“Please! Make a U-Turn!”

10/6/24

Hello! Another week has gone by and we are having a ball! The weather is cool, the sights are unbelievably gorgeous, and my companion is hilarious and such good company. We’re both glad to have the first couple of weeks behind us. We are beginning to settle in just a bit, to not feel so new and overwhelmed (for now), and to make friends with the missionaries and members here. The church is so wonderful in that way, don’t you think? Built in friends with a common love for our Savior Jesus Christ. We’ve had some adventures this week, let me tell you  about them.

In the grand scheme of things, we are doing very well here. But you should know, about ⅔ of the time we use GPS navigation to get anywhere, we are led astray. It’s gotten to be ridiculous and we are being exposed to all sorts of interesting and unusual places here in Iceland while we try to get to where we need to go. The GPS in our car must be out of date, or she has other designs on our time. This city is full of roundabouts and we are often directed by a loud voice to take the first exit. But then, just as we take the first exit, she begins to tell us to make a u-turn. I should make a recording so you can hear the pleading voice of our GPS. Seriously, she sounds like she is pleading for her life. “Please! Make a u-turn!” “Please! Make a u-turn!” If only we could tell her that we only need to make a u-turn because she has sent us in the wrong direction! Thanks to her misguidance, we’ve ended up at a tire shop, a bar, the wrong apartment building, wrong stores, etc. On top of the wonky directions, Todd’s dyslexia seems to go into overdrive just as we are contemplating whether we should listen to the GPS or not. When she clearly says, “turn right” he decides to go left – not because he is ignoring her directions, but because he thought she said “turn left”! Needless to say, we are leaving early for everything to allow time for the inadvertent exploring we are doing here. 

This GPS lesson is probably a good metaphor for life. When we are going the wrong way, whether by mistake, by misguidance, or by willful rebellion, we need to make a u-turn. As soon as we realize we have sinned, make a u-turn. As soon as we are humble enough recognize we need to change, make a u-turn. “Repentance is one of the first principles of the gospel and is essential to our temporal and eternal happiness. It is much more than just acknowledging wrongdoings. It is a change of mind and heart that gives us a fresh view about God, about ourselves, and about the world. It includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. It is motivated by love for God and the sincere desire to obey His commandments.”

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/repentance?lang=eng

Each day I find there are ways I need to do better and make a u-turn. Maybe I’ll imagine my heavenly parents pleading for me to “Please! Make a u-turn!” each time the GPS is reminding me I’ve gone the wrong way! That will be at least once or twice a day at the rate we are going. 

There is another interesting fact about stoplights here. Just as in the US, green lights mean go, yellow lights mean slow, and red lights mean stop. Something different happens here when you are stopped at a red light. The yellow light also makes an appearance after the red. So, red lights mean stop, yellow lights mean get ready, green lights mean go. However, we’re the only ones getting ready on that yellow! Everyone else is going! 🙂

One of our assignments is with the young single adult program. Each Monday night Todd is teaching an institute class and I work with Sister Allen to prepare and serve a meal to those at class. Last Monday was our first Monday night with this program and it went great. Todd is an experienced teacher and he was in his element as he taught the class. It was fun to see him teaching and fun to watch the class members absorb his sense of humor, learn from the Book of Mormon, and feel the Holy Ghost. There were missionaries translating for Icelandic speakers and missionaries translating for Spanish speakers. As well as many members of the class who speak English. Class went well, the Spirit was there, and dinner was a hit. We’ll look forward to this each week.

One day this week we had a goal to find me a winter coat. I came with some lighter coats that will not be adequate for the winter weather, especially the wind. We went all over town looking at coats that would do. I had a very specific wish list for this coat. It needed to be warm, of course. I wanted it to go to my knees, have a deep hood, several pockets, and, I hoped for a nice ruff on the hood. I would have settled for just a nice, warm coat, but a girl can dream! We ended up in downtown Reykjavik, going in and out of shops. I was cold in my inadequate coat and getting tired. As we passed one particular store, Todd stopped and felt that we should go inside. This store rents winter gear to tourists who visit Iceland. People can rent a coat to use for 4 or 5 days and not have to pay full price for winter gear while they are traveling. Todd felt we should ask if they sell any of their rented coats. Well, they do! A lovely woman working there looked at me, turned and pulled a beautiful burgundy coat off the rack and handed it to me to try on. This coat is gorgeous. It’s warm. It goes to my knees. It has a deep hood and several pockets. It fit perfectly and I knew it would work just right for my winter warmth. Only, it was missing a ruff around the hood. I mentioned that I was hoping for a ruff and she said, yes! There is a removable ruff. She got it, buttoned it on, and, ta-dah!! My coat was there waiting just for me. We got it at a steeply discounted price (20,000 krona – can you figure out what that is in US dollars?!) and I wore it out of the store. This coat will serve me well over the next two years. Heavenly Father directed us to it and I am very grateful for not just a warm coat, but one just as I hoped for! 

We took a preparation day this week and went on an adventure around the Golden Circle. “The Golden Circle is the most famous of all scenic routes in Iceland and combines stunning landmarks and historically significant places in a circular sightseeing tour.” 

https://www.visiticeland.com/article/the-golden-circle

We spent the day visiting some of the most beautiful waterfalls we have ever seen. We couldn’t see all of the sights in one day, so we hit some highlights knowing we can go back again another time! Words can’t describe God’s beauty in this place, so here is a picture tour of our day on the golden circle . . (One word that is useful here: foss means waterfall in Icelandic.) And, it really is as incredible as this looks.

Just heading out of Reykjavik, Mosfellskirkja – Mosfell Church

Þórufoss

Brúarfoss

Gullfoss

Faxi Falls

Fish Ladder at Faxi Falls

You can find more videos on Todd’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@todde.richardson