Many Miracles

Kjære familie,
This week has been SO busy! Really, last night Sister McArthur and I were about to plan and we started talking and realized we hadnt really talked this entire week. Yes, we had talked, but not how each of us was doing, we had been SO busy we had no time to talk about things! haha


anyways, last monday we had Canadian Thanksgiving! It was absolutely delicious. They have a type of soda called Jul Brus (Christmas Soda) for each area that you are in. So they had the one from Kristiansand there, SO deilig! I was okay, and then started having pie and I just missed you all so bad. I miss our thanksgiving when we set all the pies with tin foil outside and then wait until later to eat them. Ahhh I miss it!!! My companion said, "you are going to be a mess at Christmas time.." haha I hope not!!
Anyways, the next day I went to the Doctor! I got my blood results back! And my Iron is supposed to be between 15 and 20? And I am at an 8...not good. But I went and bought 100 miligram iron pills...but I took one and that night my heart was pounding really hard again. So at Zone Conference, Sister Evans gave me 65 milg. iron pills to cut in half and take. The other thing that dr. said was that I have traces of having mono! But that I dont have it anymore...so...sister mcarthur and I think that that is what I had for a couple months on my mission, and then I got over it! CRAZY!


So then later that day we visited our new convert, David, and then later that night ate at a members house! We had the typical Kjøttkaker, potatoes, and peas. We also had broccoli and then later had pears with cream and chocolate, then pudding with vanilla sauce, and THEN Marie had her husband go and buy chocolate, because we hadnt tried one of their favorites, and then they gave us that when we went home :) Before we ate at their house we went and knocked on doors in their area, and I will send pictures of that! SOOOO beautiful!!!!





On Wednesday, Sister Pace, one of the Sister Training Leaders, came and worked with us! It was amazing the miracles that occured. We were contacting and talking to a lady when all of a sudden another lady came up and started going off telling this lady not to listen to us. She told her that she had read things and blah blah blah. So Sister Pace offered to give her a card, with mormon.org on it, so that she could read information that was correct. Then the lady told us she didnt want to discuss (hahaha, she came up to us..?) And then left. Anyways, we gave the other lady a card, then went over to a wall. Sister Pace shared a scripture with us, and then we said a prayer. We only had 10 minutes left to contact, and so she asked for miracles. 2 of the first people we talked to after that gave us their numbers, and we got an appointment with them! THAT, what a miracle. Later that day we ate with a member, visited 2 of our investigators (who we were very bold with, telling them how important church was) and then our appointment with another investigator fell through that night! So we had Benjamin Torjesen (my old district leader who is from here haha) come contact with us! That day, we recieved NINE numbers and THREE appointments!!!! IT WAS A MIRACLE DAY! SOOO cool! We really came to know that when you recognize little tender mercies, the Lord will give you more and more. :)


The next day we woke up SUPER early to start driving to Stavnager! I got to drive! :)
We got the elders, and only about 30 or 45 minutes out of the city, there was completely stopped traffic! 2 hours later, we started driving again! (we were late...haha)


But, it was a miracle that that wasnt us in the TERRIBLE accident. We had stopped to get gas that took probably about 15 minutes. Sister Pace said that she thought in her head...."oh, only if we wouldnt have gotten gas, we could have driven past before the accident happend!" Then she thought, "or that could have been us..." It was truly a tender mercy. But Zone conference was GREAT! They emphasized working with members, and since then we have had a couple member teaches!!! Such a difference and blessing to have members on teaches! I looove it! Members can do and bring something that we cant as missionaries. Lots of peple see us as just, missionaries for life! So it is great to have "regular people" here to help. (If you all have a chance to go out with the missionaries, go! :) ) They REALLY emphasized member missionary work this Conference. Anyways, after conference, we took the train home around 7:30 that night. But before that, another tender mercy happened! We were about to go to a dinner appointment with the other sisters. I really wanted to see the yw from stavanger, and all of a sudden, Annett was there! They had seminary that night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Annett hugged me like none other and I got to see Linn too!!! AHHHH i love these people!!! I got to see others too :) So fun :) Before we left, Annett pulled me aside. She brought me into the yw room and began talking to me. She said, "I was talking to my Heavenly Father. And I am going to go on a mission!" She went on to say, "I told Him that if you came back before Christmas, that would be my answer to go on a mission. If you came back before Easter I might go. And if you didnt come back until after that, then I wouldnt go." She was crying and it just touched my heart sooo much. A few minutes later I looked down at my hand, took off my ctr ring and put it on her finger. She is only 15, but decided now to on a mission. Oh, I just love her with all of my heart! She is the SWEETEST! My life is full of tender blessings!


Anyways, we took the train home and had a good nights sleep!
Friday night we were able to go to a YWs activity in Ksand. It was about missionary work! We shared our stories and told them all about why we are here and what we do each day. It was so cool because ALL of the young women (less active and active) were there!!!! I think 5 :) So great!
Then on Saturday we did some service for Emily, the canadian girl in the ward :) She got permission for us to hold her baby from president, because she hasnt been feeling great, and she helped us do some service for her...clean out her scrapbooking shelf!!!
That was so fun :) Later that night we visited some investigators, and then we had a teach with Abdulla (an investigator) and we had Hannah and Benjamin (in the ward) on the teach with us! It was SO cool to have members on the teach. Especially Hannah, who is a young women, who was nervous. But she had such a sweet spirit, and her testimony was exactly what was needed.
Then we had church yesterday! We visited with Mouyy, our investigator from Cambodia with a baptismal date, and then had dinner with Aida and her family! :) Later last night we had a teach with one of our investigators, Goran (from Croatia). Christine Salgado came with us and HOLY COW! It is the COOLEST thing to have members on teaches! :) She was able to connect with him and share what she felt she needed to share...and it was perfect. He said that he will be baptized when he knows its true, but right now is just learning. Ive been teaching him since it was just me and sister johnson here, but hopefully we get to start meeting with him more and things start progressing more :)


SO, Thats my week for you all! We have been SO tired! Trying to go to bed before 10:30, but it hasnt been working! Anyways, hopefully this week is just as busy, but we get more sleep haha :)
I love you all so much and I pray for you all all of the time!!! Ill send some pictures in a little bit!
be safe and ill talk to you all soon! did you get the letters I sent?
love you all so much!!!!!!!!!! :)
Love, Søster Chapman


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Tender Mercies

Hei hei!
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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PASSED!!!

Hei hei!
Guess what!? I PASSED MY DRIVING TEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was the first sister in the mission to get a licence! And then a couple hours later, Sister McArthur got hers too!!!! :)


I was absolutely terrified. I practiced driving with my teacher one time. Then I did a practice test, and the man i practiced with had to step on his brakes twice...(i didnt yield...) and then right before the test I got to drive with my teacher again...where he stepped on the break once. So I was terrified. The morning of my test I actually made myself sick I was so scared. But, I went and took the test. The man was so nice and he let me talk to him the whole time! There was actually another man in the back watching how the guy did it, but that wasnt bad! In Norway, especially Kristiansand, it is FULL of round abouts, and there is almost NO stop signs. So you are always yielding. Anyways, I was so blessed. I saw afterwards that I wasnt supposed to have that man with me and that it was supposed to be another rute, but it changed! I didnt want to be in the city that much, and we werent! At the beginning he asked me a Safety Question, and I think I actually got it right! He had me turn on the emergency flashers, and then asked which lights you dont use when they are on...I said the back lights...I dont know! haha Anyways, afterwards we just sat in the car and he said, "Congratulations on your driving practices." and so i didnt know if he was saying I passed or not...thinking he was! But then he was like, "And now I will tell you why you passed."


And I got SOOO excited! Ill send you a picture of the paper with his notes on it. Anyways, I stepped out of the car, walking back to the Vegvesen and the Sisters came up to me and I screamed I PASSED!!!


And we all jumped and got super excited! haha :) Then i got to go take a picture, I got to take it a few times, because its in a little machine thing that I control (better than the states haha) and then they gave me a temporary licence until i get mine in the mail!!!!!! I called the people I needed to and talked to Sister Evans, Presidents wife, and told her I passed and she whooped and hollered on the phone, and then she was like, "President! Sister Chapman passed her driving test!!!" And that day they had had a meeting with other missionaries there, and so everyone yelled and were so excited! Haha! Ahhhh what a relief!!!!!!!! Now President can send me wherever!!!! :) So Sister McArthur and I right now are the only sisters with licences!!!!! :)


More news, I was so nervous for moves call. It was yesterday morning, and sister m and i both thought at least one of us is moving because both of us can drive. But then they said, "Sister Chapman will continue serving with her current companion Sister McArthur." Or something like that! CRAZY!


And Sister Johnson is going to move to Rome Rike. For some reason I am just So sad that she is leaving.


You think goodbyes are over when you say goodbye to your family at the MTC, but it just keeps coming. It never ends!
Yesterday was the first day at the school for church! The Church building is under construction now. Anyways, that was fun :) Our MMK (ward mission leader) had us missionaries over for dinner yesterday for tacos and finnish pancakes (his step dad is finnish) and they were DELICIOUS!!!!! :)


Cute story. We were knocking on doors in an area and we knocked on one ladies door. She wasnt interested and so we kept knocking on others. But when we were walking back to the bus she had us come in to her house so that we could eat some of her fresh homemade rolls! She took out brown and white cheese, jam, and meet. It was so sweet! She wasnt interested in the church, but we gave her a card with the mormon.org website so she could see that if she wanted information. It was SO sweet!!!!! :)


The elders also had a baptism on Saturday! That was cool. I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost. Antonia Ibanez is the mans name and hes from the phillippines! Funny funny guy. hahaha


We also went to the Salgados house on tuesday for dinner and a lesson. My FAVORITE people in the world! Christine is honestly one of my favorite people in Norway. I would come back just to visit her. They are just a "koselig" family. :)


Its looking like fall here!!!! Since yesterday when sister johnson had to actually think about leaving here and she had to say goodbye to people, I have realized even more how much I LOOOOVE Kristiansand.


It is gorgeous!!!! The leaves are changing colors and its getting chilly. Ahhhh you would all LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
Today we went shopping...haha I bought a scarf at H&M for 20 kr, which is less that five bucks!!! :) I also bought a dictionary. Sister Johnson had bought one, but she is leaving, so i needed one! We got little ones from the MTC, but they ereally arent that good. And since its just me and sister mcarthur here, well I atleast need it!!!! It was 418 kr...so around 70 bucks :/ But it was definitely worth it because I will use it my whole mission.


Also today we went to an area close to our appartment called Ravnedalen :) It looks like a little fairy village! It was quite a hike, but GORGEOUS!!! I will send pictures :)





Anyways, I love you all so much and I miss you all like crazy. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO EXCITED FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE IN MY LIFE!!!! AND IT IS THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!! :) I wish I could be there with you all so much. But I pray for each of you every day. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
JEG ELSKER DERE SÅ MYE!!!!! :)





Hilsen,
Søster Chapman

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