Best 18 Months Ever.

Jessica will be home next Thursday May 26 at 3:06 pm!!!  

Her homecoming is that Sunday May 29 at 9 am 

at 1440 E. Raddon Dr in Sandy.   

Please come and support her 

and then drop by our house after for food. 

(12008 Hidden Valley Rd.)

She would love to see everyone!!

Hello from Drammen and Asker! 

I am in a trio my last couple weeks in Norway. It has been fun getting to know another area. We get to drive back and forth and keep two areas alive. 

Yesterday, we celebrated the 17th of May, which is Norway's Independence Day! Norwegians dress up in their national costume called a bunad and we all go around town waving a Norwegian flag. It was a great day to be in Norway! Monday was a religious holiday, so it was hard to proselyte. Instead, we organized a hike with the youth and YSA and it was a success! So many people came and it was soo fun! 

I love the Drammen ward and I am going to miss them so much. They are my family here. 

I am feeling very sad about leaving Norway and leaving my call as a full-time missionary. I have one week left. I am so grateful for my mission. I can't even express my feeling for my mission. Best 18 months ever. 

Glad i dere! Vi sees snart.

Love,

Søster Allen

 the land of my forefathers

Good Times

Karoline's bunad!

My friends in Drammen. :) I am going to miss them!

Norway Day!

Mariell and Karoline.

I found a carousel in the Sandvika mall.

God syttende av Mai!

Johanne Hernes and her daughter (that just got home from her mission) showed me where my ancestors came to preach the gospel in Drammen. 

I found out that an Elder Dorius organized the first branch in Drammen! Cool huh?! 

In a Trio again

Sister Neilson and Sister Crenshaw

Kontakting and making "poopie cookies"

awesome hike with the ward!

last lunch with sister Peterson

On a hike with Sister Crenshaw

Sisters Training

Hallo!

Let's see.. Sister Firth came back last Monday, so we are trio again. But Sister Firth goes home next week and we are getting 11 new sisters. I will be training. So that is exciting.

We had zone conferance last week in Oslo and that was way fun! I got to see a lot of my old companions, Sister Peterson (Bodø), Sister Horner (MTC), and Sister Sorensen (Trondheim). It had been one year since I had seen Sister Horner, so it was a good reunion!

We had a lot of good member teaches this week. I feel like I am getting to know the members better here in Drammen. Also, I hit my one year mark in Norway on Wednesday! Crazy!

I had a lot of spiritual experiences this week.. because ya know I am a missionary, but I will share one with you. We met with a recent convert last night and there was a huge change in her. We watched a general conference talk together called "Grateful in Any Circumstances" by Pres. Uchtdorf. A week ago she was soo down and depressed because of certain difficult circumstances. A miracle happened. Things worked out for her. There was a light in her eyes. It was so beautiful to see. She felt like this talk was speaking just to her. I am grateful for prophets and apostles and their wise counsel. They answer prayers. I love seeing that help others.

I read the best talk this week! It is called "Becoming True Millennials by Pres. Russell M. Nelson. He said something that really hit me. He said,

"You will have days when you will be thoroughly discouraged. 

So, pray for courage not to give up! 

You will need that strength because it will become less and less popular to be a Latter-day Saint.

 Sadly, some whom you thought were your friends will betray you. 

And some things will simply seem unfair."

It is going to become less and less popular to believe in God. It is already happening today. I see it in Norway. I see it happening around the world. Do NOT fall into this trend! It is the last days and we need to be extra strong. Life is soo much happier, fulfilling, and peaceful when you believe! Your faith is going to get your through your hard times. This is the truth. This is God's church. The fruits are good. The spirit is here. This is where your Father in Heaven wants you to be. Don't you loose faith. We need your light and examples. Faith in God is the only thing that is going to help us.


Hope you all have a great week!
Love,
Sister Allen

Sister Wadley, Sister Hudson, and Sister Sorensen 

Me and Sister Horner!! My MTC and Texas buddy!! I have missed her!

Me and Sister Peterson

Me and Sister Sorenson

the cutest hamster eating lettuce.. haha

Teach Fearlessly.

Wasn't General Conference the best?!
I love general conference, especially as a missionary. Shout out to Pres. Russell M. Nelson's talk about women. How empowering! There were so many good talks. I am really excited to study them for the next 6 months.

Interesting things that happened this week:
We did a question and answer at a children's school with the soon-to-be teachers. Afterwards we "accidentally" left a Book of Mormon and one of them came running out to us and said, "Mormons! You left your Bible!" haha It was funny.

We had a cool contact with a lady on the street that day. She was so excited to receive a Book of Mormon for free. Unfortunately, she doesn't live in Trondheim, so we referred her to the missionaries in her area. It was way cool though. Heavenly Father really leads us to those that are prepared and willing to listen.

One day we had the sister training leaders with us and it was a blast. I love it when they come!

Me and Sister House had a cool contact with this boy on the street. We helped answer his question, "If there is a God than why do children die of cancer?" I could see a satisfied look in this boy's face as we testified of the purpose of live and how God has a plan for all of His children.

On Friday we had an appointment with a girl Sister Sorensen and Sister Peterson met on the street. We were late because we missed our bus stop and the girl was not there. :( We were way upset, so we walked swiftly into the city to try and find her. We didn't see her. We decided to say a prayer in the middle of city and ask Heavenly Father to help us find her, so that we could give her a Book of Mormon. After we said the prayer we turned the corner and guess who was there.. the girl! Heavenly Father had answered our prayer.

I am so grateful to be a missionary at this time. I am so grateful for prophets and apostles to help lead and guide us. The heavens are open and the world is preparing for the 2nd coming of Christ. It is our time to step forward. Be covenant keeping saints. Speak with power and authority. Make things happen with our faith. Teach fearlessly. Express our belief with confidence.

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the ONLY way to true and everlasting happiness.

Love,
Søster Allen  

We got caught in a rain\wind storm!

Women's Conference Session

We were the only ones who showed up.. 

We had a potluck afterwards and the best cake!

Trondheim District

Should Sister Peterson go brunette?

I laughed so hard when I saw this picture. haha

Zone Conference Picture

Zone Conference Pictures 

This is in Bergen! It is so beautiful there!

OH ya I cute my hair. Most expensive haircut of my life.

Me and Sister House

Me and my troll friend

Sister Peterson! I have missed her so much!

Sister Nielson from my District in Oslo!

Elder Vause and Elder Crump from my old District in Oslo!

Two Days Full of Miracles!

Hello! Søster Hudson has arrived and we are killing it here in Bodø. It is so nice that we have already served together because we already know how to work together. It is great! She is from Texas, 20 yrs. old, and has been out on her mission for 11 months. We had one sunny day this week. That was exciting and hot.

The only sunny day we had last week! We contact along this Harbor. Love this Place. :)

Sooo this week..

First, Sister Peterson said her goodbyes so we had a lot of member dinners at the beginning of the week. It was great to spend time With the members and Sister Peterson before she left. Sister Hudson came to Bodø on Wednesday and I felt bad because she came to an area With like no investigators.. so this is where we put Our faith and hard work to the test. Wednesday to Friday was pretty rough. Nothing really happened. We were out contacting, knocking, and calling People and trying to find.. nothing was happening. Everyone was gone. Then comes Saturday and Sunday... two days full of miracles! Are you ready? :)

Ok, so on Saturday we had this appointment with this guy and it fell through.. so we went out contacting. Nothing happened. When I say nothing happened that means we got rejected pretty hard. So, we have dinner and realized that we still needed to make Our goal for 3 other lessons and 2 New investigators.. we had 3 hours left of the day. So we went out with determination. We were able to do it! We taught a lesson to a girl on the street, she wasn't interested in the end, but was Grateful she met us. Then we contacted this guy and taught him a lesson as well. He said that he wasn't sure what the purpose of life was and we told him that we had a book that would help him find those answers. He said he was leaving Bodø on Monday, so we could meet up with him on Sunday. Then that guy who cancelled on us earlier that day called and said he could meet that night. We taught him a lesson and he is actually moving to Drammen, but it was still pretty positive. Such a cool day.

Sunday.. What a day. So we pick up Jørn-Are for Church and we have to give the talks in sacrament Meeting på norsk. Right before sacrament Meeting starts this guy Calls that we invited to Church on the street and says he is here. So we got this random guy in Church. Miracle! After Church we delivered the Book of Mormon to the guy from England and he tells us that he already referred himself to get a copy on mormon.org. We asked him if he wanted the missionaries to come to him in England and he said yes! We said goodbye to him and he said, "there was a reason I met you two." :) Then we went to a member dinner, which was great and Jørn- Are came along. The branch is so good to him! After dinner we prayed on whether we should go contacting or go home and make cookies. Sister Hudson said she felt like we should go home and make cookies.. on the way back to Our Apartment we contact this guy sitting on his stairs. He is was so interested and I was able to recite the 1st vision. He Wonders why there are so many churches. Such a cool contact! After that we made cookies while having Language study. We had an hour left, so we went back out and we weren't getting anyone really positive... until Our last contact. She started out as not very interested, so we just testified.. like missionaries do and I asked her if she wanted to learn more about the Book of Mormon. She said yes.. and I was shocked and speechless. Sister Hudson had to take over. What a day!! Such an awesome day.

Thought for the day: Mosiah 5:13. In my paraphrased Words and comments about this scripture: How do you know the Master if you haven't served Him.. He is a stranger to you and far from the thoughts and intents of Your heart. Serve Him and you will come to know Him. Love this.

Håper dokker ha en god uke!
 Love,
Søster Allen

Bodo

Bodo!
These photos were posted on Sister Hill's blog that she captured when the Hills came and visited Soster Peterson and Soster Allen

We were able to see some beautiful country with some great friends and "our" fabulous girls!