Okay first off, I finished a whole tube of toothpaste by myself this week... WEIRD! And second, MISSIONARY WORK IS THE BEST!!! :) So I got a new companion this week named Søster Hartley... holy cow she is amazing! She is from Idaho and grew up on an onion farm with her 7 brothers and sisters. Fun fact, she is about half my size! She is a fireball! We get so much done together! She is such an amazing trainer, and is always telling me how good my Norwegian is (she is WAY too good to me!)
Thanksgiving was awesome this week! I don't think I have had so many Thanksgiving meals in my life! The members here are so sweet and try so hard to make us feel at home. I love them so much! Norwegian mashed potatoes consist of, a baked potato... that's about it! Hahahaha! On Thursday we had a legitimate American Thanksgiving meal with all the missionaries in the city of Trondheim. There are 10 of us including the senior couple Elder and Soster Rappeley. The mashed potatoes at that meal consisted of potatoes, BUTTER, sour cream, cream cheese and salt and pepper.... I wonder why Americans are over weight. ;) We went around the table and expressed what we are grateful for. When it go to Elder Rappeley, he got very chocked up and said "It is very hard to be away from our family, but I am sure grateful for you sweet spirits and that we can serve with you."......... I BROKE DOWN! Such a sweet man! I love the senior couple here! They love us crazy missionaries so much!
We helped our bishop's inactive brother move in the dark of the day! Hahaha it was about 3:30 and totally dark outside! We only had about 45 minutes because we had a dinner appointment but with all 8 of us missionaries we got it done in 30 minutes, and then we had 15 minutes to visit and share the gospel... SUCH a miracle! The Lord is so good!
Søster Hartley and I were doing something called "Bonking" which is when we go knock on doors and share the gospel with the people that don't slam the door in our faces :) So we were walking our merry way down the road and I saw this little dirt road that looked like there was nothing down it but i felt prompted to go. So I skipped myself over there and we found a house…I knocked on the door! A lady answered and invited us in! We were able to teach her about the Restoration. It was so amazing! She was interested and so kind! I felt so blessed to meet her!
Another time we were contacting and we saw this guy smoking so naturally we walked right up to him. I said "Hallo! Vi er misjonærene fra Jesu Kristi kirke! tror du på Gud?" ("Hello! we are missionaries from Jesus Christ church! Believe you on God?" that's the exact translation. Norwegian is so beautiful!) and he looked at us and said in English, "I'm sorry I don't speak Norwegian." ........... MUSIC TO MY EARS! His name is Raf and he was in his early 20s from England. He was so interested in what we had to say! We talked with him for about 30 minutes on the street and he was so excited to hear our message! He moved to Denmark yesterday so he is going to start meeting with the missionaries there. Yay! He kept telling sister Hartley and I how beautiful and kind we were. He told us never to drink and that if everyone was like us in the world, the world would be a perfect place. Hahahaha! So funny!
We met this adorable girl named Lillian this week. Our first lesson with her she looked at us and said "Can I get baptized now?" uhhhhhhhh I think we can work it out! Hahahaha...She is so amazing! We invited her to church and she said she would go. I'm not going to lie, we were lacking in the faith that she was going to come but she did! We ran up to her and gave her hugs and she said "I told you I would come!" Ah! She is so cute!
I found my first homeless man in Trondheim on Friday! I was so excited! I ran up to him and we started talking. His name is Florea (Flower) and he is from Romania! He speaks NO Norwegian and a TINY BIT of English! He smells like cigarettes and has a beautiful smile of missing teeth. I love this man! He came to church on Sunday and kissed my hand. SO sweet! His wife is very sick and when the teacher had him stand to introduce himself in Sunday school he tried to explain how grateful he was for Jesus Christ and how grateful he is for missionaries but he couldn't finish because he began to cry. This old man is incredible! He has a beautiful singing voice and so much love and respect for everyone! I made him a few peanut butter and jelly's and sent him on his way after church. Such a sweet man!
Side note: Soster Neilson emailed her photos today (Monday) and had a sequel to her Romanian friend…"I saw my homeless friend today (Monday) and every time I see him I give him food. Today I gave him an apple. He sells flowers on the street and he gave me a beautiful white rose and kissed my forehead!!!! I love him!!!!"
In Noway we do this thing called an advent. There are 4 candles that are lit every Sunday until Christmas, and last night we went to the first advent in centrum! (The center of the city). It was so fun and beautiful! One of our members took us. We then went into a church to listen to the choir that was being recorded and podcast to all of Norway and us, and once we walked in, all the cameras turned to us..... holy cow it was scary! BUT AWESOME! Hahaha so I was on TV I guess! Wahoo!!!!!!
Well my beautiful family and friends. I love you all so much and I am so grateful to be a missionary of this amazing church!!!!!!! Gud vær med deg til vi sees igjen!
-Søster Neilson =)
The rose from her Romanian Homeless Friend!
He makes her heart SMILE!
Christmas has arrived in Trondheim! :)
Their American Thanksgiving Dinner!
Complete with all the glutinous trimmings!
International Thanksgiving Meal! I guess the missionaries made PB&J sandwiches because its American. Hahaha…and probably because its cheap! :)
Soster Neilson captioned this one:
"Elder Shanklin and his peeps!"
Turning on the lights at the Centrum (center of the city)!
Soster Neilson LOVES getting snail mail!
The RS in the Los Alisos Ward sent her Christmas greetings and MADE her day!
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