Week 58

Hi Family!!

I have to apologize- I feel like I tell you guys the same things over and over and over again. You are probably sick of me and I can't argue with you! Ha ha!

Well, today has been a lovely P-day. We woke up, got ready, studied, then took a ferry to this island just off the coast. I have to tell you- never have I felt such an urge to wakeboard! The water was like glass (and probably freezing). It just about killed me! Ha ha! So the island was really really small, but was used as a prison in the 1100's, then became a Montessori for monks, and then a fort in WWII. It was awesome! Sister Butterfield and I got to crawl into some of the dungeons where people were kept and some died... It was kind of creepy, but we loved it! :) It was a beautiful place! I wish you all could have been with me there. :)

This week has been kind of dead. However, we are gearing up for a baptism on Saturday for Charles, our little African friend. He is a cool guy. He will most likely be moving to Switzerland very soon, so that will be sad. We won't get to see him blossom and grow in the gospel... (That sounded gay... Ha ha!) At least he will be able to have the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide him in his life and we will help him find the church where he is moving. :)

I had to teach gospel principles yesterday. It went well. I love that class because 1. it's in English 2. everyone  participates. Perfect! :) But yeah, the lesson was on eternal families. It made me really grateful for all of you. You mean the world to me! On top of that, I was talking to this guy on the street the other day who wasn't very interested in learning about the gospel, but we were just chatting a little bit. I asked him what mattered most to him and he told me something like his health. Then he asked me the same question. I told him that my family means the most to me. He couldn't believe that I had traveled so far away from my family just to share some religious book. Then I explained that it's through a knowledge of the truthfulness of that book that I know that I can be with my family forever. I told him that even though I was far away from my family, 1 1/2 years isn't that long and if I can share this knowledge with other people, it would make me happy. He had nothing more to say. He thanked me and wished me luck. It was cool... Basically, I just love you, family!! :)

So Agnes is doing really well. She was just set apart as a counselor in the relief society. She rocks! She told us that she wasn't planning on going to church when she was in Oslo last week because she was busy studying for her exams. The spirit spoke to her in English (and she speaks in norweigan) and told her "you're planning on living with God forever and you're willing to put this temporary thing (her exams) in front of the Lord?" So she dropped everything and went to the ward in Oslo and lOVED IT! I'm so grateful for her example. I love listening to how she prayers. She really has a conversation with God. It's like Heavenly Father is in the room with her. she laughs, and chuckles as she talks to him. It's so cool!

Our mission president here in Norway is leaving on the 30th! We are going to miss him so much. He is known for changing the church history here in Norway by all the members. He is doing his last zone conference in Trondheim tomorrow. We are sad!

So we had this fireside last night and learned that the first missionaries in norway were sent on this day 188 years ago! Cool, huh? They were talking about all the persecution that the Norwegian saints experienced. They were stoned and sent to prison for preaching and baptizing because they weren't considered Christians. It was cool to hear about. :)

Well, that was a lot of randomness... Sorry! :) I love you so very much and I hope you have a great week! Vi snakkes! :)

♥- Søster Jessica Taylor