Just Walk Toward the Light

Hey everyone! It's been another week in Norway. True to form, the Norwegians have found another reason to skip out on work and school and travel out of the country. The culprit this week? The Pentecost. I feel kind of bad because before my mission, I can't say that I actually knew what the Pentecost was. I had heard the word before but I didn't have a clue (for those of you who don't know what that is, just read Acts chapter 2). But here it is a really big deal. I think it is slightly ironic that although most people here aren't even remotely religious, they have a lot of holidays in the name of Christianity which they use to take a vacation. So this week the stores closed down and people went away, but it was good to be able to think about the ascension of Christ and the day of the Pentecost. I am so grateful for the Gift of the Holy Ghost which was poured out on the apostles on that day so many years ago, because I would have no chance of succeeding in this work without it.

Life is going well as normal in Narvik. I have officially knocked on every door in the city, That posed a slight problem at first, but now we are walking out to Ankenes a lot to try the houses there, so it has been good to mix things up a little bit. It is about an hour to walk out there, and I have really enjoyed the sun shining on the fjord and the mountains here. It is all so beautiful! It is moments like that where I just have to stop and thank God for everything He has given us. Even though life isn't always easy and the work isn't always booming, I have so many blessings that I ought to be grateful for, and sometimes it takes the little things to really make us understand God's love.

This week we taught a few lessons, but the highlight was definitely an investigator we have named Kai. He is 18 years old and loves to skate, but he is so curious about things and is interested in God. It is great to be able to sit down with Him and explain God's plan and then sit and watch the Spirit work on him. Watch it testify of the truth. He has the best questions and I just know that God's hand is in the work and that He leads us.

Other than that, it has been a lot of finding this week, and it has been tough to fight off the monotony. To be honest, it's been pretty rough and it has looked kind of dark at times. I always wondered why- I thought missionaries were supposed to be full of light always. Always sure of themselves and always successful and always filled with the Spirit. But one day it dawned on me that in the middle of all my worries and doubts and fear, the Spirit has always been there. God has never left me. Even when the path has been dark around me, and I haven't known where to walk, every time I lift my sight and look at the goal ahead, the light is there and I still have direction. I may not always see clearly around my feet, but I know where I am going and I know that as I take my steps of faith into the darkness, the Spirit will light my way. So remember when they going gets tough and the mists of darkness close in: It is best to look up. Just walk toward the Light. I can promise that no matter how dark the night may seem, the Light of Christ will never fade and will always be there to light our way.

 We got to give service this week. FINALLY! we picked up garbage in the city.

I am in love with the nature here. Mountains and fjords all the time. It is beautiful and it is the best!

Fishing

Today we went out fishing, and I caught a fish! Well, I actually caught six fish, but they all were all really small, so I threw them back. I can't believe that I am telling you a "the one that got away" story right now, but the one time I actually got a big fish on my line, he was almost too heavy for my fishing pole, so it was hard to get it up, but I got him almost up to the dock and he came off the hook. I was really disappointed because I was going to eat that one, but it was fun to "catch" it anyway, and the fishing was great! It was good weather and good water and just a lot of fun.

The Atonement - The Greatest Gift of All

Well, it's been another great week in Narvik. The sun is shining and it has finally gotten a little bit warm. For a few days there, it was even 20 degrees (I would translate that over to Fahrenheit, but my brain only works in Celsius at the moment, so sorry about that)! I don't have a whole lot to report as far as the work goes, because it has been a lot of the same things lately. Knocking on doors, contacting people on the streets, and trying to track down old investigators or potential investigators. But that's alright because there must be opposition in all things.

I have been thinking and studying a lot lately about the Atonement, and one scripture in particular that I read really caught my attention this week:

"And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law, no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever" (2 Nephi 2:5).

That scripture really hit me like it never has before, because man, we really are lost forever if left to our own devices. As I started to think more deeply about our plight here on earth so far away from our loving Heavenly Parents, I began to think about my own life.

I imagined that I was in a large warehouse filled with piles upon piles of boxes and crates. Confused, I looked around and pulled open the box nearest me, only to discover that it was filled with pictures. I pulled another box to my side and found only bundles of letters tied together with string. I read the note connected to the top envelope and gasped as I realized what they were. These weren't any ordinary letters. These were written by me. I dug out a bundle of papers and read the caption: "Words I have Used to Build Others Up." I picked another and read: "Kind Words I Have Said to a Stranger."

Realizing this was a warehouse filled with the record of my life, my interest grew and I began to move around the room. I opened a box of pictures and cringed as I read: "Times I Could Have Helped Another But Didn't-" Those were pictures I didn't want to see. I side-stepped a box labeled "Laziness" to open one filled with video-cassettes capturing the ways I have helped my mother.

In some categories I was pleased with the things that I found, but in many there were either too many, or too few boxes to be found. I moved to the darker corners of the room and jumped back, filled with horror at the things I found and the detail captured. I kicked at those boxes, determined that no one must every see the things they contained, but to no avail. I ran back to the center of the room, shuddering, only to find one little container no larger than a matchbox, standing in the middle of a patch of sun light coming through a whole in the roof.

Surrounded by mountains of boxes, I couldn't contain my curiosity as I wondered what could possibly be in this box, so clearly the center of the collection. I picked it carefully up and read a sticky-note placed on one, small index card. It read, "People I Have Shared the Gospel With."

I sank gently to the floor, crying as the enormity of the shame I experienced washed over me. I could not bear the thought of looking at any more boxes for the realization of my own miserable state overwhelmed me. I sat there and burned with the shame of it all, and suddenly the lights went out with a whoosh, leaving me to wallow in my own self-pity, surrounded by my weaknesses and guilt. The pain that I experienced was unbearable and there was only one thought that consumed my back: I had to destroy this place. I reached into my pocket and found matches. I tried furiously to light anything and everything on fire- to burn that place to the ground. My vision blurred and I used every single match in that box, but it didn't make a difference. Nothing would burn, nor would the boxes move after I had decided to destroy them.

Trapped in my own guilt and shame, I crawled miserably through the murky darkness to the darkest corner I could find and curled up in a ball there. I wept into my knees for what seemed like an eternity, resigned to endure my pain forever. The anguish of my soul burned through any other emotion or thought I had- I had failed. I had failed the test.

In the middle of this torture of my being, I light suddenly flashed on near the entrance and I saw Him. His eyes met mine, and I couldn't bear the sadness there, looking into my soul from His perfect face. I couldn't believe that He had come. Anyone but Him! I tried desperately to hide the worst boxes, but it was still no use. He continued to walk sadly through the boxes, calmly picking them up one by one and examining the contents. I longed to stop Him as I watched His composure remain the same- beautiful, graceful, and magnificent- but with each new box the sadness grew deeper in His eyes.

He took each box he went through, and tore my name off the contents, replaced with His, and placed it in a bag He was carrying. One by one, the boxes disappeared into His bag, and in what seemed like a heartbeat, He was suddenly finished. He walked slowly to me, and I couldn't bear to look Him in His eyes. But I forced myself to do it, and the love I saw there washed over me and I couldn't hold back the tears. He left me gently to my feet, and cried with me. Everything about the way He acted told me that He forgave me, and the love I felt washed through my entire body, erasing the memory of everything I had just experienced. I wanted that moment to last forever, and I was filled with gratitude for the task He had accomplished which I could not do myself.

He put His arm around me as the lights came back on, and we walked together out the door, into the cool night air.

I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ, because without it, I would be nothing. Without Him, I am nothing.

Have a great week!

Not Quite Christmas

This week on Sunday I taught the lesson for Sunday School and that was stressful, but not too bad because there aren't a lot of members that show up anyway. I don't if you guys are on the same schedule that we are, but I taught about Ruth and Hanna and Naomi, and it was really great to think about how the qualities that made them great women thousands of years ago are the same qualities that are of value today.


Kikka is doing well and I am really excited for her. The only problem is that she is in France right now and will be for the next 3 weeks. But after she is back we plan to meet pretty regularly. After converts are baptized, we teach them all of the lessons again, and we just continue to meet with them to make sure everything is good.


I've got to admit, this week was a little bit slower than normal, but that is okay, because every day can't be Christmas, right? And just because we aren't always opening presents doesn't mean we can't enjoy the toys we already have. That was basically my attitude toward this week, and I was alright with it, because up to this point, my mission has been awesome. I don't pretend that I have loved every second of the long contacting sessions or the people that are less than kind on the street, but I can honestly say that the last 11 months have been the best months of my life. I have learned the most, grown the most, and I have definitely had the most opportunities to just sit down and laugh at myself because I didn't have anything else to do. For all of you that haven't served a mission- serve a mission. It will be the best thing you ever do.


Having said that, I refer back to my previous statement and take the liberty to emphasize the fact that sometimes, it's hard. And sometimes we all have moments when we hit the point where we really just realize that without God, we are nothing. I had one of those this week. I know that without Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the atonement in my life, I wouldn't be where I am right now, let alone be the kind of missionary that could have any kind of success. I was feeling pretty low for a while there, but I was inspired by Nephi in 2 Nephi chapter 4 and wrote my feelings in my journal:


The Lord in His infinite mercy has saved me from myself. My heart is overflowing with gratitude, for the Lord has heard my plea and answered my prayers. He has stooped down to pick up the wretch that I am and has put me on my feet. He has freed me from the chains that have bound me for so long- the chains with which the devil would drag me laughing down to hell. I, who have evaded the judgements of God and run from His righteousness. I, who have hidden my head from the gentle promptings of His Holy Spirit. Though I attempted to make myself equal with that Eternal Being in choosing the consequences of my sins, yet has He plucked my soul from my misery and encircled me with His infinite love. He has protected me from the jeers of the world, that great and spacious building, and has set me free to fly. I will soar through the Heavens, proclaiming the name of my Lord and God forever and ever. Come, O house of Israel, come and feel the mercy of of your Lord. Come, bear witness of His justice and see the marks of His love in His hands and His feet. I will praise His name forever, and I will fly for Him. I will fly for HIm until He calls me home- back into the arms of His love.


Yes, it's true that we all have moments of weakness; moments when we feel as though we can never be good enough. And in all honesty, we never will be. It is that simple. Without the atonement of Christ in our lives, none of us could ever be good enough to make it back to our Father in Heaven. But that is quite alright, because Jesus Christ has taken everything. Every single sin and weakness and burden and care. He took it all out of His love for us so that we in our moment of weakness can cry out through the darkness and receive the help that we need. The strength that we crave. Through the grace of Jesus Christ we CAN be enough. And that is a wonderful message. Go share it with everyone because there is nothing that will help the problems of the world today more than a little more faith in Jesus Christ. I promise.

I love you all and have a wonderful week!

haha sorry for the selfie, but I cut my own hair today! I'm slightly proud that I'm not bald at the end of it :)

Gratulerer Med Dagen!

It is the 17th of May, and that is a big deal here in Norway. To give a little background to all the Americans out there who are only vaguely aware of where Norway is in the world (I was part of this group before I got called here), no Norway is not the capitol of Sweden :) But the 17th of May is a lot like our Independence day, because it is the day that Norway got their own constitution and became free from Denmark. This year is even more special because it was exactly 200 years ago in the year 1814 that Norway was granted its independence. The sad thing, however, is that only a few months later, in the fall of 1814, Norway was under Swedish rule as a type of province, and didn't gain its complete freedom again until 1905, but no one ever really talks about that anyway. 

On the 17th, there are all kinds of parades and celebrations, including a children's parade, a parade for all the citizens in their respective cities, and games and food at all the local schools, and after all that, they all meet in the middle of the city to sing songs, dance, and listen to a speech. It is a day for the all the women and a few men to dress up in their traditional bunads (if you have no idea what that is, take a look at the picture below) and the rest of the men to put on their best suits to celebrate. Everyone has Norwegian flags and sløyfer (a kind of ribbon to wear on your suit) and it is a lot of fun. The weather didn't exactly cooperate for us here in Narvik, but it was still a lot of fun and I enjoyed being a part of the culture for a while. There is so much rich history and culture, especially today on the birthday of Norway.

Me with my Flag and sløyfe!

the parade going by

A Norwegian woman with her traditional bunad. The facial expression is the best!

Another highlight of the week is that Kikka was baptized on Wednesday! She is such a special woman and it was wonderful to see her finally be able to make the promise to our Heavenly Father to always serve and love Him. She has gained such a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon over the past few months, and she knows without a doubt that it is true. I am inspired by her testimony. After she was baptized, she came up out of the water crying, and I knew that her life was really changed forever. She meant the promises she was making and I know the Lord has big things in store for her. 

It has been a great week for us here and I love being a missionary. I know that everyone says that, but I honestly can't imagine anything that would be better for me right now than to be serving the people of Norway. What a life.

Thanks for all the love and support, I feel it every day. I am praying for all of you!

Mothers are Great!

Happy Mother's day to all of you wonderful mothers out there! I think it is such an interesting thing because yesterday there were hundreds of thousands of missionaries and there families anxiously watching the clock as the time drew nearer that they would get to talk together. As I waited I pictured the many LDS homes where excitement bubbled as the time came to talk to sorely missed siblings and and children. Isn't it a great thing that we do in our church? I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did :)

It has been a wonderful week for me this week. A few highlights include painting one of the member's houses (an opportunity we don't get at home because many of the houses are stone and brick! But here they are made out of wood and all sorts of bright colors. It feels almost like I am in Candyland sometimes) and enjoying the warm weather lately. Well, warmer. I can't say that it is exactly summer yet, but it has been nice enough. Norwegian weather stays pretty mild, and I suppose that is going to be a real blessing when it isn't 100 degrees out. Positive thinking, right?

The best part of recent life has been a woman we are teaching named Kikka. She is going to be baptized on Wednesday, and she is just great. I tell everyone that she would be baptized whether we were here or not, because her testimony is that strong. It is amazing to watch someone change their life and come unto Christ because of his restored gospel. I am so excited for her and the decision she is making. Pictures to come next week! In Narvik, we only have two options for a baptismal font: it's either the fjord or the local swimming pool. If it were me personally getting baptized, I would choose the fjord, no question, because what is cooler than getting baptized in the fjord? But it is really cold right now, so we've rented out the swimming pool and things are good to go. Life is good!

During this Mother's Day time of year, I would just encourage you all to go and do something that will make your mom realize how much you appreciate her, because now that I am half a world away from mine, I am really realizing how much I took her for granted. You know? I love her a lot. Moms are great, so let's not wait until they aren't there anymore to appreciate them. Go tell her you love her and make her feel it. That's important. I love you all and thanks for the love and support. I couldn't do it without you!

Selfie time with Elder Forsberg and me.

Our painting jumpsuits. I felt pretty boss.

May 5, 2014

Transfers went well this week, and I am enjoying serving with Elder Forsberg. On Wednesday during the time I was alone for a long time, I just went back to the apartment and took studies like normal, then I cleaned the apartment and had lunch, and then I called in to Oslo so that I could be on speaker for a trainers' meeting with president. After that I just went to the library and waited until it was time to go pick up my companion, so nothing too exciting there :)

Elder Forsberg and I are getting along really well, and I can already tell that we are going to be really good friends. It is really interesting, because although he is Norwegian, he has been living in Utah for the past 5 years, and he went to Lone Peak high school. Small world, right? He is 21 years old, and has his associates degree from UVU. His parents were baptized as adults, and then he was born into the church, along with his three younger brothers, but the rest of his family aren't members. Interesting fact about Norway: all citizens are required to serve in the military for 18 months as a sort of draft, so there was some concern that he wouldn't be able to come to Norwegian because of issues with that, but everything got sorted out, so he is good to go. But that is a weird requirement, right? But I am loving living with a Norwegian because I just get to ask him all the questions I have always had but never asked anyone, and I am hoping I am going to start making some good progress toward sounding like a native. So exciting!

Things are going well with Stanley and Paulina. We weren't able to meet with Paulina this week, but we are meeting with her on Wednesday, and hopefully we will be able to commit her to pick a date to be baptized then. We met with Stanley this week and he wasn't able to come to church on Sunday because he had a soccer match, but we really need him to start coming so he can be baptized. Our latest plan is to give him a calling in a way, in the branch so that he has a reason to come. We asked him to lead the music in sacrament meeting, so we are going to go practice with him on Tuesday so that he can do it. Fingers crossed that he comes. We did teach him the word of wisdom this week, though, and he committed to give up tea in order to comply with it, so there is still potential here.

Our latest awesome investigator is a woman named Kikka. She is the mother to a recent convert here and has come to institute for a long time, but only this week start officially taking the lessons from us, and she has committed to be baptized on the 14th of May! It was really cool because she told us that she wanted to be baptized. We didn't have to do anything really. It is so cool to see the Spirit work on people, because once they really get a testimony of the truth, they are willing to do whatever it takes to follow it. I am so grateful to be able to see the Spirit work in Kikka's life. So, we are just planning for a baptism here. We have to rent the local swimming pool and everything. Exciting stuff!

We weren't able to meet with Inge and Gro this week, but we are going to go visit them today, so keep them in your prayers for us!