Teaching, Testifying & Wearing a Name Badge

Come to her Homecoming!!!  

This Sunday May 29 at 9 am 

at 1440 E. Raddon Dr.  in Sandy!!  

Stop by the house after for food!

We had an amazing week. We found some awesome potentials on the street. I feel like they are really positive too. We were on splits with Sister Randall and she looked at two of these girls walking towards us and she said we can contact both of these girls. "Sister Allen go talk to her and me and Sister Crenshaw will talk to the other." I was able to have this conversation with this teenage girl who was searching for answers. She wanted to know what will happen after this life and she told me that she did believe once, but she wasn't sure. It was such a cool moment for me. I will miss that. Teaching and testifying and wearing a name badge. It is the best thing in the world. You get to feel God's love for His children. SÃ¥ vakkert.

We taught one of our investigators as well and showed him the Restoration film. He loved it and the spirit was so strong. He said he would come to church next week and we knelt in prayer at the end. It was one of the most humble prayers I have ever heard on my mission.

Such a beautiful week. Spent some time with members as well. I will miss Drammen. I will miss Norway. Words can't describe my feelings. I love these people. My heart is here.

See you all this week! Thank you for all the support!  And for those that read all of these emails...you guys are champs. :)

Love,
Søster Allen

Pitchas!

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

Ah I'm Gonna Miss this Place

Jessica's Homecoming: 

 May 29, 2016.  9 am 

at the Hidden Valley 4th Ward Building 

1440 E. Raddon Drive in Sandy.

Please come and support Jessica at church 

and then come over to our house after for treats. 

We live right across from the church 

on 12008 Hidden Valley Rd.!   

She would love the support!

This week was one my favorites in Drammen. It was very spiritual. It all started on Monday when we decided to go visit this older lady in the ward. I had no idea what to share with her, but as I opened Mormon Bok I turned to my favorite scripture, Ether 12:27. I read it and started crying. I have read that scripture a million times and that time it just really hit me. 

Wednesday was probably the best day ever in Drammen. 

First of all it was Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you) and we had a wonderful visit with a member. After that we had another appointment with a former investigator at the library. On the way to the appointment I taught a lady on a the bus about the restoration and the book of mormon. It was a scary thing to do for me, but I felt God's help as I was doing it. 

Anyways, we made it to our appointment and didn't really know what we were going to say or do because this guy had been taught all the lessons before. We definitely needed the spirit to help us and I was able to commit this guy to baptism. He has a strong desire, but he needs to act on it. So we will see, but I will never forget that lesson. 

The love that God has for His children!! His love is soo strong! After that we had an appointment with a recent convert in the ward and she has been going through a lot of difficulties. We had no idea what to do. Sister Crenshaw said, "I think we need to all kneel and pray." 

Woah.. it was so powerful. 

The day ended with playing card games with the young womens for the mutual activity.

Thursday was Zone Conference in Oslo and I gave my "last testimony." 

It was easier than I thought it was going to be because all of the missionaries in that chapel know what it is like to serve a Norway mission. Ah man, I am going to miss this place!!

We found out that a sister in an area close to us will be with us for my last two weeks. 

Her companion extended and will be going home this week. So we will be in charge of two areas. It will be interesting, busy and fun! 

This weekend we helped our neighbors garden and we spent time with some members. 

weeding is fun

I got to skype home for mother's day. My last time! 

Glad i dere! Ha en fin uke!

Love,

Søster Allen

Pictures:

My last zone conference! Good times! I gave my last testimony in Norway to all my fellow missionary friends. :)

Three Weeks Left

Note from Mom:
Hey everyone!!  Jess will be home Thursday May 26 at 3 pm.  Her homecoming is that Sunday May 29 at 9 am.  She would love to see any and everyone!  Please mark your calendars and pass along the info.  Especially those of you from her mission, we don't know how to get a hold of everyone!  More details to come!!!

Today, we went to a funeral of a member in the ward. She was a young 28 year old mom that died of cancer. It was so sad. The spirit was really strong and a lot of people were there. I won't forget the love the members have for each other here. The bishop gave a closing talk and I was so touched by it. He said what I already know to be true, but it was confirmed to my heart by the spirit again. This life is the time to prepare to meet God. We have a life after this and families can be together forever. So beautiful. My hope and faith is in this.

We had a cool service opportunity this week. We were at the Skat.. which is like the city hall to get permission for Sister Crenshaw to start her driving license stuff and we saw a member from the ward there. She looked tired and so we asked her if we could help her. She was thrilled. We were able to go grocery shopping with her and carry her groceries home. I felt like a true missionary. It was a nice feeling. Service is good, ya know. :)

We had a lot of rain this week, but I have heard that the weather is going to warm up soon. I am excited for that!

Happy May!

Love,

Søster Allen

Picture:

on our way to a dinner appointment! bus ride!

We are getting really creative with our knitting over here. 

elder hadley's garder

last weeks hike

My Last Weeks in Norway!

We did a lot of service this week! 

The weather warmed up so we helped a member in her garden and our neighbors! It was like therapy for me! I decided I love to garden. 

We visited a lot of members this week. That is the best part about serving in Drammen! There are so many members that love having the missionaries over. We have been teaching them the Restoration and getting them pumped for missionary work! Missionaries cannot do this work alone! We need the members help!

I am loving my last few weeks here in Norway! Having some great conversations with people on the street. It is a wonderful thing to talk to people and help him feel a little bit of God's love for them. Missionary work = the best :) 

Have I also mentioned how much I love Sister Crenshaw!? Best daughter in the world. :) 

Ha en fin uke dere!

Love,

Søster Allen

My new and last district in Drammen. :) 

Elder Hadley made the district lasagna for district lunch!

Waiting for the bus!

hiking on p-day

koselig stund sammen og "selfies"

Don't Complicate the Gospel. Try Feeling the Spirit Instead.

My brother, Sam got called to Madagascar 

speaking Malagasy (which is French/Samoan) 

and leaves August 3!! 

I can't believe it! 

It will be a completely different mission than mine. 

I am so excited for him and secretly want to go with him!

Lots of learning and growing going on here in Drammen. On Monday we knocked on this potential that we knocked on 2 transfers ago and he was just as positive! He this Norwegian dad who lit up when he saw us at the door. We gave him a Book of Mormon and said we would come back when his wife was home. As Sister Crenshaw and I left the front door I kept saying.. "He is soo nice! I can't believe how nice he is!" haha. After knocking on millions of doors and getting rejected everytime.. it is nice to have a pleasant person answer the door. It was a tender mercy.

We visited a lot members and contacted on the street. I just love the members! We had some cool experiences on the street. With the few that listen I am always grateful. We are able to bear testimony to these people and we see a change in their eyes. Hopefully later in their life they will remember and search for answers to the questions of their souls. 

It was stake conference this weekend, so all of the wide side of Norway came to Drammen! We got to help serve food for a leadership meeting they had one night. Stake conference was amazing! The spirit was so strong and I felt very grateful for my mission! I love the members in Norway. They are so strong! It very strange to be religious here and to especially be a mormon. I look up to them so much!

Her er et skriftsted for dere! 1 Corinthians 14:33

Don't complicate the gospel. Try feeling the spirit instead. Peace!

Love,

Søster Allen

The Start of My Last Transfer

Highlights of the week:

-This week we had a sisters training in Oslo for 3 days since there are 11 new sisters and 11 new trainers! It was awesome! We learned a lot about how to be better missionaries and stuff. I really enjoyed it!

-Sister Crenshaw and I also had a miracle week! We prayed to teach people lessons on the street and were very specific with the number of people and.. we were able to do it! We also got a new investigator! I remember thinking as we were teaching these people on the street.. wow God answers prayers! It is happening right now! haha

-We had an awesome Sunday. Since last week was General Conference we didn't get to see a lot of members, so it was great to spend time with them. I love the Drammen ward!

-This week is the start of my last transfer! Crazy! I can't believe it is almost over. I plan to work hard with Sister Crenshaw!

-Way exciting news... my little brother Sam gets to open his mission call tomorrow night! I am soo excited for him!! Can't wait to find out where he goes!

Ha det bra dere!
Love,
Søster Allen

Hiking on P-day!

On our way to an appointment!

I got to be with my MTC group! We are missing Sister Leland :(. It was a great time!

This is our "our MTC group has NEVER been together in Norway and we miss you S.Leland" face.