This week was great! It was a little more eventful than last. These are my last couple days in the MTC. I leave to Sweden Monday morning at 3:30! I am so excited! I am so ready to leave the MTC and get into the real world. I stop in Chicago and Newark on my way there. I should be in Sweden by Tuesday morning. :)
Last Thursday we were able to skype members in Sweden! It was such a cool experience to teach and talk to real people from Sweden! It was also a shock when we heard her speak. I was pretty scared to talk to her, and when we started talking, I forgot a ton of Swedish. But as we started talking with her, I became more comfortable and I was able to say what I wanted. We were able to understand most of what she was saying, if she said it two or three times. She spoke so fast! She was from the south, so her accent wasn't as sing-songy, but it was still hard to understand. I hope I will be able to pick it up quickly though. I think being around it 24/7 will help a lot. Her name was Melina. She was super super nice and loved talking with us. I think the members in Sweden will be amazing.
Here is something kinda cool that we discovered this week: So we have an Elder in our Swedish district, named Äldste Thacker, who has a Grandpa who went to Norway on his mission. And on his mission, his grandpa baptized one person. That person was named Adolf Isaksen. So I can't remember if I told you all or not, but we have an Elder in our zone going to the Netherlands named Elder Isaksen. That's his grandson! It was the coolest story! Elder Isaksen said that Äldste Thacker's grandpa's one baptism, turned into over 100 members. A lot of them served missions as well. That story just shows me how even just one baptism can turn into hundreds of members. It was so cool to watch that connection happen.
So I had to say goodbye to one of my best friends in the MTC, named Ældste Gudmundson, Monday morning. It was really hard to do, but I know he is changing lives in Denmark right now. The night before he left, he asked me to give him a blessing. When I gave him the blessing, there were probably around 15 other Elders in the circle who helped out. It was the coolest feeling and the spirit was so strong as we stood around him and gave him that blessing. It was especially amazing for me because the words I said in the blessing were nothing like what I thought I was going to say. It was so cool how phrases and thoughts came to my mind as I spoke. I know it was the Holy Ghost telling me what to say.
So Äldste Hart and I taught our last lesson to our "investigators" in the MTC. Which means the next lesson we teach will be to a real investigator!! That is scary to think about. But I know as I put my faith and trust in God I will not be afraid and I will have the Spirit with me. Here at the MTC, I have learned that I can't do anything without God and Jesus Christ. I know through Jesus Christ, my mind has been at ease and I haven't been that homesick at all. I know I have learned so much Swedish in these past 5 weeks because I put my trust in Jesus and I had the mindset that I am learning this language to bring people to Christ and true happiness. I have also come to know that without the spirit, missionaries are nothing. The spirit is the true converter. In the lessons we teach, I can tell when our investigator is feeling the spirit. That is when the true conversion happens. The feeling is so powerful. In 3 Nephi Chapter 28, when the Savior is finishing his ministry to the Nephites, the VERY last thing he says to them is that The Holy Ghost beareth record of God and Jesus Christ. And that Heavenly Father as given the The Holy Ghost to everyone. If that is the very last thing Jesus said before he left, it is probably pretty important. It's so important for us as missionaries to recognize that the Spirit,combined with the Book of Mormon, is the true converter and witness of Christ. And that we need to do everything we can to make sure our investigators feel that spirit. That is my goal. To make sure everyone I teach can feel the Spirit and for me to help them recognize that spirit. Once an investigator realizes that it is The Spirit of the Holy Ghost they are feeling, there is no denying that our message isn't true. And through the Spirit they can also come to know that the Book of Mormon is true.
I love being a missionary and I am so grateful for all I have learned and felt in the MTC. Serving a mission is the best decision I have ever made. I have had the most amazing and spiritual experiences! I also have had so much fun. I can't wait to get out into the field!! I am so grateful for all of you!! Thank you to everyone who has written me or sent me anything. It makes me so happy to get things in the mail! Thank you so much for your prayers for me. I know they have strengthened and guided me. Keep writing me because I love hearing from everyone! Work hard in everything you do!
Jag älskar ni!!
Love,
Äldste
PS: Sorry for the lack of pictures.. Next week there will be a ton I promise!!
No comments:
Post a Comment