We are really doing so much! (7/20/15)

The coolest picture. Ever.

We had the coolest P-day in the world. It was really awesome! We went down into a cave! Like it was really cool. The whole district came down Sunday night and we got up early and discover the world under the world! It was crazy cool. We took a million and a half pictures. After being in the cave, we climbed the mountain that had the cave under it! We had a Fika and sang some songs! It was really cool. Like P-days in Jönköping are legendary! It is always a day to remember!

We have done enough work this week to fill 2 normal weeks! We are really doing so much! At the beginning of the transfer I made a goal as District Leader that I would go on splits with every elder in my district. Usually District Leaders only go on splits with each companionship but I really wanted to go with every elder. So I planned it out at the beginning and it looked like an easy goal to accomplish but of course, life happened and it got really hard! We had a lot of training meetings this months and things that created weeks that we couldn't go on splits! With 4 elders in the district it was becoming very complicated really quickly. The last two weeks we went hard to try to fit in an extra splits with Göteborg missionaries, and get on track to complete the original goal. Basically, we have travel more in the last weeks than I have ever before! On a late train last Saturday Night, I was thinking to myself: "Why am I putting myself through all of this?" 

Then it hit me, this is the Gospel to me. I believe we are here to help each to create relationships that strength and help people grow. That is where all the motivation has come from for me, it has been the satisfying feeling after I leave an elder that I just spent the last 24 hours trying all I could to help that person gain something. In church yesterday, I opened the thought to more that just a missionaries example. I realized that we are really here as people to help each other get back to God. God isn't here physically on the earth, he doesn't call us when we are having a rough time, or send us a happy text when we are sad, but he has sent us. He has created people that can do those things. That is one of the most important things I feel I have done out here in Sweden, I have been there for the people the Lord has trusted me with. Not just non-members but everyone. It has been the clearest form of happiness I have received, the feeling of knowing that I helped someone. That is why we are here. 

Starbucks... Mmmm.

On Wednesday, we spent the day in GÖTEBORG. I love that city, like a lot. We were there for a Specialized Zone Training, with President and Sister Beckstrand. They are great, we have such a good time when they are there. The whole training was about the Book of Mormon. It was really cool. We talked about two chapters the whole time. 2 Nephi 9 and The Book of Enos. It may sound like we are just becoming really repetitive in that but it is so cool! There is SO much to learn in there! I felt like the whole training was really good and it gave me a lot of energy to finish the last stretch of my mission really strong! I also did something that I thought I would never do at a Missionary meeting... I actually sang! A few people got a little group together from the district together and we sang a really great version of I Need Thee Every Hour. It was like SO amazing, I loved singing and it really seemed to help me feel the spirit better so it was really something that was awesome. 

We have this member named Williams here, he is a really great guy! We found out that the missionary that he always talks about wanting to meet again, the one who baptized him, was Elder Smith! My really good friend who is currently serving in Göteborg, so while we were up there we asked the President if they could come back and do a work over exchange in Jönköping so that they could meet again! President approved and the split was on! Elder Smith and Elder Jones were here! It was fun to have Elder Jones here too, he was my companion like a few months ago here! So he was really excited to come as well!!. 

Leaving the human zone... In style.

The other splits we had this week was with the Skövde Elders, Elder Walker came here and we had a pretty great time. We went to Värnamo and taught Carina! I loved it, it was like one of the best lessons I have had in a while, we taught the Restoration. All we did was read from Joesph Smith- History! There is so much goodness there, I really like it cause it is very simply said. Everything that he felt or experience is written so clearly. It took us a long time to get through it all because we were stopping and discussing it so much, I just got a lot of amazing insights from that! It was really great!

At church yesterday, it was a tough day for the ward. There is a member here that was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia, he is the greatest guy ever! It was really hard to hear that, he is so young and has an amazing family. There is a lot of Family-like mentality with the church here in Sweden, so it was really cool to see how much the members here care and as a ward wanted to willingly do those things that we can to help them! I love that part of Sweden, everyone here is family! 

I am excited to have another great week! I hope everyone has the same! I love and miss you all! 

Äldste Farnworth