A Work of Miracles

It seems like I don't talk about my mission very often and without so many details, so here is the rundown for the week. The members here in Oslo are amazing and we eat dinner with them basically every day, so I feel so blessed and taken care of here in Norway. We have two main investigators right now, and their names are Vegard and Asbjørn. Vegard is a guy in his twenties who we met on the street and goes to the local college here in Oslo. He is really interested to learn if this gospel is true and he is very excited about the Book of Mormon. Asbjørn is an 80 year old man who was a referral from a member here. His wife has been a member for 20 years and this is the first time in his life that he has actually been willing to learn about the gospel, so it is really exciting for everyone. The only problem is that he went to the hospital this week because he is "alvorlig syk," or seriously ill, I we are not sure if he is going to make it through this next week. It is so sad, but I am comforted because I have the strongest feeling that we have been meeting with him so that he could accept the gospel in his heart now, so that when he gets the chance in the next life he will accept it and join the fold. I will miss that man, though.

 

Transfers are coming up next week, and everyone here is starting to wonder what is going to happen. The way it works here in Norway is that everyone goes to their apartment early the Sunday before transfers, and we all get on the cell phones and have a huge conference call with the whole mission. The president and the assistants get on and read the names and assignments of all the missionaries for the next transfer, and that is that. So that will be next Sunday and I am very excited. I think that I will probably stay here in Oslo, but I want so badly to head north and serve there for the winter. If I am going to be in Norway, I might as well experience everything it has to offer, right? Plus there is something about looking at the northern lights in negative 40 degree weather in a small Norwegian town that sounds really appealing to me right now. Call me crazy, but I hope it happens.

 

We have been on splits a lot this week, and it has been focused a lot on finding. It has been a tough week this week for everyone in the zone, so we have really just been focused on trying to find the people the Lord has been prepared for us to find who are ready to be baptized. My faith in Him is growing so much as we experience miracles every day.

 

Speaking of miracles, aren't they such an interesting thing? Something so hoped for and prayed for, but how many of us actually believe that they can happen in our daily lives?

 

I do. At the very beginning of my mission, I used to pray for miracles to happen in the work and in my life here. I would try to do the things to qualify for the miracles, like follow the schedule and be like Christ and work hard, but I wasn't really seeing any fruits of my effort. I felt like nothing was happening and that I was, to a degree, doing the work on my own. Obviously I was following the Spirit, but apart from that, I was not feeling Divine Help. But I soon realized that I was going about everything the wrong way. When I was asking God to give me miracles in my life, I should have been praying to recognize the things He was already doing to help me. It seems so simple to me now, because obviously God helps us and does everything He can to give us the things we need. But in our mortal state and with eyes blinded by the things of the world, it can be so difficult at times to recognize the things He is doing for us. The miracles He is working in our lives. But, as we learn to recognize God's hand in our life, I know that gratitude will replace the heartaches of suffering and we will learn to be happy through times of hardship. When we are grateful for the things God has already given us, He will soon begin to give us more miracles than we could ever dream of and will bless our lives in ways we could never imagine.

 

May we all recognize God's hand in our life and be grateful for the things we already have. I love you all! Have a great week and touch someone's life while you are at it!