Jord's Adventures in Norway

Jord's Adventures in Norway

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

MISSIONARY TAN LINES ARE THE NEW THING!

written July 20th, 2015

Well I had finished my email and was about to hit send and it got deleted..... I wanted to cry it was seriously so long.  I wasn't even going to type it again or try to write one again because I am so mad and it took me so long and I have like no time, but I know my mother will kill me if I don't....so here goes round 2, but I’m sure some things will be left out......

So this week was full of ups and downs! (week July 13th – 19th)

On Monday we played basketball with John a less active who is becoming active and some of his friends! I really thought they would be good at basketball, but  they were terrible!! Søster Bender and I were way better than them and that is saying alot! hahaha. One of them was almost 7 feet tall and he couldn't even get it in when he stood right by the basket! It was fun to mess around and have a good time though!

Being the wonderful sister missionaries we are, Søster Bender got a phone call from some of the elders who we are friends with (Drage and Edwards) telling us they had a rough week, etc.. and really wanted brownies from us! Well considering we are way up above the Arctic Circle and nowhere close to them, they asked if we could make some and send them to them! And what do we do? We made brownies and sent them to them! Little did we know and we found out the next day after we had sent them that they had called some other sisters to do the same thing!
 
Funny Story:  Søster Bender and I were at the Church (its actually an office building since we don't have a Church) and I was setting up the Joseph Smith film to watch with Zardasht. I went to sit down and totally missed the chair! My legs were up in the air and I had knocked over chairs on my way down hahaha,  Søster Bender was dying laughing and of course Elder Crabtree walked in at that moment and saw me sprawled out on the floor with chairs on top of me and he just laughed and walked away.

Søster Bender and I went on a hike/walk with Brenda! That was way nice to be in a normal environment and be able to talk about anything and the gospel.

We FINALLY got in touch with Atim! The guy who knows Arabic and can help us with Ramy! We set up a skype appointment and got to have him teach with us! That was such a blessing because Ramy has really been struggling with modern day prophets and Atim was able to explain and help out a lot!

I GOT SUNBURNED!!! Hallelujah!! On Saturday it was the first day in 11 months that I was able to go outside with just a short sleeve shirt on and no jacket or cardigan! It was a glorious day! I even got a tan line!! Too bad the sun was only out for that day, but we made the most of it! We were out all day contacting and it was just a good day! We even ran into President and Sister Hill while we were contacting in the city!
President and Sister Hill came into town to visit Tromsø! It was so great to get to see them and get to know them more! I just love them! They are awesome and so funny! They came and checked out our apartment Sunday morning and did studies with us! I don't think I have ever seen an apartment so clean before in my life!!  Søster Bender and I scrubbed the apartment from top to bottom!
Dingaan finally came back from vacation so we met with him on Saturday and of course had to take advantage of the weather and got ice cream together!! Well we were sitting on a bench talking about how Dingaan needs to go on a mission! He would be the best missionary ever! He has such a strong testimony and love for the gospel and wants everyone to be able to be as happy as him and have the knowledge that he has! He is just the best! He always asks us *Why don't people accept the gospel! They are so
dumb!* While we were talking, a girl on the bench next to us asks us if we are missionaries and we make small talk than she continues reading her magazine and we continue talking with Dingaan. Well after a few minutes I see her get up and I run over to her because one I couldn't let her get away! Norwegians do not just talk to random people and they especially don't ask you if you are a missionary and say that is interesting and cool! So I ran over to her and talked to her for a bit and learned that what she knew about Mormons was from South Park.. haha of course.... and next thing we know we are all 4 walking to the Church to give her a Book of Mormon!! It was the coolest thing ever! We got to talk to her about it and had Dingaan share his testimony! He told her that he didn't believe at first, but he read it and prayed and gave it a chance! At the end she looked straight at him and said *I am really glad you were here! I can relate to you a lot and I love that you are a convert and new to this!* It was the coolest thing ever!!

We ate dinner with President and his wife and the Crabtree’s and it was a grand ol time!! Eating home cooked meals is probably the best thing ever! Especially since we have no members and really if you are in a big city you don’t get feed at all anyways. Sister Crabtree feeds Søster Bender and I once a week (: she is the best! I may have even gotten transfer rumors out of President and found out I will be staying here next transfer! (Transfers are August 5) So that is good news! The sad news is Sister Bender will not be.... booo........

CHURCH WAS A MIRACLE we had 11 investigators in Church total!! THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN!!! Especially in Norway!! Usually the max you would get is 4 and that is if you are really lucky! I guess President coming to town really helps and I have never seen so many people in the church! Like this is a record for Tromsø!! There was less actives and people I had never even heard of that came to Church! It was so awesome!! After Church we had a little lunch thing and that was great! Everyone got to talk and it was such a fun time! I wish every Sunday could be like this!!

Of course when Søster Bender and I sing in Church it has the most people ever!! We did really well though! We sang Nearer My God to Thee in Norwegian the first two verses and in English the last verse!(: We harmonized and it sounded pretty cool!

Old man frank came to Church!! Remember the old man that bought Søster Bender and I boller? Well we saw him on the street again and invited him to church. Not thinking anything of it, we get to church and you will never guess who shows up... FRANK!! Søster Bender and I were dying!! I was talking with him in the hallway with Sister Hill and he bends down really close to my face and goes *Where's the coffee?* and I go we don't have coffee and he starts busting up laughing......
The Crabtrees are awesome! Søster Crabtree is like our mom/Grandma! We just love her!! The Crabtree’s are going out of town for the week so it will just be us in Tromsø!

Søster Bender and I were walking to the Crabtree’s to go eat dinner with them and President and Sister Hill and Søster Bender spit and the wind was blowing my way and it went straight into my face and mouth!! She was dying laughing, but I wasn't so amused.....

Jordan's Tidbits:
- Norwegian ice cream is to die for!! The sprinkles here are flavored!!
- You learn to be very creative with the food and recipes you make and you learn to eat things you would have never eaten at home
- You know you are a sister missionary when you have your investigator ask you why you and your companion get awkward and act weird when a male compliments us hahahaha  #missionaryprobs  That is what happens when you train yourself to tune out and ignore people when they try to flirt with you, etc....

Quotes of the week:
Søster Bender: *Sometimes when I am sitting in Church I look at you and just get really happy you are my Companion(:*

Søster Bender: I have a confession
Me: What did you do......
Søster Bender: The other day when I was getting something out of the cupboard your cup was right below me and I spit in it...
Me: Did I drink it!?
Søster Bender: Yes hahaha you drank the whole thing!

Dingaan Our New convert: *If Christ endured to the end than why can't we? *Life is good when you have the gospel! *Amen to the priesthood!

Åndelig Tanker/Invitation:
- I have come to learn how much I love being in a branch! Something that I have learned is that when you are in a branch, the people that come because there are so few really want to come to church and have a love and desire for the gospel. Going to church shouldn't just be a routine thing. You should want to go to church to learn and it refuels you for the week and helps you start your week off on the right note! My invitation for this week and hopefully you will do it not just this week, but it is to keep your phone in the car, at home, or turned off while you are at church. We have one day set aside in the week for the Lord. He asks of us to go to church for three or however many hours you go. It is three hours of the week that we are at church. You can give up your phone, texting, snap chat, etc.. for three hours and if you can't or that is something that is hard for you, you really need to re think your priorities.....Nothing drives me more crazy than seeing youth and adults in church on their phone. Come on People!

The Joseph Smith film is seriously so awesome! It tells all about Joseph Smith, his life, and how the Church began! It shows just how inspired he was and how true this gospel is! Joseph Smith did not write the Book of Mormon or make the Mormon Church he simply reformed the Church and with God's help and power brought back the same exact Church Christ had when he was on the Earth. He didn't write the Book of Mormon, he just translated it with God's help. In no way does the Book of Mormon replace the Bible, it is just another testament of Jesus Christ and more knowledge and guidance for us to have today. Who wouldn't want to read more of God's Word?

Here is the awesome Joseph Smith film! There is one that is 20 minutes and one that is an hour! I would recommend the hour long one!

 
 
ha en fin uke!!
xoxo
Søster Peterson

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