Forandring. (Change.)

Baaa . . . This picture describes Haugesund pretty well.

10 kroner ($2 USD) ties each? Yes please!

Kjære dere!

Well, as of Friday last week, only two members confirmed that they were actually coming to A.'s baptism. A. turned to us immediately after informing her of this news and said "Then can we hold it next week? I don't want to have an empty baptism!" After talking it over with her, the risks thereof, and talking with President Evans, and the members, we decided to move her date for May the 4th (Yes, Star Wars Speech Impediment Day :). On Sunday, she was really excitedly talking with all the members about her baptism this upcoming Saturday. Woo! Baptisms never happen smoothly, though. At least not in Norway. Never. We'll be tenaciously keeping daily contact with everyone to make sure those blessings of the Lord are secured for A.

I don't even know if I've given a background story on her though. A. was found in the area book, under the former investigators section. She was originally found by my trainer Elder Passey back in 2011! She had all of the lessons pretty much down, as we reviewed them with her. The timing wasn't quite right back then, though. Now that a reconnection has been made with the missionaries, she's been super excited to enter into the waters of baptism. All we did was call at the right time. The Lord's blessings are indeed over Haugesund branch :).

On Sunday, she sat us down and began discussing a concern about how difficult it is to "fit in" in the church. The lesson that day in church was on the role and importance of the family - and as a single, seeing all of the happy families around you, it can be extremely difficult to feel like you "fit in". Really the only place I've seen singles thrive is at Brigham Young University. And BYU is the greatest of all exceptions in this world. Otherwise, all social units fail to adequately meet the social, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals, all except for the divinely appointed unit of the family.

The Lord gave us the organization of the family so that we can learn, grow and develop those characteristics to become like our Heavenly Father. I remember in my own family, being the very youngest, I loved nothing more than bugging and irritating my brother. I loved him to death, and all I wanted was his attention! Gratefully, from that, I've learned how to gain attention from others in an appropriate manner. Likewise, I'm sure his abilities for patience and love have improved since then, too! In a family, we are (or ought to be) together so often that we are given daily opportunities to extend a helping hand, forgive, love and serve. It is 

 Krosshaug (Cross Mound)

the laboratory for the development of our individual and collective perfection. All selfish, natural and base wants, desires and passions are presented plainly before us in the family. It is then our responsibility to purge them from ourselves through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, which requires a great deal of practice, personal effort, practice, self-evaluation, practice, cooperation, practice, prayer, practice, forgiveness, practice, repentance and did I mention practice? Indeed, practice does make perfect.

Though, from an investigator's perspective, the whole idea of a family may seem extremely unfair. "My parents never loved me" one investigator may say. "I was abandoned when I was a kid" another may say. And that's hardly the tip of the iceberg - not even mentioning the presence of neglect, selfishness, abuse and addictions causing physical, emotional, spiritual and social damage that can potentially take a lifetime to remedy.

Right  by Harald Haarfagre's Monument :)

I have been really caught up on this thought, while at the same time being exposed to an onslaught of own weaknesses and random lacking of motivation this week. One day was particularly difficult as I pondered "what is to be done with this world, and myself? There are far too many challenges and mountains before us to overcome." While thus pondering, an Elder Jeffrey R. Holland talk was going on in the background. Whether from the talk, or it may have just been in the Holy Ghost directly, the words entered into my mind "You can change." As my mind caught hold upon this thought, it infected my thoughts like a mind virus. Every moment I get down on myself, I can grasp the thought "I can change", and suddenly my being fills with hope and a strong presence of the Holy Ghost.

It reminds me of a story of an old man standing on a giant, dry coral reef covered in millions upon millions of starfish, when the ocean's tide had recently suddenly dropped. Knowing that these millions of starfish would 

soon die outside of water, he would pick up one by one and throw them all the way out into the ocean. A young man approached the man and said "Old man, what is the point in even trying? There are millions of starfish out here destined to die - what difference does it make?" Filled with emotion, with an arm sore and tired from throwing so many starfish, the old man looked the young man in the eyes, picked up another starfish and threw another one in the sea. "It made a difference for that one." And again, picking up and throwing another starfish - "And for that one."

It is exactly the same in our daily efforts and striving towards perfection in a seemingly never-ending struggle of repentance and personal conversion. It is the exact same in our efforts to create the perfect atmosphere and relationship for our families.

Don't ever forget: "I can change." and: "It made a difference for that one."

-Eldste Bryce Thomas Johnson