Eldste Bryce Thomas Johnson in Norway: Syttende Mai! (Seventeenth of May!)

Some flowers on a rainy day :)

I apologize that for the past two weeks there have been no emails -

Poor bunader :(

last week our "preparation day" (our day off) was moved back from Monday (as usual) to Friday the 17th. We weren't allowed to proselyte(on 17. Mai, so we took it as our day to clean, prepare and then go
celebrate the holiday with our fellow Norwegians!

17. Mai, for those of you who didn't get the low-down from last year's
celebration, is Norway's national independence day! It is normally
celebrated with parades, the gorgeous traditional Norwegian dress
"bunader", Norwegian flags and expressions of "Gratulerer med dagen!"

The Norwegian flag!

(literally translates to "Congratulations with the day!", which also
happens to be the same expression used for "Happy Birthday!). Since we
were in western Norway, it was only tradition that it should rain on
17. Mai. But don't worry, everyone brought ponchoes to cover their
beautiful bunader. As per tradition, we watched the barnetog (child
parade) put on by all of the local schools, and the folketog (people
parade) put on by all of the local groups and organizations. The
russetog (Russ parade) was forbidden for us missionaries to take part
in, so instead we grilled food and played Phase 10 with some members
:).

Oh yes and before I forget, Happy Birthday Dad, Duncan and Elder
Matthew Putnam :)! You are all excellent examples of what a priesthood
holder ought to be. I love you all!

As for other events this week, we've been prioritizing our efforts

between members and investigators a lot. Our members are extremely

valuable to us, and since our arrival here, we have been able to stabilize and strengthen them. However, now they seem to be doing well on their own, and so it's our duty to now step back a little bit and let them continue progressing, while we go out and find new investigators. All of our investigators dropped us last week, so it's time to go find some

The parades in town

new ones. Indeed, like Elder Hazen and Elder Woo in China, we've been going out to find some of God's prepared children!

Tåkelurfabrikken - The fog horn factory :)

This is not to say that we've dropped our members completely, not in the least. One such less-active member that we've worked with for 2 and a half months, finally came back to church two weeks ago! And
earlier last week she asked "is it okay if I bring a family tochurch?" Umm. That's only the very question we want every member in the entire church to ask the missionaries! So we had an additional 4
people show up to church - making it a total 33 in church on Sunday! For Haugesund, that's astounding compared to our average of15! We have also been assigned to teach the Primary every Sunday (as
of a few months ago), so it was one crazy Primary class with 8 kids for us to shepherd. Whew! Add crowd-control to the list of things you learn on a mission.

Skudenes - J. took us on a trip to see one of Norway's oldest cities.
Some of these houses were built in the 1700s

Recently while out on the street people have asked how old we are. One ten-year-old kid even made the mistake of asking if Elder Schulz (my trainee) was my dad. The nerve of some people! Haha - I'm only
kidding. Poor Elder Schulz though. I remember in Mo i Rana that everyone thought I was 15. At least now people think I'm 19. Elder Schulz: "No, little boy, I'm 19. He's 21." "Hæ??" You've got to love little kids.

Teaching this week has primarily consisted of new convert lessons,
reading in the Book of Mormon together for understanding, and helping K. (from the Stavanger days) get immersed in, and begin to understand,
Isaiah.

After a drought of no service projects the whole entire winter - we
finally were given some service to do by our neighbors! It was a
glorious day. They asked us to mow their lawn and insert wooden posts in their yard. I almost went into shock as my nostrils filled with the scent of freshly cut grass, and my slightly obsessive-compulsiveartist within me emerged through the trim, neat patterns on the grass. Needless to say, I love yard work. Yeah, you heard me right, Mom. I love yard work. Our neighbor was pretty hilarious at the end: "Wow you guys are really nice, why won't people talk with you more often?" That's a really good question! We're trying!! "By the way my father in Bergen could use some help in his yard, too. Are there missionaries in
Bergen??" You bet there are. What blessings indeed!

Skudenes bay!

With regards to studies, two projects were completed this week. The
first of which was a goal to read the entire Norwegian Book of Mormon
(Mormons Bok) out loud, underlining and defining every confusing
word/phrase. I began that project back in the MTC, August 2011.
Finally we made it to Moroni 10 this past week. Woo! The second
project was to translate my entire patriarchal blessing into the
Norwegian language. That was a very neat experience as different
words, phrases and expressions were translated, giving me added
insight to what the Lord meant in my patriarchal blessing. I highly
recommend doing such a project to all of you foreign-speaking
missionaries :).

One special experience happened yesterday as I was reading through
some family stories. My relative back in the 1830s/1840s, John Tanner
was miraculously healed and converted in the course of very few days
by two missionaries, Elder Jared Carter and Elder Simeon Carter. As I
related this story to Elder Schulz, he said "Oh you mean Elders Jared
and Simeon Carter from the Doctrine and Covenants?" Umm. What?? Lo and
behold, the very missionaries who baptized my forefather are the same
missionaries mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants sections 52, 75,
79, 94 and 102. Family history is awesome!!

Section 79 was particularly meaningful, as it was written directly to
Elder Jared Carter.

"1 Verily I say unto you, that it is my will that my servant Jared
Carter should go again into the eastern countries, from place to
place, and from city to city, in the power of the ordination wherewith
he has been ordained, proclaiming glad tidings of great joy, even the
everlasting gospel.

2 And I will send upon him the Comforter, which shall teach him the
truth and the way whither he shall go;

3 And inasmuch as he is faithful, I will crown him again with sheaves.

4 Wherefore, let your heart be glad, my servant Jared Carter, and
fear not, saith your Lord, even Jesus Christ. Amen."

It's interesting to note that I, among thousands of other relatives to
John Tanner, am one of those "sheaves" promised in verse 3. As well as
the work and fruits which the Lord has given me in Norway.

Blessed be the name of our God!

-Eldste Bryce Thomas Johnson