Week 51 - Multicultural Week

Week 51 - Multicultural Week

We had a really awesome lesson with two of my favorite people ever. They're a Swedish couple that love jazz. He plays jazz piano. She sings. And they are GOOD. She used to tour professionally.

Anyways. 

Before I get on any jazz tangents...

The spirit was super strong there on Saturday when we were with them. I love being with them and reading from the Book of Mormon together. I always feel so refreshed after being with them. And I really think they do too. We gave them an initiative the church did here in Europe where you have 21 questions on there and 21 references in the Book of Mormon. Some of them are simple (Is there a God?) and some of them more complex (How can I find joy?). We felt like it was perfect for them so we have it to them and they said they would try it out. I know that if they really do, they can receive a witness from God that the Book of Mormon is true. 

We did some other fun stuff this week. Including digging a ditch at our friend Paul's place. He's an American from Mississippi. That was fun. His stable kept flooding but now it shouldn't. 

We also taught a family that moved here from Columbia this week. Everything went prefect. I felt like I was watching an episode of 'The District'. Usually I have a hard time relating to the missionaries in those videos, but this time I was like "So this is what it's like to teach a family with a Christian background!" It felt way different. Usually we spend the whole first lesson on whether or not God exists or they don't understand prayer or are afraid their friends and family will judge them for meeting with us (which is usually a pretty rational fear since being too religious is considered really weird here). So it was a different experience this week when we asked if we could pray and even their kids came in and kneeled down. The whole thing was interpreted for us. From Swedish to Spanish, then Spanish back to Swedish. 

So that was some highlights from our week. 

Hope you all have a wonderful week :) 

Äldste Denton 

                                          Here's some recent pictures from the week.

Something we like doing in our spare time is making fake album covers. Here's one I whipped up this morning of Elder Hambrick. You can pre-order your copies now folks. 

                                     That's a big mushroom... 

                                      Hiking in the forest. 

                                     I made a salad this week. Twice. 

Week 50 - The Spirit of God

Week 50 - The Spirit of God

Super great week!

We've been working with a couple that hasn't been to church in about eight years, and they came to church again yesterday! Lots of people were excited to see them.

The ward is heading to the temple this week. Stockholm is a ways away so they are staying two full days and sleeping at the guest house right next to the temple. During sacrament Meeting, the Bishop had someone quietly count everyone in the room. Then he got up after a talk and he wanted us all to just look around at everyone there. It was packed in that little chapel. He said "there's 88 of us here today which is a lot for us. Now just think for a second. There's 95 of us going to the temple this week." Then he had us all get up, go to the front of the chapel, and sing the Spirit of God together. It was super powerful. While they're all away this weekend saving their dead, we'll be here saving the living. Works out pretty well.

I can see the fire in this ward that's come from preparing their own family names for the temple. I've definitely got a testimony of family history and work for the dead. They need us and we need them.

I hope you guys all have a great week! 

Äldste Denton

                        Here's a really cool wolf. Look closely, the left side is made out of toys. 

                     Äldste Hambrick drew Mario and Batman in the condensation... No big deal. 

                                  My comp found some nice deodorant. Pretty good price. 

Week 49 - Just another Week

Week 49 - Just another Week

We had transfers. My trainer is now my district leader for his last transfer. Lit. 

The work is starting to really getting going here! We're getting referrals and helping less actives come back. It's great.

We got referred to some really positive people this week and a member that hasn't been to church in months had us over for dinner and came to church. So that was sweet :)

My companion was sick and we stayed in on Friday so he could rest. Gave me a great opportunity to read the new book the church just came out with, "Saints". I only have one three chapters left now. Super great. Recommend it. I love seeing how the Lord tested and tried His people. As soon as they received more knowledge, they were tested on it to see how they would react. It's beautifully written and the best part is, it's a true story! So if you haven't checked that out, I would recommend it. It's on the gospel library app. 

It rains every day here now. Not necessarily all day, but every day. Apparently that's normal for Borås. I'm getting used to it. Starting to take those vitamin D pills again. 

I know the Savior lives and loves each one of us. He can make us free from anything that may keeping us bound. 

Hope you guys have a great week! 

Äldste Denton 

                          Ready for any weather.

We found a dangerous sushi and Thai buffet... Super good. Might gain some pounds there.. 

Snagged a candid picture of my companion through the hole of a tape dispenser. I feel like someone could make that into a Mormon ad of they really wanted to. 

Fun fact, the Swedish word for speed is "fart". This is a speed limit sign that does you the favor of displaying your "fart" to you. The word "din" is "your". As you can all see from this picture, my fart was zero.

Week 48 - Wow what a Week

Week 48 - Wow what a Week

Wow what a week,

Lots of visiting, friendshiping, eating, and even a little tennis. (We played with a member of the ward and his son in law... They beat us pretty good but we put up a good fight)

Had so much awesomeness happen. Lots of it revolved around less active members and part member families. We invited an inactive couple to talk with the Bishop about going to the temple trip in two weeks. They seemed super willing to change whatever they needed to go. Even if they didn't get to go in the temple, they were down to come. We talked with our ward mission leader before going, we had a member with us who drove us part of the way (quite a trek otherwise) and we just decided to swing by. They were so happy and filled with the Spirit by the time we left that she called her best friend in the church right after just to tell her how awesome it was. We told the bishop what we did and he said he'd call them to follow up. We talked with their ministers about helping them to start family history. They were both really interested in learning that. If they did join in the temple trip, that would make the number of ward members going on the three day temple trip 99. Their goal is to have 100 people with. They probably have about 120 active members so it's almost the entire ward. 

This ward is on fire! 

There's an election coming up quick across Sweden. Lots of political rallies and stuff. Swedes are really funny when it comes to politics. I've seen some people discuss politics with each other and they're so polite and considerate. It throws me off actually. There will be someone that asks who everyone is voting for and I just brace myself for an argument, but one guy is just like 

"Yes I like the left party I think I'll vote for them." And the next guy is like, 

"Oh, I'm voting for the social democrats." and the last one will  be like, 

"I thought the liberals had some really nice points. I'm voting for them." Then they'll just kind of nod and change the subject. They might as well be talking about the weather or something with how low tension they are. Haha it's great for us since we're not supposed to discuss politics as missionaries anyways. Makes it easy. 

Hope you guys all have a great week! 

Äldste Denton

Waiting for the street car. With my trainer, current comp, MTC comp, and other mission pals. 

                                    Singing in the rain?

                              Model shot of my companion.

 One year with some MTC groupies at zone conference including my MTC comp Äldste Dumas.