I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and were able to contemplate the gift of the Savior. I have felt so blessed for the love and blessings He has given me personally and even more so for how He has blessed our family. The gospel provides us with such a sure and strong foundation. We were blessed to be able to teach a lot this past week. We are teaching a man named Alloush who we found contacting on the street. He is from Syria and was a lawyer there. He is a very kind and good man. We were also able to find some other people who were open for a Christmas message. I know that this is the Lord's work and that He will always guide and help us. We are in Bodø Today for a district P-day of sorts. It is good to be together and to serve together. Thank you for your goodness and all that you all do. I know that Heavenly Father is watching over us. The Norwegian word of the week is mirakel, which means miracle.
Love,
Elder Ankenman
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Monday, December 15, 2014
Monday, December 15th, 2014
I am very grateful for the Christmas season. I feel that it makes everyone kinder and more like the Savior even if they do not know the reason for the season. I am grateful for the light of Christ that makes that possible. We have been able to find some kind and positive people and work a lot with the members, which has been a great blessing. Christmas is a huge deal in Norway, so many people say they are too busy to meet or to talk until after Christmas, but we truly are blessed as we show faith and work regardless. I know that God lives and is aware of us.
I have thought a lot recently about the pattern of the Lord in going after the one. I know that He is aware of each of us individually. His ministering is one by one. Thus that which is small leads to that which is great. I really wish to develop this attribute and this love more fully. I know that as we seek to serve and help others that the Lord will enable us to do far more than we ever could alone. For example we went out and caroled a little bit with our branch president and sang for an older woman who we had spoken with a couple times at her door. I think it really touched her to know that we truly cared about her. That was why we wanted to share a message not just because we are fulfilling an obligation or because we like hearing ourselves talk. We must serve out of love one person at a time. I feel it is the greatest gift we can give for Christmas is service. Charity never faileth and is the greatest of all. We will be having a Christmas conference on the 29th in Tromsø. I hope you can continue to feel of the Savior love and remember the gift He is for us all. The Norwegian word of the week is den ene, which means the one.
Love,
Elder Ankenman
I have thought a lot recently about the pattern of the Lord in going after the one. I know that He is aware of each of us individually. His ministering is one by one. Thus that which is small leads to that which is great. I really wish to develop this attribute and this love more fully. I know that as we seek to serve and help others that the Lord will enable us to do far more than we ever could alone. For example we went out and caroled a little bit with our branch president and sang for an older woman who we had spoken with a couple times at her door. I think it really touched her to know that we truly cared about her. That was why we wanted to share a message not just because we are fulfilling an obligation or because we like hearing ourselves talk. We must serve out of love one person at a time. I feel it is the greatest gift we can give for Christmas is service. Charity never faileth and is the greatest of all. We will be having a Christmas conference on the 29th in Tromsø. I hope you can continue to feel of the Savior love and remember the gift He is for us all. The Norwegian word of the week is den ene, which means the one.
Love,
Elder Ankenman
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Monday, December 8th, 2014
We have been really trying to spread the true Christmas spirit by sharing the video He Is The Gift. If you have not seen it you should and you should share it. It truly shows how the real Christmas gift, the first and the greatest is our Savior. I am so grateful for that gift our Heavenly Father gave us. This truly is the greatest message we can share. It is wonderful to talk about, but I am so much more grateful for the opportunities we have to bear our testimonies through our actions. As I reflect upon my own life, I know that that which has been most significant for the development and strength of my testimony and my ability to help and minister to others is truly the small and simple things in my life. Consistent meaningful prayer, scripture study and church attendance along with always seeking to do our Father’s will have been a wonderful foundation for me. Thank you all so much for what you have done to make it possible for me to have that foundation in my life.
We had one interesting experience I can tell you guys about though. There is a really nice Catholic Priest in Narvik who is from Germany. He invited us to come eat dinner with him, which was Eritrean food made by an Eritrean member of their church living there. There were three living there who were named Jacob, Emmanuel and Little Jesus. He is a very nice guy. It is wonderful to see how people dedicate themselves to love and service. I know that the Savior desires us to love and serve each other. Love is indeed the essence of the gospel and the nature of the message of the Restoration. I know that as we bear testimony to people of the gospel that the Spirit will bear witness.
I know that the gospel is the way. Christ is the way and the life. He is the light of the world. A light that can never be hid in the darkness. There is much I do not know and much I do not fully understand, but I do know that my Redeemer lives and that He offers us all life. I know that His church has been restored to the earth and that the authority of God to seal in heaven and in earth has brought us together as a family. I know that we have a wonderful season ahead of us to love and uplift those around us. The Norwegian word of the week is Guds Lam, which means the Lamb of God.
Love,
Elder Ankenman
We had one interesting experience I can tell you guys about though. There is a really nice Catholic Priest in Narvik who is from Germany. He invited us to come eat dinner with him, which was Eritrean food made by an Eritrean member of their church living there. There were three living there who were named Jacob, Emmanuel and Little Jesus. He is a very nice guy. It is wonderful to see how people dedicate themselves to love and service. I know that the Savior desires us to love and serve each other. Love is indeed the essence of the gospel and the nature of the message of the Restoration. I know that as we bear testimony to people of the gospel that the Spirit will bear witness.
I know that the gospel is the way. Christ is the way and the life. He is the light of the world. A light that can never be hid in the darkness. There is much I do not know and much I do not fully understand, but I do know that my Redeemer lives and that He offers us all life. I know that His church has been restored to the earth and that the authority of God to seal in heaven and in earth has brought us together as a family. I know that we have a wonderful season ahead of us to love and uplift those around us. The Norwegian word of the week is Guds Lam, which means the Lamb of God.
Love,
Elder Ankenman
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Monday, December 1st, 2014
My new companion Elder Griffin is a really good guy. We have been able to get quite a bit of work done. It feels like it is getting a bit colder, but there is not as much ice, which makes it a lot easier to get around. There are some ice things you can put on your shoes, which Elder Cooper had some extra of that help a lot. I have been grateful to have them. We are actually going to do our Thanksgiving meal today since we have a little more time. We are having stuffing, mashed potatoes and bacon!
I have been thinking a lot about the Savior example, something I am incredibly thankful for. There is a whole chapter in Preach My Gospel devoted to developing Christ-like attributes. One of the scriptures it references when talking about virtue is 2 Peter chapter 1 verses 3 through 8. I know that all of us children of God have received the invitation from the Savior to come unto Him and be participants in the divine nature. We must overcome pride, selfishness and worldliness that inhibit us from truly loving and serving each other and being the children of light we all can be. It is not possible to do it alone. I know that as we honestly do our best to see our weaknesses and overcome them that we can all feel of the power of the Savior’s Atonement. I know it is real. As we rely on Him and have faith in Him, we build our lives upon a rock that will never fall. Jesus is happiness and the light and life of the world that cannot be hid in the darkness. I know that our Savior lives and loves all of us. He is the reason for the season! The Norwegian word of the week is forbedring, which means improvement.
Love,
Elder Ankenman
I have been thinking a lot about the Savior example, something I am incredibly thankful for. There is a whole chapter in Preach My Gospel devoted to developing Christ-like attributes. One of the scriptures it references when talking about virtue is 2 Peter chapter 1 verses 3 through 8. I know that all of us children of God have received the invitation from the Savior to come unto Him and be participants in the divine nature. We must overcome pride, selfishness and worldliness that inhibit us from truly loving and serving each other and being the children of light we all can be. It is not possible to do it alone. I know that as we honestly do our best to see our weaknesses and overcome them that we can all feel of the power of the Savior’s Atonement. I know it is real. As we rely on Him and have faith in Him, we build our lives upon a rock that will never fall. Jesus is happiness and the light and life of the world that cannot be hid in the darkness. I know that our Savior lives and loves all of us. He is the reason for the season! The Norwegian word of the week is forbedring, which means improvement.
Love,
Elder Ankenman
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