But then, this look of complete gratitude came into his eyes.

Hey there!

Everything is happy and good in Norway! We saw our first snow flakes this morning as we were studying the Book of Mormon. It was pretty darn exciting! I don't know what snow is like in Norway but I am grateful for my Utah experience. These two Californians that I'm with are freezing already and it's only October! Except for we are losing Sister Shaw today which is really sad... so it will be just me and Sister Hilton in Oslo for now. I found out that my companion has her visa but she won't be coming until the next transfer so I will be here with Sister Hilton for another month. I'm super happy about that! She's the best. And I've been emailing my cute USA companion a little too. I can't wait to meet her!

Guys. We have had crazy miracles happen this week. Adrian is going to get baptized!! Because he doesn't talk, he just wrote during the whole lesson again. But we taught him the doctrine of Christ and discussed baptism extensively. I felt like the spirit was literally just communicating to him directly and I was just using words from my mouth to convey the message. As we invited him to be baptized, he just smiled and nodded. That's how it should be every time. So natural. He wrote, "You asked what my favorite word in English is and it is 'promise'. I like that baptism is a promise with God. And I need to be reading in the Book of Mormon and talking to God every day and I will start that today. I promise. Words are powerful." 

And then we were looking at his calendar and deciding on a date and he pointed to November 23 and then wrote, "Birthday." Adrian is going to be spiritually reborn on his 17th birthday! My heart was so full. I testified to him that the decision he is making is more significant than he even realizes. 

I guess all of the adult sessions of stake conference are going to be about missionary work until the first presidency says otherwise and we had stake conference this weekend. We went to Romerike (the drive there looks like Utah mountains and it made me so happy) and listened to some wonderful talks! Adrian couldn't come to the session on Sunday so he came with us to the adult session on Saturday night. We weren't able to sit in the chapel cause there weren't enough seats, but Adrian sat with the YM and YW president (who just so happen to be married--perfect!) and they are fantastic! 

In the middle of the meeting, we heard Elder Teixeira of the seventy say, "And this young man has chosen to be baptized on... which day was it?" And then there was silence. All three of us jumped up and ran to look in the window and thankfully the YM president answered for him, but after the meeting we were afraid that Adrain might be scared away. Haha but instead, the best part of my mission happened. I was in the back of the chapel trying to get around people so I could go talk to him and he made eye contact with me and smiled and started making his way back to talk to me. I shook his hand and asked him how he was doing and if he was okay. He just did his normal Adrian smile and one nod. But then, this look of complete gratitude came into his eyes. And He leaned over and pressed his cheek against mine. (Norwegians have this thing when they hug, they press their cheek against yours and it's a way of saying thank you for the evening or time together or whatever. Everyone does it all the time and I think it's so nice!) 

And then he sent us a text later that night that said, "Dere er veldig omtenksomme, dere spør om det går bra med meg og dere spør om dere kan gjøre noe for meg...dere har gjørt utrolig mye for meg." He said that we have done so much for him. He recognizes that blessings that the gospel will bring to his life! This is exactly what we want! 

I know that there are people here who are prepared like Adrian. Norway is a crazy place to be a missionary, but we are finding those who are ready to accept Christ right now in their lives. I picture the gratitude in Adrian's eyes and think about how much I love these people. They are in such need of the happiness we have and the blessings we have from covenants! I am so grateful for my knowledge and testimony and the opportunity I have to be a missionary.

We also met with Tonje this week. She's so cool! She just follows her heart and her dreams and becomes what she wants to become. I feel like every time we meet with her she teaches me new things. She knows that baptism is right, and she will be baptized. It will just be in her own timing. What a woman.

Just a random thing: Norwegian is really close to Swedish so I can understand it for the most part too! We have these cute Swedish twins that will be getting baptized soon and we got to visit them in their student apartment this week! Um.... crazy. Haha European students live like it's the last day of their lives! I've never heard music so loud. But I was so proud of these two girls. They told us how everyone just knows that they don't drink or smoke and that they are chaste. Ah yeah. The protection from keeping commandments is the best.

I think compared to other missions people would say that the work in Norway is slow or something. People would always tell me before my mission that Norway is a hard mission! I don't know if it's because they were referring to the number of baptisms or what, but every mission is hard, and yes, I haven't had legit baptisms, but the person that I am becoming and these people that I am bringing closer to Christ are all that matter. And I am so grateful to be here. I know that this is the true church! How could it not be? Live it and find out for yourselves. :) I love you!!

Love, 

Søster Pyne