RIDIKULUS!!!‏

May 25, 2015

Hei Family!!

Alright, so first to explain the title for today... (Put on the nerd glasses) we had Telemark ZLT this week and took the train down to Tønsberg.  Zone Leaders usually try to be creative with the ZLTs, but I think this one took the cake! It was HARRY POTTER THEMED! Oh yeah!!! Finally got to let out my inner nerd a bit.  So the real theme was getting investigators with a baptismal date to actually get baptized. We all started in a room where they gave us a letter and told us that it was as exciting as our mission call :) It was an acceptance letter into the "Telemark School of Teachcrapt and Baptistry".  Oh yeah... they went all out.  We were all given wands, an sorted into houses.... I got Hufflepuff... go ahead and laugh Heather ;) We started to our first class "Charms of Commitment" Where we practiced extending the baptismal commitment. Then we went to our next class taught by the Sister Training Leaders, "Defense Against the Dark Arts". Ok, and for a minute here.... I'm going to assume that everyone reading this has seen Harry Potter... There is one scene in the third movie where they have to practice fighting  a creature that takes the shape of whatever you fear most. The way you defeat it is by thinking of someway to make it funny, then saying, ,"Ridikulus!".  We talked about how people's concerns about baptism or any commitment are individual to them and only they can decide that the concerns are ridiculous. But we can help them by giving them a new perspective.  Then I thought a little more and that really is how it is with any adversary we face in life.  I had a member in Stavanger tell me once, "Opposition is only Opposition until you realize it is just opposition. Then you just laugh."  Once we realize that satan is going to try his hardest and still lose, it almost becomes funny how hard he tries He plays to our fears and doubts but we get to point at him and say, "That's Ridikulus!" :) Anyway... it was a really cool analogy if you know Harry Potter (Nerd glasses off)

Alrighty! It was a perfect ZLT because a few days earlier, we met with our investigator, Midia.  We had given her 2 Nephi 31 to read last time so she could be ready to learn about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So to this lesson, she came with not only the chapter read, but also with a page of NOTES that she had taken on the chapter.  She then continued to teach US about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She told us all about how it begins with faith, how we need to repent, and how we need to be baptized.  She stressed the importance of being baptized as Christ was.  We showed her a picture of the baptism of Christ, and she said, "yeah! Like that. We need to be baptized like that".  So I guess you could say it wasn't terribly difficult to set a specific baptismal date with her.  She will be baptized on June 10th :) She is INCREDIBLE!

Another tender mercy of the week... we met a man on the street and started teaching him about the gospel and he stopped us ans asked where we come from.  We told him and he said, "So you're here in Norway doing nothing but teaching people about God?" We said YUP! Then he asked how much the church was paying us to do that, and we told him nothing, in fact we pay to do this.  His eyes got really BIG and he paused for a minute and said, "So you two are 19 years old, and instead of hanging out with friends, partying, going to school, etc... instead you come here to help people come nearer to God? And you pay for it?"  We said yes, and he said, "Ok, I need to hear your message then!" We explained more about it, and he listened then asked if we could meet again.  Sometimes it's just good to get a little confirmation that missionary work is incredible.  It wouldn't work if it wasn't true.  I mean, think about it.  A bunch of kids going to foreign countries trying to baptize people? That would never work! Unless it is true :) Which it is :)

I didn't explain much about Søster Smith last time.  She comes from Layton Utah, did show Choir in High School (YES!) has 8 kids in her family, and loves talking musicals with me:) ( I know! Another musical lovin companion! Where are these ladies coming from??) She is a REALLY hard worker and loves the people here so much! :) She's a CHAMP!

I love you family!!! Keep being amazing! Go to the temple! Read your Scriptures! Pray Always! And eat Otter Pops for me... CUZ IT'S SUMMER! Talk to ya next week!

Love, Søster Heywood