Day 219

God eftermiddag allihopa! 

This week was really long and filled with lots of hard work. Lots of knocking doors and talking to people on the streets. The work is moving forward in Katrineholm and I am doing well and loving it!

Monday we had a fun P-day in Eskilstuna. We hung out with the Elders there and made pizza and shopped and played games in the church. It was super fun to have a p day with other missionaries haha. Then we went to Pia and David's for family home evening. She made super yummy chinese food!! And then we read Enos together and discussed it. It was an amazing lesson. I felt the spirit really strong as we learned about Enos and what he did and how we can follow his example. Pia and David are such amazing people. 

Tuesday my new companion, Elder Johanson, arrived in Katrineholm. He was so excited when he got here, which is unusual for missionaries when they find out they are coming to the small village of Katrineholm. He was so ready to work hard and serve the people here. That made me really happy because I like working hard and I was praying to receive a hard working companion who I would work well with. Elder Johanson is a group behind me (entered the MTC 6 weeks after me) and an amazing missionary. He loves talking to people and teaching them. He is really clean too which is good. Elder Falkner's train to his next area didnt leave until Wednesday morning, so we were in a tripanionship until then. As soon as Elder Johanson arrived, our branch president came and picked us up to take us to his house for dinner. His wife made us pizza and it was so good! Elder Johanson was able to meet the family and I was able to analyze his swedish ;) he is really good! so thats a plus for me. Then Elder Falkner shared the message with his favorite scripture and his testimony. It was sad to know that he was going to leave. But that is how missionary work goes.

Wednesday, Elder Johanson and I got right into the grind. We went right out after studies and started talking to people. And one of the first people we talked to started asking us lots of questions about the bible and the Book of Mormon and our church in general. We were able to teach him right there on the street about the Book of Mormon and a living prophet and that we still receive revelation today. This guy's name was Rashad and he was muslim but knew a lot about christianity. He had a lot more questions and was super willing to meet up again. We got his number and we told him we would call him in a few days. That was such a powerful street lesson. I have been trying to use the Book of Mormon more and more in my contacting. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to share my personal testimony of the Book of Mormon everyday with everyone I meet. The Book of Mormon is the most powerful tool we have as missionaries. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the guidence, strength, answers, and peace it has given me as I have studied and pondered the stories and messages within. 

Later that day, Elder Johanson and I were out walking the streets and contacting people. We were talking about promptings and how we love to follow them. I warned him that I sometimes do spontaneous things haha because I love to follow promptings I get. I told him how much the Holy Ghost helps us missionaries in our work and will give us signs and promptings to help find those who are prepared. Right as I said that, we walked right next to an apartment building with the door wide open. They usually aren't open in sweden and have port codes to enter. I told him that they can be signs just like this. I told him the Holy Ghost opened this door for us because there is someone prepared in this building. So we went in and walked to the top of the building and knocked on the first door. A man opened up and we told him we were missionaries from our church out to talk about the Book of Mormon. He told us he has already read the bible. (we get that a lot from people). We went on to explain the difference and why the Book of Mormon was important. We bore our testimonies of the Book of Mormon and asked if he would like a copy. He happily accepted the Book of Mormon and said that we could come back later. His best language was turkish so we are going to bring him a turkish Book of Mormon this week when we stop by. This experience was just a huge testimony builder to me of how we need to heed to promptings. The Holy Ghost is constantly giving us promptings and warning us, we just need to try to listen. We hear what we listen for. If we strive to recognize and listen to the Holy Ghost, I can promise you that you will hear his still small voice direct and guide you in your life. 

Thursday we had district meeting in Södertälje. We had to catch an early morning train and we left the apartment kind of late. So we were hustling pretty fast to catch the train on time. And as I was pedaling super hard, my chain came off my bike. It happens a lot and I usally just flip the bike over and fix it but we were short on time. So Elder Johanson suggested that I just ride over close to him and he would grab my handle bars with one had and pull me. It sounded like a good idea at the time haha and it worked for about a minute and then I lost control of my handle bars and flipped over the bike. I am completely fine except for a few scrapes. It was just super funny. I did ruin my favorite pants though. Gives me an excuse to buy some new ones! ;) 

On Friday, the branch presidents daughter, Maria Fernanda, was baptized. She is nine years old. She waited a little longer to be baptized because she was afraid of the water. But it was such an amazing baptismal service. There were only about 12 or 13 of us but the spirit was so strong! Kenneth also brought his baptismal clothes and was maybe going to be baptized, but he didn't want to do it when he got there. It was really dissapointing, but I learned that everything happens in the Lord's time. We need to be patient, but we also need to do all we can ourselves to help that thing come to pass. But after the baptism, Maria Fernanda bore her testimony for all of us. She said how nervous she was but then explained how clean and happy she felt. Then she said that she knows Jesus Christ is her savior. When she said that I just started crying. I don't know what it was but the Spirit just hit me so strong when that little nine year old girl testified of her Savior and Redeemer. It was the most amazing feeling ever. I know that my Reedemer lives and I love him so much. I will forever be grateful for what he did for me. I know he walks beside me and strengthens me everyday. I am grateful for the cleansing power of his atonement and that I can forget my past and align my will with God's, and continue on. That baptism was so amazing and helped me reflect on my own baptism and the feelings I felt. It was an uplifting experience. 

Saturday we met up with Rashad. At first, he asked us a lot of questions about or church, and we happily answered them. Then it seemed as if he was more interested in having some kind of a Islam vs Christianity debate. We dicussed a lot of things and a lot of scripture. I had prepared myself pretty well because I thought this might happen. I defended the faith pretty well. I wouldn't say the Spirit was there though, it was kind of a bible bash in a way but in a way wasn't. But in the end, he gave us a Quaran(not sure how you spell it in English), and a book about the prophet mohammad and a little brochure. We gave him a Book of Mormon. Later that evening when we where chilling at headquarters, I was reading through the Islam pamphlet. In the end there is a saying in arabic but with english letters so you can pronounce it. I said the saying not really sure what I said so I said it into the phone with google translate and turns out I testified there is no other god but Allah and mohammad is the true messanger of God. Hahaha sneaky muslims. So aparently I am a muslim now so that was funny.

Well I am about out of time. I just want everyone to know that I am doing awesome and loving every second of my mission. Coming on a mission is the best decision I have ever made in my life. I have grown so much in every aspect of my life. I have become so physically, emotionally, and spiritually strong. I have learned to work hard and to love everyone around me. If there is anyone reading this who is contemplating going on a mission. I can promise you that you will never regret going. It will be hard, but I can promise you it will change you life for the better. I am so grateful to be a representative of my Savior Jesus Christ. I have come to know and love him so much more than I ever thought possible. I just want to leave you all with a quote from Bruce R McConkie, as he talked about the commission of a missionary.

 "I am called of God. My authority is above that of the kings of the earth. By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my Master and he has chosen me to represent him. To stand in his place, to say and do what he himself would say and do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me. My voice is his voice, and my acts are his acts; my words are his words and my doctrine is his doctrine. My commission is to do what he wants done. To say what he wants said. To be a living modern witness in word and deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous latter-day work."

I am the Lord's hands here in Sweden and he is counting on me to complete his work. I am so grateful to be a missionary. Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts. I love you all and am praying for you! Have an amazing week!!

MVH

Äldste William Alexander Bailey IV