GODT NYTT ÅR!

Jim and I are sitting here in our cozy, warm apartment listening to the constant explosion of fireworks in the neighborhood.  It's a little sad to say good-bye to 2014 - it's been a great year.  But we are looking forward to many more new experiences and adventures in 2015!

Our last week of 2014

A few days before Christmas, some of the YA's, the elders and Jim and I sang for one of the local care centers.  Jj Holst took this great picture.

Julaften - Christmas Eve 

We had a wonderful Christmas with the Torjesen family.  We are so grateful for their invitation to spend this time with them!  In Norway, they celebrate Christmas on the 24th.  As I was told, it is a tradition that goes way back to the Vikings' time as a celebration of the Winter solstice, the beginning of longer days and the hope that summer is on its way.  Anyway, it was a wonderful evening.  

Everyone was dressed up and we began with a lovely dinner.  Jeanette's brother, Kim, his wife Marianne, and their two sons, Vincent and Jj were also there.

Vincent, Jj, Me and Jim, Jeanette, Hannah, 

Benjamin, Kim and Marianne.  Rolf was taking the

picture.

Before dinner, each person, was secretly given  some instructions.

This was mine.  Thus, Jim and I kissed several times

during dinner.

(I think the group was just having fun with us.)

What a fun family tradition this is!

Following dinner, we went to the living room where we read from Luke and 3rd Nephi and shared special stories and our feelings about Christ.  We also, took turns reading, "The Living Christ".

It was a very special time.

We enjoyed a special,  traditional Christmas dessert, riskrem.  It is like the risgrøt I made for the center's Christmas party but with added whipped cream, crushed almonds and cherry sauce. It is yummy!  A whole white almond is also added and who ever finds it, wins a marzipan pig.

After dessert, we went downstairs to the Christmas tree which was in the middle of the room.  It needs to be in the middle so we can walk/dance/skip/hop around it as we sing Christmas carols.

Choosing a song to sing

Then it was time to open gifts.  A Christmas ball is tossed to someone who then gets a gift from under the tree,  gives it to the right person and tosses the ball to another person.

I was so impressed - with every gift opened, a hug and a thank you was given to the person who gave it.

It was a beautiful evening spent with a beautiful family!

It also snowed all evening.

We had a beautiful white Christmas!

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On the 26th, we had a missionary, district activity at the Center.  Sisters Johannesen and Trydal from Arendal joined us, with Elders Hall, Drage, Arnold and Rolfson for a day of food; minute-to-win-it games; spiritual thoughts; dinner of ham, funeral potatoes, veggies, Christmas jello salad, hot rolls and chocolate cream pie for dessert; pool; CRUD; more food and a long game of Phase 10.  There were also, real M&M's and Chocolate kisses from the States.  Thanks, Tonya!

Facing the Gingerbread man....
Getting the pepperkake into your mouth.

Stay!

Christmas Ball

Elder Drage really concentrating.

Do you want to build a snowman??

Snowball Toss

Reindeer Nose Dive...
Getting the red pompom to stick on your nose.

Phase 10

There are always repairs to be done on this 

well used and loved pool table!

Nap time

Sister Trydal taught, well, showed me how to make lefsa.

We had a great time together!

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Guess what these are.  Jim's footprints in the snow
with his shoe spikes.

The time has come to wear the spikes.

There is ICE everywhere!!

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Last evening we were invited to our friends, the Tamper's,

for another traditional Christmas dinner.

We met at their son's home.  Atle, is one of our YA's and he has a cool batchelor's pad!

Notice the bottles of Julebrus.  A special Christmas

drink you can only buy around Christmas.  Each area

of Norway has their own special flavor.

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The neighborhood fireworks are still exploding - welcoming in the New Year.  As one friend said,

"365  days of new chances.  Hurrah for 2015!!"

JULETIDER - CHRISTMAS TIME

A Missionary Christmas is very special and very unique.  Not much shopping.  Not much crafting.  Not much wrapping.  Not much stressing. Ok, a lot of baking - we are serving in a young adult center,  you know and the YA's love to eat!!
 We do have a lot of time to think about the season and the reason for this beautiful season.  We are so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ - His birth; His life; His example on how to live and be happy; His atoning sacrifice and all that is and can be ours if we will but follow Him.  We love our Savior and are so grateful for His love and sacrifice for us - for each of us.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to share our love for Him and His gospel with the people of Norway.

Juletider in Norway is special!  Today is Sunday, the 21 and we better get our grocery shopping done tomorrow and Tuesday because after that, we understand, things will close down.  Juletider is a time for families to be together.  There are no planned activities at the Center, for the next couple of weeks because the YA's will be with their families.  But, this last week has been fun-filled!!

Family Home Evening - Pepperkakehus

Elders Drage and Arnold and Sandra, an investigator

Their finished pepperkakekirke

Another finished hus. 

Hannah, Jennifer, Frederik, Mats,

 Giovanni and Jocelyn.

They were serious builders/decorators!

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I have fallen in love with the Nisse - the little Norwegian elf. The Barn Elf, or Fjøsnisse, is my favorite.  Let me introduce you to them.

  "He is a short man, no bigger than a horse's head, wearing gray clothes, knickerbockers and a red hat similar to what Norwegian farmers would wear. 

As the name suggests, the Fjøsnisse lives in the barn.  Of course, he was so shy that he was hardly ever seen but he was a good little helper on the farm as long as the farmers treated him well.  Especially at Christmas he would expect to get a large bowl of porridge and home-brewed beer in return for looking after the livestock. Often the farmers would also leave the leftovers from Christmas dinner on the table so the Nisse could help himself.  But if the farmers failed to keep him fed and happy, the Nisse would do mischief or harm to both animals and people.

One story tells that the Nisse, upon finding that the farmer had failed to put a speck of butter in his porrridge  got angry and killed the farm's best milking cow. Later he found out that the farmer had simply put the butter in the bottom of the bowl and the porridge on top.  Regretting his mischief, the Nisse then went and stole the milking cow from the neighbor's farm to replace the one he killed.

In folklore and literature he has been described as the guardian saint of the farm.  Even today it is a custom to leave a bowl of porridge and a jug of beer in the barn for the Fjøsnisse."
                      (taken from, "My Little Norway").

Isn't he the cutest?

Now for the rest of the story.......
 How many of you have ever tried porridge?  If you haven't, let me show you how to make risgrøt or rice porridge.  This dish is a traditional Christmas meal for lunch on Dec. 23rd or 24th.  Last Friday was our Christmas party at the Center and the YA's wanted risgrøt for dinner so I immediately started asking the R.S. sisters, how do I make risgrøt?  What it is, is rice but a special kind of rice, cooked verrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyy slowly over a very low heat, stirring constantly for at least 45 minutes so that the pan doesn't scorch and the rice is tender and smooth.  Or, another way is what our R.S. president told me about.  We call this porridge,  Dynegrøt.

Add the special rice to water and cook in 

large pan for 10 minutes.

Add milk, it has to be whole milk, and

bring almost to a boil.

Take off heat, cover pan and place in center

of wool blanket on top of the dyne or duvet.

Cover with the wool blanket...

Then wrap with the dyne.  Let set 2 to 3

or more hours. 

We put our wrapped risgrøt in the back of the car, (the temperature was about 2 degrees C.), attended a wonderful Christmas concert that Hannah was in, drove to the Center and about 5:30 brought the wrapped risgrøt in.  It was still hot, tender, smooth and ready to serve!

It is served with, of course, butter, 

sugar and cinnamon.

Many of the YA's told me it was 

really good for my first attempt.

Another tradition is that you put a white almond in the porridge and whoever finds it, wins a marzipan pig. I put in three almonds.

Lucky Even, found two of them!

The other lucky winner!

We continued with the party, introducing the White Elephant game to most of them, had a talent show and played games until....1:30!  Broke our previous record of being home by 12:30.

Our mission includes very late Friday nights!

 It's a good thing we don't have to be up early!

 -

I am saving some risgrøt to put out on Christmas Eve -

we want to keep our nisse happy!

No beer though, home brewed or not.

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We visited one of our favorite couples yesterday! Charles and Oddbjørg are delightful!  She has a big collection of dolls and nisse and at Christmas time, dresses them all in Christmas outfits.

Julenisse (Santa) and Mrs. Nisse

Charles and a lot of Jule baby dolls!

Oddbjørg and Charles

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Driving home we passed this cute family...

they found their juletre.

We are really enjoying our first Jul in Norway - lots of new experiences, traditions, food, decorations and icy sidewalks and roads.  We will probably be putting the spikes over our shoes soon.

Ønsker deg en riktig god og velsigne Jul!

(Wishing you a very good and blessed Christmas!)

Stor Juleklem! (Big Christmas hugs!)

Boy Scouts

In honor of Jason and his new calling as Scout Master!
And all present and former amazing scout masters!

Scout Hut

In hiking around "our" lake, we came across this.......

How would this "scout camp" be?  

Nice lodge,  big open area, ocean,

hiking in the woods, fishing, 

swimming, and your own boat dock! 

Think of the possibilities and the merit

badges that could be earned!

Get busy with some fund raisers and bring your scouts over!!

Takknemlighet (Gratitude)

Jim and I,  along with the 4 Elders serving in Kristiansand,  enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at our Bishop and Ida McFadzeans' home along with their 5 adorable and enthusiastic children and their nanny, Jocelyn, who is one of our favorite YA's.  Vi er veldig takknemlig for their invitation - it made our first Thansgiving away from home - not just bearable but oh, so very enjoyable!  Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, pomegranate salad, rolls, several vegetables and of course pumpkin pie and the hospitality filled us up physically and spiritually.  We love this good family!!

The four junior and one senior Elders.

Such a wonderful, impressive family!


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There are so many fun, interesting and amazing people,
places and things to see!  I want to
share a few. We are grateful for all of them!  

        We enjoyed another hike and a picnic

          with our friends, Kari and Ingvild. 

Of course we came upon a beautiful lake
 to enjoy while we picnicked.

The family - Atle, Invild Emma, Kari, Eric 
and his cat, Lucas

A picture of Invild's famous, " World's best cake".
Google it and make it - you will be grateful you did!



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We are very grateful for families to home teach!

The Kristoffersen family - aren't they cute?

Bestemor means Grandma.   Bjørg insists everyone
calls her Bestemor - she would be the sweetest
grandma ever!


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New friendships made with wonderful women!

Fun Relief Society Christmas activity at the Center.

Making their own fruit tea mixtures. 
These women love their teas!
Herbal and fruit, of course.

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Senteret - where something good is always happening!

One day, this walked in and stayed.

It was just Cecilie.

On any day, you might find Jennifer
 cutting or braiding someone's hair.

Decorating the Center and Mats!

One Friday night, all the YA's had left except
Giovanni and four investigators playing cards.

Our biggest group yet, playing CRUD -
a total of 17!

My companion - completely worn out
 after all the  decorating and playing CRUD! 


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So many people build playhouses/sheds/troll houses
in their yards.  This is my favorite, so far.

Perfect for happy kids or trolls!

Black, brown, white and gray sheep eating hay out
 of the split "marshmallow".  Notice that the 
caring farmer has made a covering for them
 so they can eat and stay dry.

A sunny, clear day after several very 
wet and stormy ones.



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Our apartment window  ---A poinsettia, a Nisse and a star,
 shining bright, reminding us of the star that shone
 the night our Savior was born.

We are most grateful for Him!