Called To Serve: Miracle Rich Week-Drammen Week Ninety

To put it simply this might have been one of the most miracle rich weeks of my mission. So lucky for all of you readers this letter will be a lot about the investigators we have here in Drammen.

Family in Church

So a couple of weeks ago Elder Parkinson and I stopped an African man on the street and taught him a quick lesson. He was together with his three daughters. We scheduled an appointment to come and visit his family a week later. Parkinson went with Elder Halverson one of the assistants and visited him while I was up on splits with Elder Duncan in Sandvika. They were ranting and raving about this guy when we reunited after splits. So I was really looking forward to teaching him this week. On Friday Elder Parkinson and I traveled out to where he lives together with a member. Our main concern is that the family has no car and lives a reasonable drive outside the city. The bus does not go from there early on Sundays. So we taught this awesome man and by the end had committed his family to baptism in late May. The real miracle came after that when we started talking about church. We mentioned the difficulty in getting him there and the member we invited commented with "well did you want your whole family to come" and he responded that that was the problem because there are 5 of them, to which she said "well my brother owns a mini bus thing. Let me talk to him and I can just pick you guys up". Two days later the entire family rolled into church. It was a total miracle. They loved church and we are hoping to lock down 3 baptisms here in Drammen.

Elder Shanklin and a friend

Elder Shanklin and Elder Parkinson

Train Station

Earlier this week there was a night where we had scheduled to join the YSA and play some volleyball. As the activity got closer we reconsidered and thought that there were probably more effective things we could be doing with our time. The day up until that point had been exhausting and super lame so it took a lot of self discipline to turn down volleyball. We called an investigator though and made an appointment to meet him in the city. It was a little chilly outside so we tried to find a place to sit. The only place that came to mind was the train station. I wasn't super stoked because there are tons of people there and Norwegians will just stare you down until their eyes fall out. No shame at all. But we went in, sat down, and started to teach. By the end we were able to commit him to baptism and help him understand the restoration. Half way through the teach a guy had moved from across me, to beside me. It was slightly weird. However when we stood up after our teach the guy looked at us and said "are you guys Christian, I love the word of God". So we proceeded with train station teach number two, said a prayer with this guy and got an appointment to meet the next day. While he was at the gas station, buying credit for his phone so that he could call us, another guy came up and said "when you guys are finished with him I'd like to hear your message". That's when it hit me "This is what it's like to be a missionary in South America". It was a magical moment. I don't think I've ever had people waiting in line to receive the gospel. It was an awesome end to a pretty rough day.

Elder Shanklin and Elder Duncan

Elder Shanklin and Duncan
Not sure about the tie thing!

Elder Parkinson, Elder Halverson, Elder Duncan and Elder Shanklin
Someone forgot to tell Elder Parkinson about the sweater.

Blessed

Overall we are just super blessed here in Drammen. My testimony is very strong that this really is the Lords work. We as a companionship do a lot but it really is the Lord who provides these prepared individuals for us. I wish I could take some sort of credit but ever since coming to Drammen it has become more and more clear to me that I am just an instrument in the Lords hands. I guess the real task I have is to just make sure I don't get in the way. Johannas two sons are awesome and they love having us around. We watched some mormon messages with them this week and messed around in the cultural hall at the church. They are really good kids and I hope that we can continue to be a positive influence and help them in life. The work is definitely going forward.