Letter From Kyle

The last couple of weeks have just been kind of hectic. I landed in South Carolina, got whisked away to the mission home, and then a couple days later i have a companion and i'm out preaching the gospel to people. A little overbearing at first, but now im used to the routine and i'm loving every minute of it (except the first few minutes when i wake up). As for my companion hes from Las Vegas. He has two older sister and an older brother. Hes been out for about nine months now and he has a great desire to get the work done. Hes a perfect trainer for me because hes willing to have fun, and hes not strict in anyway. I don't feel like a trainee but more like a partner. The best thing is that he keeps me focused and on track, because hes serious when he needs to be.

The Hurricane was great! Not the usual answer you hear from people but it was kind of exciting. Obviously we were evacuated because our house is about 15 miles from the beach (although i still havent been to the beach yet). But we drove an hour inland to a place called Florence. Along with 10 other missionaries. So we had 12 missionaries staying in the apartment, which was fun but i am so glad that i'm back home now. Having that many missionaries was great for gym time we were able to have some awesome basketball games.We got the edge of the Hurricane while we were in Florence. Which im happy in a way because, thats not something you want to miss. So Elder Cramer and i were riding our bikes around knocking on doors.Keeping an eye on the black clouds that were rapidly coming our way (i could be a writer). Then it started to rain a little bit. Which isnt to bad, because ive ridden my bike in the rain plenty of times. But then all of a sudden it REALLY rained. It was like an endless bucket of water was pouring on my head, then it was super windy. Branches were falling off trees (little ones). Luckily a man was standing in his car port and waved us in so that we could wait it our. Since we were in missionary mode we decided to bring up the gospel with him. Evidently he had seen us coming because he pulled out a packet and gave it to us. In big bold letters it said MORMONISM on the top. Automatically i new it was some anti-mormon stuff. Because people who call it mormonism are anti-mormon sadly. So we tried talking to him a bit, new we were getting nowhere and decided to talk about the hurricane instead. I lovewhat i do!

Something else thats great is we have someone set up to be baptized! Shes an older lady and she knows everything thats been taught is true and wantsto come closer to Christ by being baptized. Then in that same lesson we gave her two daughters (probably in their late 30s) the book of Mormon and theyve started to read! We plan on having them ready for baptism by the end of september. Then theres another man named Jesse who wants to be baptized as well. Unfortunately he cant do that because the girl hes living with he isnt married too. So i cant wait to either tell him that they either have to be married or he has to move out in order to be baptized. Luckily theyve been talking alot about marriage, so we shouldnt even have to bring it up. Which is good cause i dont know if a couple 19 year olds can give the best council about marriage. And unfortunately we havent met with brother Pokey again. But we're going to this week! Something cool that happened this week that just makes this entire mission fun, is all the kids around here. I'm practically in the ghetto you could say. But all the kids will just walk up and start talking to us. For example the other day we biked over to an apartment complex and it was getting dark so we turned on the lights on our bikes. About 15 kids came up asking if they could try the lights out. In the scriptures Christ says to come unto him as little children. All of those kids were smiling, they were all curious to learn more, they all were laughing and playing around, and they didnt have any worries. They dont care about, politics, or the economy, or the weather, or anything stressful. They just want to smile, laugh, and have fun.

Love,
Elder Olsen

President and Sister Holm

We received this letter today from Kyle's Mission President. I had to laugh out loud when I saw this picture. First, Kyle is crazy tall compared to President and Sister Holm. Second, look at that smile on Kyle's face! That is pure happiness. I think his smile says exactly the way he feels about being a missionary. We are so proud of Kyle and anxiously await each Monday to hear from him.

Eagle Mountain Soccer a.k.a. I lose all my free time

Truthfully I have zero free time, so when the girls both asked me if they could play soccer this year I had to give up my own selfish desires. We'll be running in 2 different direction every Saturday, we'll have 3 nights a week of soccer practice and some weeks 4 games, plus Sadie is starting volleyball next week, so we'll have to add 1 more practice and 1 more game...ugh maybe I've changed my mind again.
But seriously, Samantha was so excited to play this year. During the summer I had signed her and Kylee up for Westlakes girls soccer camp and they loved it. Samantha decided immediately she wanted to play. She was so much fun to watch. I was worried that she wouldn't get in there and fight for the ball, especially since she's never played before, but she is great.

She is number 10, and she is wearing red shin guards. She played mid and she was all over the field. She crashed a couple times into other players and ended up on the grass, but she was just fine. I was very proud. At the end of the game she came up to me and said that she played a "tough" game.

Here she is running after the ball. She didn't get to it, this boy was awesome and dribbled down the field. I was just excited to have her close enough that my crap camera would be able to take a picture.

Here is Kylee after her game, I had forgotten to take her picture before the game. Kylee had played competition soccer last year, but started hating soccer, so we changed to req soccer and she is having fun again, yay! She is still great. She played mid for the first half of the game and then she played goalie. My said crappy camera couldn't take pictures of her as goalie because it was too far away, but she had an amazing dive. Seriously, it was a full body, through caution to the wind kind of dive. It was a lot of fun to see her enjoy playing again.

Here she is as a mid, this little girl could be a track star. She is crazy fast, we'll have to look into that one day...maybe by then I'll have some free time.

First day of school! Yay!

I don't want anyone to think that I've forgotten I have 4 girls. I love my girls, and I can't believe how grown up they all are. They were all ready for school to start again, and I was ready for them to be back on a consistent schedule that didn't consist of me being sole entertainment, yeah I'm not the kind of mom that is sad every year when my kids go back to school. I'm always excited for them to meet new people and for them to see how smart they can be. All my girls are hard workers and give 100%. It makes me proud. I definitely put in the hours when they get home from school, they love for me to be there with them while they do their homework...blah

Sadie started her first year of High School, yes she is a Freshman! It kind of freaks me out, but Kyle is on a mission, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that all my kids are getting old. The first thing Sadie told me about school is how the dress code is WAY different than in Jr. High. Apparently Westlake requires mid-thigh, Sadie was a little shocked about that. When she got home from school she talked to me about her day from about 4pm until dinner was ready at 6:45! Non-stop talking people! I'm glad she wants to tell me everything. I love hearing it all.

Mikayla is excited to be the oldest in her school this year. She is in 8th grade and mostly loving everything about it. She gets to ride the bus with her best friend this year, so that made up for losing her sister to the high school. She is such a hard worker, and likes to have everything perfect.

Kylee and Samantha were very excited. They woke up crazy early and were ready for school about 45 minutes before it started. And yes, Kylee wouldn't let me touch her hair so that's what it looks like. Of course Samantha did let me touch her hair, so maybe Kylee is on to something... The girls loved their teachers and so do I. I'm very excited for this year at the elementary school.

And of course we had to include Lauren in a picture. Thankfully she comes over every morning and walks to school with the girls. Lauren is basically part of the family :)

I didn't work at the school on Tuesday so I had an entire hour to myself before I had to leave for my Hallmark job, and it was lovely. I never use that word, but I don't know how else to describe the way I felt. That hour seriously rocked.

Conway, South Carolina

I decided when Kyle left for South Carolina that I wanted to learn a little about the history of each area he served in. I thought I would put it up on the blog, since It will be in his mission scrapbook and not everyone will be able to see that.
Conway is located on the Waccamaw River, Conway was one of the earliest settled towns in South Carolina. When the town was created in 1734, it was named Kingston.

During the Revolutionary War, Francis Marion's troops operated out of hidden camps in the surrounding woods. Using the river and traveling paths through thick forests, they were able to confound the British by seeming to appear from and vanish back into the swamp as if by magic.

The name Kingston, honoring England's Kind George II, no longer seemed a good fit after the war, so the town was renamed Conwayborough for the American General Robert Conway. Since it was centrally located, Conwayborough was selected as the county seat for Horry County (OH-ree) in 1801. The name was shortened to Conway in 1883.

It's location on the river is still important to Conway today. Visitors enjoy strolling the Conway Riverwalk along the Waccamaw River which continues to connet the city to it's historic past. Myrtle Beach is the largest city near Conway.

Mother Nature better watch her back!

Yep that's right. That is the projected path of the first hurricane of the year. I'm not going to panic, even though it shows the hurricane moving towards South Carolina, and I'm also not going to panic, even though right now Kyle is in Conway, which is located near Myrtle Beach, which is located right by the ocean. Do I sound panicked?

So I would just like to ask Mother Nature a favor, from one mother to another, could you make sure hurricane Irene turns into a tropical storm before it reaches the states? Maybe even blow it back out into the ocean? I'd really appreciate it, otherwise, watch your back!

3rd Letter (e-mail), 1st one from South Carolina!

To whom it may concern,

Well i'm here! South Carolina is great, there are trees everywhere! And the trees are so tall, i mean people tell you that its really green, but its REALLY green. Another sure fact about SC is that it is humid. I dont remember the last time i sweated enough that there were drops of sweat, now i cant remember a time when i wasnt sweating that much. In case you havent gotten my (short, sorry about that) letter, i got a bike! An elder who was leaving gave it to me and im loving it, i have to fix it a little bit but thats because it has two years of ware and tare. I even got a helmet from him. Unfortunately that helmet was left on the back of the car one day and now its a pancake on the highway. So that was a bummer, today is our Pday though (obviously) and i just got a new helmet, and groceries, and shaving cream (i was told not to bring shaving cream on the plane cause it could explode, so i left it and the past few days ive been shaving without cream. Not fun). Youd be proud of me mom, Elder Cramer (ill talk about him in a bit) and I ride our bikes about 10 miles a day. So my left calf is kinda stiff, so from one biker to another do you have any advice?

Anyway Elder Cramer is my trainer. Hes awesome hopefully i can have his confidence one day. Something funny though is that he sounds exactly like uncle Josh, and when i say he sounds like it i mean his laugh is the same and everything. Kind of a twilight zone vibe, but anyway im glad hes my trainer cause we just get along really easily (hes a pokemon and an angry beaver fan). On the spiritual side he know alot. He teaches me how i can become better, and it works ive been doing some alright door approaches.

If you havent gotten my letter, im in Conway, the ward is great. They just want to help us so much and our dinner schedule is full up to two weeks. Literally we have too much food. Oh! and our house (yes house not apartment), is sweet. A member had an extra house and gives it to the missionaries. Weve got a washer drier, four couches, a kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, its overall just a perfect setup.

Im really learning alot and i love the people here, they all go to a different church but thats ok we're working on that. It is nice that everyone knows about Jesus Christ. Its unfortunate that theyre not really following him. Everyone is kind of stubborn when we bring up the Book of Mormon. Because they think so many things about it, we cant really explain. But people slam the doors very politely, they say no and then tell us to keep up the good work. And we get lots of water from them, because everyone feels we're doing a good thing. Its amazing how many churches are down here, literally think of all our church buildings in utah. Well SC has that many buildings but they are all different religions.
The only thing im not to fond of about is that everyone has a dog. I dont know why, they arent that great. But everyone has one. Actually there was one funny experience. We went to a house who had two of the nicest dogs ive ever met. The man gave us some water and told us to keep up the work. Then the dogs followed us door to door, they didnt bark or jump. They just ran next to us on our bikes, then waited in some shade while we knocked on the doors. At the end of that street we found a really nice family who invited us back. So cross your fingers!

Ive only taught two official nonmember lessons. The one i want to tell you about is a man named Matt, but everyone calls him Pokey. So we taught Pokey a lesson, hes 53 and very humble. He loves to read and to learn and i really hope that we'll get him. But the greatest thing about that lesson was Elder Cramer (i love him!) asked Pokey if we could call him Brother Pokey. Then i got to say the closing prayer and i got to say Brother Pokey in a prayer. The excitement you feel when you walk away from a good lesson where the person wants to learn more is unexplainable. Its just pure happiness that we were able to help some one come closer to Christ.

My mission president, President Holm. Is a very straight forward guy, i love it. He sorta talks like pres. Bush, but what he talks about makes sense. Here are some quotes "Pep in your step!" "Fire in your belly!" "im a finisher" "I love tough things, i am first to do tough things, i do tough things first" And his missionary scripture for everyone is Jacob 6:12 (i'll let you all look that up). Our mission is really great and we all have a really big drive for baptism. The entire mission goal is 100 baptisms a month. Right now we are at 67 and people are put on date every single day. Hopefully i can find one, because i still agree with my missionary scripture Alma 29:9.

I sent my camera card to my mom so if you could find out if she got it thatd be great. Because i forgot to put a sending address on it, which is a bummer cause thats all my mtc pictures. But i just want to make sure that everyone knows that i am fine and doing better every day. Time seems to fly by and i'll be home before you know it! But at this point i have to be honest, i hope it doesnt come to fast.

The new mission home address is:110 Oak Park Dr Ste. BIrmo, SC (i forgot the zipcode but you can look that up i guess)
By the way all packages have to be sent Priority Mail, or else i have to wait until transfers to get them. But yes please send me my wolf blanket, and about 3 t-shirts please. Other than that just keep writing!

Love, Elder K. Olsen

P.S. there are 3 Elder Olsens' in SC, so tell everyone that it has to be Elder K. Olsen please.

Letter #2

Kyle actually send this letter last week. I am a little late posting it. Kyle flew out to South Carolina on Monday so we haven't heard from him since this letter. I'm hoping we hear from him by the end of the week, but we'll see. This letter is just like Kyle, he'd only been in the MTC for 13 days and his companion and him were already planning a little "surprise" for the new missionaries coming in.

At the end of this letter, Kyle included his testimony. It was so wonderful to hear, and it definitely gives me comfort and has kept me going, especially since we haven't heard from him again yet.

Hooray! Our First Letter! :)

It was so good to receive this letter! I can't even describe how I felt when I opened the mailbox and saw it there. I immediately called Bret on the phone, and he listened while I read the letter to him and the girls. Bret was crying, of course, and all the girls were laughing and smiling...we were all beyond excited.

I knew he was going to be fine at the MTC, but I NEEDED to hear it from him. This letter is exactly what I needed. I love my missionary more today than yesterday. He is definitely my favorite missionary in the field (no offense to any other mothers and their missionaries ;)).