My Sunday Talk

My mother asked if I would upload my talk for Sunday onto the blog. So here it is, luck for me I can give it in English and have a translator right there beside me.

Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone's burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?

Last year in October General Conference President Monson gave a talked entitled: "What Have I Done For Someone Today?"

He quoted the following Scripture in Luke Chapter 9 vs 24

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."

I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish—and in effect save their lives.

Service can provide us an opportunity to help "bear one another's burdens that they may be light. Comfort those that stand in need of comfort."

President Monson continued by stating:

How many times has your heart been touched as you have witnessed the need of another? How often have you intended to be the one to help? And yet how often has day-to-day living interfered and you've left it for others to help, feeling that "oh, surely someone will take care of that need."

We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we're doing, we may find that we have immersed ourselves in the "thick of thin things." In other words, too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more important causes.

The thought of being caught up in the "Thick of Thin Things" really struck me. How many times do we run through our days at full speed ahead trying desperately to get to the bottom of our "To Do List". During this past conference last weekend President Uchtdorf talked about this very thing. He said:

Let's be honest; it's rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. He goes on to say: It is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.

As a mother I sometimes fall into the category, where I feel that my entire day is in the service of others. My To Do list is proof alone. Watching conference this weekend, however, I was able to see how much better I could serve my family, and those around me. President Uchtdorf if you remember talked about how in family relationships love is really spelt T-I-M-E, time.

Our lengthy daily "To-Do List" is often full of meaningful, needed things that do indeed need our attention. However, we must be able to choose those items that are "better or best" on the list.

Making and taking the time for service, adding it to our "To Do List" will enrich our lives, and strengthen our testimonies. Diligently doing the things that matter most will lead us to the Savior of the world. So we can assume that through our service each day, may it be big or small we are following the Savior admonition to "Come unto him". President Monson said a little poem in his talk, one he had heard many years earlier, but had stayed with him. I really loved it and wanted to end with it today.

I have wept in the night
For the shortness of sight
That to somebody's need made me blind;
But I never have yet       
Felt a tinge of regret
For being a little too kind.⁹

May we all find the joy that comes from serving our brothers and sisters that are around us each day. Remember the words of our Savior in Matthew 25:40

When you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Whether they be family, friends our strangers, as we lose our lives for the Savior, we will find joy and rest with him as well.

Spring Roll Magic!

One of the things I do like about living here is a little shop full of Oriental Foods. Not that I am, by any stretch of the mind, an expert on the ins and outs of Oriental cooking, but I do make a mean spring roll. After a few tutorial lessons from Kenneth's Aunt Gro, I set out to make the ultimate spring roll! After a quick shopping trip for the essentials I set off to recreate the spring roll all on my own.

The filling: brocolli, bean sprouts, carrots grated, chinese cabbage, onions, ginger, chicken, and spicies. You send everything through the food processor and combine!

As you begin to roll you need to make sure the filling lies on a tiny square of spring roll dough. This ensures that the filling will stay put inside the roll and not burst through when frying.

A finished spring roll, all glued down by the use of egg whites.

The finished batch, all rolled and ready for frying!

Frying to a golden crisp! We eat these with a Sweet Spicy Sauce that they sell at this quaint little shop, one day I'll sneak my camera in and take a photo for you all. I need to make friends with the cook there (as they do sell finished food there as well) their noodle dish is to die for!

The children all enjoying the spring rolls, we have 2 add ons, cousin Therese and an American friend Colton Lasswell. Unfortunately the Lasswell family will be moving in about a week, they had plan to stay out the school year but Exxon decided differently. They will be missed. I think we're going to try to start this as a conference weekend tradition. I planned to make enough for both Saturday and Sunday, but everything was gone by Saturday afternoon!

Look What We Found!

About a month ago the missionaries (also our neighbors) came a knocking at the door. Inside a little container they held in their hands was Sonic. (Yes that is what they named him!)

A few days later, Sonic, was still hiding under a little bush at the end of our street. The children were so delighted to see him again. He seemed hungry and thristy.

So we put him in a wheelbarrow, and tried to feed and water him.

He didn't seem to excited to have any of the lettuce we provided for him, but drank up the water like a camel at a watering hole! He stayed in our neighborhood a few more days, then set off for greenier pastures. The children are still wondering what has become of our dear little Sonic, wondering where he ended up, hopefully not on the bottom of some car's tire. Wondering if he made it back to his family and friends to captivate them with tales of his trip. We wish him well where ever he may be, and hope we will cross paths again soon.

Update of the Here and the Now.

I titled this entry the "The Here and the Now!" because I sometimes feel that is all I hear all day long. "Mom come HERE!" "I need this NOW!" "Is Pappa HERE yet?" "Can we go Home NOW!" That last comment usually is heard during the last hour of church!
The last week has been filled with sliver linings for our little tribe over the ocean. Mia has made a little friend, just her age that lives at the end of our street. And can you guess what her little name is: Yes, Mia as well. The 2 little girls were introduced last evening out on the street and took no more than a few seconds before they were giggling and sharing secrets like long lost friends. Before a blink of an eye there were many Mr. Potato Heads created by these 2 little girls. If only it would be so easy for the older ones!
School is still a torn in the older ones sides, so it seems. However, I feel like they are learning how to cope, deal with, and survive the few hours they are out of my sight learning the language. They do look forward to attending the "real" elementary school after Christmas. They could stay out the school year at their current school, but we feel like it would be good for them to met the children who live close by, so the next summer doesn't drag by like molasses trying to climb a mountain!
The children's norwegian is coming along. Sabrina is practially fluent, Mia is saying quite a bit as well. The boys aren't so quick to speak, although I do believe they understand more than they let on. I know this because during a norwegian conversation they will answer correctly in English.
It is Sunday night and I am not too fond of the knowledge that my weekend is over. Before I know it, it will be Saturday again and my laundry will sill be as high as it is now!

Putting on our Tristan Smiles

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going!" is a pharse said by many during times of trial, hardship and adversity. Right now we've been experience our own "tough times" and we needed a catch pharse, theme, slogan if you will for our little family. The children have been great troopers, but every now and then they could be mistaken as 1 of the 7 dwarfs, namely "Grumpy!" After many weeks of trying to lift their little spirits with every trick in my bag, an idea flittered across my mind. Inspiration hit home as we were in the car, navigating ourselves around numerous round-abouts, making sure I didn't drive through any "taxi lanes". When life gets hard, when it gets almost too much to handle our family motto and catchpharse is:

"Put on your Tristan Smile!"

This little guy is our favorite "boy" cousin in Utah. He is always ready with a smile, hug and a kiss especially for his favorite Aunt EVER! Yes that would be me: Aunt Bonnie!

So when the days feel a little cloudy and we are starting to feel like Eeyore, caught under a rain cloud, we just think of our little sweetheart and his smiling face as he would come to our home in Provo and say "Hi Guys!" That has and will always put a smile on our faces and in our hearts!
We love you and miss you Tristan!

What We've Been Up To.

We've been up to a tons of things lately, and it seems there is rarely enough time to snap a photo let alone upload to the blog. So I'm going to combine a few photos and events in one entry mostly because William is asleep and I have only so many minutes.


This is right out our front door, there will be a new drive way up to the garage that has been being built this summer. So one day Kenneth and the boys helped his father in jackhammering away the old drive way.

Espen is always the first one out to help when machinery is envolved. Notice his choice of working footwear, very apporiate for construction.

Spencer had a good time "chipping" away at the old ashphalt.

Will is growing up so fast, this photo is taken right after his 3rd haircut. This one was the 1st all over haircut though, the previous ones were just around his ears, or the top of his head. He is starting to crawl now and walk all around holding onto the couch. Where has the time gone?

One sunny afternoon we were invited by the Lundegards to take a little trip on their boat. Somehow we were able to snap a bunch of pictures, but none of the actual boat itself.

Einar and Elin, captain and first mate!

Mia, with her life jacket, ready to go out to the bow of the boat where she loved to be.

Sabrina, Ane, and Emma sitting on the bow of the boat, they had a great time.

Mom and William enjoying the boat ride.

As we were driving home there was a cruise ship at the harbor, this a fairly big one, however, during the summer there were 2 HUGE ones docked there. It is really fun to go down and watch them leave the harbor on a beautiful sunny day.

We stopped at an island called Langoye(this would look better if I had the Norwegian alphabet on my keyboard). We had some brownies and the kids got to run around a little bit. When the sun is shining and there is just a breath of wind, Stavanger is such a beautiful place. I had never been out on a boat around some of the islands that we went by. There are some AMAZING homes with little matching boats houses right on the water. One day, after we make our millions, I'll come back and buy us a summer home on the water!

Some Pig!~Charlotte's Web Determination

Charlotte's Web is a story that is full of characters that are full of determination. Fern to save Wilbur, Charlotte to save Wilbur, Wilbur in keeping his promise to Charlotte, and even Templeton determined in acquiring food.

I've been thinking about how lately my determination could use a healthy dose from Charlotte, Wilbur, Fern and even Templeton.

Some days are longer than others way over here across the ocean. Other days do not seem that much different than the ones I lived back in Happy Valley. Laundry is inevitable, it will pile up on you if you take your eyes off of it for more than a second. The children, no matter how wonderful your dinner was the night before, you can guarantee that they will be hungry the next day.

We're are finding our way over here little by little. The children seem to be coping with school, making a few new friends, and overall gaining back a familiar routine. There are days when the tears flow for friends and the life left behind in Provo, however, there is an overall sense of "making the most of it" among them.

Their mother on the other hand, not always so determined to make the most of it. After spending the last few days in "profound reflection" aka:wondering how in the world I ending up here again, I've come to a few important conclusions. Thanks to the ever efficient search tool on lds.org I came across some closing remarks by President Monson that basically summed up what I needed to hear.

"I testify to you that we are all in this together and that every man, woman, and child has a part to play. May God give us the strength, and the ability and the determination to play our part well."- President Monson October 2009

So onward and upward we go, determined to play our part well. (I think there is a Family Home Evening lesson there somewhere) Just as Charlotte and Fern were determined to save Wilbur, so am I determined to make the most of all this experience. Knowing 10, 15, 20 years from now I'll be able to look back and see the wisdom in our moving over here, see my personal growth, my children's growth and then know with certainty that my Heavenly Father gave me the Strength, Ability and Determination to play my part well.