April 22, 2019 The promised land of Karlstad

Shots of Karlstad

Sorry I didn't have a chance to write last week, let's see if I can remember a few details from the last two weeks of whirlwind missionary work...

Karlstad has been an absolute dream and I couldn't think of a better area to be my last. The branch here is made up of about 20 members, mostly older people, who I absolutely love. Everybody has such a unique personality and their own quirks that just seem to fit right together. Karlstad is also incredibly beautiful. It sits right on the great lake of Vänern and is surrounded by Swedish forests. It's really been warming up here which means everything's turning green and we broke out the short sleeve shirts! It's honestly pretty incredible how you don't realize how little sun there is here during the winter time until spring comes and you're filled as energy as the sun now stays up until 8 pm. It doesn't even get dark now until 9:30 which is super nice.

Hopefully that gives you a bit of an idea of the area. To make it even better, I'm with Elder Olson who's a fantastic missionary and a blast to be with. He and his companion managed to give out 60 copies of the Book of Mormon last transfer, so we've been going around and following up with all of those people and meeting new ones along the way.

This week we got to travel 2.5 hours on the train to Göteborg (Gothenburg) for companion exchanges. It's been literally a year since I left Göteborg, so it brought back some great memories. I

Exchanges in Göteborg. 

For our morning exercise

 we decided to go on a run 

and conquer a mountain.

love traveling on the train because I'm in love with the land and nature of Sweden. I could honestly sit there for hours just staring out the window and pondering the creation.

A couple weeks ago Elder Olson was approached by a man who asked if he comes from Utah. After responding to the affirmative, the man said that he had been to the US and biked from the east coast to the west coast, passing through Utah, so he recognized us as missionaries. He and his wife invited us to dinner at their house on Monday and we had a fantastic lesson with them about the Restoration of the church. They don't have any believes themselves, but they asked a bunch of geat questions and were

Elder Olson and I

fascinating in reading the Book of Mormon to see the way God would have us live our lives. We're going back for dinner again on Thursday, and feel blessed to be able to continue teaching them. They're amazing people!


Äldste Sirrine

The six man apartment crew before I left. 

The mission office will be missed...

April 8, 2019 And thus my time in Täby comes to an end

The Vaxholm fortress, we visited today for P-day

More in Vaxholm

Well, just like that my time in Täby is over. It honestly feels like it's been about two weeks since I got here. Sometimes time on the mission is weird, but the ward was just as surprised as we were when they found out our six week was already over, so I guess it's not just me.

I'll now be transferring to Karlstad, which if translated directly to English comes out as "Karl City". That's Sweden for you... Karlstad is one of the most isolated areas in the mission. It will just be my companion and I, the next closes missionaries in the district being almost 3 hours away. The branch consists of about 20 members that come each week, and I'll be companions with Elder Olson! He replaced me and was trained by my companion Elder Radford in Stockholm, so I look forward to hearing about his experience in an area that I absolutely love. I'll definitely miss living in the office with five other elders and working here in Stockholm, but I can't wait to be in Karlstad!

General Conference was incredibly uplifting and inspiring. There are certainly a few things I know I need to work on, and I'm grateful for a living prophet and apostles who can give us the direction needed in a world of changing values. I have come to learn for myself that following their counsel brings us closer to, and helps us become more like our Savior Jesus Christ.

We were able to watch a couple sessions at members homes, and we watched the Sunday morning session (which was broadcasted Sunday evening our time) at the mission home with President and

General Conference at the mission home. 

President Youngberg, Leo, Henrik, and Gabriel

Sister Youngberg as well as a few missionaries and investigators being taught. Henrik (now a member) brought Gabriel who I had also taught in Stockholm, and Leo (the guy that called us at the beginning of the transfer wanting to be baptized) was there with the other elders. It was a tender mercy of the Lord and an incredibly special occasion for me to see several of the people I care most about here in Sweden all gathered in one place to watch General Conference together.

As I had the opportunity to talk with Henrik at dinner, I asked him what difference the gospel has made in his life. He didn't know where to start, but then mentioned that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has made a difference greater than can be described. It has given him not only the desire, but also the ability to change and to see his weaknesses made strong through Christ. He also mentioned how many of his friends and people he meets seem to have everything by worldly standards, education, money, employment, a nice home, etc. and yet still feel like unhappy and that something more is missing in life. Henrik shared how he

Traveling home from 

General Conference with Leo

himself had found this, but that the gospel of Jesus Christ has given him the answers and helped him understand his purpose in life. It's made all the difference in the world, and he's not afraid to share it with all who ask him about the new light that's come into his life.

I add my testimony to Henriks in saying that the gospel of Jesus Christ contains the answers to our questions. The Lord has not only provided us a way to return to him, but also to experience the greatest joy along the way. Ours is the responsibility to follow the path he has laid before us and return to it when we have wandered off.

April1, 2019 A Taste of China

Last week we found a store that sells American 

food and other items. I found this mug and realized 

I have this thought at least a couple times each day... 

The Clouses, a senior couple in the mission, reached 

their halfway mark on the mission and took us out to

 lunch to celebrate with them!

This week our ward had the baptism of an 8 year old boy, but the bishop was out of town for the week leading up to it, so we got to help the father with preparations for the baptism. The baptism was held directly after church and went really well. The spirit that was felt there was really neat, and the boys mother (who's not a member) attended and was certainly able to feel it.

Earlier in the week we were with a part member family from China, and the father is super close to being baptized. He knows he wants to be baptized but is just waiting for the feeling that it's the right

First signs of spring.

time. They just had a baby about three weeks ago, so we got to meet little Zoe and share a message about faith with them. The father has been reading the Book of Mormon daily for the past two months, and it's incredible to see the difference it's made in his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is real power that comes into our lives as we read it.

On Friday we were with another Chinese family and they prepared a huge Chinese meal for us, some of the food being importated directly from their family in China. It was absolutely incredible. The couple is an incredible example of faith. The husband had a great job working at a finance firm in

Our authentic Chinese dinner.

China, but they felt they needed to move to Sweden. They've now been working the last few years to learn a new language and culture while the his and has been trying to find work here. They have faced SoE incredible challenges, but they are some of the happiest and most gracious people I've met because of their faith in Christ. The other elders had an investigator there at dinner who we taught afterword, and regardless of what we said, the most powerful part was the testimony of these humble members.

Earlier in the week we were standing at the bus stop, and I felt impressed to pull out a copy of the Book of Mormon. The guy I sat down next to and started talking with was actually Christian with a strong faith, which hardly ever happens here, and I had the perfect opportunity to teach him about the Book of Mormon and its role in helping us strengthen our faith in Christ. He was interested in a book with such power and it was exactly what he needed. I may not know the people I meet or what they need, but I know the Savior knows each perfectly and is eager to reach out and lift them with loving hands through us as we follow the spirit in faith, being filled with love towards others.


Elder Sirrine