IT IS MY POWERFUL TESTIMONY THAT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS MEANT TO CHANGE US.

Heia igjen!

Well I am now 20.  So that is definitely a little different! But I am glad to hear that things are going well at home at that you guys enjoyed conference so much!  I am way jealous to hear that you actually got to go to conference!  Cool to hear that you and Tay got to go together as well, still haven't heard from him...

But ya as far as the week goes here, it was a pretty good one!  We had a lot of different things going on this week.  We got to help a guy move his house, and I almost forgot.  I GOT TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS!

It was way sweet.  One of the members here told us that they would be out and so we went onto our balcony and looked up and there they were!  Unfortunately there was a ton of fog so we couldn't see the definition of them but we could see waves of green flowing through the sky!  It was one of the most surreal experiences!  It is actually a peak year for the Northern lights so we should be seeing them again here sometime soon.  Hopefully next time without the hindrance of fog.

Other than that though conference was amazing as usual.  We got the opportunity to watch it here in the church with the exception of one session where we watched it at the senior couples home.  That was way nice, they made us mexican food of some variety that was really good.  It was wierd though because it felt like I was back at home sitting on the couch watching conference.  So it was nice to come back to church and watch it in the chapel. Here in Norway most people like watching it in English so that was what was played here in the chapel.  They had the Norwegian feed going in another room. 

I have to say that my favorite session was again priesthood session.  I really can't believe how inspired the messages are that come to us through the prophets. It is hard for me to pick a favorite talk though this year.  I felt like they all had profound spiritual truth. I felt like one of the themes of the conference this time was repentance and the atonement.  I really enjoyed the theme as it allows us all to regain perspective on life and ourselves.  That is the definition of repentance after all.  It can be easy to get caught up in the things around us whether they be work, school, politics,calamity, publicity, or any number of things; but at the end of the day we are here to learn to become like God.  It is expected that we make mistakes, go through hard times, suffer hardship because of others, and/or become discouraged.  This conference reminded us of the God given gift of the atonement.

It is my powerful testimony that the gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to change us.  That we have the opportunity to learn godliness here in this life.  I know that I make mistakes everyday, whether they be language mistakes, leadership mistakes, plain old missionary mistakes, and/or average mistakes.  But I have the opportunity every week to partake of the sacrament and renew my covenants to get better.  I have the ability to literally become a new person every week free of sin, regret, sorrow, or pain.  We have the gift of living water that springs up into everlasting life.  A perfect everlasting life.

Jeg vet at min frelser lever.  Han har død for meg, og for hele menneskeheten.  Det har motivert meg å gå fremover med tro og håp.  Jeg vet at frelseren min har gitt meg muligheten å tjene sine andre barn.  Jeg har en mulighet å gi denne gleden til alle som er rundt meg! Hvor strålende kallet mitt er!

Translation: I know that my redeemer lives. He died for me and for all humanity. It has motivated me to move forward with faith and hope. I know that my Saviour has given me the opportunity to live again. I have an opportunity to give this joy to everyone around me! How glorious is my calling!

Jeg elsker deg så mye!

Din sønn

Eldste Jones 

I guess I forgot to mention my birthday... it was pretty great.  The district made me dinner and sister H made me texas sheet cake.  So I really don't think that I could have asked for anything more haha.

As far as things are going with the leadership and stuff though, I think things are going pretty good still.  I really do enjoy leading, especially as a district leader.  It is amazing to be able to help others and see them learn and grow.  But to answer your underlying question, yes mom, I am happy!  There are always things that need to be done, things to learn, others to help, but that just makes it easier to be happy cause I am busy.

I think that I have just been struggling to learn how to learn I think.  I feel like I can do it better, more efficiently, quicker even.  I am still lacking the motivation to do it for some reason though, same old problem haha.  So I have just been trying to figure out how to get motivation to push myself to new heights that I know are there, that I have just never hit.  So it has been an interesting learning opportunity.  One that is still eluding me at this point. One day I will figure it out!

anyways I am done rambling.

Love you again

dallin