Sister Carmen Olson

Kia Ora Whanau.... Sike I'm still here!  This week has been the most dramatic week of my mission and it happened all from inside my flat. So last Monday morning I got a call from the office telling me that I would be going home in about two days and then I sent my super dramatic last email. I received some really heartfelt responses that really lifted my spirits so thank you all so much.  Monday night I received a call from President Soloai. I assumed that it was going to be about me going home but then next minute he tells me that I need to be in Palmerston North by  12:30pm  the next day to pick up another trainee! They evacuated the MTC and our mission took in 7 missionaries. I was like what the heck! Am I going home or am I training?  Anyways, the next day I had so much anxiety because Monday was such an emotional roller coaster. The zone leaders dropped by in the morning to drop off an extra bed and I just felt really prompted to get a blessing and it spoke...

Kia Ora Whanau! ....For the last time?  Okay so this week I got transfered up to Hawks Bay and I got my cute new trainee Sister Rigby from ONTARIO CANADA!!!! We were both so excited to be companions with a Canadian!  We are pink washing the Waipukurau area (taking over from elders) and when we got to the flat Tuesday night and it was so gross and the Elders left us absolutely no notes about the area! I called them and asked what they were doing and basically they hadn't been doing any work.  Wednesday the Senior couple and the Zone Leaders and the District Leaders came and helped us clean the flat all day! It was the best, I was so grateful. We cleaned until 6:30pm. Wednesday night we met our Branch President and his wife and they are so cute and so onto it with missionary work, it's the best! Then that night we got a call telling us that we are being quarantined on Friday! I was like what the heck! How are we suppose to pink wash an area when we can't visit ...

 Kia Ora Whanau Okay so everyone has been asking me about Corona virus so here's the update. There have been 5 confirmed cases in Auckland and yesterday there was one in Queenstown. New Zealand has just instituted a rule that all over seas visitors have to be in self isolation for 14 days upon arrival unless they are from the pacific islands. The only way its affected missionaries is we no long shake hands or hug people and obviously we don't go to church as all congregations have been cancelled world wide. The only other way its affected misisonaries is Sister Taroni and Sister Alves, both from Europe, had to go home 2 days early from their mission because of flight restrictions. We did a mission wide fast to stop the spread of the virus. Tomorrow the new intake of missionaries is coming and instead of having the trainers come to the mission office to greet them, they are staying in the areas and the trainees are coming to them so that we don't have unnecessary lar...

Kia Ora Whanau This week we went on back to back exchanges which was good but a struggle. I was away from my area for 48hours which was not my favourite. I love my area and my companion!  Our ward had its ministering night on Tuesday and we made so many posts on facebook to make sure people knew about it so that the members would come and they did! I was so excited because this was the first time members actually showed up! It was great because we had enough members to go with each companionship. We had so many great reports and our Bishop was so excited about it. We took a photo afterwards and posted it on the ward facebook to try and encourage people to come next month. Wednesday I was on exchanges and we just walked and visited people. One lady that we visited talked for forever it was crazy haha. I don't think I've ever met someone who had so much to say before haha.  On Thursday we were still on exchanges and then Sister Crichton called me and said we hav...

Kia Ora Whanau Being a non samoan speaking missionary in a samaon ward is interesting. Your success as a missionary is measured in a totally different way. It's no longer measured by how well you teach or how well you invite people or the fruits that you see, its measured in your diligence in being obedient and focused even though you are participating as obviously in conversations and lessons. It's been a cool thing to see and learn. Tuesday was my birthday! I got spoiled by the sisters! We did heaps of service which was such a fun way to spend my birthday. We also got a new person to teach! What a great birthday gift!  Wednesday no one was home all day. Just one of those days. Everyone has them. Those are just the days when you have to remember why you're here. They always end up good.  Thursday we had a dinner appointment with a part member family and we asked the Dad if we could start teaching his daughter. He said we could teach her but it's not he...

 Kia Ora Whanau Pisi le ualoka samoa! The Samoan ward keeps us so so busy! This week we didn't even have the records of the samoan members from other areas of the city, just those in our original area and we were so crazy busy. We have no down time and it's the best! Next week when we get everyone's records it's going to be insane! It's such a miracle and a blessing. I love the samoan ward! The language is a struggle but again, the gift of tongues is so real! I can mostly follow the general idea of conversations which is good enough for me to be able to add in my part, especially when teaching. I am so grateful that Sister Crichton is such a strong missionary because she is able to do so much for us with her language skills.   On Tuesday we had to go through our area book and send all of the non samoan records to the elders in the English ward. We didn't think it was going to take that long but it took forever! We finally got it done though and spent...