Week 30 Alesund Norway

What's up everyone! 

     We had a pretty awesome week here for sure! I'm pretty sick so I'm not going to write a ton but I'll just share some of the highlights of the week. First off, I'm pretty sad Lindberg is heading home but so happy he finished his mission strong. He's such a stud and I can't wait to go party with him in Copenhagen, Denmark!  I'm dropping Lindberg off at the airport on Wednesday and then picking up my new companion from Heber, Utah who's been Visa waiting in Minnesota. I'll be training Eldste Bennett here in Alesund, so that will be dope. 

    We had Kjell and Marriane's wedding this past weekend and it was so cool to be a part of! They didn't want some big thing, it was just a small but very awesome wedding! It was pitch black out so I don't know how the pics turned out but it was on the beach so that was cool. Eldste Lindberg and I help set up the outdoor part of the wedding and then we all went back to their house for food and met a lot of their extended family member's.  We had President and Sister Tew with us this weekend too so that's always a party, they spoil us so much! 

     Then the next day in sacrament meeting we had like 17 people in church, it was a full house! After sacrament meeting we headed over to the local pool we'd rented out and we had Kjell and Kimbo's baptisms. The spirit testified to all of us there that they were making righteous choices by being baptized.  What an amazing experience it was to see a father and his son make a promise with our Father in Heaven to live His commandments and be cleansed through the waters of baptism. The spirit was super strong the whole time I loved it, I live for moments like that! Then after they both bore a strong testimony on how baptism has and will change their lives forever. They said they're eternally grateful for the chance they have to live with their family forever. It's always an amazing experience to hear such strong testimonies of people who get it! He knows the gospel is true and knows it's the best thing for his family. So proud of those two studs and the sacrifices they had to make to get to where they are today. 

Hope you all have a great week love ya'll! 

Eldste McSpadden

It turned out perfect.

 We we're able to help set up for the wedding the wind kept blowing things over but then it all calmed down for the actual wedding, great night!

 I learned so much from Lindberg and I'm grateful we were able to be companions!

 President and Sister Tew flew in for the wedding and the baptism, they always spoil us! It's so fun when they come to visit.

Knocking doors can get a little confusing!!  Haha!

 Last P-day with Lindberg. Took a couple from England we've been teaching on one of our favorite hikes here in Alesund. They later showed us an awesome place for burgers

 Vikings live in Norway!! Front door art!

Week 29 Alesund Norway

What's up everyone! 

       We had a pretty solid week here it was great! It started off by flying to Stavanger for an amazing Zone Conference, it was really good and President Tew is such a stud! I respect that man with all my heart he's a spiritual giant. We stayed with the Stavanger Zone leaders and some of my guys from the MTC so that was a good time. We took off the bedding and just layed everything on the floor and piled on it was so funny. We had 6 elders on 2 beds and 2 box spring platforms. It was pretty uncomfortable but it was a good time. We then flew back the next day and got back to the work here in Ålesund. It's crazy Lindberg is going home here pretty soon back to good ol' Denmark , gonna miss that guy like crazy but I'm definently visiting him in Copenhagen after I get back. But we've been working really hard these past couple days and Lindberg wants to finish out going hard so that's what we've been doing. We had a dope lesson with the girl we've been teaching and we set up a baptismal date with her for May 2. I won't be here for that but I'm excited for her she's definitely making the right choice by wanting to make Covenants with our Father in Heaven. I'm so stoked for our baptisms this Sunday! It's going to be a pretty crazy weekend, we've got the wedding and President and Sister Tew flying in on Friday and then the baptism on Sunday, I'm pumped. We were going to do it outside in the ocean but our lil homie said that he doesn't know if he can go in the cold water so we didn't know what to do at first but we found a little swimming place and rented the pool out with a little room so were chilling! But man the weather here has been AWFUL the past couple weeks it's been raining so much, I can't even believe it. We literally don't take off our rain coats from the second we leave the door til we come back at night it's so funny. But on Monday it came down like crazy it wasn't that bad during the day but we decided to go contact in the city before we had some appointments and it was like a small hurricane. Wind in every direction and rain rain rain. We were completely soaked with no umbrellas because the wind breaks them all and we were just talking with people and they would look at us like we were crazy! Like what the heck are you guys doing out here go home! But we had a feeling we should just keep going for a little longer. Right after that we stopped this guy who had a lot of beliefs that were the same as ours and took a Book of Mormon and said he wants to meet us in the local pub to talk about it. Then after that we walked like 30 yards down the street and stopped this younger lady and she was super dope! She had a strong belief in christ and in families and that's exactly what our message is about so she agreed to meet next Monday to talk about the Book of Mormon so that was sweet! A funny story from this week was when we were contacting and asking people questions, I stopped this one dude who had a fresh coat on and he just said "Oh heavens lads, I think it's awesome what you Mormons do, I really do, I mean it with all ma heart. But let me tell ya, I've had a few pints tonight and I'm just out for a jolly stroll. Its just not for me, the best of luck to ya two fine fellows!" It was so funny he was super nice and was from England so we started talking to him and he was down at the pub watching Liverpool and Manchester having a good time. I love talking with British blokes, it just puts me in a good mood because it reminds me of when my dad and brother start going at it in their British accents and it's so funny. All in all a solid week! 

    One cool thing I loved from my personal study this week comes from preach my gospel. It's a quote from President Ezra Taft Benson, it says

 “I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. Work, work, work—there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.”

I love this quote because the best solution to everything is work, hard work! Love ya'll hope you have a great week!

Eldste McSpadden! 

 Eldste Tilby (California), Meldrum (Utah), Lindberg (Denmark), Gonzales (Mexico), McSpadden , Rasch (Olympus, Utah) and Jackson (AF, Utah)

 Wood carvings up in the mountains!

Week 28 Alesund Norway

Aye everyone hope your all doing well! 

        This week was pretty good we found a new couple to start teaching and knitting with so that's dope. But we also took some Ls this week for sure hahaha. It's ok though we laughed about every one of them so we made the best out of it. So first off one of our solid investigators just texted us and was like " Hey, I actually think I'm going to go to the Jehovas witness church instead." So that kinda stunk, It's sad now too because she had the cutest little boy and now he doesn't get birthdays or Christmas anymore but hey everyone has their free agency so it is what it is. Then after that we we had good splits with the Bergen Elders. They came for a p day and we showed them a dope hike and bought some kebab pizza wooooo that stuff is AMAZING goodness. We then had the baptismal interviews with our homies and they're so ready! Their baptism is the 26th,  I'm super stoked for those two studs. Then after the boys left we realized Eldste Rasch took Linbergs bus card back to Bergen so we couldn't take the bus anymore and we had to take the car everywhere, which stinks because you can't contact people when you drive and that's one of our go to ways of finding people is public transport contacting. So because we had to drive a lot that means we have to find parking as well, and in this tiny city with roads the size of sidewalks it's impossible. So we found some spots that were free and legal and we went to town and bonked tons of doors. We found two potential people and then walked back to our car. It's been crazy with the weather here so it's been hailing/ raining / snowing all week long with CRAZY strong winds so we walked back to the car in the down pouring rain and found a nice fat ol yellow parking ticket on our car. I was so mad I just started laughing, I don't even know why I was like man this couldn't get any worse. Then I look on the ticket and it was like 100 bucks and it was because I parked to close to the cross walk. Then that night Lindberg decided to change his password to his phone and then FORGETS it, so he has to get his phone wiped and loses a lot of stuff from that. But other than that we had a fun week full of laughter and crazy weather, but the dope thing is the big bright ball In the sky came up over the mountains for the first time in almost a month and a half so that was dope. We had a cool teach with this college kid this week about the Plan of Salvation  and he was so shocked at the thought of living forever and being with your family so it was cool to let him know that! He loved it and said "thanks boys I learned a lot today" so I am excited to see where we go with him. Other than that pretty average week just a lot of finding, a lot of contacting and trying to find more people who are prepared! 

        One thing from my personal studies, I loved this week, was the story of Nephi when he broke his bow. He had the only working bow that had enough power to kill animals. He ends up breaking it and his family is angry with him, but instead of complaining or blaming it on other people he goes out and makes a new one. He doesn't whine or expect God to just place a new one outside his tent. He goes out and does what he can with what he has, and then asks his dad to inquire of the Lord where to go. 

"23 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make out of wood a bow, and out of a straight stick, an arrow; wherefore, I did arm myself with a bow and an arrow, with a sling and with stones. And I said unto my father: Whither shall I go to obtain food?" 

I like this story because in life we all have times where our  "bow" breaks. We have hard things that happen, difficulties come our way when we least expect it. But instead of complaining and feeling sorry or blaming God and losing faith in him, we should use the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We need to do all we can with what we have then let the Lord do the rest. But we have to ask him in faith and work our hardest as well! Never give up and NEVER lose the testimony that we have built up. One of my favorite scriptures is in D&C 6:36 " Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not!" That scripture rings truth and I know if we do turn to the Lord after all we can do he will help us. And that's a promise from Him. Hope you all have a good week and continue to trust in the Lord! 

Eldste Spaddy 👌🏽

I was really busy this week so not a lot of time for pics! I'm taking a flight to Stavanger for Zone Conference today and our flight was delayed so now we missed our flight from Oslo to Stavanger.  So we have to wait for another hour or so before we can go. It's crazy!!

 A few things I love,  America and Ford in Norway!

Week 27 Alesund Norway

Ayyye wassup everyone this week was sick! 

       We had New Years with one of our investigators and we played games and watched fireworks it was a good night! Her parents were kinda skeptical of us, but when they found out we knit, bake (Aunt Trisha's homemade chocolate chip cookies and homemade rolls), clean up dishes and crack funny jokes all the time they've decided they actually really like us, so that's dope! We flew to Bergen for a district council and we met up with the boys there and it was so fun. The sick thing about the Norway Mission is that all the missionaries are so cool, such hardworking homies who love serving the Lord, we're all really tight because there's only about 50 of us. After district council the senior couple bought us Dominos pizza! And as ya'll know the way to my heart is food so that senior couple is definitely getting brownie points from me. That bbq chicken pizza was so dang good! Then we flew back home to little Ålesund and had an amazing sacrament meeting! There was only 6 of us there and Lindberg was presiding over the meeting, I always get an awkward feeling when testimony meeting comes up here because there is just not a lot of people attending to bear a testimony.  I HATE when it's super silent and no one goes up after us missionaries but every time I've been proven wrong! Everyone in the room bore their testimonies; missionaries, the one visiting member from Sweden and our investigating family! The father of the family who is going to be baptized at the end of this month bore a testimony I'll never forget! He started off by pulling out the coin I gave him for Christmas which has the scripture in Ephesians that talks about putting on the whole armor of God and not allowing Satan into your life. He said I have seen and lived the life outside the gospel, its nothing I ever want to live again, those years were some of the toughest times in my life, and I wish I would have found this earlier. I KNOW the Book of Mormon is true, I know this gospel is true and I know I can be forgiven for my mistakes through Christ's atonement. It was probably one of the strongest testimonies I have ever felt and heard! In that moment, I knew this man had seen first hand the powers from heaven work in his life. He knows it's true and is willing to do whatever it takes to follow Christ. He truly is such a big example to me and I cannot wait for him to make the covenant of baptism with our Father in Heaven and continue to be a light and example for the people in Ålesund. Another cool experience we had was with his son, he asked us to come outside and watch him cross country ski a little, so we built him a little jump at the bottom of this hill and videoed him and he thought it was the coolest thing it was so funny! After we decided to go through the plan of Salvation with him again to help him understand it more. So we drew a massive plan of Salvation in the snow and we walked through each step with him while he pushed his way to each step on his skis. When we got to the end and asked him " which place do you want to be in buddy?" And he slid his skis over to the big sun we drew in the snow and said " I want to be here, it's the brightest one!" And we said you want to know how you can get there? Its being baptized like you want to do! And he said " I can't wait!" Aw it was so spiritual and cool to see this little kid understand that he and his dad are going to make a promise with God and that in return they can live with their family forever! It made me think of my brother and my dad and how grateful I am to be able to live with my two best friends for all eternity and how these two are making that same choice. Such an amazing experience I've gotten to be a part of and I'm so grateful for the chance I have to be a missionary and to be apart of the Lords work and to see miracles happen today! I finished the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants again this week and my testimony of the scriptures was definitely strengthened and confirmed this week! Every time I finish one of the books I always pray for a reconfirmation. And I've gotten one every time and know I'll keep getting them as I continue to study!   Just a scripture I loved in my personal study this week was in Matthew 11 and it says " 

28 ¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

I've loved starting to read more about Christ and the miracles he performed! No matter what he was doing where he was or what time of day it was he was serving others and helping. And I have a strong testimony that no matter where we are how far we've gone from the path or how bad we've messed up Christ is there to lighten our burdens! I'm so grateful for that knowledge and I love sharing it with others :) Grateful for all your prayers I truly feel them in my daily work keep em coming! 

Love Eldste Spaddy! 

Today's hike was amazing!!! Love my mission and the gospel!

Cookin up a little crab we received as a gift!