Jul og Misjonskonferansen (Christmas and Mission Conference)

Our Christmas Tree.

Our nativity and Christmas tree (decked out with Mom's decorations)

 Mine kjære brødre og søstre!

These past two weeks have been filled with wonderful holiday celebrations that I'll do my best to recount :)

Fairly early on the morning of Christmas Eve, Elder Strange and I packed up the car to go and visit a family an hour drive south from Tromsø. It turns out that it was a little further east, too, which made the weather much much colder. -16 C when we arrived, and -20 C during our hike through their farm! We truly enjoyed ourselves in their home - I love this family!

Christmas frost on our hike :)

 Mushroom on the side of a dead tree. Mind you, it's -20C

As Norwegian tradition required, we all dressed ourselves up extra fancy for the Christmas dinner, and enjoyed ribbe (pork ribs), with other meats and potatoes. 

Look how happy Elder Strange is!

Christmas dinner

The kohlrabi and potatoes were especially delicious because they farmed them right here in Balsfjord kommune. I've never had more delicious potatoes in my life! (Northwestern-potato-farming Americans, please don't be offended :P). After which, we read through the Christmas story of Luke 2 in Norwegian, German and English for all of the cultures represented in our little group. The Spirit of the Lord was abundant, and then presents were opened. It was a really special night for us missionaries :D

Riskrem (made from leftover julegrøt)

Scarf!

                      Elder Strange's Christmas Morning special: Chocolate chip pancakes covered in Skippy peanut butter and real fake syrup!

Norwegian Traditional Julegrøt. Always eat from the outside in - NEVER mix it! Some of us learned that the hard way.

Christmas lunch: Reindeer sausage and smoked salmon on open faced sandwiches. If that isn't Norwegian, I don't know what is.

On Christmas day we had some free time, so I finally finished a project I had worked on for a few days: an eternity scarf! They're really popular here in Norway, and I think they look really really good, so I decided to crochet one. Merry Christmas!

Yay for eternity scarves!

That evening, an American woman had us over with all of her neighbors for a traditional American Christmas/Thanksgiving dinner (Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn and heavensent homemade stuffing!!). We were on cloud 9, and then we got to talk with our families!! It's truly surprising to realize just how much you fit it in, when you suddenly do fit in. It took 7 months of no verbal contact with my family to realize how very much I love them. I love you family!

The family on Google Hangout

The next day, we got on the plane for Oslo. The mission conference absolutely rocked - filled with a talent night, uplifting and inspiring messages from President and Sister Evans, games and ping-pong tournament (Elder Strange got second!!), and a historical overview of missionary work in Norway from the local church leaders themselves! It was an empowering, motivational conference. Now that I'm so pumped, let's give Tromsø our best!! I apologize, but the only pictures I took at the conference were of previous companions - sorry!

Elder Knudson! (MTC)

 Elder Godfrey! (Oslo)

 Elder Farnsworth! (Mo i Rana)

Elder Levine and Williams! (Stavanger)

Sadly, however, upon arrival home, I got a cold. I'm there with ya, Elder Crookshank. 

This church is Christ's; the Book of Mormon is the word of God - I felt the Spirit of God witness to me the divinity of that book this morning.

Godt Nyttår, Alle! (Happy New Year, Everybody!)

-Eldste Bryce Thomas Johnson

This is how dark it got on the 21st of December - the "darkest day of the year". People have been saying that it's been getting lighter every year. I was very surprised as to how light it was!!

The harbor down in Mortenhals on the 24th

 At the top - you can see some frostrøyk (evaporation) on the fjord