I love this week!

Dear family and friends,

General Conference! Zone Conference! I love my life and it is always so much fun when the missionaries get together, this week has been so great.

I almost just want to do a breakdown of all of the fun things!

Wednesday:

It was P-day! We still had to teach the teachers that morning, which allowed us the opportunity to go to the Traveling Circus!!! Oh my gosh, it was so much fun and it turned out that it was the Mongolian traveling circus which goes all over the country. We had upfront seats and it was great!!!! The only thing was that there was this really cool act with horses and while we were at the very front, it was also shedding season, so there was horse hair everywhere! If you had allergies, it would have been your worst nightmare, but luckily, it was fine. My companion and I got pictures outside by the horses, then afterwards, we went on the stage and got pictures by a lot of the performers.

Oh, we also started everything out by going to Hard Rock Cafe! Since we went in the middle of the day, we were one of the only ones in the restaurant and they turned on the big screen for us. For the 3rd time in my entire mission, I have heard a country song and I felt like my heart melted just a little. The food was AMAZING and ridiculously expensive, so I have decided that I will go once more. That will be one of the last places that I eat at while here. Quality food always hearts the wallet just a little.

Thursday:

ZONE CONFERENCE! Oh man, these are just great. Sis. Harper even made chicken salad sandwiches on croissants--I have not had croissants since before my mission, I almost cried of happiness. There were some powerful lessons taught and we were given the challenge to be as obedient as possible. I love these.

Friday - A good normal day of teaching English, followed by having to do Big Plan and figure out next week. When I started my mission, I felt like it was just a big waste of time, but as I have moved forward in my mission, I have realized how vital they are. You need to be on the same page as your companion for how time is spent, the lessons that you share, and just goals you are working towards; when you don't take the time to plan, it is really hard to be successful. You definitely will not be united without it. Hahahahah, I am planning on doing these when I have my own little family someday.

Saturday:

GENERAL CONFERENCE and WOMAN'S CONFERENCE! Talk about pure happiness. All of the missionaries in the city came together, and get this, my ENTIRE MTC group is finally here in Mongolia. It was such a happy time and the first time that we were able to actually see each other. Sis. Harper made her ice cream and Sis. Sutphin made Apple Cobbler. Oh my heck, these woman are magical and have found ways to make food that you cannot get here. Blessings!

Sunday:

GENERAL CONFERENCE AGAIN! And the fun keeps going. This day was especially fun because we all brought food for a pot luck so everyone was able to eat together and just enjoy the company. My mission has some very firm rules regarding Sisters and Elders not mingling for social occasions, so it is only during conferences that we spend time all together. After conference, my companion went out and met with a few investigators.

Monday:

A day of English, but I also met with my New Members who were jut baptized. We taught the lesson by having them put on the missionary badges and teach us the Plan of Salvation. It was so cute! They had prepared and practiced on Sunday so that they were prepared to teach us. Then, as I pulled out badges for them to wear, they went and grabbed their parents' badges--both the mom and dad. It was precious and I felt the spirit so strongly--their family is an example of the happiness that can be brought into a family and a uniting force as they come back to church together. I love them so much.'

Today:

I am hanging out with my MTC sisters and we are going to run around town just taking pictures all day. Mongolia has warmed up to the point that it is fun to spend large amounts of time together.

So I know today's letter just has a lot of information (and not much else), but I loved this week so much!!! 

I love you all,

Sister Jessica Olsen

Hahahhaha, so Hard Rock wins the race for pics with this letter. Seriously, this apple cobbler almost made me cry with happiness because it was so good. :)

 

 

Oh man, this was so much fun and look at those seats! My camera died, so I couldn't get the ending pictures, but Sis. Hansen is having it sent to her Facebook, to be sent to me later.

IT WAS A BLAST!

 

 

 

My goal is going strong with finding and taking a picture with all the statues I can find--there are a ton here and today we are going to get so many more. 

 

 

 

Look who dressed to match! This is my favorite thing in the entire world, when I accidentally end up looking like Sis. Bottorff. :)

I just want to say right now, I really do believe that I have one of the greatest groups that ever came to Mongolia. I feel so lucky in that we all get along so well--but I am also a little biased.

Also, a picture of me talking to the Doctor and him trying to convince me that I am not going to die. I had a cut on my finger (that looked very iffy) and I was trying to talk him into amputating it off. Don't worry, he said no.

 

 

Look at all of these wonderful people! The two little girls are the daughter of one of our investigators and they are all learning really well right now--we came over as they were heading out to get water, so we decided to help. 

Then are little new members from last night. If you look closely, two of the badges belong to when their parents served from about 15 years ago.