I used to want to have only boys when I grew up and started having kids of my own. I could imagine all of my little boys and have thought a lot about them and the kind of fathers and men they will grow up to be. I was very opposed to having girls. I imagined myself having just one girl- if I was to have any at all- because a girl could be my little girlfriend in a house full of boys.

I have no crystal ball, and I cannot see all the little people that will exist in my life- but that is what I dream about. I dream about my future kids. I dream about my boys. And until recently, it was only little boys that I dreamt about. I thought their life and roles in life were clearer and easier to teach. I thought that boys had it easier. With all the confusion I have faced as a woman in my life, there was no way I wanted any of my little girls to experience the same internal struggles that I've drown in. I figured with this world that I live in, it would be better to not have any girls.

But something in me has changed. I see the need that we have for righteous women in this world. I see more beauty in my identity as a women. And I am EXCITED! I am excited for girls! I want to have them to teach them to walk in the ways of the Lord and to rejoice in their lovely place in the world. Girls and Women are fabulous, and as a future mother of girls, I look forward to teaching other women just how important we- as a gender- are in the Plan of Salvation.

Plus, where would I be without these beautiful women in my life?!?!

Golden Moments

Kjære Alle Sammen,
 
-Språk (language) study with an actual Norwegian! (Sophie has been helping us with pronunciation)

-visiting members that live way out in Hønefoss and contacting in the sentrum over there. I talked to a 7th day Adventist missionary- that was fun! 

- We helped a less active mix cement and make fancy leaf-stones. And she is American so she fed us sloppy joes. We actually had a couple of member dinners this week! it was great! 

- We called Sister Vega (my mission best friend- who I trained) and she sounds SO GOOD! Also We took the whole conversation in Norwegian, and she said that My Norwegian is a lot better! That is exciting- because sometimes you don't really see the growth in yourself.

- We started teaching Geir again! He is one of my favorite Norwegians. Sister Wood & I taught him a while back, and then we was in church and we got another appointment with him. Love that guy! 

- We had a musical number in Church and it went really well. Having the violin here is really handy and I hope that maybe something that I play can touch somebody else's heart. 

And also I really want to share a cool experience. We were in Asker sentrum contacting. We talked to this nice lady from Africa who had a super strong faith in Christ. We couldn't talk to long, because she was busy, but we gave her our card and she said she wanted to come to church. Then lady, we walked past these two teenagers. I looked to sister Ulrich after we had passed them, and was like "how do you feel about those two guys?" and she said, "I feel like we need to talk to them." so we turned around and they had also turned around and were walking the other way. And we just walked after them and started talking. They were selling their heavy metal CDs for their band. They have been on tour all around Europe and are now in Norway. They were not interested in God at all and said that smoking and drinking makes them happy- it is so weird how some people center their lives on such frivolous things... Anyway, we had an interesting conversation, they have talked to missionaries in about every country that they've been in. We hope they will remember us and listen to a little bit more of what the next missionaries they meet have to say. Anyway- we get on the bus to go home and the lady that we had talked to, came! Sister Ulrich talked to her the way home and told her about the Book of Mormon. She only had a Norwegian one, but said we could give one to her later. We all got off on the same stop. She was walking in front of us, and we were just talking about everything that happened, and then I said, well I have an English book of Mormon with me now! So we ran up to her and shared the book and continued walking together home. Turns out this lady is our next door neighbor! Sweet! We haven't been able to meet with her quite yet, but this week for sure. The Lord's plan is perfect. I am so glad we followed the prompting to talk to those two boys and that God lead that woman to us again. I love being right in the middle of God's miracles. It is truly thrilling! 

Love you all! 

Med vennlig hilsen,

Søster Williams

Adventures

Kjære alle sammen,

what an adventure this week. I damaged the oil pan backing out of our driveway and then almost got stuck in mud and while sister ulrich got out of the car to back me up, her shoe got stuck in the mud. It was after that fiasco that we realized the damage with the oil..... so then we walked home in the spitting rain. The car got towed the next day and then we got to use the bus and train and stuff. Oh how I love public transport! Seriously! I cant to live somewhere where the transport is good enough that I can just take that. Because you can talk to people. it is great. even though we got the car back already, we are still going to take the bus some days.

We had our Zone conference with president and sister hill. They are adorable and I love em so much already. They are heaven-sent. also at the conference we received a "mini missionary"! Her name is Sofie (pronounced sofia) and she is 16 from skien. Oh wow I am so impressed with youth. She is amazing! So amazing! She is our good luck charm and we get to have her with us a full 12 days! She is with us to experience the mission life. I hope it is a good experience for her.

I have come to almost a re-evaluating stage in my mission, and have come to realize that the reason I am here serving a mission is because I love the Lord. He said to feed my sheep, so that is what I am doing. I love to feel the Lord to testify to others through me. We have such huge potentials to bless and uplift each other. Take time today to think about how you can show the Lord your love for him by "feeding his sheep".

Tusen takk og mye kjærlighet, (a thousand thanks and lots of love)

Søster Stephanie Joy Williams

pics

a self of us! Søster Ulrich, the mini missionary sofie and me and the little strawberries that we found right outside our door.

sister Ulrich and the muddy shoes

Kjære venner,

couple of highlights from this week:

-it was our English fast this week again, and it wasn't even that difficult! When you have a companion that is willing, it makes all the difference.

-I feel like we are really friends with our investigators. And that makes sharing the gospel easier and more natural. Our investigator Amina fed us dinner after a lesson one night (rice and shrimp that was a little spicy... a little taste of Africa!) and also we went and visited J A and he gave us the way popular norwegian frozen pizza- except gluten fri. We met his kids on Saturday (he invited them to come play soccer with us and also asked us to give them some church pamphlets. whata missionary!) and he also told us when he wanted to be baptized. August 8th. I hope I am still in the area or close enough to be able to be there! 

-it was the 4th of july. and so we bought a water melon! and sang the National Anthem together as a district.

-i guess it was last week, but I passed my driving test and have a norwegain license now! 

-The whole week we didn't have very much success in finding people. We hadn't found any solid people the whole week. Last night after we visited a less-active, we decided to go to sentrum to find. We only had like 15 minutes till curfew. we were literally the only car in the whole parking lot. But we got out and there was a man just sitting down at a table. We began to talk with this man and told him about the Book of Mormon. He is from iceland, and said we could meet again next sunday. Miracles happen in these days! 8:45 on a sunday night, and the Lord answered our week long prayer of finding a new person to teach.

There is real peace that comes from being in church surrounded by people that are sincerely trying to improve their lives and come closer to Christ. I felt the spirit speak peace to my soul as I partok of the sacrament. I love the peace that god gives to me through the comforter. It is real. I hope that each one of you this week will take some time to be still and know that God is there.

Med Kjærlighet,

Søster Williams

pics: happy fourth from me and Søster Ulrich

these two fantastic ladies were matching yesterday at church and I just had to get a picture with them! The one on the right is sister vega's grandma. :)

courage and miracles

Kjære alle sammen,

Wow it has been a great week! I am pressed for time again, but I just want to say a couple things.

1.) we found a new investigator that is WAY cool. She is from Gambia. Sister Wood and I met her on the street on Monday, we gave her a Book of Mormon and her address to visit her the next day. We visited her again in the week and invited her to church. She was able to get a ride from a member and was in all three meetings! she even got a priesthood blessing because her situation is a little rough. She started Crying and said I don't know why I am crying. Sister Ulrich asked her a little bit afterwards what she felt during the blessing and she said "like a warm feeling coming over me" and we told her that is the spirit- the power of God. and she said through tears "I think you're right. I think so."

2) we have focused ourselves an everything we do for that matter more on Jesus Christ this transfer and it is making all the difference. This is a changing point in my mission and perhaps my whole life- that I focus on the One who makes my life possible. Our savior and redeemer has the power to change people. To heal broken hearts and enable us to improve. I love my Savior, and am so blessed to bear his name.

3) my new companion is flat out amazing. She comes from Ogden, Utah. She is so fun! Miracles are happening. I feel like we are much more ourselves while we are out and we are being bold. After stopping by the bishop's house one night, we walked by some people that were eating outside. We debated for a little
bit whether or not to talk to them because we didn't want to invade their privacy or anything. But we went! And we had a great conversation. The Lord blessed us in that moment with courage. The courage to bear his name and message boldly. And wow did we feel empowered after that! The Lord blesses us when we do things that are out of our comfort zone to serve and to talk to others.

And that is about it for now! thank you for your prayers and love and support. I really do feel it.

Med Kjærlighet,

Søster Stephanie Williams

ps 

Shoutout to by brother Sam who will be 16 tomorrow! call and sing to him if you know him. and even if you don't. He is a cool guy. :)

Just a quickie

HEY! 

I Don't have a ton of time today, but I want to share a quote that I loved from my study this morning: Weaknesses become strengths, challenges become opportunities, trials become triumphs, and adversity becomes and adventure in the service of the Lord."

Amen to that.

This week we met a way cool lady on the street that opened up to us about her past life and also accepted a copy of the book of Mormon and promised to read it. She was English. :) also she said that she felt a good feeling when we were talking to her. It is way cool when other people can recognize the spirit when you are around them.

other highlights- we sang/ i played in sacrament meeting and zone conference this week.

Moves call came and Sister Wood is going to Trondheim! I am staying and Sister Ulrich is coming to the promised land. She is amazing and I can't wait! 

we contacted this lady from poland and got a call from the elders later on saying that they contacted the same lady and talked with her for like 40 minutes! They got her number and gave it to us so that we could call her and remind her to come to church next week.

We met with the girl from Uganda. She is a saint. But unfortunately she'll be going on a long vacation soon. 

Our finding on the street has been a lot more enjoyable because sometimes we open up with a question about the norwegian language that others can help us with. 

Life is good. I know our Savior lives. 

Thank you for prayers and support! keep praying for Band J A.

Love,

Sister Stephanie Williams

The Savior of the World

Kjære alle sammen,

Just a quick update on the people that I spend a lot of time praying about and thinking about:

B is amazing. He will not be baptized in June, but in August because he has a couple of things he has to work out. His desire to change and become a better person is so inspiring to me! I am so blessed to be teaching him. teaching someone that wants to learn is very gratifying.

J A is one of my best Norwegian friends. Love that guy! We see him everywhere. He is starting to have more sincere prayers and he has told us that he read a scripture about "waking up" in the scriptures and he feels like that is where he is- trying to wake up. It's like this whole nation is sleeping and it's our job to wake them up. It has been eye opening to see his progression and his journey to a new life in Christ.

The Lord blessed us with a couple of other miracles this week. We went back to give a book of mormon to a family that donated some clothes to a big project norway is doing to send supplies to Africa and they were so ready to hear our message! They have questions and and willing to learn and we are going back! They are from Brazil. Another day, we were in the Library waiting for 2 muslims to give them a book of Mormon in Arabic and we started talking to a way cool girl from Uganda. We'll meet with her this week! But while we were talking with her, the two muslims came up and so sister wood was talking to them and I was talking to this other girl and then an Indian less-active in our ward that we have been trying to get a hold of forever came over! So we were talking to 4 different people all at one time- all from different places in the world. I am serving an international mission!

But it doesn't end there. Sister Wood and I were out on the streets in Sandvika and we met a guy from Thailand (his name is X). The language barrier was huge, but we invited him to come to church, and he asked if he could bring a friend- we said of course. AND THEY CAME! It is hard to communicate with them, but they do have a book of mormon in Thai and we will be watching the restoration video in their language today.

and to throw a couple of other cultures in there, our Croatian new-convert Drago gave the opening prayer in Sacrament meeting in his own language and Then we had someone bear their testimony in Spanish. Norway- who knew I'd be getting a little taste of everything here!

Sister Wood and I have been memorizing Den Levende Kristus - the Living Christ- during our language study. It has been so cool to be thinking more about the life of Christ and his divine role as the Savior of the world. I know that he didn't just come to save those that lived around him or those that hear about and follow him now on earth, but that he is the redeemer for every soul who has lived, who now lives, and who will yet come to live on the Earth. He is all powerful and all knowing. He is the savior these people from Brazil, Africa, India, Norway, America, Peru, Thailand, Iran, and everywhere else in the world.

In Alma 37, We learn of the great blessings in store for us if we listen and follow the counsel of Christ's words. "it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss... the words of Christ, if we follow their course, will carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever."

I add my testimony that he is our Savior. How blessed I am to have his name forever upon me- now as it is literally on me (I mean, people see my name tag from a mile away (: ) and before and after I have the nametag he is written on my heart.

Love you all!

Stor klem (Big hug),

Søster Stephanie Joy Williams