busy, busy, busy!

Heisann! :)
Family! I miss you all so much!!! This week has actually been pretty good! :) We can start with last P-day. It was raining, so we decided to go to a museum...not just any museum. It use to be a torture chamber for people in WW2. It is called Arkivet....creepy!!! It was just us missionaries with the guide. The scary thing about it, is that it wasnt like a museum in America, you could touch original things, and even one of the rooms wasnt even changed from how it was originally, the walls had been painted and written on, but other than that I think it was the same....so it was CRAZY! He showed us after the tour was over, because it might not have been part of the tour. Ill tell you all about it when i get home, cuz it is just too creepy to write in an email. Anyways, it was really sad. But intersting too.


So the next day we met with the man that came to church last last sunday! His name is juan and he is from Syria! He doesnt speak very good english, so we used a pamphlet, thank goodness! Anyways he said yes to a soft baptismal committment, so taht was good! But then for our next visit with him, he didnt answer his phone and didnt show up! Then he didnt come to church yesterday either and we cant reach him... so well see :(


The next day we went out to Mandal to eat with a recent returned missionary (who actually converted in Las Vegas as a foreign exchange student) and his mom who isnt a member! Super deilig food! :) And they were sweet.


The next day we ate at another members house! (we ate at members houses so much this weeek!!!!!!!!!!) We ate at the Salgodos house, the family that I just LOVE! She is norsk, he is chilean but grew up in Norway,and they have a little baby that is darling! we had like....a cilantro pasta that she made and it was SO good! Then we had some apple crisp stuff with some vanilla ice cream :) Then we taught them the 3rd lesson!


Later that night we taught one of our investigators, Mouyy, from Cambodia. She has a 4 year old down syndrome boy, who is absolutely adorable!!!! But she told us that she got an answer!!!!!!!!! When she prayed she had a good feeling! YAY! But she said she was thinking about getting baptized closer to Christmas...we were thinking September 27th! So she is going to pray about it :)


Then on friday it POURED! It rained! Haha, we got a kebab that night, from our favorite kebab place called Happy Time. Oh man it is SO delicious!!!
On Saturday, it rained again!


We went to a less actives house and thought we were going to teach there children who are baptismal age, but havent been baptized yet. but instead we did service (cleaned) and then made dinner :) (TACOS!) And then we ate quick and caught the bus home! (ask az about the story I told her about the bus stop haha)
That night we were at the Center. We left and then came back, and sister mcarthur saw a purse and some jackets that were NOT there before! So we got creeped out a little. Sister Johnson looked through the purse and it was Sister Cressels! (the seniour couples) they were out of town with family, but htey had gotten back that night! So we checked everywhere to find them, and they werent there! And there car wasnt there either. So we were going to leave, so we turned off all the lights, left a note for them, and began saying a prayer by the glass door. In my head I was thinking of scary things, like someone just standing at the door after our prayer, or thinkgs like that...i know i know...hahaha....but after the prayer i decided to look, just to check, so we all opened our eyes when the prayer was over. And there was a MAN STANDING AT THE DOOR! Just standing there staring at us!!!!! We all screamed bloody murder! I got a bruise on my knee a jumped/ran for .2 seconds hahaha! It ended up being ELDER CRESSEL! The funniest thing is that Sister McArthur had never met him before, so it was just a random man to her!!!! HAHA! Oh my goodness! Well you should all be thankful for my saftety skills, becuase before we looked around for the cressels earlier, I locked the door (from the inside) and so even if elder cressel was a creepy man, he wouldnt be able to come in! :)





So then yesterday at church we had 3 investigators come!!!!!!!!!! Wafaa, who we had taught earlier that week, came! I almost cried during her lesson, becuase she wansnt sounding so positive, and i really really really dont want to drop her. But I translated/dumbed down the norsk for her in relief society and in sunday school! Then during sunday school 2 of our our other investigators, Rai and his daughter Ananga came!!!!!! :) I sat by them in Sacrament Meeting :) Then we sang, us misisonaries, in Sacrament Meeting. We sang "O Store Gud" (How Great Thou Art) :) And a man in the ward that composes music and is amazing at the piano, played! Then later we went to a members house, our ward mission leader, and had dinner and dessert, afterwards there was a fireside, Elder And Sister Cressals daughter and son in law did it, (they are going to email you guys with pictures i think haha :) And during it our investigator rai called to give us directions. While we all were outside, (sister m, sister j, and i) there was a lady that was looking at the family proclamation in the window. So we started talking to her. Long story short, she was a critic. She changed from norsk, to english...shes an utlander, and would not let us speak. She wanted us to answer the question if our church is the only one with authority to baptize. We answered that question a ocuple times. Then after I told her that this is the only church with the authority, bearing my testiomny, she looked into my eyes and said, "Sister, you are wrong." And i think she went off saying more. I said to her, "Can i just say something?" (she would not let us speak) And so I began by saying, "This is something that means a lot to me..." And then, for the first time ever, i started crying talking to someone on the street. I could not talk. My heart was broken that she told me flat out that my testimony was wrong and that what i said was wrong. And I think i was frustrated inside that she didnt let us talk. Anyways, it became contentious and so we ended up telling her she could have a card if she wants...but i just left by telling her that God loves her. She even said to us, "Why would I need a card when I have living witnesses right here?" yeah... i dont know. hahah It just broke my heart though.


Anyways, then later last night we got SOAKED in the rain! Ill send some pictures to you all. :)

Also, I will be starting my driving stuff soon! I have my temporary permit, after exchanging my american for that, so next step is to take some driving lessons and take my test!!! Lots havent passed, so pray for me that I do! It will probably be a month until i take it though.

So far I have spoken in my sleep in norsk already!!! haha! And Sister Mcarthur said that I taught a lesson in my sleep too. hahaha I was like, "You can live with your family...For EVER!"

Also, President started this in Norway, that we speak Norsk ALL day on tuesdays, and then one other day of the week. Our companionships is friday. And that we only speak norsk out of the apartment when we can. my norsk is getting better! :)

Anyways, I love you all so much and Ill send some pictures!!! I hope all is going well!!!!!

Love, Søster Chapman
:)


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Spoke in Church!

Hei hei! Går det bra med dere?? Det høres som det! Jeg er kjempe sjalu at dere hadde mange gøy ting siste uke. Jeg savner dere veldig mye!!!


Anyways, this week was good! :) Last Pday we went up to some lakes, I actually climbed a rock wall, ill send some pictures, at a park and then we went up to some pretty lakes with the elders! After tha we went to a 2nd hand vintage store!!! I almost bought a skirt, but didnt! :\ Oh well, ill go again :) The Traveling Assistants also came last week and so we got to practical and go contacting with them! That was cool! :) Two days ago we were contacting...OH! I told mom, but Im in a threesome again! Sister McArthur, in the mtc with us, came from Stavnager to here! Sot thats fun! :) We were contacing a couple days ago, and I was by myself, on the same street, but I talked to a man, invited him to chruch and made an appointment, and then the next day (sunday) called him and guess what!? HE CAME TO CHURCH! And we have an appointment with him tomorrow!!! :) CRAZY! :) It was great!!!


I also spoke yesterday in church....my first talk in norsk and I was terrified!!! But it went good :) I talked about how we can inspire others to keep the commandments. I told the story about brookie and joey, when he first asked about why shes so happy\always smiles. :) I wrote more about that to mom if any of you all are interested! Anyways, we had our first service opportunity in Ksand, we went and painted our ward mission leaders sisters house! I was on a ladder and paint kept on getting on me. So i was SO white and still have paint stuck on me...hahah but it was great! I loved it! :)


We also went to Stavanger last week for Zone Leader Trainign! That was so fun, always good to go back there :) This might be a really short letter...Im sorry! Anwyays, one of our investigators, Mouyy from Cambodia, committed to a soft baptism!!! So that was exciting! :) Sister johnson and I sang at a relief society activity (we are going to always be singing now that they know all of us sing haha) and that was good :) A man named Abdulla came up to us when we were at a busstop and started talking to us! We met with him eysterday and that was good! we got a return appointment too! He is muslim, but said he could see himselft believing that Jesus Christ was the Son of God :)


This past week was actually kind of weird, because a lot of our appointments or things we were going to do fell through...but thats okay :)
Anyways, Im sorry this is such a lame letter! Ill send lots of pictures to you all!!! Today we are going to go to the only lumber slide in Norway! And its really old :) Itll be cool!!! Even though its raining :)
But I love you all and miss you all so much! you are all in my prayers!
Alltid huske hvor mye jeg elsker dere!!!


Love, Søster Chapman


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BAPTISM!!!!!!!

Hei hei familie!


This week was great! I wrote you all earlier this week, so there isnt much more that happened....okay there actually is....DAVID WAS BAPTIZED!!!! :) Ah man, the coolest thing ever :)


Let me start with Thursday afternoon. After I emailed you all, later that night, we went and visitied one of our investigators Temi....she is also from Nigeria! (we are honestly preaching to the world here in Norway). We tried teaching the 3rd lesson. We got to baptism and she had lots of questions! She got really confused and then she was just like....``I have one thing to ask of you both`` Inside I was like....oh no...shes gonna ask us to leave and never come back. And sister johnson was thinking something like....to have us stop teaching her. And then Temi said, ``Please just pray for me, that I can understand.`` Ahhhh :) It was so good. We are going to meet with her more this week so that will be great! So then on friday we met with our investigators Rai and his daughter...amega? im not sure exactly haha but they live in a white van...last I knew. Anyways, they have a stand set up where they sell hats and sunglasses, etc. Close to the domkirke by the gågate. Anyways, we have visited them there before, but this time we wanted to teach a lesson. So we did! We taught him and his daughter the 2nd lesson :) She has been reading and he hasn't been reading....gonna start soon i think! And she has read a little bit out loud so that is good. He is norsk and she is half norsk half indonesian!


Anyways, then we had a bbq dinner with the YSA before institute, and we went to institute because our investigator David came :) So, then we have saturday! Sister Johnson was so stressed out for the baptism! For some reason i was just super chill and not very nervous. That came later. haha :) Anyways we did some contacting, got ready for the baptism, ironed the clothes, printed off the programs, etc. Then we went to the church early with the elders and practiced the song we were going to sing ``Our Saviors Love``, filled up the font, etc. :) I didnt end up getting nervous until we were waiting on David to get there.I wasnt really nervous...i think i was just mostly anxious! David asked for an old philippino man in the ward, Jose, to baptize him.


So as soon as david walked in, Jose began to show him how he would be baptized. ...before I go farther I just have to say WHY DO WE HAVE SUCH A LAUGHING PROBLEM IN OUR FAMILY!? You will understand when you hear the rest of the story...oh my goodness hahahahahahaha :) So david didnt know how to be baptized so jose was showing him and when jose lifted up his arm into the square, david was just guessing that he was gonna hold joses hand so thats what he started to do and it was hilarious! immediately we told him that wasnt right hahaha...So we got David and Jose in their white clothes and then took pictures :) David was just glowing when he stepped out in his white clothes. He was smiling and just SO happy :) Then we started the meeting! Sister johnson gave the talk about Baptism, and Aida Ibanez (philippino lady....joses wife) gave talk on the Gift of the Holy Ghost. And then we 4 missionaries sang Our Saviors Love. And David told us later that he just LOVED it. It was accapela and in parts and it really helped bring the Spirit. Then it was time for David to be baptized! :) We went downstairs to the font. Sister Johsnon and I sat in the second row and watched as David and Jose stepped into the water. He was so excited and the Spirit was really there :) David told us after he was baptized, that he was praying while he was walking into the water and he felt like a big change was coming :) So Jose baptized him, but his tie or hand didnt go completely under, so they had to do it again. But David didnt know that so he got out of the water and gave me and sister johnson two thumbs up with the biggest smile on his face! But they were told that they needed to do it again! So they do it again, but his tie floats up. but he tucked his tie in and they tried it again. But then, Jose wanted to make sure that David is under the water, so he leaves him under there, bubbles are coming up because (im guessing) david was breathing out. And then when Jose tried to pull him up, he dropped him a little and so david was slipping in the font and Jose had a hold of his neck, trying to pull him up!!!!!!! HAHA! I DIED! One reason I think i laughed that hard, was honestly because the Spirit was so strong. I was so happy. And Sister johnson and I talked about it and I think that the Spirit likes laughter. Especially for Davids baptism. He is always smiling :) But then we just had prelude music until david and jose came back. We ended with 3 testimonies, from a boy named Giovanni, me and a boy named Jaime. I was So emotional. I cried during sister johnsons talk a little and then when i bore my testimony the water works came. I was able to express how much I care about David, and how me and sister johnson really love him. Later he told me he was almost crying, or crying during his meeting. David is amazing. He was always talking about how excited he was to change and to be baptized :) ``I cant wait til I see that day!`` He is such an example to me. He is always serving and loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Man, I just love him so much!!!! He was sad to hear that he wouldnt see us as often. But we will still see him :)


Then after the meeting we had refreshments :)
Then yesterday he recieved the Holy Ghost! I played the piano in primary for the first hour, and then we had S.S. and then Sacrament Meeting! I tried translating for David, because this was the last Sunday in the church building because they will be starting construction! now we will have church at a school! Anyways, i tried translating...and I kinda made up some of what I told him. hahaha it was still good though! Sister Johnson told me she does that sometimes too. hahaha
Anyways, then he was able to receive the Holy Ghost! He asked a man named Rolf to give him the Holy Ghost. It was so cool to feel that feeling I get when I hear those four words. He had a great blessing and after when he came and sat by me, i asked him how he felt. He said, ``i feel cool. I feel cool.```He told me and sister johnson that he felt something over his head. :) We gave him a triple combination scripture set with notecards we both wrote on. :) The ward was so sweet to him and came over and welcomed him into the ward and congratulated him! During Sacrament Meeting it was actually really cool. There was a lady that bore her testimony. At one point, I was just saying words...translating, but not really listening to myself. And a little after that, i looked over at david and he was crying. it was so amazing. Whatever it was that I translated, was what he needed to hear!
Anyways, I love David! This one thing will show you all how David is. Everytime we call him and ask how he is, he answers with ``BEAUTIFUL!`` and if he doesnt, we assume there is something wrong hahahaha :)
Ah i love him!


But after church yesterday, we ate at the Torjesons house, i served with their son in Stavanger! haha anyways, they have a plum tree right outside their house, so we got to pick from there and eat :) Then we had a DEILIG dinner! And DESSERT! I was SO FULL! You know you are fuller than you should be when you can feel it in your shoulder blades. hahaha
But for dessert she made homemade, apple pie with whipped cream, plum pie with sour cream, and Apple Porrage with cinnamon and milk! And then there was ice cream :) My favorite was the apple porrage! I have NEVER had anything like it! It was SO good! But i was SO full! haha


We also met with a less active family yesterday named the Williamsons, she is going to teach us to knit soon, so that will be fun!
then we met with one of our investigators, Wafaa. I love her so much! This was the first teach I got pretty frustrated though. I shouldnt have...but I really felt like there could be a spiritual experience...and her son kept making noise and crying, etc. It is really frustrating...but all is okay :) I LOVE her! She can't read Arabisk very well, or norsk, her main laguage is Kordisk. But she is still trying. :) Other than that, life is great! We go to Stavanger tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For Zone Leader Training! :) And Im super excited about that! Today we are going to go and hike up by some lakes and then go to a World War 2 museum! Those are our plans, so hopefully that works out! And then were going to a members for dinner and to teach a lesson :)
I hope you are all doing great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I MISS YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!
Love, Søster Chapman


P.S. Jeg har vært på misjonen min for nesten fem måner!!!!! AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!





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