With Love, Sister Pyne: Norwegian Christmas!

look at the cute apron Sis. Hall sent me! Sis. Frampton's
mom's rolls were killer!

Hi!

It feels like forever since I have talked to you. I don't know why since I just saw you on skype like 5 days ago. It was so much fun to get to see you and hear your voices. I was so happy to see home and know that it is still there. It's become just this imaginary thing in my head. I have faith you exist though!

norwegian kids. they only make them in norway, unfortunately.

check out Eline's bonad! this is their traditional
norwegian dress.

We have been so blessed this week. The members here are so generous and kind. They let us come to their homes every night this last week and we have been stuffed with so much Christmas food and presents.Christmas Eve we got to go to familien Strand-Amundsen. They are the most beautiful family with four little kids and it was a dream! I have never seen anything like it. They were dressed in their traditional Norwegian clothes, everything about the decorations belonged in Anthropology or something, and the music and food and traditions were to die for.

they really do dance around the tree!

They danced around the Christmas tree and sang holding hands (yes. all of them), they gave each other gifts, Santa came. My face hurt from smiling so much after.

the sweet Austenaas had us come to their house on "lillejulaften"
which is on the 23rd.

Osbjorn thought he was being sneaky and
sticking his fingers in the ris krem.

I should probably start from the beginning. I just get so excited. On the 23rd, familien Austenaa let us come to their house and decorate the Christmas tree and eat ris grøt. It's like rice oatmeal kind of and you put lots of cinnamon and sugar on it. They hide an almond in the bowl and whoever gets it has to finish their ris grøt with the almond in their mouth. And then they get a marzipan pig. The Austenaas put lots of almonds though... so we all got some.

this is the church we got to go inside.

During the day on the 24th we went to a church service in the dome kirke. It was the neatest thing I have ever heard! The ceilings are so high so it has the most beautiful acoustics. We got to sing Christmas hymns with thousands of Norwegian people. It was so interesting to watch them come with their families to church for the traditional Christmas Eve service. But they don't actually believe it. It made me want to run around and say, "Meet me outside after! I'll tell you a good secret!"

On Christmas we got to have dinner with the twins. We had Swedish meatballs and potatoes and way to much food. But so good.

We also had a zone conference this week. President and Sister Evans are so wonderful. They always tell us that they love their kids, but right now we are their kids so they love us more. They work so hard and put in so much extra effort to make sure they know all of us personally. We had both stake presidents there and they talked all about how we can help the members do their part. I have a lot of passion about member missionary work and I don't know where it came from, but I feel so strongly about it! It's so important.

Ooooh then we had a moves call. I'll be in Oslo another transfer with Sister Frampton. President said he can't promise anything after that, but I'll take what I can get. I'm really happy to still be here.

This week Sister Frampton and I submitted ourselves to drinking fruit flavored fish oil from a spoon every day. Except it sort of tastes like the bubble gum flouride at the dentist. We've only been taking it for a few days, but all of the sudden we can feel a world of difference! I didn't know that dark did things like that to you... but we have energy and I don't feel like my brain is dark. Norwegians are crazy. I don't know how they do it.

norwegians love decorations!

Ah man. So much to say. We met with a man this week named Andreas and he told us he wanted to bring a friend the next time we met. We had forgotten he said that, but then he showed up with a friend who really wanted a Book of Mormon and said he loves to read. We asked him to read the introduction and he said, "How many chapters?" And we said, "Oh, just the introduction" and showed him. He agreed to do it. We texted him the next day and invited him to church and he told us that he had been reading book by book and was in Alma! He said he noticed a very special spirit when he read. What?? Those are the kind of stories you hear about but they don't actually happen. It was really exciting. I cried a little when I read the text.

Last night Sister Frampton and I took the senior couple car out for a little spin. We drove it to a dinner appointment. Driving in Oslo is scary! But we got to drive right along the fjord as the sun was setting. I just wish I could really explain or show you these things, but it's just something I have to experience and be so grateful to Heavenly Father for. Norway is beautiful. On the way home we accidentally got on the wrong road with no exits and we were driving to Sweden! We finally turned around, but somewhere in the stress of driving, I lost my phone. We can't find it anywhere and it's so frustrating because we need to contact the people in it! Pray that I'll find it!

decorations everywhere!

We were talking to a grandma at church yesterday, she's 90 something and speaks perfect English and she and her husband live in their little home all by themselves. She said, "I know it's not always fun to visit elderly people, but we can surprise you! You play the piano right? My husband, he sings. So we will have some fun!" We're going on Thursday and I'm real excited to have some fun!

That was really long and really random, but I had to get it all out. Enjoy New Year!! 2014 means that I will get to see you! I know that the Book of Mormon is true!

I love you dearly.

Love,

Søster Pyne