Autumn in Oslo

Before we post the winter pictures, we thought we would let you all enjoy the splendor of Autumn in Oslo first!

Photos At Last

Norsk Church in Alesund

Heart Break Hill

Alesund (Southern Norway)

Tired but Happy Missionaries

Norwegian Constitution Signed Here

Not All Norwegian Houses Are Like This

Country Side 5 Minutes From Downtown Oslo

It Is Not Always Cold In Norway

A Flower Among Flowers

Recent Events through October 10, 2010

There have been several baptisms since we have been in Norway. Also, we have met and worked with some of the best youth anywhere, youth from Norway, France, Russia, China, Gauna, Nigeria, Chile, Hungary, the Philippines, Uganda, etc. Norway has really become a melting pot for many young people who have come here to work or study. We remain stationed in Oslo and it appears that we will be here for the remainer of our mission. We enjoy teaching institute and talking with the young single adults. We try to do some activation work and contacting whenever we can. We have no complaints, only praise for the work, the people and the country. When we have had some free time, we have seen stunning, breathtaking scenery in and around the Oslo area and in other sections of Norway. We wonder if many of the Norwegians take the beauty of their country for granted because they have seen it their entire lives. We have finally posted some new photos and more will be coming soon.

Here we are along with the other new missionaries to Norway.

This photo was taken a couple of weeks after the "new missionaries" photo. As you can see, we have eaten too much delicious Norwegian pastry and ris krem.

Here are some of our new Norwegian friends. We met them in Finland at the festinord youth conference.

Activities through August 15, 2010

This past week has been eventful and wonderful. Among many other things, we taught a discussion to a super Scottish lady, named Francis. (This is actually the third time we have taught her). We taught an institute class. We attended a symphony with Francis, another investigator who will be getting baptized this coming Sunday, the mission president and his wife, the Springers, who are serving as the office couple, and one of the young single adults, named Elizabeth. Bob was the concluding speaker in sacrament meeting today and spoke about the purpose of life and the importance of joyfully enduring to the end. Since Bob spoke in Norwegian, Debbie listened through the earphones to what he said translated into English.

We have met many new wonderful people, young and old. We are working with newly baptized members and a terrific investigator from China, name Li. She is very humble, but very bright too. She has a master's degree in architecture. Another one of our new friends is Johnny, a recent convert. He is black, comes from one of the countries in Africa, and is a MD. He graduated from Johns Hopkins in the US with a specialty in radiology. Once again, despite being very bright, he is humble and simply a joy to be around. Today we met a foreign exchange student from Chile. She came to Norway all alone to study, without knowing any Norwegian at all. She made a tremendous effort to seek out the church, figure out public transportation, and travel for about an hour to come to church. The faith and capacity of many of the young people is inspiring. It is really obvious to us, perhaps more so than ever, that the Lord loves all of his children and that there are fabulous people the world over.

We are working very hard, but are firmly convinced that we made the right choice to serve a mission. Nonetheless, we miss you very much.

LIFE IN NORWAY

We are here working at the Insititute and Outreach Center in Oslo, Norway. It is a spacious facility visited by dozens of people each day. We teach discussions, family home evenings and institute classes. We post photos, keep the facility clean, help with food preparation and do what we can to make the center a place where members and investigators want to come. In short, we have been extremely busy. Bob had not even picked up a tennis racket until this morning, August 9. Since we have been here, there have been three baptisms in Oslo. The three new members all attend the ward where we go. Another thing that we do is to fellowship the new members, these three brand new ones and others.

Since we have been in Norway, we traveled to Finland for a large muli-country youth conference known as Festi-Nord. Additionally, we flew to Trondheim, a large Norwegian City about 500 miles Northwest of Oslo for a conference with other couple missionaries and young missionaries. The youth in Norway are wonderful. For the most part, they are faithful, dedicated and commited to the church.

We have not figured out how to post photos on this blog yet. Once we figure that out, hopefully before our mission is over, we will post some photos so that you can see the beautiful Norwegian countryside and some of the young Norwegians who frequent the Center.

Our Farewell

Our farewell (missionary oriented sacrament meeting) was a wonderful experience. In addition to having our ward friends in attendance, we also had many other friends and family members. We are so grateful to each of you who came--some who traveled significant distances to be there.

It's Official - Bob's dreams have come true and they are off to Norway!

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Bob and Debbie have requested that I set up a blog for them, so that they may keep you all informed of their work in Norway over the next 18 months. I feel fortunate to write their first entry, and wish them luck on the journey ahead.


Dedicated, stalwart, resolute, committed, steadfast, unwavering, and valiant are just a few adjectives I would use to describe Bob and Debbie’s relationship with God and The Church. And so, it comes as no surprise to us, that at a time when many couples would bask in the life of leisure and security, Bob and Debbie are putting everything aside to serve the Lord and His children in the Oslo Norway Mission. Make no mistake, their sacrifice is not simple, it is not small, it is not insignificant. The following is a quick paraphrase of just a few of the things they will leave behind; Tom, Caralee, Jon, Lindsay, Brody, Brooklyn, Gracie, Elle, and Redd – Their children and grandchildren that will miss them more than words can even describe…(tear)…Family, friends, the ward family, running without 5 layers on, shopping (Debbie, you know what I’m talking about!), tennis, Burton Lumber (although I think they might miss Bob more than he’ll miss them ;) ) Susan LeDuc, St. George, helping clients find healing, sunshine, Costa Rica, lunch dates with friends, babysitting, the hair salon, tennis, lunch with friends, tennis, talking on the phone, tennis ( you get the picture), and seeing friendly faces everywhere they go.


They do as the Lord has requested, and “leave behind all personal affairs.” But the Lord asks nothing of us without a much greater reward. So within the mission call itself, comes the promise of “an increased knowledge and testimony of the Restoration and of the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ…greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced.”


While it’s hard for me to imagine greater happiness than sitting on the beach sipping a virgin pina colada, you show us the faith and follow in His footsteps, and someday your children and grandchildren will follow in yours. Thanks for your ever present example, your service, and your love. You will be greatly missed, you are always loved, and your legacy continues on.

"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose" -- Jim Elliot