then a spoon to eat here. The people are so sweet and just want to feed you all the time. You see people in total poverity just giving you so much. Such a humbling experience." I cant wait to be with these amazing and giving people!

     Thank you for all your guys support and prayers!

 

Love,

Hermana Olsen! 

 

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning!

So Ive made it over a month!!! Its fantastic!! So I had an amazing experience while teaching with my comp! Yesterday we taught a member who is less active. She said that she isnt reading the BOM and that she wants to know how she can know that she is making the correct choices. So we started off asking what she thought of the BOM and Padre Celestial and Jesucristo. She gave good answers and it made me confused that she was struggling. Anyways my comp was bearing testimony about the BOM and I was thinking of a scripture that I could share with her but nothing was coming to my mind... so I said a quick prayer asking for help and so I was flipping through the BOM real fast and I stop at one page and It was 2 Nefí 32: 3, Its feats upon the words of Christ and He will tell you all  the things that you should do. It was like perfect! It was exactly what she needed! Then I started bearing testimony about how the BOM is the words of God and that He wants all of us to return to Him and we can know how to by reading the BOM and the BOM will tell us the correct things we should do. But while i was bearing testimony I felt the spirit so strong that I started crying and I know she felt it too! She then told  us that she was the only active member in her family and she has been for a very long time and that it was hard for her. So I was directed to go look in Alma 32: 26-28, it talks about what faith is, that we need to exercise faith and if we make a place in our lives that you will be blessed and that the gospel will become delicious to you. so me and my comp bore testimony about how if she set an example for her family that they would see it and want be like her.The Spirit was so strong during that lesson it was so intense! My Spanish has never been so good and I know that I was able to touch her heart and she felt the spirit. I could literally feel the love that Padre Celestial had for her and that HE wanted her to know these things! I love being a missionary! I love sharing the gospel even though it can be hard expressing myself in spanish. The church is so true! 

   I know that if you are struggling with anything and pray to Padre Celestial(Heavenly Father) and study the scriptures that you will be given answer, as long as you do it with real intent! 

I love you guys!

Hermana Olsen!!

Mom sent cupcakes!! Kendall needed a taste of America!

Scaring the roomates!

 

A taste of Mexico

 

Today we went to the Mexico temple visitor center! It was so nice to get out of the CCM! The mexican people are crazy drivers and their roads make no sense AT ALL! Im surprised I didnt die today! But its amazing how the second you step onto even the grounds of the temple you can instantly feel the spirit! And how lucky are we to be able to have the gift of the Holy Ghost in our lives! In a Devo we had on Tuesday we were taught about the Atonement! I love learning about it. The thing that it me the most, and something we often forget is that the Atonement is much more than a forgiveness of our sins but away that we can gain any blessing we stand in need of. All we have to do is "knock, seek, and ask." The Lord knows everything that you have gone through and can help. The lord wants to bless you! Venir a Cristo (come to Christ)! Through Him all thing are possible! I love you guys! Keep praying for all the missionaries (especially the ones learning a new language!)

 

Hermana Olsen!!

Week two-complete with huge spider!

Well I made it to my second Pday! I still love the CCM! We have had some rain and its been very cold in the morning and night! I very happy that ill be going to ecuador where its nice and warm!! We have this thing called the TRC where you go and teach real investigators. Its hard teaching in spanish but i love the spirit that is felt while we teach!! The Church is so true and the Gospel that it contians is so amazing! I love learning about the gospel all day and then sharing it with people at night! On a funnier note, the other night there was a spider in the shower and it was HUGE!!!!!

Luckily I wasnt the one in the shower when it was discovered! My comp got it out for the other girl and squished that thing pretty hard! then while we were looking at it it came back to life!! I guess Heavenly Father wanted to play a little trick on us! ;) needless to say after we killed it for the SECOND time we flushed that sucker!!! Anyways, I love the Gospel! If you are ever having a hard time go talk to your Heavenly Father. He is your Father and He wants to hear from you and bless your life! I love you all! Please keep me in your prayers!!