This is FOREVER!‏

Hei Family!!!

This week we got to have the Sister Training Leaders, Søster Campbell and Søster Hartley, for a visit. We went on splits with them, and I really learned a lot.  The night before they came, Søster Peterson and I were out on the street contacting, and we talked with this guy who was not so interested, but asked, "What's so great about being a Mormon?" Yeah, usually we don't get asked that... I was caught a little off guard and felt like a sorta stuttered out a lame explanation.  Then he told us that he would listen to our message if we let him buy us drinks.... uh... NEI TAKK!!! But I thought about his question the rest of that night, and thought about all the different ways I could have answered it better.  Then we had the STLs come the next day and while we were contacting, I asked Søster Hartley what she would have said in that situation.  She told me,"Being a Mormon is great because someday, I'm going to be sitting in the car with my husband on the way to the temple.  Then he's going to grab my hand, turn to me and say, this is FOREVER!"  We kept talking about how this really is eternal.  There are so many people, especially here in Norway, who believe that you have this life, and that is it!  When a family member dies, they are gone.  But we know better!! This really is forever and it's awesome!

We visited one of our less actives this week who hasn't been to church in a long time because she has social anxiety.  We visit her every week, and usually read from the Book of Mormon with her.  But this week, we decided to get her a Personal Progress Book and do that with her.  I remembered back in Ålesund when Søster Buhler and I had done that with a less active lady and it helped her so much!  So we're really excited to start it with this lady now.  Personal Progress is just awesome!

One of the hardest things about being on a mission is definitely not being able to hold little kids!  Our ward mission leader, Kjetil, has two ADORABLE kids and they always run up to us and put their little arms up wanting "up"!  And we can't pick them up!!! It's torture.... haha! :) But these kids are so cute! I decided I'm going to teach my kids to speak Norwegian someday because little kids speaking Norwegian is by far the cutest thing in the whole wide world! haha!

Louis is doing fantastic! We shared The Family: A Proclamation to the World with him this week, and he commited to sharing it with Maria, his girlfriend as well.  He loves coming to all of the church activities and always texts us asking when the next one is.  He really wants to come to church, but had to pick up his son from Sandes this week so he couldn't come. We actually had a FHE last Monday that he came to.  We had a self-defense night because one of our members is REALLY good at that kind of stuff.  It was so much fun! Louis just loved it and he and Casper are already really good friends (given the fact that they can't really talk to each other unless Søster Peterson and I are there... Then our other investigator Pawet came.  He is actually from Poland and was there visiting his family for the whole time that I've been here.  But he's back now, and we're back to teaching him.

Today for P-day, we took a bus out to "Sverd Fjellen" or The Three Swords as we would call it! It was super fun, and SO beautiful.  There are some times that I have to remind myself that I actually live here... It is amazing!

Welp Family, I love you all SOO much! Sorry this week's email was a little short. We've been doing a lot of contacting this week.... :) But that's still fun! HAR EN FANTASTISK UKE ALLE! Vi snakkes neste uke!

Love,

Søster Heywood

  

#1 The Three Swords

#2 Casper, me, Louis, and Pawet :)