HAPPY 17.MAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You probably had no idea that it was Norways national holiday, but here it is HUGE! Anyways, this week was really good! Since we celebrated syttende Mai all of Saturday, we didnt have a pday on Monday.
So last monday we went to a less actives house that lives about an hour away. The drive was gorgeous and the weather was great! We decided that instead of traveling back right afterwards, we would knock on some doors for an hour. It was amazing, that the second to last door that we knocked on, a 17ish year old girl answered. We got her number and she said we could come back. She also told us how she had met a sister, named Sister Pitts in Oslo on a train! It had to have been a few months ago, because Sister Pitts is now in Kristiansand! It is so cool how people get prepared by us without us even knowing! Her dad is Christian and her mom is Muslim. We are way excited to go back :)
Tuesday was a crazy day. We started it off with District Meeting and a late Cinco de Mayo lunch. We made cafe rio rice and dressing, oh it was delicious! (that is what I miss from the states...cafe rio and inaka sushi.) We had a teach with a less active, so we got on the bus and the stress began! We had to pay for this bus, Sister Frampton dropped 20 kr. in the vent, we didnt know where to get off, etc. etc. So we asked a lady and she kind of knew. But I went and asked the driver. As I was asking, he opened up the door for another lady to get off, so I moved and the door squished me because my backpack was so huge! embarrassing!!! But he stopped at the stop we needed. We thought we got to the less actives house, so we called her and WE WERE AT THE WRONG ADDRESS. She wasnt so nice to me on the phone...and hung up on me...so we got in not the best moods. Soon we snapped out of it and we knocked on some doors! It was GORGEOUS outside, and suddenly, there was thunder and BLACK clouds! We decided to catch a bus home, to get on with our plans and it started sprinkling...then POURING. I didnt have a hood and Sister Framptons coat wasnt waterproof. So we got DRENCHED. Luckily, a sweet lady in the ward named Rikke drove passed and picked us up :) Then we met with Dennis later that night! And we just love him, so that was hyggelig :)
Wednesday was also a good day! We had some contacting time, and it was a gorgeous day. We tried talking to some people on benches. The first wasnt so interested, but took a card. The second said we could sit downand talk to her, but if her baby woke up she would have to go...and her BABY WOKE UP. So she left and took a pamphlet. And the third was a girl that was russ. In Norway when you are about to graduate, they go CRAZY. It actually isnt good, partying, etc. etc. But they have some (most are) red pants that they wear that they can decorate, and they give out cards that they designed with a picture of them, etc. Anyways, she said we could talk to her for a few minutes. So we shared some of the plan. She was so sweet. She hasnt lived at home since she was 16 or something, and her dog recently passed away. She doesnt believe in God, but is open to all religions. She didnt want to give us her number, but we gave her ours, and hope so so so much that she calls us or gets in contact with missionaries or the church again! Then we met with a less active and non member that I havent met with since the first day or 2 in Drammen! She is from St. George, and he is norwegian. ANyways, we had a delicious bbq in their backyard, and had a thought. They were also in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday!!! Boy do we love them! (it is so nice to talk to other americans that arent missionaries sometimes) :) That night we met with Debby! It had been forever because she had been sick! We went throught the Baptismal Questions with her and it went so good :) She was still struggling with smoking, but she knows she will DO IT! Sister Frampton looked at her and asked if we could give something up to...like sugar! I looked at her and was like..."well...what about cheese and...?"And sister frampton said it was too easy... hahaha! Inside I was screaming, "WHY DIDNT WE TALK ABOUT THIS!? I LOVE NORWEGIAN CHOCOLATE!" hahha, but I agreed! So we only eat sugar when we are at members houses and on 17.mai :) Anyways, Debby is one of my favorite people ever!
Thursday we did some weekly planning and ate dinner with an old Norwegian lady named Ina :) Her grandson is actually a missionary here in Norway now! Later that night we visited the Evensen family. Margrete served in Temple Square 10 or so years ago. they are the CUTEST family!
On Friday I got to SKYPE SERGE with Sister Robbins!!!! The Fromgren family let us use their house and computer to Skype. :) Anyways, Serge is in Italy and hasnt gone to church yet, but should have gone yesterday in Switzerland! It was so fun to talk to him and Sister Robbins! He is doing so well, still reading in MB :) He is trying to get in contact with the missinoaries, so I hope they just kill him with love there in Italy. :)
That night we met with John and Rannveig helped. I think it will start moving a little faster with him now.
Then Saturday was 17.MAI!!!!!!!!!!! We woke up early and got ready, then the Kongsberg Elders picked us up and we drove to Oslo (only about 45 minutes from us)! We met with other missionaries at the APs appartment parking lot, then caught the t-bane to the city, where we walked to the palace! We got "vip seating"...more like "vip standing in the hot sun trying to see over tall norwegian mens heads" haha, no but it was great! We found a good spot to stand and were able to see the royal family come out! I was expecting, or hopeing for a..."DOO DOO DO DOOOO! The King...of NORWAY!!" "AHHHH!!!!!"
Norwegians are not crazy loud like us Americans. haha
They came out and waved and there was polite quiet palm clapping. Then they played some of Norways songs, and everyone was singing SO quietly! It was definitely Norwegian culture! But it was SO cool!!! I loved it! The Royal family was out for a LONG time, waving and smiling and standing there :) We had hoped and prayed for nice weather on Saturday because the weather had been so weird! and we had heard it might be bad weather. But it was CLEAR blue skies and GORGEOUS! Then we stood and watched some of the Barnatog! Where little kids walk in a parade with flags! There are some bands and dancers too. It was so cute :) Then we explored! We took pictures of random people. Ladies in their bunads were SO BEAUTIFUL! They are different style bunads in each area in Norway. They all have real silver on them, so they are A FORTUNE to buy! Buy oh so so so so pretty! Ice Cream and Hot Dogs are the food for that day! haha they were also selling cotton candy, 55 kr cinnamon boller, etc. :) Our feet were killing us, because the roads were blocked off so we had to walk so much more than we had to to get to the YSA center in the city! Afterwards we took a t-bane back to the APs appartment parking lot and drove to President and Sister Evans house and had a bbq!!! We played games, ate, got burnt (FINALLY!), and relaxed. Oh it was SOOOO fun!!!!! I am so lucky to be in this area right now, because the missionaries up north and on the west and south didnt get to come! It was a once in a life time experience and it was AMAZING!!!!! The pictures dont even give it credit. We also, when we were in Oslo went to the water and took pictures there :) sooo sooo nice. I LOVE NORWAY!!! It is my favorite place on earth!!!!! WE had the whole day free, people wouldnt have been so happy with us if we tried proselytting, so we got home and relaxed, watched a movie (the lion king) and went to bed! It was an AMAZING DAY!!!
The next morning we woke up SORE. SOOOO SORE! I felt sick and our feet and legs (like the night before) hurt. We had to walk to church, but with our missionary clothes, wore tennis shoes. We looked absolutely riciculous, but it felt SO MUCH BETTER than if we wore our other shoes! We had MMK and Debby had her interview! It went so well and SHE IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!! She just CANNOT smoke this week, welll....ever again! We know she can do it and she does too! It was actually really cool, when we were walking to church I felt like we needed to call her. So we did and afterwards she texted and said. "It was a good thing you called! I would have kept sleeping because someone knocked on my door in the middle of the night and my sleep got disrupted!" She was at church and all was so great :) Then we ate dinner with an old lady (left over hotdogs from 17.Mai) :) It was great!
This week was SO good!!! I am sick though, surprise surprise! SIster Evans gave me lots of medicine and I will see her and President tomorrow at District Meeting for interviews! My body is just exhausted. Today we are going to go shopping with Debby so that will be fun :) I need to buy new shoes, and maybe I will buy some other things :)
Anyways, the sun is SHINING and it is WARM today!
I hope your day is so great!!! And I will talk to you next week!!!! :)
STOR KLEM, Søster Chapman
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