Luke Olsen

I’m Luke Taylor Olsen, born on February 3, 2006, in Mesquite, Nevada, to my parents Trisha, a nurse, and Scott, a physical therapist. I grew up in a busy home with six siblings, spending most of my early years alongside my sister Kaila and my brother Ethan, who are closest to me in age. My earliest memories are of being carried in a pack on my dad’s back during his runs and spending long afternoons in our backyard—playing on the grass, splashing in an inflatable pool, and exploring the small park behind our home. Those experiences rooted in me a love for family, the outdoors, and physical health.

At school, lunchtime soccer quickly became the highlight of my day. The same two teams would face off almost every day, and I looked forward to that competition. Those games helped cement the importance of physical activity, teamwork, and healthy competition in my life.

When I was ten, my family moved to Caldwell, Idaho. The transition felt natural, and I made friends quickly. As I approached my teenage years, I joined a church outing called Trek—a multi-day hike along historic pioneer trails, done in traditional clothing and using handcarts. We cooked over open fires and pushed our carts together as a group. What impacted me most was the example of my tentmate, an older young man whose faith and testimony were strong and sincere. Watching him put his faith first became a turning point for me and helped shape how I wanted to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

In high school, my main focuses were golf and lifting weights. I’ve always been drawn to the pursuit of excellence, and the gym became a place where I could push myself and see progress. Golf gave me both a competitive outlet and a close-knit group of friends. I spent countless hours practicing, playing rounds, and sharing laughs with my teammates. Those experiences strengthened my work ethic, my drive to improve, and my ability to contribute to a team.

During this time, I also gained early work experience. I worked as a cart boy at a golf course, where I enjoyed the responsibility and the chance to practice and play. I later worked at a fast-food restaurant, where I learned the importance of reliability, teamwork, and doing my part even when the work wasn’t glamorous. These jobs taught me how to be dependable and how to work well with others in a professional setting.

As I neared the end of high school, I began preparing for a full-time mission. As a full-time missionary, I was responsible for teaching and supporting people within my assigned area. I later served as a district leader, a leadership assignment where I had stewardship over a small group of missionaries and led our weekly district council meetings. For half of my mission, I served as a zone leader, a joint role with my companion in which we were responsible for training missionaries across two or more districts. In total, I served for two years as a full-time missionary, six weeks as a district leader, and twelve months as a zone leader.

These experiences deeply shaped my character. Speaking daily with people from many different backgrounds helped me develop compassion and an outward focus. Leading groups of eight to thirty missionaries taught me how to conduct meetings, sit in council, teach, and train. More importantly, I learned to see leadership as stewardship—practicing servant leadership and leading through relationships rather than authority alone. One of the most challenging parts of missionary work is the responsibility to talk with people wherever you go. With the support of my companions, fellow missionaries, and my own study and preparation, I learned to overcome my natural apprehension and to initiate conversations with confidence and purpose.

I have recently concluded my mission and begun college through Ensign College, taking online classes from home. Looking back, my childhood, teenage years, and especially my mission have prepared me to be both a committed disciple of Jesus Christ and a developing leader. They have given me a foundation of faith, work ethic, and service that I now bring into my education and future opportunities.