Week 67 Drammen Norway

 Aye this week was super busy! 

       Wednesday we had moves and we picked up my new companion and Elder Meldrum's new companion and drove them to their apartment in Sandvika. We helped them carry stuff into the house then came back and had some calling and appointments to make. Then the next day we had to plan splits with all the District leaders in our zone and figure out which day they're coming so the assistants could buy plane tickets which took a while, then we balled some dudes up at the local park. That night we visited a less active family to get to know them and It was probably one of the most spiritual filled visits I've ever had. We came in and their house was filled with pictures of Christ and I felt the spirit as soon as I walked in, I was kind of caught off guard because usually that's not the case when we visit less active members. Then we get talking to get to know them and we asked how long they've been members and the father was like well we've got a pretty cool story honestly but it takes a while to tell.  I then asked them if they were willing to share it and she said yes! So to keep it short this girl believed in God from the time she was young but her family wasn't religious at all and never talked about it either and then one day her grandfather passed away at like 60 or something and they were all distraught. So she decided to pray and ask God why her grandpa died and where he was at? So when she did she felt prompted to go downstairs, so she did and she proceeded to checked her parents room and they were sound asleep as she turned around she immediately saw a light there and then heard a voice say, "hey it's me grandpa, God let me come and talk to you and I'm here to tell you that I'm ok and I'm learning a lot right now but I need your help!" Then her grandpa proceeded to tell her all about the plan of Salvation and that after he is done learning what he needs to learn he will be going to "paradise" and finished with explaining the 3 different kingdoms that people go to afterwards. As a missionaries you hear a lot of stories and sometimes you can tell or feel that they are making it up or exaggerating but when she said that the spirit just filled the room. She had some more dreams and visits from her grandpa throughout the next few years telling her that he needed her help but she didn't ever know how to help him? Then when she was about in her 20's she started dating this guy who was a member but went inactive when he moved from France to Norway. She ended up telling him of this experience and he was like, "oh shoot ya,  I know where we need to go" so the next day was Sunday and they pulled up to the church house so she could talk to the missionaries and he asked the missionaries to teach her the plan of Salvation. When they did she was in shock as she realized it was exactly what her grandpa had taught her years ago.  Then when they told her about baptisms for the dead and explained that is the way people in the spirit world can be baptized it clicked and she knew that was how she was suppose to help her grandfather. So she got baptized and then had the baptism done for her grandfather and then the dreams and visits stopped because she knew she did what needed to be done! And the reason she hasn't been coming to church is health problems and some other anxiety stuff but that her testimony will never go away and she knows this church is true. Me and my comp were so shocked and so grateful she shared her story with us,  it was sweet. Super cool how God is always helping his children.

     I finished the Book of Mormon again this week in Norwegian and every time I get that same confirmation that it is the word of God. I agree 100 percent with Joseph Smith and the statement that the Book of Mormon is the most true book out of all the other books and that it can bring man closer to God more than anything else! We had MLC which was fun and we are grinding to get more people taught and baptized here, Bjørn is doing great and has been doing good with his plan! Hope you all have a good week. 

Eldste McSpadden