Week 75

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 people and we don't know anyone! Also all the people in the branch are old and don't have Facebook so what are we supposed to do?! 

Thursday we speed met as many people as possible and the members are few in number but all so supportive and offered to buy us stuff and gave us games for quarantined. It was a great time.

Friday we had a mission wide video call and it was cool where we recieved information from President Soloai about the quarantine. It was crazy, we got a super strict schedule and it's honestly all going to be okay. 

Saturday we did weekly planning and received so much revelation about how we can continue to be effective and move the work forward. It was miraculous! I know this is the Lords work and that NOTHING can stop it from moving forward! What a testimony builder. 

We are allowed to visit members if they have us over for dinner so Sunday we sent an email out begging people feed us and a super nice family invited us over some got to visit people and share a message in person! It was so great! 

Today, I received such a sad phone call from the office. They told me that I will be getting released early and flying home as soon as possible. There are currently no flights to Canada so I don't know when that will be or what's happening. Honestly it was the worst because I LOVE being a missionary! I have never felt so much joy before in my life and it has become who I am at my very core. If my mission has taught me anything it's that God is our loving Heavenly Father and He knows EVERYONE so perfectly and He loves them so much. It's so comforting to know this because I know that there is nothing that anyone could do that would make Him love you any less. It's so amazing. I also KNOW that Jesus Christ lives and that His atonement is perfect and infinite. It's so perfect for everyone. There's a quote that says "the atonement is infinite in scope and individual in reach" which is so true. I wish I could speak with the power of Angel's and touch every individuals heart and help them know that this is all true! I wish I could share my testimony with everyone! I have worked my hardest during these 18 months to reach as many of Heavenly Fathers children as possible and I will keep reaching out to them even when I am home. If you have ever considered serving a mission I exhort you to go! It will be the biggest blessing in your life! I wish I was better with words because I cannot Express to each and everyone of you how I am feeling. I pray that the spirit can touch each of your hearts so you can feel at least a portion of the love and joy and gratitude that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ has brought to me! 

If any of my emails have ever touched you in a way you didn't expect, just know that it's not because I am a fantastic emailer, it's because Heavenly Father who loves you is reaching out to you and He wants you to learn more and come closer to Him! 

Coming on my mission was a huge act of faith and now going home early is going to require to require a lot of faith as well. It's funny how it's all come full circle. But it's not until after the trial of your faith that you receive a witness. The scripture that is racing through my head today is Isaiah 55:8-9 which says "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." This has been very close to my heart today. 

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's church on the earth today! I know it's the only true and living church on the earth today and it can bless everyone! I know that Christ lives and that He loves you! I love you and I'm so grateful for all the support I've recieved over these last 18 months.

Ofa Lahi Atu

Sister Olson