Brrrr!

Kjære Familie,
This week was CRAZY! Crazy, as in, AMAZINGLY successful!!! But first, I really think I am transferring. My heart is just shattered. Ahhh...my heart is superglued to this city. I just love it so much.


I am so comfortable here...which is probably why I will be leaving ;) No, but my 6 month mark in Kristiansand is in 2 DAYS!!! SO crazy how fast time goes by!!! And Bry comes home in 2 weeks!? I cannot believe that!!!
So last pday we went and made bole with Astrid, Fredriks mom! It was SO FUN! Her dad, and grandpa, and great grandpa, or something were all bakers, so she is amazing! She had an entire year of school focused on making food. So she is amazing. Bole is like... dessert rolls...but saying it like that does even give it credit. We made vanilla cream filled, raison, cinnamon sugar, and pizza ones. They were HEAVENLY! (she gave us all of them! So we still have some :) ) She also gave us the recipes so that is FLOTT!


On Tuesday we had Distrikt Meeting, we were late because of my health appointment (thats what we call it...because thats what it is, but I got another massage from a member!...it really is a health appointment though. It was heavenly.) :) Later that day we went to the Bishops house to eat dinner and share the Family Mission Plan. They have 4 children and a foster child right now. They are all adorable and HILARIOUS! We had a typical Norwegian dinner, a fish casserole thing, with grated carrot and mandarin salad, and potatos (of course). Then SELVFØLGELIG we had dessert! It was chocolate cupcakes with melted chocolate on the inside :) and ice cream! It was so good! Without asking, they gave us a referral! A number, address, and name! Then, his wife, gave us another referral! A person to go knock on their door that had come to church before and was intersted!!! It was amazing, becuase we had been praying for referrals! Then we got 2!!! Without asking! Then later that day....I think? Aida gave us 2 referrals! Which ended up being 3 becasue there was another person we were visiting with one of the referrals that Aida didnt tell us about until we were going there! It was SO exciting!!!


We met with Gøran that night, the one from Sweden. He is just great :) We taught the 3rd lesson, and it went well! It is so cool to have a chapter in the Book Of Mormon to walk us through that lesson. We used 2 Nephi 31 :) It was a good day! After that we went and visited one of Aidas referrals. They are two ladies from the Phillippines, and there were also 2 19 boys there. It was SO awkward. They made us norsk pancakes and gave us herbal tea. Anyways, we didnt have MB with us, but we shared something and got another appointment with them for the next day!
Then on Wednesday we had a language class with Giovanni and the elders. Then we started Sister Robbins driving stuff! She had to exchange her american licence for a temporary permit. It was hilarious. One of our former investigators works there, and she REALLY didnt want to get called to go to his table. So we were sitting there, watching the numbers...and it was between like...3 different tables which would ring first. And after she begged in prayer, we didnt get sent to him!!! haha, she had practiced the line to say in norsk to them and when she got up there, she sounded amazing!!! Her Norwegian has gotten so good! It sounded like she had been here so long!!! So that night we went and visited Chessy, Aidas grandaughter that is 8! She was adorable and that teach went well :) We will be going back this week!! Then we visited Aurora and the others (same referral from tuesday night). We gave them MB and talked more about it. They were leaving for the phillippines the next day, but we got an appointment with the boys! We are a little worried why they want us there....but Aida is with us so all is ok :) haha, they asked us what we were doing that weekend. And of course we said, "MISSIONARY WORK! LIKE ALWAYS!" haha! But before that, they asked us...and we were all silent, and Aida looked at them (just picture a grandma..little..phllippino woman) pointed to herself and said, "ME?" Haha! Oh it was so funny! Anyways, we are going to meet with them this week with Aida, we will see how that goes! haha! Later that night the Sister Training Leaders got here! They are both serving in Bergen now! One of them was actually trained by my trainor, Sister Clark! So thats fun :)


On Thursday we were split up. I was with Sister Peterson (the one sister clark trained) and sister Robbins was with Sister Knapp, most of the day. Sister Peterson and I helped a member move, well...we jsut shared something and moved a tv and some things! Then we went and knocked on some doors where they told us to come back. Then we tried knocking on the referrals door (one of the ones from the bishops) and then knocked on doors! That was fun :) Sister Robbins and Knapp met with someone we had found on the street and he became a knew investigator, so that was good! Then Sister Knapp and I went and visited a member and talked about missionary work with her! Later that night, we taught Serge! We showed him a talk by President Monson, and it went well. We were able to talk like friends...not like a formal teach. It was so nice to see how he was doing. We committed him to pray about Presdient Monson, because he had now seen some of him! (which is what he wnated to do!) Anyways, It was a packed day!


Friday was a GREAT day! One of my favorite days this week. We went to Evje, about an hour away. It was a gorgeous drive up (so snowy)! We knocked on a doors for about an hour and a half. And that was really fun! It was snowing so peacefully...so beautiful. Then we went with a member, Liesell, the one that massages! And we went to a less actives house. Her name is Patricia and she has had a really hard life. We had a littel spiritural thought to share, and it amazes me how well Heavenly Father knows her and helps us know what to share. Becuase what we shared and what came to our minds, I am sure, is what she needed. Then Liesell had to grocery shop a little bit, but then we visited her mom! We ened up sharing a thought with her, different than we planned. it was my favorite scripture in the Book Of Mormon. Moroni 7:33. We had her read it, but as soon as she started reading it she just started sobbing. Her life isnt too easy either. It amazes me the love Heavenly Father has for each of His children. I know it is true that He, and His angels, weep with us when we weep and rejoice when we rejoice. Anyways, she thanked us over and over again.


Then we had dinner with the Zurchers! (Liesells family) We also shared the Family Mission Plan and it was so fun! WE LOVE THIS FAMILY!!! They really are one of our favorites in Norway!!! Then we got home and did some planning! It was a great day :)
Then on Saturday we visited Bestemor...poor thing. She fell and her face is just BLUE. It is so sad. We also visited Mony! Tried visiting someone that told us to come back, but she wasnt home! We knocked on doors in the area, and then came back to town after trying the lady again. One highlight of saturday was visiting with Gøran that night! He is so adorable! Just JOLLY! We taught him about Obedience Prayer and Scripture Study. It was cool to teach about Prayer this time. We read it the bible dictionary with him about prayer. Which I havent done very often. But it talks about the importance of praying in the name of Jesus Christ. We asked if he understood and he said that he did, but not completely because he isnt very familiar with Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost really can enlighten. I explained to him that without Jesus Christ, NOTHING is possible. he made everything possible. What I said, helped ME understand it better, and he said, "Yeah...i didnt think about it that way!" And it really helped him. We REALLY are just the tools. We just need to open up our mouths and words come out! Its my favorite thing ever!!! :)


Then yesterday was Sunday! We ahd ward council, and then Sister Robbins and i were in Primary!!! I got to sit with the adorable sunbeams. We sang songs and had sharing time, and it was just perfect. We substituted for Atle, and taught the 8-11 year old class. I tried to feel the same way about teaching this lesson as I do when I teach. Just open my mouth and words come out. And it went really well!!! The Lord is aware of everything! "(He) is in the details of our lives!" -President Monson
Then we sang with the Tampers, "Abide with me Tis Eventide", in sacrament meeting, and then I TALKED! I have talked before, but it is kind of nerveracking everytime! I was nervous. But amazingly enough, I wasnt scared at all when I got up there. I talked on, "Hvem er jeg og hvem kan jeg bli?" (who am I and who can I be?) I prayed that I would say all that they needed to hear. And so the Lord picked things out of my talk for me to say and I said them. I cried at the end of my talk when I expressed my love for this area. I dont want to leave!!! I am exciteed for the future, but it just breaks my heart.


The people, the area, the ward, the investigators, everything...is just PERFECT! ahh...
anyways, after church we taught Serge with the Cressalls. Last Sunday, Sister Robbins and I fasted for a miracle with Serge. He wasnt baptized on Saturday, like our goal was, but thats ok. We met with him and didnt know what to teach. We had something planned, but it changed because a member we had planned to have with us couldnt make. While we were saying the opening prayer I was just praying that Sister Robbins would have something to say. And she did! The teach went amazinginly! We asked him if we had prayed about President Monson, and he had! He told us he had recieved an answer. "I think he could be a prophet." We asked him how he felt and he told us that it was like a blanket was over him. He had had a hard time before, recognizing the Spirit. But he felt it!!! He is having a hard time with the WOW still, socially. But all will work out :) We have been trying to just stop and listen in teaches, and it is amazing how much the Holy Ghost can lead it! I have had it happen a couple times where I have completely gone blank, because I have wanted to say something, but someone else needs to say somethinng more, so I physically cannot talk! And last night with Serge, I felt prompted a couple times to ask Sister Cressall a question, even though I had something to say. And so I asked her one and she answered it, saying what I wanted to say! It was amazing, becuase it was way more powerful with her saying it, with experience to back it up. than if I said it! Anyways, Elder Cressall committed him to pray about what Heavenly Fathers path is for him. If he should be baptized or not. Anyways, we just love him and I just LOVE MY LIFE!!!!


Funny story really quick. One night, I made my hair look really funny, I went into Sister Robbins and had her do it too. The lights were out at 10:30...but instead of sleeping, we just made up a song and danced, for 30 minutes! until around 11! With this weird hair-do. It doesn sound as funny as it is...but ill send a picture maybe and youll see how funny it was. Oh it was hilarious! hahaha!
Anyways, OUR NUMBERS WERE AMAZING THIS WEEK!!!!! We really believe it is the Purification Fast. We got 6 referrals, 6 new investigators, 9 teaches to members or less actives, 6 teaches with members present and 2 others! Thats a total of 17 teaches! THAT IS AMAZING HERE!!!! We are SO blessed! This week it is a goal to get 20 teaches :) Were so excited!!!





Next week is transfers...President will be here the day of Moves Calls, and then we have interviews soon after. And he is just going to see me bawl at church if I get transferred! haha, oh its going to be so hard. But it will be okay :) I have had random break-downs though.. :( My life is just too amazing here!)





Anyways, I love you all so much and hope you all have an amazing week!!!! :) Today we are going to go to the mall with Aida to exchange the backpacks she got for us! :)
LOVE YOU!
Love, Søster Chapman :)



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