I will give you a run down of the week for starters!
Thursday
Today we did weekly planning and then we had an appointment with a lady who lives way out in the woods and it takes 2 hours to drive there.... and so we started driving and I was calling potentials in the car and then we picked up a member that we were taking on the teach. We continued to drive to this lady's house and then good thing Sister Madsen was driving slow because there was a tree that had fallen over the road and was hanging on electric lines!! So we ended up not being able to meet with her because there was a tree in the way. We went back to the members house and she made us a quick little dinner before we drove home!
Friday
Today we started the day out contacting and gave out a Book of Mormon to the second lady that we talked to! We decided to go out and contact a lot of potentials.... so we had written down their addresses previously and then we went out and knocked on their doors.... and if they weren't home then we would just bank the surrounding area. We didn't have much success but there were hyggelig people who were having nice conversations with us. There was one lady that wasn't interested and took a card and then said, "It's good to know that there are people like you in the world" and then another guy came up to us and asked us if we were there to bring him the cat haha! Nope, just books! We caught a train to go and visit Mommo and Besse and that was super fun being in Drammen one last time before I leave! We had great food and Christmas cookies!! It was a super koselig visit!
Saturday
Today we went out contacting over by the mall because we figured that there were lots of people that were out Christmas shopping and we had so many hyggelig conversations. There was one guy that stopped us and said, "you guys look so happy and when you look so happy then one must stop them" and then come to find out it was a Jehovah Witness that decided that he wanted to preach to us and so we were exchanging "budskaps" haha! It was funny! Then we went and visited our investigator and we had found out that one of the problems with her understanding the gospel was understanding the priesthood. So that's what we taught about and it cleared up soo many misunderstandings! It was the best lesson we've had and the Spirit was so strong in the lesson! She said that she had seen fremskritt (progress) in herself and that was incredible! She is making progress! Then we had a Christmas dinner with an older lady in the ward and some of her family and the elders! It was the funniest dinner appointment! She had us sing Christmas songs and she was sharing story after story! But she is the sweetest old lady and we had so much fun! Then we went banking and we got an appointment for next week because he said that we could come back so that was exciting!
Sunday
Today I actually gave a talk about how the Holy Ghost reminds us about Christ and it's crazy to think how comfortable I am giving talks now, I barely had to even look at my paper and I just thought of things on the spot that I wanted to add! I could not do that before my mission, granted it's in Norwegian and I am so much more comfortable when it comes to gospel lingo in Norwegian now! But it was funny because everyone was coming up to me after talking about how great my grammar and pronunciation was haha! Then we had dinner and studies and then went and visited a less active and talked to them about the commandments and how God gives them to us because he loves us. Then we had more studies!
Today
Today we are going ice skating in Oslo and just walking around some shops!
Well, this is it. It's been an emotional roller coaster these past couple weeks knowing that my time is ticking down. These were definitely the fastest 18 months of my life, the best 18 months of my life, the happiest 18 months of my life, the most meaningful 18 months of my life and 18 months of my life that will forever hold a special place in my heart. I am so incredibly grateful that Heavenly Father knew that this mission needed to be a part of my life. Everything that I am today I owe to my mission. I have learned countless lessons on my mission, I have learned what it means to truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I have felt indescribable joy, I have jumped up and down because an investigator is attending church, I have never prayed more fervently, I have never had an hour of scripture study go by so fast, I have been brought to tears by my own imperfections, I have reached out of my comfort zone, I have stopped thousands of people, I've handed out multiple Books of Mormon, I have given thousands of mormon.org cards, I have faced rejection, I have been ridiculed, I have felt the love of God so strong that it is almost tangible, I have never before felt such indescribable joy. But most importantly, my testimony has become stronger than it has ever been. I know without a doubt in my mind that this church is true. I know that we have a Heavenly Father, who loves us with an unconditional love and that He truly knows each one of us individually. He has a plan for each one of us, He knows best and that we simply need to trust Him. He hears every prayer whether it be vocal or a silent plea, He counts our tears and He knows our joys. He is our Father and He wants what is best for us. We have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the Redeemer of the World. He lived, He died and He lives today! He truly was who He said He was, the Son of God. He suffered in the Garden of Gethsamene for each one of us, He suffered for our sins, our pains, our afflictions, our sicknesses so that we don't ever have to walk this earthly life alone. He died on the cross and was resurrected so that we too could live again! That is the center point of the gospel, Jesus Christ is central to everything in the church and He should be the center of our lives. Joseph Smith was a prophet that was called of God to restore the true church here on the earth. He did in reality see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. He was the translator of the Book of Mormon and it was brought forth by the power of God. The Book of Mormon is truly another testament of Jesus Christ. It is the word of God, and that book changes lives, it performs miracles. I know that temples are the house of God and that through it we can be with our families for eternity and that we can come closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We have the priesthood authority here on the earth, it is the power of God. Nothing gives me more joy than this gospel, the gospel is everything and I have been so incredibly blessed to have had the privilege to share it with the people of Norway for the past 18 months. Missionary work will always be a part of me, I will share this gospel until I am out of breath because I know that it is where eternal happinnes lies.
Thank you so much for all the support that I have received while I have been in Norway! It meant the world to me and made a big difference knowing that I had a big support group cheering me on at home! Love you all lots and I will see you next week! :)
