Week 31

Yo,

Before this week my entire mission has been in one area so it has definitely been really different, but it's been good. There aren't any wards in the north of Norway, only branches. So the work is naturally a lot slower here, especially as I came from one of the busier areas in the mission. With that being said I don't feel like a lot happened this week haha.

According to my mission president, the image of the church has not been super positive here in Tromsø in the past, so a lot of the work they've been doing here recently has been just trying to get out into the community and show that we are normal respectable people. The last 2 transfers here the Elders have been going to eat lunch at the university here every day and going to different activities around the community. Respectfully, I don't feel like that's what I'm here to do as a missionary, so me and my companion have been trying to brainstorm what we can do to get the work going here. After the last 2 transfers he is also wanting to start getting stuff going here as well. But, we still are doing some stuff to be in the community, also just as a good way to meet people. On Thursday we went to a Bible study group at the university, which was good. My companion said when they started going to that a few weeks ago they were very strict about taking tags off and stuff, but now they were super nice and respectful and I enjoyed it. 

My companion is a really good tennis player, so that is another cool thing that they've been doing up here. Basically he got in contact with someone who runs a tennis place here, and somehow managed to start teaching a walk in clinic once a week. Apparently after the first week all 5 people that came signed up for a second class, which is rare for this place, so the director was really happy with it and wants him to keep teaching it. My companion himself said he thinks it's been good to serve the community in that way, but he said that because it has not been an effective way to find people he thinks we'll probably stop doing it in a few weeks. But regardless it is cool that he's been able to do it. 

Because my companion in my previous area was getting a brand new missionary for his new companion, and those missionaries don't come in until a few days into the transfer, on Friday I was able to have an online call with Franklin (who is on baptismal date and who I talked about last email a lot) because he had not gotten his new companion yet. Well, he actually ended up being with some other Elders in another area and was in a lesson, so it ended up being just me on the call, which was good. Me and Franklin talked for a really long time and had a great discussion. Everything I taught him he repeated back to me to make sure that he was understanding it right. Every conversation I have with him I am just so shocked how ready for and committed to the gospel he is. Unfortunately since that call, no one has had any contact with him, which really really sucks. Like I just said, the conversations we have had have been way too good, so I'm trying to assume the best, but it definitely has been super disappointing for me. I would appreciate it if you could all pray for Franklin!

On Friday I had a lesson, also an online call, with one of the basically 2 people we are teaching here. Though we aren't teaching a lot of people here, he himself is super receptive of everything and is very ready for the gospel. We talked about the Book of Mormon a lot, and even about baptism a little bit, so it was a really good lesson. He unfortunately lives an hour away which makes things difficult, but I look forward to working with him. 

At church on Sunday we had 9 people there (not including missionaries), and 5 of them were a family that lives 3 hours away and is normally not there. So that gives you a pretty good idea of what we're working with up here. We do have a good amount of people that watch online though which is good. Right after I sat down in sacrament meeting, one of the 2 consistent ladies that come to church tapped on my shoulder and just said, "You're too tall, sit behind me please"😂😂. Definitely an interesting lady but I gladly moved a few rows back lol. 

One thing that has been on my mind a lot this week has been personal revelation. And frankly, has been something that has felt really urgent. If me and my companion can't receive answers to prayers on how to find people in this area, there's not going to be any progress. I feel like the term "personal revelation" is something that is used so frequently in the church but is something that is very rarely expounded upon. Growing up I always heard church leaders, seminary teachers, and even family members talk about their experiences receiving personal revelation, and it honestly never seemed like something replicable or something that I myself could do. We are always told to pray and read the scriptures to receive answers, but how is that actually done? Well, on my mission I've been able to at least scratch the surface of what that looks like for me. I think teaching these things to people who don't have any experience with it has also helped me to dumb down what it really means. I think the main thing that I've learned is that it is unique for each person, and that it is something that actually requires work. Just like anything else in life, you can't just expect to be good at something you have never tried or done before. It has to be a priority. I read 2 Nephi 9 this week and there were a few verses in it that stood out to me:

"28 ... When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

39 O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.

42 And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them."

There are a bunch of variations of what verse forty two says, essentially just that if you ask, you're going to receive an answer. I like how this verse points out the need for humility though. If we aren't humble to God's will, and ready for any possible answer, why would God give it to us? Verse thirty nine reminds us of the implications of making decisions that aren't in line with God, and I think that is a key part in receiving revelation as well. If we're not making decisions that show we care about God, or "spiritually-minded", we aren't capable of receiving answers. Those are a lot of jumbled thoughts, but I think the main takeaway I have realized on my mission, and especially this week in my new area, is that personal revelation is something that is essential in our lives and something that we need to constantly work at. I like this reminder from President Nelson: "I renew my plea for you to do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation."

Lyric-"Glory to God, answered my mama in prayers"

-Vince Staples