Søster Heywood: Norway Bound!: Operation: OSLO‏

Hey Family!!!

Holy Guacamole have I got a lot to tell ya.... wow... where to begin...

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAKUM! p.s. you have the same birthday as Sister Randall, my new companion. I thought about you lot's yesterday and hope you had a great day!

On Tuesday, we met with Ricardo for my last time, and that was rough. just hard. He is so incredible and has really changed my whole life! He had Sister Larsen say the closing prayer, then said right afterwards: "I should have said it. I need to thank Heavenly Father for sending Sister Heywood to me that day on the street and for all of the things that she has taught me." Then he looked at me and said, "thank you SO much." I couldn't help it... I defs teared up a bit :) I'm going to be friends with Ricardo for a long time!

Then on Wednesday, it was time to go to Oslo. I packed up all my things, got to the train station, and had to wait a little bit for my train all alone. (Being all alone is SO weird!!!) Then the train came and I realized something... I have two hands... and three suitcases... and a backpack... and my dynebag... so I got two of my bags on the train then ran back to get the other two. Right as I got them on the train it pulled away. PHEW! Then as I was sitting on the train, I realized: I have to get back off... and find Sister Randall.... in a really big train station... Uff da! Luckily, there was a really nice man on the train who helped me get my things off. Then I put my carryon on top of my big suitcase, and my dyne bag on top of my other suitcase, and tried to walk... then up an elavator, then a little bit further... don't ask how many times the carry-on fell off... yup! But then I hear, "Sister Heywood!" and there's Sister Randall. (never been so relieved in my life!)

Little bit about Sister Randall. She's from Utah, went to U of U for a year, LOVES Broadway Musicals (seriously....God loves me) and her birthday was on Sunday! :) She is super sweet and came on her mission in January. She's awesome.

Also, WAY cool story: so a few months before my mission, A couple of the girls and I went to Temple Square together and tried to find a Norwegian missionary. We did, and her name is Sister Isaksen. She told us a bit about Norway and how much we would love it there. Well, guess who just came home from her mission on Thursday! And Guess who is in the OSLO ward?? Oh yeah!! She is the best!! And she remembered me!

Another cool thing: The elders had an investigator, Avis, who is deaf, and they weren't really sure where else they could go with her because of the language barrier, so I told them that I knew a bit of sign language. We went to one of their lessons and the elders just said, "go ahead", so I taught her the Plan of Salvation in *Tegn Språk!! I have missed signing SO much!!! AS I was signing, one of the elders said, "Invite her to baptism", so I signed it to her, and she said yes, if she finds out that it is true :) Then she came to church on Sunday and for the first time since Stavanger, I got to translate Sacrament meeting in to sign language! Oh man, I've missed it. So Avis is now our investigator and WAY positive! I just love her!

There is also a NORWEGIAN FAMILY that we are teaching. That's right. a FAMILY!! AHH! They are incredible. They watched Meet the Mormons on netflix, then saw some missionaries at the airport and asked if they knew of some sisters that could teach them more. So now we're teaching them and it is going really well. They are just so sweet!

On Thursday, we had a relief society activity at Vigaland Park (That one that we have in the book at home with all the statues.... yup!) And it is BEAUTIFUL there! I, being my art nerd self, was running around taking pictures and just freaking out! The whole park and every statue in it was created by one artist!! Amazing!! Definitely let my art nerd show at that activity. uff da!

We also had a miracle happen this week. We had planned to teach the family the first lesson, then felt prompted to teach them about the Atonement. And it went really well. We had spent about 45 minutes of comp study practicing the first lesson so we could teach it really well though. We went out to contact later in the day, and as usual started it will a prayer, and before I knew what I was saying I was asking Heavenly Father to let us teach the first lesson that we had prepared that morning. We said Amen, and Sister Randall goes, "oh really? Okay!" hahaa!! But we did! We found a guy that was actually a teacher at a bible school and definitely had his own faith, but he wanted to know how the church began. so we taught him the first lesson! It was awesome!

Basically, I love Oslo, This city is beautiful, and there is SO MUCH to see. The only complaint I have is that we have a car.... this is my first time having a car.... I hate it... We sit in traffic all the time and watch people walk past. There have been so many times that I wanted to roll down my window and proselyte that way.. would that be weird? maybe... :) I'll try to send to pictures of the apartment for next time!

Last minute weird things:

-We drive through a square roundabout every day.... Norway Logic...

-The translation for Young Single Adults in Norwegian is Unge Enslige Voksne... which means Young Lonely Adults... BAHHAA!

-I really love boat rides. I think I'm going to live on a boat someday.

I love you family!! I know this church is true!! Know it. Live it. Love it. and all that jazz :) Jesus Christ lives! God loves his children. the Book of Mormon is true. Every little story, every little verse. It's all true!

Love ya,

Søster Heywood