Soster Blankmeyer: A Boat, A Gun, and A Few White Handbooks Later...

Alright, what a week this has been. I know I pretty much say that every week but it really is an adventure every day here in Norway! Last Monday after logging off my email we had our little branch FHE. We had decided to all be tourists together for a day and we took a hike up fjellstua which is a big tourist attraction here in Ålesund. After a quick 418 stairs we made it to the top and wow was that view breathtaking. Living in Ålesund is unlike anything else I have ever experienced in my life and I am truly blessed to have started my mission out here on the gorgeous west coast! I loved being able to look down on my city here in Norway and recognize all the cool experiences I have been blessed with thus far and be able to recognize all the cute little shops we frequent and you can even see our Bakeri church building from the top of fjellstua which is way awesome. Growing up in a big city, it's cool to be able to live in a cute little Norwegian town and be able to climb up a mountain and look down on the city and know every street and building within view. I took so many photos so I plan to keep this blog post a bit shorter so that I can post more photos and not completely overwhelm all of you reading! Also I found a friendly cat and was able to get a picture with it, so something to look forward to! Anyways, if any of you ever happen to make it to Ålesund, Norway you have to hike fjellstua and take in the beauty that is Norway!

our Bakeri Church building

restaurant at the top

tourist for the day

This week we were able to have our Sister Training Leaders come and visit us. Sadly, Søster Ralphs ended up getting way sick and had to stay in both days with one of the STLs but I was able to do some amazing missionary work with both of the STLs during their visit to Ålesund! It was really cool to learn from the Sister Training Leaders as they are both going home next week and are obviously very seasoned sister missionaries.There were a lot of cool experiences and awesome miracles happening those two days. Since we couldn't really go to many of our appointments without Søster Ralphs, me and the STLs had a lot of time to go out and try and find some people who have been prepared to hear the gospel! While we were out talking to people on the street something really cool happened, people starting coming up to us! We would start up a conversation with someone and then I would hear "Søster Blankmeyer" or even "Abigail Blankmeyer" which was way different! Considering Ålesund is a pretty small city and I may or may not have talked to pretty much everybody living here, it was cool to have people come up to me and recognize me. I have really grown to love the people here in Ålesund. I have been able to make so many friendships and that is by far my favorite part of missionary work. I am a firm believer that people have their agency and don't always want to listen to our message but that doesn't mean we can't just love them and be a good representative of Christ and his church here in Norway. I am so thankful for the friendships I have made here in Ålesund and that will make leaving it (whenever that day may come) so much harder, but what a cool thing to be able to say that you made such wonderful friendships with the people that it made leaving them hard. I love the people of Norway!

While I was out on splits with Søster Randall (one of the STLs) she got a text from one of her member friends in Oslo saying she wanted us to go and visit her Mom here in Ålesund. Of course we wanted to go and visit this member's non-member mother so we asked her how we could get to her mother's house. She told us to go and hike up fjellstua and look down at the city and find the big pink house near the water, so in our skirts and all I got to hike up the 418 stairs again to try and find this house! We get to the top and start to look down at the city. Let me tell you, I don't think I've ever seen so many pink houses near a body of water before in my life! We ended up spending a couple hours hiking up and down and trying to find this house. We eventually got an address and were able to find this lady's mother and sing to her. That was a way cool experience. I had never thought of singing a primary song or hymn as missionary work, but of course it is! I love music and am so excited to start incorporating that into my missionary work here in Norway! That was a way cool lesson that the STLs taught us, that missionary work is not just going out and talking to everyone out on the street. It is a big part of missionary work to do that, but we can also do missionary through service and song, as well as many other daily activities! I would challenge you all to find a simple way to share the gospel with those around you. It doesn't have to be a song, but just a tiny act of service or something to brighten someones day.

pink house?

Speaking of service, we were able to help our Dutch friends with yardwork on Saturday and I was able to pet two of their adorable cats!! That was a tender mercy. I just love cats! We have an investigator who wants to get a hairless cat and buy it some cute Norwegian sweaters to wear so that it doesn't get too cold. I'll let you know if she ends up committing to that! It really was a week full of cats which was really a party for me!

We also had a branch party this past week. We went and had hot dogs and brownies and such on an island nearby where we live. We got permission from President to take one of our member's boats out to this island and man was that cool to see Ålesund from the water! This town is beyond stunning and I can't stress that enough! I just love Ålesund!

I also love all the wonderful packages and letters that I received this week!! I just want to give a special shoutout to the Academy Ward primary for writing such sweet letters to me! I know I was only in that ward for a short period of time but I feel so much love from all the members there. Thank you for all the kind letters and words of encouragement! Also special shoutout to Ava and Cam and that wonderful family! I loved getting your letters in my package this morning! I can't wait to come and hang out with you all when I get back home! Of course, I can't say enough thanks to my own wonderful family! Thanks for the AMAZING letters and package! I loved getting a card from my cat! That letter was killer!! You all are the best and can't wait for Christmas in just a short 195 days!

Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! You are the best! Thanks for being such a wonderful example to me and for being just the absolute best man in the entire world! I really lucked out with you! Thanks for all you do and I hope you have a wonderful birthday! Can't wait to come and celebrate with you in 2018! Most of all Dad, thanks for teaching this Texas girl how to shoot a gun! In honor of your birthday, our Relief Society President let me shoot her (air soft gun? you guys may need to clarify what kind of a gun I was shooting. It wasn't like a real gun). These pics are for you! Love you tons!!