It's Going to be a Great Transfer!

Dear family and friends,

Oh man, can you believe another 6 weeks has come and gone, my other companion is home in America and now I have a new companion. I started this transfer off with a cold, but man, it is going to be a good one. I love my new companion, Sis. Shreeve, and she is one of the happiest, most excited people that I have ever met. Seriously. I am like a semi-black rain cloud in comparison, but the most amazing thing about her is that I have no need to compete with her, so my little rain-cloud syndrome melts away and we just spend the day talking, laughing, and being okay with life. I seriously love her and it was the best moment when I received that phone call on Tuesday night letting me know what was going to happen. 

There are times that the Lord gives you an unexpected blessing, so now I feel like I really need to work to my hardest in order to show my gratitude. 

In the training videos, there is the one part of The District that I have always liked and it talks about how missionaries in their last few transfers reach a 'shining' stage where they have been taught, they have practiced, and then they enter into a realm of just 'shining-ness' where they have the confidence and the know-how to teach at any time to any person. I really want to get to that level. The confidence is there, I love the people of Mongolia, I know have a huge source of happiness by my side, so now I just need to believe in myself. I need to shine. (Again, not in a competitive way, but in a i-love-my-life-and-I-have-practiced-over-and-over-again-so-I-can-do-this sort of way). I can feel it happening.

My group of Sisters are now the 'oldest' sisters here and it was so sad saying good-bye to all of my friends who went home, but life keeps moving forward. With Sister Lichtenberg for the last few days, I was so excited for her. That is the beauty of missions: you come, you give your whole heart, but you also get to go home. Not only that, but you should be excited about it all (going home) because this is the real test to see if you will take the things that you have learned during this consecrated time to implement it for the rest of your life. Will you continue to take the time to diligently study for the rest of your life? One of my goals after my mission is to buy a study desk right away and to find a way to study for one solid hour every day--hopefully in the morning before leaving the house. Also, there are hundreds of other things: will you be the member that you were grateful for? Will you help the missionaries and give referrals or be a gerch when needed (a member-witness for lessons)? Will you still try to represent the Lord well? Right now I don't wear my badge except for the 3 hour block of church a week, so taking off the badge will not make a huge difference, but the attitude about life will.

So while the other sisters are gone, life is happening. The most amazing thing is that the work will still move forward even when that time comes that I go home. There is still happiness ahead, even with a world of changes that you face, I think the great indicator is your personal attitude. I got really lucky this transfer and have a companion who is the embodiment of joy, but I also chose to think well of this transfer and acknowledge the many blessings of the Lord.

I love this work, It is hard, there are changes, but we will all get to that 'shining' moment in our lives.

I love you all!

Sister Jessica Olsen

P.S. I forgot my card reader at home today, so I will send A TON of pictures next week, but none this week. Life. It is still a struggle some times.