March 13 - Romerike

Hey everyone!

They posted moves this morning.  I'll be staying another transfer in Romerike with Elder Richardson. It will only be a 5 week transfer and then the next one will be 7 weeks. I'm excited to be here for a another one in Romerike. We are starting to see some progress in the area and It will be fun to keep getting to know the members better and work more with them.

Here are some highlights of the week!

On Monday, for P day we visited Kongsvinger with the sisters and the Recent Convert who lives out there. We visited the old church and fortress. It was cool to visit the site and visit another place where some of our ancestors are from. We also had FHE and a birthday party for Sister Bennett. 

On Tuesday night, we joined some ward members, mostly Young adults, at the church to play indebandy. It is floor hockey. Way fun and a popular sport in Scandinavia, especially in Sweden.

On Wednesday, We had our district meeting in Hamar. Usually the Hamar elders travel down to be with us but we are going to start going up there once a transfer. We also had a really really nice visit with a member family and had dinner with them. We shared 3 Nephi 17:21 which says, "And when he (Jesus) had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them." I love the idea presented and it teaches us a lot of Christ's ministry. He ministers to the multitude but also the individual at the same time. He feeds five thousand but teaches the woman at the well. His Kingdom is full of ones and is built one at a time. We can all follow the savior and help the one's in our life serve them. Then we had interviews with President. I love the Hills. They are dedicated and full of love! 

On Thursday, we had a lesson with --. She is doing awesome! It was a cool lesson and we were able to see all the progress she has made in the last 5 weeks. At first it was hard for her to accept the idea of prophets and now she is reading the book of mormon and accepted our soft invitation to be baptized. She said she would be baptized when she finds out it is true. Also on Thursday we visited Young mens, and talked about our missions. They were doing a mission prep activity.

On Friday, we had a cool experience. We were weekly planning and had a random thought to try back a woman that we gave a book of mormon at the beginning of the transfer. She lived nearby so we went and knocked on her house. Her husband answered and was way nice! They both like mormons a lot but are active christians in their own church. They have twins, and are a young norwegian family. They also have family prayer each night. Real solid, good and nice people. They told us they aren't looking to "change" but they asked if we could come back a different day. So that was cool.

On Saturday, we were on splits with the Oslo elders. I was with Elder Killpack, We got a call from the member in the woods who needed service so we went and helped him, and then visited --, the new convert in Kongsvinger. Elder Killpack was the one who baptized her so it was a happy reunion. We are currently going through the stories of Christ in the New testament with her. She is amazing and a great missionary. Her best friend, who lives in Arendal, was visiting and came to church with her.

On Sunday, it was testimony meeting and we had a good day in church. We taught primary to the 7 and 8 years and taught about baptism. It was pretty funny, They were so energetic and would not sit still. After church we knocked doors in Fjellhamar and an old man let us in. We had a nice visit with him but he isn't interested. 

My thought for the week is from a member who bore her testimony in church. She shared an experience she had this last week. She explained how recently she changed the way she prayed and start to ask something a long the lines of this. "I pray that I may have the courage and strength I need to be a good example and bless the lives of those around me and help them." It teaches a principle of agency. I know that we will be blessed with greater spiritual strength as we pray for the strength and courage to be agents and not objects and thus be instruments in the Hands of God to bless his children. 

I know the church is true! Hope you have a good week!