Jo hallo!
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Well I hope everyone enjoyed General Conference! We, to our
uttermost disfortune, have not yet had the capability to see General
Conference. Due to lack of technological accessibility, we are starving
from revelations and direction necessary for our lives! Ahh, but maybe
something will work out this week so we can watch them. I sort of feel
like the members back in Peter and Paul's time who did not have the
necessary technology to sufficiently uphold the church's doctrines, and
consequently became "so soon removed" from the Gospel of Christ
(Galatians 1:6-8). And look, signs of apostasy in our own
Bible! *gasp*! But to be honest, we're doing actually great!
Better than great, actually. This week has been one filled with
miracles. Our new finding techniques, along with looking for the "little
miracles" when our appointments end up falling through, and already
having planned and prepared what we will do, has provided a rich
quantity of people ready to receive the message of the restored Gospel!
As Elder Crookshank up in Ukraine so perfectly stated: "If you want
Heavenly Father to laugh, tell Him YOUR plans." This is all too true;
seeking the will of the Lord is the only way we can perform this work
right!
In the middle of the week we went around bonking on doors, and we
just needed one more lesson and one more Book of Mormon given away to
reach our goal for the day. When we bonked on one door, a man with a
frazzled black beard said "Nope, I'm not interested. I'm a heathen. But
she might be
interested!" gesturing to this woman who snuck up behind
him. As we invited her to learn, she beamed as she walked into her room
and brought out a little, beige book "I have treasured this book for the
past 11 years - I have read it over and over again!" Elder Farnsworth
and I were rather doubtful that the book was of credible source. Turns
out it was "Who are the Mormons?" by President Gordon B. Hinckley! Yup -
credible indeed! Absolutely stunned that this woman had never come into
contact with the missionaries, we gave her a wonderful lesson and
commitment to read and pray - what a wonderful, divinely hand-crafted
blessing!
A little bit later, we were bonking late into the night, when we
came up with no ideas of what to do. We had recently tried a certain
street, with completely empty houses and no luck, and we attributed that
to the Easter vacation. Reluctant to try it again, I mentioned it to
Elder Farnsworth and suddenly felt overcome by that warm Spirit! (the
ultimate "warm-fuzzy," no doubt :]). The very first door we tried,
immediately opened, and this woman was simply prepared to hear the
message of the restored Gospel! Wow! I just wish it happened that way
more often!
The October 2011 General Conference talked a lot about "Be thou an
example of the believers . . ." (1 Timothy 4:12). As we met a
middle-eastern family this week, I have seen the power of that
scripture! They are absolutely blown away by our example - that we are
so young, yet we still have wholesome standards! They have expressed to
us: "I want my son to be just like you two!" "Please, come and sit with
us - just be with us!" This invitation is extremely tempting as
missionaries to take a few hours to relax - but we are sharing our
message with all, to the very best of our abilities and opportunities,
effectively. I am now even MORE intrigued by the middle-eastern culture,
just by meeting this family. I'm really hoping that when I serve my
senior couples' mission when I am old, it will be safe enough in those
countries to serve there!
I remember clearly the first words I learned in Norwegian, back in
February 2011, from a Norwegian couple in my New Testament class: "God
Påske!" which means "Happy Easter!" I was a little surprised that this,
of all phrases, was the first thing they would teach me. Now I know why.
The Easter holiday in Norway is HUGE! A whole week off of school, and
most jobs, while everyone travels to their hytte (cabin up in the
mountains) to go and enjoy the sun, kvikk lunsj's (Norwegian kit-kats)
and solo drinks (orange soda). This is all fine and great for all
Norwegians, but unnerving for us missionaries - no body is home! Our
Mission President has challenged us to work through this week like
nothing else - "we don't need a lot of people, just the prepared ones!"
So we'll see what turns out!
Have a wonderful Easter season, celebrating the resurrection, the
brilliant defeat of sin and death, by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
God Påske!
p.s. it snowed two and a half feet yesterday!
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| A cloud-break while on the Selfors bridge. |
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