HAPPY 19th to the other Elder Parkinson in Ungarn (Hungary in Norwegian)! It baffles my mind to think that if it weren't for the age change we would both still be in college. Scary thoughts.
We got the car this week and it has revolutionized our proselyting. It makes it a lot easier to visit members and try back investigators we have lost contact with. Nancy, our investigator from Ghana, continues to progress. It was neat to have a reactivated member on the teach that was able to bear some powerful testimony which allowed the spirit to testify to her of the truth. Now, we just have to overcome the same problem we always have: getting her to church. Our other most positive investigator of late is this truth seeking guy from India. He is fascinated that our church is led by a prophet and is working towards baptism. It is interesting how most of the people we teach are not from Norway.
We had splits in Drammen on Saturday. I got to work with Elder Skøien, my old comp, and Elder Naumu who served in Alta when I was in Tromsø. It's cool how much energy splits brings into missionary work. GETS ME PUMPED!!
We had a really cool experience last night. First, I have to backtrack a little bit. A few weeks ago I met this family from Burma with Elder Skøien. We ordered the Joseph Smith pamphlet in Burmese and dropped it off earlier this week. After a ward activity fell through last night we decided to go and try back this family. They let us right in and we started talking about what they read and the message of the restoration in very simple Norwegian. We would ask the father questions and he would always try to change the subject to the gold plates he read about in the pamphlet. So, we taught him about the Book of Mormon like he wanted and his eyes were just lit up the whole time! This full grown man was, I kid you not, literally jumping up and down with excitement! When we told him that the book is not yet translated to Burmese they were very frustrated. The sincerity of this family to be able to read the Book of Mormon really touched me. They are going to try as well as they can in Norwegian and we will try to get them in contact with members from Burma. This church is literally flooding the earth!
I am coming up on my 9 month mark. I am not really very big on milestones like that, but it keeps hitting me how fast this time really goes. Especially with Hannah on her last few weeks!
There was another baptism up in Tromsø which made me happy and a little homesick for my birthplace! I have really enjoyed these first two areas of my mission. Elder Abril is doing awesome! Great guy. It is crazy how fast he has adjusted and how eager he is to work! I feel like I have way more to learn from him than he has to learn from me! Especially when it comes to Swedish, which I make him teach me! Funny: 'å spørre' in norwegian means 'to ask' while in swedish it means 'to beat to death'. That misunderstanding led to a funny encounter with somebody.
Have a great week! Lots of Love!
Eldste Parkinson
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| My two Iranian buddies! The one on the left just moved to Germany! |
