Week 74



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 large gatherings. 

That brings me to transfer news. On Friday evening I received a call from the A.P.s telling me that I am getting transfered and I will be pink washing an area and training. To be honest I was not happy, I have never yelled at the Aps before but I yelled because I absolutely love the Samoan ward and President told me a couple of weeks ago that I will stay there to finish my mission. We see so many miracle everyday and my faasamoa was seki as. I had a little moment where I shook my hands at heaven and said "how could you do this to me?! I love the area and I was serving around two of my trainees - my favourite companions ever." Anyways, after my moment of weakness I said a prayer and I know why I'm needed in this next area and while saying goodbye to all the awesome things here in Christchurch, the Lord has even better things planned for me in my next area and so much growth to experience. I will be serving in the Hawks Bay Zone in Waipukurau. 

This week was so fast and had so many miracles! 

On Monday night last week we had Family Home Evening with Sister Crichtons family. It was so good and we started teaching her nonmember cousin Fele, and he is soooooo keen! He'll totally get baptized next month! 

Tuesday was a day of service! We had 3 separate services it was so busy. We also met a refferal from a member. She grew up going to church but doesn't anymore and is interested din learning more. Honestly it was a miracle being able to find her because Samoans don't give you normal addresses, they give you island directions and sometimes you get lost haha 

Wednesday Sister Crichton was sick so we stayed home and I cleaned the flat. 

Thursday was such a cool day. In the morning during my studies I felt prompted to learn how to testify of the restoration in Samoan. I memorized three simple sentances "Oute iloa e moni le talalelei. Oute iloa O Le Tusi a Mamona e moni. Oute iloa o le perofeta Russell M. Nelson o se perofeta o lo'o taitaina tatou I aso nei." I was so nervous to share it because I didn't want to mess up but I remembered that in D&C 84:85 the Lord counsels us to not think about what we are going to say before we say it so I did my best to not think about it. Then when it was time to share, the words just rolled so perfectly out of my mouth and the spirit filled the room. It was so cool! We started teaching a new person too from that lesson! 

I was able to testify in samoan a couple of other times as well this week and I felt the spirit so much when I did! This is why I was so sad to get transferred. But it's okay because just as the heavens are higher than the earth so are the Lords ways higher than mine. 

Ofa atu

Sister Olson