Hey everyone!
We had our musical fireside last night,
which went wonderfully! It was more of a music and the spoken word
according to the First Lesson in Preach My Gospel. Elder Passey and I
coordinated and wrote it, and it seemed to just come together at the end
- awesome awesome!! Dad, I played "For Our Day" from EFY by Steven K.
Jones and Sam Cardon, and also "Beside Still Waters" by Grietje T.
Rowley (Look this one up, it's amazing!). The whole evening was
fantastic, especially the songs written and performed BY the people in
the branch. "Bønn" by the Gjevik's was amazing. We were really glad it
turned out so well, and we feel the branch is strengthened, but we wish
there could have been more investigators! The Spirit was there, and that
would have been a perfect opportunity for them. Ah well.
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| Portal fans, anyone? |
So I actually had time to write 3 letters this week,
so Carissa - expect a full envelope. I also had time to get a snow
jacket today! Life is grand!
This past weekend
we had President Johansen come down and visit us for District Meeting,
which was a spiritual feast. Only obedience will give us the opportunity
for success here in Norway, and we need that opportunity at every
chance we have. We also learned that the Spirit is never static. The
Spirit is either increasing or decreasing in your life (particularly on
the mission) you must therefore be sensitive to promptings and ideas you
receive. President Johansen gave all of us small moleskine books
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| Found this little guy on our way home one day |
for
writing down ideas and thoughts we receive at anytime during the day (or
night!). And that has been a wonderful, wonderful blessing. I encourage
all to do the same! Pray for inspiration, then listen throughout the
day, and write them down. We are promised that the rate at which those
revelations come will increase!
The work here is coming along - at times incredible
and at times discouraging. Yet only through extreme heat and pressure
are diamonds formed - constant improvement is the purpose of life! I
hope you all are seeking that improvement. I really learned this week to
be filled with love. It is extremely important to be filled with love,
and seek every way possible to increase that love within yourself so
that you can then share it with those around you.
Great to hear about the wonderful weddings! I wish I
could have been there! Thanks Mom for the pictures - I really enjoyed
them. I'll also make sure to visit Edvard Grieg's house before I leave
Bergen!
This next week is General Conference everybody!!
Watch it! Sup from it! President Uchtdorf has counseled we are ENTITLED
to personal revelation from General Conference. I'm way excited to partake of it (especially since I feel like I understand much more what
it's like to be a Latter-day Saint in a world of lesser standards from
being a missionary, and also reading my grandfather's conversion story.
What a stud!!)
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| General Conference in Bergen |
General conference for us is quite different. We get
Relief Society and Morning Saturday Session on Saturday night, then on
Sunday we get Priesthood, and the next three sessions, and the final
Sunday night session next Sunday. Luckily we don't have to have them
recorded on tape and sent to us. Or only hear it on the radio. Isn't
technology amazing?? It's the only way this church is possible! Just
look at the whole second half of the New Testament to see what happens
when there's a lack of communication and direction.
Alright I have covered everything I can think of. I
love you all! Your support is extraordinarily appreciated! Christiaan,
thank you for the email, I realize our tracting efforts seem quite
similar :P. If I can think of stories you can send me, I'll let you
know. oh one more thing: everyone please send me mission stories! They
are an incredible source of hope and comfort knowing someone else has
also experienced this. Including family history stories as well - I
loved reading about the Tanner's. Please send me more. Okay! Again, I
love you all! Until next week!
-Eldste Bryce Thomas Johnson
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