The work in Oslo is exciting! We have an awesome ward mission leader from Scotland who served his mission in Norway several years ago! A lot of great members and a lot of potential to reactivate.
We were able to teach our Icelandic buddy Ari a couple more times this week! He is awesome and getting integrated in with some of the young adults! We were teaching about prayer and invited him to close our lesson with a prayer and he just paused for a long time not knowing what to say. We asked if we could say one first to demonstrate and he blurted out "Yes, Show me!" He said a simple prayer after for the first time in his life and he was beaming after he said Amen.
A couple more crazy stories: 1. Last Sunday on the metro to Church this man overheard two of the other missionaries talking with somebody about Jesus Christ. All the missionaries got off the T-bane (Metro) and started walking to the church as this man decided to jump off after us, epically running to the door sticking his hand in right before the doors closed. He came to church and we have started teaching him! From Eritrea/Ethiopia. 2. On Tuesday night Elder Holden and I had this former investigator we were going to try and visit. We had no phone number, just an address. We were on our way to the T-bane and started talking to this lady that we followed onto a Trikk (Street Car) that we figured would take us to the right area. We gave the lady a pamphlet before she got off and split up to talk some other people. Lo and behold, Elder Holden strikes up a conversation with this man from Nigeria and gets his name and number before we get off the trikk...Turns out this man was the man we were on our way to visit! What?!?! And Oslo is a little bigger than Kongsberg haha! I am not sure what will become of the two people from these stories, but God knows where His sheep are and will set us into their paths when we act on the promptings of the Holy Ghost!
I learned a lot these last few weeks about relying on the Lord. We worked really hard and honestly didn't have time for meals sometime because of travel and unexpected things that came up. But no matter how tired or hungry I was, once I started talking with others about the gospel or teaching lessons I felt more strength and energy than any energy drink, drug, or full night sleep could of given me. It makes me think of my favorite scripture in Isaiah and another one I have found recently:
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
12 And at all times, and in all places, he shall open his mouth and declare my gospel as with the voice of a trump, both day and night. And I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men. (Doctrine and Covenants 24:12)
I'm grateful for the joy this gospel gives me and for my opportunity to dedicate 2 years of my life spreading that joy across Norway!
Have a great week!
Love,
Eldste Parkinson
