#62 Staying in Bergen

Hei Hei fra Bergen!!!

This week has just flown by so I'm just going to jump right into it! 

Monday

Last Monday we just kind of walked around the city and went into a couple of shops, tried to get some souvenirs before Sister Hutchings goes home on Thursday. We also went and had a lesson with our investigator and her son. We taught Jesu Kristi Evangelium with brownies and ice cream!  We did it just like we did at home... with the picture of Christ and the "sins" the sticky notes, covering the picture and then taught how baptism washes it all away...so then we had cake and ice cream!  The little boy loved it and it got him involved in the lesson!  It was awesome because our investigator was teaching her son and they were talking about baptism and what they need to do.... so I hope things keep going up from there!!!  They are awesome and I love them!!  

Tuesday

Today we had District Meeting and we talked about how to be a successful missionary and what that means and then how to make bybane (train) contacting effective. We had lunch and then it was out to contacting!  We contacted all the way up until MMK!  Then we finished up the day with dinner and studies. While we were out contacting today I actually ran into a guy that had met with the missionaries once before.... and he told me that he didn't think that we should be baptized as infants (which we agree on obviously) and said that he was going to get baptized but he just needed to find the church!  He said he felt that he hadn't found the church that he felt at home in yet... so I got an appointment with him so we can discuss how the Book of Mormon and the Bible go together! So that was super cool!  Then I saw this other lady and I talked to her and she immediately took the Book of Mormon and wanted to meet.... and said that we always need more of God's word and it was awesome!  She then thanked me before walking away! It was awesome!! 

Wednesday

Today we had one lesson planned but she didn't show up....so  we went to a member's house who had made waffles wrapped around hot dogs.... and so she fed us those... and then we just talked to her...and we had to head out and catch the bybane to head to the airport!  We headed up to Trondheim for splits with the sisters up there!  So we got there and had dinner and then we called through their area book and got a few appointments!  

Thursday

We were in Trondheim for the day! Sister Palmer and I went and visited a 93 year old to help her sort out her clothes for the clothing exchange...she is 93 and totally with it!  They say that there must be something in the water in Trondheim that makes them live that long... because the whole ward is full of them haha!  Then we went out and contacted.... and the first two people we talked to gave us their numbers!  We had lunch and then went to the city to contact. Sister Palmer was really excited because most of her contacting has been on buses.... so I got to show her street contacting:)  In the span of 45 minutes we handed out 3 Book of Mormons and got numbers for all 3!  Crazy!!  We were so excited and it was a cool testimony builder to me that God truly does prepare people and put them in our path as long as we are willing to put forth the effort!  It was awesome!  We then did splits review with them and then we headed to the airport to fly home!  It was a really good splits! 

Friday

Today was a finding day so we were out and about on the streets all day..we had an appointment but they didn't show up... so we were back out on the streets and we weren't having much success!  But you never know what can come from a card! We went and taught one of our investigators! We taught her the Plan of Salvation and she said that she knows the church is true but worried about her family not being members. I was able to share the experience about Mommo and Besse and our family and it was so cool!!  It's amazing to be able to connect with the investigators on a personal level and show her that I have faced the same thing!  It was a good lesson! 

Saturday

We were out on the streets a lot today too after we taught språk!  We weren't having much success today either but there were lots of cards given!  Then we met with a member from Ålesund and we talked to her about being in the navy and how she stays so strong in the church (she was baptized last year) and she said, "When you stop reading the Book of Mormon, that's when the trouble comes" and there is truly a power in the Book of Mormon.  We truly do need to read it every single day and if we do that then we will be able to feel that power in our lives.  Then called through some potentials in the phone and then ended with studies! 

Sunday

Today we went to church and found out that we were going to be singing in church 9 minutes before it started so we just picked the hymn that Elder Stephenson could play the best and sang that...we sounded absolutely horrible but it's all good because maybe the Spirit covered it up a little haha!  You can always hope for that!  I gave a talk as well and I was allowed to pick my own topic which I think is incredibly hard... but I prayed about it and a quote from Joseph Smith kept coming to my head, "Sometimes God brings us low, before He can lift us higher" and so that's what I centered my talk around... and it was really cool because it actually went hand in hand with the other talks given!  I was able to share Dad's conversion story at the beginning of my talk... and it's freaking awesome that my dad's my superhero so that I could share the coolest conversion story ever!  I get more and more pumped about it every time I share it!  It was cool too because my talk struck up a conversation with a less active and she said that it was cool that I shared that story because as members they think that all the missionaries come from generations and generations of members and that my dad himself was a convert.  The introduction of the gospel is really close to me with my dad and grandparents being converts...and I think that is literally the coolest thing!  I love coming from a family where the converts are close to me and I think that is one of the reasons that my testimony of the gospel is so strong!  Because the pioneers in my family are just around the corner! Then we had weekly planning and studies!  

As for transfers, I will be staying in Bergen and I will be training for the second time!  I'm super excited for that because I loved training the first time! So I will be in Bergen until November which I am pumped about because I love it here!  Sister Stolp is moving to come down here....and be Sister Wheeler's companion.... and she will be my  STL companion as we go on splits and MLC.  The elders are still the same except for one elder moving and another one is coming!  So our District is going to be a party!  

Today

Today we had breakfast with the new senior couple, the Jensons, and looked at moves!  Then we are all going to a dinner at a member's house and then we are going to FHE! 

I'm happy happy happy and I love love love my mission!!!!  

Love you all lots and miss you tons!!!

Pictures from Bergen and her splits in Trondheim

#61 Don't take the gospel for granted

Hei Hei fra Bergen!!!

Well it's been another wonderful week in Norway!  I don't even know where this past week went..it flewww and now it's already Monday again!  Holy cow!  CRAZY! And it's going to be September next week and that's just also weird!  

Monday

Last Monday we just went and contacted and I don't remember who we talked to, but it was great and lots of mormon.org cards were given out!

Tuesday

Today we went to try and visit a referral that lived about a half hour out and it was in a beautiful area right by the water.... but we had no idea where this house was and we never found it!  But we walked by a ton of raspberry bushes just out by the path and so we got a snack along the way!  God is good!  Little tender mercies! So then we headed back to go to MMK and then it was back out with contacting and talking to people! 

Wednesday

Today we went and contacted earlier in the day and you know contacting in itself is like a box of chocolates!  You never know who you're going to get.  They could be super nice and want to learn more or they could just leave you in awe with what they say!  It''s an adventure every time!  I was able to hand out 2 Book of Mormons though in the hour and a half that we were out there!  I love being able to introduce the Book of Mormon!  That book has changed my life!  We then had an appointment that didn't show up so we had lunch and then we met with a member and talked about the Book of Mormon. Sister Hutchings said something really cool, she said, "Every time we read the Book of Mormon, the book is the same but we are different" and I thought that was really cool!  That's why different things stand out to us each time! We taught our investigator and he had so many questions and how we know if we received an answer from the spirit...and all sorts of things.... and as we were trying to explain things then it hit me...there is a reason that the first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  It doesn't matter who you are, where you've been in life, what you're background is, your understanding of the gospel, anything at all...building your foundation on faith in Jesus Christ is the key.  That is how it all starts..our faith is so incredibly important.  Faith is also not a destination, it is something that we need to continually build up and strengthen.  As Gordon B. Hinkckley put it, it's like a muscle.  When we exercise it, it strengthens and if we put it in a sling then it will get weaker.  Then we had weekly planning!

Thursday

Today we had District Meeting and Sister Hutchings and I were in charge of the doctrine portion and it was on charity and love.  So we watched the mormon message, "God Will Lift Us Up" and then had everyone in the District write something nice about everyone else in the District!  It was such a fun district meeting!  Without charity, we really are nothing!  We were going to meet with a member... but that didn't go through... so we called potentials and went and visited Miranda (her friend from EFY who just finished her mission) in the city with her family!  That was so much fun!!! It was fun just catching up!  Her family took us to eat at the fish market so we had fresh salmon!  It was so much fun!  Then we went and contacted and it was pouring rain!  Pouring rain...we were waiting for the bybane later that day and the streets were just puddles....and it was like waterfalls off of the roofs!  This city is drowning haha!  We then did studies and dinner! 

Friday

Today we went on splits with the sisters in our apartment!  I was with Sister Wheeler for the beginning of the day and we went and visited a lady and were able to talk to her and visit a little bit..we just dropped by and then we taught one of their investigators which was really cool!  Then Sister Bennett and I went and contacted and found a potential and then met with an investigator who I used to teach in the other area. It was so fun to teach her again!!!  She was telling me that I needed to come on teaches more often!  We answered her questions and she asked for a study guide for the Book of Mormon so that was super cool!  She is golden!  Then we contacted again and we were meeting the funniest people haha! Then we had dinner and splits review!

Saturday

We taught language class today and that went really well!  You guys know I like teaching that class!  We went and contacted and  visited a less active and showed her a mormon message and that went really well!  After that it was back out on the streets and I talked to one guy that asked if he could keep the Book of Mormon!!:)) and was just soaking up everything that I said.... and I love it when people listen!!  It's the best!!!!  And he told me that he would've never guessed that I was American which was super cool!!!:)) We had another appointment that cancelled so it was still out on the streets!  And then studies to close out the day!

Sunday

Today we had church and that was great!  One of the less actives we work with came to church for the first time in 2 years! We sang with the YSA "A Child's Prayer" and then the senior couple gave their talks.... because it was their last Sunday. I was asked to translate for her....but I didn't even see the talk until sacrament meeting was starting.... so I was trying to translate some of it before she was going to be speaking but I didn't get it all.... and I was going to be standing right next to her translating it... by every couple lines! I was so scared and so I was just pleading that Heavenly Father was going to help me because I would have to just translate the rest of it as I was standing there....and everyone who knew English would know exactly if I translated it right or wrong.  But God does not ever fail us and I definitely received help and was able to translate!  So after that I could relax! One of the young men was leaving on a mission so he gave his farewell talk and we sang called to serve.... and I was getting all emotional! I love singing that being on a mission in the ward that I'm serving in!  I can't even put into words how much I love my mission!  It's the greatest!!  Then we had a luncheon with the whole ward and  we were back out on the streets talking to people. We had a couple of conversations that were a little longer and there was one that said that the fact that we are on earth is just random and that just doesn't make sense to me.  Everything is evidence that God exists! Us, our spirits, the earth, everything about the earth and I just think that literally so many things point to God!  I know He exists!  He is there! 

I've been thinking this week on how much we take this gospel for granted. Sometimes as missionaries or as members of the church, we forget just how great of a message this is.  We forget what we are offering people, what we are telling our coworkers and our friends and family about.  We are telling people that there is a God and that He lives.  We're telling them that they have a Savior that suffered and died so that they wouldn't have to walk this path of life alone and could return to live with God.  We're telling them that families are forever.  We're telling them that God still speaks to us today, that there is a prophet that leads us, that we are loved enough that God has reached out His hand in this dispensation.  We're telling them that there is a reason to hope, to find joy in this life. That life doesn't have to be that hard if we depend on the Lord.  That the relationships that we have on this earth are important because they last beyond the grave.  That kindness counts.  That the good you do matters.  That every tear is counted and that someone loves you more than you can imagine.  That God has a plan for you! That we don't need to fear.  We need to remember that this is what we have and that this is what we need to be offering people.  I've wondered sometimes why I was blessed enough to be born into the church.  Would I not accept it if I didn't have it to begin with? But one of the elders that I served with gave a perfect answer.  "God knew you would do something about it" and I love that!  So let's do something about it!  I'ts too great to keep to ourselves! 

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

Pictures from Fantoft Church....the famous composer Edvard Grieg and the museum...and Kylee meeting Miranda and her family

# 60 The key to happiness is gratitude and loving others

Hei Hei Fra Bergen!!!

It is getting really chilly and it's only the beginning of August!  I am currently wearing a sweater and I wore a sweater this past week.... and it has been raining non stop...raining BLESSINGS!  Life is just oh so good all the time and I absolutely just love life!  We had a crazy busy week this week but the Lord's hand was in it all so that made it great! 

Monday

Last Monday we went out and contacted for a little bit in the rain but it was literally pouring and there was no one outside..... so we went back to the apartment and called people instead!  We got a couple of appointments!:)

Tuesday

Today began at around 4am and didn't end til around 11pm!  We had zone conference down in Stavanger and our flight left at 7am!  They almost didn't let us go through security because the machines wouldn't let us check in because we were too late.... but we had gotten there on the very first train that even goes during the day. After awhile they let us all in and we got our boarding passes as we were boarding...so tender mercy!  The Lord watches over us! Then we had a great Zone Conference about member missionary work and the members from Stavanger came and we had practicals teaching them...and it was super cool!  The Spirit was so strong!  Sister Hutchings (her companion) and Sister Blankmeyer (first companion)also gave their last testimonies before they leave in 2 weeks... so that was crazy!!!  Time literally flies!! We also had interviews with President Hill.  I only have 3 transfers left!!! AHHHHHHHHH WEIRD!!!!!!! I can't believe it!!! Then we hung out at the airport until our plane left at 9:15... so it was a long day!  

Wednesday

Today we went and visited one of our investigators.... but she had visitors over so we just talked to her outside. She has started writing down the things that she is grateful for and says that things are finally looking up!  That she is finally happy!  Gratitude is the key to happiness people!  Then we went and contacted and then met with another person that we found out is a practicing muslim. We can't commit  him to do anything so it was more a "learn more about what muslims believe and tell him what we think" session..but it was good!  Super nice guy! 

Thursday

Today we left at 10am on a bus for 3 hours to go on splits with the sisters in Haugesund!  I was with Sister Earl for today.... so we went and visited less actives and it was a lot of fun! I made the mistake and asked them why they moved to Norway and then they came back with a whole political discussion! Whoops!  But they were sweet people!  Then we went banking and we found a person who wanted to learn more! I love it when that happens!  So we got her number and then we talked to many others who aren't interested at all... and we had one person tell us that it was literally impossible for him to believe in God..that was interesting.  But the longer we kept talking to him then the more he let his guard down..the Spirit can truly penetrate every heart! Then we went to dinner at a members house in their branch and that was super good!  

Friday

We were in Haugesund all day today!  I was with Sister Horrocks....our old neighbors niece!!!! How crazy is that!!! We went and visited a less active and she was the sweetest lady! We talked about gratitude with her and invited her to see the tender mercies in her life and then write them down!  We went and contacted on the streets and then did splits review and dinner....and then we headed out on the bus to ride for the 3 hours back to Bergen!  This bus gets on a ferry and we sit on the ferry for about 20 minutes. The first time is was really  fun but then the second time it was so stormy and we were rocking...you couldn't even stand up and stand still haha!:) 

Saturday

We taught språk (language) again today and I love teaching that class!  I think it's so much fun!  We had two appointments but both of them decided to not show up... so then we were out on the street again seeing who else was interested in what we had to say!:) We got hit with a lot of nei takks (no thank yous) that day but that's all right!  Because why...salvation is not a cheap experience so why should it be easy for us?! So it was good anyway! We did meet one guy that was a religious teacher and he was super nice.... but he was telling us that he thought that what Joseph Smith said and all of that jazz is a cult and a fraud and how he simply can't believe it. Sister Hutchings said that she has an incredibly strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and asked him to explain why he couldn't believe... and he said, "That's the hard part..I don't get that" and he couldn't even answer the question!  NO ONE can argue with testimony!  The most powerful tool you can use in conversion is your own conviction of the truth!  That's the greatest secret weapon you've got!  I am so incredibly grateful for my testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon! My testimony is the greatest possession that I have! It is priceless and I wouldn't trade it for anything! Then we did weekly planning and went back out on the streets and then that was that! 

Sunday

We had MMK and then church and church was especially great today!  I've started taking notes in all 3 meetings and I learn so much more!  I was standing looking at everyone talking to each other and taking their seats yesterday just thinking,"Wow I really love church"  We take this gospel for granted so often and we are so truly blessed to have it in our lives!  We have every reason on earth to be happy and thankful and joyful and just love life because we have the truth... we know the truth and we live the truth!  After church we went and contacted and someone asked me if they could have the Book of Mormon!! YES! So that was super cool!  Then we did studies and dinner and I was studying about the apostasy... and our whole apartment got into a discussion about the Book of Mormon! We read this article called, "Die Boek Van Mormon" and I don't remember who it is by but you guys need to look it up and read it because IT IS SO GOOD!  You will read it and then just say to yourself, "The Book of Mormon has to be true" So try googling it or something..it's written by a non member and talks about him translating the Book of Mormon into Afrikaans. 

This past week I have thought a lot about gratitude! The key to happiness is gratitude and loving others... and if you do those two things then you are going to be happy!  There was a quote from a talk that I was reading that said something like, "To live with gratitude is to touch heaven" We are so incredibly blessed!  We are blessed beyond measure!  We have every reason to be thankful and to express that gratitude to God and everyone around us.  We live on this beautiful planet, we have our families, we have our friends, we have the things that we need to survive, we have blessings showered upon us every single day, every moment of the day... and the biggest of those is the gospel!  Let's not take the gospel for granted! AHH I could talk about this for years and years but I just think it's incredible how the key to happiness is literally two simple things..gratitude and loving others and that gratitude and loving others is intertwined! "Adam fell that men might be, that men are, that they might have joy" 

I'm SO HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY and it's because I'm so richly blessed!  There is another quote that says at the very end, "I want God to know that He gave someone life that loves the gift" and I am so incredibly grateful God has blessed me with the life that He has!  There is no way that I could ever repay Him but I'm so grateful that I can be an instrument in His hands and help others recognize where blessings come from! I love my life and I love it because God's hand is in every single step! 

Have the greatest week! Love you all lots and miss you tons!

#59 God is good and I am oh so blessed

Hei Hei fra Bergen!!! 

This week has been quite the rainy week and it is freezing cold!  The sweaters came out..yep and it's the beginning of August!  Welcome to Norway!  But this week has been an incredible week and it was a week full of miracles and tender mercies!  God is good and I am oh so blessed!

Monday

Last Monday we didn't do anything special for P Day... we helped one of the ward members clean out her apartment because she had to be out of the apartment!  We were mopping the bathroom floor with our feet and a mat and it was quite the system!  The Senior Sister started calling us the Bathroom Girls..so apparently that's a new nickname now! But it was real efficient and that bathroom was spic and span:)

Tuesday

Today we put together our presentation about etiquette for Zone Conference next week....so that took a good chunk of time... but now we are ready to go!  We've got practicals and everything! We went and visited one of our investigators and just talked to her about her life and how important God's plan is and how He truly does know best, even if it takes time.  We talked about how the true way to happiness is embracing His gospel and it was a good visit!  Then we had MMK and then we went and contacted!  We contact so often I don't actually remember everyone we talk to!:)

Wednesday

Today we had District Meeting and that was the most entertaining District Meeting I have ever been too!  Elder Hansen puts so much effort into our district meetings and they are so much fun!  We learn a lot but it's also a blast with our District!  Our District actually is just hilarious so that makes it all the more fun!  We talked about working with members and baptismal interview questions!  Then we went and contacted and we had dinner with a family in the ward with the other sisters.  It was such a koselig visit!  I think that Norweigan word is just the best way to describe it and there isn't a word for it in English!  I feel like I actually got to know the family and having relationships with the ward members is the best! 

Thursday

Today we had splits with Sister Blankmeyer and Sister Sorensen!!  BEST DAY EVER!!!  I was on splits with Sister Blankmeyer first (my trainer in the mission) and it was so much fun!!!  We went out and contacted people in the pouring rain and then just got to talking about her mission since she goes home in a couple of weeks. It's so cool to see that the things that I learned from her when I was being trained are still things that I was reminded of as she came on splits! She is the most non judgmental  person I know and just encircles everyone with open arms!  We had a lesson planned but got cancelled 10 minutes before!  After that I was with Sister Sorensen (who I trained in Drammen) and that was a BLAST!!!  She is literally the greatest! We went and visited a sister and we talked to her about missionary work... and her face just lit up when we were talking to her about it...and asked her if she could help us out!  She told us that Heavenly Father can hear your prayers if you speak really loud, so we finally got her to pray before we left...and she prayed that it would stop raining.... and  the sun came out before she was even done with her prayer!!  I pointed it out to her and asked her if Heavenly Father had heard that prayer and she said, "Maybe" God is Good!  He is truly aware of each and every one of His children and it doesn't matter how big or how small the need or the situation may be, God knows and He cares!  That is one of the biggest testimonies that I have learned on my mission...that God truly does know each and every one of us and how incredible is that!  The most powerful being in all the universe knows us personally...if you haven't felt God's love, pray to feel it because it is the most powerful love one could ever feel.  He knows us, He loves us, and because of that I am incredible blessed!  Then we went and contacted and we talked to everyone and anyone in the pouring rain!  It was coming down hard!  We talked to a guy that wanted to bible bash and he was just proving my point as we kept talking so that was funny:))Then we ran into a family from Paris and they were freaking out because we were both blonde and made their son stand next to us and take a picture....and then they were really disappointed when they found out we were Americans and not Norwegians:))... but it was really funny!  

Friday

Today we went out and contacted as usual haha!  We took almost an hour bus ride out to a member to go and teach our investigator!  We had dinner and then we taught her about the Restoration!  She is a golden investigator!  Amazing!  She thought that everything we taught just made sense and she didn't question any of it!  We asked her if she thought Joseph Smith and the First Vision could've happened and she just said, "Well yea...why not?" and we don't get that response from people so it was super cool!  She even read in the Book of Mormon and told us that she could feel it was a good book!  Thank you Holy Ghost!  It was awesome!!!  AHH I love seeing people progress in the gospel!  There is no happiness comparable to it!  That pretty much soaked up the rest of our day! 

Saturday

Today was a miracle day!!!  We went and tried to visit one of our investigators but she wasn't home so we decided to go to the top of the apartment building and knock all the doors on the way down!  So we went to the 13th floor and started knocking...it took us about an hour and a half to knock it all...but guess what happened in that time!?!  I GOT LET INTO MY FIRST DOOR EVER!!! I have never on my entire mission been let in banking (knocking doors)but we got in!!  I was so excited!  We gave them a quick run down of the Book of Mormon and asked if we could come back... and they said yes and asked where the church was!!  There was another family that took the Book of Mormon and asked where the church was... and there was a little girl that came and banked the rest of the doors on the floor with us! We ran into someone that knew the missionaries in the 80's and 90's and she said that she had really missed the missionaries and we were now her reminder of it. We ran into a less active that asked if we still played sport and that he could probably come, and at the last door  we had someone that tell us that we could come and share our message later and gave us their number!  TALK ABOUT MIRACLES!  Can I just say again that God truly knows each one of us!? God prepares people, God is the author of this work, God knows where we were going to be, what time we were going to be there, why we were going and who was living in that apartment.  HE KNOWS and thank heavens for that because if not then this work would be impossible! GOD IS GOOD!! OH SO GOOD!!! Then we did weekly planning!

Sunday

We had church and it was a great fast Sunday!  There were great testimonies given and I absolutely love fast and testimony meeting!  We also had an investigator come to church and it was great!  Translated for Sunday School and we're able to become better friends with a less active in Relief Society!  Then we were going to go out and contact but it was pouring rain so we called through the area book and got an appointment and then had dinner and studies! 

Today

Today we went and hiked up Fløyen and it was so much fun!! 

Thank you so much for all the emails!  Love you lots and miss you tons!!

Pictures from Kylee's hike to Fløyen

The apartment building

From zone leader training in Oslo

#58 A week I will always remember

Hei Hei fra Bergen!!! 

This past week was a week full of stories that you will tell years after your mission!  I have felt the spirit so strong and seen miracles performed in other's lives and I have laughed so hard that I'm still laughing about it!  Summed up...it was a good week:)

Monday

We walked around Bryggen because Sister Hutchings is new to Bergen...so our whole district just walked around and looked at all the tour shops and after that we actually headed back to our apartment to pack up for our trip to Oslo to go to MLC (Missionary Leadership Conference)!!! So the rest of the day was spent traveling!  We had dinner with all the other STL's and President and Sister Hill and had a little meeting about what we are to do as STL's..it was so much fun being with all the other missionaries!!

Tuesday

Today was MLC!!  We went over what our zones need and how we can better help the missionaries in our zone!  Talked about going on splits and how we can prepare for zone conferences!  It was a blast being with all the Zone Leaders and sisters and we had a lot of fun!!  It's a good group!!  We then flew back to Bergen late that night! 

Wednesday

Today we had a mission wide Webex and then we had District Meeting! We went out and contacted in the streets and that's just so much fun!  You literally meet such characters!:))  So for starters, we had this guy that called after us and we turned around and he asked if he could share a card with us (about his religion)...and then we asked if we could share our card with him.  He started talking to us and then dropped our card on the ground within a minute of the conversation and told us that we needed to put the Book of Mormon away and just read the Bible.  We responded that we do believe in the Bible and then he asked us if we had the Holy Ghost, Yes we do. "Can you feel the Holy Ghost?" Yes...then he told us that we don't need any more revelation today because we had the Holy Ghost ....and then Sister Hutchings asked him why we would then need prophets in the olden days...because we know that the Holy Ghost was still working in that time as well.  So then he told us that the Book of Mormon was fake and that we shouldn't be reading it.  We decided to do what we could then to defend our beliefs. Also, side note...Sister Hutchings heard of a study that every time something like your religion or something that means a lot to you gets attacked... then the same part of your brain goes off as if you were having a physical fight ha!  So I told him it talked about the Book of Mormon in the Bible and I wasn't 100% sure where, I just knew it was Isaiah 29.  But the Lord doesn't fail us and I found it as soon as I looked at the chapter. "I cannot read a sealed book"  I then pulled up that experience in Joseph Smith History about Joseph's account of taking the manuscripts to "the one who is learned" and says, "I cannot read a sealed book" I then told him I had literally just proved to him that the Book of Mormon was true.  Then Sister Hutchings said that he couldn't tell us it was fake if he had never read it.  Then this lady in his church comes up and says, "I would like your book sisters.  I want to learn more about Christ" and then kisses our hand and says "God bless you" and this guy storms off! Crazy!  Then we later talked to a lady from Poland who took the Book of Mormon, talked to this super nice couple from Italy and then we saw this old guy that Sister Hutchings new from Stavanger!  She had just seen him on the streets.... so he starts yelling at the top of his lungs and says, "I'm a tourist! I'm a tourist here in Bergen!" and I take pictures of him and Sister Hutchings!  Then this guy stands by me and asks if he can have a picture with me... and he starts putting his arm around me so I move a little to the side... and then he starts trying to put his face closer to my face (this guy is shorter than me) and so I'm moving away from him and he's just following me! Then this guy starts making kissing noises and starts following me so then we're running down the side walk at the bybane  (train)station and then he yells again, "I'm a tourist here in Bergen!" and then walks away!  We were CRACKING UP!! 

Thursday

Today was a MIRACLE day!  We had 5 lessons today and not one of them cancelled on us!  We had a lesson with less actives and just went over the Restoration!  We are helping them prepare to go to the temple so that they can be sealed!  Then we had a lesson with an investigator who is 80 and talked about how our church is the restored church here on the earth.  We had another lesson with another investigator who really wants to be baptized but needs to do some other things first... so he is now going to the church to pray so that he can receive the inspiration that he needs to be able to take the next step!  He is golden!  Then we had another lesson with another investigator and taught her about prayer and how she can receive the help and the comfort that she needs through her communication with God!  We taught another lesson with another investigator about the Plan of Salvation and he said that if he finds out it is true then he wants to be baptized!!  We also went out and contacted and handed out Book of Mormons... and just what a day!!!:)  I wish I had time to go in detail with all of those lessons because they were incredible!  It was a day where I went to bed and I thought, "Wow...lives have been changed today because I was able to be an instrument in the Lord's hands"  What an incredible blessing that is!!  Sister Hutchings told me that I need to just be a missionary for the rest of my life because I was born for this job! Haha!   And honestly I just want to be a missionary forever!  It's literally what brings the most joy in the whole entire world!  This was definitely one of the best days of my entire mission!

Friday

Today we had a lesson with an investigator.  It was a short lesson but we were able to talk a little bit about our personal experiences with the gospel and she is super cool!  Then we did weekly planning and then went to sport and played volleyball!  Woo! That about sums up the day!

Saturday

Today we had our språk (language)class and then we traveled out to a member's house for lunch.. and in the mean time we got a new investigator!  They had invited the girl that is renting right below them to lunch and we introduced the Book of Mormon and we have another appointment with her on Friday!  WAHOO!!!  When we came back we went out and contacted again...and we talked  to so many people that I don't remember all the people that I talked to! :)) But I do remember handing out 2 Books of Mormon and one of them I just approached with, "I'm here sharing this free book about Jesus Christ.  Can I share it with you?" and she just said, "of course" So that doesn't happen all the time so that was way cool!  

Sunday

Today we had MMK early before church and had great talks given in church!  I translated for Sunday School which is now my job every Sunday... and then we went out and contacted again!  Yesterday people were pretty bitter and we were getting some rude comments!  One of the elders got sworn at and told him to go back to Utah (because apparently that's the only place there are Mormons) and then we had people telling us no and putting up their hands..it's hilarious because the way some people react to us you would think we have a plague or something. It's fine if they're not interested... but we're still people!  Human beings!  But as always, the Lord blesses us and we find people who do want to listen!  Then we had dinner and our studies!  

Today

Today we might go on a hike!! But I don't actually know what we're going to do today!  It's pretty cold and sort of rainy!  

Love you lots and miss you tons!  Have a great week! :) Also, remember to look for the Lord's hand in your daily lives and I promise you will see more miracles than you thought possible!  "If miracles have ceased, it is because faith has ceased"