On Easter Sunday there were several who didn't have family in town to visit so we invited them to dinner.  On the left were investigators Dennis, Benedicte, Camilla and Elder Amundsen.  On the right are Shina, Sisters Johnston and Stevens, and Elder Mathews.

 Easter dinner.  On the left we have Robert (member from Krisiansund), Corrie, Harald, and Elder Moyes.  On the right are Lisa, and Joachim (soon to be married), and Dana.

 Sisters Stevens and Johnston had birthdays the same week so the invited us to lunch at the top of a space-needle type tower. 

 At the Sisters' birthday party this shows Elder Mathews after breaking the all-time missionary pizza-eating record at the tower.  He ate 20 slices!  Sister Johnston beat the women's record by eating 13.

 Went on a walk along the fjord to see old Nazi bunkers.  This shows God's Army (Elders Amundsen, Moyes, and Mathews).

Elder Moyes letting his light shine on top of the small lighthouse.

 Ben and Dennis were baptized last Saturday!  It was awesome.  This shows Ben with Maria, who was baptized last month.  Wonderful young adults who have seen their lives change for the better.

 This is Dennis on the day of his baptism.  Does he look sharp or what?

Sisters Stevens and Johnston with Dennis.  The sisters taught Ben, Dennis, and Maria.

 The last supper at our house before moves.  Sister Stevens & Johnston and the old folks.  Elder Amundsen, Moyes and Mathews.  We lost Sister Stevens and Mathews.  We will miss them!

Russ!  (pronounced roos) happens every May for all high school seniors in Norway.  The month is filled pretty much with "anything goes" stuff, and the public and police ignore all but the worst.  It's a tradition that's probably been around forever.  Anyway, we're told they are given a list of things they can do throughout the month and when they accomplish each thing they check it off and receive a pin to put on a hat or something - kind of like receiving a merit badge  I guess.  Some things they do include driving around round-a-bouts in cars until they are dizzy and maybe throw up, eat dinner in the middle of a round-a-bout, kiss a cop, sit under a desk for an hour, stand against a tree for an hour, and sometimes they are even assigned to harass Mormon missionaries.  Of course, there is also lots of drinking and other naughty things; this isn't Provo Utah, after all.  In this clip you see kids leaning out of a van with a super soaker, spraying people on the street.  They often somehow find a red van and customize it with writing on the side.  Parties often go long into the night and early morning, week nights included.  Crazy!

Russ!  The high school seniors also wear identical pants - the same throughout the entire country.  We're told these pants are worn every day and night and are not washed until the month is over.  Fun!

These clips shows Mom still has it (or had it as she smacked her head).  Happy Mother's Day, Mom!  This was taken in March; snow is long gone.  She never did make it down the hill.

Mission Conference and a little bit of talent

We had a mission conference!  We all converged in the Oslo area for two days (Romerike) and learned about effective teaching and obedience.  An excellent conference.  Of course, Here are Elders DeCosta, Mathews, and Buckley "showing" off their talents.

No, Elder Stratford isn't proposing to Sister Berggren, just trying to figure out who she is.  Dana and the rest of Trondheim were in charge of the games during the conference and they were loads of fun.

 No, mission conference was not all games.  Here President Johansen, a fantastic, persuasive, loving teacher, is instructing the group.

 After sitting in meetings all day, it was nice to get out in the sunshine.  Jumping rope was, by far, the favorite game.  Pretty good leapers!

 Synchronized benching performed by Elders Christensen, Buckley, Bischoff, Brush, Sutton, and Stewart.  Olympics material?

Our 4 AP's (yes, 4 of them) celebrating that the conference is over and that is was a success.  They spent many long hours preparing.  Nice work!

Jumping

Superman

Superman, aka Elder Crandall

Talent Show

 Elders Carmichael and DeCosta showing their talents to the fiddle of Sister Stevens