Scatter Sunshine: Adriatic South: April 2018

Monday, April 30, 2018

The Last Lap

Wow a lot has happened this last week!! It's been yet ANOTHER week of miracles!!! I am LOVING Gjakova and how beautiful it is here!

Culture Shocks of the Week:

1. WE GOT OUR FIRST EVER DINNER APPOINTMENT IN KOSOVO!! We had a miracle moment where the members called US to come over to eat a special Kosovaren dish they made-Fli. This is a big deal because we are not invited to anything here haha so we're are developing great relationships!

2. Perks about living in a Muslim culture-there are always modest clothes :) The dresses are LONG!!!

3. Along with the culture....there is a lack of pork here. (I hope someone gets that)

SERVICE!!! That has to be the theme of this last week!! Motra Ahlstrom and I have been looking to find a lot of ways to serve here and it's been a major blessing!! Service allows you to be more aware of those around you and we truly were led to so many people! We've helped a woman clean her rug (The Albanian way: With a hose, scrub brushes, and soap. I'm thankful that wasn't my weekly chore growing up haha), we helped a member paint her house, and we went around with the members to pick up trash at a nearby park we play futbol at (or soccer for you Americans :)) SERVICE IS SO AWESOME!! A major service opportunity we have every week is helping to teach a member here how to read. It truly is a miracle. We've started reading the Book of Mormon with her and we give her certain words to look for so as we read aloud, she then reads her assigned words. It's been incredible because there is truly POWER in reading the Book of Mormon. She is picking up a lot faster and has a great confidence knowing that the Lord is helping her and wanting to help her read. She just so badly wants to read from the Book of Mormon. It has been a major miracle!!

Other moments from this last week! We met this family on the street who actually wanted us to come over and teach them!! When we did, they invited us back the next day so that they could feed us fli.....but also to hear more. They invited their family and their friends. We then taught the Plan of Salvation to everyone there all gathered around and it was AWESOME!! Then to top it off-they all came to CHURCH!!! We are so excited to be seeing the Lord truly leading us to those that are searching and prepared for this gospel!! I love this work!! We were also able to meet with and teach many other families. That has been our focus and I am just so thankful for the Lord and this opportunity we have to have so many more families apart of our lives. I love this work and I love this gospel!!!

Jacob 5: 75 And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them: Behold, for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou beholdest that I have done according to my will; and I have preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was in the beginning. And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away, behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard.

I have just loved reading the Book of Mormon everyday and Motra Ahlstrom pointed out this scripture to me this last week. I just want to testify of the JOY it is to serve the Lord. As we have been serving so many this week and teaching so many and as I am reflecting back on my mission, I truly have found JOY in this work. I love that the Lord says that we will have JOY WITH Him. That is His joy-WE are His joy!! He just wants us in His arms. He just wants us to return home to Him. He truly does love us. I testify of that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

This will be my last week! It's crazy but I am so thankful to live every moment to the end. I am eternally grateful for this time that I've had to serve my Savior and my Heavenly Father. Words cannot even begin to express my gratitude. I'll be seeing you all next week.

WE WENT ON A GORGEOUS PDAY TRIP TO VALBONA!!! It is SO BEAUTIFUL HERE!! I cried. When do I not?

I love nature so much!

Gjakova!! Isn't it so CUTE? It's my cute little city :)

We celebrated one of our English Course kid's birthday this last week! I made some Albanian chocolate cake :) This is our class!! I love them!!! They get SO PUMPED to read the Book of Mormon at the end of the class it's so funny to watch kids fight over reading and responding to the passages haha

Just chilling with the cow :) I love this family!

More Valbona :)

I LITERALLY HAVE THE COOLEST MISSION!!

The best cooler I've ever seen! This is coming from the river.

Our Dinner Appt

In Prishtina

Mirupafshim! Të dua!

Motra Olsen

Letters:

Adriatic South Mission
Sister Natalie Olsen
POB 2984
Bulevardi "Gjergj Fishta"
Qendra "Alpas", Shkalla #5, Apt #14
Tirana
Albania

(If you can't send it with the POB box number, you can just send it without it. I'll still get it)

Email: natalie.olsen@myldsmail.net

mormon.org

18 Months in Paradise!!

So this week-I've officially hit 18 MONTHS!!!! But guess what? I've still got a few weeks more so I am savoring every moment to the end! I had to celebrate it with ice cream though :) I also hiked THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CANYON EVER-Rugova canyon! It's near Montenegro so pretty cool!

Culture Shocks of the Week:

1. Cleaning dishes over a toilet......this last week we went and helped this family clean their entire home after months and months of neglect. It was a special moment because it was a member's desire to serve and we had the opportunity to serve with her. I've done a lot of things I never thought I'd ever do but hey-it's an experience I'll never forget :)

2. Usually, we randomly lose power. It's just a thing. You can't live in Albania or Kosovo without losing power and water constantly haha

3. This last week was my LAST mission conference :(

Man time is flying by!! It's scary! But this last week was a special one! We got to go into Tirana because we had Sister's Conference! It was honestly so fun to be with all the sisters from the whole mission. There are only 20 of us-Motra Anderson (our mission mom) gave us each little jars of homemade jam :) She's so cute!! Motra Ahlstrom and I gave a training along with the other 2 sets of Sister Training Leaders. I got to sing with my sweet MTC companion-Motra Jones. We sang "Come Thou Fount". And Motra Jones and I had to give departing testimonies! Dang it!!! Why is this a thing? I never thought that day would come. I literally said, "I've been waiting all my life to be here on my mission....and now it's over." haha we actually got to do valle (Albanian traditional dancing) as well and Motra Hysa led us! It was a wonderful time to be with these sisters. They are INCREDIBLE! I just looked at all of them and said, "I am so pumped for you sisters! The Adriatic South Mission is in good hands." I truly mean that. I am so excited for all of them! They are already bringing about INCREDIBLE miracles here.

This week we have been finding and meeting with a ton of people which has been a miracle! One of the coolest moments of my mission happened on Thursday. We met this lady in the street and went over to her home. Little did we know that she invited her neighbors and we had about 13 people gathered around us in her home. We shared our message and used our object lessons to interact all the kids. It was so special to have so many there gathered. When we finished our lesson, I asked if we could all kneel as my family would kneel and pray together every night. EVERYONE kneeled and I offered a prayer. It was so powerful to be among these people and to pray for them and their families. There is a POWER in prayer!! We truly speak to our Heavenly Father and it was so special to feel of His love. Our Heavenly Father loves us IMMENSELY I don't even know how to begin to express that. All I can say is just pray and ask Him how much He truly does love you. He gives unto all that ask Him with a sincere heart. He loves you!

I just want to share a scripture that has impacted me this last week-in the Book of Mormon Alma 26: 5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.

7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.

Every day we recite Doctrine and Covenants 4. This scripture in Alma truly impacted me because as I am reaching the end of my mission, I am comforted in knowing that I have been able to do all I can do. I care so much about these people and it's so hard to think about leaving them. However, I am comforted in knowing that they are in HIS HANDS. How powerful is that? Whenever I've messed up, whenever I've struggled or made a mistake, I am reminded that this is HIS work. They are in His hands. All of those that I have come to LOVE are in His hands and there are no better hands than His. I always am reminded to just get back up and keep going, keep improving, keep changing-and through doing so, He has shaped me. He has led me and I am thankful to be an instrument in His hands. I LOVE MY SAVIOR with all of my heart and through loving Him, He has helped me learn to LOVE!! I testify of His divine love. His perfect love! We are in His hands. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

More pics to come! And a bonus video :) haha Motra Ahlstrom and I made it for Sister's conference. We have a mission thing of using NutriBullets.

ALL THE SISTERS IN THE MISSION! I love them!!!

Albanian dancing at the conference together

Easter dinner

Rugova Canyon!!

I LOVE NATURE I CAN'T EVEN HANDLE IT!! God's creations :)

Me and Motra Ahlstrom

MY GIRL!!!! Motra Mcguire!!! :) I got to see her at Sister's Conference.

Motra Jones and our girls :) (Training)

MOTRA JONES!!!! She's been with me since the beginning!

Singing together one last time at the conference

Hi from Kosovo :)

Mirupafshim! Të dua!

Motra Olsen

Letters:

Adriatic South Mission
Sister Natalie Olsen
POB 2984
Bulevardi "Gjergj Fishta"
Qendra "Alpas", Shkalla #5, Apt #14
Tirana
Albania

(If you can't send it with the POB box number, you can just send it without it. I'll still get it)

Email: natalie.olsen@myldsmail.net

mormon.org

Monday, April 23, 2018

"We're the Town Greeters"

Ahh this week was such a good week!!! Lots of stuff has happened and I cannot even begin to explain how grateful I am to the Lord and EVERYTHING He has given me throughout these past 18 months :)

Culture Shocks of the Week:
1. Everything is backwards here: People shake their head yes, water the sidewalks-not the yard, and DON'T LOOK before they cross the road!!! Man driving in this city drives me crazy sometimes haha
2. Albanians know how to party and try to make EVERYTHING a party!!! We got invited to a very special event this last Saturday in Tirana in Albania to celebrate the 25 years of Albania being dedicated to preaching the gospel in Albania. President Oaks dedicated Albania 25 years ago and EVERYONE was invited! I'll tell more about it later.
3. Whenever we meet with people, we always have tea and PIZZA is only about $1 here!! That's about all we eat. And it's GOOD pizza in Kosovo! We each order individual pizzas :)

So there were so many special moments from this last week. First, I want to share a typical day in Gjakova. We go about contacting like, all the time. It's awesome actually. Most people don't stop to talk haha but people are very friendly! Funniest comment from Motra Ahlstrom this past week after we got rejected in the street, "That's okay. We're the town greeters". IT'S SO TRUE!!! I basically just get out "Hello!" Or "Good Morning" and then am very promptly rejected with "I don't have time" Well hope you have a great day! I'm just hear to greet you anyway! There's no discouragement though or lack of faith. Just pleasant surprises when people actually stop or accept a second lesson :)

SPEAKING OF PLEASANT SURPRISES we had a MIRACLE this last week. So we don't know how we got this lady's number, but we called her and she told us to meet at her daughter's school. We showed up not even knowing what her daughter looks like and she wasn't there. There was a bakery close by and I felt an impression to just go and eat a byrek at the bakery. No-it wasn't my hunger that prompted it, but that probably was a factor haha however the moment we walked out, this girl came up to us just arriving and she was like, "Are you the girls that keep calling my mom?" We were pumped. We then walked with her to her home and had an AWESOME lesson on Christ with her and her mom and they both came to church on Sunday and are preparing for baptism! We are so excited! What touched me was that the Lord is so practical. He directed us where we needed to be at the right place at the right time....and He didn't leave us hungry :)

WE ARE ALSO TEACHING A FAMILY!!! I don't have too much to say about them other than the fact that we've been teaching them in English Course and they are so wonderful! We are excited to work with them! Truly, there have been SO MANY miracles from this past week and throughout each and every day. I LOVE my mission.

A very special, unforgettable moment I had this last week was going to Tirana to the 25th Anniversary of the dedication of the Dedication of Albania. I got to say goodbye to SO MANY that have impacted my life for the last time there. As I sat in the auditorium watching this concert and hearing the testimonies and the music, I couldn't help but just sob. I just looked out at 18 months that the Lord has given me and at so many that I have worked with and come to love. I was so happy to hear about people coming back to Christ who have fallen away, people with MISSION calls in past areas I've served, and many more fruits to seeds I have been able to plant in the past. I was filled with gratitude in that moment. I even got to hear Greta's testimony (my previous companion from Pogradec) as she's heading out on her FULL-TIME mission today! This scripture has impacted me:

D&C 16:6 And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen.

This is so true. This is the work of the Lord, but He has given me this time and opportunity to find joy in His fruit. I am just filled with indescribable joy that I may rest with these people in the kingdom of my Heavenly Father. I cannot testify to you enough of the POWER and JOY of missionary work. It is the greatest service we could ever do-to bring souls unto our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I encourage you all to share the gospel with those around you! Please be that light! Please live what you believe and share that! We can only find true, pure joy through Christ. As we constantly look to share the gospel whether it be through our example or through our testimony, it is through that that we find the greatest joy. I testify of that. It is of the MOST WORTH. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love being a missionary. If any of you are hesitating whether or not you need to serve, just do it. It will change you. Christ will change you. And you will find pure joy in the service of the Lord.