Elder Shanklin Is Moving....10 Feet Up!!-Oslo Week Thirty Nine

Brace yourself.

Pizza Day

So you know how missionaries always tell these stories like "one time in mexico I had to put half cooked pig in my socks when the members weren't looking because I couldn't eat it", yeah well I was pretty sure in a civilized country nothing of the sorts would ever happen. Well let us throw back to Thursday real quick. Elder Duncan and I went to visit a less active guy from Peru. He wanted to play cards and stuff so we agreed. We had a dinner appointment afterwards with Emma, Sandra and Rebekka (cool members!) in which we were planning to make homemade pizzas! Money. However we get to this guys house and he has pizza for us as well......problem. We were no way going to be able to eat his meal and theirs. Until he brings out paper towels. Immediately my inner south american missionary comes out and we go to work. I would slide the topping off (due to gluten allergy) and Elder Duncan would talk a few bites, then when the member went into the kitchen, which he did fairly often, we would wrap the pizza in a paper towel and throw it in my backpack. There is picture evidence. Anyways, it was rather funny. I won UNO too, for those of you keeping tally back home. He sadly forced so much juice down our throats that it took some stretching to open the stomach for the second dinner. It went well though. The pizza dinner with the girls was sick and way good. The spiritual thought/game is the reason for the weird notes on the forehead pictures. Oh also on the same note...that note being pizza, they have a ready back gluten free pizza here now that is great! It's being advertised for all over the city! Oh and so is this new XMen movie....sometimes I feel as though they overdo the advertising but hey, more power to em. Jennifer Lawrence can cover as many subway walls as she'd like to.

Gluten Free Pizza

Elder Shanklin loves this pizza

Pizza-South American Style

Homemade Pizza

Elders with the Young Single Adults

Elder Duncan on Pizza night

Elder Shanklin and Elder Duncan with Young Single Adults

Elder Shanklin said this was part of their spiritual thought.

Elder Shanklin with the X-MEN advertisements

More X-MEN Advertisement

Birthday Celebration...

So Elder Duncan and I have a way cool investigator from Venezuela who is getting baptized on June 14th! The day after my birthday! (yes that was a subtle reminder to all you letter writers out there....aka mom) She really has no concerns right now. I'd love to tell you a cool story about her but she's just really simple and easy going. We just want to get her a stronger testimony. She is totally ready though. Love it! Except I won't be teaching her anymore, but I'll see the baptism. Wait what? SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Random Stuff

-Elder Duncan ate cat food this week because we play a great game called "what are the odds" for example...."what are the odds you eat cat food Elder Duncan" I then would proceed to go "3....2....1..." and in the place of 0 we would both say a number between 1 and 10 (completely random, nothing to do with the actually odds) and if we both pick the same number then the odds have deemed the action needful. It creates a good time. He also had to lick a subway pole. So if he gets sick this week we'll know why.

-We had smoothies like 5 times this week. We're getting fat. Oh no wait, we aren't. Because we run stairs every morning and are getting super jacked for our future wives. Lucky women. Lucky women. Oh and when I say we, I often refer to Elder Duncan, I, and the Zone Leaders. 

-Forgot to mention. We got pizza with Emma, Sandra and Rebekka because I wrote raps for them to sing at this Oslo YSA party. Good times. Not sure if I said that. I got a way with words.

-We helped people move this week! A nice cool young couple! They gave us lifesavers. Delicious.

Some 

Really

Random

Pictures!!

Moves!!!!

So moves is this Wednesday. Which means that moves call was this Sunday. Let's throw back to Friday though. President had told me a week before Friday that he was considering Elder Duncan as a District Leader this next transfer. So I gave a good recommendation and that was that. We were all sure that Elder Duncan would be the only one leaving. So most of the ward was under the impression that Elder Duncan would be gone. Friday morning came around and President called. As expected. I answered and was sure he was just gonna ask for Elder Duncan. Well I was wrong. He began going on with "Elder Shanklin you're getting a new assignment...." I was thinking, oh no! a 3 person companionship for real this time....well nope. I'm gonna be a Zone Leader. Woot Woot. Elder Duncan is going to be a district leader as well. He is replacing me. I will be moving!!!!! The great news is that I'm moving ten feet up! The Zone Leaders in Oslo live right above us and I'll be staying here. Elder Weaver goes home in 9 weeks and has been called as a traveling Assistant. Lucky duck. So I'm taking his spot and Elder Ellsworth will be my new companion! I am stoked. He is a way good guy. There's a little bit of pressure because the mission is not doing so well baptism-wise right now, but it should be fun. I'm looking forward to it! It was a surprise to say the least. Elder Duncan said it looked like I'd seen a pedestrian get railed by a semi when he told me. My humility, just a shining attribute for you all.

Elder Duncan, the new District Leader

Elder Shanklin, the new  Zone Leader

A view from Elder Shanklins apartment

Another view from the apartment

Anyways

Here's a good quote for you all:

“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done. " Joseph Smith Jr.

Love it. The Church is true and it will go forward with or without you! Clear Eyes, Full Hearts!

Elder Shanklin