Monday, October 16 2017

With transfers and stuff this week, I thought time would fly by. I could not have been more wrong haha. Not a ton happened at all. Or maybe I just do not really feel like emailing so I cannot rememeber a lot but here it goes.

1- Søster Earl left. I cried. A lot. I get really attached to people haha and it breaks my heart saying goodbye. I was definitely very sad. While we waited for Søster Wheeler to get to Haugesund, Jens bought me a hot dog and we sat and ate together. It was a good time. Then Søster Wheeler came and it was an awesome reunion. That night we went home after a few hours of missionary work. We just sat at our desk and cried. WE ARE BABIES IN THE MISSION and we are ALONE in Haugesund. HAHA. We were so sad that we had to grow up so fast. It was not the best night of my mission. 

2- We visited our 78 year old investigator at her house. It was so fun. We sang I am a Child of God to her and she tried to sing along too. We asked her to say the closing prayer and she said the cutest poem for her prayer. Haha we have a lot to teach her. But i am grateful we can spend time with her. I love her so much.

3- We knocked in an area called Torvestad. It was the most unpleasant experience of my mission. No one answered, it was pouring rain, we were cold and wet, and finally one man answered. He proceeded to come out on his porch and yell (very condescendingly) at two freezing, wet nineteen year old girls who had only said Hello. It is interesting to reflect on though.

I felt very sad that he treated us like that and that we could not help him. I did not really care about the words he said or the way he said them, but it made me the saddest to think that now whenever he sees missionaries he might be kind of embarassed that he treated them that way. I do not know. I have a tender heart. 

4- We did not get to talk to very many people this week. I do not know why! But one time we were knocking and there were two dogs on the road, so we stopped and taught them about the book of mormon. They listened. One night we missed our bus home and had to wait for 40 minutes. We stood on a step and preached the gospel to a completely empty, dark street. We even befriended a cute little snail. (who we named Torvestad)

5- Sarah came back from USA and it was awesome to see her. She told me about talking to my mom and about all of the fun things she did. My heart ached a little bit seeing pictures of home. She showed me pictures of the USU v BYU game she went to. WOW. I could see some people I knew in them. OUCH. That hit a little too close to my heart. But it was fun that she got to experience my life in the states.

6- We met two girls from napal on the street. They told us that they think God put us all together. They are so cool. I hope we can stay in contact with them.

7- I have been talking to a lady about my mission. She told me that I need to find one thing that makes everything else worth it. I felt discouraged because I could not think about one thing in Norway that is worth all of the other stuff I am going through and experiencing. As I pondered on her thoughts throughout that day and on Sunday, I was filled with an unquenchable love for the members in Haugesund. I have never felt so much love for a group of people in my entire life. I do not know when I got it, but I do know that I am terrified to leave this place. I keep thinking about the scriptures when it says, "There was never a greater love in all the land." It is talking about me. I cannot imagine anyone else loving these

members more than I do. I would do absolutely anything for them. It is hard to remember that love while I am not with them, but the joy I feel when I am in their presence is completely undescribable. I also have begun taking my days in Reps. Time is too daunting for me, so instead of contacting for two hours I am going out to talk to 4 sets of 6 people or something like that. And then I pray for God to help those 24 people stick out to me so that I know who I should talk to. Obviously, these are burn-out workouts so if there is still more time i add more reps. But it has been pretty interesting.

Ya so that is that. Have a good week. Congrats on the baby in the family. I am sad I wont be there. But that is fun!

abbey