The Final Transfer

I still can't get over the title of this post. This morning we found out about moves for my final transfer. I will be finishing out my mission here in Stavanger with my new companion Søster Sorenson. I am way excited! No matter what happens, I'm determined to make my final transfer a good one. This past week has been wild but at the same time, it's been a really good one. Before I get into all the details though, I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish my little sister Eliza happy 18th birthday! Eliza turned 18 this past Friday, July 14, and I just can't believe it! I've been away from home for almost 18 months now and everyone has just been growing up and moving on with their lives, it's crazy!  You think I would be a bit more used to the fact by now but as a matter of fact, I'm not. It's still so wild to me and I'm sure it will be even more wild in a month when I'm back home and get to see all of you wonderful humans again. Anyway I love you Eliza and I hope you had an absolutely fantastic birthday. You deserve it. 

All right now on to the week! This past Monday for family home evening, we had one of the best volleyball games I have ever been a part of here in Stavanger.   It was literally so much fun! I think that Elder and Sister Gormley's grandson and his three best friends from America brought a lot of energy to the game. Everyone loved it. It was awesome one of my favorite family home evening's here in Stavanger for sure.  Tuesday we started off the day with a really great district meeting focused purely on our Savior Jesus Christ. We went around sharing our favorite miracle stories and just stories of the Savior. The spirit that was in the room was so strong and there were even some tears. I really like the focus on Jesus Christ. We also had a discussion about Christ's atonement and how we have been able to use that in our lives not only to repent but also to just find that peace that comes from it. That discussion reminded me of two quotes I had read recently, one from Elder Neal L. Anderson and one from Elder Jeffrey R Holland.  The first one states, "for those who are truly repentant but seem unable to feel any relief: continue keeping the Commandments. I promise you, relief will come in the timetable of the Lord. Healing also requires time." I love that! To me this "tells us how we can use the atonement to find that peace we were talking about. Elder Jeffrey R Holland stated, "however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don't have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sing for lower than the infinite light of Christ atonement shines." I thought those were just beautiful. I found peace after reading those and remembering that the atonement really is such a hopeful message. That's always a good reminder. 

Tuesday night we had a dinner appointment with such an amazing family in the world. They reminded me a bit of my family and so it was such a fun dinner appointment for me. For a spiritual thought we decided to stick to our mission focused and talk about the book of Mormon. We all went around the room shared what the book of Mormon was to us. It was very powerful to hear how different everyones experience with the book was and also at the same time how everyone had such a strong testimony of the book. At the end we gave this family a brand new copy of the Book of Mormon and ask them to write their testimony on the inside and then either hand it out themselves or give it back to us to hand out to someone and well it didn't take this champion of a family very long. Yesterday at church the father of the family informed us of their little miracle with the book. He said that it was actually really easy because he had prayed to God to know who was in need of this book and then suddenly a co-worker came up to him and was like, hey I need a Book of Mormon. Turns out this coworkers sister had been studying religion and this coworker knew that this member was a Mormon and they have been talking about the gospel ever since. How cool is that? That's a total miracle that just goes to show how that not only are our prayers herd but they are answered as well. That was such a testimony strengthener  for me and I'm sure for that entire family as well. Talk about blessings. 

On Wednesday we had the Oslo sisters here in Stavanger for splits. It was such a blast! Søster Crenshaw and I were able to feed some cats we've been watching, visit a less active, and talk to a couple of awesome Scottish people before having to meet up in the city to switch with the other two. Turns out we made the news as we were just standing out in the city so that's pretty cool. Then for the second half of the day I got to serve with my daughter again, Søster Davis.  That was quite the party. There's just something special about getting to go on splits with former companions. It's so nice! I love it! Thursday is pretty normal day and then Friday was our mission wide selfie day I was telling you all about a couple blog post to goto. If you go on Instagram and look up the #TheBookOfMormonOslo. You might see some pictures of me! It was such a blast. I actually really like the selfie days Saturday we played American football and then European football or sports. It was so much fun! I loved it so much! Then right after sport we caught an hour and a half bus as a district out to the members cabin to help with some yardwork. That was actually quite fun as well. After working all day we were able to go and see some nearby bunkers and tunnels and cannons that had been used during World War II here in Norway that was rad.  Literally so cool. These members had the special head light so we could see inside the underground tunnels and look through them and stuff. It was awesome.  A nice reward for a day of backbreaking service.  

Sunday was a nice day of rest.  We had such a fantastic day at church.  We decided to go to Young Woman's this time and we got to be a part of such a wonderful lesson.  It was about taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ.  Which I get the opportunity to literally do every morning when I put on my name tag as a missionary.  It's still so crazy to me that I only get to do that for another 6 weeks, but that lesson was a good reminder to me that even when I'm no longer able to wear my name tag that I can still take upon me the name of Jesus Christ each day.  In fact, that's what I should be doing and what we all should be doing.  For now though I get the awesome privilege of wearing this name tag for one final transfer and trying my best to be like Christ as I serve his and my own brothers and sisters here in Norway.  I would invite you all to try and find one way you can better take upon you the name of Jesus Christ this week and then do it.  I know you will be blessed by so doing.  I hope you all have another fantastic week and keep being awesome.  I love you all!

Klem,

Søster Blankmeyer 

Blessings of Bergen

First off I want to start by saying happy late fourth of July everyone! I hope you all were able to have a fantastic Independence Day back in the states and that you were able to see some fireworks and eat some good barbecue! It is really rather difficult to try and re-create a national holiday when you aren't actually in that nation. But luckily for us, our district meeting happened to land on this glorious day so we opened that meeting with God bless America, said the Pledge, and closed our meeting with the Star-Spangled Banner. It was great. Then after district meeting we had a very patriotic lunch altogether thanks to Elder and Sister Gormley. We had really good and fresh hamburgers and for dessert Sister Gormley had made an amazing cheesecake which she decorated as the American flag. The rest of the day we all would remember things we love about America like Costco and football. Together we made a long list. America really is such a wonderful place and even though we've had our share of good and bad. I'm glad we get to call that place home. I hope you all enjoyed celebrating America just as much as us Norwegian Missionaries! Shortly after our district meeting and Fourth of July celebration Søster Hutchings and I headed to the airport to catch a flight to none other than Bergen. This would make Bergen around three for me, but now I'm not complaining. Bergen is a beautiful city. A city where all the tourist come for a visit and where most of the Missionaries dream of serving. This time we would be getting to go on splits with Søster Bennett and my very own daughter/Trainee Søster Love. Like I said earlier, we ended up flying into Bergen the night of the 4th of July. When we arrived we took the Bybane to their house and actually made it home before the Bergen sisters had made it home. When I had called them it sounded like they were at the church or something and I didn't think much of it. After a few minutes the sisters arrived and their first question to us was, "are you guys hungry?" Turns out these amazing sisters had been buying food for another 4th of July meal celebration! Of course, Søster Love and I had served together before and so she knew my love for certain foods and drinks and so that night we were pleasantly surprised with a macaroni and cheese dinner with Dr Pepper to drink and ice cream, reeses, Butterfinger and Oreos for dessert. It was wonderful. That is when I knew this splits was going to be a party!

We ended the night with a little Språk/ language study and then Søster Love and I caught up a little bit while Søster Bennett and Søster Hutchings talked. It was absolutely fantastic. I really was blessed to be able to train such an outstanding human. I was so grateful to be able to talk with Søster Love that night and truly feel of her love. That was vital to me. Actually, both her and Søster Bennett both truly exemplify the quote by Elder Ronald A. Rasband when he says that, "people are more important than anything else" Throughout my entire time in Bergen this past week these sisters taught me that through their actions. Never once during our time in Bergen did I feel like a burden or a bother I mean let's face it, it can be tough to have another sister missionary come and stay at your place. You have to feed them, get them a place to sleep, double book your days so that everyone isn't just out on the street the entire day, etc. It can be a rather tough situation but these to Sisters in Bergen never made us feel that way. They were and are absolute champions. You could tell that they both came on their mission for the people whether that be us, their fellow missionaries, or the people on the street, they came here to serve and to love the people. That was such a cool thing for me to see. During my time in Bergen we ended up having a really great splits experience and saw some more miracles and I had some fun spreading the gospel with the people of Norway. I really did love every second of it. Before we knew it, it was time to head back home to Stavanger.

Our ward mission leader had also just arrived back in Stavanger with his family. After picking up the daughter from the Temple Square mission in Utah. On Saturday, we were able to have our ward missionary meeting at their house where he shared a story from their vacation. Apparently while driving out in the middle of nowhere Utah, their car completely broke down it was way hot and while the other's were trying to stay hydrated, the adults were trying to figure out what was wrong with the car. Eventually a member of The church stopped to ask if they needed any help and was able to help them get the car towed and everything figured out. I can't remember all the details of the story, but I believe that man had actually served a mission in either Norway or some other country in Scandinavia. Either way he was excited to see and interact with some Norwegians and was kind enough even to pay for the repair on the car. Our ward mission leader then told us that something that easily could have been the worst part of their trip turned out to be one of the best and I would just have to assume it was because that man also understood the quote, "people are more important than anything else." It really is so true though, when we Focus on the people around us and show them our love it can make all the difference. I would challenge you all this week to seize the opportunity to show someone your love. Let them know that to you, people are more important than anything else. I love you all so much and am so grateful for the many blessings and lessons I received from knowing you. Have a great week! 

Klem
Søster Blankmeyer

Back At It Again In KSand

This past week was absolutely fantastic and I bet you all can guess why! This past week we were able to go on splits and visit the sisters in, none other than, Kristiansand!  It was literally such a blast I can't even tell you guys enough but I sure do plan on trying today in my blog.  Before I do that though I want to tell you guys a little bit about what has been going on in Stavanger this past week. Since Norway does not have an LDS temple yet, most of the members have to go to Sweden or Denmark when they want to go and visit the temple. Most of the wards and or branches will then plan a trip to go to the temple together at least once or twice a year since it is such a trip to travel all the way out there. Well this past week has been the chosen week for the Stavanger ward to go to the temple. We were even lucky enough to watch some members cats this past week and hear some wonderful testimonies yesterday due to this outstanding trip. 

However, all the Mormons in Stavanger didn't ditch us completely, we still had a handful of members here with us. One of which had just been called as a ward missionary and was completely ready and willing to go and do missionary work with us. This member is actually a recent convert to the gospel and has such a strong testimony about her faith that she is just so excited to share that with everyone. The same Sunday that she received this calling, she came up to me and asked if she could, at a minimum go out with us each week for at least a couple hours. Of course we said yes! This past week we went out with her on Tuesday and Friday for a couple hours just going around the city and talking to people. It felt as if I was training all over again. This was a recent convert who had never been on a mission before and actually comes from the Middle East so she doesn't actually speak Norwegian and English isn't her first language either, although she is really rather good at English. We went out and started talking to people while this member was literally taking notes on what we said or what we did. We would sometimes ask her to stop someone and she would think over her notes and then do it gladly. By the end of the first go we sent her back home with a Norwegian Book of Mormon and some pass along cards to hand out while we were away in Kristiansand.  She was literally so excited! You can tell she loves the gospel and loves that, unlike her home country, she can share that with others here in Norway. She truly is a champion and I'm so glad that she got called as a ward missionary here in Stavanger. 

Shortly after contacting with this member we had to catch a bus and the train to Kristiansand! I was literally so excited. I was hoping that maybe, if I was lucky, I would get to see some of my member friends that I had made while serving down there. After a wild trip, we finally made it safe and sound in Kristiansand where we ran into one of my YSA (young single adult) friends who was just coming in from Oslo, talk about a blessing! It was so great to see and talk to her and it just made me so happy, and the happiness continued. The next day I found out that we would be meeting with another one of my favorite young single adults, Evan. Evan is honestly such a light. He is always so happy and kind and you can tell that he cares and that he loves the gospel as well so I was super pumped. Before meeting with Evan, we were supposed to teach some Chilean guys some English but they were running 45 minutes late so we just combined them and had Evan help us teach them English.  While in the meantime me and Søster Geddes got to clean the YSA center basement and talk a little bit. Søster Geddes and Søster Newell as well are both such lights as well.  They are exactly the sisters that Kristiansand needs right now and I feel so lucky to get to go on splits with them this past week. I know they brought a lot of light and joy in my life but I was very grateful for. In the end, Søster Geddes, the Chileans, Evan and I had a great time and then it was time to switch. Søster Newell, The elders and I all headed to a dinner appointment at an older members house which was so good. After the dinner appointment Søster Newell was kind enough to ask me if there were any other members I would like to say hi to and I had just the couple in mind.  It was actually a miracle because as we showed up to their house they were just leaving and the man told me that they had been running late and if they had left on time they would have just missed me so that was pretty lucky. I was able to say a quick hi to them before they headed out and then crazy coincidence the two kids of theirs I had met during Christmas time we're back home again from school for the summer so we went in and had some ice cream sandwiches and just talked about our missions.  It was such a cool and literally a perfect experience for me and I think for the other missionaries as well. We shared a spiritual thought and then we were off and as soon as splits in Kristiansand had begun it was suddenly over. 

I was so grateful to get to go to Kristiansand again and see some of my absolute favorite members there. It was great to learn from them and to learn from the absolutely amazing sisters there. It was literally the perfect splits and I left that city with so much happiness and joy in my heart. It was a wonderful week. I hope you all have a wonderful week as well.

Klem,

Søster Blankmeyer 

Lady vs Flower Girl

All right so we had a really good week last week because it was the week of our zone conference here in the west! Zone conferences have always been a thing I look forward to because for me zone conference is a day where we just get to come together and learn from our wonderful leaders how we can be better, more effective Missionaries. There were a few things this past conference that really hit home for me. And I'm excited to share those with you all. The majority of our conference was focused on The Book of Mormon since our mission has really been putting a major focus on that with the whole Book of Mormon play coming to Oslo, Kristiansand and possibly Bergen this summer/fall. With all the publicity that has come with the play, our name and The Book of Mormon have become a bit more well known here in Norway. 

Last transfer we had a mission wide selfie day where we went out and took selfie's with the people on the streets and had them use the #TheBookofMormonOslo when posting to help try and put faces of real Missionaries on social media where the play has been advertising as well. It was actually very successful and all of our selfie's have been calculated to have been seen by thousands of people here in Norway so that's really exciting. We are actually planning to do another selfie day this transfer on July 14th if you all back home want to keep an eye out or even participate this time around. Maybe post a picture of The Book of Mormon and your testimony and use the #ThebookofMormonOslo to help us out. That would be great! You don't even have to wait until July 14, you could do it today and you'd be doing some great missionary work back home and here in Norway. How exciting! It's so easy to be a missionary now days. I love it! 

Anyways, so our mission has really been trying to focus on The Book of Mormon and how we can use it better as missionaries and in our missionary work. We have started a Book of Mormon reading chart here in the mission and this past zone conference the Assistants to the Presidents (APs) really focused all of their time on how to present the Book of Mormon and answer those frequently asked questions on The Book of Mormon. It was fantastic. They split us up into different groups and for the most of the time we were practicing how to use the Book of Mormon in our contacting as well as a really good method on how to get return appointments. It was really cool. 

After zone conference we went on splits with the sisters from Haugesund and we were able to practice this some more as well as try and put it to practice here in Stavanger.  It was really cool to keep the momentum alive after zone conference. Another thing that hit us, as well as the Haugesund sisters, was something that President Hill really briefly touch on and that was the challenge to try and refrain from gossiping about one another. It's crazy how big a problem gossiping is in our society today. It's almost to a point where it's more natural to talk bad rather than good about a person and that's really messed up. In the end we are all brothers and sisters here just trying to do the best we can. His little insert on gossiping reminded me of a talk I have really grown to love. I swear I bring it up all the time now days, but it's so applicable. The talk is entitled "With Hand and Heart" by Thomas S. Monson, from the October 1971 general conference. If there is anything I can commit to you all through this blog post it would be to go and read that talk. This truly changed my life. President Hill's comment reminded me of something I read in that talk. It says, this truth was stated so beautifully on the stage in My Fair Lady. Eliza Doolittle, the flower girl, spoke to one for whom she cared and who later was to lift her from such mediocre status: "you see, really and truly, apart from the things anyone can pick up (The dressing and the proper way of speaking, and so on) The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she's treated. I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treats me as a flower girl, but I know I can be a lady to you because you always treat me as a lady and always will." Eliza Doolittle was but expressing that proven truth: when we treat people  as they are, they will remain as they are. When we treat people as if they were what they should be, they will become what they should be." I love that. It's so true. It works the same with gossiping. If we go around saying mean things about others than that is what they will stay to us and to those we gossip too.  But if we go around spreading the good than people will want to be good and will aspire to be the best they can be. I have seen this truth manifested in my own life. 

We all have such a divine potential that we can reach sometimes we just need to help each other remember that and help them get there. We are all on the same team here just trying to make it through our day to day lives so why not be kind and loving. That is what the rest of that talk is about so I really encourage you all to read it whether you be Mormon or not it's a good talk about how we can be better people. Thank you all for being the wonderful people you already are! I Love you so much!

Klem, 

Søster Blankmeyer 

Nightly Beans

I'm sorry that this blog post is coming a week late. Of course right when I get all caught up I suddenly get behind again. This blog should have been posted the day after Father's Day but now I will just have to wish all the dads out there a very happy late Father's Day!  Thank you all for all you do. Dad's are so important and I'm so glad I have been blessed with the best one. I was thinking about my dad and all he has done for me and my family and all the many things he has taught me over the years one of which being that I am also a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me and is there for me. What an important lesson that my dad took the time to teach me and all my siblings.  A lesson that has helped me all throughout my life and especially out here on my mission. That little bit of knowledge is actually one of the first things we share with people as missionaries that they have a loving Heavenly Father who cares for them and wants to hear from them. Just as we might call our fathers when we are in trouble or in need, we must do the same with our Father in Heaven. 

Our Heavenly Father wants to help he wants to hear from us all, the good and the bad, that is going on in our lives. He truly wants to be a part of our lives like any good dad would and he wants to be a part of our lives so that he can help us. He wants to be that shoulder to cry on when we need it or he wants to be that one to give us guidance or direction when we need that. 

At the beginning of this transfer we flew down to Oslo to have our leadership meeting and while there one of the zone leaders talked about how in their zone they have been encouraging companionship's to hold what translates to nightly prayers or “nightly beans” hence the title of this blog post. 

Søster Hutchings and I have decided to participate in those nightly prayers together.  Even though we aren't technically in that zone, but we are seeing the difference it has made. It has not only brought us closer to each other but it has brought us both closer to our Father in Heaven as well. We have been able to see that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and really does answer us as well, whether it be through other people, the Scriptures or many other methods. As we can see our Heavenly Father truly does love us he has given us a way to communicate with him and he has given us ways to receive his answers. He really truly does love us so much. 

This past week I was reading through both my parents and my own patriarchal blessing when it hit me that our patriarchal blessings are basically a fathers blessing to us from our Heavenly Father. How cool is that? No one knows us better than our Father in Heaven and through these blessings he is able to remind us of what we are and who we can become with his help. It's truly beautiful I was thinking about it as well as I was reading through them how kind are Heavenly Father is when talking about us. 

Satan tries and really succeeds sometimes at making us feel terrible about ourselves and can convince us we can never amount to anything. On the flip side though our Heavenly Father our creator reminds us that we are His and that because we are his we have the divine potential to be like him and his son Jesus Christ. It is such a nice thought and feeling to be reminded of that. We truly do have a Father in Heaven who loves us and because he loves us he has given us the opportunity to come to the earth in families. I really am so grateful for my family and for my earthly father as well. I know my earthly parents see the same potential in me that my heavenly parents do and it's really a refreshing feeling to feel all of the support from both sides. 

I am so grateful for prayer and that through prayer I can communicate with my Heavenly Father. And grateful that in his perfect plan he has provided a way to communicate back to me I am so beyond grateful for my earthly family. I really do believe I have one of the best. I can honestly say that I know they are always there for me and at the same time are always willing to show Gods love for me through their words and actions. Although Satan is good at his job my family and God are better and I know that if I work on having a strong relationship with them and I can overcome anything. I am so grateful for that knowledge. I'm grateful that my dad helped me to learn that among many other important aspects of the Gospel. I would be so lost without it. 

I would encourage you all this week to really focus on your relationship with your family and with your Father in Heaven. Maybe if you don't really do so, you can hold family prayers together. I know that can bless your lives. I have seen it blessed me and my family. I am once again grateful for you all and all your support. I really have been blessed with some of the best family and friends out there. I can't say it enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I hope you all have a wonderful week and strengthen those important bonds. Love you all.

Klem,
Søster Blankmeyer

Ps Love you so much dad! Happy (really late) Father's Day!