Hola a todos!! SUMMER IS FINALLY HERE AND I LOVE IT!! The weather has been absolutely amazing and we just try and be outside every moment we can!! 

There is a park right next to the church with a huge field and baseball fields and basketball courts, you name it, so for pday we and played kickball at the baseball fields. It was SO FUN! Seriously so fun. Then after a while we threw a frisbee around outside and then went back to the church and played basketball. We started on a puzzle one of the Elders moms sent but of course we didn’t have time to finish it. Usually for pday we wake up, plan for our day, do personal study all before 8 and then after 8 we clean our house, get all the chores done and then go shopping! We usually go to Walmart or Target. We talk to our family and send our emails of course. Then after we go to the church with our district (other missionaries in our area) and think of something to do together. Our pday ends at 6 and then it’s back to missionary work. That’s a typical pday. 

After district council we usually all go somewhere to eat and we went to this taco place close to the church called Tacos el Kevin. We have always driven past it and I always wanted to go and we finally did! When we walked in, it was kind of like a little market with tables and all sorts of Mexican treats and drinks and flags and other things. I was so excited because all the treats and drinks I would buy at the Mexico CCM were there! I was so happy! It was a little bit of nostalgia seeing all the boings and other drinks in the fridge and the aisle of treats and snacks I would get and snack on in the CCM. It was magical. I also of course got tacos and fries and they were delish! 

Oh my goodness you won’t believe this! So Hermana Erickson and I found these pickleball courts 10 minutes from our house and we were like yes perfect! Not super close but not super far but then one day we were on a little walk and we found pickleball courts so close to our house!! They are only 3 minutes! We were so so excited! So this week we went to go play around 7 in the morning and we got to the courts and there was this guy there practicing by himself. Hermana Erickson and I were just dinking around and the guy came over to talk to us. We got to talking and explained who we are and kinda what we do and where we are from, all of that. He told us he used to live in Arizona and he was familiar with missionaries coming and knocking on his door haha. Anyways THEN he told us that every morning from 8-12, Monday-Friday it is open play and anyone can come and just play and we were like what!! We were so excited so the next day we went at 8 and there were so many people! When we got there we were just saying hi to everyone and all of them were like what is that tag on you? We got to tell them who we are and that we are here serving voluntarily for 18 months serving and sharing the gospel with others. Some people had tons of questions about what we do and why we were here and it was just fun to tell them. One lady even asked us if we were studying to be nuns. We were like nope we’re just normal people here serving haha. A lot of people thought we had the same names since on our tags it says Hermana and then our last name. We had to explain that we go by our last name and also that we are the spanish missionaries haha. What’s the best part is that we get to play with them! It was the best because about 2 or 3 points into our games they would be like “you’re not beginners” haha and we had some pretty good games. We earned the respect of the people, so much that they told us they want to keep seeing us! We told them don’t you worry we’ll be here every day for the next 4 weeks! Now everyday that we go everyone says “the missionaries are back!” or “It’s Olsen and Erickson!” It’s a fun community and every time we go we meet more and more people! It’s such a great way to get ourselves out there. We’re all just friends and having fun and I look forward to it every morning! 

There is a lady in our ward that everybody calls mama. She is the best! She’s got that sarcastic, firey personality and haha everyone just loves her. Its lowkey so hard to tell if shes being sarcastic because one its in spanish and its so hard to read people and two sometimes shes not sarcastic about stuff. You kind of have to just sit there and smile. Anyways every Wednesday she feeds the two sets of Elders and it’s very rare that the Elders ever pass up an opportunity to go but they one of them couldn’t one night so Hermana Erickson and I got to go over for dinner with the other Elders. When we got to her house she had this magnet board that had all these missionaries tags. Everyone that goes over leaves a tag and she just has it set up in her dining room haha. She also gives everyone nicknames and she told me I look like Elsa so I am now Hermana Elsa.

Hermana Erickson and I went to the park to study and we went right as all these people were having a barbecue. We were just sitting at the tables by them and the rest of the day we smelt like smoke. Our hair, our clothes, our bags and blankets. Everything. But it was nice to be outside and enjoy the weather and just watch everyone so happy as they were gathered together. Also literally on almost every patch of grass or field of grass it is just filled with Dandelions. I think I already said this but they are just everywhere. It’s so cute 

There is a lady in our ward that is the manager at McDonalds and so she will randomly call all the missionaries and be like hey come to McDonald’s and I’ll get you all food to eat. So we just go and she gets us McDonald’s haha. The Elders everywhere we go, they always take the craziest pictures of us while we’re eating or just the craziest pictures in general wherever we are and leave a review at that place. So if you ever visit Minnesota and are looking at reviews keep that in mind. 

Sunday was Mother’s day!! I got to call my beautiful mom and talk with her and I got some surprising news! She told me some events that had happened during the week and that my dad was in the hospital. Everything is good now but it definitely was a scare. I got to call her again later and she was in the hospital with my dad and some family. So I got to talk with all of them for a bit. At church for mother’s day our ward was so cute. They passed out roses to all the women and chocolate strawberries and cookies. Then we got even more treats in relief society as well. The mothers definitely got spoiled, as they should! Later that day Hermana Ericksons mom told her that they were close to the hospital that my dad was at. Hermana Ericksons family is from Hurricane and they happened to be visiting close to the area I live that weekend. They went and visited my dad and family at the hospital and it was just the nicest thing ever. It was so fun that Hermana Ericksons and my parents got to meet! That was definitely an answer to my prayers and brought me so much comfort. We ended the day going to a barbecue at one of the members houses. It was a little ward barbecue and we all got to just talk and eat some pretty amazing food. 

My mom has got to be one of the strongest, charitable, christlike people I know. Oh my goodness I love her to death! I would do absolutely anything for her. She has been by my side every step of the way and been one of my biggest supporters in life. I want to be the apitamy of her! She is so beautiful inside and out and I couldn’t be more grateful to have her in my life! Happy Mother’s day mom!

It was a fun week!! It’s going by way too fast! I know with all my heart that this gospel is the true gospel. I don’t doubt it one bit and I never will. I see how this gospel blesses families and i see the miracles it brings. I know our Savior Jesus Christ lives! I am grateful everyday for my family that raised me so strong in this gospel and taught me to follow our ultimate example, Jesus Christ! 

There has not been one day here in Minnesota where I have not seen or heard an ambulance. I like actually can’t believe it.

I LOVE YOU ALL WITH ALL MY HEART AND PRAY FOR ALL OF YOU!! Remember God loves you and He knows you! Have a great week!

Favorite scripture of the week:

Alma 26: 16

16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

Hermana Olsen<3