So I am in the North Olmsted Central area. Which is pretty much just down the street and around the corner from my last area. At first I didn't like that. On the map of our area I can see a corner of Avon. Breaks my heart a little bit each time I see it. It is like living next door to your best friend but you can't go play with her! However after a few hours I got over that. Because I am loving this new area!! So the area right above mine is where we would do exchanges and so I already knew the area a little bit and there were some fun familiar faces in the ward! Oh also President Vellinga is not only in my ward, but also in my area. So no pressure there! But I actually really like it. The Vellinga's are all so wonderful. The Stake actually had a mini mission day for the youth and so all of the Laurels and Priests got to go out with the full time missionaries for a day. We got to have Kristen Vellinga with us! [President's daughter] It was so much fun! She is already such a great missionary.
I LOVE MY NEW COMPANION SO MUCH!!!! Sister Genster is just the most wonderful, kind, loving, and awesome person ever!! She is from Frankfurt, Germany, is 33 years old, has been out for 3 months, [and is a mormon...haha just messin] and we are already such great friends!! We already have plans to go travel Europe together. I am so travel hungry again though thanks to her!! I love asking her all about Europe and all of the places she has been to. This morning during companion study we went off for like 20 minutes about German history. [Oopsies!] But hey, it started with us discussing Family History and how to use that more in our work. Which then led to her telling me all about her awesome Family History and showing me pictures of her ancestors. Then led right into me asking about World War II and the Germans perspective on all of that. It was actually really interesting. I seriously cannot even tell you how happy I am to be with Sister Genster. She is exactly what I need right now. As you all know, the past two transfers were incredibly difficult. [Much more difficult then I led you all to believe] But this past week with Sister Genster in a new area has already made a huge difference for me. We had such a wonderful week together and I am so excited to see what is ahead for us. It is going to be incredible!
I love our apartment so much! The building we live in is where the Sister Training Leaders live so I had been here numerous times before on exchanges. It is right on Lake Road and we can see Lake Erie from our balcony! [We are on the third floor] We live with Sister Duehring who is a single sister that works down at the Cleveland Court House doing record preservation for Family Search. She is so great! And there are 4 other sets of missionaries that live at the same building, and then a whole bunch of the senior couples and senior sisters live here as well! It is so fun getting to see them so much more often and getting to know them. Sadly though we are moving at the end of this month to a different apartment. [I know! I feel like I always happen to be in the area that has to move! This will be my 5th move and only my 2nd area! Too funny.]
So the last few weeks I felt like my testimony was kind of struggling. [*cough cough* understatement] Which understandably that kind of worried me. So I had to take a step back and figure out what in the world was going on with me. I realized that so many things had been piling up on me and I was under lots of stress, that my protections against Satan had began to crumble. Without me noticing he had so cleverly made his way in and started tearing at my foundation brick by brick. Then before I knew it was gone. I thought a lot about how to get it back. I realized that I had to go through the same process that I wanted everyone I was teaching to go through. I now have such a greater testimony of the small and simple things that I need to do each day in order to keep and build a strong testimony. It has been amazing to see the difference that deeper and more meaningful scripture study and prayers have had in my life. I know that this gospel is the only things that will bring us true peace and direction in our lives. Without it, we truly have nothing and no where to go. I am so grateful that Christ has been here for me to help me build my foundation back up and to bring myself closer to Him.
Missions are hard.
But they are worth it :)
Love,
Sister Olds II
Oh P.S! Here's my new address :)
22453 Lake Road #303
Rocky River, Ohio 44116
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| Sister Genster's first time at Dairy Queen! |
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| It was so fun having Kristen Vellinga come be our companion for a day! [She even wore her mom's nametag to make her look official.] She is such an awesome missionary! We love her so much. |
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