Wow! This is it! In just a few days we will be traveling to the magnificent country of Norway! In just a few days we will break free of this wonderful MTC and the glorious food, bunk beds and daily shower concerts. In all seriousness though, this MTC experience has been both a very difficult one but also a very rewarding one. We just finished up our last temple trip for the next 17 months and how sad it was to leave the house of the Lord and realize you won't get to come back for another 17 months. I think all of us in the district shed a tear. I urge all of you that live nearby a temple to take advantage of that and try and attend at least once a month. We are able to learn so much in the house of the Lord and the Spirit we feel there is indescribable. Of all the privileges here at the MTC, I will miss the temple the most and pray that we can do our part in bringing one to Norway. 

First of all it's an illegal picture we forgot to include our companions but his name is Wolfgang and he was also in my ward summer term at BYU and he is serving in Paris

My first relief society president up at BYU and was also in my ward in the Fall too.

This is my BEST friend here at the MTC! He doesn't speak English but is so sweet and always graces us with his smile everytime we see him. 

Wolfgang is friends with Elder Groseclose on the far right who Sister Hutchings and I have made friends with as he is across the hall from us during class time.  He will be serving in Poland. 

What a crazy last week this has been. The Danes left us this Monday and after our last session of Conference the whole zone got together and the Danes bore their testimonies and we all sang "God Be With You 'Till We Meet Again" which by the end of the song there was not a dry eye in the building. One of the Danish Elders, Ældste Keller, was so moved that after we sang and knelt in prayer together he was not able to stand back up. What a touching moment it was as his companion dropped down to the floor with him and just hugged him. The Spirit was so strong as Ældste Foulger gave Ældste Keller what we believe to be a blessing or just a simple prayer. Like I've said before, we love the Danes and have missed them and their wonderful spirits this last week here at the MTC but we know they are bringing many people the wonderful message of this gospel.  

 The background for this picture is that this was our last night with the danes before their little testimony meeting and out song

That is Eldste Foulger hugging Eldste Keller after we finished our prayer. 

Speaking of the wonderful message of this gospel, how great was General Conference? For those of you that watched it or were even privileged enough to go and see it at the Conference Center (or even get a wave from Thomas S. Monson in the special parking lot. You lucky roomies!), you know what I'm talking about. I think this Conference in particular was such a moving experience for me. Instead of being at home with my family in our living room, I was in a makeshift auditorium surrounded by hundreds of fellow missionaries who all were spiritually prepared to hear the words from our prophet and apostles. I think there was something in every talk that pertained to me and I am so grateful for the opportunity to have a living prophet to help lead and guide us today in a world of ever changing values and standards. It was especially cool to hear from a few speakers that had spoken to us here at the MTC as well. We have a devotional every Sunday and Tuesday night here at the MTC (something I will definitely miss while out in the field) where they usually bring in a member of the 70 or we have even had Elder Ballard come and speak to us from the quorum of the 12 apostles. I look forward to any opportunity I get to listen to these wonderful men. As fun as studying and classwork is, there is something extra special about being able to listen and learn from our leaders and be spiritually enriched. I think that's why they refer to General Conference here at the MTC as the equivalent of Christmas. I have never appreciated Conference as much as I have this time around and I hope to always cherish the opportunities we get to listen and learn from such amazing men and women in our church. For those of you reading that may not have seen General Conference, I urge you to go to lds.org and watch or listen to the talks that were given. Even for those of you who may have missed a session or slept through a talk (it happens even to the best of us) I would urge you to go back and rewatch or really focus more on the words and subject matter that the speaker decided to present. I know that by doing so we will not only learn more but we will have a stronger testimony and ultimately a stronger relationship with our Father in Heaven. My favorite session of conference was the Saturday morning session which I feel could easily be overlooked as we are frequently busy on Saturdays and have lots of things to do, but thankfully our church has given us the opportunity to go back and watch those wonderful talks either for the first time or maybe even the second or third. I love conference and am so very grateful for the blessings I receive from simply listening and acting upon the impressions I have felt while watching. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God and I am so very grateful that God continues to speak to his children and I hope and pray that we will always remember what a blessing that is in our lives.

We leave this MTC this upcoming Monday and so although there is a lot to do these next few days, we are also trying to make the most of it. We have come to know and love many people here and it's making saying goodbye that much harder. Us Nords have become really good friends with everyone in the zone. We have made friends with people going all over the world or even that came to the MTC from all over the world. We have made friends with the zone across the hall that is headed to Poland, one of which is from the Ukraine. It's really fun to make new friends but also really hard to leave them and not know if you will ever be able to see them again. One of my favorite friends I have made here at the MTC doesn't speak very good English but is a crazy volleyball player and is always ready to give us a happy smile and a wave whenever we see him! It's also been really fun to catch up with old friends I've seen around the MTC! A couple people from Summer term at BYU and the one and only Alex Jordan as well! I've been blessed with the people I've been able to meet and catch up with as well and I just know that the Lord put them in my lives at this time for a reason. Now I am so excited to go out and make a ton of new friends and lifelong friends out in Norway.

Elder Jordan and his companions with me and Soster Hutchings

So yes, the MTC is not always easy and you really should steer clear of the orange juice, but it's also an experience I will remember forever. I hope you all know how grateful I have been for all the DearElders and letters and packages and prayers and words of encouragement. I really couldn't have gotten through the hard days without those and I am so grateful for the friendships I have been able to have with each and every one of you. Know I love you and I will be seeing you in just a quick 17 months!! Oh yeah by the way, 1 month down, 17 more months to go! Love you all and see you all soon. I'll be thinking of you and praying for you from Norway! 

Until next time,

Søster Blankmeyer