We met with a way chill
and cool guy named Cedrik. Sister Hartley and I had contacted him when we were
on splits last week! He is very open and was very interested in what we had to
say considering he doesn't really have a religious background and hadn't ever
heard about anything we talked about before. He came to the appointment kind of
late because he had fallen off his bike and his hand was like way cut up and
bleeding bad! However, he wouldn't let us give him a band aid or clean it or
anything..... I think he thought it made him look cool and tough.
The Crabtree’s found a
new apartment for the Elders to have when they come back hopefully in August,
but we will see! It is way nice!! Søster Bender and I wish we could move in
hahaha. The only bummer part is we wouldn't be right across the street from the
church anymore so that makes it okay. We helped the Crabtree’s move all the
things in it and helped Elder Crabtree build the very cheap wood bunk bed. We did a pretty good job if I do say so myself,
but if it breaks while the Elders are sleeping in it, I am taking no credit for
helping build it! Some screws were missing so it is just a tad bit wobbly
hahaha!!
So, my mattress is
terrible - like the springs are coming out, so the Crabtree’s gave me an extra
one that was in the Elders apartment and we just put it right on top of my old
mattress. I am on the top bunk and now I cannot get into bed unless Sister
Bender gives me a boost!! I can't even get my leg up it is so high! However now
I sleep like a baby, so it is worth it!)
We met with Dennis this
week. He is 17 or 18 and way cool. He is very interested and open as well and
we have met with him a couple times before. He is very interested in how
missionaries live and asked if Sister Bender and I could hang out with him or
go clubbing with him hahaha. He got to learn all about the missionary rules
haha!!
We met with the family we
met with last week! (Richard and his cute family). Sadly they aren't too interested,
but they said we are always welcome to come over and share a message! It was
kind of frustrating because he said he was happy with the knowledge he had and
didn't want any more... WHY WOULDN’T YOU WANT MORE KNOWLEDGE!?!?!? Come on! We
are planting seeds.....Hopefully one day they will be interested!
So the Midnight
Sun/Summer Solstice/Longest day of the year was this week (June 21st)!!
Our mission President gave us permission to stay up/out until midnight as long
as we were with members celebrating! It is a big deal around here! They do huge
bonfires and everything! Well since we are in a branch and isolated and don't
have that many members, Søster Bender and I called Kelly! We ended up going over to her house and
playing games and hanging out! Around 11:30 Søster Bender and I headed home
because we were dead tired! I don't know how I could stay up till 4 am or even
past 10:30 at home! Seriously I look forward going to bed at 10:30.
We met a French man on
the street last week and we went to his house to give him a French Book of
Mormon. Did I mention he doesn't speak like any English at all!! While we are
struggling to talk to him, Søster Bender thought he says that he knows how to
click (he is an African man) and she starts making these clicking noises and I
about died!! She was being dead serious!! He was looking at her like she was
crazy, because he had said Greek, not click! How she got those two things mixed
up I have no idea..... It made a good laugh though that is for sure! After that
little fiasco as we were talking to him or at least trying to, a thought pops
into my head that I know someone who knows French! It is Kayleigh Johns who
just got home from her mission in France!! One thing leads to another and we
had a skype appointment with her to help us teach this man! SHE WAS
AWESOME!!!!!!!! I am so so grateful for her willingness to help Søster Bender
and I! Even though I had no idea what she was saying, I felt the spirit
multiple times as she talked and taught him.
(Not gonna lie, Søster
Bender and I think he was a little drunk when we skyped with Kayleigh which
made me feel really bad! Walking to the church with him Søster Bender was dying
laughing because of how he was acting and I basically saved his life because he
tried to go in the street in the middle of traffic and I ran after him and
yanked him backwards by his backpack. All
while Søster Bender is just dying laughing.)
THE CROWNING EVENT OF THE WEEK LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!! Okay so as
you all know Søster Bender and I are teaching Ramy, who speaks Arabic and we
are teaching him English. Ramy is our favorite and the best ever! However, we
have been trying to find someone that would be able to help us teach him who
knows Arabic because we feel like with the language barrier he doesn't
understand everything so well and sometimes we feel we are just going in
circles! Well we found someone!! Søster Bender's brother has a friend who is a
returned missionary, that grew up in Sudan where Ramy is from and KNOWS
ARABIC!! Seriously prayers do come true!!!!!!! Well, Ramy was so excited let me
tell you! We set up an appointment and it was game changing!! Atim (the guys
name) is awesome!! He did such an awesome job and Søster Bender and I had to
try our hardest to not let our mouths hang open when we heard them speak Arabic
to each other. It really helped Ramy ALOT!! I know it has made the biggest difference!!
We were finally able to help him understand his questions about the Book of
Mormon and having a prophet today all thanks to Atim! We look forward to
continuing to skype with him and to help Ramy progress and understand much
better!
Søster Bender and I are
trying to cook and eat better and so far it has been going really good!! Søster
Crabtree is so sweet and gives us recipes and teaches us recipes and we always
call her if we need help. She gave us
this one recipe and we followed it exactly! Except for the fact that she didn't
put - add water on it so we didn't add water..... It was supposed to be a type
of gravy/sauce and turned into a mashed potato type substance hahaha. Needless
to say we are still learning!
Remember how I said all
of Norway leaves for the month of July.... Yeah it has begun...... We said
goodbye to Kelly this week and she doesn't come home till the middle of August!
It is going to be so lonesome around here pretty soon! Dingaan is gone and now
Kelly! And then her parents are leaving soon too!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK
AMERIKA!!!! Norway doesn't celebrate 4th of July.... bummer!! Norway doesn't
celebrate a lot of holidays that Amerika does actually.. who would have
thought?(; and it is probably a good thing Norway doesn't celebrate it because
missionaries aren't allowed to play with fireworks anyways so it makes it a lot
easier on us!
The New misison president
comes tomorrow!! Bittersweet feelings! So sad to see Sister and President Evans
go, but so excited to see and have President and Sister Hill!!
Jordan's Tidbits:
***hopefully my tidbits
this week make up for all the terrible previous weeks****
- Norwegian's think
cupcakes are muffins........ but I'm not complaining because they are dang good
muffins!
- It is almost July and I
am wearing a scarf...... A SCARF!!! I am really missing the Texas heat
- Honestly really glad
that I am out of the world and don't have to hear or deal with technology, or worry
about the next new thing, and the craziness, war, etc... going on in the world
today
- Please care about your
teeth and dental hygiene!! So many people here do not care and it is so
gross!!! Brush your teeth, floss, chew gum, whiten your teeth! No one wants to
see gunk in your teeth
- Smoking is a horrid
thing.... Søster Bender and I don't appreciate it when people smoke right by us
or in front of us and blow it in our faces!! You wouldn't believe the amount of
smoking people do here and at such a young age too!! It is insane!
- Our investigator Ramy
tells me I look like Barbie hahaha
- The birds here are
insane and devils!!! Søster Bender is terrified of them and it is so funny to see
her reaction when they come close to us. Seriously the birds here just attack
random people and if you have food they swarm you!!!
- It is common for people
here to eat anything and everything with a fork and knife in hand and cut
everything up!! French fries, sandwiches, everything! It has grown on me! You
put the fork in the left hand and knife in the right. I can't eat without those
two and I can't eat with a fork in my right hand anymore.
- Norwegians also eat
open faced sandwiches and other things open faced. I didn't realize I had
adopted this as well until we were eating sloppy joes with the Crabtree’s and I
open faced my buns and ate them both separately and Sister Crabtree was just
laughing and laughing
- Burger King is like the
popular place here.... So weird to me
- My hair is getting
longer so that is a plus
- If I keep typing this
much I am going to get arthritis...
- Met a man on the street
who said he would meet with us than if he agreed with our message he would
choose between Søster Bender and I who he would marry.... He wasn't
kidding.....
- It got so cold this
week, Søster Bender and I had to pull out Our WINTER COATS
Excerpts from my companions
email that describes how I feel as well:
“I wish I could say that I ate at Burger King, but one fry costs about
10 dollars! I love eating food here. Sister Peterson likes to cook and get
creative with food. Last night we tried making pancakes and they turned out OK
when we covered them with Jam and Brown cheese :) Norway doesn't have syrup. Or
ranch. Or any salad dressing. I miss cheap, unhealthy, American food.
This week was good! We met with a few interesting people. We met with
one kid from Haiti, Claude. Our appointment was supposed to be at 3 so Sister
Peterson and I waited outside the church until 3:15, then we just went back
inside and came back out only 5 minutes later and he was standing outside the
door! We opened the door and said hi and he didn't really say anything except
"I have been waiting right here since 3" and we were just like
"hahahaha no you weren't." I wish I could explain our meeting just
with words on here, but I cant! It was very, very interesting and I couldn't
help myself but laugh out loud at one point. I had to cover my face with a
pamphlet while Sister Peterson took his attention away from me and talked to him
so he wouldn't see me laughing! Let's just say, he likes to talk to himself a
lot.
Shout out to Brodie (my brother) for knowing someone who speaks Arabic
and can help us with Ramy!! Ramy still doesn't understand why we need the Book
of Mormon. We can try to explain it 100 different ways, 100 different times,
but it won't mean anything unless he has his mind and his heart open. Though he
reads everything we give him, he still doesn't understand. But he was way
excited to meet with Atim (Brodie's friend) and I think Atim is really going to
help us get to Ramy!
I also don't like when investigators say they will be at church and
never show!! It is the worst. I want to tie them up and bring them to church
myself. But, everyone has their agency and I only have control over mine.”
Åndelig Tanker:
- In a wicked world today
always remember to hold true to your beliefs, standards, and what you know to
be true! Cherish your family, loved ones, and friends and hold them dear to
you!
- Because of the many
events going on in the world today, many times on the street we are asked what
the church thinks about gay rights, etc... For those of you who are curious
here is where the Church stands:
“The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledges that following today's ruling by the
Supreme Court, same-sex marriages are now legal in the United States. The
Court's decision does not alter the Lord's doctrine that marriage is a union
between a man and a woman ordained by God. While showing respect for those who
think differently, the Church will continue to teach and promote marriage
between a man and a woman as a central part of our doctrine and practice.”
Of course everyone is
entitled to their own opinion and belief, but as far as the Church goes, this
is the standard. The Church will respect those who think differently and it is
in no one's place to judge, however the Church will continue to teach and
encourage marriage between a man and women
Quote from Grandma Bills:
“If you understand the great plan of happiness and follow it, what goes on in
the world will not determine your happiness.”
- Boyd K. Packer
Ha en fin uke dere!! Enjoy
the sun, be daring and bear your testimony on fast Sunday, read the scriptures,
hang out with the fam, BE HAPPY!!!(:
STOR KLEM
xoxo
Søster Peterson
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