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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fantastisk uke! 20.01.14

Kjære Familie,
This week was really good! I was all over the place. haha :)
We started off the week, on Pday, with SNOW!!!


It was so exciting! After emailing, we went to the canon that shoots half way to Denmark. I will send some more pictures today, but it was way cool.





The snow was blowing so hard up there it was hard to keep our eyes open at points! You all would have loved it though! There was an old bunker we went inside and it was way cool :)


That night we taught our investigator Gøran, hes from Sweden! We spoke norsk and he spoke swedish the first time, but he understands english better than norsk, so we changed to that :) He is just so jolly! We really do love him! The teach went great and we were able to meet with him yesterday too!
On Tuesday I went to the doctor and got my blood drawn. :/ They are checking my Vitamin B and D and my Iron. Aida came with us :) She really is our mom here in Norway. Our philippino mother haha :) But she payed for my doctors appointment!! She is SO giving. Other than that....I GOT A MASSAGE! :) My back and shoulders are like ROCKS. The lady in the ward said that my lower back is like a rock too, and I didnt even know that! Anyways, that was absoltutely perfect...sister robbins got one too and it was exactly what we needed! Afterwards though, we were completely relaxed and out of it hahaha :)


Later that night we went to Fredriks house for dinner. And I heard he sent you all an email, but HOW EMBARRASSING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh I turned completely pale and jumped up SO fast to turn the music down! haha, it was really funny though :)








He helped us with language afterwards, OH! And I got the stuff you have to him to give to me!!!! I LOVE IT ALL!!! Thank you SO SO SO much!!! It made me cry seeing some of the things you put in there :) Sister Robbins says thank you too! I have already been sketching things in the sketchbook and wore the dress the next day :) and I have the ring on every single day. :) I actually had it on and a lady asked me if I was married...woops! ;) haha
Anyways, I also got to watch the family music video before I emailed today!! I LOVE IT! I cannot believe how old every one is and everyone looks so great!!! Ahhh I LOVED IT! I love the part when Caci says, "And this is my favorite because it reminds me of Annie or the Little Matchgirl...and I remember the first time I saw them..They are so tragic." Hahahahaha! I loved the whole entire thing.


But then on Wednesday we were going to knock on some doors, of people that told us to come back. Sister Robbins was leading us there and we sawa girl walking. I thought that I had talked to her already and that she wasnt so nice, but we talked anyways. She was THE NICEST girl ever! She is from Oslo and was just so sweet. We asked her if she had heard of the church, and she said no at first, but then yes to Mormons. (like lots of times.) Anyways, we talkeda little about the Book Of Mormon and asked if we could give it to her then. She said, "JA! Selvfølgelig!" "Yes! Or Course!" And so we gave it to her then. What is intersting is that earlier before we left the cetner, I told sister robbins that I felt like we should bring some MB with us, not really knwoing the reason why. How cool! Then we asked her if we could meet and when. She said, any day works! We got her number and her address and are meeting with her tonight!! PERFECT CONTACT! Oh it was a miracle! :)


Later that night we went to a members house to eat with the elders. This member from Chile made a whole turkey for us. With delicious homemade salsa, and deilig mat!
Afterwards we had to run to catch the bus. We were so full and so packed with clothes, running in the snow. I thought I was going to be sick! But we ended up having to wait for the bus for a while, I think part of the reason was becasue of the snow. That was fun :)
We went straight to a meeting at the center with the ward council. Going through the ward list and "cleaning it out." Talking about each person, what they need, if theyve moved, etc.That night the sisters serving in Arendal came and slept over because the next day we went to Stavanger!!!
Thursday morning we woke up to some rain. :/ But we got on the train to Stavanger! I have wanted to see this train ride with snow for SO long and didnt think i would be able to, but I did!!!





OHH it was heavenly! It looked like the lion the witch and the wardrobe! It looked like heaven, actually. Our train was delayed because of strong winds, so we were a little late to Zone Leader Training. But it was REALLY good! We started with lunch, made by the Haugens (senior couple there). And Actually, Uncle Darryn knows their son or something! She was telling me about that! Anyways, then we had the meeting, centered on goals for this year and how we will achieve them. The goal for the mission is 157 baptisms. We got 66 or something this year, but I KNOW we will get 157 this year. I am SO EXCITED! :)
After the meeting, a yw, Annett, came and saw me! It was so good to see her!!! (Az you should add her on FB I told her I would ask you too, because she thinks it would be weird to add you...but her name is Annett Andersen. :) ) Anyways, I LOVE seeing people that I love! haha Then we did some weekly planning and lucky for us, Seminary was that night! SO I saw SO MANY of the youth I love!!! I also got an email last pday from Mina Steffensen, one of my favorite people from Stavanger. She is now serving a mission in the London South Mission. It was so good to hear from her :) But I got to see the bishops sons, the 12 year olds, the older ones...OHHH it ripped my heart out because I love them so much!!! On the train ride home Sister McArthur and I went to another area of the train, so that we could get to the bathroom, and then just sat in some other seats and talked. We talked about how amazing it is how much love we can have for people. I have never loved people like this before. It HURTS because I dont have enough room in my heart for how much love I have for them! AHHH I LOVE PEOPLE!!! We talked about a lot more, but also the different reasons we get sent to areas. I really believe that a huge reason I got sent to Stavanger was because of the members. OHHH it just melts my heart because I love them so much!!! So we were sitting there, the other sisters had come to use the bathroom, when all of a sudden we saw FLASHES outside! I thought it was lightning. I guess there was a big sound too! But, it was the TRAIN!!! The train stopped. The other sisters went back, and then the train was turned off. We thought that a dementor was going to pop up on the window next to us haha :) Anyways, we were right next to the area where the train people were getting in and out of...to talk on the intercom, etc. But the lights were then turned off..well some of them, and they went outside with flashlights. We went back to the area we started in. After waiting and waiting. They told us to all move to the back of the train. So thats what we did! We went and sat in some other seats, they brought around coffee and water too. So we sat there for a long time. We were sitting in the train for about 2 hours, when finally a bus had come to drive us to a town called Moi, so that we could catch another train.








We were about 3 meters off the ground on one side, and 1 meter on the other. So we all had to climb down a ladder...about 3 feet down. and then through a bunch of dirt and plants. There were people guiding us with lights too! haha it was crazy!!! Then we didnt know where to go...so we got on a little taxi and it took us to the bus :) it was for people with a lot of baggage...we didnt have too much. But it was better to catch that, then to have missed the bus! We were still about 2 hours from home! So we got on the super nice bus, and I slept most of the way there...to Moi. We got on the train and I couldnt sleep. usually, the food on the train is SUPER expensive. But guess what? It was ALL FREE! So I got a hotdog in a lumpa with french onion crisp things, and it was delicious :) We got free water and oreos. Itw as just so fun :) Finally, a little after one in the morning, we got to Kristiansand! (we were supposed to get there at 10:30 ish) :) Such a fun adventure! haha!
We got permission to sleep in a little bit, so we did! Then Sister Hanson and I took a bus (which was late because of the snow) to Arendal for splits!! GORGEOUS drive, again!


Oh it was so fun in Arendal. It is such a koselig city! We did some studying and ate. But one of my favorite parst of the day was when we went to go and knock on some doors. Arendal is FULL of hills. So we went and hiked up a hill to get to someones house. On our way we saw two old ladies with their car stuck in the snow. We got over to them and i asked if we could help. She said nei, so we walked a little away, and waited. it was way awkward, because we were stading pretty close, but I was pretty sure they would need help.


A few seconds later she waved us over and we pushed their car. That didnt work. So the old lady shoveled a little, and then sister Hanson, me and another lady pushed and got them out! That was fun :) We continued on our walk, and got to a house of a man they havent talked to again, since the fist time he said they could come back. No one answered the door we knocked on (even though it was a little open)..(and we saw a child inside), so we folllowed some footprints. (You NEVER know where the front door is in norway...lots of times it is in the back, so you ahve to snoop around their house to find it) haha :) Sister Hanson said if I wanted to, we could see if the other door was it, so we started following the footprints and the snow was SO DEEP! up to my knees or higher it seemed! Turned out it was the back door the footsteps went to. Haha, it was fun though! So Earlier that day I had told sister hansen that I thought it was the day that I would fall for the first time this winter. I shouldnt have said that! So we were walking down this hill, and I fell. Just, right down! So I tried standing back up, and fell AGAIN! haha! So then we were walking more and Sister Hanson fell! HAHA! She got up and we kept walking, and I said, "I think one of us is going to fall any second." And as soon as I was done saying it, Sister Hanson was on the ground! Hahaha! Oh it was so funny!!! Then we went to go and knock on another door of someone that said they could come back...or something...but they didnt answer. We saw 2 shovels and snowing stairs and porch, so we decided to do secret service. So much for the secret part. hahaha We had been shoveling for maybe 15 minutes when the man just opened the door! hahah! Sister hanson got an appointmetn with him and he was going to do the rest of the shoveling, but I talked him into letting us do it. He said he was going to go in and get some winter stuff on, then come out. He had to go tot work, so we had to get the driveway done! So I prayed that we would have extra, or enough, strength to do it before he got out. Because Shoveling snow is SO tiring! It was crazy how fast we got it done. I was throwing snow behind my head, and sister hanson was shoveling like crazy too! It took a little while, but we finished before he came out! I think that is one way Heavenly Father answerered my prayers. The man didnt come out! :) But we knocked on the door and told him we were done. It was so rewarding to do that. I LOVED it! :) That night we met with a girl and went and taught her in the church...which is the right side of the second floor of a building. The same building has a doctor in it I think! Anyways that went well :) Then we had some smoked salmon with our dinner that night and it was heavenly. It reminded me of the smoked salmon dip we would have on the Allen Marine Tours....SOOO DEILIG!!! :) We went to go and see if one of their investigators was home, but she obviously wasnt, because the snow was SO high on her porch. Shes from Denmark, so they think she is probably still there. have you all heard of the movie, Frost? I heard it was based or the setting is in Arendal Norway.. So when you see it you can think of me! Haha! I live about 1 hour and 1/2 by bus! :) Anyways, it was absolutely GORGEOUS! When walking to her house, we walked by the water, but across the water is more houses on a hill, with snow, and it was honestly the prettiest thing. Their appartment has a balcony and people had been throwing their snow down so the snow on their balcony is SUPER high! It was nesten impossible to open the door. Well, it is if you want to go out!!! It was SO fun being their though :) The next morning we did some studies, sister mcarthur and robbins came and then sister robbisn and I went back to Kristiansand!


We went to Mandal a little later (poor sister robbins was on the bus for about 4 1/2 hours!!!) We went from the bus in mandal to the library and the snow had not been cleared, so we had to trudge through it following in others footsteps! Oh it was HIlarious!!! because it was SO high! I didnt realize someone else was behind us, but when I did, i tried to run and fell instead. It was so funny! Later, we visited with two of our investigators. They were really nice, but they ended up kind of dropping us. He will still read it, but if he has questions or wants to learn more, he will call. And she said she is not going to read MB. So taht was sad. :/ We got some food and waited at a busstop eating. Instead of just waiting for 20 mintues, eating and waiting for the bus, we had to wait for 45 ish minutes, because the bus was late!!!!! Oh my goodness! My hands hurt SO bad! Even just kind of sliding them/hitting htem on my bag, hurt SO bad! And Sister Robbins feet were wet and cold..they were killing her. Finally the bus came! We had a 45 minute bus ride home...well more, because of the snow I think. Anyways, I was so tired. Usually when i fall asleep on buses, I wake up when we get to our destination. But this time I DIDNT! I was completely out. And so I randomly woke up to the radio to see that almost everyone was off the bus!!! I had this paniced feeling and dropped things, picked things up and finally got off! Thankfully the bus driver was still waiting for people to get off when I was still dead asleep in my seat!! haha! Sister Robbins was just waiting outside for me and just laughed and laughed. it was so funny but so scary! hahaha :) So then later that night we taught Serge at a members house! We talked about the Word Of Wisdom and Presdient Monson and prophets. It went really well! But he just needs to have that desire. It is hard becuase socially, drinking is great in his family! He hasnt told his family about the church really...well atleast not about the WoW. So that is holding him back. He siad if he goes back to his family he will go back to his old ways. Thats not good...But he did tell us about an experience he had. He said that he was eating dinner adn the man gave him some wine, so he wasnt going to say no, so he drank it! But he said that it had no fruit taste or anything! That it tasted like water. Emily, the member, told him that that easily could have come from God. it is so cool to hear his experiences!!! I am positive he will someday be baptized, but maybe not on the date we have set for him, this weekend.
So then on Sunday we were on our way to the center, when I got a call from the bishops wife. She told me that the school parking lot (where we have church) had TOO much snow so no one could park there! we had to cancel church!!! So those that could, or that were in the city came to the cetner and we had church there. It was so koselig and fun! Our investigator Gøran came late, and in the middle of the Sacrament he walked in and said, "Hello!" Haha! He is so funny. He told us to get here, the bus didnt show up, so he walked a little, then a nice man and woman drove him most of the way! Haha! He even said he was thinkinga bout walkiing. I LOVE HIM! We taught him afterwards and then drove with Atle and the elders to Atles families house for dinner. They live about an hour away from here, up in a cabin! PRETTIEST DRIVE OF MY LIFE! (really, this probably was) SO covered in snow. We were taking pictures and it was GORGEOUS! We got in their and ate some lasagna, bread, and salad. And had HOMEMADE chocolate pudding with vanilla sauce and banana cake. It was PERECT! :) And then we shared the Family mission Plan Sister Robbins and I are doing. One thing though, during dinner that Ingvild (the mom) said, was... (She has MS) that she was sick before and then got better, but then she got MS. She said that instead of thinking about, well in the future when this isnt so bad I can enjoy things. Or later in the future I will be able to enjoy life. She enjoys life now. She has learned more from being sick than if she wasnt. THings that she wouldnt have learned if she wasnt sick she is learning and has learned. It jsut breaks my heart that she has MS. She is the sweetest lady and I just lvoe her so much. Later she showed us her Bunnad...the cultural dress they wear for the 17th of May. And it is different for every area you are in in Norway. But she embrodered hers and it is amazing! She is working on her daughters and it is absolutely GORGEOUS! She told me that it has taken her 5 years to do the pocket and the bottome of the dress...or maybe jsut the pocket! Anyways, she said that she wants to get it done before her hands stop working. It just broke my heart. Her husband is amazing at the piano and so we picked a song, practiced it with their daughter and her and the elders, and are going to sing it next sunday! (abide with me fast falls the eventide)! So in Norway, you never wear your shoes in someones house, but lots of times they let you loan some slippers. Sister Robbins put some wool, knitted ones on and I put some other norsk slippers on. I asked her where she bought them and guess what? Later that night she ended up giving us the slippers!!! SO SWEET! I am wearing them right now :) I just love that family. We got back to the city, had MMK (the ward missionary mission meeting) and then studied. Last night I started crying because I just dont want to leave this city. My heart is stuck here in Kristiansand. I LOVE this ward. I LOVE this area. I LOVE MY LIFE!!! AHHHH!


Anyways, today we are going to go and bake bole (dessert norsk rolls) with Fredriks mom! SO EXCITING! :)
And I think I am going to go and by some mittins, because I NEED SOME!
I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! :) have a fantastisk, flott, og trygg uke!!! :)
Love, Søster Chapman :)



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Let it SNOW!

Kjære Familie,
ITS SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)


Yesterday and the day before it was clear blue skies and sunny (but still super cold)! But today we woke up to snow! And it is still snowing! So exciting! :)





Well this week was a rollercoaster! (I think I say that every week, but it is true!) On Monday we went to the Sørlandsenter, the biggest mall in Norway...actually I am pretty sure in all of Scandinavia! Its about 35 minutes from where we live! That was really fun :) We bought some things and also went to a thrift store, where I bought an old Norsk book.


On Tuesday we had Distrikt Meeting! Sister Robbins and I both got blessings from the Elders. I got a blessing of health. I dont know if I have talked much about this, but I have really been sick pretty much ALL of my mission. And then my head started burning and hurting again, so I got a blessing! I realized later, that my head was buring and all because of my bag. It had pinched nerves that was affecting my head. And it still is actually. My shoulders are as hard as a rock and it goes up my neck into my head. OHH it hurts when it is pushed on! And it gives me headaches...anyways, the blessings wasnt like any blessing that I have had before. All that was said was, "Seek professional medical help, and you will be healed immediately." That was it. And so tomorrow I will be going to the doctor, getting my iron checked, etc. and then afterwards I will be going to get a massage from a member!!! I am excited, but I think it is going to hurt SO bad! Because it hurts even with a little push. But It will help :)





Later that night we taught the man that had us over for dinner (the really nice man that got our number from our card and then wanted to do something nice for those not at home for Jul and Thanksgiving). He was not willing to change, just interested though. So that wasnt the best teach weve had.


Then on Wednesday a member helped us with Norwegian, we met with an investigator named Rosa in Mandal (where Fredrik lives) And later that night taught an investigator from Sweden! Oh so crazy!!! He spoke Swedish and we spoke Norwegian. I undrestood 80ish percent of what he said! And he understood about 80 percent of us too :) It was AMAZING to me that we could communicate!! And that was a great teach, he is just a JOLLY man! OH! Super exciting thing that happened!!! We were contacting and, well this man wasnt intersted in the gospel. But he aksed how long I had been in the land for and we told him. He looked at Sister Robbins and said, "INCREDIBLE!" In english. It made me feel good :) Its so cool how Heavenly Father gives us those little Tender Mercies :) But here is the cool story! Sister Robbins and I, maybe 15 minutes later...if that, were talking to a lady. She got my email, but before that I think, looked at our nametags and said, "NEITHER OF YOU ARE NORWEGIAN?" (of course in norwegian). And it made us feel SO GOOD! That is one of the closest things I have gotten to a norwegian thinking I am from norway!!! (on my mission bucketlist ;) ) That night, before we taught Gøran from Sweden, Aida gave us SO MUCH STUFF! She bought more stuff for us in the Philippines than for her own daughter! hahaha, one thing that we wanted, that she bought us were nightgowns! I know that sounds goofy, but it was so exciting when she gave them to us! She got us REAL PEARLS! A bracelet and necklace, perfume, a watch, earrings, etc. She is SO selfless! She hit me a couple times and just said, "YOU ARE SPOILED." "I KNOW I KNOW!" hahaha I love her!


Thursday was not the best day of the week. I scheduled my appointments and all! Anyways, that night at about 11:45, Sister Robbins was COMPLETELY asleep. I was asleep, but not to deep. So our window was open, and all of a sudden there was just BANGING noises! Like, RIGHT next to us! So I woke up (i know...i guess i have changed a little bit with how deeply i sleep) haha, and I was just saying, SISTER DO YOU HEAR THAT?! SISTER! SISTER! I got out of bed and looked out the window. I realized, early on, it was fireworks that people were lighting...the street next to us! The sky was all cloudy too! Sister Robbins, in such a deep sleep, but just out of it said, "I HATE THIS! I HATE THESE THINGS!" HAHAHA! So the next morning we are talking about it and she told me that she thought there was a person coming into to our appartment with a gun. So she had put the covers over her head and was hid up against the wall!!!!!! HAHA! Oh so so so funny!!!!





On friday we went and knocked on doors and contacted for a while! When we were knocking on doors we got to this house with a cat living in a box...it was sad. But I think it was allowed inside too, i dont know! It wasnt a poor area. Anyways, so Sister Robbins and I were just talking and laughing...we werent really expecting someone to open the door. When ALL of a sudden the door was opened. I jumped about half a foot and sister robbins screamed and jumped!!! I had to say something to the man, so I looked so ridiculous with my HUGE smile on my face trying to tell him who we are. Sister Robbins was covering her mouth with her scarf trying to hold in the laughter! It was SO funny!! hahaha! That night we taught Serge with a member, Hannah. We taught some commandments and it went well.





OH my goodness! Another funny story!!!! We taught about the 10 commandments and so sister robbins was reading the "Thou shalt not covet..." scripture. But she accidentally skipped a line. Instead of saying what it really said, she said, "Thou shalt not manservant." And then she just stopped and we just busted up laughing. The member was dieing, I was dieing, our investigator was laughing. But then of course after things settled down I kept laughing. Surprise surprise! :)
Then on Saturday...oh man! We went and visited Bestemor, a lady in the ward. The elders came and it went well. We later went to Mandal again and met with David and then with an investigator. He ended up dropping us, which was sad, but planting seeds is always important! ANOTHER FUNNY STORY! HAHA! SO that night we went to Aidas house. We had dinner and then shared a Family Mission Plan! OH! Mom sent me the papers from the missionaries there in henderson, and so we finally sat down and made one here! And we are gonig to be sharing that with the ward! Anyways, that went well. Afterwards, Aida drove us home. Her battery had died earlier that week, but her light was on again! So we went through a tunnel, really, ALMOST home! All of a sudden she starts slowing down and she said, "See this is what Im talking about!" And WE STOP! I had a thought come into my head....oh no. What if someone is going fast and ends up hitting the back of the car! IM BACK HERE!!! So Sister Robbins adn I get out of the car and start pushing! Aida had to have had her brake on...but a man that was driving a bus and a lady jump out of their cars and helped us move it! It was amazing that ALL of a suddne these two people were there. There were cars lined up, but we finnally moved the car. We were so blessed to be next to a thing of cement to move the car to. Anyways, the bus driver said he would come back. But another man stopped and helped. He called people and they opened the trunk. We were also able to share about who we are with him! We gave him a card with mormon.org and our number on it. He gave us gum and then gave us hugs...AWKWARD! But he really was SO nice!!! It amazes me how nice peole are here. He told us someone owuld be coming in about 10 minutes. So we waited. And waited. A police car came and had her turn on her flashers and set out a triangle (they have to have an orange triangle in each car in norway...set it about 20 meters from the accident or whatever) So they left...and we waited. and waited. It was about an hour and a half. Then another police car came, they asked if we needed help. Aida got the number for the car people from them and they came, took the car, and took us home! We squeezed into the truck...me almost on aida, and as I thought Aida almost hit the brake, we wer etrying to talk to her and she just said, "I AM CRAZY! I AM CRAZY!" HAHA! Oh my goodness. We were stuck in a tunnel for more than 2 hours!!!! HAHA! Oh man it was so funny!!! I love Aida, so positive even though she had just spent a bajillion dollars on a new battery!


Then yesterday was Sunday! We had Ward Councel where Sister Cressall made cinnamon rolls and then they talked about ward missionary work etc. We will be going through the entire ward list (so many less actives) on wednesday as a ward councel..it will take more than 2 hours they think! It will be good though :) Anyways, we had invited Gøran to church and Serge, but Gøran said he might come and we heard Serge might not come because of the toll from Søgne to Kristiansand. But we got there, in Relief Society, and Elder Edwards opened the door. We came out an he asked if we were expecting any male investigators. And it was GØRAN!!!!! :) His first time here!!! And we asked if Serge was here, and he was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) We met our goal for investigators in church and we were just EXTATIC!!! I sat by Gøran in Sacrament Meeting and afterwards I asked him how he liked it. He liked it, the only thing was the music was pitched too high :) hahaha HE IS GREAT!!!!!!!! :) Last night we went to the Bergs house to share the Family Mission Plan! That went well :) But last night was hilarious too! We were in bed, Sister Robbins was about to say her prayers and I stuck my hand up there, so it was super scary looking. She turned around and saw it and screamed a blood curdling scream! hahaha! Oh it was so funny! And then after the lights were off I stuck my head up there and she heard something, so she opened her eyes and saw my head so she screamed again!!! HAHA! So then, finally I was in bed and she was too, i was about to pray when all of a sudden she screamed AGAIN!!! She was expecting me to scare her, so she screamed! I got so scared that I hid under my pillow and went close to the wall telling her to turn on the lights! It was SOOO FUNNY!!!





This week was SO great! hahaha! Full of so many funny things, but also we had some low lows. We are so blessed to have the tender mercies that Heavenly Father gives us. :) The 40 day fast we are doing has been hard, but I know it will be so rewarding.
Anyways, ITS SNOWING RIGHT NOW!!! And later today we are going to go see a canon that can shoot all the way to Denmark! And some WWII bunkers :)
I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Have a great, safe, amazing week!!! :)
Hilsen, Søster Chapman :)





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Godt Nyttår!!!!

Godt Nyttår!!!! :)


Det er meget rart at det er allerede 2014!!! It is so weird that it is already 2014! And that Bry was in 2014 before me and I was before you all. :) When it was midnight in Las Vegas, we were studying, the morning of the 1st, and we hooped and hollered :)


This week was kind of hard, not too busy becuase everyone else was busy!
On Monday we had kind of a relaxing day. We had to clean our appartment, for inspections. I bought a new bag because mine was pretty much ødelagt!
And then that night we taught Serge!!! It was the most amazing teach I have probably ever had. We talked about the Holy Ghost and about faith. We read in Ether 12:4-22 about faith. Then we started talking about the times he has recieved answers to his prayers. He has felt closer to the Savior since he has been meeting with us. He has recieved a lot of little miracles, kind of like, little signs that He is there. It amazes me, if we talk in hushed voices, if we kind of take it slowly, pause, and then speak. The Holy Ghost has the time to let us know what to say and how to say it. We talked about how he doesnt ever feel bad when he is reading. How he never feels bad learning from us. Then, this was complete inspiration from the Holy Ghost, the thought of my decision to come on a mission came into my head. I talked to him about how I had a choice to make. I didnt know what my answer was, I didnt feel bad when thinking about going on a mission, but I really didnt want to make the wrong choice. So I talked to mom on the phone, just crying. And she told me to kneel down and pray. And ask Heavenly Father what I should do. So I got off the phone, knelt down by my bed and started to pray. But before I even finished asking the question. I realized that I had recieved my answer. That i knew already that I should serve a mission. I called mom and told her, then started to get everything going. Sometimes, we dont recieve this big answer from the Holy Ghost. Sometimes it is a reassurance. I didnt feel bad when thinking about going on a mission. And finally it hit me that I had already recieved my answer! We asked Serge if he would kneel down with us then and pray. If he would ask Heavenly Father if he had already recieved his answer. If the small miracles that have happened and the not feeling bad when he had been reading the book, was the answer that it was true. He didnt want to at first, but then he did. He said it in Dutch, so I didnt understand. I was PRAYING SO HARD, repeating over and over again, "Please help him Heavenly Father, please help him Heavenly Father, etc. etc." or something like that. Sister Robbins was PRAYING SO HARD. and the elders wen to the kitchen and prayed for us. It is funny, because I felt doubt coming in. We had promised Serge he would get an answer. What if he didnt!? But then I just remembered not to doubt, just to believe. The Spirit was SO strong. Afterwards, Serge tried changing the subject. I think he felt a little uncomfortable. We brought it back and aksed him how he felt. He described it as strange. We asked him if he had felt it before and he said no. He felt a little scared he said. We knew, without any doubt it was the Holy Ghost. There was one point in the lesson I was about to talk, but instead just breathed. The air was so heavy with the Holy Ghost. It was, probably, the stongest I have ever felt it. That even the air was so consumed with it, it was hard, but refreshing and comforting to breath in. We told Serge that that was the Holy Ghost. And that that was his answer. We asked if he knew that the Book Of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a true prophet. He does. At the end of the lesson, we committed him to be baptized on January 25th. He was apprehensive towards that, thinking it is too soon. But we expressed to him how much he means to us, and that we really had studied and prayed for him. That January 25th is a goal. And then he said yes a little bit later! One thing that is so amazing about this story is that Sister Robbins and I are the missionaries that found him, a couple of days after she got to Kristiansand, and he was a miracle! We had prayed to get a miracle and we found him! I think something that has really helped him is the social/family like relationship he has with the ward. FELLOWSHIPPING IS SO IMPORTANT!!!! He goes and hangs out with ward members :) WE LOVE HIM!!!
So that is Monday! haha


Tuesday was New Years Eve!


That night we went to the Salgados house, one of my absolute favorite families in Norway. Ive told you all a little about them :) Sebastians grandma was there and it was just so fun! We got permission to be out with members til midnight, then get home asap! So we had a Turkey, kjempe fancy dinner. With cider like soda, and just deliciousness!!! And then we had dessert! This apple crisp and cream Norwegian dessert!!! I will send a picture to you all :)








And we played games, games you need to buy!!!!!!!! Ubongo...SO FUN! Sister Robbins lost so she had to drink Trann...cod liver oil with a lot of vitamins in it! It is a really healthy norwegain thing that babies get given and that adults take here. Oh it is disgusting. I think Ive told you all about it before, it is like a slug going down your throat! But it was so funny, because sister robbins CANT eat gross things so she just had it sitting in her mouth! Sebastian won so he got to feed it to her ahhahahaha!





And then we went outside and had sparkelers, non alcoholic champagne, and watched the fireworks! BRY WOULD LOVE IT HERE! Anyone can light any fireworks!! So as soon as it got dark, like 5 ish, you would hear bangs! And then at midnight it was just CRAZY the whole sky was just full of fireworks! More than I have ever seen in my life!!!
OHH I LOVE THAT FAMILY!!!! :)
We were way tired on Wednesday... haha
We had distriktsmøte and worked!


Then on Thursday we had a couple of appointments fall through and did weekly planning!
On Friday 2 of our appointments fell through that night. We had MMK and did some work!
Then on Saturday we went to Mandal and taught a lady sister robbins and I found! I accidnetally contacted her again and she said, weve met! I apologized and she was like, We have an appointment at 3! OH MY GOODNES SOOOOO EMBARRASSING!!!!!!!!!!! But it went good :) her and her husband we SO great! And it really went well :) We got 2 new investigators! (and actually made our goal this week because we got a return appointmetn with the nice man that invited us for dinner, Ivan!) Anyways, that was great!





Then we met with Serge later that night and taught the WOW and Follow the Prophet again. He has some problems with those, but it will be okay :)
Then yesterdy was sunday! We had church, knocked on some houses and had quite a few people tell us we coudl come back and we got one return appointment and number!!!!!!!! (by the way it has just been raingin and raingin here!!!!) Anyways, then we SAW AIDA a little later!!!!!!!!!!! The one that saw bry! Her and her husband got back at 3! So we went over, she made us dinner, what a sweetheart! We also shared a message and she gave us gifts! Earlier, she gave me gifts from BRY!!!





The jeepney sign and a bracelet!!!!! :) It made me so happy. They loved bry SO much!!!! Jose told me, "Elder Chapmans tagalag is better than mine!!!" Haha! They were so impreseed with bryan. "He is a very snill elder." (kind.) "Ohh and he is so funny! so funny!" Hahaha they loved him. Jose said something to the point of how strong he is in the gospel and pretty much how confident he is. THEY LOVED YOU BRY!!! Aida told me about the 6 restaurants and how she was looking for you hahaha
Also, she said that she could tell we are siblings! That made me so happy :)
Then she gave us philippino candy, perfume, a toiletry kit with a mirror, a watch from Lacoste, and chocolate! we are meeting with her again today because she has more for us! OH my goodness we LOVE THEM!!!! And they love you BRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is a super long email and so I am almost done, but I wanted to share one more thing! Sister Robbins and I are doing a 40 day fast. Okay, not from food and water, but spiritually. You all should read, "Purification"...not sure who it is by. But it is about ...well becoming pure. Once you read it you will understand what it is we are doing. There is a challenge in it and we are doing that. We are SO excited about it and maybe, if you all want, you could do it too! :)
ALSO, transfers are on FEBRUARY 5TH!!! It is short this one because the last one was 8 weeks so that no one would leave right before Christmas. AHHH that means I am probably leaving and it breaks my heart. My heart is really here in Kristiansand. I have been SO blessed! Anyways, I love you all so much and I hope you have a fantastic week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)














Be safe and miss you all!!!














Love, Søster Chapman :)


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