Dropped off at the MTC
July 19, 2017
Well I survived the first day! Not going to lie, I had absolutely no idea what was going on the first class in Swedish...but it's been good! My companion is Aldste Radford from Mapleton and he is awesome. I have to head back now, but I just wanted to let you know I'm alive, and my P-day will be on Thursdays (although not tomorrow since I just arrived.)
July 25, 2017
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| MTC companion Äldste Radford |
Brother Sirrine,My name is Brian Radford and I work at the Provo MTC. As part of my job, I attend the MTC devotional from time to time and I attended tonight and saw my son, Elder Radford, who is companions with your son.I am attaching a photo that I took tonight. They both are very happy and enjoying their time.Elder Sirrine also spoke to the MTC president (President Martino) and his wife since they served with your other son in New York.One other quick note, Elder Sirrine asked if you could send him another pair of gym shorts (maybe 2). They both realized that they needed more since they have gym 5 days per week and are sleeping in shorts as well.Your son was fun to speak with. I am very glad that they are companions.Thank you.
Brian Radford
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| With President & Sister Martino |
July 27, 2017 - WEEK ONE!
I can't believe a week has already gone by! The first two days here seemed to take forever, and they were definitely the busiest days we've had. On Thursday we had our first full class in Swedish and let's just say that taking Spanish in high school has not helped a bit... Our teacher, Brother Beck, only speaks to us in Swedish, and it was basically three hours of charades. The good news is, all the other elders were just as confused as I was, so at least I had company! After class, Äldste Callor (Äldste is pronounced Eldsta) asked us, "Is it just me, or were there moments when you knew exactly what Brother Beck was saying even though you didn't know a single word he said?" We all agreed that there were and it was amazing to experience the gift of tongues in that way.
Later that night we got to meet our branch presidency. They are amazing men who truly love and care about each and every one of us. We have the largest branch in the MTC right now (90 missionaries) and it includes all the missionaries going to Sweden (Swedes), Norway (Nords), Denmark (Danes), The Netherlands (Dutchies), Finland (Finns), and one elder (yes just one) who is going to Mongolia. All the elders live on the same floor and it's really cool to get to know all the Scandinavian missionaries so well. The branch is super cool and even though we all speak different languages, you can understand most of what the others are saying because they are fairly similar. We are all assigned to prepare a sacrament meeting talk in our language as well as a priesthood/relief society lesson each week, and we are randomly assigned to speak and teach. This makes sacrament meeting quite interesting to hear all the different languages spoken, and even though you may not know what they are saying, the spirit is just as strong. While meeting the branch presidency on Thursday night, Äldste Radford and I were assigned to be zone leaders because the Elder Crow and Elder Hair (Dutchies) were moving out on Monday. I know the Lord will help me, but I currently feel a little overwhelmed as I don't even know what I'm doing yet, and now I'm responsible for a bunch of other missionaries, including some who have been here longer than me. However, I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as zone leader because it stretches me and forces me to grow much faster than I would otherwise.
Later that night we got to meet our branch presidency. They are amazing men who truly love and care about each and every one of us. We have the largest branch in the MTC right now (90 missionaries) and it includes all the missionaries going to Sweden (Swedes), Norway (Nords), Denmark (Danes), The Netherlands (Dutchies), Finland (Finns), and one elder (yes just one) who is going to Mongolia. All the elders live on the same floor and it's really cool to get to know all the Scandinavian missionaries so well. The branch is super cool and even though we all speak different languages, you can understand most of what the others are saying because they are fairly similar. We are all assigned to prepare a sacrament meeting talk in our language as well as a priesthood/relief society lesson each week, and we are randomly assigned to speak and teach. This makes sacrament meeting quite interesting to hear all the different languages spoken, and even though you may not know what they are saying, the spirit is just as strong. While meeting the branch presidency on Thursday night, Äldste Radford and I were assigned to be zone leaders because the Elder Crow and Elder Hair (Dutchies) were moving out on Monday. I know the Lord will help me, but I currently feel a little overwhelmed as I don't even know what I'm doing yet, and now I'm responsible for a bunch of other missionaries, including some who have been here longer than me. However, I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as zone leader because it stretches me and forces me to grow much faster than I would otherwise.
On Friday we taught our first investigator, Marzieh (who is Muslim), in Swedish. All the missionaries who have been here for a few weeks told us that we'd be able to do it, but I can't say how unprepared I felt going into the lesson, and it was hard to believe them. We knew what we wanted to teach, but we didn't have the words to say it. We went into the lesson with faith that we'd be able to teach in Swedish, and while it wasn't easy, we were amazed that we were actually able to do it. The lesson actually went really well until she asked us what the difference between Joseph Smith and Mohammed was. We definitely didn't know how to say that in Swedish... after much struggling we were able to tell her that we would teach her that the next time. We definitely saw the hand of the Lord in helping us teach, and I know that there is no other way two 18 year olds could teach an entire lesson in Swedish after just five hours of instruction.
All the missionaries here told me just to try to make it to Sunday, and they were right. I learned more in sacrament meeting and priesthood than ever before, and Äldste Radford and I joined the choir (He is really into theater, music and piano). The spirit that was felt while singing was amazing, and it was a good time to rest from usual studies.
Tuesday night, Don R. Clarke of the Seventy spoke to us for the Tuesday devotional. It was extremely powerful and motivating. After the devotional I had one of the coolest experiences. Before my mission, whenever I would tell people I was going to Sweden, they would always say the same three things. 1. "You're going to fit right in." 2. "It's going to be really cold." 3. "It's going to be really hard, you probably won't baptize or teach very many people." I had let myself grow accustomed to #3 and had accepted that I probably wouldn't baptize many people and do the things that most people consider success. I had been thinking about this throughout the devotional as Elder Clarke talked about things we could do to teach people, not lessons, and how to set goals to succeed. After the devotional was over, Äldste Radford and I went up to the stand to talk to his parents (his dad works at the MTC and was presiding at the devotional). On our way up to the stand I was stopped by Elder Clarke who shook my hand, asked me where I was from, and asked me where I was going. I replied that I was going to Sweden, and upon hearing this, he looked me in the eye and said, "Don't believe them." That's all he said. I know that Elder Clarke is truly a man called of God and that those words were inspired. After his talk it was such a good reminder to do anything and everything I can to bring lasting conversion, and that I shouldn't believe what people say about Sweden.
We have continued to teach our investigator each day and our lessons are gradually getting better. My companion and I had decided that for our lesson yesterday we would focus less on doctrine and more on Marzieh. We had been so focused on learning Swedish that we had not studied the scriptures in English as diligently as we should have been. We could feel the spirit was not as strong, and it was easy to get frustrated with the language. We decided to devote almost all of our time to studying the scriptures in English and becoming united as a companionship so that we could teach by the spirit. What little Swedish we did study, we aimed at learning words to get to know our investigator better, and how to ask questions to show that we cared about her as a person. This approach is contrary to what would seem natural, but we learn from Christ's example that loving others is far more important than teaching lessons. We went into the lesson yesterday after this kind of studying and it was by far our most effective lesson. Sure there were words we didn't know, but overall we were able to communicate everything we needed, and we were able to teach in a way that answered her questions in a meaningful way to her. We even sang "I Am a Child of God" to her in Swedish because Äldste Radford mentioned that he liked to sing. It was amazing to see how much more successful we were as we taught as the savior would.
That's all I have time for, I wish I could adequately tell you all that I have learned and felt here at the MTC, but I can't. I know that this is the Lord's work, and there is no place I would rather be. I know that the gift of tongues is real, and that as with any gift of the spirit, as we diligently seek after it and obey the Lord's commandments with exactness, we will receive it. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
