Making The Difference

Well I just finished up my second and last transfer here in Kristiansand. Come Wednesday I'll be leaving the south to go and serve in the northernmost area that sister missionaries can serve in the entire WORLD! The city is called Tromsø if any of you are curious as to just how north that really is. 

I am really excited to start this new adventure. I know that I will need to rely on the Lord for help as I serve in this new area and I know that as long as I do my part that the Lord will provide. It's going to be great!

This week has become rather hectic with all the goodbyes and with our friend Aida leaving for her mission to the Phillipines so I apologize in advance if this blog post is not up to par. I decided this week that I would focus on the word 'differences.' I really had no idea what I was going to write about this week. I figured of course I could write about Kristiansand and the special place it has in my heart or write about something I was able to learn from the people here but then a couple of nights ago as Søster Davis and I were making cookies I was given an idea. Søster Davis and I were talking and were just reflecting back on our time together here in Kristiansand. At this point we were unaware of which one of us would be leaving but we did know that one of us would for sure be moving on. We were both excited but also pretty nervous to see what our future would hold so instead of focusing on the future we decided to focus on the past and all the memories that we had made here together in Kristiansand. It was great. 

I'll be the first to admit that Søster Davis and I are two very different individuals. She likes math, I like clothes. She likes alone time, I like people. She has 7 siblings, I have 3. She's from Utah and I'm from Texas. We are two very different people. We grew up in different families with different rules in different states. We stress about different things. We have different likes and interests and yet we are similar where it really counts. We both love the gospel. We both came to Norway to serve the people here and we both are children of a Heavenly Father who loves us for our differences.

Growing up in Texas with not that many members in my high school I can say I felt pretty different. Having to wake up early every morning to go to a scripture study class that we call seminary made me different. Going to church every Sunday for 3 hours made me different. Not being able to play in volleyball tournaments or participate in activites on Sunday made me different. Not drinking coffee or tea like all of my friends made me different. The life of a Latter Day Saint is actually very different from what has become mainstream nowadays. Now granted, I wasn't always perfect and honestly none of us are but for the most part I would say I was pretty different. We all are different from one another. That's what makes us special. 

That's taken me a long time to grasp and I'm still not always a fan of being different. A lot of my companions out here on the mission have told me that they have been able to learn so much from me because I was different. That's actually what Søster Davis was telling me the other day that sparked the idea of this blog post today. As Søster Davis was making cookies and telling me she loved that I was different, I wasn't quite sure how I actually felt about that. Sometimes you just want to be normal. You just want to be the perfect sister missionary that everyone pictures that loves to go out everyday and talks to everyone and is always happy and just kind of fits in the crowd or whatever the expression is for that. I didn't actually know if it was good to be different. I mean I had been a bit different all of my life and like I said earlier, we all are actually very different but still I didn't know how to feel about that. 

After further review I decided it was because I was different that I could make a difference.

 That's what all of my companions had been trying to tell me. That's why I was called to Norway to these specific areas and most likely why I am moving to Tromsø. My differences are what make me, me and I should be using those to help others who have those same differences. Being different isn't something only applicable to me, in fact it's applicable to us all. In one way or another we are all different and we can use those things to help us to connect with the people around us who may be different as well. Sometimes it's good to be different. I hope we can all learn to be okay with what makes us different and realize and always remember that our Father in Heaven loves us despite and because of our differences. In fact,and I have a real testimony, that He has given us those differences so that we can make a difference. I hope you all have a wonderful week and find a way to be confident in your differences. 

Klem,

Søster Blankmeyer

An Optimist In All Things

Sometimes you take a look back at your week as a missionary and see that you have done all that you can and someone greater has made up for the rest. As I've said many times before, the life of a missionary is rather hectic. We go out every morning hoping to serve those around us and hoping for those opportunities to share with others what our belief in God or in Jesus Christ has done for our life. Sometimes those opportunities come and sometimes it feels as if we aren't making a difference at all. Even this week as we were out trying to talk to people with out any luck, I remember Søster Davis turning to me and saying, "I just want to serve someone today."  Story of my life...especially as a missionary. I just want to go out and serve. 

This past week Søster Davis and I were trying to prepare for a lesson on the Godhead that we would be giving to a man who really doesn't know much about God, Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost. We were looking up some scriptures to use when I came across some scripture verses that I actually really love. It's found in The First Epistle of Peter 2:21-25 and it says, 

 21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 

That entire scripture passage is honestly quite beautiful in my opinion, but I wanted to focus on the first part of that verse where it talks about following his steps. I think that's been a major focus of my mission, following in Christ footsteps. Christ was and will always be our perfect example. Like this scripture verses talk about, He overcame when things get tough He didn't let that get Him down He put his trust in God and kept going. It reminds me a little bit of a quote that I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with that says, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going." that's definitely something to keep in mind seeing as at one point or another we all get hit with tough things, and let's be honest, satan is really good at his job. 

I've noticed that a lot on my mission, whether it be with myself or others, we sometimes give satan too much power in our lives and that can get us down.  Thank goodness for family and friends and all those other tools that Heavenly Father uses to help us overcome satan and his cunning craftiness. I for one am very grateful for the people in my life who have helped me to see myself as God sees me rather then as satan sees me. It really does make a difference. 

Another thing that can make a difference is something that our last prophet, President Gordon B Hinckley had really captured in his own life and that is optimism in an article I was reading in the latest addition of the Church magazine the Liahona, about Gordon B Hinckley it said,“I am an optimist!” President Hinckley often declared. “My plea is that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.”How great is that? What a great way to look at Life when things start to get hectic or stressful, or when things start to go wrong, if we just focus on the sunlight or the good and happy things in our life we will start to understand that we have every reason to be optimistic. The article goes on to say, 'One manifestation of President Hinckley’s optimism was his firm belief that “things will work out.” That phrase, said Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “may well be President Hinckley’s most repeated assurance to family, friends, and associates. ‘Keep trying,’ he will say. ‘Be believing. Be happy. Don’t get discouraged. Things will work out.’”

I started this blog post out today by saying that the life of a missionary is rather hectic and sometimes you look back and see that someone greater helped you through the week and helped you to accomplish all that NEEDED to get done.  I put needed in caps because like President Hinkley says, "things will work out," and our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are willing to help us out with that if that's what needs to happen.  I have two examples of that to share with you all from this past week before I let you all go. The first of the two occurred this last Saturday as Søster Davis and I were going about our missionary work. We had planned that day to catch a bus at 2:45pm to go and visit a less active I live about an hour and a half away. That morning she texted us and said she was feeling under the weather. We were uncertain as to whether we should drop the original plan completely and just talk to people around the city or whether we should go anyways and drop off soup and a card and then just knock on some doors around the area. Ultimately we decided to just stay in the city and try our luck there. After talking to a few people in the City Søster Davis got the feeling that we should try and catch that bus that would now be leaving in 10 minutes. We were about a 20 minute walk from the bus stop so we decided to just speed walk, then jog, then run until finally we were sprinting a 5K to try and catch the bus. We finally get to the last crosswalk we needed to cross as the bus drove right past us. At first, I was a little upset. I really put in my best effort to try and catch that bus. It wasn't until after I caught my breath that I realize maybe we didn't need to go and that maybe we were needed somewhere else, and I told myself that everything would work out the way it was supposed to. 

All right, last story before I sign out. That Saturday night we went to one of our investigators house to do some service. We ended up eating dinner afterwards when I casually brought up to our 9 and 11 year old investigators that they should come to church. They agreed and it seemed to be as simple as that, until it wasn't. I had told the 11-year-old that we would call her Sunday at 9 AM to wake her up so her and her brother could start to get ready for church so that they wouldn't miss the bus at 10:50am. I called at 9:00am...no answer... 9:10...nothing... 9:20...nothing... 9:30... nothing... 9:40... nothing again so I decided to call her mom... nothing.  At 9:40 after calling her and her mom I sent the mom a text telling her about the situation and how the kids wanted to come to church this Sunday. The mom finally called us back saying she was really busy and couldn't let the kids go alone.  On a whim I offered for Søster Davis and I to pick them up and ride the bus with them. And the mom agreed. Fantastic! Except we had no idea when the bus came from our house to their's and if it would be in time to catch the bus to church, plus we had dinner plans with a member right after church which would now be ruined if we had to take the kids back home afterwards. Honestly, what was I thinking? Then suddenly President Hinckley's words popped into my head, "things will work out", and they did. Everything went perfectly and in the end everyone was happy. The Lord wanted it to happen and so he provided away. 

Looking back on the week a lot of things happened that needed to happen and God definitely provided away and I will be forever grateful for that. I will also be forever grateful to my companion and Eldste Stevenson and Eldste Rogers for getting me through the ups and downs and crazy times of missionary life in Kristiansand, Norway. I truly am blessed. Thank you all for being such amazing people in my life and for helping me through this journey of life. Tusen takk for alt dere gjør for oss misjonærer.

Klem, 

Søster Blankmeyer

The Zoo

The One Who Asks "Why"

This week was a great week of missionary energy. It started with a trip Stavanger for Zone Leader Training where all of the missionaries from the West got together and were trained on how to be better Missionaries. Every time I go to a missionary training here in Norway I am reminded as to why I am here and that's what I would like to focus on this week.

A couple of weeks ago in one of our district meetings our district leader, Eldste McIntyre, showed us a perfect talk by a man by the name of Simon Sinek, TED talk he talked about the "how, what, and why" and his main point being people don't buy what you do, they buy "why" you do it. I think my challenge for you all this week would be to find that TED talk. It really doesn't have much to do with the LDS religion other than the fact that you can apply his theory to it. That is what our district leader did. He continued to tell us that people don't buy what you do, they buy "why" you do it. We can apply that very easily in our missionary work. I think that actually the most asked question I received as a missionary is, "why did you choose to serve a mission." I'm here to let you know if you don't know already that every single missionary has asked himself this question whether it be before or during the mission.  Every single missionary has their own reason for being out here. For leaving family, friends and the comforts of home behind. 

Last night as Sester Davis and I were out in negative degree Norwegian weather going door to door for over an hour without any luck, it dawned on me how crazy missionary work actually is. It's crazy good, but still crazy. While most of my friends and family are back home in America or wherever they may be around the world.  They are in their nice warm homes or moving on with their lives I am voluntarily using my time to go out in the dead of winter in Norway and talk to people about the Mormon church. I remember when I first found out I was going to Norway and was trying to figure out more about this wonderful country one of the first things I read was that Norwegians don't like to talk about religion and yet here I am. I'm sure I have some friends and members in my family that might think I really am crazy for doing this, but to answer your question of "why" it is actually that I am out here is found in my missionary scripture which I only have access to a Norwegian at the moment.  But I'm sure my mom will find you all a translation... anyway, the answer is found in Alma 29:9 which says, "  Jeg vet hva Herren har befalt meg, og jeg frydes over det. Jeg frydes ikke over meg selv, men jeg frydes over det Herren har befalt meg, ja, og dette er min fryd at jeg kanskje kan være et redskap i Guds hånd til å bringe en eller annen sjel til omvendelse, og dette er min glede."

I am here because I want to be an instrument in the Lords hands and help his children come closer to him. I'm here to find the one who is ready and waiting to learn of Him. That is something I find very admirable about the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, is that we worry about the "one" much like the story of the lost sheep, we care about each and everyone and I had the opportunity to witness a very cool experience with that yesterday in this church. For those of you who are unaware of our Sunday service, our first meeting of our first hour of the service we take the sacrament. The sacrament is when we bless the bread and water and distribute it to the congregation to remind ourselves of the sacrifice our savior made for us. Well usually here in Kristiansand, Norway an average of 50-60 members come every week and the men that prepare and bless the sacrament can account for that, but for some reason yesterday a lot more people came to church.  There were two men to bless the sacrament and three men to pass it out to the congregation.  They started with the bread and all was well, everything went smoothly. Then the water was blessed and they began to pass it out to the members and by the end when the three boys that passed it out usually partake themselves, there were only 2 cups left.   There were three men and only 2 cups. Now it would have been easy and probably less awkward to just leave it at that but in our church even just one can't be left behind and so I saw something I had never quite seen before in my life long membership in the church. 

One of the men that was preparing the sacrament left the room to go and get a cup of water for this boy to drink he came back into the room and recited the entire Sacramental prayer so that this member could fully partake of the sacrament. That was a testimony builder for me. I had never had the opportunity to experience anything quite like that before.  But it solidified to me just how important each and everyone of us is to our Heavenly Father but also to our fellow man, and that's why I am a missionary. I have such a testimony that each and everyone of us is a child of God and that we are all loved in his eyes and therefore should be loved in one another's eyes.

 Just one last cool story about "the one" that we had this week before I let you all go. This week we met with a really cool guy who has been through a lot of changes in his life. He never really had a strong faith but had seen how people with a strong faith in God were able to overcome some of life's greatest challenges and therefore was anxious to learn more. Within the lesson we came to find out about one of his friends who is struggling in Oslo and how he had planned to use his own time and resources to go and grab his buddy and bring him back to Kristiansand and to help him. That guy knew how it felt to be the one struggling and went out to searve, what a great example that was to me. I'm so grateful for missionary work and this time I have to serve. 

Another one of our members here in Kristiansand just opened up her mission call to the Philippines and I can't wait for her to go and find the "one" that needs her because I know and she knows exactly why it is she is going on a mission. People don't buy what you do, they buy "why" you do it. I hope you all have a wonderful week and that when given the opportunity you can all find the "one" who may need you. I love and pray for you all and can't wait to hear from you next week.  

Klem, 
Søster Blankmeyer 

Friendship

Friendship. That's such a powerful word. I have been blessed in my own life with some amazing friends. As I was sitting at my desk last night pondering what to write about this week I found it only fitting to write about friendship. 

My older sister Sophia is turning 22 today (Gratulerer med dagen!) and she has been one of my best friends through this journey of life. I thought about my life growing up and how much love my sister Sophie showed me. I mean granted she did think I was her own personal doll when my parents brought me home but we have been some of the closest of friends ever since. Just like any other relationship, we have had our ups and downs but the love we have for each other is such a blessing in my life and I've been grateful to have someone who truly does want the best for me and helps me to achieve it. My other siblings and family members have also showed this same love towards me and I have tried my best to show that same love to the people of Norway. I was really blessed with an incredible family who showed me what friendship truly is and what it really means to be a friend.

 We go out every day and ask people on the street what is something that makes them happy. Number one answer- family and friends. Now that could be the number one answer just because it's an easy go to, but I think, from personal experience, that family and friends really do bring the most happiness. I have never been more happy then when I was in the prescence of family and friends and I've seen that with others as well. There is something about those relationships that we as individuals crave. We all want and truly need to feel wanted and loved. Life is not always easy and I know I say that a lot but like I said last week being out on my mission I have truly come to mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort and you would be surprised at how many people are dealing with difficult things right this moment. Life truly can be tough and so we all are in desperate need of those friendships that can keep us going. 

This past week I was able to make a few new friends and reconnect with some old ones as well and what a blessing that was. I was able to feel the love they had for me and that's something that got me through the week. The power of friendship is truly a great one. Someone once said, "True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides it's evils." I have seen that in my life, especially when I am going through hard times. It's my family and friends that get me through. As a missionary I've really come to grow a testimony on the fact that our Heavenly Father uses others in our lives to help us through the challenges. There have been times in my life where I am going through something difficult and I pray to my Father in Heaven for help and he sends me one of my friends. It really is crazy to me how true that statement is. Our Heavenly Father knows us and loves us so personally and uses the people in our lives to help us. 

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to make friends here on this earth and to build those friendships with others who I love. The Bible says about friendship in Proverbs 18:24 , "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." The Bible Dictionary states under "Friendship" see brotherhood and sisterhood. Our friends can become like our family and our family can also be our friends. We are all brothers and sisters here and therfore should be friendly one with another and help each other through this journey of life. We all know how great it makes us feel when we walk onto a bus and the bus driver is friendly as oppossed to when he's not. His friendliness towards us can really affect our emotions and how we go about our day. I know when I see a friednly bus driver it makes me want to go out and be friendly to others as well. That's my challenge for you all this week. Go out this week with a focus on being friendly to those around you no matter how difficult it may be. There may be those that make it more challenging than others but in my expereience they are those who need the most love. 

In John 15:13 it reads, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Christ was our perfect example. He was a listener, a comforter, a brother and a friend. He is one of my best friends and I'm glad that I can invite others to learn more about Him and have that friendship as well. Hope you all have a great week and make a new friend!

Klem,

Søster Blankmeyer

A New Year in Norway

Another beautiful view of Norway

Godt nyttÅr alle Sammen! I hope you all had a wonderful New Year's eve and have been having a great start to the new year thus far. New Year's is a great time for us to look back on both our past and the upcoming future. Usually this is the time of year when dad would gather us all around the kitchen table and have us write out some goals we have for the new year. This year, seeing as I'm not at home, I've set some goals here in Norway for myself for 2017. 

Being a missionary, goals have become a regular thing every night we set goals for the next day, once a week we set goals for our week, we set personal goals once a week as well as companionship goals. Goals are pretty common place as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints. Growing up, my parents always encouraged us to set goals especially around New Year's time and even taught us how to set goals (achievable goals) as well. At this point in my life you think I would have mastered the art of goalsetting and yet, if I'm being completely honest I'm starting to think that my relationship with goals is a little bit like oil and water. They just don't mix. Now I'm not sharing that information to say that goals are dumb and that you shouldn't set any. Heck, I still set some goals for this upcoming year myself. I really do think goals are a great thing and I wish I was better when it comes to goals but for some reason I've fallen into this pattern that I think maybe one or two of you reading can relate to as well. I do a great job at setting good goals, even goals I can achieve yet goals that make me stretch. My problem is, I set them and then within a week or two I forget about them. It's like how in January after the new year everyone goes out and buys a gym membership and then by March, April, May they are back at home hanging out in their sweats (no judgment there) I've been there myself. The point being when it comes to goals I'm really good at forgetting them or ultimately just not focusing on them. Now is that to say I am a failure and will never accomplish anything. No! The fact of the matter is, we set goals to improve an aspect of our life or ourselves and every day, whether we are aware of it or not we go out and make decisions that determine our destiny. 

We live life in hopes that when we look back we will be able to see how far we have come and hopefully be happy with the person we are today and goals are just one of the many tools we have to help us accomplish that. I received a very beautiful birthday card from my aunt Teri the other day and man is she wonderful. She had gotten me this card with this stunning painting of a butterfly and cocoons and had written within the letter why she had decided to go with this card in particular. She said it was the "perfect metaphor for my metamorphosis this year into a deeper, more beautiful, more forged in hardship and triumph connection with God." She goes on to say, " your spiritual growth has been so powerfully expressed in your writing and through your photographs- so very proud of you for taking this life-changing journey, my beautiful butterfly niece!"  She's just wonderful isn't she? Anyways I share this with you all not to boast or make myself look better, but it does show that even the worst of goalsetting can accomplish things and that because of this great thing called life we all get the opportunity to learn and to grow and become our best selves if we so choose, and boy am I so grateful for that.

Looking back on this past year I am able to see how far I have truly come and it has been great to see. The road hasn't always been easy but I believe that is a big part as to why I've become the person I have become this past year. I will never forget the year 2016 and all the challenges and amazing experiences that came with it. 2016 is the year I left my family and friends and comforts of home to go and serve the Lord full-time in Norway for 18 months. This year I'm truly able to look back and see the differences I've made not only in my life but the life of others as well and I think that's truly the most rewarding thing. 

Being a missionary is one of the best things I've ever done. I hope you all are really able to see the change it has brought into my life. The perspective and direction I've been given because of it. This truly has been such a spiritual journey and great testimony builder for me. I've truly come to know my Savior and who He is and why exactly He died for me. I've come to know God this past year and probably one of the coolest part of being a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints is being able to really feel God's love for all of His children. 

I've talked to a lot of people in the year 2016, more than I talk to in probably the last five years of my life.  I've got gotten to know and meet a lot of my fellow brothers and sisters here on this journey called life.  For some of them, life is great and everything is smooth sailing while for others life has not been the easiest thing. Sitting down and talking with these people I have truely  come to know the meaning of the scripture found in Mosiah chapter 18 in the book of Mormon that says, 9 "Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort..."   God has allowed me to see a little glimpse of the incredible amount of love He has for his children. I have sat and talked with the people of Norway and have truly listen and loved like our Father in Heaven would and have come to the point where I cry when they cry and I am overjoyed when they are happy. It's been quite a privilege. I think that's what I hope you all can take with you this upcoming year. Whether you are a full-time believer, a part-time believer or not even a believer at all, I hope you all can remember as you navigate your way through this new year, that you have a Father in Heaven that knows you and loves you and I know that because I've lived it. 

I hope you all have a wonderful 2017 full of goals and accomplishments. I'm excited for this time to serve the people of Norway this year and then come back home to my wonderful friends and family. Speaking of friends and family I have a lot of people to shout out this week. Of course, shout out to aunt Teri for the wonderful card. I also got cards from Emily, Annika, Mary Jordan, the Crandall family, Sister Love, Sister Ralphs, and Dad, it was a great week for letters. Thank you all so much for the love and support. I really have the best friends and Fam back home. Keep doing awesome things and make it a great year. I'll be seeing you soon enough. Love you tons.  

Klem,  
Søster Blankmeyer

Sushi with Seif

Fireworks on NewYear's 

View over the city