I need to get more original with my greetings because they're awful lately. I'm sorry. There are only so many you can come up with after a while.
We had a miracle week. Hartley is really fun to work with. This morning we studied and then we told each other what we learned and we started talking about families. I read Elder Corbridge's talk from last conference about Joseph Smith and I was thinking about how all the things that have been restored through Joseph Smith are for the family. All the priesthood keys and temple ordinances and explanations about God's plan for us-- it's all for the family. He also talks about how wherever you find the biggest dust cloud you're going to find the truth underneath it. The family has huge dust clouds over it right now. Even in the lives of members of the church that have their priorities a little bit skewed. Family is number one, always, regardless of circumstances. It's all you've got in the end anyway.
We visited an older lady this week named Eva. Sister Hartley kept telling me that I was going to cry, but I was determined not to. Eva has a non-cancerous tumor growing in her brain that is slowly paralyzing her but it's too dangerous to operate. She is there mentally, but she can't move her body. She lives in a care center and her husband lives in this sad little apartment next to the center just so he can be with her every day. We went and asked him to take us to see her yesterday and he got all excited and walked us over there. She was asleep when he opened the door but he opened the curtains and kissed her on the forehead and told her she had guests. You could see that she was so happy to see him. He told us that she understands everything, but she can't say anything, so to just talk to her about our lives. He left the room and then came back in and said, "Oh. She likes songs." He pulled out a hymn book and gave it to me. And then he kissed her again and told her to relax and enjoy herself. He left, and then the door opened again and he came back in and said, "And. She speaks English. So if you can't say it in Norwegian, say it in English." Then he kissed her one more time and told her not to worry and he would be back in a little while. We sang for her and told her about ourselves and you could just see in her eyes that she's still in there. I was just fine until the closing prayer and then I started crying. But it's because I was thinking about families again and how that's all you've got in the end.
I just want a worthy priesthood holder that gets it-- that understands that life is more than jobs and fun and looks. It's about family and about relationships. And if he understands that, then our family will understand that. And I think we'll be pretty set. I'm so grateful that you have made our family priority, mom and dad.
Having a car has been such a great blessing! I feel like we can be so quick with everything. There aren't many people on the streets here which has taken some adjusting to, but it doesn't mean we don't talk to the people on the streets even though we're driving a car. The other night we were driving home and this man was kind of jogging away from where we were driving, but the Spirit told me we had to talk to him. I said, "Sister Hartley. Stop the car. We gotta talk to him." And she stopped and said, "I was feeling it too." The problem is that he was kinda running and we have short legs so we were running and he knew we were chasing him. Finally Sister Harley yelled, "Hei!" and he stopped and stared at us like we were stupid. He wasn't very interested and barely took a mormon.org card, but I know that he needed to talk to us regardless of what happened. I love being this close to the Spirit. I don't think we realize how close we really are.
We were waiting at the church for an appointment and a random guy walked in. We were a little freaked out at first, but he told us he has two nieces in America that are members and he wanted to know more. We told him we had an appointment right then but to write down his info and he asked if he could just sit in on the appointment we had. So cool! We're going to go to his house this week (he has a wife and fam) and teach him.
The lesson he sat in on was for Kjell Roger. He feels closest to God in nature and tells us, "I'm not ready to take a bath yet because I want it to be with my whole heart." But he's coming, and he's going to be an incredible member. After we finished the lesson he asked the guy that just walked in the church (Evan) if he had a Book of Mormon. Evan said no and Kjell Roger said, "Well. You need one." And looked at me. Investigators doing missionary work! That's what it's all about!
We've been meeting with this guy named Bruno and he's been investigating the church for forever. He showed up at church on Sunday, stayed for all three hours, and bore his testimony about missionary work! He said, "Your missionaries do good work." It was really neat to hear that he feels like that. We just need to shove him in the water now. He's so ready.
We met with another kid named Bjørn (everyone names their kids "bear" here) and he had lots of good questions. He asked why God creates imperfect humans when he is a perfect human being. I had never thought of it like that before, but I felt like the Spirit really inspired Sister Hartley to know what to say. I'm always frustrated because I wish I could put things I feel into words better. But that's what the Spirit is for. He's this 18 year old kid that wants the truth. I love when they're young. They're the best.
We visited a lady named Jofrid this week too that Hartley met on a bus. We could have done a better job teaching because at the end of the lesson we asked her if she would read a chapter in the Book of Mormon and she said no and we were so surprised! But then she asked us how much it costed. We had to back way up and say no no no we're paying to be here, lady! Take the book! Salvation is free-- just do what Jesus Christ wants you to do. It's my biggest fear to have people think we're salesmen. That's the last thing I want to be.
There was no one at church yesterday and I felt like I was in Mo i Rana again. It kind of freaked me out a little bit. But I was so impressed with how everyone got up and bore their testimonies. If you're going to be a member in Norway you have to know that this church is true because you don't have very many supporters. I love them. They're kind of like a bunch of grown up primary children that are still trying to figure out how the church works. It's neat to see them grow and understand the gospel more fully-- especially when they go to the temple.
This mission stuff. It's exhausting. I'm running to the end and I think I'm going to collapse into your arms, but I'm so grateful for all of it. It's all going to be okay. I love Heavenly Father and I know He's there. I've never been more sure.
I love you.
Love,
Søster Pyne
No comments:
Post a Comment