What is Normality?

Normality is relative as a missionary. Basically, nothing we do is actually normal, but we say it is for whatever reason. First off though, shout out to my amazing Sister (pun intended) Alison Jepsen!! She just barely got home this past Tuesday. She's always been such an amazing example to me and I love her a ton! (She also has a way fun coming home story, so ask my family!)

Tuesday was a good day in Denmark as well! *pause to think and review journal on what actually happened* (That's normal, trust me.) It was a super busy day for us actually! We had an appointment with a man named Reiner. He lives almost an hour drive from Skive, so we scheduled him in the middle of the day to get out there and do some stop by's and follow ups as well. He is a former member who took his records off because he wasn't able to come to church, because he lives too far away without a car. But we were going through former investigator records and gave him a call as he was praying for help!! Miracles! It was kind of a weird lesson though. He still knows that everything is true, he just needs more encouragement to read the Book of Mormon everyday and try harder to find a way to get to church. It's also a bit awkward, because we're not sure how he could get to church where he is currently... Then we got back in to Skive to pick up the Zone Leaders for splits! We raced directly off to a lesson, which was burned, so we went finding out in Vinde! It was a weird finding session where everyone already knew exactly who we were, except for a Swedish Muslim lady. So Ældste Pihl can apparently speak some Svensk. That was also surprising. Then we had studies and went to sleep.

Wednesday was devestating, mostly for Ældste Smith. He woke up at 5 in the morning and basically spent until 10 throwing up. We tried to have studies and basically ignore him dying, but it didn't work out very well. So we cut our splits short, but he wasn't feeling well enough to ride the train home either. So we got permission and drove the Zone Leaders back to Aarhus. It was really strange, honestly. That took a good chunk out of our day. We went finding that day as well up by Morten and Kasper. We've found some pretty interesting people up there, so it's good!

On Thursday, we had weekly planning. Ældste Haruch has spent quite a while hearing and waiting anxiously for this new Chapter 8 of Preach My Gospel, which he had finally gotten. So we did weekly planning the new way, and also organized our new whiteboard for it! We also helped decorate a bit for the Julefest on Friday, with the Korsgaards. It was fun! Then we met with Morten again. He is crazy! He really does want to figure out why the church is important. He basically asked us how he could join the church and kept asking what he needed to do! It was very weird to see how much he had changed. So we set another appointment and really just tried to give him encouragement for all the changes he will make to take that step.

Friday was miraculous. We had a plan from that morning, but we got a call from Ældste Forslund (the couple missionaries in Herning) and he informed us that a member of their branch had gotten in a car accident, but was currently in Viborg. So we eventually got permission to go give her a Priesthood Blessing. Her name is Anjali and she's from Finland. It was an incredible experience because there was no doubt that we were the two missionaries that were supposed to be there. So just as a back story, she and her husband were driving and were hit on the right by a car, then the back by another car, and then on the left by a third car. Which then ran their car into a brick wall, which broke. She and her husband walked away from the accident with minor concussions and soreness. That is a miracle. She then told us more about herself, and Ældste Haruch talked a lot about Finland because he had studied it for three weeks in a class. She was staying with her Mother-in-law, Birgit! So we got to see Birgit again as well! After we left Viborg, we went straight to Morten. He was still on board and asking us how he could join! It was awesome! We started teaching him the Plan of Salvation, but then his questions kept switching the topic. Finally we just invited him to the Julefest that evening. Which we were able to pick him up with Brother Korsgaard! Morten and Ali came!! It was the best! They both loved the food, people, and really just had a good time. Morten had to take to smoke breaks though. There was one that we didn't accompany him, and then he didn't come back. So we stepped out to go find him, but as we came up the stairs, he was just sitting and talking with Brother Korsgaard! So we sneakily went back downstairs. He then was invited to church and said he'd like to come! Hooray for Member Missionaries!! It was an amazing day!

Saturday was significantly different. We had District Meeting (later in the week because of the 30 Day in Meeting) and the Zone Leaders and STL's came. They gave a way good training about some teaching ideas and tips. It was cool! After the later Meeting, some of the missionaries had to practice a musical number for Zone Conference. So Elders Bailey, Danielsen-Jensen, and I played ping pong for a while and just waited for them to finish. It took super long and we finally got home in time for dinner and language study.

Sunday was hilarious. Grandparents are like kids. We had some candy left over from the Julefest, so it was just set in a dish in the foyer, so basically everyone had some candy during Sacrament Meeting! It was really funny! Ældste Haruch also gave his first talk, which was really good! (I'm also speaking next Sunday.) Sadly, none of our investigators came to church. We went and visited Minna again and she was quite happy to see us! It's always fun to visit her! 

Monday was another weird P-day. Ældste Haruch had his Sprog Test, so I spent the day in Aarhus with the Zone Leaders. But they also had splits with the Fredericshavn trio, so there were six of us there! We played in the snow, went shopping, and ate some amazing food. There were also some fun little Christmas shops, so that was cool! Ældste Haruch and I got home at 10:30 and just went to bed. It was a pretty long day. 

Hence Tuesday is our kind of P-day. We have appointments starting at 11 today and then we leave for splits in Randers. So I apologize I'm not going to get to any personal emails (again) this week. I really do love hearing from all of you! I doesn't mean I don't love you! Keep being amazing people! I'll be back (hopefully with more time) next week!

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Ældste Bryant Jepsen

-Ældste Haruch and I decorated our Branch's tree
-Ældste Haruch and I and our 'juicy dates'
-We had a White Elephant thing, so I made a Portable Cactus!
-Our decorated (and extremely matching) apartment couch 
-Here's a picture of our six man splits at the closed Museum
-Ældste Pihl ("Peel") and I found a cool hammock in the Aarhus library!