Hey everybody!
First and foremost - happy birthday Lara, you awesome sister you! A
sister who has so much faith in God that she sacrifices her time,
talents and self for her 9 children is the perfect role model for me of
unselfishness and trust in God. Happy birthday, Sis!
Torstein was baptized this week! The morning of the baptism
Farnsworth and I were extremely worried because our fellow-member
Jan-Erik was having difficulties driving out of his icy/snowy driveway.
Jan-Erik was our only chance to get to Aldersund for Torstein's baptism!
An hour before we heard that he drove out of his driveway, and grateful
prayers flooded heaven's postboxes. The one and a half hour drive to
Aldersund was fairly scenic, despite the huge snow clouds that covered
everything in sight. I prayed that the clouds would open for Torstein's
baptism because it is such a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However once
we arrived IN Aldersund it was incredibly scenic! To describe
Aldersund, it is a small cottage consisting of 60 people in the basin of
the biggest fjord I have yet experienced.
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| Aldersund |
Staggering mountain sides
paralleled the cleanest most beautiful color blue water I have ever
seen. After two or three attempts to find an unfrozen, deep enough
baptismal font (including a bit of running up and down hills and snow
drifts), we finally found the perfect place. Elder Farnsworth pronounced
those baptismal words, and Torstein's head broke through some ice on
the way down - but he made it all the way under!
Approved! After which
he sprinted through deep powder, almost removing his lower limbs plowing
through a fence (luckily he missed it!). Within minutes they could feel
their feet again! Haha what a
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| Can you see the purple Nordlys?? |
wonderful experience!! That night we saw
the best Northern Lights yet, with a dancing swirl and even some
purple complementing the beautiful green! That was a day to remember. In
addition, just yesterday Torstein received the Aaronic Priesthood, and
our Branch President was simply beaming after the ordination. We are
blessed by the very hand of God here in Mo i Rana :).
In other exciting news, I touched my nose with my tongue! Hahaha.
Norwegian tongue exercises are excellent for speaking better Norwegian,
and increasing the flexibility thereof! Also this past week, we went to
Trondheim, shoes and all, for a wonderful Zone Conferance. Man, it is
extremely difficult to focus during a 6 hour conference and practicals
with only 5 hours of sleep the night before. We loved it anyway. Also,
another answer to prayer experience: as we were in the plane waiting to
land in Mo i Rana, the pilot made two attempts to land, but due to
visibility conditions, was not able to. I was worried, because we may
soon be heading further north to Bodø, without a return flight in the
near future! I prayed for the visibility to clear, and the third attempt
to land was extremely smooth, with hardly any clouds lining the sky.
The Lord does answer our practical, and specific problems! Being the
Lord's servant kinda gives you an advantage on life, even the weather at
times :P
The Lord loves us so incredibly much. The reason why Moroni asks us
to remember how merciful God hath been from the beginning of time until
now (Moroni 10:3), is because it opens to us how much He is willing to
help us, and answer our prayers, today. I know that our Heavenly Father
answers prayers. But do you know what it takes? Asking, and then working
for it. I thank and love you all!
-Eldste Bryce Thomas Johnson
P.S. Sister Hazen, thank you millions for the package. The ties are
hot! I received compliments while at Zone Conference :). Tell Trevor to
play through all of the verses of every song in the hymn book, and then
he can stop playing hymns :P. After doing that, you can pretty much
play anything in the hymn book by sight reading. Keep being
studly, Trevor!
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| Trondheim's Cathedral |
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| A snow serpent! They made some crazy snow sculptures for the Winter Lights Festival |
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