Well, its Canadian Thanksgiving today!!! :) And one of my favorite people in Kristiansand is Canadian, and the Bishop is actually Canadian! So we are going over to a less active members house for THANKSGIVING! It starts at 3, so we are going to go a little early to take some pictuers on the way (gorgeous drive) and to help them cook a little :) We are actually making home made rolls right now.
Anyways, That will be SO fun! Emily said that it is the same as American Thanksgiving, the same foods :) I asked her if it had something to do with Pilgrims, like it is in America, and she said, ``Oh something like that...`` Haha, so we think Canada just stole it from the U.S. haha But thats fine with me! ;)
Anyways, this week has been EXTREMELY busy! I have never been so tired on my mission.
So last tuesday we had our first district meeting with more elders than sisters! There are now elders in an area about an hour away from here called Arendal. So that was way fun!
Later that day we met with a man that we had met with once before. His name is Daniel and he is from Iran (?). It is so sad to hear about his life. He was in jail for four years and horrible things happened to him there. So he told us that he doesnt believe in God or Jesus Christ. He said that he first wanted to find out they exist, and THEN he would pray to them. But we were able to really open up with him, mostly Sister McArthur, and share experiences that really brought the spirit. He told us that he would pray and ask God if He is there. What a miracle!
We went home later, ate, and then began a fast for him. We havent met with him since then, but we know that the Lord is taking care of him, and we will meet with him again.
Sister McArthur and I focused on finding the little tender mercies that happened each day. And HOLY COW! SO SO SO MANY!
We were able to meet with Esther, one of our investigators from Nigeria, that night. We were able to point out to her that she had recieved her answer about the Book Of Mormon, because of the peacfulness she feels when she is reading it. That was really cool.
On Wednesday we went out to Mandal to meet with a referral from another one of my favorite people in this ward, Fredrik! The referral was 2 Chilean people, Ivan and Virginia, who have lived here for a long time! So stressful getting there. We got lost and oh my goodness.... haha but we ended up finding it! TENDER MERCY - We got on a bus and the driver told us that he doesnt know if it gets off at that stop, but we should stay on the bus for a little. So we were on it, but the stop didnt come, so we got off. We called Fredrik and were walking down the hill, when all of a sudden we heard a honk, and saw the bus again right next to us! He opened the door and told us we were going to wrong way and then told us how to get there! So sweet!!!
But the lesson went really well! SO awkward when an investigator takes out tea and insists that you drink some...especially people from south america. haha
But she pretty much brought out all of her teas and we found one box of herbal camomile tea that was okay for us to drink. She also gave us some lemon cupcakes, super deilig. :)
But that teach went really well! And we are meeting with them again on Saturday! :)
We went back to Mandal the next day and met with David! Ah man I love him hahaha He is just great!
Friday was good. We met with a member family and taught them the 2nd lesson. Again - GOT LOST. I was SO stressed out! Because we had to go to another appointment soon after, and then we had another appointment right after! This was the most tiring day of the week. We walked SO much to try and find the members house, had to call them, met the husband at a grocery store and then he showed us how to get to his house. (we took a bus and he biked super fast to the stop we were supposed to get off on... ANOTHER TENDER MERCY - We thought that the words he said to us was a stop, but it was really just a street. We would have waited on the bus for a while for a stop if we wouldnt have seen him on his bike waiting there!) Anyways, that was good! And we made it to the other 2 appointments. The first appointment was with Mouyy, one of our progressing investigators! She told us that she had thought about her baptism and thinks that she wants to be baptized NEXT YEAR! ...so...we talked to her a little. Told her about the blessings of baptism and that life sometimes doesnt get easier, but it will be easier and she will recieve even more blessings after she is baptized. She also told us that school has gotten easier (she got a blessing a couple weeks ago from the elders :) )
Anyways, so she decided that before Christmas would be good. We tried for November, but she said she wants to be baptized in December. So guess which day? MOMS BIRTHDAY! December 14th! :) We know it is a long time away, and maybe it will change. But we are so glad that she has decided on a date. Ah man, I love her so much.
Later that night we met with a man that we talked to on the street! His name is Stein (which means rock in norsk) and he studied religion in Oregon! (Hes Norsk though). But we taught him in the train station, and it went pretty well! He ended up taking out his Bible Study Guide which had quotes from our prophets that sounded bad. (which really were NOT meant to sound the way they put them in the book.) Anyways, while I have been on my mission I have really come to know for myself, that the little things that sound wrong, or the science behind things, etc. doesnt matter! Yes, it is WAY cool when things click, or when history matches up (because it does if you study correctly), but that is not what builds a testimony. I know that my testimony has grown because of trials and experiences that I have had. They have actually helped me gain a relationship with my Father in Heaven and with Jesus Christ. And I am so thankful for that knowledge that I have.
Anyways, saturday we went to Atle`s house, our MMK. We did some service, yard work, and then he made us lunch! Another TENDER MERCY - I wasnt very stressed out if we missed the bus from Atle`s house...dont know why, but I wasnt stressed. The next appointment actaully ended up cancelling (that we would have been late to)! And then we caught the bus, changed our clothes, and went to another appointment. We didnt have a woman with us, and it was a man that we had found from banking. (door to door) He didnt answer the first time, and so we were like, well, thats a tender mercy! But then I felt like we should try again. So we tried one more time, he opened up the main door, and we came in! And then he opened up his door. Anyways, he couldnt meet then, but he asked for our number so he could call when he is free! And we got his number too!!! So that was a real tender mercy! What was also a tender mercy, was that I wasnt stressed like...that whole day! We were able to go and stop by Temis and Esthers house to remind them about church, reading and praying too :)
Yesterday, on Sunday, we had church at the school, and it was FREEZING inside!!! None of our investigators came...that is always SO frustrating! When they tell you they will come and then they dont...Anyways, I sat by such a sweet sweet family in church, and another family gave me a blanket to borrow. It was SO cold! haha
Later we went and visited a sweet lady named Peggy, then had an appointment with our investigator Abdulla, and then taught Aida, who was on the teach with Abdually with us :)
Anyways, Aida also told us something that I didnt know! When Jose (her husband was baptizing David a couple months ago) David had to be put under the water three times, and on the third time, Jose told Aida that he did a karate move on David, and kicked his foot so that his knees bent and so he would go all the way under hahahahahhaa! SO funny!!!!!!!
But the teach with Abdulla was good. We taught the third lesson. It is so hard though. He doesnt believe that we are Gods children, doesnt believe that God has a body of flesh and bones, and doesnt believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I am just SO thankful for my testimony of these things. This morning I studied about us being Gods children. I read in the Bible Dictionary under Abba. And then it tells us to go to a scripture in Romans 8:15. I read the whole chapter because it was SO good! It was so cool, because I wanted to study about it, and that was the part of the Bible Dictionary that I was in! Anyways, I am so thankful for my relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I have never been so close to them in my life. Before my mission, I had a relationship with them. I knew that Heavenly Father is my Father, and that Jesus Christ died for me and that He is my brother. But since I have been on my mission I have really come to know them both. I have a relationship with them that no one else does. I can really talk to Heavenly Father when I pray, and not just rely on the Atonement as a random gift, but as an act of love that my brother did for me. Thinking about the relationships that I have with my Trev, Bry, and Steve, I cant even imagine how much love I have for Jesus Christ and He has for me. Can you imagine the reunion we will have with Him and our Heavenly Parents? Just like you were saying a couple weeks ago to me, Mom. So amazing.
Anyways, a coupld of days this week I have been so tired that in the morning when the alarm goes off, I cannot believe how fast 6:30 comes!!! I love being that tired though :)
Well, this letter is about as long as a book!!!!!!!!
I love you all so much and I pray and fast for each of you.
HAVE A GREAT SAFE WEEK!!!!!
HA EN FLOTT TRYGG UKE!!!!!!! :)
Love, Søster Chapman :)
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