#32 Trondheim was a blast!

Hei Hei fra Drammen!

Well this week is the same 'ol, same 'ol...just as fantastic as last week!!:)

Monday

So last Monday we played Banangrams...again! We had a blast!! We headed to the train station to take the Flytog to Oslo and then we got on our flight from Oslo to Trondheim!!! The flight was only 45 minutes and we just slept the entire way:) When we to Trondheim we got on another Flytog and went to another train station where the sisters picked us up.  We didn't get in until almost 9 o'clock and we hadn't even dinner... we were starving!!  so toast with peanut butter and jam was dinner!

Tuesday

Full day in Trondheim!!  I went with Sister Neilson first and we went out and contacted people on a path right next to a river which was super pretty... and people up there just stopped and talked to you..even if they weren't interested in the gospel! They were very friendly!  After talking to 3 people  we handed out a Book of Mormon, so that was super cool! After that we had District Meeting with their district and talked about how we can find, retain, and activate all at the same time. We did a practical with a street stand which was nice, because we had a street stand planned for Saturday too!  Then the missionary couple up there made us lunch and it was delicious! After lunch Sister Neilson and I updated their progress report for investigators and then we went out and contacted again. We saw Nidarosdomen (Nidaros Cathedral is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. Built over the burial site of Saint Olav, the king of Norway in the 11th century, who became the patron saint of the nation) and the ByBrua ( Gamle Bybro was constructed by Johan Caspar von Cicignon in 1681 in conjunction with the reconstruction of Trondheim after the great fire of 1681) Super pretty and just a cute town!  Met a lot of just super nice people, really friendly!  I was able to understand the people up there too!  There were a couple of sentences where you just nod your head and smile because you're not sure what was said, but for the majority I was good!  Then we headed back to the church and met with a girl who is our age, is a new convert, and preparing to go on a mission! We taught her about tithing, fasting, and paying both of those.  Really cool lesson and I've had many experiences with both tithing and fasting so it was a good opportunity to be able to share those!  Then we did språk study and then I went out with Sister Ralphs and a member from the Trondheim ward.....and we visited a less active. We contacted a couple of people on our way back home and then had pizza for dinner and then splits review!  We had a lot of fun with them and it was a blast seeing Trondheim!

Wednesday

Today we left the apartment at 6:40am  to catch our train to the airport. We got to the airport way before our flight was supposed to leave, so we got some breakfast and then we got a couple of things from the tourist shop up there! When we were on our way to the airport our train stopped in Hell, Norway...so I had to get a postcard of that too haha! Sister Cook and I got a laugh out of that one!  Then we hopped on the plane and slept again which made the plane ride go so fast!  When we got back to Drammen  we went out and contacted people.. and we were determined to find people.  We don't have investigators right now and we are trying to find them... but no one is listening. We contacted people and handed out Book of Mormon cards... and then we tried visiting a less active who didn't answer. So before we went out and contacted again... we decided to say a prayer. We said that Heavenly Father can not not bless us if we talk to absolutely everyone... so that is what we did!  We found one person who was English speaking and said she wanted to come to our church... so we have contact with her... so pray that she becomes an investigator!  We also met a guy that promised us that we would see him in church one day, so pray for that one too! We talked to two people and those conversations were my favorite!:)  First off, there was one guy that I talked to and I started flipping through the pictures in the front of the Book of Mormon..I didn't get through them all before he said he needed to go and then pulled out his necklace and told me that he was orthodox.  I told him that that was great but that he was still welcome to come to church.... and guess what...he said that he lived next door to the church!! So he took the Book of Mormon and the card!  Then this one is my absolute favorite!! Sister Cook and I stopped this one lady and after asking her a couple of questions she told us that she knew a lot about the Mormon church and that she knew about the Book of Mormon and that we don't need it.  I told her that it wouldn't make sense for God to speak to us for thousands of years and then suddenly become silent...so in my head I had the thought to say that it talks about the Book of Mormon in the Bible, but I didn't know where that reference was! Then it kind of just came out and she said, "Well that I would like to see" She then continued to tell us how she knew more about the bible than most! Sister Cook was already flipping through the pages to find the reference.  Sister Cook then read it out loud and this preacher just goes quiet.  Then after a little bit she said, "Well I don't think that is talking about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon" and then we gave her a card and she walked away...but we literally made a Norwegian preacher go silent!:) It was one of our favorite parts of the day!!!!!! Then we walked to the church which was a long walk (2 miles) and then got dinner and watched the Worldwide Missionary Broadcast! It was great!!

Thursday

Today we had District Meeting with our own District and a returned missionary girl was with us which was super fun!  We talked about humility and how to have humble confidence as a missionary! We did practicals and practiced teaching the Restoration which was super helpful! After our meeting the elders drove us to our dinner appointment. We shared 1 Nephi 13:37 talking about missionary work and committed them to do missionary work... they are already doing a ton which was awesome!  There are so many members doing missionary work but they never say anything unless you ask them about it, so it was super fun to hear their stories and hopefully get the work here in Drammen moving again!  Then the Elders picked us up after their appointment and drove us to the church where we went to a member in the ward. We just talked and got to know her!  She hasn't been in church for a little bit so we  all just met her for the first time and it was so much fun!  She showed us her art and she is super good at it, so we talked about having a craft day one of these days!

Friday

Today we did weekly planning at the church and then we went to our dinner appointment which was so much fun! The mom has served a mission in England so she is always asking us about our missionary work and giving us advice. She is truly engaged in missionary work and always asks us how she can help! She was so nice and drove us to the church where we called a bunch of potentials and we got a few people who are interested and AN APPOINTMENT FOR TONIGHT!!! So I'm hoping and praying that that one will be good and that it will happen because we need investigators!!!

Saturday

Today we had our street stand on Bragernes and oh my goodness was it freezing!  I mean I know this is Norway and that it's cold, but today was bitter cold and it didn't matter how many layers you had on...it just was cold!!!!  Almost painful!  There weren't too many people out, but we gave out free waffles...so many people just took the waffle and left...other people talked and took a Book of Mormon...others were scared to take the waffle because they saw the Book of Mormon... and then others didn't want a waffle:)) We were out there from 12-4 and then we went to grandma and grandpa for dinner where we had hot dogs and krone ice cream which was delicious!  We also watched a video on the sacrament and then broke down the sacrament prayers which was a really cool experience!  I love teaching them!! and grandpa is doing great with the new convert lessons!!

Sunday

Today we had MMK and church and then we went to our dinner appointment with a family in the ward. They have never had the missionaries over before but we went there today!  We played with their little boy on this car track thing and then had dinner and then shared 1 Nephi 13:37! We talked about missionary work and she is also doing missionary work that might turn into a referral later on, so that is super exciting!  Both of them are returned missionaries too so that's super cool!  Then we tried to go and visit a friend of Tante's (her aunt)!  We had the hardest time finding it and so we walked out in the snow for a while trying to find which street was connected to what, but we eventually found it!  We were able to talk to her for a little bit and just had a casual conversation..it was super hyggelig!  I don't even know what the word for that is in English!  But it was awesome! Then we went home and had companionship and language study and then Mac & Cheese because we were hungry! 

Today

Today we are emailing and there was transfer announcements today... so Sister Cook and I are still here in Drammen and then we are getting Elder Nelson and Elder Mitchell in our District and Elder Mitchell went to Westlake too (Her high school)!!! Small world!!

Love you all lots and miss you tons!!!

#31 Finding the one

Hei Hei Fra Drammen!!!

This week was another amazing week as usual! So I'm just going to jump right into it:)

Monday

So last P-Day all of the missionaries and the MMK went to Max and got lunch and that's the closest thing you can get to American food over here so it was delicious!  Then after that we literally played Bananagrams our entire P-Day!  It's hilarious how into we get... but it's a blast!  We'll probably end up playing it today too!  We went and visited the people down the street again that aren't interested in the church..but we went and had dinner with them and then played cards:) I didn't lose every single game this time so that was exciting! They seriously take such good care of us and they are so so nice!!

Tuesday

Today we looked up addresses to referrals that we had received and then planned on going to go and visit all of them. But,  we got ice rain...yes that is a thing.  The entire city was covered in ice, there were 10 accidents from the sentrum to the church and the buses were no longer going... so that destroyed our plans! So we were trapped in the church for a little while but we helped the ZL's with Zone Conference so that was fun!  A girl in the ward bought us all pizza which was super nice of her since none of us had had dinner!! Later that day we made it out of the church and headed to Bragernes, because one of the members was going to help us with språk (language). We basically had to skate anywhere anytime we were outside! The street outside our house was so bad that my companion and I had to sit on our butts and slide down the sidewalk to get home!!:)) You couldn't walk anywhere! 

Wednesday

ZONE CONFERENCE!!! Zone Conference was a blast and it was so so good!  I absolutely loved it and I learned so much!  We talked about how we can find investigators through members and service...because this is kind of a finding mission...we are out trying to find all. the. time!  So it was super good!  Then the AP's talked about språk (language) study and how we can improve it... and they put up a whole program for us on the mission website!  Then we said goodbye to some investigators that they had before I got here because they are moving back to Africa... and then we went to a members house!  It was a super quick visit but we shared a scripture from 2 Nephi and talked about Christ and how we want other people to feel that same joy of knowing that Christ lives. We invited them to talk to other people about the church and then committed them to hand out the Finding Faith in Christ DVD... so I'm excited to see how that goes!  Trying to find through members! After that we went to a dinner appointment with the Elders and it was hilarious! We played a game to help us with the language and that was also just funny!  Plus the food was great!  

Thursday

Today was the greatest! One of my favorite investigators from Asker, that I have gotten to know really well, wanted to come down to Drammen and take me and my companion out to lunch!!  So we met her around noon and she took us to one of the super nice restaraunts that are on Bragernes Torg,and we had pizza and fancy dessert which I also took a picture of!  We just sat and chatted, looked through my pictures from home, and had such a fun time! She is literally the greatest!  It was so fun for me to have her come and visit and she was telling me that she will be back again!  She treats us like her daughters and was telling me that when I come back to Norway to visit then I can just stay at her house!  So sweet! After our lunch we went and printed out the språk program thing and then called people!

Friday

Today we did companionship study and then had dinner with my grandparents!  We had another convert lesson and talked to them about prayer and how important prayer is, but also how important it is to listen to the Spirit.  Prayer has been one of the most important things to me all growing up and so being able to teach it to my grandpa and to testify of it's power and how it has helped me is the coolest experience!!!

Saturday

Today we did weekly planning and that takes up a big chunk of the day!  Then we had a dinner appointment with a family in the ward with all of the elders... and it was SO much fun!  We started playing "What are the odds?" at the dinner table and the kids were going into the kitchen to find spicy taco sauce and anything else that they could play "What are the odds?" with!  So much fun!  They are such a fun family and the kids were cracking us all up!  It was the best!!

Sunday

Today we had MMK and then we went to church and church is always good!  But I especially liked the relief society lesson today about how we need to stand as a witness for God and the whole relief society was getting all excited about missionary work and being able to find people... so Sister Cook and I are just going to take that excitement and then run with it so that we can find people!! Then we had our dinner appointment with a family in the ward...and it was delicious!  We taught their younger daughter about the gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end) and it was so good!!  Like I said last week, I just love being able to teach it in such a simple method to help me remember just how simple the gospel is! It's the greatest experience!  We even had the family share experiences of when they felt the guidance of the Spirit and it was so cool!!  The Spirit is always so strong when we teach her and it's incredible!! Then after that we traveled home by bus and train and then had språk study because we miss it Sunday mornings because of MMK! 

Today

Today we are emailing and then we are going to Trondheim!!! ( 495km away..so we are flying!!) So that will be super exciting!  I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and I'm excited to tell you all about it next week!  

Miss you all lots and love you all tons!!! 

Pictures from Christmas at the mission president's home

Zone Conference

Kylee and her companion

#30 Life is better when you're laughing

Hei Hei Fra Drammen!  This week has been a blast and I'm loving every second in Drammen!  

Monday

Last Monday we went shopping at Gulskogen! Then we went and played Banangrams, basically Scrabble, at the church and that was so much fun too!  We all get so into it so it's hilarious!  Then we went back home and just called people from our phone!  Lots of people said they weren't interested but then we have quite the list that we need to call back this week!  

Tuesday

We spent our day trying to find people...we are on the streets all the time!  It was raining today and so everyone was in a hurry to get inside, so not many people wanted to stop. We talked to one guy that told us that there must be a God and that life couldn't simply end after earth life...that it must continue on. We were so excited because all of his thoughts and opinions went hand in hand with the gospel!  So we got his number and were planning on meeting with him this week...but then we got a text about 10 minutes later telling us that our "eyes and our smiles were to die for"..so he's going to the elders!:)) But at least we found someone who is prepared for the gospel and the Elders can get a new investigator! Then later that evening we did a service project with the elders and painted a house! So that was fun!

Wednesday

Today we had District Meeting and it was great!!  One of the elders asked if my companion and I could teach the doctrine portion of it... about patience and diligence. That went really well and it turned into a really great discussion!  Then we did practicals with banking and using a question that has nothing to do with the gospel and then coming back to the gospel to get in the door... so that was really helpful and we will definitely be using that!  Then we had District lunch and then tried to contact a less active who turned out to not be home.   Then we had an appointment with a couple that live just down the street from us.  They absolutely love the missionaries, but are not interested in the gospel... so we just fellowship them and hopefully one day they will come around!  They take such good care of us and treat us as if we are their own kids.  We had tomato soup and then played cards with them and it was a blast!

Thursday

Today we went and visited besse (grandpa) and did his new convert lesson! We talked about Joseph Smith and just the importance of how he was obedient to the Lord, how he sought an answer to a question, how he received his own revelation, and how we can use that in our own lives.  It was a great lesson!  It's a lot of fun to teach him!  Then we went back to the church and taught our new investigator.  We went over the Restoration and reviewed the things that we went over last time... and then talked to him about why church was important to him.  He told us how we goes to church to pray, and so we are currently trying to get him to come to church. He is catholic and is going to the catholic church, but he is making progress and we are excited to keep teaching him!  Then we had an appointment with a potential that we called from the phone but she ended up not coming, so hopefully we can meet with her this week!  After that we had dinner with a family in the ward and that was a blast!! We had so much fun!!!  Our spiritual thought was from Alma 26 and how we need to be patient in our afflictions and that when we are, then the Lord will always help us without fail.  The family was so nice and drove us back to the church where we took the bus home to call more potentials!  The list is getting longer so hopefully there are some investigators in there!

Friday

Today we did weekly planning and then we had dinner with some members and that was hilarious!!:))  We went to a pizza place that called Lizzie's and it was so so good!!!  We were laughing so hard that my stomach hurt!  It was a blast!  Then after that they drove us home and the car ride was even funny! Then we called more people! 

Saturday

So we went and tried to visit a potential investigator, but she didn't answer. We had been invited by the elders to have lunch with one of their investigators with them and guess where they went?!? A sushi place!! So guess what I ate?! Sushi!:))  Well, it wasn't raw fish sushi..it was cooked chicken sushi but it was wrapped in seaweed and covered in rice nonetheless!  I took a picture to prove it to you!:))  After that it was about time to start driving to our dinner appointment with all the elders... and it was so much fun!!  Way good food and then their son and the elders had a fitness competition of who could hold the plank the longest and wall sits, so that was definitely entertaining to watch!  We also played a game called pie face where you spin the arrow and the number that it lands on is the number of times you need to turn the thing... and there is whipped cream on a hand and you don't know if the whipped cream is going to end up in your face or not...so of course it landed on me! So it was me, and two elders that had whipped cream all over their faces! But it was such a fun appointment and we played games with the kids and it was a blast!  Love that family!!  

Sunday

We went to MMK and then church...it was great!  I was asked to say the closing prayer in sacrament meeting and that went well:) Then our investigators from Africa came to Sunday School...but they are actually moving back to Africa in 3 weeks... but my compapnion is already in contact with the missionaries in their area so they will continue to progress over there!  Then we taught Young Womens and we talked about who we are and who we can become... so we watched "Deep Beauty" by Elaine S. Dalton and "Our True Identity" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf.It was a good lesson for us too!:)  Then we went to a family in the ward for dinner and we had Cafe Rio salads and it was delicious!!!  We taught their 8 year old daughter about the Restoration so that she can be more prepared for baptism...  it was such a spiritual lesson and so so simple but it was a great reminder of just how simple the gospel is...it's not supposed to be complicated!  We are supposed to be like little children! We had such a great time with this family!! After our dinner appointment we went to a Youth Bishop Discussion and then went home to plan!

Today

Today we are emailing and then going to Max with the Elders for lunch... and then we haven't made any more plans so who knows!  

Love you lots and miss you all tons! 

My new address is:

Tomineborgveien 47

3011 Drammen, Norway

Kylee has been out for 6 months!
Her "sushi"
The cute house she lives in....(first floor)

# 29 Love letter from Drammen!

Hei Hei fra Drammen! 

This week has been phenomenal and I have loved every single second of it!  So time to start updating!

Monday

So last Monday we e-mailed and then we attempted to go shopping, but we didn't have much success:( We went to President Hill's house with the missionaries from Drammen and Oslo and had a New Years Party!  We had Cafe Rio type food for dinner and then we played lots of minute to win it games with all of us which was a blast!  Then we had dessert and then it was time to go home to go to bed!  It was so much fun to be able to hang out with all the other missionaries and we had a blast!  

Tuesday

Today was my last day in Asker, so it was jam packed full of people to visit so that I could say goodbye!  We had District Meeting and we had our Zone Leaders come join us for District Meeting today.  We talked about Recognizing the Spirit and I just had a super cool realization:)  I don't know why it didn't click before, but it just hit me now, so that's the most important part!  So many of us underestimate the power of the Spirit and really just the role the Holy Ghost plays in everything! We would not even be able to experience the joy of the gospel! In Moroni 7 it tells us that everything that inspires us to do good is from God.  So we know that everything good comes from God and God communicates to us through the Holy Ghost.  So everything that we know is good in the gospel...the happiness that comes from it, the peace, the comfort, everything has to be communicated through the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost is what makes it even possible to be able to experience and feel the gospel.  How incredible is that!  We visited these two sweet sisters in the ward and read a little bit in the Book of Mormon and then talked about Personal Progress for a little bit.  It was a great visit and I will truly miss both of them!  Then we went and visited one of the cutest old ladies in our ward!  I shared my mission scripture (D&C 84:88) and we just discussed it for a little bit and she shared a really cool spiritual experience that she had had that really made it easy for her to accept the gospel.  I have had the coolest experiences come from sharing my mission scripture!  Then we went and visited our new convert, and her sweet daughter had made us soup for dinner. We talked about the Holy Ghost with her and how important it is to recognize it.  She is a phenomenal member and she is firmly rooted in the gospel!  I am so incredibly grateful for all the people that I have met in Asker...my investigators, the members, the people that I have met in the grocery store or in the streets.  I can honestly say that I have come to truly love those that I've served, and I'm glad that the Lord needed me in Asker.  I think it was also because the Lord knew that I needed Asker.  The people and experiences that I have had here have changed my life and like all the missionaries say, there is always something special about your first area:) 

Wednesday

MOVING DAY!!!!! So we got packed up and then drove down to Drammen!!!  We participated in Drammen's District Meeting for a little bit and then we all had pizza for lunch!  Then it was off to the apartment to unpack!  I will be taking pictures of the apartment this coming week because I didn't even get a chance to do that, but they are coming!  The apartment is super cute and has the wood walls so I kind of feel like I'm living in a log cabin, especially when I look outside and there is snow! So that's fun!  But anyway, I unpacked my things and then the Elders drove us to our dinner appointment with a sweet lady in the ward. We had dinner with her and then I was able to share my mission scripture with her as well!  It was a great visit!  From there we walked to a girl in our ward's apartment because she had been cleaning out her closet and had clothes that she didn't want anymore! She asked us to come look through them.... so now we have all sorts of things that we can wear!:) My companion and I just share all of it! Then we had to get a new drying rack because it was broken and I needed to do laundry.. and then that was the day!

Thursday

Today we went down to Bragernes Torg (town square)  and started contacting and went across the bridge and contacted over by the library...now let me tell you it was -12C (10F) and it was the coldest it has been while I've been out on the streets!  It was painfully cold!  So we had gloves plus hand warmers in our pockets and walking into the library every now and then to try and warm up.  We talked to a handful of people but we kept getting "Nei Takk" and then some that wanted to tell us how wrong we were... but my favorites are the ones that just stand and stare at you and then walk away..good times!!:)) Then we went and met a potential investigator, who became a new investigator, and we taught him the Restoration!  He doesn't read which kind of limited us on ways to teach him but it was a good lesson and there is real potential!  Then we went to a dinner appointment!  We shared Alma 26:37-38 and talked about how not one soul is lost to our Heavenly Father.  Great visit!  Then we did weekly planning!

Friday

Friday we had lunch with our District and interviews with President Hill! We worked on printing out the ward lists and things and then before we knew it it was time for dinner at mommo and besse's (grandparents) Mommo helped us with some info about people we didn't know in the ward..so helpful...so we are excited to get to work!! Then we spent the rest of the time just waiting for the bus, and then another bus..and we had to pick up a package that my companion had gotten!

Saturday

FINDING DAY!!! We had been challenged to have a finding day... and so we got things prepared before we headed out to catch the bus... and then started off our finding day in Bragernes Tog and a little bit in Strømsø. We talked to a bunch of people and we started out with a lot of no's... so that was a little discouraging... but we ended up having 17 gospel conversations and 4 potential investigators!!!  We found one family that had moved here just a year ago and didn't have any friends, and so they wanted to come to our church to get to know people and talk to people about their similar beliefs.  We also had another guy that asked us what our purpose was as missionaries and we told him and then we asked us what we believed in and we told him Jesus Christ and God and he said..."That's good. That's really good." and then gave us his number so that we could contact him!  So that was exciting!  It was a really successful finding day and even though it was freezing cold and we are still sore to this day from all the walking and standing on our feet...it was so good!!!  

Sunday

First Sunday in Drammen!!! It was amazing!!! I met our new MMK leader (mission leader) and we talked about how things are going with the missionary work in Drammen and our investigators. I got a special welcome from the bishop who told everyone in the ward that I had "deep roots" here in Drammen!:))  Then we went to Sunday School and talked about integrity and then we went to Young Women's for the third hour and talked about the Godhead.  It was a great Sunday and I enjoyed every second!!  We also have dinner appointments with some awesome families this week... so I'm so so excited!!! After church we talked to a couple of people on the street and then went to dinner at a member's house and had julemiddag (Christmas dinner) and it was really good!!!  It was with us and all the Elders so we had a lot of fun!  I shared a spiritual thought from Alma and it was a good visit!  Then we went home and did companion and språk study because we didn't have time in the morning because of MMK and church. For our companionship study, me and my companion talked about everything from deciding to go on a mission all the way up until getting our calls. We both had the prompting to read our calls again.... so we read them out loud and the Spirit was so strong!! We both just cried because the Spirit just reconfirmed that  Norway is where we need to be, and that we both got called to that mission because we both needed to be in Drammen now.  We then talked about the title of "Sister Cook" and "Sister Love" and how that holds so much more than just "missionary".... but that is how our investigators know us, the members of the ward, the people that affect us, the people we are now, the challenges we overcome as missionaries and the spirit was so strong!!! It was incredible and something that I will never forget!! 

Today we are emailing and then headed to Bragernes to do some shopping because I haven't spent my Christmas money other than getting a bigger backpack and a little jewelery so that'll be fun!! Then we're playing Bananagrams (basically Scrabble) with the Elders later today!  

Love you all lots and miss you all tons!! Have a great week!


Some pictures that Kylee sent....The other pictures are of Drammen where she is serving 

#28 Happy New Year!!!

Hei Hei Alle Sammen!!  GODT NYTT ÅR!!!

So since I didn't have a chance to write my normal e-mails last week, I'll give you all a short recap of what went on the week of Christmas:))  So for Christmas Eve we went to a part member family and it was so much fun!!  We had pinnekjøtt and ribbe (Norwegian meats that they eat for Christmas), and then spring rolls!  Kind of a random selection but it was so good and the spring rolls were my favorite!  Anyway, so we had that and then we had riskrem (that is so much better than Risgrøtt) and then we danced and sang around the Christmas tree which was a blast!  It sounds a little crazy but it was actually so much fun!!  Plus Mom, because we listened to all those Norwegian Christmas songs growing up, I was actually able to sing along!!! So that was exciting too!! We opened up presents that the family had given us (that was the picture of the Norwegian book and the Norwegian flag) and then we got some more chocolate!:))  It was so sweet of them!  They also gave us the boxes that the ward filled with presents for us, and that was a TON!!  We were definitely spoiled!!! We sat down and played a game with the family and then ate more Christmas cookies!!  It was a fantastic Christmas Eve and one I will never forget!! Christmas morning we picked up the elders and went to the missionary couple's home to open up our presents!! They had made us waffles, eggs and bacon for breakfast and we got permission to watched Home Alone!!! Greatest Christmas morning!!  You had 4 18-20 year olds literally dying of laughter from Home Alone...it had been a while since seeing a movie!!:)) After that we went to church for an hour and then headed over to a member's house for dinner. It was fun being with them!!  We headed back to the missionary couple's house to skype our families!!! That was my all time favorite part of Christmas!!!  I was so excited to be able to talk to them "face to face" for a little while. It was definitely the highlight of the holiday!!  I sure do love and miss them!! We were laughing and being sarcastic even from across the ocean..that's my fam!!  Then we just hung out until the elders were done skyping... and we spent the majority of that time just eating:) It was a great Christmas!!! Oh and I forgot to mention that on the 23rd we went to a member family and had dinner...and more christmas cookies! We helped them decorate their Christmas tree and house for Christmas, an we watched a Mormon Tabernacle Christmas concert while eating pepperkakker!! (gingerbread cookies)  Lots of fun!  That is not all of the stuff that happened last week...but it was the highlights!!

As for this week!!!

Monday

So last P Day everything was closed so we just sat in the church and played cards, made food, and then we got permission to watch Home Alone 2.... so that was so much fun!!  We were still dying of laughter from watching that one!! Later that day we had a dinner appointment with a family in the ward (literally LOVE that family) and it was a blast! It is so much fun to sit around the dinner table with them, because there is always a conversation going on and the kids crack me up!! 

Tuesday & Wednesday

These two days my companion had the flu:( .. so we were in our apartment the whole day for these two days...so I slept a little, I watched Legacy and Mountain of the Lord, I cleaned, organized, who knows what else!  Let's just say those two boxes of American Mac and Cheese came in handy!!:)

Thursday

Today we made it out of the house!!  We went to Oslo to listen to one of the ladies that teaches Norwegian at the MTC, and listened to her experiences of being a missionary at Temple Square. It sounds so much fun!!  Plus, I have lots of friends from the MTC that are serving at Temple Square, so it was a lot of fun to hear what they do every day!  It's very different from what our mission does,but it's cool to hear how many different ways you can spread the gospel!  Then we listened to President and Sister Hill do a year in review and show pictures from throughout the year, so that was a lot of fun!  After that we drove the elders to their appointment, and then we drove down to Drammen to have Christmas dinner with my grandparents!  That was obviously delicious and there were so many cookies!!  It was fun being able to sit and enjoy Christmas with them even though it was after Christmas!  We showed them the He Lives: Testimonies of the Apostles Mormon Message (go watch it!) and then we talked about how we can make goals to live our testimonies of Christ. I love being able to hear my grandparents share their testimonies and experiences of the gospel!! 

Friday

Today was deep cleaning day across the mission!  I had already started when my companion was sick, but we cleaned down to the tiniest little detail!  I was cleaning out the shower drain...yea gross but it was kind of funny because of all of my medical classes and things...if you just think of it being a medical situation then it doesn't become as bad, and it's a little easier to handle haha!  But that's what we did all day...cleaned!

Saturday

Today was NEW YEARS EVE!!! So we knew that not many people were going to be out today because people were preparing for their festivities.... but we called around in the area book and we got a referral for Drammen and Oslo and 8 people that possibly want to meet, so that was really successful!  Then we got a call from President and Sister Hill and they sang us a New Years Eve song and then President Hill told us he had one more little announcement.  He told us that we would be a part of the "mini moves" because the transfer isn't over yet, and guess who is moving!? ME!! And guess where I'm going!?! DRAMMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yea so to say that I'm a little excited is an understatement!!!  I'm going to serve with an amazing girl, and I talked to her before the mission... and have gone on splits with her before... and we get along so well... so I'm super super excited!!!!!!! We made a list of the people that I need to say goodbye to, and then headed to the church to make brownies. We brought the brownies to the missionary couple for New Years! We headed over there afterward and they had Dr. Pepper for us!!! And of course we had all kinds of other foods and treats...and we just hung out! We also went to the top of this hill to watch all the fireworks... and we were going to count down... but then we were told that we missed it:))... so way to kick off 2017! But we had a blast!!!

Sunday

Today we met with one our investigators before church, because church wasn't starting until 1 because it was only an hour!  So we got to meet with her and it was such a spiritually powerful lesson!  We had talked about how you can depend on Christ and how she could feel His love for her and it was soooo good!  Even she was crying!!!  It was the perfect lesson to be the last lesson with her!! She then gave me her email so that I could keep in touch with her and of course pictures!  Then we went to church and it was my last Sunday in Asker:((  It's just so weird because I've been here for so long!!! ( 5 1/2 months)  I've come to absolutely love the area and the people here.. so I'm sad to leave them... but there are great things ahead and I'm excited for that too!!  So I got pictures with a lot of people and then I packed up my stuff when I got home from church, and then we went to a member family for dinner!  We had quite the difficulty with the bus routes getting there, but we made it!! and the food was delicious and that family is fantastic!  They are so so much fun and we spent a couple of hours just chatting and telling stories!  We then shared our message about preparing for a mission and inviting people to church and both of the parents served missions, so it was so much fun to hear why they decided to go and why the kids wanted to go!!  Great great visit!!!

Today

Today we are emailing and then going shopping!! Wahoo for Christmas money!!! So I'm pretty pumped about that!  Then we are going to President's house with lots of other missionaries and playing minute to win it games and having fun!! 

Love you all lots and miss you all tons!!! Have a HAPPY AND JOY FILLED 2017!!!!! 

Talk to you next week from DRAMMEN!!!!!

1.Christmas market in Oslo with her companion
2.Her area
3.Donuts
4-7. Baerums Verk
8. Making marzipan
9-16.Celebrating Christmas at members' homes, gifts from the ward and families
17-20. Christmas morning!
21.Handmade mittens from grandma
22. Kylee and her companion
23-25. Kylee and the meeting with other missionaries in Oslo