Monday, June 23rd, 2014

We have had a wonderful week and seen a ton of miracles. We have really been led to people. Elder Crook and I also gave talks in church yesterday, which was nice. We spoke about how we have seen the hand of God in our work. I have truly seen answers to our prayers and miracles according to our faith, and I know that we all can do the same. We were able to work with the members a lot this week, which is very exciting. We are going to show an investigator about family history and be working with some converts on it as well.

We will be having a zone conference in Oslo on Friday. It will be fun to see everyone. We will be focusing on how we can use the Book of Mormon more effectively in our work, which is so crucial. It is indeed a powerful witness of the divinity of the Savior and His mission and the restoration of His church in these days. I am so grateful to be blessed with it in my life and for the power I am given from my study of the Book of Mormon. I hope you guys have a wonderful week and our able to feel the power of the Book of Mormon in your lives. It is truly indescribable. The Norwegian word of the week is sommer, which means summer.

Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, June 16th, 2014

We have had a lot of really cool miracles happen. We had just taught a lesson with a member and were walking to the city center and talking to people on our way when we ran into a man who Elder Newey and I had talked to by a bus stop but had not been able to receive contact information for. I had been praying that we would find him again because he was so kind and prepared. We talked with him and went to teach him in the church, which was so wonderful. I have seen so much how the Lord is involved in this work and will bless us as we act in faith. I know that our prayers are heard and answered.

We will be going to the beach in Langesund for our p-day (preparation day) activity to find a place to do a street stand, which will be interesting. We also just got a car to share with the sisters in the area, which makes it much easier to travel around and work more with the members. The weather here has been really nice, which I think has helped people be in a good mood.

I am so grateful for the many blessings we have. Everything around us is a blessing. We are blessed with so many opportunities to love, serve and grow. Our happiness depends on how much we take advantage of these opportunities. I know that Heavenly Father is watching over each of us and has a plan for us. He will perform miracles through us according to our faith in Jesus Christ. I know He is anxiously engaged in our lives. I love and pray for you all. The Norwegian word of the week is nykjærig, which means curious.


Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, June 9th, 2014

We have really been trying to focus on getting more members to come with us when we teach as a district. As a result, we were able to more than double the number of members present when we taught this week, which is awesome. Having a member present truly makes all the difference. I know that the Lord wants us to be united as members and missionaries, and to reach out to one another in love with the gospel, which is the power unto salvation for all who believe as Paul says. I am so grateful for the power and beauty of our message. There is no greater work. Serving and loving others is indeed the essence of the gospel as President Monson taught us. I feel so strongly of your love, and it provides me such strength.

We have been able to start building up the work here, and it is so wonderful to feel Heavenly Father working through us to bless His children. There is no greater love than the love He has for us. Miracles happen all around, Alta just had two baptisms last week and will have one this coming week. I helped teach two of the investigators, so that is incredibly exciting. I know that Christ is reaching out to all of us. He stands at the door and knocks, we need but let Him in and as Amulek says the plan of redemption will take place within us. It is through following Him, having faith, repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end that we can reach our potentials as children of God. We are all His children. The Norwegian word of week is Fremskirt, which means progress.

Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, June 2nd, 2014

We have gotten ten new investigators this week, which is by far the most I have ever gotten. While Elder Newey and I were coming back from visiting a member about a week and a half ago, a guy stopped us and said he wanted to hear about our message and invited us to come to his Mosque to chat that coming Monday. That same day, another man stopped us while we were walking to the church. He honked his horn and said he wanted to come into our church and learn about what we believe. We talked for a while, and he asked a lot of interesting questions. Last Monday, we went in to the meeting to find both of them there, and they had friends. They came to our church last night, and we taught them with our Bishop’s dad, who is also awesome. We are going to try to meet with them again.

I am so thankful for my testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that He is our Savior, Redeemer, Brother, King, the God of Israel and so much more. I know that He loves and watches over each and every one of us. I feel His hand in this work. I am very excited to be serving with Elder Crook. He is a really awesome and smart guy and is from Oregon. I have a really good feeling we will be able to accomplish a lot. I will be having a training meeting for being a district leader on Thursday in Oslo, so it will be nice to hopefully get to know better what I am doing. I am really grateful for the opportunity to serve and support.

We also went on splits to Sandefjord on Friday and were able to teach three lessons to people we found that day. One of them was an eighty five year old man who told us that he had found out for himself that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost were three separate divine beings that work in perfect unity, which is contrary to the state church’s beliefs. We told him that that was true and was a truth that had been lost from the earth but is now restored. We talked about the restoration with him, and the Spirit was very strong. He was an incredible and nice guy who I know we were guided to. It is funny because we found him since we were lost. I know that miracles happen all around us. There are angels living and dead ministering to us all. I love you all and am so thankful for the angels you are. The Norwegian word of the week is å betjene, which means to minister

Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, May 26th, 2014

I will be getting a new companion named Elder Crook, who came the same time as Elder Newey, and Elder Newey will be moving to Moss. I am really excited to be staying in Porsgrunn and to keep moving things forward here. We will be working really hard to find people to teach and to help them feel the joy of the gospel. The family history course has started to pick up quite a lot in Alta, which is really awesome. There is not too much going on here with that right now, but we will try to fix that. Family history is truly an incredible and crucial part of the work of redemption.

I have been thinking a lot about how much Heavenly Father loves us recently and how much he wants us to remember that love. It is a perfect, divine, pure and unconditional love that is so far beyond our comprehension. It is beyond expression and explanation, yet it can be felt and experienced by everyone. As President Monson reminded us at the end of last conference, we must remember that love and how real God is, how close He is willing to come to us if we will let him, how far He will go to help us, and so much more. I know He lives and loves us. May God bless and help you all. The Norwegian word of the week is ufattelig, which means incomprehensible.

Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, May 19th, 2014

We went to Oslo to celebrate 17th of May, which is Norway’s independence day. It was the 200th anniversary of the constitution. We also had a barbeque at President and Sister Evan’s house, which was a lot of fun. It was really nice to see a lot of missionaries, who I had not seen in a long time. Also, there is a traditional Norwegian outfit called a Bunad that Norwegian women especially wear on special occasions. A challenge to missionaries on 17th of May is to get a picture with as many girls in Bunads as possible. Elder Hurst and I did not try too hard but we got a couple. A sister missionary broke the record this year though with over 24. We sang the Norwegian national anthem, Ja Vi Elsker Dette Landet, which means yes we love this land, in the ward choir this week. I am so very blessed to be able to serve in Norway. It is an incredible country that enjoys great peace, freedom and prosperity. I am so privileged to be able to help Norwegians come unto Christ who is the source of true, real and lasting peace and joy.

We are really making an effort to work a lot with the members and to be visiting members every day because we must be united to do this work. There are a lot of incredible people in the ward, and it is a joy to be able to work with them and get to know them better. Everyone is very kind and supportive. I know we will be able to accomplish a lot of incredible things here. We just need to go forward with faith. Missions are truly a wonderful opportunity to learn, grow and serve. We need to bring the gospel to the world. It is the solution to everything. Christ is indeed our light and our life. It is so difficult for us to even begin to understand the pure love of God. It is however that charity that must motivate, guide and unite each of us. Through Christ's Atonement we can become new people and develop that love. The Norwegian word of the week is frihet, which means freedom.

Love,
Elder Ankenman