How Lucky Are We?

Editor’s Note: We found a webcam in Skovde and asked Elder Farnworth if he knew where it was. He said it was by where they go to email us. So we asked him to walk through the square and we saw 2 missionaries walk through it. Was awesome to see him (even if he looked like an ant in the webcam)

I am glad you were able to see me! That is funny that we were standing right in the right spot. We were there because of the sun! Needless to say it is getting so cold here – is it insane. I stay warm with my millions of layers but all the members keep telling me that this is warm! So I don't know if I will survive this winter.

This week was a hard week, With that said, it was also the best week that I have had! We taught some amazing lessons and it really just made the whole week so great! It's so cool to see that this gospel is something that I have had for so long and I love it when I am explaining the Plan of Salvation to someone and just see their eyes just light up because I just told them that they can be together forever and also that they can see their loved ones again. How lucky are we? 

So we talked about the Plan of Salvation and we got crafty. We don't have much to go off of, but we really wanted to have a visual for the lesson. So my companion thought I was dumb but I cut the cardboard back of my notebook into certain shape and outlined the plan. After it was all done, he told me he thought that is was really cool. I seriously am so lucky to have such a sweet companion. This week more than any other I feel like we are really becoming friends. It makes the work tons better. 

SO I don't know if you know this but today is OCTOBER 21. Which means I am at my 2 MONTH mark! This is so insane how fast the time is going by. I just don't even know what to think. This is going by so fast! I love it so much. So last night we had dinner with a member and I am not joking I felt like I was having dinner with the King and Queen of Sweden. It was amazing. They have this crazy nice house it was so beautiful. I really felt like royalty! Speaking of royalty, turns out I am royalty! We all are! I was doing Family History (WHICH I REALLY NEED THE NAMES AND INFO OF YOUR GRANDPARENTS PLEASE SEND THEM ASAP) and I was going back super far like to 190 AD and I found a man who was the King of a place in Finland. So that was freaking awesome. I am his 50th great grandson. So that's cool I guess.

This week was also just a ton of fun. I write a ton in my journal every night, so when I fill this one I will send it home and you can read about all the crazy things that happen every day! There is this lady in our ward who came up to us and randomly said that she wants to help us learn Swedish faster than we are. So she was like be here at 2:30 every Wednesday and we will have class. So I am super excited for that. The members here are so amazing, they all just want to help. They feed us a ton. And it is good. I am happy to say that I haven't had fish yet so I am happy about that. They eat a ton of normal things. This week I had: Homemade Chicken Nuggets, Meatloaf, Tacos, Tacos, and more Tacos! They LOVE tacos! So random but the way they make them are so good. So don't ever worry about me going hungry cause I promise I am not! I weight the most I ever have in my life last week. I think I got up to 131. Ahh!! But no one worry that was just a bad day and I am back down to 125 and loving it. We have a goal to run 3 times a week. It is so hard we wake up at 6:30 and get shorts on and go running in the freezing cold! I always tell him that I have the motivation of a hot shower. We run pretty fast. We usually run a 1 1/2 miles so we don't play around.

On Sunday, you be so proud! We made your pancakes! They were so good, and they made the apartment smell so good. It was just a great thing. Okay I think I have rambled on long enough. You are awesome mom! I am glad you guys had a good weekend! I am so happy you are happy, that makes it easier to be away! I love you and I love all that you have done for me! Remember that I am praying for you and I know you can do anything! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

Äldste Farnworth

This is our cute little "Plan of Salvation" Kit. It's so awesome. It's
doesn't look like much but a TON of work went into this.
The Family said that they really loved it!
We took like pictures of the boy and girl faces and took
them through the plan. So awesome!

This is just a normal Swedish park. They are all like this. 

I I just walk through here like 5 times a day!

You could paint this mom!

This is just the most amazing views I have seen. This is just unreal

This amazing church that we went to! So cool. These church
are everywhere and that is something that I love the most. They are so cool!

I Am An Official Swede!

I am an official Swede! Got some Swedish clothes 

and decided that I love it here!

This week had been nuts! So much has happened in such a little time! 

So to start it all off we were doing service for a part member family and it was so much fun. We did a bunch of yard work (Swedish people are still doing yard work even though it is FREEZING) But it was so cool. It's starting to get pretty cold here but not to bad. Every time that I tell a Swede that is few cold out, they just laugh and me and then tell me that in a few week I will be praying for this weather. So that is exciting. 

So something that was funny was I think it was Thursday we went to this members house, and when he answers the door he looks at me and says "Hello, Kaleb." it's threw me off because no one calls me Kaleb here. So I asked how he knew my name and he says that he Googled my name and found my Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram... It was pretty awesome. So the whole night he would randomly quote a awkward tweet of mine or ask me about my high school. So yeah that was a bit strange, but way funny. 

Then we went to Göteborg for Mission Conference so that was way fun! I ended up staying in Göteborg for the weekend on exchanges with one of our zone leaders. Super funny guy, It was way fun to be in a new area! So crazy! Sweden gets more and more amazing every single day! 

Oh funny story, so we get out of this one lesson and he is like: "Okay we need to go southeast to our next investigator.." So I ask how are we supposed to know which way is the southeast? And no joke he starts calculating what quadrant of the sky the sun is in and he is saying all this stuff about where the sun sets and then he just like points and says: "We will go this way." So we walk, walk, and walk and where are walking? I don't know, it was a beautiful walk though so I wasn't complaining. Then he just stops and take a hard right turn and I'm thinking "We gonna get so lost, this is insane." Like we are in the middle of a small forest. Then BAM out of no where there is a house and he is like: "Yep, just like I thought." It was so awesome. This mission is full of surprises! 

I just follow most of the people here blindly. Then we went to the Saturday night session of Stake Conference. It's like a huge deal here because some people are traveling like 2 hours to be at it! So then we went out and got the best thing known to man - Kebab Pizza, It's this pizza that they put this meat that I have no idea what it is... and they put fries all over it and then like this dressing that is insanely good. I love it. I don't know what meat it is, and every time I ask, everyone tells me that I don't want to know.. So it's whatever! I just eat it and be happy!! 

Guess what is the most served thing to eat here? Tacos! It's so random, but everyone loves tacos! I haven't had any fish but I have had tacos like 10 times! So random but oh man they are so good. I haven't gained any weight... So that is good. I don't think I will be gaining weight here so sorry to disappoint. 

So one more quick way gross/funny story. So we are walking in Stockholm yesterday and we are walking down a way public sidewalk and I kid you not there is a hobo standing in the corner of the street, just pooping. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK. I just didn't know what to think. I have no hope for humans. Seriously is this what we have come to? Where is the humanity. It was so funny but so nasty all in one moment. It took quite some time for me to regroup and be able to function again. First trip to Stockholm... Success. 

Well all-in-all this week was great. Really hard at times, but just so awesome. This mission is just such a blessing. I love it. I love you and thank you for everything you are doing and have done to get me here. I could not ask for a better support system! I Love You. Have a wonderful week. I am praying for you always! '

Äldste Farnworth

Giant Insane Asylum Building that is being made into an IKEA

The park we walked through the whole theme is the ocean so this is a whale. 

The top has a water fall like the blow hole!

Amazing Göteberg is so pretty!!

This is where they have stake conference! It's super huge event
and they have a Saturday night session and a Sunday session

Just a normal walk.. Seriously everything is so beautiful

Me watching Conference

Walk-in shower. Proof the Lord loves me.

This is funny. This rock is in the middle of the walk way so instead of moving it... 

They build a barrier around it. Makes sense.

Sweden is Like Disneyland!

My mission President is so cool. That was way awesome that he sent all that you so fast. I am so happy. SWEDEN IS LIKE DISNEYLAND! All the building are so cool and honestly look fake. It is so much fun being here, so yeah I am in Skövde. It's really cool. 

Stockholm is an amazing place seriously so beautiful. I have a few pictures that I will send to mom. My apartment is really nice super small but really nice. The shower is so nice so I am HAPPY! My companion is really nice and super helpful.

All the people here are so nice though! The members are so awesome and totally willing to help me with my Swedish so I really am blessed. 

The Lord is watching over me. He is very aware of what I need and I feel so blessed. What a blessing my mission has been.

Sweden is Disneyland for sure! It honestly think that Walt Disney came here and was like "Sweden is so amazing I am going to make it the theme of my park!" It is seriously so cool here. I can't even talk it all in! Skövde is so amazing to! It isn't as big as Stockholm but it is just as cool! 

Holy cow I love it here. Something that is awesome is that everyone here dresses up like a boss. Seriously though, EVERYONE. Like we are just walking home at night and some old lady is walking her dog and she has like all the latest clothes from H&M. Everyone is dressed up, most places having Missionaries always dressed up would make us stand out. No, most the time we are the ones under dressed! Crazy, the greatest thing is the kids. They dress like that are like 25 years old. I love it. Everyone is dressed up all the time! I love it. It is like amazing. Even at 9:30 at night you see something going to the store and it looks like they just got out of a fashion show. Serious amazing!

I seriously think America needs to figure some stuff out and me more like Sweden. I already love almost everything about Sweden! I don't like the cold. It. Is. Cold. I haven't seen the blue sky in a few days because it is always cloudy and cold. But the funny thing is that the Swedes don't even think this is cold! I see so many people working in the garden and stuff! Like the ground is frozen and they are just digging away. They are crazy. Something else I love: The Homes. Inside and out. On the outside they all look like Disneyland and on the inside... IKEA. Easily 98% of everything in these house is from IKEA. I love it, so if you are ever wondering what kind of place this is seriously just go to IKEA and walk around and you are basically in Sweden. It's awesome. 

My companion is Elder Olsen, he is from Arizona and is really nice. He helps me a ton. I really I am way lucky to have him as my trainer. The ward is so nice, whoops, it's not a ward it is a branch. There are only about 35 active members here and about half are kids. So that is fun. The members are really nice we haven't had church yet so I haven't met them all but the ones that I have talked to are really nice. Ahhh talking.. what an adventure that has been. Let me tell you something. The Swedish they teach you in the MTC and the Swedish they speak here, two different Languages. The Best Two Years describes it best when he says "What language what that, elder?" Pretty much my thoughts exactly the first time someone spoke to me. I am just started to kinda, sorta, not really understand people but I can already see the improvement in the Language thus far so I am very hopeful. 

Conference was seriously so good. I took like 10 pages or so of notes. What a blessing that was! So we watched the sessions like this: we watched the Saturday Morning on saturday night. Then Sunday we watched, just online, Priesthood and Saturday Afternoon. Then we watched the Sunday Morning one live at 6 pm here in the church! And no we weren't allowed to stay up last and watch the last one so we will just watch that on our own time sometime this week! But I really loved them all. I really loved President Monson address at the end of the Sunday Morning. His testimony is so strong and his love for his wife is so amazing. I can't really remember them all I need to study my note we watched about 8 hours in one day of them so they all kinda are messed up in my head. But I do remember that I had the question I thinking during answered so I can testify that the Lord speaks through Prophets. Just Amazing!

I am so happy all is well at home. All is well in Sweden! Such an amazing adventure this has and will be! It's hard to write a ton cause we just talked! I love you guys so much! 

Äldste Farnworth

Kaleb arrives in Sweden!

*We talked to Kaleb on the phone while he was at the airport.  His Swedish was amazing and he was so excited to go to Sweden.  His testimony is so strong, he will be an amazing missionary.

Here is the email we received on Tuesday from the mission home in Sweden:

Dear Parents;

Your wonderful missionaries arrived today safe and sound and are currently sleeping at the Mission Home. In a few days you will receive another email from us with a couple of pictures and letters.

Syster Lowry

Mission Secretary

Sweden Stockholm

 *We received a handwritten letter that the Mission home scanned and emailed.  Kaleb is happy and loving the city.  He said that Sweden looks like downtown Disney!  He toured the city with all the new missionaries.  His Mission President is Gregory Newell and he seems awesome.  He sat down with Kaleb and all the new missionaries at the mission home and interviewed each of them.

Kaleb's 1st companion's name is Elder Nicholas Olson and they will serve in Skovde, Sweden.  His P-day will be on Monday's

The Mission Home sent instructions for sending packages:

Dear Family and Friends of our Missionaries,

We want to pass along some important information and tips that will assist you in getting mail and packages to your missionary.   

Letters and packages sent through the Postal Services that are four (4) pounds and under are forwarded immediately to your missionary.

Things that cause delay to your packages:

·         Packages over four (4) pounds

·         Overnight packages

·         Certified or Registered mail

·         Using any carrier other than the Post Office

We suggest the following for your packages to arrive in a timely manner:

·         Send your packages through the Post Office

·         Don’t put more than four (4) pounds in a package, send more packages if required

·         Plan ahead to meet your deadlines

Packages heavier than 4 pounds may be sent directly to the missionaries’ apartment.  However, if your missionary is transferred and your package arrives, it will be the responsibility of your missionary to pay to have the package sent to their new area.  Please keep in mind transfers do not always happen at regularly scheduled times.   If you send a package, be sure to write the address exactly as it is given to you by your missionary.  In Sweden there are names on the doors that are required to be part of the address in order for the mail to be delivered, otherwise it will be returned. 

The tithing funds can not be used to forward packages to missionaries.  If a package arrives in the office that is over four (4) pounds or if it is sent by a carrier other than the Post Office, we will inform the missionary and ask if he/she wants us to charge their personal account for the cost to forward it to them, or if they are willing to wait until someone will be visiting that area, which may take up to a month.    .

Please remember that ALL medication sent need to be listed as Missionary Supplies on the customs declaration (green) form.  Be sure you tape all boxes well, especially corners.  We have received several packages where the corners have been torn and contents have been lost.

Be sure to use this address when sending mail and packages to your missionary through the mission office

Äldste/Syster Missionary Name

Enebybergsvägen 38

182 46 Enebyberg

Sweden

Please share this information with your family members and friends to ensure that your missionary receives packages and mail in a timely manner.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Sweden Stockholm Mission 

AND FINALLY, PICTURES OF KALEB IN SWEDEN!!

Ariving in Sweden

Elder Farnworth and his first companion Elder Olson.
 They will be serving in Skovde Sweden

This is what I have learned from this week, attitude is EVERYTHING!

*We received this email on Saturday September 28th from the MTC.

So today was like the definition of bittersweet. We had the last classes that I will have here at the MTC. Saying goodbye to Brother Jorgensen was almost as hard as saying goodbye to you guys.. just kidding! But it was a super close second. We talked a ton and he is just the coolest guy I have met here. It all caught up to me rather fast today and it got super hard, but he took me into another room and we talked and it was really cool. He told me the coolest advice, (side note he had a super successful mission, converted a ton of people) he told me that he had a successful mission in his eyes, it was successful because he tried his best. He told me that even if I was the only person that was converted than my mission would be a success too! Then he told me that he knew that I was going to convert a lot of people. It is just so cool to have that experience where this people who I 100% look up to tell me that he believes that I can do this! It was up there with the coolest thing that has happened to me. 

Now for the pathetic part, I held it all together when I was saying goodbye! Then when he left I lost it all. It was literally like I said goodbye to you guys all over again! But I will see him again so it wasn't to sad, but it was so I don't know what to think. Ha Before he left in class we had a baptismal service for all the investigators that we got to the point of baptism. It was so awesome! I know the baptismal prayer in Swedish!!  It was so awesome. This place is awesome, a lot of missionaries are all getting negative and talking about how much they all want to leave and there is me, who starts crying when we talking about leaving. I am officially the most emotional Elder here. But I don't care, I love it. I have been talking a lot with this Elder from New York, such a cool guy and he broke his foot while he was here so he has to stay 2 weeks to let it heal, and he has been so positive about it. Of course he is bummed, but he looks at everything in every way. That is what I have learned from this week. Attitude is EVERYTHING! There are so many times in our lives we look at things and right away thing that this is a trial but if we turn our outlook around everything can be blessing!! I love that outlook. This has been a hard day and I could super sad to leave and be sad I said goodbye to my best friend OR I could see that I have to leave to bring the gospel to Sweden, and I could see that Brother Jorgensen will be there when I get back! This is an awesome chance for me grow!! I love the MTC!! I love my Mission!! This is God Work!!

My next letter will be from SWEDEN!!! Jag Älska Dig!!

Älska 

Äldste Farnworth