Transfer to Norway

Aug 17

I think I belong in Norway. I get asked at least once a day if I am from there haha. I told a guy that I was from America and he still asked if I learned the language in Norway. I don't even know. Haha. 

Last pday was CRAZY! I saw Ilse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) She is seriously the cutest thing ever. We went to lunch with her boyfriend from America and her friend from Finland. It was so fun, we ate at this place with a really nice view. It was nice to see someone from home. I have pics. :) Also, I saw Anne and she tried to spank Sister Jackson and was as crazy as ever. Hahaha. I love her. You guys have to meet her. After that, we played sports together because the weather has been absolutely beautiful. FINALLY. 

We did chalk art again this week! We... well.... they drew the nephite temple when Jesus came to the Americas. I didn't do any of that, I just walked around and talked to people for about 4 or 5 hours straight. I even talked to a guy while eating a sandwich haha. So classy. But it was fun. I met some incredible people, and talked to more Swedes than I probably have my whole mission. They were very curious as to what was going on. Hopefully we can teach some more people from it! :)

We taught Danny about the Restoration! So fun! He is so cool. He isn't in our ward boundaries so we got him in touch with the elders in Gubbängen and they all went to their sports night and so we will continue teaching him English and see how it goes. :)

We taught a less active and a nonmember family... kind of... they live together. #sambo But it was really fun to teach a family. We don't get to do that very often. We also helped an investigator move into her new house and she fed us the best Chinese food everrrrrrrr and we got to know her husband. 

We had some really fun member dinners here this week, too. I am in love with our ward mission leader and his SUPER pregnant wife and little 2 year old boy. They are the cutest little family ever. And the Pences are still awesome! They take such good care of us! :)

This week I started a "small plates" journal and just am writing lessons that I have learned while being on my mission. I have learned a lot, and also learned how much I still need to learn. But one thing I added to it from this week was how God communicates to us through prayer. So Sister Jackson and I really like to compare prayer to electricity. We all have faith in electricity. When we turn a light on and it doesn't work, we don't doubt the reality of electricity, we doubt the connection, something in the wiring. It should be the same way with prayer. When it doesn't work, we should doubt the connection, not the actual principle of prayer or of God's love or even existence. I'll be honest, I have prayed for a lot of things and they haven't happened. I have prayed for a lot of things that have miraculously happened as well. I still need to learn a lot and gain a lot more faith and be more in tune with God's will. But my patriarchal blessing says something along the lines of me feeling his love for me as I pray. I kind of wondered if I would ever feel that, because usually my prayers are answered the next day or in a week, but not usually immediately. But this week I was praying more sincerely than I probably ever have and I felt this huge warm feeling come over me and I want to feel that every time I pray. I think sometimes we miss out on spiritual experiences because of the repetition or "easiness of the way". We can gain a deeper conviction of every single gospel principle and prayer is the key to it all. 

Have a great week! 

Love,

Syster Stetler