Loving This Week (3/24/15)

This week went by so fast. But I was able to slow it down long enough to take some pictures. Or at least one. We have made a lot of progress this week! I am proud of what we were able to do! The work is moving forward. It has been a hard few week though, not the work that I am used to, but that was Skövde and this is Linköping. They are different, really good but different. Our apartment is officially "home." As in I cleaned the entire thing, top to bottom, side to side. It was easily the worst thing in the entire world but now I can stop feeling like I am going to get a disease every time I walk into the bathroom. So I can shower in peace. I will have to take pictures of the apartment and send them soon.

So we have this member that we are like really close with. She is so awesome, and as we were leaving her house from having Fika her friend comes in and totally knows who we are. So we set a time to meet again the next week. So Elder Hills and I were on splits and we had a really good lesson. I guess that she has met with missionaries before and she has read the whole Book of Mormon. She told us that she also knows that it is true! When we asked her to be baptized she told us that she had no problem with it, but that she was very busy right now. She doesn't want to get stress out with the goal hanging over her head. So I want to challenge her to be baptized in a like a few days. No goals, just faith. I know she is ready. I am excited to see the miracles happen.

I was talking with this old friend of mine who is transferred and she said something that was really cool. She gave me some really good advice. She told me that "It is only when we sink the lowest can we raise the highest." I love that. I am not saying that I am at a low point but I just like that because that is why I love this Gospel. It is here for us ALL the time not only when we are "good" and "high" but when we mess up and have bad days. It is there for us always. I have really had to depend on my faith that I know that Christ is there and he is listening to me. This belief has gotten me through some of my darkest days here.

Another important thing that I have learned and everyone who learns a new language will know is something you have to suck up your pride and ask for help. I have applied this to all aspects of my mission. The Lord can't physically be with us now, but He has sent people to help us just as He would if He were here with us. We can't do everything by our self. We can't return back to our Heavenly Father without Christ and we can't make it through this world without the help of others around us. He loves us so much He gives us trials. But on the other side He loves us so much He allows us to have people to help us through them. We are so loved. We are so blessed. The gospel blesses lives. We are so blessed.

Have a great week. I am praying for you all so much. Thank you for all the prayers.

Äldste Farnworth

This is the picture of the week, We found this thing in the middle 

of the forest when we were walking. This is why I love Sweden.

We have been going like 100 miles a minute (2/17/14)

This week was a good week, I had a lot of fun. I am really starting to enjoy it here in Linköping. Last Monday we moved the other elders out of our apartment so now we have this huge apartment all to ourselves. It has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a dining room and then a huge family room. I am not complaining. However, I still sleep on a twin size bed, so yeah my life isn't completely perfect...

We have gotten a ton done this week. We got 3 new investigators and we just have just been going like 100 miles a minute. I am super proud of this week. The work here is just like super different. In Skövde was just different, not saying that either are bad just like can't be compared. I really am starting to love it here. This last Sunday was really crazy, we had 7 members at church. It was really crazy. So I taught Sunday School, that was really interesting and I taught about the Abrahamic Covenant... I had no idea what that even was. I first had to prepare the entire lesson in English then start the fun process of switching the language to Swedish. That was pretty crazy, I ended up only teaching about 6 people and 3 of them were missionaries. So that wasn't that scary but I really just didn't like that. Then after church a guy comes up to me and asks me to talk next week in church. That is the thing that is pretty cool about small branches, the missionaries are treated like members of the ward. It is super cool because it makes you really care about the area more.

I went on Splits with Elder Hills on Wednesday, that was a ton of fun. We got 2 new investigators and just really had a good time. We just really get along really good.

I am sorry I haven't taken any pictures of this place. Elder Hills and I are going to take picture this week I promise. I will also take them of the apartment. This week is going to be so good. Sorry this email is a shortie again, I just sit here and get so distracted. Next week I will really try to be focused and get the email done. I promise. I love you all and I will be writing more next week!

Äldste Farnworth

I really like Linkoping... (2/10/14)

This week was full of a lot of change. I am not in Skövde anymore. It has been really good though! I love it here! It told a little bit to get over all of the change but once I put more trust in the Lord he helped me find peace right away. It has been great. The area now is a bit slower, but Elder Landeen has done a bit of good stuff to set up the area to be really amazing. So yesterday was the first time I had been to church here and it was weird because the church isn't like a church, it is in the basement of a building that has a dental office in the upstairs. I really think it is cool, because I really learned a lesson from it, I learned that is doesn't matter where you are or how you are receive the gospel, like the spirit is all the same.

Church is church. The branch is really cool here. I really am excited about it! We have a really strong week planned. I just can feel that the Lord is going to guide us to those who will give us success. I am super happy. On Friday, we were doing weekly planning. I wanted to set up a lot for this upcoming week. So I just called a ton of potential investigators and set up a ton of stuff, so I am thinking that this upcoming week is going to be freaking sweet. I am really going to push my hardest to be the best I can be here. I see a ton of potential here.

 I live with 3 other Elders and I really like them all. We have a ton of fun. We talk a ton and I am really getting to know them super good. Their names are Elder Hills, who is my district leader, Elder Steen, his companion, and then my companion Elder Landeen, who is my old history teacher's nephew... So that is weird. ALSO do you remember that girl named Holly that I was friends with? She got married to that guy?

Well ask Jacob if you don't know her. Well the guy that she married is my companion’s cousin. We found that out the first night. That was pretty funny. We have gotten along super good. I am really happy.

I am looking forward to the package. I can't wait to get it. I am totally fine without the picture, I don't know what else I need. I am pretty happy. I really like Linköping. It's gonna be a blast. I don't a ton of time for email, but I love you so much and I am sorry but I haven't taken any pictures yet but I will take some this week and get them to you as soon as possible. I love you and hope you have a GREAT week. I am praying for you!

Äldste Farnworth

Transferring to Linköping (2/3/15)

First off, Happy 48th Birthday Dad! I am so excited that I will be home for your 50 birthday! That will be fun! Hope you are feeling better!

So I will be transferring to Linköping. Before you go around telling people, let me tell you how to pronounce it. In Swedish the "i" makes the "ee" noise AND the "köping" sounds like "shiping" SO like in English it's Leenshiping. So you can know correctly tell people that your son is in Linköping. Okay so I think you should send me an audio file of how you pronounce it. That would be funny.

So this week has flown by so quickly I can barely remember what happened. It was a great week. We have worked very hard to do all that we could to help the next missionaries have a smooth transition. We had something really cool happen. We have this man named Issa, who has been investigating the Church for some time now. We went and saw him this last week for the first time in a little while. He was very nice as before, this time when we got to his house he told us that he had friends that he had been "preparing for the Mormons." We are excited to meet his friends and see if they were interested in the church. We met a little Armenian family. The mother is the only one who can speak English or Swedish. So as we taught she translated key points to the rest of her family. She said that she was very interested in learning more, and being baptized. When I asked if she would want to create a baptismal date as a goal to work toward, she said that she needs to read the Book of Mormon first, but she said that she is thinking that she would want to take that step to come closer to Christ. It was so exciting! I am so happy to have been able to found her and then allow the new missionaries the chance to teach and bring her and her family to Christ. It was a great reminder that the Lord is preparing people out here.

In my personal studies this week I had some really great experiences. Last week, I made the goal to really put 100% into my studies for this week. I went out and bought a new study journal that I could place my thoughts and in the first day I could feel the difference. It was super cool to see that when I put in a little extra work the Lord see's that and really helped me feel so much better with everything. I am really excited to go to my new area.

Just to help you understand what kind of branch it is. It's small, Skövde has about 35-40 active members. Linköping has about 15-20, It's gonna be a lot smaller. I am really excited to get there and start working. One of my friends is becoming a assistant to the President so I am so excited for him. He has like 6 weeks left so that is really cool! I don't have tons of other news -  just that! Hope you all have a great week! Love you all so much!

Äldste Farnworth

Sister Berggren, My other Swedish Grandma. Seriously love her

The Lord is Mindful of Me (1/27/15)

I would like to start this out with a big HAPPY 14th BIRTHDAY TO MEGAN!!

This week has been a really good week. I just feel like I wrote my
last letter. So much has happened this week. The time is just speeding
up because the Skövde chapter of my mission is coming to an end! I am
super nervous and really excited to get a fresh start in a new area. I
really have been working on the trust that I have in the Lord. This is
a huge amount of change. I know that the Lord guides all the transfers
so that is comforting to me.

So let me just tell you that I have the best companion in the world.
It was Wednesday, I have been sick all week. It was the worst on
Wednesday, and we went to the middle of nowhere to do some service.
When I say the middle of nowhere I mean a hour ride on a dirt road to
a small ranch. It was insane. Anyways, I was just not doing good. The
long ride didn't help and after that I was not in the best mood. So when we
got home I had the plan to get in the shower and go to bed. So I got
home and went straight to the shower. When I was finished. I could
hear Elder Simmons in the kitchen and I thought "How sweet would it be
in he was just like making me a Kladdkaka (Swedish Brownies)?" I
dismissed the thought right about and figured he was making himself a
snack or something. Then I walked into the kitchen and he was making a
Kladdkaka! When I asked what it was for, he says: "I thought you would
want a Kladdkaka tonight." Yes this is a true story. He is pretty much
amazing. I am so lucky. We have a ton of fun. I am sorta sad that we
only got to be companion for a little while.

I have been super sick this week! It is terrible. On Thursday and
Friday I lost my voice. That is something that has never happened. I
am sure Elder Simmons was sort of happy about that. He got a few days
of quiet. Teaching in Swedish is hard enough, then if you add on
having to do that with little or no voice it's just almost impossible.

We had a super fun Swedish lesson this week. It was all about Swedish.. duh. I have been telling the members that I will be leaving and it is making me really sad to see this place go. I feel like this is my family. I love them all so much. I can't think of what it will be like with other members. At the same time I am so excited to be able to go to other places and see what other wards and branches hold! I just feel very positive about the future! I can't wait to see what the Lord will do with me.

I feel like I am growing so much spiritually. I have my Father in Heaven and my Brother Jesus Christ to thank. As well as my amazing family. I feel so lucky. I could spend a whole day writing down all the blessings and miracles that I have seen while I have been out here.
There is one thing I KNOW. The Lord is mindful of me. He is mindful of all of us and wants us to be happy and grow! Trials are blessing! Hard
times are growing opportunities. I love this gospel. I love my mission. I love all of you. I pray for you daily. I hope you pray for
me, I pass on the blessings for me right onto those who need them
here. We have the chance to do so much good through prayer. It works.
He is listening.

Have a great week. Dad, I hope you back feels better. You need to
remember you aren't Superman, and you have limits! Just kidding. You
basically are Superman. I love you so much.

Keep on Keeping on!

Äldste Farnworth

The Single's Family Night Group. Left to Right, Henrik, Elder
Simmon, Me, Pouyeh, Ståle.

The Lord is Teaching Me What I Need To Know (1/20/15)

This last week was a ton of fun. We did a lot and yes, Elder Simmons 
and I have a ton a fun. We work hard too, don't get the wrong idea we
just know how to do both! It is a good thing. I think the biggest
thing that I have learned from having companions is just learning to
let little things go and to look past little things that bother me.
It's been really good thing to learn! Also to just see the good. That
is really important. I have also learned that I can not wait to be
alone again. I cherish my time in the bathroom (The only place we are
allowed to be alone.) I don't know if this is what a mission is
supposed to do, but I also learned that I don't want to get married
for a long time. I am not ready to do all of this 'eternal companion'
stuff yet. But overall with companions, I am learned that working
together requires sacrifice and you have to be willing to compromise!

That is really amazing your missionary story! We have some statistic
here in Europe, they tell us that if we are trying to finding people
to baptism about 1 in every 30,000 people that we contact (stopping
people on the streets or by knocking on their door) on average will
accept our message and enter the waters of baptism. However, with a
member referral 1 in every 3 people that work with the missionaries to
be baptized will accept the message. It is so important to help the
missionaries and you are doing that! That is so amazing.

This week we have really done a lot of finding. It is something that
we are really trying to improve. We can't teach until we have someone
TO teach. Yesterday at about 2pm President Newell called and he told us
that we would be stopping by for interviews. So we went home and he
came shortly after that. During the interview he stressed the
importance of having strong goals that will push ourselves to go
further and further. He told us about all of these times that people
that he knew or even missionaries in Sweden have exercised their faith
and they planned with the Lord and prayed for a baptismal date. The Lord
helped everyone of those people achieve those goals. So I am sure you
can guess what Elder Simmons and I did that night. We prayed very hard
and set a date we feel was inspired by the Lord that we are going to
baptize by. I am really excited. I feel very strongly that our faith
will pay off. However, I do understand that this needs to be the will
of my Heaven Father as well. At any rate, I am excited.

Another exciting thing that President Newell told me is that this
upcoming transfer on the 5th, I will be transferring! I don't know
where yet but I know that I will be moving. So my mission is just
about to be turned upside down. I am very exciting. I really feel that
this is going to make me grow as a missionary! I have only a few weeks
left in Skövde so I am going to give every I have into this area
before I leave.

So my spiritual message for that this week has taught me is the power
of an effective studying of the Book of Mormon. Lately I was feeling
off. Not in a negative way I just like I felt off. Sorry I can't
explain it. Anyways, I tried to look back and see what it could be
that is wrong. I went through my days and didn't see anything that
really stuck out to me. Then I was watching a talk from a video on
lds.org that really helped me realize my problem. It was my morning
studies, I was doing them, I just wasn't giving them all the focus I
should have been. So within the next few day I really tried to refocus
and set goals to get back to the studies that I was doing in the MTC.
Over the next few day I could see the difference in my everyday
missionary work. Since then I have seen that even on days that I may
not have taught a ton of people, I know and that I strengthen my faith
with my personal faith that morning. It is so important and I am sure
that the Lord watches and is running my studies in the morning. He is
teaching me what I need to know. I am so thankful for that time.

Thanks for all you do for me! I love you so much! I can't believe you
are my mother I am so lucky! I hope you have a great week! Love you! I
am praying for you and am thankful that you are praying for me! I can
feel it!

Äldste Farnworth

Winter Wonderland in Sweden

ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD (1/13/15)

This week was nothing short of amazing. We are finally back to teaching a ton and really doing great things! I really enjoy Elder Simmons, he is a lot of fun and we are always finding ways to make every day an adventure! I really am enjoying my time with him. This week has been really busy also, so that is awesome. We are quickly coming back from Winter break and we are coming back stronger! I love it. I can really feel the Lord helping me out every day. It was interesting something that we taught and I learned when I was teaching it. The Lord is always doing things for us, it is never a matter of Him not, the only thing that changes is us noticing and showing gratitude for them. There are days that I have had that I feel like maybe the Lord was as present, but when I really look back and think of all the things I was grateful from that day I realize that the Lord played a huge role in that day and I was just focused of other things to notice all he did!

On Monday we learned how to knit from this Member. I am in the process of making a Tie. Don't judge, I have a lot of down time at night so I have to creative. The Tie is going to be so cool. We found this huge stack of CD's of talks from Church Leaders and there was one that I honestly think it was made for me. It was amazing, the name is Lot's Wife by Jeffery R. Holland. I love that talk so much, I have never felt more like the Lord was speaking to me through a talk. It really talks a lot about how we need to always look forward and not look back. It really just stood out to me because we can not let the past drive us. Whether it's something we wish we could take back or something that we are wanting to go back to, I realized this: If I had a super fun day in the past why can't I make today or tomorrow just as fun? I really am making this my new goal, ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD. I feel this talk was a answered pray. I am very grateful for it.

Church was also such a blessing. We had 3 investigators come and a lot of Less Actives came as well. I know that we worked hard this week, but I know that the success we had in church today was only part of us and the Lord did the rest. I am so thankful for that. I see the Lord in everything. We got this call from this girl in Norway on Saturday night and she told us that her father is very sick and he is living in our area and he was wondering if we could visit him on Sunday and give him a blessing, bring him this special water and bless and pass him the Sacrament. We hurried and ran to the store to buy him the water and then the next day we were able to go and visit with him. He is the nicest man ever. He has cancer and on top of that he has had the flu. He was so nice and humble. I had the honor to give him a blessing, and that was such an amazing moment. I am so grateful for the Power of the Priesthood and how is can help and change lives. When we asked the man if he knew how a blessings worked he replied: "Of course I do, they are the reason I am alive." What a blessing that they are, I am so grateful to have that power and to be apart of this Church. I am reminded daily how blessed I am to be in this church and how blessed I am to be here sharing this message!

I love you all so much. I am grateful for you thoughts and prayers! I can feel the love! I hope you all have a great week! Just know that you always have someone in Sweden praying for you!

Äldste Farnworth

Elder Farnworth and Simmons