Sister Ashlee Olsen: Surprise visit from a General Authority

What a week!

I have learned a lot this week! Also I emailed a lot of people individually, so this email will probably be really short. I will sum up three cool experiences from the week.

1st- When Sister Anderson and I go to plan every night, we try really hard to plan in areas where we will be needed. We always pray that we will be able to be a blessing to someone that day.

After we prayed and were planning our day, Sister Anderson really felt like we needed to go and see a particular woman. When we showed up the next day, it turns out she had just heard from the doctor that she had cancer. She was praying for help and comfort right before we showed up. I am mostly writing home about this because she asked me to. She wanted you all to know how much it meant to her that we were in tune with the Spirit. That made me feel really good.

2nd- We found a new investigator this week! There is a part of our area called Oak Glen. Basically it's all farm land. A family in our ward, the Chudys, live up there. They have a friend who lives about two ranches up from them. Sister Chudy is basically the greatest missionary of all time. She invited their friend to dinner with us to hear a spiritual thought and gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon with her testimony in it. We talked about the Atonement and Jesus Christ. He really felt the Spirit and was moved to tears.
We have a return appointment tomorrow and Sister Anderson and I are quite excited!

3rd- I have been to four mission conferences now and this one was definitely my favorite. Elder Hamula of the 70 came to speak with us. He is the general authority over California and Hawaii. Our mission president always says puny preparation= puny revelation. Our mission has grown so much. Not in numbers, but in obedience and Spirit. When I first got here, there were some disobedient missionaries. I think the reason this conference was the best was because the missionaries really tried to prepare and really worked to feel the spirit.

There was a lot of things great about it, but I will tell you what I learned. As I have been on my mission, one of my goals was really to get a sense of who I am and what Heavenly Father wants for me in my life. Elder Hamula talked to us a lot about our lives before we were born. He told us that we were valiant. That we loved God so much that we were willing to die for him and his plan. Because of our obedience before we came here, we were blessed to be able to serve a mission. (When I say "we" I mean all the missionaries in my mission.) Anyway, he went on quite a while about this and the Spirit taught me something. Everything that happens to me and will happen to me is based off the decisions that I make. I made certain decisions before I came here that got me to my home to "goodly parents who love the Lord." I really felt that Heavenly Father was very pleased with all the decisions I am making now and my desires to do what he wants me to do. I felt that there is a plan for me. And I am so excited about my future! I have no idea what's going to happen, but I know I am going to have a family and that Heavenly Father is going to bless me if I keep making good decisions.

I don't know if any of that made sense.... but that's what I learned this week. And it's not just for me. Heavenly Father loves all of us so much. He has a plan for all of us. The more we obey him, the more blessings we will receive.

Love you all and hope you have a great week! Remember who you are!

Love,

Sister Olsen