Half way?!

August 21, 2018

Half way?!

This week I passed my half-way point and I can't believe how fast time is going! Other than having "living on a prayer" by Bon Jovi stuck in my head all week, I have been reflecting a lot over what I have done on my mission so far and what I want to accomplish in these next 9 months. In my most recent interview with President Tew, he asked me that exact same question. I realized that it doesn't really matter how many people I have taught, how many hours I have been out Banking, or even how many people I baptize. All of those things are just ways to measure the overall desire that I do have. That is to influence others lives for the better by bringing them to Christ. And because I can't always see the results of my efforts, I have to rely on the peaceful feeling of the spirit that everything that I am trying to do is making a difference and that Heavenly Father is helping me to do his will.

This past week we Søster Ogletree and I have visited a member here and have done missionary related activities with her. Susan Weggersen is amazing and is so enthusiastic about missionary work. We made a plan to serve people with her every week and we have seen amazing miracles along the way. Just yesterday, we were walking back to her house on a trail through the trees and stopped to talk to this lady about her dog along the way. Eventually, Søster Ogletree talked about why we were here in Norway and the gospel came up. Susan was amazing and testified of the gospel so strongly. The spirit was evident and I know that woman felt something because she then asked us in detail what the holy ghost was and what it felt like. It was so special to see how Heavenly Father makes everything work. We had moved our planned activity from wednesday to monday last minute and who knows if we would have been on the same trail as that lady any other day of the week.

We met with Kenn again and he continues to be as amazing as ever! Everytime that we meet with him I am amazed at his knowledge of the Bible and how easily he is able to believe the things that we teach him. I am convinced that he is prepared to accept the gospel and to know again the things that he knows to be true from the life before. Many of the converts here in the Drammen menighet talk about the feeling of familiarity and of coming home when they hear the gospel. Kenn has such a desire to learn and to come closer to Jesus Christ and has a strong desire to get baptised.

We were able to meet with Thomas again and we tesified to him again of how the things that we were teaching him will bless his life. Søster Ogletree felt impressed that what he needs right now is to know who Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ really are. I remembered a list of scriptures in PMG that are passages in the Book of Mormon to help people to understand who Jesus Christ and God are. We are now going to read through the Book of Mormon with him and Gunnel, the member we had on the teach. This past week I have been reminded over and over again of how important it is for us to understand who God and Jesus Christ are and our relationship to them. Brian K Taylor said "Coming to know our Father changes everything, especially our hearts, as His gentle Spirit confirms our true identity and great worth in His sight.33 God walks with us along the covenant path as we seek Him through prayerful pleadings, scriptural searchings, and obedient strivings"

I have come to know the truthfulness of this as I have strived to come closer to my Father in Heaven over the course of these past 9 months.

We were able to go to the musical again to give out Books of Mormon. I had this one family talk to me after and ask me questions. The dad asked me jokingly if I was brainwashed. I was able to show him Moroni's promise and tesify that the knowledge I had came from God and not any man. A book that encourages people to find out from God for themselves is in no way a book that tries to brainwash others. Everyone in the family was very nice and I realized how far I have come in the language because I was able to be myself. The gift of tongues is real and I know that Heavenly Father is helping me more than I realize.

Sorry that this email is so long, but I have a few funny things that happened this week!

We met this teenage boy band on the street called walk down the rainbow. They were from Norway, Ireland, Canada, and Mexico. They reminded me a little bit of the movie Sing Street. They were all really funny and they gave us stickers with their logos on it. The boy from Norway was actually interested in what we believed in and was christian himself. He took a Book of Mormon and said that he was going to read it. They said that they were on the radio earlier that morning and that their music is on Spotify. Look them up, they might be going places.
I may or may not be betrothed now. One of the people that we are teaching's husband asked if I was married and then told me that I should marry his son. Haha! He is pretty old and not all the way there, but he made a pretty good case with telling me that all of his other sons are doctors.
We were cleaning the church and one of the members filled up the baptismal font. We thought that he knew something that we didn't! Turns out that he was just checking the water temperature.
We are slowly getting to know all of our neighbors. We made no-bake cookies and delivered them to several people. At first they are a little shocked because that is in no way Norwegian culture, but after that we explain that we are american they seem to relax a little bit. We found out that a family that we live next to is Irish! They talked about how they thought they were going crazy because they kept on hearing people speaking english walking by their house. They are so nice!

Sorry again for the long email! I love missionary work! My days are always filled with amazing experiences as I dedicate my life to the Lord's work. I love you all and hope that all of you have survived going back to school. Vi snakkes!

Love, Søster Starkie