I'm leaving on a jet plane!

Hello one and all!

It's crazy to think that the next time I will email I will be in Sweden! That is super rad. SWEDEN!! So, we leave Sunday morning at 5am! And we get into Stockholm around 9:30am Monday morning. Then we spend a couple of days at the mission home. Transfers aren't until Thursday, so I think the first couple of days are going to be sweet! We fly to NY and have a couple of hours and then we fly overnight to Sweden, which will be lovely. Hopefully I will be able to sleep.

Tuesday night we had Elder Dallin H. Oaks come and talk to us. It was amazing to get to hear two apostles speak while I have been here at the mtc. It was a good farewell, that's for sure. My favorite quote from the night was, "The Lord helps those who help themselves." I loved his talk. He also told us of three challenges most new missionaries have and they are:

1. The challenge to change.

2. To achieve specific skills like the language and teaching skills.

3. To become.

The most exciting thing that happened this week was...I finished the Book of Mormon!!! I finished on April 25th and it was the best feeling ever. I have never read it all the way through. I can now say that I know this gospel is true and I am so grateful for that knowledge. The stories in the Book of Mormon are amazing. i have never felt so ready to go and teach the gospel! Well, I take that back. I am so not ready to teach the gospel in Swedish. But, it will come. I know it.

Funny story: So, every week we meet with our district and have district inventory to talk about problems and to point out strengths and what not. Well, this week Elder Swenson said that I am the "Soul Queen" - which meant that I was the "bling" on a black shirt that is hard to miss. Haha. Well, this "Soul Queen" is ready to Rock 'n Roll in Sweden! I am going to bring happiness and joy and color to Sweden and they better be ready for the gospel, because I am coming!

I am so grateful for all the missionaries in the world.

I Love you all and thank you all for the support and letters! I love them.

Love, Talisa!

Aka: Syster Vistaunet

The saga of Harry Potter...

Hello world!

So, this has been a wonderful week! Last night we had Elder Richard G. Scott come and talk to us. It was amazing! I have never felt the Spirit so strongly. I know that he is an Apostle of God. He bore such a strong testimony. And he blessed us with an apostolic blessing of having the gift of tongues. And when he was doing that he was looking straight at me. I felt very loved. We sat really close and Elder Scott kept looking over at us and smiling. I felt like I made a real connection. One of the Norway elders knows him really well and got to have dinner with him beforehand and his family were the ones who drove him down. So, we all saw his family. Way cool.

I am finally becoming more and more like myself. Shaky gave me really good advice before he came to just be yourself. I don't think I really realized how hard that actually would be. I am very grateful for everything that I have learned about myself here at the mtc. And I can't believe that I will be leaving in a week and a half!! Tomorrow we get our travel plans!! Which means I will get to call you- my family - really soon!!

The more I come out of my shell that more I think my companions and district think I am crazy. Haha. I love it! One of the Dutch teacher's here gave me a strange compliment yesterday. I was wearing my blue skirt with a green top and he said "Syster, you're wearing a green shirt with that blue skirt? Hmm.. cool." It made me laugh.

Syster Detinne Cassel and I met an Elder here who looks like Harry Potter and he is stalking us. He shows up everywhere! At first it was cute but now it is getting creepy. Actually it is still really funny. We love him. The other day we walked into our classroom and on my desk and Syster Detinne Cassel's desk was a picture of him as Harry Potter. Haha. Syster Juker didnt get one though.. strange.

Man alive I have so much more to say but the time is done. I love you all!!! And I will be leaving soon.

Love, Talisa!

Aka: Syster Vistaunet

Hey, what's up? Tell people to email me!

Well, I must say that Monday evening was wonderful. My district and the Norwegian missionaries were outside contacting people and reading from the scriptures and then I look up and see Serina waving her hands like crazy, hanging out the car window. It was exciting! I was glad I was wearing a bright green shirt that day, I was told that that was how Serina knew it was me. My Mom and Dad were also in the car. I heard my Dad screaming "SWEDEN"! Haha. That made my night. Nice to "see" my family. I LOVE you! And thanks for yelling at me!

The last couple of days have been wonderful! I am trying my hardest to be my happy self and cheer up everyone around me. It is crazy to see the difference between Sisters and Elders. I sometimes feel like I am the glue holding them together. I love them so much and I am learning how to deal with all types of people. It is truly helping me to want to be a counselor even more. Haha.

Let's see....this week we were asked to write down what our vision is for our mission. This is mine: To be able to help as many people as I can to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father and that He sent His son, Jesus, who is the Christ, to atone for everyone's sins. I want people to know that they can be forgiven of their sins. I envision making many new lifelong friends. Most importantly, I want to have people see the light of Christ in me. That way I can help them to have that same light and to know that the Holy Ghost is real.

I have about 2 1/2 weeks left and I am getting really excited to go to Sweden! We will most likely be leaving early Monday morning, May 2nd. Well, today we get to go to the temple and I LOVE doing that. It's crazy to think that once I get to Sweden, everything will be done in Swedish. I better really understand the temple. I really enjoy going to the temple.

Love, Talisa!

Aka: Syster Vistaunet

P.S. Well, everyone listen to Noah & the Whale for me. My companions love country music and the other day I was telling them "Country is not music" and they freaked. Haha. I am SO different than everyone. It's amazing to me how much the Lord loves each one of his children, no matter if they listen to country music or not. I am Talisa & I am serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints & I love rock & roll! Thanks again for all the support!

They say it's your Birthday, well it's my Birthday too, YEAH!

Hello!

23 years ago today I was born into the best family in the world! Today has been an amazing day, I feel so blessed to experience a birthday in the MTC. I don't think very many people get to experience that. The MTC president and his wife even sent me a sweet note saying happy birthday.

This morning at 2:22 am I was awoken by my cute companions and the Norway sisters singing Happy Birthday to me! They had heart attacked the room too. I told them that was what time I was born, so hopefully I remembered correctly. Then the day just kept getting better. I got a birthday package from my family filled with birthday love and letters from my friends and family! And Yoo-hoo!! I also got packages from Caitlin Bahr and Grandma and Grandpa Powelson. I feel very blessed to get to experience a birthday in the MTC, it will be a day I will never forget. I feel loved.

WOW. General Conference was the bomb! I have never felt the Spirit so strongly as I did when all the missionaries were in the same room watching all the sessions of General Conference together. I had all of my questions answered and I have never felt my Savior's love so much. I can truly testify that He knows us personally and really cares about us. My heart grows more and more each day that I am here. I will give some high-lights that I got out of conference...

"Missionary work is the lifeblood of the kingdom." - President Monson.

"We follow Christ because we love Him and want to serve Him." - Walter F. Gonalez.

One of my favorite thoughts was that we all have angels helping us through our earthly life.The veil is closer then we think. - Kent R. Richards. (Who spoke to us at the MTC the week before conference.)

"We can't let our fears replace our faith." - Russell M. Nelson

"Have celestial traditions in our homes." - Richard Maynes (Who spoke to us a couple of weeks ago at the MTC.)

I could go on much longer. But because of time I cannot. All in all I LOVED conference and I learned so much about serving and how to serve. Serving the Lord is easy and fun!

To all you women: If you didn't get the chance to watch the YW broadcast, DO IT! I loved it and felt so much love for the YW of the church. They showed a cool movie about YW all across the world bearing testimony. My favorite thing was the idea that it's okay to have confidence when you are prepared! The Lord gives us talents to use them, so we must let our lights shine! Serina - watch this!! I was thinking of you the whole time and how much I admire you for being such a strong daughter of God. Thanks for your example.

On Monday I got the chance to teach Taylor Killian in the TRC. My companions and I taught him and two older ladies from Sweden. We taught the whole lesson in Swedish and it was such a cool experience, it also made me realize how much more I need to learn before I leave for Sweden. They talk so fast. Luckily Taylor was there and could help simplify their Swedish. I also saw Taylor Orton this week. It's been a good week!

For my closing thought: Read Alma 31-37. They are such amazing scriptures! While reading think that Alma is talking to you in place of his sons. I haved loved reading in the Book Of Mormon and I know it's TRUE!

I LOVE YOU ALL!! And a million thanks for all the birthday love! Eat some cake and ice cream for me.

Love, Love, Love, Syster Talisa Vistaunet!