Week 19

Mele Kalikimaka Family and Friends!

Transfers happened this past Wednesday and I have a new companion!!! Sister Paredes! She's from PARAGUAY!!!!! She's been out for two months originally in a Spanish assignment, but is now serving with me in an English assignment. She speaks VERY well and is so sweet! The other Sisters in our area were transferred to Herriman so that means we cover the whole stake now! Yes we cover 9 wards and we have the car full time! wahoo! No more walking in the snow. Actually I take that back, we still walk in the snow but not as much. Also when the cars are grounded we walk. We're still living in our cozy little apartment too.

Sister Allan got her mission call and I was able to be there when she opened her called. She's headed to Tempe Arizona! She reports January 1st 2014.

Here are a few snow photos. It snowed a lot this week and the cars were grounded so we had to walk. I love the way the trees look, but man! It's cold! We also went to a neighborhood party where we made s'mores! Sister Paredes has never had one!

On Sunday we walked into one of the new wards we cover and guess who was on the stand?!?! President Boyd K. Packer (President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) and Elder Allan Packer (A member of the Quorum of the Seventy)!! It was such a nice surprise to see them and to hear their words and counsel. Some of counsel given by President Packer was that "guilt is a disease and repentance is the cure." We all have access to the Atonement and we need to ask (through prayer) the Father in Christ's name to help us. We need to lay hold of repentance to be free of guilt and addiction. We don't need to carry them, the Atonement takes away our pains, afflictions, trials, etc. Family, prayer is so powerful. Pray unto the Father and I promise you that you'll receive answers and feel at peace. Lastly, President Packer mentioned, in order to be happy we need to be active in the church and read the Book of Mormon; it's a map and we can find ourselves in it. Family and friends, if you haven't been to church is a while, go to church. Church is a place for sinners and it's a new year, a new start! There's only 52 Sundays in the year and I know that when I go to church I feel so renewed and uplifted. I love the Gospel and I love my Savior. My faith and my testimony grow every day.

That's all for now.

Have a Merry Christmas! I love you all!

Sister Olszowka

Week 18

Aloha from freezing Sandy!

Sister Allan and I had a little bit of a tough week, but we remain optimistic! Our two baptisms that were schedule for this month fell through. Sad times. They feel they're not ready and they don't want to commit. I've learned everyone has their time and we can't push them. Heavenly Father has blessed us with agency and we are free to accept or reject the message of gospel of Jesus Christ. Maybe we're here to just to "plant the seed" but I know the Lord has His hand in all things. So please keep them in your prayers.

Sister Allan's trial mission is done today. We're taking her to the mission office at 3:30pm where she'll open her new call letter with her family. I think she'll be going somewhere back east or Michigan! She doesn't like the cold either so I joke about her going to Michigan. LOL! We think alike and both are dedicated to missionary work; I'll miss her, but know she'll do good where ever she's called.

So with that said, I believe I'll just be paired with the other sisters in the district until Wednesday. No one really told us otherwise. I don't know. I learned you just need to be flexible. Transfers are this week! I'll most likely be staying here in Sandy and will be training a brand new Sister missionary.

This past Friday we attended a ward Christmas party. We helped with the set-up and mingled with a lot of less-actives. The party had a really good program centered on our Savior which was a nice way to end the night.

This was our week to walk. I didn't have good pair of gloves and I tried to find some last P-day, but was unsuccessful. I said a little prayer and when we got home there was a bag with gloves, feet warmers and saran wrap! A sweet, sweet Sister thought we could use these and dropped them off for us! An answer to my prayers. She even stopped by again during the week when we weren't home and dropped off headbands and heating pads! WOW! We definitely wrote her a thank you note and delivered it with some Hawaiian candies. My feet get sooo cold. Sometimes I wear three pairs of socks! This Sister wrote in a note to wear a pair of socks, then saran wrap your feet and then another pair of socks and this would help keep my feet warm and it has! So yes, I wear saran wrap some days! haha!

Last night we helped Boone (less-active) and Nola decorate their Christmas tree. I gave them two ornaments to put on their tree as well. We visit them about once a week. See photo below.

Next week our P-day is on Tuesday and I'll get to call/skype home on Wednesday. I'm REALLY look forward that!! I miss you CHOKE!

Love,

Sister Olszowka

Week 17

AHHH SNOW!!!!

Oh my goodness. Snow. oh how I don't enjoy this bitter coldness. So it dumped snow this week!!! I opened the blinds on Tuesday and thought "YAY! it's snowing!!! It's so nice" Then when we went outside I was said "oh no, I can't handle this stuff!!!" It's seriously soooo cold. It got down to 7 degrees! I can't feel my hands and my feet, I even wear double socks!!  Luckily we had the car this week, but still walking from door to door we were frozen. I don't know how people can live in this. Also it doesn't go away! It's gonna be around until May! Please excuse my rant about the snow/coldness, but you have to understand I'm a topical girl, I like it warm and sunny. I mean Washington was cold and rainy, but this is WAY WORSE!  I've officially decided that I will NEVER live somewhere where it snows. Oh and driving in the snow is not the business! They grounded the cars on Tuesday because it was really bad. But not to worry, I'm learning how to drive in this.

In other news, Angel, who was scheduled to be baptized on Saturday got cold feet and told us he didn't want to be baptized anymore. We tried to resolve his concerns, but we all have agency. Please keep him in your prayers. Nola told us she'd come to church, but she ended up not coming, we're planning to see her this evening so see what's up. We're teaching a new investigator, Michelle. She's from South Africa and knows the church is true. She's read the Book of Mormon and has a strong testimony of it, and her baptism is scheduled for December 28th. We're also working with a cute Thai lady, her name is Pien. Brah! she's sooo funny!!! See attached photo below. She's lived in Utah for 17 years and is a widow. We're hoping to have her baptism on the 28th as well.

We attended 3 out of the 4 ward parties this weekend. We delivered invitations to many less active members, but none came! So that was a bummer, but we're not giving up! We helped serve the food. Funny story: So we were helping in the kitchen and one lady picked up the container of gravy and BOOM! It fell and I turned around and she had gravy in her hair and on her face!!! I know this sounds a little mean to laugh at, but it was funny don't you think? haha! No worries, I helped clean the gravy out of her hair.

We shoveled a few driveways this past week too, and man! That was tough work! It was really icy! I needed an ice pick! We did the best we could. I REALLY couldn't feel my fingers after that. burrrrr.

We were able to watch the Christmas Devotional last night which was enjoyable and uplifting. :)

Enjoy the photos of this past week!! Lots of snow and more to come huh? ugh. A few photos of Festival of Trees. There was a Ninja Turtle tree and a Girl Scout Cookie tree. Lots of fun, cute trees donated. The Sisters volunteered to help.

Love,
Sister Olszowka

P.S. Utah people are BIG on hot chocolate. Seriously. It's called Stephen Hot Chocolate. At first I was like, "why does everyone invite us in for hot chocolate?" But now that it's cold outside, I appreciate the gesture.

Week 16

Happy DECEMBER!! :)

Let me tell you something... people here in Utah know how to decorate for the seasons! I've never seen so many lights! Then someone told me, they have to put them on early before the snow comes which makes sense. I walk into homes and people have the cutest holiday things!

It's supposed to get really cold this week....like 7 degrees! oka! Thank goodness we get the car!

Oh! Great news! We have a baptism scheduled for this weekend! Our investigator Angel is getting baptized! Our other investigator, Nola has committed to baptism too, December 25th! Christmas day! We were able to take Angel to Temple Square yesterday for a tour. We weren't able to see all the beautiful Christmas lights, but that's okay, the tour was GREAT! There are pictures below. There's a replica of the temple which is pretty awesome. We went into the Tabernacle which there is over 11,000 pipes; only 1% of them are shown! I honestly I wouldn't mind being a Temple Square Sister. The Sisters that gave us tour, one was from Florida and the other from Sweden.

Thanksgiving was good! Mom and Dad, I packaged the candies and we delivered them. It was a day of giving service and thanks to others. Sister Allan made rolls too. We had a brunch in the afternoon and then dinner at 5pm with a nice family in one of the wards. Most of their kids and grandkids were there too.  We were soo full we left for an hour and made more delivers on foot and came back for pie. haha!

Hmm other things...we're helping at Festival of Trees today. All the money from the event goes to Primary's Children Hospital.

 I also got a hair trim from a Member in the ward last monday too. Nothing too crazy but it definitely need it!

Okay, I gotta go, but love you all!

Have a great week!

P.S. That's a HAWAIIAN book of Mormon!!! cool huh!