Chillin' With My Gnomies in Norway: January 2016

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

I'm on Top of the World! Hey!…Week 73

Hey Guys! :)

Whats up everyone?! Oh my goodness... I am the most North serving sister misisonary in the entire world... ok its not that cool... yes it is! WAHOOOOO! I love Tromsø! We have about 5 to 10 active members that come when they can. They are all wonderful people! I love them already so much! My new and FANTASTIC companion is Søster Larsen... I love this girl so much! She is amazing! She is going to train a brand new missionary after I leave so we are just working our hardest and trying to find more and more people to teach!

Tromsø is BEAUTIFUL and is called "The Paris of Norway". It’s a little cold, and dark and quiet right now BUT it is still amazing! I live on an Island called Troms and there is a HUGE student population here. I have already met a couple of Americans (I love AMERICA!). I have seen the Northern light twice and oh boy...my pictures don’t do them justice! They are so beautiful in person! Words cannot describe! I just feel so small when I stand under them! Heavenly Father has given us a BEAUTIFUL and AMAZING world!

We don't have to many investigators right now but we sure are talking to EVERYONE we see! We are working hard up here! I love my mission so much and I really am grateful for all I have learned. Its crazy to think that it is going to end soon... but I am going out With a BANG! Norway only has 5 more weeks of Søster Neilson the Elder and then they are getting a taste of Søster Neilson the Younger! (The younger is my cousin Brittney who entered the MTC last Wednesday and will arrive a day before I leave!)

The branch President and his wife are Elder and Søster Olsen, a senior couple from Idaho. They are way cute and love this little branch so much! They have only been out on their mission for 4 months. They are greenies! I love them both! :)

I am not sure what else to fill you guys in on... I have only been here a few days but the stories are going to come! I love you all so much! MUAH!

Gud vær med deg til vi sees igjen!

-Søster Neilson

One last HORRAH in Skein!

Seriously…who ice skates OUTSIDE

in the MIDLLE of winter in Norway?!

My California brain can't compute! ;) (mom)

Saying Goodbye and having FUN in Skein! <3

She's truly going to miss this sweet girl! <3

"Hahaha! LOVE these two! He's looking at me

and telling me that I'm CRAZY for wanting

12 children someday! Hahaha!"- Søster Neilson

Tromsø here she comes! Sunset at NOON anyone?!

The Tromsø District!

Her new and adorable companion…

Soster Larsen!

New friends! :)

SO BEAUTIFUL!

The Northern Lights…a GIFT from Heaven!

Monday, January 18, 2016

Farewell Skein and HELLO Tromsø!…Week 72

Note from Darbi:
We didn't get a mass email this week because Haylee found out that she's moving and had TONS to do today to prepare! She is moving 1,000 miles north of Skein to a city called Tromsø. It translates to "Gateway to the Arctic". A few FUN facts: located 217 miles ABOVE the Arctic Circle; currently the sun rises at 11:06AM and sets at 12:26PM which means there's only 80 minutes of sunlight right now; this is the number ONE tourist destination to see the Northern Lights! She is going to miss the people of Skein whom she LOVES dearly. Goodbyes are always tough. <3

Here are a few excerpts from her email to me this morning and LOTS of photos…

I AM MOVING TO TROMSØ!!!!!! Tromsø is called the "Paris" of Norway! I am so excited! I have heard it is just BEAUTIFUL! They are having reindeer races next week and we are going! I am so excited! It’s good to hear that it is warmer up there! It was -1 this morning (on your scale but ours its -18). Yuck! My boogies keep freezing whenever I go outside...and its hard to breathe when I first go out because it is so cold hahaha but then I get used to it :)

I am so excited to go to Tromsø mom. I feels SO right! I had no idea I was moving until Saturday when President called and told us he was closing Skien to Sisters and I was like WHAT?! I know Tromsø is hard and way up there but I actually find a lot of comfort in knowing that I will be there for 6 weeks and I just have to work my hardest and SPREAD THE LOVE! I am so ready to love the heck out of Tromsø! My new companion is an amazing person! Her name is Søster Larsen and she is just such a sweetheart! We have always gotten along really well with her and I am really excited to get to know her better. :)

Mom...I have learned so much on my mission. I just can’t even express how grateful for what the Lord has taught me. I feel so much more accountable for the things I have learned and I KNOW that if I rely on the Lord and hold fast to the iron rod (the scriptures) I will be led in my life and find strength! I find so much comfort in the scriptures mom. I love my Heavenly Father and I am SO excited to continue to learn and grow! Thank you for being my mom :)

Just in case you didn't know…

this is what JOY looks like! <3

"This sweet lady reminds me of Grandma!"
-Soster Neilson :)

Mission Home coziness! <3

Cecily is from Alta! She's been called

to serve a mission in Albania! We have been

teaching her a Mission Prep class via Skype

and finally got to meet her face to face!

BEAUTIFUL Skein…

SERVICE with a happy heart! :)

Great memories with great people! :)

Aww! <3

He's either sad to see Soster Neilson leave

or he's not very happy to have his picture taken!

These members took GREAT care of

our missionary! :)

THANK YOU…

…for your KINDNESS!

Eternally grateful! :)

Happy Hearts!

Beautiful Souls!

"Such GOOD men!" -Soster Neilson

Going to MISS these peeps!…

Monday, January 11, 2016

Craziness!…Week 71

Hello my dear ones!

This last week has just been CRAZY! It has snowed and snowed and SNOWED! We have a good two feet and its a little dangerous to drive. I am currently in the mission home because we are here to visit a girl who is in Oslo. She is leaving for her mission in 2 weeks and me and my companion have been teaching her mission prep for the last 2 and a half months over skype :) She actually lives in Alta (the furthest north city in the world but is just visiting in Olso today! I am so excited to see her in person! :)

How is everyone?! How is the normal life? I bet boring! :) Our investigator came to church yesterday and he is so solid! He loves The book of Mormon and the Mormon church. He is from Syria and only speaks Arabic and a good amount of English. :) In his own words he said about the Book of Mormon: "This is written in such beautiful Arabic! The man who translated this...I want to kiss him!" and then Elder Bunnell (my district leader) throws up his arms and says "I didn't do it!" hahahahaha it was so funny! :) We also sang in church yesterday and when i came back down after singing I sat with our investigator and he said "You sing like honey!" hahaha he is a very good man who loves Jesus Christ and his Heavenly Father. I have learned so much from him and the heart breaking life his people have come from in their war torn country. My heart really goes out to them. What good people!

Nothing else really new to report. Just working hard each and every day! I love you guys! Gud vær med deg til vi sees igjen!

-Søster Neilson :)

Note from Darbi: We only received one photo today because she didn't have her camera cord for the computer at the mission home. So…I added a little bit of Scandinavian folklore for you!

So Haylee decided to name her blog

chillinwithmygnomiesinnorway

because we always associated gnomes

with Scandinavia AND "gnomies"

rhymed with "homies"! Oh how

wrong we were! Gnomes actually

originated in Germany and Holland.

They would be called Tomte in Sweden

and Nisse in Norway! :)

ALL of these little people are

considered to be guardians so

that made it a PERFECT fit for

Søster Neilson!

If you know this girl then you

know that she is the Queen of Silly!

Her little brother turns 18 this

week and she sent this special

birthday picture to him!

It is his birthday wish that this

photo be posted! OH MY!

Monday, January 4, 2016

Happy New Year! SO busy!…Week 70

Hey!

This week was awesome! We got a ton done! We went out and worked hard every day and played hard with our members for new years! We danced around the Christmas tree and ate lots of chocolate! I love my Norway! I hope you all have a great week! :) Love you lots!!!!!!

Gud vær med deg til vi sees igjen!

-Søster Neilson