February 6, 2012

Hei Hei,

Åssen går det?  A lot of things has happened since last week and a lot of changes our happening.  To begin the week off we met with Tone a couple more times before she was off to Finland.  She is studying how to make knives and metal engravings.  Its pretty cool and she is really good at.  We ate dinner with her on Tuesday night for our last appointment.  At the end of the appointment she gave Elder Abrams and I engraved NOREG belt buckles.  Noreg = Norway in Nynorsk which is a dialect from where she is from.  I'm going to miss her but luckily she has facebook so will be able to keep in touch after the mission. 

On Wednesday we taught a school class that the Bishop arranged for us.  Elder Abrams had taught one school class last transfer that had about 14 kids that were about 14yrs old so that is what we expected this time.  So we planned to split the group into two with the bishop and we would teach a class for thirty minutes about the restoration and we would give a tour and talk about church organizations (primary, young mens, young womens, priesthood, relief society, family history work, baptism, etc) as well as answer any questions for thirty minutes and then we would switch groups.  Well as the bus pulled up seventy 18yr old kids walked off the bus ha ha.  I got pretty nervous but i was pretty excited that i would be able to teach all these people too.  Well we all gathered in the chapel and we introduced ourselves and where were from and why were on a mission etc and then we split the groups.  I had the best time and I decided I really enjoy teaching people.  Elder Abrams Norwegian is pretty good but he didn't say much and when they would ask a question he would just look at me ha ha.  It was such a good experience for me and to improve my teaching/presentation skills.  We gave out 14 Books of Mormon afterwards.  It was awesome!  We have a teacher in the ward that said there are a lot of classes that want to come and learn about the church because its free.  If they go to the Norsk Church you have to pay.  So we have 4 more classes lined up for the next few weeks.  It's going to be so much fun! 

Well on Friday i got a call from President Johansen... and we have a missionary that broke his arm or something in the MTC so he was delayed... well he is on his way here and I'm going to be training him.  We also have a Norwegian missionary who has been serving here because he is waiting for his visa to go to Puerto Rico and he just got it.  So on Wednesday we're taking a train to Oslo (4 hours) to drop Elder Abrams off at the airport to fly to Bødo which is up north to replace the Norwegian missionary and I'm picking up my new son at the airport right from the MTC ha ha.  I'm going to have a good size family already... two sons and one daughter.  I can't wait until i have a grandson or a granddaughter ha ha.  I'm pretty excited but Elder Abrams and I had a lot of good things starting to happen and we were both really comfortable with contacting and teaching etc.  It will be a good experience and there must be something the Lord wants me to learn.  I will be going back to Oslo on Friday for a training meeting and then I'm going to Moss on the 15th for zone conference.  So I will be doing a lot of traveling... Moss is like another four hours but we take a ferry across the ocean to get there. 

Later that Friday night we ate with this less active family who always feeds us legit Norwegian food.  Its always way good but she decided to try something a little different on Friday.  Raw SEAL!!!  We took pictures of it for proof ha ha.  It was disgusting but i ate a good amount just to say that i ate it ha ha.  It was very salty and when you ate you could taste little pieces of bones... that i guess don't hurt to eat.  They didn't make us eat but they wanted us to at least try it ha ha.  They might want to come visit in the next couple of years so i need our new home address so i can give it to them. 

On Sunday we had a very spiritual fast and testimony meeting.  Etienne from Congo that lives in Farslund which is kind of by Kristiansand came down for a visit.  I met him in Kristiansand my first transfer we were driving two hours away to teach his friend.  He is a great guy and got a picture with him on Sunday.  Victor our investigator also came to church.  He has come to church 14 times now.  He needs to be baptized soon!  After church we took a bus to go eat with the Årsnes family (members) that live on the Island (sandøya look on google earth) an hour away.  We took a bus for about 40 minutes and then we got on a ferry to get to the Island.  It was really cool and way pretty! 

I've decided to switch off places for district meetings.  Every other week we take a train to Tønsberg (90 min) and the other weeks we have it in Skien.  I haven't minded being on foot but sometimes its inconvenient but it also creates more opportunities to do missionary work while your waiting at the bus stop or on the bus itself. 



I'm so grateful for the opportunity i have to serve a mission.  I'm learning so much and the Lord has put so many blessings on my door step that are just waiting to be open.  I feel so blessed to serve and that the Lord would trust me so much with the different responsibilities I have received.  This is truly his work and we can only be instruments in his hands when we follow the promptings of the spirit.  The spirit is real and it is there for us to lead and guide us to eternal life.  What an amazing work this is!  I love you all and i look forward to hearing from you all next week.  The church is true and is the only way to happiness. 

Eldste Godfrey