Day 111

Tjena Tjena!

Jag hoppas att ni har alla hade en bra vecka. Ni har ingen aning vad jag sager och jag tycker att det är jätterolig. 

This week was really good! Lots of awesome experiences and fun times. 

On Monday, we were supposed to go to this place called Ystad. It is like the most south you can go and there is a Stone Hendge thing, but it didnt work out. So, us and a bunch of other missionaries from neighboring cities met at the beach in Malmö and had a BBQ and played sports and stuff. It was really fun and I love all the missionaries here! 

I really need to be better with my journal writing.. I missed Tuesday and now I cant even remember what I did that day haha.. There is the lesson kids! Write in your journals! 

Wednesday, we taught Reza. And I cant remember if I told you all or not, but Reza brought a friend to church. His name is Majid. He cant speak too much english, but enough to communicate. He is so awesome! He has such a sweet spirit! He is about Rezas age, around 30, and has kids as well. We taught them together because we didnt know that Reza was going to bring Majid. We taught the Plan of Salvation again(Reza had already been taught it), but we added in the Gospel of Jesus Christ into the Our Life on Earth part of the Plan. Reza is so awesome haha he helped us teach Majid the Plan of Salvation and he isnt even a member yet! He is doing so well and still has it counted down to the exact day he is going to be baptized and get the Holy Ghost. He is such a happy guy. The lesson went really well and I am so grateful I have the chance to teach these two men. 

Thursday I was in Lund on splits with the District leader. His name is Elder Packer and he is super awesome and an amazing missionary! I learned a lot from him! We had a really good study session in the morning and discussed a lot about he Book of Mormon and its role in conversion. It is so crucial. It really is the keystone of our religion and our whole church rests on that book. It is so important to gain a testimony of Mormons Bok because if the BOM is true, everything else is true. The Book of Mormon is the most powerful tool in conversion. That means self conversion as well. Anyways, after our studies we went to do service with the other missionaries in Lund. We went out to the place called Lomma. It is out in the countryside and its soooo beautiful! I had never seen Swedish countryside until I went out there. I wish I would have had my camera with me. Anyways, we helped prepare for the holiday Valborg. Its a holiday that doesnt make much sense to me but its super awesome so I dont mind it. So basically the swedes get as much wood and sticks and branches and whatever they can find and make a GIANT pile and light it up to celebrate spring. Its gonna be the biggest bonfire I have ever witnessed. It is on Thursday this week and I am super excited! Members from all over southern sweden are coming. Also, that evening, Elder Packer and I taught a man the Restoration on the street. I felt the spirit stronger than I ever have before while talking to someone on the street. It is the most amazing feeling to teach about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith every day. I have grown to have such a love and appreciation for The Prophet Joseph Smith. I absolutely love bearing my testimony about him to everyone I meet. 

Friday was a fun filled day. We taught Reza again in the morning. He wants to meet 3 times a week before his baptism haha. We taught him about the 10 commandments, keeping the Sabbath Day holy, and following the Prophet. It went really well! The 10 commandments were hard to teach because he isnt exactly fluent in english so it was hard for him to understand. So it took us a while to explain each one. After we got all the way through and he understood, he said, "well those are the exact same ones as the Bible!" haha it was funny. After that, we taught him a little about the prophet. I brought a picture of him to show Reza and I was scared of what he might think because in the picture, president Monson looked like he was kinda mad haha. So then later when we showed him the picture of President Monson, he said "He looks like a really nice guy. He just has a friendly face".  haha it was a tender mercy. I love President Monson. And Majid wasnt able to make it to this lesson, because his son is in the hospital. Maybe remember him in your prayers. 

Saturday was the semiannual deep clean the church day! Most of the ward showed up and we cleaned for a really long time haha.. the church looks really good now though! But Reza showed up to that and he was so happy to help! He kept saying that the church was his home now and the ward was his family!

Sunday was a solid day of church! Both Reza and Majid showed up. They loved church! Then after church we had a dinner appointment with the Isaksens. They are a newly married couple and they are so cool! We did a practice lesson with them and it helped a lot! Then after that, we met with a girl in the ward named Ayline. She is the only member in her family. Her sister, Jenell, is interested in the church and wants to hear the lessons. We are excited for that! Ayline is 17 and Jenell is around 14. They are from Chile and are super awesome! 

Well, I am about out of time. I want you all to know that I love and pray each of you. And I want to say thank you for all the love and prayers. I love being a missionary and I am so grateful for the chance I have to learn and grow and to serve the people of Sweden. I hope you all have an amazing week!

Jag älskar er!

MVH,

(med vänlig hälsning. "with friendly greetings")

Äldste Bailey