I can’t start my email
this week without saying….THANK YOU, THANK YOU so much for everyone who sent me
Christmas letters, emails, and packages!! That meant the world to me!! You are
all so sweet!!! I can’t express enough how much it means to me!!! So thank you so very much!
This week has been the best ever!!! I will break it down day by day with a quick
summary!!
Wednesday 24th:
We went to the Norwegian
Cathedral in the city with all the missionaries in my area. There are 8 of us and that was way cool!!
Really the only time Norwegians go to church.... It reminded me of The
Hunchback of Notre Dame with how everything was decorated and the priest and
choir were dressed. Very different, but very neat! We celebrated JuleAften at
the Gulbrandsen's!!! We had the traditional Norwegian Christmas food, watched them open presents, watched a Disney movie, and ate
desserts, and just hung out and relaxed!!
It was so fun to watch them open
their presents and see their faces and how grateful they were! A Christmas
miracle happened!!! As we were leaving it started to snow!!! So we got a White
Christmas!!! After we got taken home, Søster Frampton, Eldste Gunther, and
Gingrich and I played in the snow and on the ice!! It was so fun!! No one was
out in the city and it was snowing on Christmas Eve in Norway!! Chances like
those only happen once in a lifetime!! It was so fun!!
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Thursday 25th:
JUL!!!!! The other
sisters in my area spent the night because they live kind of far away so we
celebrated Christmas together!! My apartment is known as the “Hobbit Hole”
because of how little it is! Having four people was so crazy!!! We woke up and opened presents!!
Then we made
Norwegian waffles!! Which by the way are the best in the world!!!
Then we took a
nap and kind of relaxed. We got ready to go and for the first time in 4 months
I was stressing about what I was going to wear and actually taking time to get
fully ready!! I was going to see my family today so I had to look good!!! All
the missionaries went to the Glen's for dinner! They are an American family so
we had American food!! Hallelujah!! They are amazing cooks!!! It was so good!!
From the Glen's, Søster Frampton and I left to go to the Bjerga's house to
skype our families!!! Best Christmas present ever!! I felt like I was on cloud
nine!!! It was so great to see them and talk to them!! Feels like I never even
left!!
Friday 26th:
Boxing Day!!! The Senior
Missionary couple planned Boxing Day for us!! All the missionaries got together
and we had brunch and dinner and played minute to win it games!! It was so
fun!! Eldste Whitaker (the senior couple man) is retired from the military so
he has access to the base here in Norway! So for Christmas they gave us a
couple of our favorite American foods!! I wanted to cry!! I got my favorite
cereal, banana chips, and granola bars!!
After that we had a dinner appointment with the Redford’s and I
literally wanted to die!! We were so full!! It was a miracle how we managed to
eat all of their food which was a Swedish Christmas meal!! I never want to eat again!!
Saturday 27th:
Happy Anniversary Mom and
Dad!!
Today we took a road trip
with Eldste Gunther and Gingrich to visit members and a family that live about
2 hours away! On the way I slipped and fell on ice... classic Søster Peterson! We also stopped and took pictures on a
beach!! So pretty!!
We ate dinner with Su and Daniel and she makes the best Burma
food!! They are so cute and quirky it kills me! I love road trips with the missionaries!!
Sunday 28th:
It was Søster Frampton's
last Sunday today!!! Wow!! I cannot believe she is going home!!! So crazy!! I
don't know what I am going to do without that girl!!!
Today was also the one
year anniversary of my best friends Chris Alder and Darin Thomas' death. I cannot believe it has been a year!! Seems
like just yesterday we were at school hanging out and messing around!! They taught
me so much! They looked out for me! I know that they are my guardian angels and I
have felt them many times since I have been on my mission. I am so grateful and blessed to be able to
have them by my side and because of my beliefs and my church, to know that I
will see them again and that death is not end.
I love and miss them so much!! They blessed and impacted my life as well
as many others!
Jordan's Tidbits:
- If you have the
missionaries over to eat, please refrain from making brownies and ice cream!! (okay - actually we love it!)
- I will for sure be taking
the Norwegian Christmas traditions back to the United States and to my family
when I come home!
- I have realized that I
like American Christmas food better than Norwegian Christmas food
- Ice and I are
bittersweet friends
- I have been having dreams
in Norwegian Sign Language!!
- I am so sad that Søster
Frampton is going home!!! I don't want her to leave!! She is the best example
and role model to me!! I am so grateful I had the opportunity to have her as my
trainer (mom) and companion!!
- Enjoy the little things
and don't take things for granted!
- Enjoy the journey and
don't just focus on the end point!!
INVITATION:
A brand new year is
coming up around the corner!!! This means a fresh new start and new goals!! I
invite all of you to make realistic goals and don't make so many that you have
too many and they won't all get done. I
invite you to make goals to help you come closer to Christ and to help you
become a better person!!
Also starting Jan 1st I
will be starting the Book of Mormon again!! ALL are invited to start with me!! If you need a chart to help keep track, you
can print one off here:
Have a great week!!
Jeg er glad i dere!!
xoxo
Søster Peterson
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