Wow!! I cannot believe
that I am finally in Norway!! It's so crazy and unreal! I feel like I have so much to say and I don't
know where to begin!! Let me tell you that jetlag is a real thing!!! I never
really believed in it till now.... It is definitely a struggle haha. Also I would like to apologize for the Norwegian
words that will probably appear in my sentences. Now that I am typing on a Norwegian
keyboard it is easier to spell in Norwegian. I also apologize for any grammar
or misspelled words. Learning Norwegian
has caused my English to suffer haha.
So after much confusion,
change of flight plans, and delays - I flew from Salt Lake City to Phoenix,
Arizona to London, England than finally to NORWAY!!! It is a miracle all 15 of us got to Norway
haha. There was much running in the
airports to make it to our next flight. When I arrived in Norway we went to the
mission home and had dinner. After
eating the MTC food, the dinner that Sister Evans (the mission president’s wife)
had made, was heaven!!! The Søsters slept in the basement (it was like a
bunker) in these cute bunk beds. We got
to bed around 2 am then had to be ready to go by 8:30. We had breakfast at 8:30 then were taken to
the mission office to get the rest of the information and papers that we would
need. From the mission office we were
all separated and taken our separate ways! Saying bye to everyone was sad! I
along with 5 others was taken to the airport.
I was flying to... STAVANGER!!!! I am the only one from the MTC that got
sent to Stavanger. At the airport I met
my companion.... SØSTER FRAMPTON!!!!! Basically the person I was hoping I would
get as a companion when I got to Norway!! She is from Salt Lake. She is so beautiful and awesome and just the
best!! She is so sweet and helpful!! Søster
Frampton loves to work out just like me so we will go running in the mornings
by the pier or a lady in the ward lets us go to her cycling class at the
gym! How awesome is that!! We went on Friday
morning and I about died!! Søster
Frampton goes home after Christmas so she is almost done! I'm excited to learn from her!
**mom’s insert – Jordan having
Søster Frampton as her companion is such a crazy miracle! When Jordan first received her mission call,
we went online and found blogs from sister missionaries currently serving in
Norway. We immediately fell in love with
Søster Frampton! We went back and read
her blog from the beginning! We knew she
wouldn’t be in long once Jordan got there, but thought – how wonderful it would
be if they could be companions!! Jordan
had such a wonderful companion in the MTC, I was praying for someone equally as
wonderful! Søster Frampton – WHAT A
BLESSING!**
Stavanger is BEAUTIFUL!!!!
My pictures and words cannot describe how beautiful and clean Norway is!!
I am so excited to be serving here! I will say that being here is quite
overwhelming. Thank goodness Søster Frampton is very good at Norwegian because
I have no idea what anyone is saying!! We had church yesterday and it is all
Norwegian!!! Stavanger only has one ward. Luckily for the members that speak
only English they have headsets and someone translating for them, but sadly
missionaries cannot use them. So I just
sat there and nodded! J Whenever people would come up and talk to me
that only spoke Norwegian I would look at Søster Frampton to have her translate
to me. Everyone is so nice and
welcoming! I haven't even been in Norway
for a week yet and I am in LOVE!!!
We have 4 Elders and 4 Søster’s
in our ward, but only Søster Frampton and I are in Stavanger with the
Elders. The other Søster’s are in a town
nearby. Søster Hudson from the MTC is
one of them, so I get to see her occasionally.
Stavanger has a foreign dialect
that is different from everywhere else in Norway.... instead of rolling their r's all the time
they make this like throat noise... and they say different words.... so that
will take some time to get used to. We
travel by bus or walking. I’m still
getting used to the bus because everything is in Norwegian! Stavanger is very rainy and doesn’t usually
get a lot of snow.
The first day I was here
we had brand new investigators! It is a
couple, Clarissa and Phillip, and they are awesome!! They came to church on Sunday! They live about 2 hours away in Farsund. (Farsund is south of Stavanger and is a
coastal town).
 |
| Jordan in Farsund |
Søster Frampton and I
with Elder Gunther and Griffin borrowed the mission leader’s car and took a
trip out there to go teach and visit with them!! So beautiful and way
fun!! They bought Mormonism for dummies
book which I thought was pretty neat! We
also have a Polish investigator named, Pawet and an African one. They are all interesting, but way cool!!! OH
MY GOSH GUESS WHAT!!! We also have a DEAF INVESTIGATOR!!!! I about died!!! His
name is Casper and he speaks Norwegian sign language but still!!! When the Redford’s, a family in our ward who
are way awesome found out I knew sign language they about died!! Many people
are very happy and excited! So on
Tuesday nights Søster Frampton and I will be taking classes to learn Norwegian
sign language. How great is this!!!
Norwegian is hard! I know
I need to have patience and it hasn't even been a week yet, but I want to be able
to speak it good and understand people so bad!! I am determined!!! Thank goodness for Søster Frampton though...
I don't know what I would do without her!!
A mission is the best!!
Jordan's Tidbits:
·
Everything is in Norwegian.... signs, stores, everything!!!
·
The food here is very good!!! I haven't had to
eat anything gross so far, but I know it will happen soon!! This is some of their popular chocolate!!
·
Our apartment is very little and has no oven or
pantry. We either don’t eat anything
that requires an oven or we can go to the church and use the oven there. We have a mini fridge and a mini microwave
and one stove top. The positive thing
about no pantry means we can't have a lot of food.
·
On Saturday's the ward does something called
Sport. Every Saturday at 11 they have volleyball and whoever wants to come can
come! It was way fun and we got one of
our investigators Pawet to come!!
·
The ward is way awesome and I am excited to be
in it and get to know everyone!! The
ward is so involved… I LOVE IT!
·
Tonight we are learning how to make doughnuts at
the Young Single Adults activity and two of our investigators are coming!! We are also watching a Disney movie!! Yes, I am so excited to watch a movie!!
·
Amazing things are going to happen here I just
know it!!
·
Our bedding we got and get to keep is heaven!!! Literally
feels like I’m sleeping on a cloud! European comforters are to die for!
·
Everything here like cars and houses and
bathrooms are very little and interesting.
·
Driving here is terrifying!!! I can't drive yet because
I have to take a driving course but I am scared to drive here!! It is so crazy
and confusing!
·
Next week on P-Day we are going to Preikestolen
(Pulpit Rock). Can’t wait! Grandma I promise I will be careful. I am going to crawl to the end J
·
Little Norwegian kids and babies are adorable!!!
It kills me that we aren't allowed to hold them or pick them up!! (missionary
rule)
·
Norway is so wonderful!!!!
·
The houses here are so cute!!!
If you want to mail me
letters or packages you can send it to the mission home address in Norway or to
my address in Stavanger either one is fine!!!
I love hearing from all of you!
Thank you for thinking of me! AND…
I love seeing pictures of you – feel free to send some J
My address:
Søster Peterson
Verksgata 1D 101
4013 Stavanger
Norway
Norway
Jeg elsker deg!!
xoxo
Søster Peterson
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