Wednesday, May 28, 2014

WE HAD A TON OF SUCCESS IN OUR AREA! I AM GETTING PUSHED AND STRETCHED LIKE I NEVER HAVE BEFORE!

Heia!

Life has been insanely crazy these past couple weeks. It is almost impossible to describe.  We had a ton of success in our area!  We found 9 new investigators and got 3 baptismal dates in the course of the week.  That would have made it crazy enough, but on top of that we also had to plan moves! 

Like you saw last week we spent several long nights in the office trying to get everything done for moves.  There has not been a whole lot of sleep going on here haha.  It has been so good though.  I am getting pushed and stretched like I never have before!  I feel like I am growing a ton again and learning more and more each day.

This week is turning into some more busy stuff, the office work is beginning to pile up...  We have been in the office all day and I don't think I have time to write really.  

I feel way bad!  I will make up on Monday, or at least I hope I will! 

I hope that everything is going well with you!

Jeg elsker deg!

Dallin

Monday, May 19, 2014

18 month mark (on the 14th) and 17 Mai (Constitution Day)

Heia!

Well, this week has been insane.  It seems like I just talked to you guys but at the same time it feels like that was ages ago!  I really don't understand how time works here in the mission haha.

Anyways.  There were definitely a couple things that were huge this week. One of the first things that happened this week was splits with Elder W!  We did that on Wednesday.  I was supposed to go originally with Elder E, but because of some extenuating circumstances we had to switch some stuff.  So I went on Tuesday night to Oslo with Elder Wh and dropped him and then Elder W and I came back together to Sandvika where we worked all day Wednesday.  It was a solid day, we worked really hard and got a lot of stuff done.  It was way cool to be with Elder W again and we had a good time! 

I was kind of bummed that I didn't go with Elder E though!  It was our 18 month mark this past week, and we would have been together the exact day that we went into the MTC together.  (Mom commentary - Dallin and Elder E are the only 2 missionaries from his MTC group!) Anyways, that was just some wishful thinking haha.

Other than that we were doing a lot of different stuff here in Sandvika.  We had to get ready for 17. mai.  That was a blast! I sent some pictures home already but it really was insane. The entire city of Oslo was filled!  There must have been millions of people in the streets during that day.  All of them in their traditional dress (each one of which costs about six thousand dollars)!  I think that is the coolest part!  It is also the one day that we feel normal as missionaries, because all of the guys are wearing suits!  We fit right in. 

The day was sweet though. We woke up and had all of the missionaries meet at our apartment at 9.  We then all took the t-bane into town.  We stood right outside the palace and watched the parade with the King (he was sitting on his balcony)!  Then after that we all went to the mission home and had a huge bar-b-que.  It was awesome.  We ate hotdogs and sloppy joes and all sorts of good food.  It was fun to see all the missionaries too.  

It is kind of hard to really describe the day in all of its emotions though.  You just feel like you are a part of the country.  I sure do love the place!

Finally a little bit more about what we did this week with the investigators. G and R are both gone.  They moved and are trying to find work somewhere else now... that was way sad.  We did however find some others that are way positive.  We taught a brazilian family on friday.  They were so awesome.  We had contacted the father while we were on the street and he invited us to come and teach the whole family.  We got there and his wife and two sons were there too.  They were all so accepting of the message.  They loved to feel the spirit and wanted it more in their lives.  They committed to family prayer and scirpture study and were really excited for us to come back.  So that was really cool.  The best part was just to have the kneeling prayer with them when we were done.  It was amazing to see the family come together like that! 

Anyways there was a lot of other stuff but I think I will just leave it at that.  It was a awesome week!  One of the ones I will always remember. 

This week we're preparing for moves again.  That means buying more plane, train, and all sorts of tickets and lots of other stuff.  So yep.  We also get to go to TRONDHEIM this week! I am super pumped to go back!  It has been too long, but at last I return.  We are just doing some splits with the ZLs there.  It should be a good week!

Jeg elsker deg så mye!

Eldste Jones







Monday, May 12, 2014

Dallin's P-Day Changed to Saturday this Week for the May Day Celebration

Dallin warned me yesterday he would not be writing today because his p-day this week had been changed to Saturday because of the celebration in Norway this Saturday.  He also warned me that he probability would not write that day because they would be busy all day.  So I won't hear from him until next week!

But, yesterday's conversation was great!  Here are some highlights:

He is busy, busy, busy!
He loves, loves, loves everything about his mission (the land, the people, teaching the gospel, the language, learning, EVERYTHING)!
He has learned more than he could ever have imagined he would have.
He wouldn't trade his current assignment but misses proselyting full-time.
Says Norway is the prettiest place on earth!
He is supposed to come home November 11 but may extend to December 11.
He is down to 202 and has a goal of breaking 200 by this Saturday.  So skinny and looks incredibly handsome!!
He has very little time for cooking so he lives on Norwegian chocolate!  Who wouldn't love that?
He and his companion have "Frosty Fridays" and he says they make them exactly like Wendy's.

I am proud of the man that he is/has become!!

Monday, May 5, 2014

I AM LEARNING TO BALANCE TIME A WHOLE LOT BETTER. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED ATTENTION, SO YOU GOT TO PLAN A LOT TO GET IT ALL DONE!

Heia!

Well, this week has been insane.  But before I get there, those pictures were also insane! Where did those girls come from?  Sawyer is seriously a completely different person!  I cannot even believe.  Also, when did Jordan start wearing make-up?  When did everyone grow up!?  Sorry for the rant, I am just confused.  Also, I must note how jealous I am that you got to go to the angels game!  That sounds amazing right now!

On to the past week for me.  It was literally insane.  I have never been more busy in my entire life. the journal will have to describe it in more detail because I cannot do it adequately in this email.  But I can answer some questions!

I guess you can tell by now that the week was definitely not slower.  We did a lot of driving and shuffling missionaries. We got to introduce the new missionaries to the mission and say goodbye to the return ones.  We ate a ton of really good food with Sister Evans.  She made dinner for the arriving and departing missionaries, so that was two meals, and she also made lunch for the trainers.  So that was awesome.  Their home is a 10 minute drive from the office and the office is a 10 minute drive from us.  They really are all just 10 minutes from each other.  So that is really nice actually.  

The office couple's name is the Allens.  They are from Oregon some place.  They are awesome!  I love working with them so much.  I couldn't ask for anything better.  

As for the investigators, we haven't had a whole lot of time to work with them.  But we have a guy named  G that we are working with.  He has a date for the 28 of May.  We are pretty sure he will make it.  We just have to be better at meeting with him.  I am learning how to balance time a whole lot better.  There are a lot of different things that need attention, so you got to plan a lot to get it all done!

Anyways, I don't have plans for next Sunday yet.  I haven't gotten that far ahead. But I will be in the office throughout the week so I will shoot you an email a little later about that.

I don't have any pictures!  I have been really bad a taking them!  I will try and do it soon though!

Jeg elsker deg so mye!

Din sønn,
Eldste Jones