Well it's been a very cold but very good past 3 days here in Tromsø. This place is honestly stunning. The pictures don't do it justice. We have been up and down and all around this island trying to find those who are ready and it's made for some great pictures of Tromsø. We've been able to see the sun and even the northern lights a few times and that just adds to the beauty. It's definitely been a change going from the southernmost area to the northernmost but I'm excited to see what this transfer brings.
I know I'm here in this area at this time for a reason and I can't wait to find out why. For a lot of my mission it's been very easy to see the practical reasons as to why I've been moved to certain areas. For example, I was sent to Ålesund to play piano for the branch, or I was sent to Asker because they needed a driver, or even I was sent up here to play piano again and to help the new senior couple as they transition to a life in Norway. All of those are wonderful things and don't get me wrong I'm here to serve in whatever way I can but those are all just practical reasons as to why I'm in that area. It didn't necessarily have to be "Søster Blankmeyer" that performed all of those tasks. There are plenty of other missionaries who are willing and able to play piano or drive a car around Norway, but I've come to realize just how inspired these moves really are. I was reading in my transfer book or "minnebok" in the airport in Oslo, which for those of you who don't know what a transfer book is it's just a little journal that you have people write in before you leave an area, and I came across an entry in there that really hit me. It was written by someone who I became way tight with and in this entry it talked about our friendship. I then realized that these moves have really been inspired. I've been sent to the places that have the people 'I' need. I hope I've been able to make a positive impact on their lives as well. But at the very least I have been sent to the people that I needed in my life at that time.
I'm the type of person that thrives off of friendships (people person) which I think is the hardest thing about moves, having to make friends all over again. I think it is also the biggest blessing of moves though, being able to go out and build those relationships with those people that you otherwise would have never met if you had just stayed put. It's been a major blessing as I look back on it. Maybe originally I went to those areas for the practical reasons but of course, like they always say, the Lord has a plan and he knew that Søster Blankmeyer would need Ben in Ålesund or Andrea in Asker or any and all of the missionaries that I've served with and hopefully they needed me as well. As I looked through that minnebok in the Oslo airport and thought to myself, "Holy crap, I'm going to Tromsø," I was able to feel peace that I'm going up north for a reason and yes part of that reason may be to play the piano or help the new senior couple. But I'm here in Tromsø to share the love that God has for His children here and to make some friendships along the way. The Lord knows that I need that. I'm literally so excited for that. Sorry I'm a bit pressed for time this week but everything is going great up here.
I think it's pretty funny that my mission President would send two Texans to the northernmost area for sister missionaries in the enitre world but we're bringing the Texas heat with us so get ready for the missionary work to heat up. I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful week. I can't wait to share with you all my experiences up here in Tromsø, Norway. This work is truly incredible and I'm so blessed to be a part of it! Thank you all again so much for the support and a big shout out to Anne and Jasper in the Netherlands for the Dutch cookbook! I hope you all have a great week and I'll talk to you soon!
Klem,
Søster Blankmeyer
PS. I wanted to add a little bit of Søster Blankmeyers companions letter this week.
This week was pretty cool, contacted people from all over the world and it has been a ball. Oh my goodness hahaha my Companion got kissed this week toooAHAHAHAHAHAHthere was this 60 something year old man and he just stopped us and was talking and really just took us off guard to say in the least. Ye suddenly yelled "KOS" (hug, to cozy, no English equivalent) and then layed one on poor søster Blankmeyer. The guys turned to me and I was like heck no! and we walked away ...quickly.
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