Sunday, July 31, 2011

Day #11 in Norway

 Yes I know this picture is REALLY blurry... but I still thought it was sweet :) We picked June up at the airport this morning!!!

 Because of the terrorist attact on Norway, the pond in Stavanger is FILLED with flowers and candles.
 There is a big sailboat race going on in Europe.  We went to The Port of Stavanger where they were stopped this morning while we waited for it to be time to go to church.






  
 This is not a great picture (above), but... Church was INCREDIBLE!! I can't even describe my gratitude that I got to go. There wasn't anything spectacular that was said or anything... I don't really know how to explain it... I just needed it SO badly. I've felt like I've been missing something (spirit wise) and today I finally got to fill that vacancy. What REALLY amazed me was that I've always been told that our church is the same no matter where you go... but i've never actually experienced it for myself until now. I had a translator headset on and it was just like I was at church at home. There was a woman in the audience with a microphone that was connected to our headsets and she just translated while everyone spoke. This was SO comforting to me... like I had a very important truth proven to me or something. We had young womens, sunday school (taught by American missionaries in english), and Sacrament meeting. I LOVED IT. The spirit was SO strong! I was pretty emotional because I have missed church so much and I really felt the Spirit. The doctrine was EXACTLY the same as I have always been taught and the hymns are the same even though they are in a different language and the scriptures are the same! THIS CHURCH IS TRUE. I've been to several other churches and I just don't ever feel what I feel in the LDS church!!

There were quite a few people there who were originally from Utah. It was pretty cool!! I sat by a guy during sacrament meeting who was from Sandy, but he and his wife moved to Norway for work or something.  After the meeting he said, "So you must know SOME Norwegian.  Have you studied it in classes or just picked some up while you've been here or what?"  I told him I don't know ANY Norwegian and he said, "Really?? Because your pronunciation was practically perfect on the Hymns!" haha I told him I just copied what HE was doing! Made me feel really good when he said that though :) It was good to talk to so many Americans while I was in such an amazing setting too!
 This is the view right out the back door at Johanna's house :) Isn't it gorgeous??
 We rode in this AWFUL car to where we played volleyball.  The kid had to basically crack open the back door with a crowbar!! It was ridiculous and totally funny.
 This is in the back of the car.




















 This is the great car

 We ate dinner outside tonight.  Leif made American Meatloaf and he was SO excited about it.  It was really cute :)  And I LOVED it!
At dinner, me and June just talked and laughed like crazy!! It felt so good!! I LOVE having June here!!
 I cannot take credit for these two beautiful pictures. Wiebke took them :)



Johanna's brothers just messing around shooting beer cans after dinner.
Random that this picture ended up at the end haha but it's a good one so I didn't delete it ;)

Day #10 in Norway

We are going to the zoo today!! I was SO excited!! I have always loved the zoo and it is SO warm here in Kristiansand! Peder, Ruban, Malin, Kristoffer, and Espen are coming too!
 I only have a few pictures of me on this trip haha so most are just pictures like this! Up the nose shots just for you mom!!

  Group hug!!
 Almost there...
 Almost!!
 And we're in!! :D     even though my card didn't work.  Thank goodness Johanna's card works just fine!
 pssst! That means "Welcome"



 Above, Espen wanted his picture taken so he posed real nice :)

  

  
We hadn't seen any animals yet because they were playing the games and stuff and Ruben kept joking about it.  Finally he said, "Oh there you go Sara! There is the extent of the animals you will get to see today. Well...? Let's go then!" haha





Ruben and Malin :) Too of my favorite people here in Norway! They told me today that they have been together for three years now! Awe!! :)





 Sun Bathing :)  ooo yeah baby!
 Oh my gosh!!!!!!!
 Awe look! :) They're friends!
 Ok crazy eyes!
 Croc!

Toitles :]

 Ruben turned his head right as I was taking this picture so his head looks funny haha
 This says, "Please do not knock on the glass." BAHAHAHA






TURTLES!!!



  



 Don't these look like giant hampsters?!



Big dog or little pony?




Sweet ride ;) 







 They work for Tine so they thought this was great to see their company name at the zoo












  I thought it looked dead... maybe it's smiling...?




 Fighting for a turn to look at the map haha


























 This went SO high!! It was tons of fun though.  I pretty much laughed the whole time!  Ruben had a little kid sitting next to him and Ruben asked him if he was scared.  He said no, that he had been on it about a million times that day.  Then Ruben said, "O, because I'm a little scared..." and the kid goes, "pussy!" haha! This kid was like MAYBE 10!! I bet Ruben felt a little bit stupid right then.













 I took the tag off of Ruben's teddy bear.  He said, "Do you know what that means in Norway?? It means... We can't be friends anymore." hahahaha
















WHAT A FUN DAY!!! :D
On the way home after dinner, I rode in the car with Ruben, Malin, Weibke, and Peder.  Malin,  Ruben, and Peder asked me questions about me religion for the majority of the ride and I basically got to bear my testimony to them.  I only hope I can say the right things and that they will feel something when we talk about the church.
After we got home, Ruben tried to re-teach me how to drive stick.  I guess it went alright, but I'm NOT very good at it at all!