Week 6

Family and Friends!

It's been a really GOOD week here in Sandy east! I got my bike and wahoo! It's been nice! However my companion's bike doesn't have gears so we only ride our bikes in the morning up and down the street for exercise. haha! It's getting really COLD! It's time for me to bring out the winter clothes. Especially in the mornings and evenings.

The Lord has blessed us and we are so thankful for the experiences we've had. In regards to missionary work, our 88 year old investigator has committed to a baptismal date! November 2! It's such a blessing to see this man grow. He's encountered MANY sets of missionaries over the years and his wife is even a member but less active. However over the last few weeks they both have been progressing tremendously. He knows that the Book of Mormon is true and he wants to live with family forever. We know we can receive blessings when we choose to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the proper Priesthood authority of God.

Also, last Monday we were checking up on a potential investigator and he said he wasn't interested so as we were leaving about the cross the main road, a black car slowed down. It was dark and the car turned around, rolled down the window and said "hi sisters! I have someone you can teach!" So we've met with his young man, he's 26, from Brazil twice this week! He has a strong desire to become a member of the church but he's scared for how drastic this change will be. So we're teaching him and he's progressing.

Heavenly Father has prepared people to receive our messages. We've been struggling the last 6 weeks but things are looking up. The ward missionary leader from one of the wards called us last night and said they have a young boy (10 years) who is wanting to be baptized. We're going to check in on him tonight.

Transfer are tomorrow. I have a feeling I'll still be here, but my companion will be leaving and I'll most likely be training a new missionary! Crazy! tomorrow marks 7 weeks I've been here in the field. Every day is a struggle and blessing. I continue to pray for strength, understanding and patience. I have a testimony of prayer. Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. I invite you to continue to pray to our Father in Heaven. Brothers and Sisters, I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been Restored on the earth today. I love the Book of Mormon. It truly is another testament of Jesus Christ.I have faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement and through him he's made it possible to live with our Father and our families again.

I love you all. Have a good week!

LOVE,

Sister Olszowka

P.S
 This past week was the rivalry game. You could tell some houses were divided. (see pictures below)
Our investigator and his wife. We love them sooo much.

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Week 5

Hi Family!

This week as gone by fast! My companion and I have  been grateful for the evening appointments we've had! Since it's getting darker earlier it's really hard and uncomfortable to knock on someone's door at 8:45pm! All the lessons were with Member families which was good teaching practice. I've made visual aides to use in our lessons, it's really helpful. We had a lesson about tithing with a less-active family with four young kids. They been less-active for a while, the previous missionaries have worked with the family and now we're working with them and getting them back to church. We used pretend money with the tithing lesson and the kids had a lot of fun! It was cute. The mom is so sweet. She gave us flowers and a card (see picture below) expressing her love and appreciation that we've never given up on them and for always visiting and teaching her and the kids. It was the nicest thing! This experience was strengthened my testimony that persistence and encouragement is needed.

oh! The the 1st Counselor of the Mission Presidency came to one of our lessons on Tuesday night with a less-active member, it went GREAT! Sister Woods is so excited and willing to read the Book of Mormon. She hasn't been to church in 30 years, but she's finally ready to come back. She's awesome and we love her so much! Our 88 year old investigator is slowly coming along, we're still encouraging him to pray and come to church. Getting him to church is hard, he's stubborn. Also this week we've come across many elderly people who are really lonely, mostly because their loved one has passed away. They just want someone to talk to and we've taken sometime to stop and chat. Ensuring them that they will be able to see their loved one again. Really nice people.

Stake Conference went well. We sang as a quartet! Two sopranos and two altos and we sang a verse in Fijian. We had many compliments and we've been asked to sing again this Thursday for one of the youth activities.

I should be getting my bike today! YAY!! I'm excited to ride it! and it's starting to get COLD in the evenings! oh gosh, I'm really nervous for the winter. Transfers are also coming up next week so we'll see what happens. I think I might be training, but would be exciting.

Our area is tough since it's really small, but we're working hard to strengthen the ward and build relationships with them. We are grateful for the nightly dinner. I've heard most missionaries aren't fed every night, but here were are! Very fortunate to work with these members.

Also we had a flash flood warning this past week too. crazy! We had to tract (find new investigators) in the RAIN! Thankfully we had umbrellas (see photo) and made the most of it. I wore my Crocs so my feet stayed really dry. hehe.

Well family, I love you so much. I think and pray for you often. I'm so BLESSED with amazing parents. I love you. Until next week. Keep reading and studying your scriptures, pray often and go to church. Heavenly Father will bless us if we continue to choose the right.

Sister Olszowka

Week 4

Hi Family and Friends!

Lately it's been hot and humid! We've also had some crazy evening with rain, lightning and thunder. I'm scared of lightning! I don't like it. weh! In regards to missionary work nothing new to report. I met this one lady from Kahalu'u/Kaneohe area! We chatted a bit about Hawai'i which was really nice, but she wasn't interested in a Family Night. oh well. She said we could stop by whenever we needed water or a bathroom break. This past Tuesday and Wednesday were really busy with meeting with less-active members and investigators, but then Thursday, Friday and Saturday were really slow. It's really hard to knock on doors in the evening, now that it's getting darker earlier. So we're trying to set up appointments for the evening so we're not walking around in the dark. We have dinner with Members every evening and I've had peach cobbler 4 times within the last week! Yes, peaches are in season! One elderly man said we could pick as many as we want. Grapes are coming in soon!

Love you all. Have a good week!

Week 3

Another week has gone by in Sandy! Wow. Last Tuesday I went on an exchange with another Sister in a different area, Riverton. It was a great experience to see a different area and to work with another missionary. She had a car so we drove around to our appointments which was a nice break for my feet. We taught two lessons and then met with a few less active Members. We had dinner with a Tongan family and they're related to the Vea Family. Small world yeah? All Polynesians are related somehow. haha.

We're working hard with less-active members in our area. The Lord has truly provided us with tender mercies this week. Three less-active Members came to church which was GREAT!! They really enjoyed church and felt the Spirit and said they're going to come more often. Our investigator is slowly progressing. He's gone through a few sets of missionaries and the previous Sisters have been working with him too, but he won't commit to baptism. He's 88 years old! Really cute old man. haha! Reminds me of Grandpa Olszowka. oh! and we might have found a potential investigator, we're going to stop by again to see if we can set up an appointment this week. It's really hard to work only with four wards. At times I feel like we've exhausted the area because it's so small so we try to set up active member family home evenings too. Last night was another tender mercy of the Lord. We showed a DVD about missionary work to a family (both parents are return missionaries) and how invited them to think of ways we can invite others to build their faith in Christ and WOW! The wife was so touched by the Spirit she jumped up and took us down the road to a non-member neighbors and we have an appointment with her next Sunday.

My feet have definitely built callouses. One member even bought me new shoes! She's so sweet! They're crocs! haha. black flats. They are comfy but since my feet sweat soooo much no matter what kind of shoe I wear they'll always rub against my heel.

The Members have been so generous in giving us fruits and veggies from their yard! Yes, everyone here in Utah has a GARDEN! Not gonna lie, I kind of want to have one too! haha!

Okay, until next week! Love you!

Dead snake we found

New shoes from a member!

Everywhere Signs!

Sister Baleivuna from Fiji; we came out the same day and she serves in our Stake too.