April, 2009 The

HARVESTER
Den Norske Misjon
D&C 101:63-4 . . . I say unto you, I will show unto you wisdom in me concerning all the churches, in as much as
they are willing to be guided in a right and proper way for their salvation--- that the work of the gathering
together of my saints may continue . . . for the time of harvest is come, and my word must needs be fulfilled.

Message from the President

Dear Elders and Sisters,

President Uchtdorf gave a wonderful message in General Conference Priesthood session last
October about lifting where we stand. This wonderful message suggests that alone we can not
accomplish some tasks that seem too large and overwhelming, but if we all do our part and lift
where we stand, we can accomplish many tasks.

In a recent Church News an article talked about how we all need to be validated at times. We need
to feel our service is appreciated and that others appreciate our service. President Kimball
expressed his need for validation stating that he often looked to the senior apostles for approval
and said, “I find myself hungering and thirsting for just a word of appreciation or honest
evaluation from my superiors or peers. I want no praise, I want no flattery; I am seeking only to
know if what I gave was acceptable.” The article went on to give the example of The Father
validating The Son on three occasions when He said, “this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.” These were occasions of validation and expressions of gratitude being expressed. We can
express to others that we are “well pleased” with those that serve with us in the Church. We need
to express thanks to our ward and branch leaders, each other, and the members who involve
themselves in our missionary efforts.

We were blessed with 8 Baptisms in March and we are close to target of reaching our goal of an
average of 7 baptisms each month and 84 baptisms for 2009. We thank every one of you for your
efforts to “lift where you stand” and for doing your part in this great work to which we have been
called. Our Heavenly Father asks that we represent Him in the noble work of reaching out and
blessing the lives of His children. He asks us to stand firm and give our best in the call we
presently have. President Uchtdorf said in his talk, “but if we all stand close together in the place
the Lord has appointed and lift where we stand, nothing can keep this divine work form moving
upward and forward.”

We express our love and appreciation to each of you for your missionary service. We are grateful
to be here with you and we want you to feel validated and that we appreciate your service in the
Norway Oslo Mission. Thank you for being here and thank you for your part in serving where you
are called. Lift where you stand and the Lord will bless you in your efforts.

Love,
President and Sister Poulsen
 April 2009
Assistant’s Message

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is
not enough; we must do. Progress is not created by contented people. It is up to us, you and me, to be
uncomfortable in complacency, to refrain from being spectators, and to be players in the game of life…
It can be done; you can each do your portion of the work because you desire it.” -Elder Russell C. Taylor
When things are hard and we don’t want to do them have you ever thought where those feelings come
from? They certainly don’t come from Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father wants us to create our own
opportunities for success. We understood this before we were born but do we understand it now?
“Hard as things seem today, they will be better in the next day if you choose to serve the Lord this day
with your whole heart… The Lord, whom you have served, will carry what you cannot. He knows how.
He prepared long ago. He suffered your infirmities and your sorrows when He was in the flesh so that
He would know how to succor you.” (President Eyring)
Being content with almost doing our very best will never be enough. If Adam almost ate the fruit we
wouldn’t be here today. If your mom almost met your dad then you wouldn’t be here. If Nephi almost
built a boat than we’d almost have The Book of Mormon. If you almost went out of your way to talk to
that person, they almost got the chance to accept the truth. And they’ll almost get baptized. If you almost
get 10 on top then you will almost double your baptisms.  Almost will never be enough.
This promise has always been valid, “by choosing to serve Him this day, you will feel His love and grow
to love Him more.”
“For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far
from the thoughts and intents of his heart?” (President Eyring)
The antidote of complacency is a gift. And if we pray “with all energy of heart,” Heavenly Father will
give us that gift, the true understanding of who we are serving and how heavy our responsibility is. It’s
not a bad idea to take a P-day and go somewhere where you can see your area stretched out under you.
This is Norway, most cities have a spot like that. Take a moment to think about your responsibility for
every one of those people. Do as Preach My Gospel suggests:
“Take a few moments and think about your final day in the mission field. When that day comes:
What do you want to say you have done as a missionary? What do you want to have become? What
differences do you want others to notice in you?” PMG 152
This change of heart is a process. Have we began that process? How far have we come? When are we
going to speed up?

Love,
Eldste Cramer and Eldste Leatham

Baptisms Reported in March

Baptism Confirmation
Name Date Date Location Missionaries

Shabangu, Fannie Welcome 28 Feb 2009 1 Mar 2009 Bergen-Mission Sisters Crowther/Engebretsen
Matova, Norah Anna 14 Mar 2009 15 Mar 2009 Oslo-Stake Elders Parson/Phillips
Lagria, Mae Yaona 21 Mar 2009 22 Mar 2009 Sandvika-Stake Elders Cramer/Leatham
Moo, K Baw 21 Mar 2009 22 Mar 2009 Romerike-Stake Elders Bishop/Fish
Tianshu, Liu 22 Mar 2009 22 Mar 2009 Narvik-Mission Elder s Swan/Olsen
Halvorsen, Charlyn 21 Mar 2009 22 Mar 2009 Bergen-Mission Elders Arndt/Richardson
Binda, Claude 28 Mar 2009 29 Mar 2009 Arendal-Mission Elders Gilbert/Miller
San Martin Bayard,
Bernarda Del Rosario 28 Mar 2009 29 Mar 2009 Bergen-Mission Sisters Crowther/Engebretsen
 April 2009

Notes from the Office

Please note – Important
You should have received a notice to report taxes in Norway. It was addressed to your hybel. Do
not ignore it. It is very important that you read and follow the instructions. Everyone must
report even though you do not have income. For those who were here last year, there has been
no change in status. You may not need not do anything, if the form is correct. Please read and
follow instructions on your letter. Reporting taxes is the biggest reason you must register in each
community. If you have any questions please contact Eldste Arnesen.

If a tax notice is delivered to your hybel for a missionary that has moved, please forward it to
him/her. Just write the new address on the form and mail it. It does not need additional postage.

Spring cleaning is coming! We will do this in the month of Mai when all of Norway prepares for
the May 17th celebration. Let’s get rid of the gray snow and grit!

Now that we have more food stuff in our pantries, we are updating the “Den Norske Misjons
Kokebok”. We have some good cooks out in the field. Elder Cramer says “Borgenfalk makes the
BEST pancakes!” Our own President Poulsen has been known to make the BEST clam chowder.
Eldste Gilbert eats and cooks healthy with many variations of Stir Fry. Swimming upstream with
Salmon you might find Eldste Phillips sprinkling rosemary and sage. Eldste Loveridge makes a
yummy easy chicken barbecue. If you haven’t eaten Eldste Arnesen’s famous cookies then hope
this MOVES might give you the opportunity!

Send recipes to Søster Arnesen 2018004@ldschurch.org . Remember we have humble cooks tell
me about some of the dishes you have experienced with a past companion and I will ask for their
recipe!
Tell me what you want to see in the kokebok.

We all enjoy good food and completed tasks !

Borgenfalk’s Pannkaka
Comfort for 2 hungry people
6 dl flour
1 1/2 – 2 dl sugar
3 eggs
6 dl milk
Add dry ingredients together then add eggs and milk. Fry in butter.
Spread with jam and or brown cheese. Variation: sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Roll up and enjoy! Eldste Borgenfalk likes to eat them with a knife and fork.

Where did the recipe come from? Mom of course! Sweden

EASY, FAST AND ECONOMICAL

 April 2009
Our Miracle Column
We had another couple great miracles in the middle of the week as well; it's been so amazing to
experience! There was this one day when we went to an appointment and as we were waiting for the
investigator to let us in his place and we stopped someone walking by. Just did a normal contact and at
the end of committing him to meeting with us he asked us if we had time right then. We didn't because
of the appointment that we were waiting for, and then we had another one right after it, so it wasn't
looking like we were going to be able to teach him that day. Well, in the middle of talking to him I get a
phone call saying that our next appointment had been pushed back some which left the perfect amount
of time for us to meet with him! So we went in, did our first appointment afterwards went up to the new
guys house that we had just contacted, and it was such a great teach! He said that in just the last week he
had been praying that someone would come to him that could teach him about Jesus and that it was a
miracle he bumped into us that day because he was supposed to be busy all day, but some things
happened so that his scheduled got freed up! It was so cool, and we are going back to him this week as
well. There really are so many great things happening!
---
We had a little bit of time so we decided on a street to go contacting down and went there. We got off
the bus and still decided to do what we had planned. We walked DOWN a hill, the street we planned,
and talked to a few people. Once we got like a little over half way down, the thought came into my head,
''no one is here, you need to turn around and go up the hill.'' I thought...no, we planned to go DOWN
this street, so we are going to continue to go DOWN, and not back UP!! I went a few more steps
hoping my companion would say something but that didn’t happen! Ok, so we went like 10 more yards
and the thought to go back up was still in my head. So we stopped, I told my companion; she had the
same feeling just didn’t want to say anything. So we knew we had to go back UP! We didn’t talk to
anyone on the way up...which was good, it was a tough hike. Then we talked to a few people, not really
interested. So we decided on a new way to go since we changed out plans. We walked for like 30
minutes and ran into a group of people. We picked the first one to talk to and he told us he was a
member!!!! - Just less active! Wow!! That’s why we had to turn around...then we taught him the next day
and found out that he hadn’t prayed in like over a year...expect he prayed on the day that we ran into
him because he needed help! What??? The Lord is awesome! He inspired us to turn around, do
something hard so that we could run into a less active member who prayed for us to be there!! Wow!!
---
We had a great experience at church with some of our newer investigators. They also brought there
eight year old son. He was great as he went to primary and it really seemed like he enjoyed it. Also, our
investigators came to all three hours as well. After sacrament meeting we had a ward dinner and they
stayed and eat with us. They just got along with the members. The gospel principles class went great.
There biggest issue is, without a doubt, the Word of Wisdom, but that situation is really going great.
---
A couple weeks ago there was this Spanish lady that came running out of her house speaking Spanish
My companions were completely confused. With the help of her son-in-law we found out that she is a
member visiting her daughter from Mexico. This week she came to church and brought her son-in-law
to translate for her. When it came to sacrament meeting she told him to just listen. After church he told
us he enjoyed church and said he saw a list to have missionaries come over and be fed (It was the dinner
list that gets past around every week in our ward). He asked us if he was allowed to write his name on
that, so he said he was coming next week to church and he would know his schedule to write his name
down. The Lord never ceases to amaze me in the ways he blesses and helps his missionaries find those
that are prepared - the elect as we refer to them.