Monday, March 7, 2016

I love to see the temple

This week was awesome. And stressful. And frustrating. And wonderful. Pretty much like every week as a missionary. 

Last Sunday sister Ashcraft and I fasted for referrals and oh boy did we get referrals this week! Fasting and prayer is definitely a real thing people! I got to go to the temple three times this week. The Redlands stake center shares a parking lot with the temple. It's a pretty good meeting spot for missionaries when they need things. For example, we met one of the the senior couples that work in the office there because we needed a new phone. 

We also went for a session this week which was awesome. And we had Yucaipa stake conference at the Redlands stake center. (Apparently our stake center is too small for all of us to fit). Also, going to Yucaipa stake conference was sooooo weird for me. One year ago exactly I was in the Banning Ward (Banning is in the Yucaipa stake) and went to Yucaipa stake conference. I got to see some Banningites. This one laurel that went out with us a lot ran right up to me and gave me a big hug. That was cute. Anyway. Three of our investigator families that are friends with members committed to come to stake conference that day. So we planned on doing a temple walk right after conference. We even had a general authority visiting (Elder Gary Wilde). He was staying with one of the counselors in the stake presidency (president Adams who is in our Ward). So we asked President Adams if Elder Wilde would call our
investigators to personally invite them. We were pretty dead set on all of these people coming. Saturday night we found out that one investigator couldn't come because he was working for his mom. Sunday morning we found out that our other investigator is having liver problems and was sick all night long and the third family decided to go to Palm Dessert for the weekend. Basically I was devastated. 

I was studying for hours about the temple to prepare and I really thought it would help all these people progress. But when we got to the conference, the whole thing was about temples and families. From all my studies, I was perfectly prepared for the conference.
Want to know what I learned? Well I'm going to tell you. I guess if you really don't want to know you could just stop reading.... Anyway. I'm pretty sure that one of the reasons I came to a mission where I could be by the temple a lot is so I could learn how important the temple is. 

In "True to the Faith" it talks about how everything we do, including missionary work, should point to the temple. It says that only the home can compare to the sacredness of temples. Before my mission I really believed that the most important thing in this life was how other people saw me and what they thought of me. Now I know that there is nothing more important than going to the temple. When we go to the temple, it means we are worthy and are trying our best to
live a Christ centered life. It shows Heavenly Father that we really love him, have a desire to serve him, and that we are doing all we can to eventually become like him. There is absolutely NOTHING in this life that compares to the joy I feel when 1. I am sharing the gospel and 2. When I go to the temple. Nothing. There is nothing more important to me than to be married there and make sure my family is united so we can live with God again. I love the temple. And honestly, the way I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints contains all the necessary principles for salvation is the way I feel at the temple. I love you all and I am so grateful that mom and dad were married in the temple. It's the best feeling there is in this life and I can't wait for how it feels in the next.
Have a great week!

Sister Ashlee Olsen
California Redlands Mission



Visiting the California Redlands temple


Sister Ashcraft and I at the temple

Temple selfie with other sisters in my mission

I love the temple!

We did some service for a sister in our ward with a couple laurels. She has a
lot of back and knee problems and can't move very well. We just did a little yard work. I think I look like I'm allergic to dirt or
something in the action shots.








Behold my origami skillzzz



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