again, i didnt feel the earthquake.. im not sure why i cant ever feel them. haha but so spencer talked with his grandpa and his grandpa said he cant take the lessons until he is a senior so he's not just doing it for his girlfriend. so that was rough.
but for christmas im not really sure, i would like a spikeball net though actually that would be fun. other than that just clothes, music, movies,.. i dont really have anything in particular, ill think about that this week and get back to you on that!
but i dont have as much to say this week. and i still need to write my group email and i dont have a lot of time to write that. and yes that picture is grand lake. its this little cove we found with our ward mission leader one night so we went back and took those pictures. i think they turned out pretty good!
also, when is the ward christmas party? my final day out here is the grove ward mission party so im pretty happy about that! that wednesday before i go to the mission home, its going to be p-day then the christmas party! december 14th! it will be fun!
but anyways, like i said i should write my group email. love you!
On Sun, Nov 13, 2016 at 5:19 PM,
wrote:
My Dearest Elder Olsen,
How are you? How has your week been? I am very excited to hear from you this week!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for the tag pictures!! They were pretty fun. I absolutely love the picture of you by the lake. Is that Grand Lake? People have asked where that picture was taken. Some thought it looks tropical. At any rate it is a great picture! I am very happy to hear that you get to stay in Grove for your last transfer. It seems to take a couple of transfers to get to know the people and it seems like you are making connections with the people there. How is Spencer doing?
I forgot to ask you about the earthquake last week. Did you feel it? It was a pretty big earthquake and they said it was felt in Little Rock, Arkansas and some places in Missouri also. I read some articles about the increase in earthquakes in Oklahoma since 2009. Apparently it is because of the fracking from oil refineries. It's kind of scary. Hopefully everyone will be safe until people start to figure out that they will need to change that practice.
Well the election is over and the results were pretty unexpected and terrifying. I don't know if you have heard or not but there are protests all over the country about the outcome. No one can change the results of the election (except for congress and they won't) but I do hope that Trump will realize that he doesn't have the mandate of the people and his message of hatred will need to change. We will just have to pray that everything will be okay. At least the forefathers had the inspiration to limit the power of the President.
I have started thinking about Christmas and getting some shopping done. I might do it all online this year. It's so much easier that way. I sure it won't all be done online but hopefully most of it. Anyway what would you like for Christmas and your Birthday this year? I won't send you your birthday presents I will just wait for you to come home and we can celebrate it then. Let me know what you think you might like.
I am happy to hear that your ties made it okay. I did choose the other color of the ties that they had. That way you wouldn't have exactly the same ties as Elder Hill. I was worried that they wouldn't make it before you came home. Also Elder Gehring's Hoodie came this week so that was a good thing.
Hilary and I went to Brigham yesterday to McKell's baby shower. I think I told you she is having a baby boy, didn't I? Anyway she is due on Christmas Day but her doctor might induce her earlier than that because the baby is getting pretty big. I never had a doctor do that for me!! It was fun to go and see her. She will be such a cute mom. Maybe we can go and see her when you get home. She got tons of things for her new little guy. They are going to name him Jax. Patsy and Merna didn't come over so I was sad that I didn't get to see them. Patsy had to work and Merna's great granddaughter had a birthday party.
Christian had a birthday party yesterday at Nipomo Park. Phillip said he had a good time. Phil sent me some pictures so I will forward them to you. He is going up so much. I can't believe that he is 9 years old and in the 3rd grade already.
We are working on the Christmas Party as a ward council and I had the assignment to call the caterer. I did and it was all taken care of until Friday night. Then she called to tell me that she wasn't going to be able to do it after all. After talking to her for awhile she decided maybe she could do it if she could get into the church early in the day to put the meat into the oven. She is moving and won't have access to a kitchen. I told her that I could absolutely could get her into the kitchen early. She was going to talk to her husband and will call me back. I was kind of stressed because I am scheduled to have the pins taken out of my toes that day and won't be able to help at all.
That's about all that is happening in my life. Nothing to exciting except that you are coming home soon. Dad has been working in your room trying to get it ready for you. I haven't been down stairs since my surgery. I guess I will have to be brave and walk down one of these days. I am walking better everyday and my leg and knee are getting stronger again. I still have a limp but I hope it will be gone soon.
Elder Pack made it home and his mother posted an amazing letter to the Arkansas Bentonville Facebook page. It started me thinking about the blessings that I have received being a mother of a missionary. I want you to know that I love being the mother of a missionary even though I miss you very much. I can feel that spirit really strong supporting me in my life. I seem to understand the scriptures better also whenever I have had a son serving a mission. We are also financially blessed. Not that we have tons of money but that we can pay for your mission and not be financially burdened. We always seem to have appliances and cars that break down and need repairs but we have always been able to meet our obligations. While you have been out I was also able to have some of my own missionary experiences and go out with the missionaries. It was really enjoyable to go visit with the missionaries when I had the opportunity. I also feel blessed in the recovery from my surgery. I felt the love of my Savior everyday through the whole time. He was there to lift my spirits and help me to know that I could do it.
The scripture that I would like to share with you today is Alma 17:11. It seems like a great missionary scripture to me.
11 And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.
Continue to work hard!! Make the most of these last days on your mission. You are an amazing missionary and there are still people there for you to teach and strengthen. Have the best week ever!!
I will love you forever
Mom