Monday, April 13th, 2015

We have a branch here with probably about 30 people. I do not know any of them terribly well yet, but I am very grateful to be here and to hopefully be able to contribute to the growth of the branch here. There are about 200,000 people between our area and the Sandefjord Elders who are also part of our branch. I am in the same district as I was in Porsgrunn, and I will possibly be going there on splits on Thursday, which would be awesome. We cover a large geographical area, which means that we have a lot to work with. We take the bus most places, which works very well. I am really trying to be as bold as I can and talk to as many people as I can, which can be scary, but I know that the Lord will help me do what He wants me to do. I am doing very well and I am still in awe at how quickly time passes. I know that our time is limited, but that we can accomplish much with the Lord’s help.

I have thought a lot about understanding and doing the will of the Lord recently. It truly is the Lord’s will that this work go forward and that all His children will be able to return to Him with our families. Nevertheless, Heavenly Father will not force anyone to do anything. He will always invite but never force. There are truly consequences for our actions, but we only get to choose our actions not their consequences. I struggle sometimes, as I do not know the meaning of all things the way Heavenly Father does. I do not see the full scope of His plan nor the wonders that occur every day. Still I do know that He gives us what we need. I know that the Lord is working miracles in all of our lives. There are certainly times in my life when I have felt the Lord reveal His will for me in a very real and unquestionable way, but there are many more times when I feel the Lord has allowed me to be an agent and use my faith to hope for things I do not yet see. I know that as we all do our best with the light we have that we will receive more light. I know this is true for us all. There is yet much work for us all to do no matter where we are in the world to build up and seek first the Kingdom of God. I am so grateful for the knowledge that God is at the helm of this work. I know that He does work through the simple and weak things of the world, as we are so that we can become what we were meant to be. I love you all so much and am so grateful for your prayers. I know that they are heard and answered. The Norwegian word of the week is en om gangen, which means one at a time.

Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, April 6th, 2015

It was wonderful to be able to learn from conference and to remember the Savior on Easter. I truly did think conference was amazing. Every talk was so inspired and wonderful. I know that God loves us and that Christ is risen. They also announced three new temples in Haiti, Thailand and the Ivory Coast, which are places where they really need them. I know they will be well used. I am so grateful to know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He loves all people and wants to lift us up. Tønsberg is a very cool place. I believe it is the oldest city in Norway. We have a branch here, but I did not meet too many members because a lot of people were out of town with Easter. I am so grateful to be able to be in the Lord’s service. I am grateful to know that He will guide and bless all of us. Like Elder Andersen said, we truly can see His hand in each of our lives. The Norwegian word of the week is oppstandelse, which means resurrection.

Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, March 30th, 2015

I was surprised to find out yesterday that I will be moving to Tønsberg, which is about an hour away from Porsgrunn and Skien. I will be in the same district as the missionaries serving there. I am of course sad to be leaving Kristiansund, especially after so short a period of time, but I know that it is the Lord’s will and that the Lord needs me to be there. I will be serving with Elder Garrard and Elder Rice. Elder Cheney will actually be coming here with Elder Kirk. We had Zone Conference in Trondheim this past week, so it was fun to see people and get some pictures. On Sunday, we had some members from the ward in Trondheim visit us here, which was fun. I am so grateful for the strength of so many members around the world who meet in all sorts of wards and branches. It truly is miraculous that the gospel is the same everywhere.

I gave the Sunday school lesson yesterday on charity. I think that one of the most important aspects of charity is seeing others and ourselves as God sees us, namely seeing others and ourselves as we may become. As Elder Holland once said Heavenly Father has only had one perfect person to work with, the Savior. That must indeed be very frustrating for Him, but He deals with it and always supports and encourages us never belittling or limiting our progression. He has made us free and offers through Christ’s Atonement relief from all of the hardships and faults we have. I am so grateful for this Easter season and for the knowledge that Christ lives. I know that He is risen. It will be a great blessing to hear His prophets and apostles bear their special witnesses of Him in General Conference. I am very excited to be able to learn and grow from that. I am grateful to know as President Uchtdorf expressed last April General Conference that in the gospel there are no real endings, only eternal beginnings. I know that our families can be together forever because of the Atonement. The Norwegian word of the week is udødelig, which means immortal.

Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, March 23rd, 2015

We have had a good week. We will be traveling to Trondheim later today for Zone Conference tomorrow. When I was there this past week I was with Elder Cheney. It was fun and interesting to be with him again. We had some cool Northern Lights the night I came. I sang I Stand All Amazed in church yesterday and will be singing it tomorrow at the Zone Conference. I am really excited about General Conference coming up. It is always such a wonderful blessing to be able to learn from the prophets and apostles. It is also very exciting that Easter is coming. The church is launching another missionary initiative in conjunction with the Easter season, I hope it will help a lot of people to remember the reason for the season and come unto Christ. Here is a link to the video: http://www.mormon.org/easter?cid=HP_SA_4-4-2015_dMIS_fMRMN_xLIDyMSTHD1_. The Norwegian word of the week is vår, which means spring.

Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, March 16th, 2015

We have had a really miraculous week. We had the zone leaders with us on splits and were able to find a lot of new people to teach including a girl and her friend who came to church on Sunday. It was really wonderful to see the Lord’s hand in our work. I have been pondering recently the significance the gospel has to each and every one of the children of God on earth. It can be easy, particularly when it is hard to find people who want to learn more about it, to remember and think about how much the gospel enables us to achieve. It is remarkable to think about the potential each and every person on the earth has. There are many who do a lot of great things without following and relying upon the Savior, but without Him no one can reach his or her full potential. I gave a lesson yesterday on service, which is a wonderful topic. They are truly many wonderful opportunities to love and serve one another.

Christ’s mercy is over us all. He blesses us all with so much. Our obedience does not produce the blessings, but it enables us to more fully receive them. I am grateful to know that the Savior lives and loves us. He is at the head of this work. He is the light and life of the word. I am going to be in Trondheim with Eldste Cheney on Wednesday because Eldste Kirk is going to a meeting in Oslo. It will be fun to be with him again. I am grateful for all of the blessings in my life. I know that God watches over and loves all of us. The Norwegian word of the week is mirakeløs, which means miraculous.

Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, March 9th, 2015

We traveled to Molda, which is about an hour or hour and a half bus ride from us for a district meeting this week. It is a very pretty place. We also had an activity at the church this Wednesday, which an investigator came to. I have reflected a lot this past week on the importance of focusing on the bigger long-term goals in our lives. There are of course times where all we can do is take things a day at a time, but it is a great source of motivation and strength to me to reflect upon the greater picture. I spoke in church yesterday about how Heavenly Father has given us tools and will give us personal revelation to guide us through our lives and lead us to our goal of eternal life. It is a great blessing to do the work, but there is not so much more to it, particularly in these small areas. Knocking on doors and talking to people on the street tends to fill most of our time. We are still trying to build up our teaching pool. We found one really cool woman from Argentina who has two sons. We will hopefully teach her again this week. I am doing my best to work hard and to help those who are around me come closer to the Savior.

As I near the end of my missionary service, I have reflected upon how much there still remains to be done both in the mission field and in the world. I want to make a difference and be able to accomplish great things. It is very difficult for me to see how I can do so often times. I have felt that the answer is that I must stand upon the promises of Christ as OIGC (Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir) sings. I know that there is so much more in us than we know. I truly cannot behold with my natural eyes the glory God has in store for us. We are laying the foundation of a great work, and as Paul reckons that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed within us. I know that the Savior provided through His Atonement not only the opportunity to become clean but also to become holy. He cleanses and sanctifies us as we rely upon and walk with Him throughout our mortal journey. Thank you all for your wonderful examples to me.

Since yesterday was International Women's Day I am particularly grateful for the influence good women have had on me in my life. The quality I have treasured and appreciated most in the women I most admire and respect is their ability to love those who are around them, regardless of how those people treat them or if they in any way deserve that love as some would say. I know that we must love one another. The Norwegian word of the week is uselvisk, which means unselfish.

Love,
Elder Ankenman

Monday, March 2nd, 2015

We have had a really good week. We had an English fast (not speaking English) this past week, which was pretty cool especially combining it with fast Sunday yesterday. We have been blessed to find some people to work with and to have an investigator with us in church yesterday, which was wonderful. I am so grateful to know that this is the Lord's work. It is exciting about all of the wonderful ways in which the work is going forward. I know that we truly are not alone. I am also starting to look forward to General Conference. It will be wonderful to learn from the prophets and apostles. In Joseph Smith, Prophet of The Restoration a woman says to Joseph Smith that she does not like his religion but is grateful for his kindness. He responds by saying that that is our religion. We are not skyping with any investigators right now. We skype with the ward mission leader in Trondheim every week. He is a wonderful guy.

I watched during dinner a very inspiring message Elder Bednar gave called that we might not shrink. He spoke of something Elder Maxwell had told him saying it is more important to not shrink than it is to survive. I also read Alma 23 through 27 about the Anti-Nephi-Lehis this morning. Reading about their experience that they were able to lay down their lives, calmly and fearlessly with a perfect hope in the promises of Christ and the resurrection were so inspiring to me. They truly did not shrink though they knew that meant they would not survive. I think that applies to us in a lot of ways. We cannot hold back a part of ourselves in the face of adversity and challenges. Although we may not feel like it, I know that our very best is not sufficient in and of itself is sufficient for the Lord, for His grace is always available to lift, strengthen and redeem us. I will not shrink in my missionary service. I am so grateful for the Savior's atonement and the hope it provides us. That hope is something the world desperately needs. It is available to all. The Norwegian word of the week is fremover, which means forward.

Love,
Elder Ankenman