The best way to be a good missionary is to be a friend. I realized this last week. I spend 10 hours every day being a good friend. I am only effective here if I really love these people. But the more I try to love the more love we get back. There must be something about missionaries because people like to be around us. People who investigated the church but choose not to get baptised still come around often to be with us. If we don't call certain people they notice and ask why we didn't call. They think it is strange if they go 3 days without talking to us. I was worried because I didn't want to ''be annoying,'' but the amount of people who thank us for calling makes me worry less. One person can make a huge difference. One phone call can make a huge difference.
I'm just lovin' missionary work. First, we are teaching a man named *. He is thinking about getting baptised in August. He is from * and so nice. I didn't know if much would happen after the first time we taught him because he didn't seem to be searching, but we told him about The Book of Mormon and told him to start reading in it. Ever since then we meet with him a few times a week. He invited us over to his house for lunch the other day. He made us traditional * food that was so good. It was some sort of sponge tortilla thing that you use to soak up all the gooey, sludgy stuff. You don't use silverware and you get real dirty, but it tastes real good. He doesn't speak much Norwegian and when we told him he was a good cook he smiled. So now we call him * and he laughs. He gets really happy when we teach him. Yesterday he came to church, and when we called him later in the evening to see how he was doing he said he was really happy because he went to church today. I am so glad for *. I am so glad he would listen and so glad that he is happy.
We also got invited to have dinner with *'s mother and brother. They are an adorable family, and even though the rest of the family isn't interested in the gospel, they are still loving and accepting of us and *. Her mom made us a whole stack of Norwegian waffles. I loved waffles before I came, now I can't get enough. Norwegian waffles are always in little heart shapes; they don't skimp on the details. It makes me real happy.
Also big news this week...I taught the first lesson in Spanish. I was on the bus one day and I heard two people who I just knew were from Chile. I could here that drawn out ''ado'' from across the bus. So I said, that is it...I'm going to teach those people. I got off the bus and ran after them and started talking to them. They where from *. So I said I was a missionary and I shared El Libro and that I really wanted to share it with them because it made me so happy. They both gave me their number and on Saturday we taught *. He remembers the Church from when he was in * 9 years ago. In fact, his mom was investigating just before she passed away and he also has a member sister and friend still in *. I was so happy that I could teach him and I have never wanted to hug someone so much on my mission. He smiled and said he would read The Book of Mormon. Another thing that was pretty cool is that I usually struggle quite a bit trying to switch from Norwegian to Spanish, but when I really needed to I could just use it without thinking to much about it. I had never practiced teaching about Joseph Smith before. It is all these small miracles that happen everyday that make me so happy to be a missionary.
Finally, I just love how happy the gospel makes people, especially me. I have never been so consistently happy every day. I think back to when I didn't make the gospel a top priority, I didn't have the same passion for each and every day and each and every person I met. I know we all have a purpose here and also that God loves every single one of us very much.
It is officially the end of my first transfer. Søster J says it only gets better the longer you are out-- but I can't imagine it getting much better than this. She also says each transfer goes by quicker and quicker. That last one was so fast that I think my last transfer will feel like an hour, maybe two. I'm still staying in * and I still am with Søster J. I love her so I am real happy we have two more months together.
2 months without seeing darkness...ever. Unless I'm in the bathroom and Søster J turns the light off because it is on the outside. That really is the only time it has been dark.
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