May 13, 2019 Blessings of Sweden

Grilling fish tacos by the lake

One of the slightly random things I miss while being here in Sweden is the ability to buy corn tortillas. They just don't exist here. I've experimented with making my own, but haven't had much luck until yesterday when a member of our branch who comes from Mexico told me where I can get the right corn flour and how to make them. I'm happy to report that after getting some flour this morning, I have successfully figured out how to make corn tortillas and started cranking those puppies out. This led to an inspired P-day idea of going out to Vänern, the biggest lake in Sweden, and grilling fish over a fire on the shore to make fish tacos with our homemade tortillas (and guacamole). We've never been happier. Shout out to Sweden who makes their nature so easily available to everyone and even provides free fireword.

On Saturday we were biking out to swing by and teach a few people when we passed a lady on the side of the road picking up garbage. As we passed I got the prompting to stop and ask if we could help, and my natural reaction was to continue, rationalizing that we had several appointments that day and wanted to stay on schedule. The prompting came clearly again to turn around and help, so I stopped my bike and told Elder Olson. He was happy to turn around and go back and when we came up to the lady she gladly accepted our help. She explained that she bikes past that place everyday and is irritated by the trash thrown out of car windows there that clutter the otherwise beautiful surroundings. She had decided to pick up the trash, and she was surprised that two guys had decided to stop and help. We talked with her the entire time we picked up trash (for about 30 min total) and at the end she asked us what our function in the church is. We explained our role as missionaries, and she mentioned that she's not religious because she feels like religion has caused so much contention and war throughout history. Before she left we shared our witness that God's desire is not for us to fight and contend with each other but rather to love and serve one another, and that in the true church of Jesus Christ we follow that example. We asked her if she'd like to learn more about our church, and she politely declined, but before she got in her car she thanked us for our help and told us that we're good representatives for our church.

Last night we had an incredible lesson with Emil. He was concerned about the idea of Heaven and Hell seeming so white and black and wondered what happens to people like him who may not be firm believers in God, but aren't completely bad people either. As we taught the Plan of Salvation

everything seemed to click in his mind and at the end he was nearly speechless. All he could say was that everything made sense and he hopes it's true. We invited him to pray to find out if it is, but he said that he couldn't promise us he would do so, because he only wants to pray if it will be sincere, but that he would continue to think and ponder on it. He's an awesome guy with a great heart, so pray for him :)


Äldste Sirrine

Before our lesson with Emil, he took us around this

 lake and taught us a little about the forests and 

animals of Sweden. 

I feel like I'm living in a fairytale book sometimes.