Whitewashing in Haugesund!
Hello friends and family!
We're basically white-washing this area, as Søster Livingstone and I are both brand new to Haugesund. On Tuesday, we were out contacting, determined to find some prepared people. The first woman on the street, we stopped. We talked for a few minutes about how our families can be together forever, and the meaning of life on earth. We asked for a return appointment to teach her more, and she told us that she was busy the rest of the week, but could meet right then on the street for another 20 minutes. So, we went under a pedestrian tunnel to get out of the rain and taught her the Plan of Salvation. Søster Livingstone took out her visual aides and everything! She accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon! Upon calling her later in the week, we asked how the reading had gone. She had read, understood it, and wanted to meet up again! We meet with her again this week!
Right after contacting this woman, we talk to the very next person we met (there's not many people on the streets of Haugesund, so it's not as difficult as it sounds!). It turns out she had talked with sister missionaries on the street before. When we told her she could have the Book of Mormon for free, she gasped and gave us a hug. We asked her to read 2 Nephi 2, which was relevant to our conversation. She accepted and then said, "I want to read the whole book!". How cool is that? We've had some trouble getting in contact with her since, but we're hoping for another miracle so we can teach her.
We have an investigator, who lives a few hours away from Haugesund. Because of the distance and his health problems, we Skype him twice a week to teach him and then once on Sunday for church. One of the weekly meetings is just to review and answer his questions from what he's read in the Book of Mormon. The other lesson is new material. This weekend he was in the Haugesund hospital, which is just a few blocks from our church building. He got permission to leave the hospital and come! It was his first time coming to church in person in Haugesund! It was such a special day. Seeing his desire to come to church, despite his health, was touching. We had a lot of fun, wheeling him around the snowy and icy sidewalks (and down an icy hill!) of Haugesund on the way to church. It reminded me of pushing Grandpa Ells around the ice skating rink! He has a baptismal date, 27 Jan, which is his birthday! He has a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon already and has such a desire to learn more! Plus, I got to go inside a Norwegian hospital (actually into a unit) when we dropped him back off at the hospital! It felt like 'home'. I even got to talk to a Norwegian nursing student!
One of the branch members, a Filipino, this week was was approached by another Filipino in the library asking where she was from (there's sure special connections when you realize you are from the same place as someone else!), and it quickly became a Gospel conversation. This woman she met has come to our weekly sport activity, a live nativity in Stavanger, and to church! We had our first lesson with her last night and committed her to be baptized. She accepted! She is from the Philippines, but has lived in Norway for years. Within five days of meeting a member of church, she has committed to be baptized! There's so much to teach her, but she is really prepared with a desire to follow God's plan for her.
I know that God has a specific plan for us. We each have a specific role to play in His Great Plan of Happiness. As we ask him how to accomplish it, He'll gladly tell us! It's up to us to ask with real intent, meaning to be willing to accept and act upon the answer we receive.
Have a great week!
Love,
Søster Brimhall
