Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Day 205

Tjena Tjena everyone! 

It has been an awesome week! It went by really fast. Transfers are next week. It is crazy to think that I have been in Katrineholm almost a whole transfer! Even though this is a tough area and being a missionary is hard, I love it so much. I know I say it a lot, but there is a real joy and happiness is inviting others to accept the message of the restored gospel into their lives. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to serve a mission and to be a representitive of my Savior Jesus Christ everyday and serve him with all my heart and strength. I love being a missionary. 

On Tuesday, we were in a small town outside of Katrineholm called Flen. We had an appointment with a member there. Our bus got us there a while before the appointment was scheduled. So I suggested we tract for a little while. We ended up tracting for a few hours. Every single house was either not interested or not home. It started to rain. We were pretty tired of no one answering and being not interested. A lot of them were kind of rude to us too. Oh well it's all part of the job. So as it was finally time to go to this member's house, I got the classic feeling of knocking on one more door. So we went up to the last house and knocked. An older Swedish man openned up. He was really nice and we talked for around 10 min before we even brought up the church. When we did bring up our church, he suddenly became not so interested with us. Then I showed him the Book of Mormon and he lit up. He didn't realize we were Mormons. I asked him if he had seen his book before and he said he had one! I got really excited and asked him if he had met missionaries before. He said no. I asked him how he got the Book of Mormon. He said he bought it. I laughed and told him he got ripped off because they are free. He laughed and then I asked him if he had read it. He said he read a little bit of it a while ago but he can't remember. I then had the special opportunity to bare witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The spirit was so strong. I challenged him to read more and pray to find out if it is true. He said he would and he said we could come back next week!! yes!! I am super excited!

On Thursday, we were able to go with the branch president to home teach a lady in the branch name Solveig. Her husband is not a member but basically is a member. He doesn't drink or smoke or drink coffee and he is like the nicest guy ever. It was a really spiritual lesson as we shared the message from the 1st presidency about the pioneers. Lars had a lot of questions and was really engaged. I had a strong feeling that Lars was going to become a member. I was able to talk to Solveig on Sunday about him and she said he will eventually be. We are hoping to be able to teach him the lessons again soon. When the branch president dropped us off at the train station where our bikes were, I came to the horrible realization that I didn't have my bike key with me. I called the branch pres and it wasnt in his car. And I ringed Solveig but she didn't answer. So I had to carry my bike all the way home.. hahaha that was not fun at all. Still havent found the key.. So we have been getting some good exercising by walking everywhere, haha.

Friday was so good. We had planned  a lesson at the school with Jonas. When we got there, he called us and told us that he wouldn't be able to make it. We had no backup plans because Jonas doesn't usually cancel. So we were sitting outside the school thinking of what to do. I knew there was a reason this happened and there was a reason we were there at that time but I didn't know why. We prayed and still didn't know what to do. Then we just decided to go tract. As we were walking away from the school I heard a basketball bouncing. This sound is pretty rare in Sweden so I noticed it pretty quickly. Behind the school there is a pretty worn down hoop in a cement parking lot. There was a kid playing ball there and he wasn't that bad. But I knew right then that I needed to go talk to him. We went up to him and I asked him if I could play him. We played a couple games of one on one and afterwords he asked why I was here in Sweden and why I was playing so hard in a shirt and tie and tight pants(that ripped super super bad haha). I explained that I was a missionary and I was there to spread a special message about Jesus Christ. I was then able to teach him about the Restoration. The spirit was probably the strongest I have felt on my mission so far. I could just tell in his eyes that he was feeling the same thing. I testified of the truthfulness of my message and told him the many different ways it has blessed me in my life and told him he can know it is true for himself. He gladly accepted a Book of Mormon and said he would come to church on Sunday. Sadly, he didn't end up coming, but he invited me to go play basketball with him and a lot of other guys in a gym tomorrow night. I am so excited!! But that experience was so amazing. I am so grateful that I was there that day to talk to Clifford. The spirit was so strong and I really look forward to getting to know him and teach him more. It is such an amazing blessing to be able to bear testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the Prophet Joseph Smith. The spirit is so amazingly strong every time. 

On Monday we were able to go to Eskiltuna for a volleyball tournament with the whole zone. It was so fun! 26 missionaries were there. It was fun to play and have fun with them all. My team ended up taking 2nd I think. Not my usual place, but oh well ;) 

Yesterday we were able to go to district meeting in Eskilstuna. After it was over, we had about an hour before our train went back to Katrineholm. Us and the 4 Elders in Eskilstuna decided to go play on the giant chess board in the middle of the city. It was an amazing contacting idea. As we played, all types of people stopped by to watch and the rest of us were able to talk to them. We taught a lot of street lessons and got a lot of numbers. The guy in the background in the pic is actually reading a Book of Mormon I gave him the game before. It was so amazing to work with these other Elders and talk to everyone that stopped by to watch. Being a missionary is awesome. 

I am about out of time. Sorry this isn't longer. I had a lot more typed out but it accidently got deleted... Anyways my computer is about to shut off at the library so I wish you all an amazing week! thank you for all the prayers and thoughts and letters. I love you all!

MVH

Äldste Bailey








2 comments:

  1. Haha, the famous Carrot cake. It was good. you are so much fun to be around Bailey. And its so fun to be able to follow you on the blog. Your Mom is amazing for updating this.

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  2. This is To Baileys mom! Im so grateful for your son. He always makes me laugh when i am having bad days. He also makes me frustrated when he tease me (just for fun). He is literately one of the best guys i have ever met. And i just wanted to say thank you for giving up you son for two years so he can go on this mission because i would not have been the same without him here. I am also looking forward to go to the states to meet him when he is back home and to meet you and the rest of his family. Love/Pia

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