#42 Grateful to represent Christ

Hey Hey Hey from Drammen! 

First of all, I heard that Utah got snow yesterday...HAHA!  I'm in Norway and it's been nice all week!  I even got a tan line from my watch!  So spring is coming! 

Monday

So today we went to Elve Parken again and what's Elve Parken without blueberries!? So we had those!  But it was incredibly windy so we didn't stay there for very long...so we just headed back to the church and we just all chatted:) After that we went grocery shopping and then we all went to a member's house and watched the last session of General Conference!  That Sunday Afternoon session was literally the most perfect session for missionaries and investigators... so we were all just in awe!  One of my favorite talks from that session was D. Todd Christofferson.... when he told us that " when we have been warned, it is our responsibility to warn those around us."  So share the gospel!  

Tuesday

Today we had District Meeting and Elder Nelson had asked me to teach the doctrine portion of District Meeting and it was on the importance of members in missionary work!  So I read Dad's conversion story and related that to what it was talking about in Preach My Gospel!  Then we did practicals about going through the baptismal interview questions... and we were each given a problem that we had to act like we had when we were the investigator... and so mine was that I spoke no english, no norwegian and didn't understand.:))  If I did speak any of the languages it was very very broken.  So then I did the practical with Elder Mitchell and that was the funniest practical of my entire mission!:))  He tried to play sharades, he drew on the board, he even wrapped a tablecloth around his head to try and teach me about prayer haha!  It was hilarious!  Then we had District lunch, studies... and then contacted people on the street.  We also tried to schedule an appointment with one of our investigators, but that didn't work.  We banked and the first house we banked on took the Book of Mormon!  That doesn't happen every day!   Okay this is hilarious!  Well at least we thought it was! We needed to get toilet paper at the store right before our bus came so we went in to buy it super fast and then we saw our bus so we started booking it through the city.... and so I am holding the toilet paper in my hand and Sister Sorensen has her waffle mix and every one is just staring at us...people already stare because we are wearing skirts so I can only imagine what everyone else was thinking!  Even the bus driver got a laugh out of it, told us it was good exercise!:))  

Wednesday

Today we went and visited a less active because it was her birthday.... so we visited her at her work and then we had an appointment with a family in the ward. We had lunch with them and they helped us with the language so we played some games!  Lots of fun!  After that we had a dinner appointment with a family in the ward and then had ward council for an hour and a half with President Hill and the leaders in the ward.  We all went over the mission plan.  My favorite quote from ward council was this, "We baptize half a person in this mission, and in England we baptized the whole person and then some"!:))

Thursday-9 MONTH MARK!

We had weekly planning!  Then we went to Mommo and Besse and showed them the 3 Mormon Messages from David A. Bednar about the Patterns of Light.  We talked about that for a while and then we all bore testimony.  Super cool!  After that we helped one of the members move which was a lot of fun!  Sister Sorensen and I were moving something up the stairs and my shoe came off in the middle of moving so I had to just walk the rest of the way with one shoe on.... and then one of the elders picked it up and said, "You lost your slipper!"  Cinderella reference in case you didn't get that!:)))

Friday

Today was great!  We went visiting teaching with a member of the ward and visited two other members... so that was a lot of fun!  I love going visiting teaching with members..., it helps us to be able to get to know the members  better!  Plus, I've realized just how important visiting teaching is on my mission!  We did our studies and had lunch and then went out and banked. First of all, every time you go banking here... more than half the people open their windows and talk to you instead of coming to the door! So you stand there waiting for the door to open, then you hear the window crack open and you are left to just yell that you are missionaries.... and then usually they tell you no and then close the window!:)  There was some old guy that opened up the window with no shirt on...grateful for the window open with that one instead of a door!:))  We had a quick dinner and went and visited our less active and watched Finding Faith in Christ!  It was so cool!  After that we watched the video "One by One" and committed her to read the Book of Mormon and come to church with us!  

Saturday

Today we had a "street stand" in a way!  The members had loaned us their ipads so that we could show people the Easter video...you say the word Easter and people do not want to talk to you!  It was kind of rough!  I don't think I've ever been shut down so fast by people!  I got the typical, "I see what it says on your tag" and there was some that were super nice and then I asked them about Easter and they then said, "Oh my gosh!  I am not talking to you!  Don't even bother!" And then of course people tell you you're wrong all the time!  Someone told me, "Søster Love, cute name!" in English and then just walked on and then I got called a "Jesus woman" after some lady had taken a card.  But I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to represent Jesus Christ every single day...to have His name right next to mine every moment of the day.  It is a great privilege and I learned a lot from just that street stand!  Later we went to a family in the ward for dinner and had family home evening.  It was a lot of fun!  We talked about missions since it's a family of boys and now they're all reading in the Book of Mormon and coming up to us telling us about it in church!  Goal accomplished!

Sunday

Today we had MMK and then church and testimony meeting was great!  Søster Sorensen went up to bear her testimony and I swear that chapel went silent.  Everyone in that room was listening and it was so powerful!  It really taught me just how powerful simply testifying can be.  Every single sentence that she said was testfying of truth and that's enough for the Spirit to bring the message to the hearts of the people.  I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to train!  It's a huge blessing!  Then I got to watch Besse bless the sacrament for the first time and it was the coolest thing!  Let me just say, the gospel changes people.  It changes people, it changes lives.  It reminds me of the quote from Dallin H. Oaks in conference where he said, "The world thinks it is enough to know something, the gospel challenges us to become something" Then we went to Break the Fast after church and talked to a non member for a really long time (a friend of one of the members) just about church and religion and so hopefully something comes of that!  Then we went home and organized our week and then did 12 week!

Today

Today we are walking around the malls!   

HAPPY EASTER!  Hope you all have an amazing week!  Love you lots and miss you tons!

There was a man that walked this earth in simple robes and shoes that no one was worthy to loose. He was a man that began His mortal life in humble beginnings and left it with the greatest act of humility this world has ever known. He was scorned because He sat with sinners. He was mocked because He performed miracles. He was rejected because He claimed to be the Son of God, and crucified because He really is. "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me" were trembled words, "nevertheless, not as I will, but thou wilt" resulted in the greatest miracle known to mankind. There was nothing too great or anything too small that "didn't count" in the atonement for ALL. Every sin has been suffered for so that we don't have to. Every sorrow felt and every burden carried so that we don't have to do it alone. Every "I can't do this", every "It's too hard" has already been experienced by the greatest of them all. His gift continued as He was crowned by plaited thorns. He carried a cross many miles in each of our shoes, so that death wouldn't be the end. He has nail prints in His hands and feet so that we can testify that He lives again! His name has now crossed many lands, many waters. But it holds the same meaning to all who believe in Him. Because of Him there is a thing called second chances, a clean slate, a "get up and try again". Because of Him there is hope where we think there might be none. There is no such thing as an never ending heartache, no such thing as an uncalmed sea. Quitting doesn't exist, giving up is not a thing. There is direction, there is instruction, and there is a path we can follow. There is a "light" in a darkening world. There is everlasting peace, there are family bonds that will last beyond the grave, there is resurrection. There is a reason to carry on, there is a reason to have goals, to press forward, to endure. There is joy found in every day, there is a type of happiness that can't be received anywhere else. There is a reason to rejoice! Because He Is Risen! Our lives were changed and continue to be changed by a man in simple robes and shoes that no one was worthy to loose.

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/because-of-him?lang=eng 

#41 We're getting a Temple in my hometown!!!

Hey Hey from Norway!

So first of all...WE'RE GETTING A TEMPLE IN MY HOMETOWN!!! I'm going to talk about that in my email when I get to that day, but that was the most exciting thing that happened this past week! But anyway, jumping into the rest of it!

Monday

This last Monday we actually did something for P Day!  We went down to Elve Parken (park down by the river) after we had gone to Kiwi (grocery store) and gotten lunch! We went and sat on the dock down by the river and literally just sat there in the sun...I even got a tan line!  In April!  In Norway! We had strawberries and blueberries on a dock in Norway...that sounds like a dream doesn't it?!:)) Then after that we went grocery shopping and then went to girl in our ward and did a little family home evening.  We showed her the video of the mutual theme for 2017 "Ask of God" and then we each took time to write down questions that we wanted to have answered in conference.... and we just talked about that and our missions so that was a blast!  Then the Kristiansand Sisters came to our apartment because we had Zone Conference on Tuesday!

Tuesday

Today we had Zone Conference and I love Zone Conference!  We are now the largest zone in the mission...a whole 24 missionaries haha!  President Hill started talking about how we were like the Army of Helaman and then he said, "That's who you are, that's who you need to be, you need to own it" and I just thought that was super cool!!  So let's all own that we're the army of Helaman!  President Hill loves how happy me and Sister. Sorensen are...and we told him that we are just having so much fun!! So he told the whole zone that:))) and then said that that touches a mission president's heart!:)  We talked about revelation through church attendance and how we can help our investigators attend church...great conference!!!  After that we printed out a few copies of a talk about General Conference and dropped that off and some chocolate at a couple of member's houses... just to let them know we were thinking about them and then we went banking on a couple of houses!  

Wednesday

Today we dropped by one of our investigators and were just hoping that we could get a lesson out of it because she doesn't really make appointments. A girl in the ward went with us and we got in!!!  We started talking about the Plan of Salvation but didn't get past pre-mortal life because she had so many questions... but it was a really good lesson!  She then asked if we could come back the next day so that we could have a longer discussion and she promised us that she would read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet that we had given her!!!  After that we went and picked up the elders and drove to a family in the ward for our dinner appointment because we got to borrow the car today! The dinner was delicious and a lot of fun....and after dinner we went and sang in the choir practice, because we are singing in the stake relief society choir at the end of this month and then did 12 week!  

Thursday

So today we had our appointment with that same investigator and had a girl from the ward who is a returned missionary come with us to our lesson!  Our investigator had kept her commitment and had done more than just read the pamphlet!!! She had underlined, circled, bracketed, and even had a list of questions that she wanted clarification on. But it was a great lesson and she is really bold with us so we're just bold with her which is actually just fantastic, because then we all know what everyone is thinking!  She said that if she had found out this was true then she would feel happy, peace and she then told us that that is why she is meeting with us!  So that was really good to hear!  It was a great lesson and I'm super excited to see the progress she is making!  Then we went banking in Solbergelva and we actually handed out a Book of Mormon to this lady...she said she wasn't necessarily interested, but we are going back regardless to share the Easter initiative!  There was another guy that we talked to and he wasn't believing and I asked him why.... and he said that no one knows, they just have hope... and I was saying that I know.... and he kept telling me I didn't...but then once we had said we were leaving then his wife came to the door and told us that this was the first time that she had seen sister missionaries come to their door and then was asking us about our missionary work!  So you never know!  Then we went to our dinner appointment with all the other missionaries....and that was super fun!!!  Then we did 12 week!

Friday

Today we went to visit a referral way out in Sylling.... so we got to borrow the car because if  not then it takes 1 hour and a half on a bus one way! We drove all the way out there and we couldn't find the house to save our lives.  We needed house 33 and we only saw 30 and then there was just water.... but on the bright side,it was kind of rainy and foggy that day so we got the coolest  pictures ever!!  It was GORGEOUS!!! Sometimes I look at Norway and I just think it's a dream... that I'm literally preaching the gospel in this country...I literally preach the gospel in the woods...that's the coolest thing ever!!  So then we had dinner at Mommo and Besse's house and we had lapskaus and dessert...and then we showed them the new Easter video and sang Easter hymns which was a lot of fun!!  We had an appointment with another investigator planned and we had a member on the teach.... but when we got to our appointment and walked into her house.... she said she was leaving so that was really awkward! We tried visiting another potential  and a less active... and we weren't able to visit any of them.... but it was sweet of the member to drive us around so that we could get a lot of things done all at once!  Then we went home and started weekly planning!

Saturday

Today we went to President Hill's house for brunch and interviews! That was a lot of fun!!  President Hill was asking me how training was going and I had said that I was loving it.... and that I love being able to show Sister Sorensen just how much I love missionary work, so that she feels the same way! He asked me if I could train all the missionaries:)))  He was also saying that he doesn't think I understand how much of an impact I have simply because I'm always so happy!  It was a great interview!!  Then we did weekly planning and then watched the Women's Conference which was so incredibly good!  I loved Henry B. Eyring's talk and Linda K. Burton's talk...super good!  Then we went and picked up a less active and walked with her to the church to watch the next  session of conference and it was so good!  She was even crying and asked to come back to the other sessions with us!!!!  I have been looking forward to general conference for forever and I was soaking everything up!  I just started listing the talks that were my favorite and I just listed just about every single one of the speakers.... so just know that I loved them all!!! 

Sunday

Today was the greatest Sunday!  We did family history at the beginning of the day and I found more people on my dad's side of the line!!! (Her dad is a convert) So that's super exciting!  I was all motivated from Henry B. Eyring's talk to do family history because he had said that, "He knew He could trust you to do the work of your ancestors" so then I was just going ham this morning trying to find information... and I found it!!! Yay for family history work!  Then we had lunch and had our MMK and a meeting to know how to be more involved with the YSA!  Our less active said she couldn't come because she had gotten surprise visitors... so we watched the next session of conference and that was incredible!! LOVED IT ALL!!  Then we went to a family in the ward for dinner and then came back to watch the next session and everyone....THERE IS A TEMPLE COMING TO SARATOGA SPRINGS!!!! YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN MY REACTION!!!!!! Elder Mitchell in my District is also from Saratoga Springs and we're both just jumping up and down in our seats and everyone in the chapel just looks at both of us because everyone knows where we're from and OH MY GOSH I WAS SO EXCITED!!!!! There's gonna be the temple celebration and then people from our area can work in the temple and wow I'm so excited!!!  I couldn't even really take decent notes the first couple of talks because my hand was shaking!  WOW!!! Anyway, the rest of that conference was fantastic too and I just can't wait til I can read them and highlight them and go over it all again!!  

Today

Today I think we are doing the same thing we did last week, just enjoying the sun and eating fruit!  We are also all going to a member's house to watch the last session of conference today so that will be fun!  

Love you all lots and miss you all tons!! 

TEMPLE IN SARATOGA SPRINGS!!! Sorry..just had to say it one more time!!!

#40 The Lord is in the details of our lives

HEYYY fra Drammen!!!

So this past week was AMAZING!  If there is anything that I've learned this past week, it's that the Lord is truly in the details of our lives and the author of this work. Small miracles happen all the time!!

Monday

So this last P-Day...yea it was just boring.  There isn't much to do here at this time of year because there is still snow so you can't really go hiking..... so we basically just hung around the church, played some basketball, tried teaching Elder Mitchell how to play the piano...that was the most entertaining part of the day... but we have a plan for today's P-Day so that will be so much better!  Then we did preparation for the rest of the week with songs and spiritual thoughts!

Tuesday

So today we had an appointment scheduled with a new guy...who didn't show up at all... so we decided to go and visit a referral that we had gotten from the Elders in Bodø.  We went to visi them...but they weren't home ...so instead we decided to go and knock doors around the area. Sister Sorensen did her first "banking"!  The first person opened the door....and we gave a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and the person was super friendly!!...which isn't your typical door result but it was great!!  We kept banking for about 40 minutes until our bus came to take us back to the church!  We had gotten on the bus for our dinner appointment but the bus had decided to not go up where it was supposed to so we had to get off and Besse ended us driving us to our dinner appointment which was super nice!! We had dinner with a lady in the ward and then Sister Sorensen sang "Come Unto Jesus" and we shared a scripture that went with the hymn. After that we had an appointmen....but it got cancelled..so we decided to go back and visit the referral again. He wasn't interested in meeting with us but took a Book of Mormon and Plan of Salvation pamphlet and was super friendly so you never know!  Maybe later down the road!  Then we went home and did 12 week!

Wednesday

Today we had a WebEx meeting with our entire mission and just talked about the new Easter Initiative that is coming out on Friday and talked about how we can use that when we are visiting members, investigators, or contacting people on the street.  Then we had District Meeting and we just talked about inviting people to be baptized and extending those invitations and then we talked about the blessings that had come into our life from being baptized members of the church. We were asked to write down 50 blessings just when we were sitting there and it was so cool!  I did it later in my personal study and it's incredible to see all the blessings that come from being a member of the church...my life would be completely different and literally all I have and all I am, I owe to the gospel.  Then after that we had an appointment with an investigator... but she wasn't home... so we decided to go banking and then try again later. We had one Book of Mormon and prayed that we would be able to give that one book out and that we would be led.  We had lots of interesting conversations and on the last house, I had a feeling that we needed to go to the house next door which I thought was weird because I had banked on that door earlier and it wasn't too long ago, but I did it anyway and she was the one that took the Book of Mormon!  If you are listening for the promptings of the Spirit, you will hear them.  They are there.  Like I said earlier in the morning, the Lord is in the details of our lives.  We then tried our investigator again, but she still wasn't home, so we had dinner at the church and then practiced singing for stake conference and then went to young womens!

Thursday

So today we decided to go back and try our investigator one more time and she was home!!!  So we read the Introduction of the Book of Mormon with her and then taught her the Restoration and watched the Restoration film with her.  She was asking lots of questions, but there were many questions that didn't really have to do with the Restoration.  So we're not actually sure if she is truly interested, or if she lets us in because we are missionaries.  So we're going to try and meet with her again this coming week!  But 2 of our 3 investigators right now are also meeting with JW's so...That doesn't exactly make it easy either.  Then we went from her house to a family in the ward for our dinner appointment.... and we talked about standing a witness of God.... and we invited them to share something about the church on social media when we were sitting there... and then had to show us when they were done:)  Way effective commitment!  Then we went home and did 12 week and then Sister Ralphs and Sister Dransfield came here on splits!  

Friday

Miracles from splits is a real thing!  Sister Ralphs and I started out the day by contacting on the street and within 10 minutes we had handed out 2 Books of Mormon and that doesn't happen every day!  Usually we can't even get one out!  But the first guy we talked to, I started talking to him by asking him about prophets and then he said that there wasn't really a reason to believe there was a God.... so then I asked if I could share a scripture with him and it was Alma 30:44 about how all things denote there is a God.... and then we asked if we could meet and he said he wasn't interested but he took the Book of Mormon!  Then the next person that took the Book of Mormon actually worked for the Bragernes church and said she was going to bring it to work!  Then we stopped this one lady on the street and she said that she wasn't really sure why she felt she needed to talk to us... but she then told us about how she had been on a spiritual journey and how she had lost one of her kids.... and so we got her number and she is so prepared to hear the gospel!!!!  Little miracles like this is what proves to me that God exists.  He is there!  He is aware of each and every one of this!  He is in the details of our lives!  I could feel the Spirit so strongly after talking to her...I was so happy!  The joy the gospel brings is literally indescribable!  There is nothing on this earth that will ever bring that joy, except for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I'm so grateful that I have the chance to share it every single day!!  I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! Then we helped vacuum the cultural hall in the church and then Sister Dransfield and I went to Mommo and Besse for dinner and talked about the Sabbath Day. It was a great visit!! Then we tried banking on a couple of doors that Sister Dransfield knew when she served in this area but they weren't home. Then we did splits review!

Saturday

Today we went and visited our neighbor just for a short little visit in the middle of the day and so we just listened to music and chatted with her for a little while..... and then we got Sister Sorensen a vocabulary book from the city and we had dinner and weekly planning! We are setting ourselves up for a way good week!

Sunday

Today we had MMK and church which is always great! We had dinner with all the missionaries at a member''s hours and that was super good!  After dinner we went and visited a lady in the ward. We talked to her about Mosiah 24:14-16 and bearing our burdens because that poor lady has so much on her plate right now.  She is probably one of the strongest people I know!  She told us that she is just going about it "the viking way" She said that she would be coming to General Conference with us this Saturday so that is super exciting!  It was a great visit!  

Today

Today we are actually going to Elve Parken and having a picnic and playing volleyball and soccer!  The weather is SO NICE! Yesterday is was in the 60s outside and today it's supposed to be around the same!!  So we're going out to soak in the sun!  

Love you all lots and miss you tons!!!! Thanks for all the love and support!  It means a lot! :)

1) We got new pillows from mommo...hopefully no more stiff necks!
2) My companion is obsessed with Norwegian waffles:))
3) Me and Sister Sorenson...ready to hand out free hotdogs and Book of Mormons
4)Us:))
5) On splits!!
6) Our non-member fun neighbor loves hats...so, of course we had to try them on:))

#39 My new companion!!

Hei Hei fra Drammen!!!

This week was another amazing week as usual..I mean what do you get when you're in the greatest mission in the world...amazing week after week!  So I'm just going to jump right in!

Monday

So last Monday we had actually planned to drive up to Spiralen with my grandparents and walk around the outdoor museum.. but we got up there and it was freezing cold so we went and got hot chocolate at Gulskogen instead and then walked around the stores... and we got a few things from them so that was fun!  We then went to dinner and Sister Cook said goodbye to a few people.  

Tuesday

Today I had a WebEx meeting for all the new trainers in the mission...which was me and two elders haha!  But we talked about what we needed to do as trainers in the mission and I learned a lot and it got me really excited!  Then we did our studies and went out and said goodbye to a few families in the ward! So that traveling time took up the majority of our day too haha!  Then Sister Cook packed and I got stuff ready for my new missionary!!

Wednesday

We dropped Sister Cook off today:((( We have become the best of friends....and it's always sad to say good-bye...but I know this one is not a good-bye but see you later!!  We dropper her off at the train station around 10 along with Elder Johnson and then the rest of the elders and I went to the church to do our studies and had lunch while waiting for my new missionary and Elder Mitchell's new companion.  President Hill called and said that they would just drive her down instead of having her take the train, so Sis. Hill and Sis. Dransfield drove her down here and then I met my "daughter" in mission terminology!  She's the sweetest and just so nice!  We get along super well which makes training even more fun!  We went and dropped off her stuff at the apartment and then we had a dinner appointment that takes an hour to travel too... so we took the bus down to the city and then we had extra time before the train came... so we went out contacting!  She handled it like a champ though!  I talked and then I would explain what they had said and she was already asking what specific words meant and she is just ready to learn and really jumping in with both feet!  We got on the train and talked to a lady from Mo I Rana all the way to our destination and then tried contacting in the city while waiting for the bus... but there was no one out.  So we went to our dinner appointment with the elders and had a fun visit with them.... and we gave the spiritual thought. My new companion, Sister Sorensen bore her testimony at the end in Norwegian already!!  She is the greatest!  Then the elders drove us back and funny story...so Elder Mitchell was driving but Sister Sorensen thought I was driving so she sat in the front seat and Elder Mitchell sat in the driver's seat and he just freaked out..it was hilarious!:))  Anyway, moving on!  Then we went to Young Women's and helped them set up for a dance on Saturday!

Thursday

Today we had District Meeting with our new District! Elder Mitchell's new companion is Elder Decker. He is from Salem, Oregon and does fencing..that's about all I know..he just served in Stavanger.  We talked about using the members to help us do missionary work and what it means to establish the church ....and then had District lunch!  We had our studies and then met with a lady who actually just kept drilling me with questions about women and the priesthood...she told us she is anti-mormon.... so she is no longer an investigator....there's no need to sit and argue with her. After that we went and tried to visit our investigator and invite her to the Relief Soceity activity..she couldn't come but we did get a way to contact her through email so that was great!!  Then a lady in the ward came and picked us up and drove us to the Relief Soceity activity and that was a lot of fun!  Poor Sister Sorensen got hit hard with jet lag today plus all the Norwegian... but she did a great job!  

Friday

Today we did weekly planning and then we went and visited a family in the ward.... and it was quite the adventure getting up there:)) There were different buses and all sorts of things but there wasn't a bus going to the place we needed... so we literally booked it up the mountian in 7 minutes!!  We had mentioned that Sister Sorensen could sing and that I played the piano and the member lady  immediately took us to the piano and we had a little mini concert:))  She explained how she had used music on her mission so she is letting us borrow her Children's Songbook and her hymn book so that we could play and sing at members houses.... so we have a goal to use that during every spiritual thought and lesson this week!  So that will be super fun! We printed out some music that we can use for spiritual thoughts and then traveled home. Our bus to our house just never showed up so the elders had to come pick us up and take us home! 

Saturday

Today we had a street stand trying to invite people to an open house that we had on Sunday talking about the Plan of Salvation.  We were at the stand for 6 hours and handed out 500 cards...Sister Sorensen had stuck with me for the beginning of the day and stopped people and asked them the first question and then I would jump in after wards.... but then by the end we were both contacting by ourselves inviting people to this open house!!  It was awesome to see!  The Elders were all in awe that we managed to give out our cards so fast... so to say that we were exhausted by the end of the day is an understatement!  Then we went and visited Mommo and Besse and  we played the piano on Mommo's  keyboard... we sang and then shared a spiritual thought about scripture study.  It was a great visit!  Then when we went home we did 12 week which was a lot of fun...twelve week (new missionary training) is a lot more fun the second time around haha!

Sunday

Today we had MMK and church and it was all fantastic!  We had a really good Relief Society lesson about the power of prayer.  Then a family in the ward invited us and the elders over for dinner last minute because we had no dinner appointment. So nice of them and we had a lot of fun with their family ...their little boys are hilarious! Elder Decker had invited the boys to honor their parents and one of the boys said, "Just this week?" and we were all cracking up!  After that we prepared things for the open house so I played the piano while Sister Sorensen sang I am a Child of God.... and that's the first time I've ever played the piano in front of people for a musical number so that was fun!  We were waiting to welcome the nonmembers to our event because we had handed out 500 cards and there was literally no one that came..just members. So that was a little disappointing:((...you think about stuff like that and we had all worked so hard..... and we thought that at least 1 out of 500 would show up...but all I know is that God loves His children even if I don't understand all of the plan sometimes.  1 Nephi 11:17.  Then we finished up studies that night!  

Today

Today we are emailing and then Sister Sorensen has to get a few things and then we are going to try and think of something fun!  Who knows what we will do!

Love you all lots and miss you all tons!

Sis. Hill took some amazing pictures of Kylee and her new companion! And this is what she wrote: "Wednesday I was lucky enough to be the driver delivering Sister Sorensen to her waiting companion Sister Love in Drammen. Sister Love is living up to her name:))!

#38 Transfers!! I'm staying in Drammen!

Hei Hei fra Drammen!!!

This was another amazing week!!!  We had amazing weather this past week and I didn't even need to wear my winter coat! And it smells like spring outside...yes there is a smell of spring!!  It's fantastic!  We are climbing out of winter...sort of...this is Norway...there will be snow probably this week but anyways! Also, forgot my planner today so we're going off of memory here!

Monday

So last week we were both sick so we quickly e-mailed and then we went back to our apartment and Sister Cook slept and then I cleaned, and I wrote letters, and yep..that was it!  

Tuesday

Today we had District Meeting and it was great!  We talked about Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and the Holy Ghost.  We talked about how we need to seek and do our part if we want answers and if we want to continue to grow our own testimonies.  We can't just expect everything to be given to us... we need to work for it and have a little faith. After that we had District lunch and we did our language study. We hopped on the bus to go and have our appointment with our investigator... but then we got to her house... she said that she wasn't home so then we hopped back on the bus and went back down to the city. We were supposed to have another lesson but he cancelled an hour before... so then we went to some members and had dinner which was so much fun!! After our lesson we ended up talking about rings and dresses!  Lots of fun!:))

Wednesday

Today we met with a friend of mine and that was so much fun!  We had lunch here at the church and then we watched Meet the Mormons....and I just love that movie!  So so good!  Anyone and everyone can relate to it and it's a perfect example of being able to really see the blessings that come from living the gospel and applying it to our families! There was also the skiing thing a ma jig! (World Cup Cross-Country Skiing sprint) So the whole entire city was basically a ski route for these skiers!  These skiers are literally the best of the best and so we were so excited to be able to see.... and we literally saw the very last bit of the preliminaries. We didn't get to see a whole lot because we had to drive to our dinner appointment. Sister Cook and I had to buy the hats that all the skiers had as well:))  We had the elders drive us to a family in the ward because it was all of us that had the dinner appointment and we got to see a little bit of the skiing on tv which was super fun!  The elders shared the spiritual thought and then we dropped the elders off at another appointment and then we went to our appointment to watch the bible video Abraham...it's 3 hours long so we only watched an hour and a half of it today!  But it was a great visit with her and she is literally the nicest person ever!  

Thursday

I cannot for the life of me remember what we did today..except for this so here we go! Today we went a family in the ward for dinner and it was a great visit!  We talked to their daughter about her hip hop class and then we said that if she showed us what she had learned then we would bring her a candy bar next time.... so she was showing us her hip hop dance and it was so fun!  We also watched the Mormon Message "A Work in Progress" because they love basketball.... so it was easy to relate and it's so cool how many different ways you can teach the principles of the gospel!  There is literally no limit!  Greatest thing!  Then later today we did our weekly planning and had chocolate covered strawberries..that was absolutely delicious.  Norwegian strawberries in melted Norwegian chocolate...wow!  So that made weekly planning a party!  

Friday

We contacted around the city today but there wasn't any big potentials, just lots of cards handed out. Today we went to Mommo and Besse's house and that was so much fun!  We had fiskeboller for dinner and then karamel krone is for dessert and it was all so good!  We watched the video "The Refiner's Fire" and talked about how we need to endure to the end.  It was interesting because I was studying Preach My Gospel this past week and was reading about this life and the purpose we are here... and the two main points are to prepare to live with our Heavenly Father and to have joy.  There isn't a point that says that it's supposed to be super hard, or that it's supposed to be boring, or that it's supposed to be painful.  So we read a scripture in 2 Nephi 2:11-13..I think those are the verses and it talks about how if there is no misery, then there is no happiness.  We literally have to have these difficult things happen just so that we can fulfill the purposes of this life.  To live with God and to have JOY.  I just love that..let's just all be happy!:)) Then after that we went and visited a lady and had a dessert night and just talked with her about her life and I was so full I swear I could barely walk out of there... but it was so much fun!  

Saturday

Today we taught our investigator and she had brought a friend with her!  Missionary dream!  Except for the fact that they both speak Swahili. Our investigator speaks English, but her friend speaks Norwegian..so hopefully we have the chance to see her friend again and teach her in Norwegian. So we taught our investigator in English as usual.  We taught her the third lesson, the gospel of Jesus Christ and talked about faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the holy ghost and enduring to the end.  She had actually talked about baptism as soon as we sat down and how she just needed to be thrown in the river haha so that's fun!  We are meeting with her again this next Saturday!  Then later we met with another investigator... and since it was Sister Cook's last visit... she wanted to do something fun... so she literally took us bowling!  We played three games!!  It was a blast!!  This lady is literally the sweetest lady and it was the greatest visit!  We have become such good friends with her and now she comes to church every week so it's amazing!  I love seeing the progress people make in the gospel...investigators, new converts, less actives...whatever it may be I love it! Then we went to our neighbors houses and we did an early celebration of Sister Cook's birthday.... so we had potato soup and then they had gotten us gelato from the Italian place in the city. I've never had gelato until now and IT IS SO GOOD!!!!!!! And yes I know it's in Norway but it's an Italian that makes it all... so it's legit gelato...oh my gosh so good!  We got permission to watch The Incredibles and that was hilarious because everything is ten times more funny as a missionary!  It was a great last visit for Sister Cook!

Sunday

Today we had MMK and ward conference and we got a whole new bishopric!  So we were able to listen to their testimonies and it was super good!  It's amazing to see how much our callings in the church can bless our own lives.  It's so important to have callings and be able to serve in that capacity...calls are inspired.  That I know.  Then we had a member from the Stake Sunday School Presidency teach Sunday School and then we had our Relief Society lesson about being Daughters of God and that was great too!  Church was just great!  We had our meals, we had our studies and then I was putting the area book into protector sheets and organizing it with the dividers...so now it's getting to the point of being so pretty in it's pink binder!  Sister Cook also started packing up a bit because she is leaving on Wednesday!:((((

I tried remembering the most of the week and I believe that I got the majority of it...next week I'll remember to bring the planner!  Anyways...have an amazing week!!

Today

We found out that Sister Cook is opening up a new area in Bergen so she'll have a blast over there!  She's such an amazing missionary...so she will do great!!!  The people there will be lucky to have her up there!  I'm still going to have a blast here in Drammen which is fine by me...I'm loving it here!! And I'm way excited about my new companion....I'm going to be a trainer!!! She is from Santa Barbara CA....and coming straight from the MTC!

I'm absolutely loving it over here and happy as can be!!! 

Love you all so much and miss you tons!!!

Kylee and her new hat

Kylee and Sis. Cook.....they have become such good friends!

#37 Testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon

God Morgen fra andre siden av verden!  That greeting isn't as exciting as last week's... but it's at least something different! This week was another amazing week!  Until I got a cold and Sister Cook woke up with the stomach flu... so we're rocking it!

Monday

Last P-Day we went bowling with our District and a couple of members and it was a blast!  Believe it or not...but I scored higher than a hundred in 2/3 games and I took pictures for proof because I know you guys wouldn't believe me otherwise!  Then after that Sister Cook and I ate a late lunch and were at the church for a little bit.  We went grocery shopping and  went to our appointment.  Her husband is a member but she is not and she has been taught before.  She told us that she would not become a member of the church but she was super nice and invited us to come and watch a bible video with her.. and that she would make popcorn so that was super sweet of her!  

Tuesday

Today we spent a good time preparing our lesson for an investigator that is from India.  He speaks a little bit of Norwegian but not a ton so we were finding all this stuff in Hindi and then we drew out the whole Restoration on the white board and so that was fun!  We went to a family in the ward for dinner. We had looked up the buses and so we got on the bus that it said we could take....but it took us WAYYY farther than it said it was going... so we just got off on a random stop. We could see the  Stenseth hill far off in the distance and there was no bus that was coming all the way out there again... so we just started walking back.  I can only imagine what all these people thought when they saw two girls walking in skirts in the middle of nowhere.  We called the family that we were having dinner with... and we were able to walk to a place that they could put in their GPS... and then they came and picked us up.  It was such a fun dinner appointment!!  We just sat and chatted and then we shared a spiritual thought about faith and how we can exercise our faith.  Then we took the bus back to the church and our appointment didn't show up!!:( So yep..and then we had an apartment inspection

Wednesday

Today we had a lesson with our investigator!  This is one of the coolest and most spiritual lessons that I have had on my mission!  We planned on teaching him the Restoration by using the Restoration film that is 20 minutes long and then ending it with watching "The Testimony of the Book of Mormon" by Jeffrey R. Holland.  As we began watching the video, I prayed that our investigator would be open to the Spirit so that he could feel the Spirit testifying of truth, but I also prayed that I would be able to strengthen my testimony and receive another witness that it was true as well.  As it showed the First Vision and  Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appearing to Joseph Smith then I could feel the Spirit so strong that I could physically feel it in my heart.  Then not to mention, the sun began shining through the window immediately as they started to appear to Joseph Smith.  It was one of the strongest times that I have felt the Spirit!  It was incredible!  And our investigator felt it too!  You could tell that he felt it!  I know for a surety that Joseph Smith was called as a prophet of God and that he was called to restore the true church back to the earth.  I know for a surety that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and I'm so incredibly grateful for that knowledge and testimony that I have.  After that we met with a new investigator. We just got to know her a little bit and then she started asking all these super deep questions about the church.  She wasn't bashing and she was sincere in her questions, and a couple of the questions were hard to answer.  Our minds were going a thousand miles an hour trying to explain the answers to her questions so we chatted with her for a long time and next time we are just starting the lessons over again!  We went to dinner at a member family's house. We just love visiting them!  We have become such good friends with their daughter and she loves it when we come!  This time we had their daughter and I teach Sister Cook about the Book of Mormon and it was so cool to sit and listen to her testimony of the Book of Mormon even though she is so young!!

Thursday

Today we had District Meeting and talked about faith in Jesus Christ and humility and then related it to the pioneers and them building temples.  It was so good!  Actually, one of the things that has come up a lot this week is temples, especially since the Drammen ward just went to the temple this past week in Sweden.  I've said it multiple times but I miss being able to attend the temple!  It is such an incredible blessing and especially with where I am from and being able to get to 6 temples in less than 30 minutes! We should definitely be able to make the small sacrifice of a couple of hours to serve the Lord.  Then we did our studies since we had District Meeting early and then we visited a lady..  We just sat and chatted with her and we're having a dessert night with her this week so that will be a party!  When we got back to our house went and visited our neighbors and played cards! 

Friday

Today we met with another investigator and we watched Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration.  I absolutely love that movie and I swear I try to think of every possible situation where that movie can be applied because it is INCREDIBLE!!  Every time you finish watching it you just have a burning testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon!  It's incredible!  Sister Cook and I were in tears at the end!  After our visit we went and visited Mommo and Besse and it was a blast!  We had lapskaus which is my favorite and then we talked to them about faith which turned into stories about the temple! It was an incredible visit!!  After that, we went back home and began weekly planning

Saturday

Today we got invited by the elders to come and play sport!  But no one ended up showing up except the missionaries... but we had a good time playing basketball and ping pong!  We went and ate lunch and then Sister Cook and I got changed and we went to teach one of our investigators.  We talked to her about the Restoration and  she believes everything we teach her.  We asked her about baptism and she had told us multiple times that she had already been baptized but we explained the authority and following Christ's example.  Then she finally said, "Yes...then I can do it the way that Christ did"  So we are still working with her and helping her gain more knowledge about the gospel!  Then we took a couple of our studies and  finished up weekly planning. We watched a little bit of the Face to Face Broadcast and made dinner for us and the elders at the church. The elders were in charge of dessert.  Well...I took a picture of what the elders tried making for dessert...we got a good laugh out of that one!  It ended up being like a jell muffin pudding thing with chocolate mousse..haha! But they tried:))

Sunday

Today we had MMK and then church... but today we had an area conference with everyone in Northern Europe!  So we had L. Whitney Clayton, Linda S. Reeves, M. Russel Ballard and then someone else that spoke to us.  It was all in English!:)  We had another appointment with a new investigator.  She is from Africa and has lived in Norway for 2 years.  We were there for about 5 minutes before the Jehovah's Witnesses knocked on the door because they had been visiting our investigator before and were friends with her.  So we literally had JW's join our visit for a little while.  Book of Mormon on the table, lds.org, mormonchannel.org up on the computer.  They didn't stay very long but they were nice.  Then we showed the "Testimony of the Book of Mormon" from Holland and invited her to read the Introduction to the Book of Mormon... and we are meeting with her again on Tuesday!  Super great!!  We went to a family in the ward for dinner and I shared my mission scripture and talked about that for a little while!  When we got home we made blueberry muffins because we were craving them!!:)  

Today

Well...we're both sick so we aren't doing much today!  Probably watching a church movie on our tiny little DVD player at home and eating soup!  

Love you all lots and miss you tons!!!

We didn't get any pictures today...she forgot to send them:))

It has been 8 months today since she entered the MTC!! We miss her so much, but we know she is where she is supposed to be....and she is Happy!!