Return of the hat rack

Heisann! This past week was the week of conferences. We had zone conference, and Stake conference and I was so lucky to get to see a lot of people that I haven't seen in a long time. After several months, I was finally reunited with my parents, Sister Belus and Sister Pond. I felt like I was in a movie and it was one of those slow motion scenes where the characters see each off in the distance and time slows down as they run dramatically towards each other. It was so good to see them again. 

Elder Sabin of the 70 and his wife came to talk to us. They are such amazing people who have learned to rely on the Lord so much. They talked to us about how important it is for the Norwegian people and everyone else around the world to understand their identity what their mission is in life. I have seen this reacurring theme in general conference with Brian K. Taylor's talk, President and Sister Nelson's talks in the Hope of Isreal Youth Broadcast, and also with the people that we come in contact with and their need to understand the meaning of their life. Elder Sabin said that we are here to invite people home. Everyone on this earth is here because they chose to come here. It is our responsibility to turn them to God so that he can teach them what their divine potential is through Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to be a part of the Lord's work.

We had a lesson right after zone conference with Patrick and we were able to apply the things that we learned in Zone conference and help him understand a little bit more how Jesus Christ can help him. It was one of our more spiritual lessons with him and I know that he felt something.

Søster Ogletree and I were able to see Fred because he came down from Ålesund for Stake Conference. He texted us saying that he was coming and that "Carbs are never a bad idea". He made us two big pans of his famous chocolate cake!!! I think that he had a prompting that it is both my birthday and Søster Ogletree's half birthday this week. It reminded me of the story manna from heaven.

Stake Conference was so powerful. There were a couple of RM's that spoke and our MMK also spoke. It was focused a lot on missionary work and how we need to be using more of our time and energy to further the work. A lot of the members came up to us after asking if we could teach investigators in their homes and what else they could do to help. I love this ward!

My hands are freezing up it is getting so cold here, but I will tell you just a couple more things:

• We went to the musical on friday and gave out Books of Mormons again. This time there was a lot of people that stuck around and talked to us about what we believed in. There was a couple that the Oslo missionaries are now going to start teaching and several people that we stopped walking past the theater that took a book. One man I stopped after I had grabbed another book of Mormon because I had the sudden urge that there was someone walking by that I needed to talk to. He is religious and we had a really good conversation about who God is. I was able to share my testimony with him of the Book of Mormon and he took a copy. I don't know what will come of it, but it is very reassuring to me that I was in the right place at the right time because I followed the promptings of the spirit. 
• The last thing is that we had dinner with Finn and Elaine Engstrøm, friends of my grandma's boss. What a small world it is! It was really a tender mercy to talk with people that I have mutual friends with. Finn is also very flink with family history and he said that he is going to help me! 

That is about it for this week! I hope that you are all enjoying fall. I would like to extend a challenge to all of you that the Stake President gave to us this past Sunday. He invited us to pray for the courage to use the missionary opportunities around us. Missionary work takes many forms and I know that there are missionary opportunities every day. It is just up to us to act on them. I am so happy that I can be a part of furthering the Lord's work! 

Love, Søster Starkie