Gum & Fillippinininoin Kids, Romanians Camping In The Forest-Oslo Week Thirty Five

Mass execution

Dear Friends, Family, and random dudes who found this page because they google searched the words "mass execution"....

Shout out to Shank 2 for lookin fly at prom. Beautiful prom date and all that great jazz. Rollin like a champ. Gotta love it. Shout out to the rest of the shank clan because....Idk we're just awesome.

So this week was a little lame but some things did happen that are worth mentioning. My creativity is at a super low right now so I apologize if this is really boring.

Another call from el presidente

So president called me on Thursday and when the phone says president I normally let it ring three times and then answer so that I can let about 3000 thoughts roll through my head in that short time. So it was a nice pleasant conversation we had. Nothing crazy. He called to tell me that the Oslo DL area is going to be a 3 way companionship for 4 weeks. So Elder Duncan and I will be getting another dude/Elder here in Oslo. The best part is that we are both like 6 foot 4 and this kid is like under 5 foot 6 I feel like. So it's gonna be awesome. So I should at least be here another four weeks. Mostly likely I will stay after, but the 3 will become 2 after 4 weeks president said so that means someone is gone....Yep that's exciting.

Eldste Duncan, Eldste Shanklin, Eldste Ellsworth, Eldste Weaver
on their hike.

Eldste Shanklin on his hike looking over Oslo (maybe??)

This is the water that the sign below is referring to.

This sign says "Stone throwing forbidden. If you throw stones it could hit people
and it destroys artwork.  It is strictly forbidden to throw rocks or other objects"

Eldste Shanklin with Oslo in the background 

Stake Conference (a conference where several congregations come together for instruction)
So for stake conference we actually get to go to the building because it is so close to Oslo! IT WAS THE BEST. The conference itself was awesome but the best was seeing all the little filllippinininoin kids from my last area! (They loved the gum mom sent to me, seriously, it made me so happy to see their faces, we took a picture for you). I also saw Ben  but that guy was taking care of business as usual so I didn't have time to get a picture. It was fun to see him too, we sat together at stake conference. (Mom he loved your package and he thinks you're the coolest/most dedicated missionary mom he has heard of haha). So long story short, I saw all my people and it was fantastic. Oh and here's a funny story for everyone....(i bolded that for you skimmers)...As we were driving away with the APs (assistants to the president) from stake conference I gave a peace sign to our sisters in Oslo standing by the building and mouthed the words "move rumors" which they understood. However...a young girl around 19 years of age from the Sandvika ward who I see alot was walking in between us and them and thought that my peace sign/lip movements were directed towards her. She was laughing though and peace signed back so hopefully nothing awkward comes of this situation. We'll probably know if there's a heading in my next letter that also has to do with a call from president. I'd love to go explain the situation to her but my girl communication skills are at an all time low if it doesn't have to do with Jesus, especially if It's gotta be said in Norwegian haha.

 Other fun facts

- White thunder met with us but the dude might be crazy. He also gave us some milk which was NOT milk. It was sour cream in a cup. It was called cultura? It's like good for your stomach. Pretty much I felt like it was greek yogurt. Fun fact, greek yogurt is sour cream disguised under a new name. Don't be fooled all you people trying to lose weight. Long story short, I didn't drink it, I told him straight up I would throw up. Had it been some sweet old lady I don't know what I would have done. I was grateful it was some dude I could just tell straight up and he didn't care haha.

-Sister Frampton is leaving us so we're getting a new sister. Sister Olsen is coming in who I already served with in Fstad and the MTC sooooo nothing new here.

-We still have our whip it up wednesdays and sunday sundæs so don't you folk at home worry.

-We got some hand knitted Norwegian gloves from a lady in the ward. Way better quality than the ones I bought! It was a glorious day. I almost cried. Glorious.

-we also did some way nice service this week.  Threw on the Mormon Helping Hands vest and kicked Romanians out of the forest. They make it their home and Norwegian law says 2 days and you're out of there. We were really there to pick up trash, but ya know.....

Romanian campsite in the forest

Elder Shanklin working hard picking up trash!

The beautiful lake they worked by.

All the members in their Helping Hands vests!

Another beautiful view of the Norwegian country

Make like a banana and split (yes I did use the gwen song to spell that)

So that's pretty much the only exciting news from this week. Sorry about that. Nothing tooooooo crazy. This week I've studied a lot of different things. My mind has been racing. So of course I went to Holland. I watched a beautiful talk called "Place No More For The Enemy of My Soul" I've probably quoted this before. It's a fantastic talk. The talk focuses directly on the love-lust battle we as humans face, but I strongly believe that it can be applied to any weakness we have, whatever the enemy of your soul is. I know that marriage is lawfully ordained of God and that it was meant to take place in the families between a man and a woman. I also know that the best way one could raise a family is under the full and perfect teachings of the Savior Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for my family and the testimony and knowledge I have because of them. I know that as Elder Holland states "the enemy...can be rebuked". Whatever that enemy may be. Stay strong and do what's right, because there really isn't another option if you think about it.

Clear Eyes, Full Heart

Elder Shanklin