"I'm sorry youre really cute, but I just dont know what you are saying..." -Marlin from Finding Nemo // week 8

3:41 PM

Hello everybody,
This email is going to be a little all over the place. I didnt have time this week to prepare an email. So sorry in advance.
This week was good. Much better than my first week. I was really struggling my first week. A mission is really hard, obviously, but I didnt realize it until I got here. I cried about once a day for 10 days straight. But I am good. I can do anything with the Lord on my side. Never forget that.
Anyways... So people will ask me all the time "de donde es?" (where are you from) I always respond "Las Vegas" and then they say "oh muy cerca aqui" (really close to here). And I always think to myself. YES I know that Las Vegas is close to here you dont need to remind me of that haha. So shoutout to my family that is only 6 hours away. I am reminded of our proximity frequently.
At church and during lessons I stand out like a sore thumb. I am at least 5 inches taller than everybody. I am very pale and I have blonde hair. So its really funny when my companion and I tell people that we speak spanish because she is also 5 ft 8in like me, pale, and blonde. We discovered that we are the tallest sister companionship in the entire mission. haha
We had Zone Conference this week with 2 other zones. It was 7 hours long, but really informational and spiritual. I love my mission and the people I get to work with! I found out some mission statistics of the "Great" Utah Salt Lake City Mission. In our mission we have:
58 Stakes
68 units (stakes and branches)
600 wards
15 languages
63 companionships
135 missionaries (only about 40 are sisters)
and only 7 hermanas in our mission (so being a spanish speaking sister here is rare :))
I was pretty shocked from these statistics! But thats my mission for you!
Ummm.... This week I ate Lentil Soup AND Fish all in one night. Which is a big deal if you knew how picky I am. during dinner I was thinking to myself, my parents are laughing at me, I can feel it, because I was gagging down the food. 1st of many food experiences to come I guess...
For once in my life people can pronounce my last name PERFECTLY the 1st time. Haha I find that really funny. Before the mission nobody could pronounce my last name correctly, but now because I am in a spanish area, nobody has issues with my name. Then they ask if I have hispanic ancestors, and to make my long story simple, I just say yes.
Speaking of spanish, my spanish is coming along pretty well. I can understand more than I can speak. Unless I speak basic doctrine, then I am good. But I still sound very white... so that is a problem at times. Oh and whenever someone makes a joke and it is in spanish I never laugh because I dont understand the joke, then I feel awkward because I am the only one not laughing... theres that
We have seen many miracles this week! People are progressing, going to church and coming unto Christ. It is amazing seeing the changes of these people in the short time I have been here. This gospel really is life changing, we just have to have the desire to change.
One last funny story, we were walking down the street and we walked by a guy in his early 20's. We start talking to him and he says "Oh your mormon missionaries. I go to the 8th ward." Then we were walking away he said "Its hard not being in Colorado any more, I used to smoke weed all the time, I will never stop smoking weed..." haha that was fun.
I love it here. It has been hard but super rewarding. Miracles are happening and lives are changing, especially mine. With the Lord by my side I can conquer anything. I hope all is well back home. I love and miss you all! Feel free to send spiritual quotes whenever you feel like it! 
Sorry, no pictures this week!


con amor,
Hermana Olivas

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor Aenean massa.

You Might Also Like

0 comments