Sister Olds the II: "Our grandpa died...now he's Tarzan."

Are you ready for this? This week was nuts!

So I will start with the most exciting and then go from there. [So that the skimmers can get the good stuff then move on with their lives]

Gladys Knight graced Ohio with her presence this weekend!!! Oh my goodness the firesides were AMAZING!!! There aren't even words to describe them. Not going to lie, the first 10 seconds I was super weirded out and just kept thinking, "What...is going on...?!" But then once I got used to the "Amen!"'s and dancing then it was great!! I so wish that you all could have been there! I kind of wish that I was baptist now....[Well, ya know. If they had the priesthood, restored gospel, and modern revelation and all] The music was incredible. Both her and her husband bore such bold and powerful testimonies. I was actually kind of surprised and nervous about them. Because they were really bold. But apparently that's what some people needed! We have seen SO MANY miracles in our mission so far!! We have 2 former investigators that want to be baptized. We were talking to some Elders out in Cleveland and they had gotten 3 new investigators from the gift bag deliveries and they all want to be baptized! And we got so many request cards turned in from the firesides that we haven't even gotten all of them yet because the mission had to order more gift bags! We got around 380 just from the two here in Westlake. And the 2 in Akron got about 220. And this is just the beginning! We are stoked to see the ripple effect from this event.

Our mission is just full of Mormon celebrities lately! Our Zone Conference with Elder Michael John U. Teh is this Friday!!! I am so excited!! Especially since all of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders get to have a special meeting with him an hour before Zone Conference. I am so excited. I can't wait to tell you all about it next week!

Last preparation day was crazy! [Sorry no one got letters last week.] We all went to the zoo with some Cleveland Elders and it was such a blast! It was so nice to get out and do something different for a change. There are tons of pictures coming this week from the zoo :) Also, we had to take our car into the shop last Monday to get some repairs done. [From when Sister Maddox was in that accident last transfer] And so guess what....we became biking sisters!!!! Biking home from North Ridgeville to our apartment in Westlake [from my last apartment in Lorain East to this apartment. Took us almost an hour] Monday night in pouring rain will definitely make you feel like a real hard core missionary! Thankfully though we had exchanges with both sets of Strongsville Sisters last week and so I was gone for three of the days. Then Thursdaynight at our coordination meeting the Assistants found out we were on bikes. They were like, "Wait...what? Why are you biking? You don't have to do that. You can have our car." They are SO WONDERFUL!! They really didn't have to do that. They are so kind. We were super excited though. Especially because they drive the nicest car in the mission! It was really fun.

So both last night and this morning I got to go home!! Last night we were helping a less active member move her son out of his apartment up in Avon Lake and then this morning all of us North Olmsted sisters went and got haircuts from Sister Buchanan :) It was so much fun!! I miss that area so much. And it is so awesome that both Sister Maddox and I have served there and so we can reminisce together.

Last Sunday we had this AWESOME lesson with some potential investigators that Sister Maddox and Sister Bakker met on exchanges. They said that they were interested in hearing more about Kirtland and wanted to visit there. So when we were planning for it were like, "Okay, so how do we tactfully yet sneakily teach the restoration with this?" Which of course wasn't hard at all. We sat down with the couple and right away the lady goes, "So we're Catholic. We aren't really interested in changing or anything." Haha ohh that's what you say now! But it was clear that she was nicely trying to tell us, "Don't try to convert us!" We were able to teach them the whole Restoration because it leads right into Kirtland. It was great. And they told us that they didn't really know anything about our beliefs anyways. It was so neat to see the spirit working on them during the whole lesson. By the end of it the husband was like, "Well I don't actually practice Catholicism much anymore. But yeah I have always wondered that ya know. I think that there was some truth lost along the way in the Catholic church. Not all of those popes were really great people you know?" Then we talked about the Book of Mormon and they both really wanted to read it and said that they would even pay for it. "Lucky for you! It's free!" Haha it cracks me up when people want to pay for the Book of Mormon. Seriously? We try everything we can to get people to take this book from us! You don't need to pay us! They are SO PREPARED!!! We are taking them each a Book of Mormon and a Restoration DVDtomorrow night and then going back this weekend to watch the Restoration with them. I am so excited about them!! Pray for Greg and Marylou!!

For the past month or so I have been reading a conference talk each morning during studies to get ready for General Conference. This morning I happened to read Elder Walker's talk called Live True to the Faith I love how he talks about everyone knowing their ancestors conversion story. So I went and reread Edward Bunker Sr's autobiography that Mom sent me. Not that I am biased at all, but I LOVE his story so much. He was converted right here in Cleveland!!!!! By Martin Harris of all people. Awesome. And by me serving my mission here I am fulfilling prophesy that the descendants of those early saints that were here will come back to build it up. Ooh! Just gives me chills talking about it! I love it!

Also random awesome side note. This Mormon Message is amazing. Thank you so much Mom for all you have done for your family. We really do appreciate it. I'm sure you have had a number of days like this in your life, but you have served and helped so many. Us as well as those around you who just need your help. You are an incredible example of service to all of us.

(Then I asked Amber what her subject line meant and she said the following:)

hahahaha we met a little girl on the street. Probably like 5 years old and when we gave her a picture of Christ she just looked at it for a minute.....then looked up and said that to us. It was HILARIOUS!!! We were so confused!! I wanted to say, "Well go give your mom that card and we can tell your where your grandpa really is!" hahaha SHe was so cute.

2 pics from Sis Genster: