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| The view from our apartment |
September 11, 2017
It has been an amazing week! Last Thursday I got to go on Splits with Elder Dean so I had the opportunity to work in Södertälje (about an hour from Eskilstuna) for a day. Elder Dean goes home this transfer and it was really cool to learn from such an experienced missionary. We did a lot of street contacting and tracting and not too many people would listen to us, but Elder Wilkinson and Elder Malone had some good success back in Eskilstuna. On Friday, after switching back to our normal companions, we got to go do service for one of the people they had found the night before. The man's name is Conne and he had just sold his house that he had grown up in, but he is completely remodeling the inside, so we offered to help. He said he didn't need help, because there was a crew of guys from Iraq who were working there, but we persisted, and eventually he had us help move some lumber and other junk out of the attic and into a van. We did so for about an hour and during the course of our service he would teach us Swedish words as we taught him English words. When we had to go he shook our hands, almost in tears, and said, "I learned something from you two today. I really did. And it feels good." He finally gave us permission to call him and set up a time to meet in the future, which he was opposed to earlier that day. As we do as the savior did and "go about doing good" the Lord will pour out his spirit and give us opportunities to spread his gospel.
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| A cool bridge |
This was also an incredible week for our investigator Nadia. She is about 22, Swedish, and has been meeting with the missionaries on and off for about a year, but lately she has been making real progress as she has been praying and reading the Book of Mormon every day. On Tuesday we taught her the importance of keeping the Sabbath Day holy. When we told her that meant not shopping on Sunday she was very concerned. She told us, "You guys don't understand, like I have given up alcohol completely and I'm living the Law of Chastity, but Sundays are my day to shop! If I had to choose between giving up alcohol and giving up shopping on Sunday, I would choose giving up alcohol hands down." This was a little shocking to hear, but we asked her to try it and we promised that she would be blessed by doing so. We told her that by so doing she would show her gratitude and commitment to the Lord, and would receive greater strength for the coming week. Eventually she committed to keeping the Sabbath Day holy, and on Sunday she successfully did so! We haven't had a chance to ask her about it yet, but I am confident that she felt the spirit as she did so, and that she will find blessings throughout this week. She also had the coolest experience on Saturday. She is applying to BYU, and the last thing she had to do for her application was take the ACT. She has been preparing for it, and it was on Saturday in Göteborg (which is about 3 hours from here). Friday night we texted a bunch of missionaries and almost everyone in the branch to pray for her. Yesterday, when we asked her how the test went, she said it was really hard but she had a really good feeling about it, which she thought was strange. She then told us that she arrived to the test a little early and the doors hadn't opened yet. There were about twenty people waiting to go in, so she went to a bench and sat down next to another girl. They began talking, and the girl, Johanna, asked Nadia if she was applying to college in the States. Nadia said yes, and then explained that she was going to a school in Utah. Johanna then asked if it was BYU, which surprised Nadia, but she confirmed that it was in fact BYU. Johanna then expressed great excitement and told Nadia that she too was applying to BYU! Nadia asked if she was Mormon, and Johanna confirmed that she was, and then said that she was actually just about to read from the Book of Mormon and asked if Nadia would like to join. Nadia thought that was probably a good idea, so they read together until the test started. As Nadia was telling us this story she said, "I guess that is probably the sign I should be looking for." This whole experience has strengthened my testimony of the power of prayer. There is no other way that would have answered our prayers with more clarity, and testified that God was there to help Nadia. If it had happened any other way, she might have been able to brush it off, but she knows that God's hand was in this, and she cannot deny that.
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| Selfie |
I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers. He knows each of us personally, he loves us, and he will help us. All he asks is that we ask him in faith. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission, and for the chance to be here in Sweden. I have learned to rely on the Lord and that as I strive to do as he directs, he gives me the strength and ability to do so.
Äldste Sirrine
