Before I begin here is my NEW ADDRESS:
Søster Jordan Peterson
Storgata 12B
9008 Tromsø
Norway
Monday: Celebrated my birthday!!! All the
missionaries in my area, my friends from Church, Casper, and my investigator
Louis all went out to eat for my birthday!! We went and got Asian Food!! I was
soo happy!! I love Asian Food and miss it so much haha. It was such a wonderful
day!!! I got sang to in Norwegian by the Norwegian birthday song as well!!! I
am so grateful I was able to spend my birthday here in Norway and as a
missionary!! Being on a mission has blessed my life so much and I wouldn't want
to be doing anything else!!
Tuesday: Last day in Stavanger!!! Today was my last
day in Stavanger!!! I cannot believe it!! It doesn't seem real!!! The
Gulbrandsen Family threw me a birthday dinner!! That was so much fun!!! I just
love that family!! Saying goodbye to everyone was so bittersweet!!! Yes I did
cry..... I know I have turned into such a softie!!! What is the
deal!! I am so grateful for the many friendships I made here and for the
blessing these people have been in my life!! I cannot wait to come back!!
I left Casper with a little bit of TEXAS!!!
Wednesday: Packing is a nightmare!!!! I have wayyy too
much stuff!!! So the outfit I wore to the airport and to travel today consisted
of no joke... 5 skirts, 3 shirts, 3 sweaters, 3 jackets, 2 pairs of tights, 2 pairs
of socks, 2 scarves, and my big Winter boots!!! So please excuse the fat Søster
Peterson in the pictures!! I promise I have not gained that much weight!!!
Luckily Elder Gingrich flew with me so he could help me with all of my stuff
hahaah.
We flew to Oslo and I waited to take the flight to Tromsø and guess who
was on the same flight as me..... SØSTER HOUSE!!!! We were finally reunited
again!!! BEST DAY EVER!!!! I just love that girl!!! I am so excited to be
serving with her!! We are going to do great things!!! We got settled into our
new apartment and I am so excited that it is bigger than the last one haha. I
actually can cook food now!!!
We have this creepy Norwegian doll named Susan
that freaks us out!! Her eyes like follow you everywhere you go!!! The Elders that lived in the apartment before us left her there. They left a little note for us in her hands!!
Our
Apartment only has one heater.... which is a problem considering we are like in
ANTARCTICA!!! I have never seen so much snow in my life before!! It is unreal!!
Here we are trying to
warm up our toes!!
Thursday, Friday, Saturday:
I have never been so cold in my life!!! Dang it is Cold here!!!!
Søster House and I made appointments to meet with two less active ladies in the
branch (I don’t say ward because there aren't enough people to have a ward here
so it is called a branch) and they are a hoot!! We are making dinner with them
this week!! Their names are Linda and Lill!! They are in their 50's and 70's!!
We are going to be great friends with them!! They are neighbors and great
friends so it works out perfectly!! So these past couple days Søster House and
I were out contacting a lot!!! We are in need of people to teach and share the
gospel with so we have to go find them!! On Saturday we were out for three and
a half hours straight in the snow and freezing cold and had no success at
all!!! We were doing our best to stay positive, but were so confused as to why
in three hours not one person was interested or anything!! Some of the people
here are not very nice let me tell you..... Søster House and I went in and decided
to take a break from outside and go through the area book and call people that
were in there! We had a little success and have made appointments to meet with
former investigators! This is going to be tough, but I am so excited to
develop this area especially with my best friend!! We are going to rock it!!
Look out Tromsø these two blonde Texas Girls are coming for you!! (Well we used
to be blonde, the Winter has been not so nice to our hair...)
Sunday: Wow!! Church here is so different and quite
the experience!! They have no youth, and four primary children... and the four
children are siblings!! There is one family that is active and comes every week
and then there are two or three other people that come. We have 3 or 4 people
that skype into Church and Sunday school is taught by a man through skype!! We
only have two hours of Church instead of three! Søster House and I had to give
talks in sacrament meeting yesterday! It wasn't too scary since there wasn't a
lot of people haha!! Søster House's Norwegian is awesome!! It is so fun to see
how much she has grown since I was last with her in the MTC!! I am so excited
to help build up the Church here!!! This is a picture of a Norsk Church here. We don't meet in a church building, we meet in an office building.
Today was a day of miracles!!! Søster House
and I went out contacting since that's what we have to do a lot because we
don't really have any investigators so we have to go out and find people!! Well
we were kinda not looking forward to it considering how yesterday went, but we
went out with high hopes and faith!! YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED!!!
The first three people we talked to, we got appointments with!!! One of the guys
we stopped asked us if he could buy a Book of Mormon and we said it was free so
we gave him one!! Then he asked when he could meet with us!! My mouth almost
dropped open!! That was unreal!!! After he walked away Søster House and I
started freaking out!! We are so excited to teach him!! It truly was a miracle
that we found him!!! We immediately said a prayer of thanks and gratitude!! It
was such an amazing thing to experience!!!
The Lord does hear and answer prayers and works in mysterious ways!!
Always keep in mind that it is his timing and not ours!!! I know that the Lord is leading us to those that are prepared and need
the gospel!! Søster House and I have been here for about 4 days and we already have
5 new investigators and taught 7 lessons!!! That is not common for Norway
folks!!! The Lord has lots of work for us to do here!! I am so excited to build
up this area and share the gospel with people!!! Big things will happen in
Tromsø!!!!
I know that Søster House and I were called here and together for a
reason!! There are people here waiting for us and I can't wait to find them!!!
Opening up an area is not easy let me tell you!! We are basically starting from
scratch! But I feel so blessed that Søster House and I have been given this
responsibility!!! We are so excited to be serving here!!!
Jordan's Tidbits:
- Søster House and I wear two layers of tights and like 3 socks!!! It is seriously so cold here!!! I have never been so cold before!!!!
- I can't wait to see the Northern Lights!!!!
- The dialect here is so different and not very easy to understand!!! It is like learning all over again!!
- Never ever give up!!! When the going gets tough, keep pushing!!! Good
things will come!!!
- Always remember to have fun and find the positive in every situation!!
- Try every day to be better than the previous!
- Please for the love close your blinds people!!! You don’t understand
how much it bothers me that people here do not close their blinds!! Søster House
and I have seen too many things already from our neighbors window.......
- Never take the Sunlight for granted!!!!
- If you see missionaries stop and talk to them!!! They will appreciate
it so much!!!
*Don't yield to Satan’s lies that you don't have time to study the
scriptures. Choose to take time to study them. Feasting on the Word of God each
day is more important than sleep, school, work, TV., or social media. You
may need to reorganize your priorities to provide time for the study of the
Word of God. If so, do it!!*
*Don't look back, leave the past behind!*
Glad i dere!!!!!
Ha en godt uke!!!!
xoxo
Søster Peterson
check out www.mormom.org
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