Kan dere tro at det er allerede nesten slutten august?! Det var igår at jeg ankommet til Norge...eller, for 16 måneder siden...
Anyways, this week was so good! Even though we werent in our area for 2 days, SO much got done! Last Monday was good. We taught a man named Håvard, that I had contacted while waiting at the busstop for the sisters to get me the first day that I arrived in Trondheim! Later that night we tried contacting a referral, but turns out that both of the people that lived in the house of the referrals were there because they literally were crazy. It is so sad, but he opened the door, made a noise, and walked away with the door wide open. We dropped a card in there and shut the door for him. As a mission, we have been focusing more on using contacting and banking for what they are supposed to be used for. TEACHING. So sister Oldham and I went up to a man and started talking to him, and ended up sitting on his back porch and taught him a lesson. We are going to go back again this week. :) Then we went to Melissas house and taught her and also her parents on Skype. She made delicious apple cake and we taught her parents the first lesson. It went way well!
On Tuesday we didnt have district meeting due to the meetings in Bergen this week. So instead we literally contacted all day. Well, lots of the day. We ended up teaching three lessons on the street and got 1 new investigator from that, who we will be meeting with again on Thursday! We also got a referral and one of the teaches was a member teach, because the wife of a man we saw actually was a member, so she sat down with us and we all talked. Miracles are just waiting to happen!!! That night we had a meeting with the Relief Society President, who has been out of town, and then a meeting with all the missionaries and our MMK.
The next morning we woke up bright and early to catch our flybuss to the airport! Then we traveled to Bergen! Bergen is GORGEOUS! We had a pday with lots of missionaries, playing innebandy, going to Bryggen (the famous area with lots of colored houses), relaxing by the water, etc. Sister Johnson, Sister Robbins, and I went and looked at the houses, went inside a Christmas store, ate some sandwiches and ice cream and relaxed. It was so fun. and so pretty!!! Then we went on splits that night, and tried contacting less/inactive people for the ward. We had cookies to give, but no one we visited lived there anymore. I was with Sister Roe and Sister Hornback. We had made a goal to get 2 teaches.
We were on our way back (none of us have ever served in Bergen) and we decided to split up (still seeing each other, but just so we could contact more people less awkwardly). This week is called Fadder Uka...the week where all the freshman party. It was horrid being in the city. I literally felt so alone and had to get out. I was stressing a little bit, but we ended up finding our way to where we needed to go. Almost to the bybane so that we could get home. We got back together and out of a crowd of people, I stopped one man, and the sisters kept walking. I talked with him and he agreed to sit down and talk, he had the time! So we sat down and I prayed with him and taught pretty much a whole first lesson. He was so nice and open. He had lived in America and told me that he had prayed a lot more there, because of the culture. Anyways, he agreed to take the Book of Mormon and pray about it! And he gave me his number so that the Bergen sisters could call him to meet another day! It was such a miracle! Because I had prayed to Heavenly Father asking for him to help me, I was already scared and weirded out by what was around, and then I got to talk to a REALLY positive person about Heavenly Father and Christ and the truth! Meanwhile, the sisters taught someone too!!!!! It was such a miracle! We reached our goal of two teaches! And what was so special was that earlier, I was thinking of praying again and just asking for 1 teach, but we aksed for 2 anyways and we got it! The Lord is so aware! If you think it and want it, He will give it to you if it is His will. That night 16 sisters slept in the sister appartment! haha, i slept on the floor in the room with the other STLs because we had to get up earlier the next day for a meeting. It was sister mourik, johnson, oldham and I. And I have been comps with all of them, so it was so fun!
On Thursday morning we woke up, got ready, and left. Elder Dyches from the 70s came and talked to the Leaders in the mission. It was SO good. His wife also talked. I love what she said. She talked about how we have so many coaches around us and we need to do our very best.
Anyways, so much to write about it, but it was so good! I loved seeing the Crabtrees again and Sister Frampton and others. It was so great! Then we took a picture all together and had the real meeting with all the missionaries. it was SO good. I love these mission tours. Last year it was Elder Kearon in Trondheim (that is still talked about today) :) Anyways, I love hearing from General Authorities. And we also found out that ALL of us missionaries are going to be going to Oslo for Stake Conference when ELDER BEDNAR comes!!! And then he is having a meeting with us missionaries afterwards! I AM SO EXCITED! It was maybe only going to be the Oslo area and around there, but President got permission for all of us to come! I am SO excited!
Anywho, after the conference we had a delicious dinner and got headed out. (elder årsnes in Tromsø also brought me my things I left in Tromsø, which was way nice) and although Aida sent something for me, it got lost or something and I didnt get it. :( thats alright though. :) There was stress with taxis, but we ended up getting to the airport, and all catching the flight. We flew down to Oslo with the Dyches, President and Sister Evans, and the APs. On that flight, there were so many of us missionaries talkign about the gospel to people. I was going to talk to the man to the right of me, but for some reason, i talked to the younger one on the left. I know why now. There have been very distinct times on my mission when I have felt that I have talked with a person before this life, and promsied them that I would help them find the truth. This was one of those people. I started off talking to him about the language, and it went from a conversation about language to culture, to etc. etc. and to the gospel. I could be myself completely. His name was Kristian and we was 20. Going to Oslo for his girlfriends grandmas funeral. he doesnt believe in God...but it would be nice if he did. At one point after he told me he didnt believe, he looked at me and said, "are you sad?" I dont know what my face looked like, but I believe that it was the Spirit that he felt that made him realize how heartbroken that made me. I hear that people dont belive in God often, but I believe there is a spirit that comes each time someone says that. I said to him, "actually, yes." and then I explained to him that when I need help, or not, I have the Lord with me and my belief. And I wouldnt want anyone to not have that. He didnt want missionaries to visit him at this point in his life, but he took a pamphlet from me, I think the Plan of Salvation, and has my number now. When we got off the plane and sat down waiting for our next, I started crying. Not exactly becasue he didnt accept it now. But because I KNEW I KNEW him and that Iw as supposed to talk to him. I knew how badly he needs this. Ah, it just makes my heart sad.
Afterwards though, we flew up to Trondheim! LONG, GREAT day! We took a train home from the airport and then conked out.
On Friday we did weekly planning and then taught Hem and his wife. We taught them the 3rd lesson with the words in Nepalese from Google Translate. Google translate is not the best...hahaha it was funny, but ended up working well. :) they agreed to be baptized on the 20th of September!!! So exciting!
Then we went contacting...there was no other house we banked on, except for one. It was number 2b. We knocked and a pregnant chinese lady opened with her little son standing next to her. I know we were supposed to knock on their door. We tried going back last night, but are going to go back on Saturday instead, which works better for them. Anyways, it was so led by the Spirit! Then we taught a man Sister Oldham had found from Sudan. Also, earlier in the day, we talked to Melissa! She said, "well before we talk more, my dad had a question. He wants to be BAPTIZED and wants to know if it costs money or anything." WHAT!?!?!??! Ahhh it was so exciting! haha! We explained it to her and she said she would tell him. Such a miracle! And just if you dont know, he was a lot more skeptical last week than the rest of the family...and now he is so much more open! Good day. :)
Saturday was also great! We went to go and visit a referral, who wasnt home. We had some time to bank before the bus came, so did around her neighborhood. We knocked on a door and a norwegian lady came in the middle of eating something, just after getting ready (or in the middle of getting ready haha). We talked with her and she wasnt neutral...but she also wasnt saying no or yes. She agreed with all we said saying that she believed it too. She wouldnt take the Book Of Mormon, but after continuing talking, we asked if we could give her the book and she took it and then asked if we could come back on Wednesday. She didnt give us her number because, "if Im home, im home!" But before we left, as she was trying to shut the door fast, sister oldham asked if we could say a prayer. Sylvie (the lady) started sobbing. She covered her face and just cried. Then said, "bare be." (just pray). So sister oldham prayed and Sylvie said, "I can just feel the positive power." She felt the Spirit and couldnt deny it. Aftwerwards we taught a man named Allen that I had met on the bus. It was interesting becasue it was a week or two ago when I was on the bus, talked to a man sitting next to me, and then had like...30 seconds before I had to get off, felt like I should talk to a man back behind me, and got his number in like...10 seconds. Then we got this apopintment with him! It went well and we are teaching him again this saturday! Then we went to Melissas that night. And got to teach her and her roommate Tonje!
Sunday was also great! We had MMK which was good. It was my turn to play the piano in primary and they asked if we could teach Sharing Time too. She told me the lesson plan right before and I played the piano and taught it! The Lord definitely helped me with that! melissa and her parents came and we taught them after church with Pelle. Bert said he would pray about baptism on the 16th and Mariel said, "I say yes. When I know something is right, I know it." AHHH I LOVE THEM!!! Earlier in Sacrament meeting she leaned over to me and said, "Bert isnt skeptical at all now! It took him one week!" Haha! That night we went out contacting and found a man named Atle. Taught him on the street and got a return apointmetn with him. Then got a come back appointment with the Chinese family, and visited Bestemor. She is adorable and needs to feel love. Thats what were here to do! This week our numbers were OUT OF THE WATER! We got 11 other teaches and 4 recieved referrals and 5 contacted. 4 baptismal dates and so on. We were so blessed! And it wasnt even us! It was the Lord. It is so funny because I feel like I am learnign things now on my mission that I wish so badly I knew at the beginning. But thats just how it goes!
Today we are going to go geo caching with Pelle, Majken, and the missionaries, and teach Melissa and Tonje tonight and eat fårikål with them! It all of a sudden became fall weather here! Not hot anymore, but rainy, dark and cold! I LOVE IT!!!
Anyways, I will send pictures later! I have to go for a little, but Ill send them later.
Love you all so much!!!
Savner dere!
Stor klem,
Søster Chapman
PS: This last picture was taken almost exactly 1 year ago:
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