The Past 2 Years...

From when I left the world on May 28th 2008, ALOT has changed.  I'll name some of them...

World and Politics

• We had an Election
• Our President is Black.
• Our President's motto is Change.
• New Healthcare system.
• Plenty of Natural Disasters
• Financial Crisis.
• I should just stop now this sounds horrible.
• Still in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Iran had a failed revolution (I became friends with people who were their and saw people die)
• Facebook.  (when I left FB was pretty much just college students.)
• The church has grown ALOT!  not sure the exact amount.

Family

• One family member is no longer with us
• I've gained 4 family members!
• My family has moved
• Sister at BYU and dating
• new pets, (i think 2 dogs??)
• One of my greatgrandparents died. (got 3 left)
• And my grandma survived cancer!

Personal

• Lived in completely new society and culture
• Learned a language!
• had 6 areas
• Had 10 companions
• I've learned what charity is
• Seen many people join the church
• Seen several leave (yep true) and other crazy stuff
• Learned how to drive stick
• Had a car for 10 months
• I think I've neither gained or lost any height or weight
• seen temperature range from  -34° Celsius to +30° Celsius
• Lived on an island
• been above the Arctic Circle
• Drove on an ice road
• worked with 2 sets of senior couples! (the Johnsons and the Herreys both of which are awesome!)
• made lots of new friends
• met lots of awesome members
• I've become less picky with food (my family won't believe that one)
• I've become much nerdier (thanks to the Office and Jackson)
• I've helped a billion people move
• I've gained a greater understanding and respect for other religions (inculding JWs, Muslims, Adventists, Livets Ord, Buddhists and the State Church) the only one I really don't respect is the state church... like they don't really believe anything.  It's just the club where everyone gets married and buried.
• I've lived in a socialized society and seen it function. (not too bad, works decent for Swedes actually)
• been to several socialized hospitals (only once for me, most of the other times were for langston or visiting people)
• used lots of public transportation (trains subways bikes busses) (yes i've used public bikes)
• taught nearly a billion english and religion classes in high schools
• been to lots and lots of super old buildings, all which have been pretty cool.
• I've been to the top of the tallest church on Gotland!
• I didn't see the sun for 2 months
• I was depressed for 2 months
• on the other hand I never saw darkness for 2 months
• yeah, I think I was anti-depressed those 2 months
• I'm serious about those- I really didn't see the sun forever. and I was depressed.  But then during the summer it really is ALWAYS light outside.
• Been to some pretty cool tourist locations including... the Royal Palace, the Ice Hotel, Copenhagen and pretty much anywhere else in Sweden.
• I did get pulled over once, ok not really, they just wanted to tell me to turn off my fog lights (apparently you cannot have those on in Sweden) 

I've never been so excited to...

• Go to Walmart
• Get a free refill
• Use a free restroom
• eat bigger better and cheaper
• see mountains
• waste 3 hrs in a movie theater
• take a nap after church
• go to Cabellas
• go shooting
• make something (I love random projects with saws and screws etc.)
• feel carpet
• use american idioms and they are fully comprehended
• SEE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!

OK I think that's about all that happened.  No, I'm sure tons more stuff happened I just don't know about it yet!

I'm SUPER excited to see you guys soon.  Hope you all have a fantastic week and I'll see you soon!

Love,

     Äldste Adamson 

LAST WEEK!!

AHHH!!!  It's pretty scary coming home soon!

I'm pretty nervous in some ways but way way excited in other ways.

If you didn't know me and my companion are both "dying" so that makes it even harder.  Pretty crazy.  Anyway we just had a surprise drop in by President Anderson.  Pretty unusual considering we are out on this island that's a 3+hr ferry ride away.  BUT don't worry!  He was out here on vacation with his family from USA who came to visit them.  I'm pretty sure he didn't just come out to spy on us, but that's fine anyway.

So this week things have been getting pretty good.  We've done lots of good work here, I'd say, and the missionaries that come her next will have some good stuff to work with.  We are going to try to get a baptismal date with this boy that we are working with.  We'll see how that goes!

Anyway I've kinda come to the conclusion that posting on this blog is pretty awesome but I don't dare say much to be honest.  I don't talk too much about individuals we are working with, just because I want to respect their privacy.  So you definately get a twisted view thru this.  Haha but you'd get probably the same view thru emails.  It's pretty hard to tell you guys when we only talk via emails etc, and the culture and stuff is just so different here.  So I don't think you'd fully understand what I'm doing out here unless you were out here with me!

But email and all this communication stuff is a great way to talk to you guys and atleast give you a picture of what's going on here on the other side of the world.

We'll I have one more p-day, and that's it!  We are going into stockholm early so we actually are leaving our area in 5 days, going to France in 9 and home in 15.  Yes... I'm counting down.  I'm SUPER excited to see my family and my brother and to go to france and all with mom and matt, and to do all this stuff!  I think a mission has been the best thing ever.  I've learned an incredible amount- from social skills (get a ton of those) to spiritual knowledge to appreciating a culture that is sometimes hard to love (honestly I feel I've really gained a true love for the people here.  I love each swede just because of who they are!  they are so funny in so many ways.)  Anyway a mission's been great, and it's been a great 2 years.  Definitely hard, but definitely worth it.

We'll I hope all is well with you guys and have a great day!!!

ÄA

May 10th 2010

IT WAS AWESOME TALKING TO YOU GUYS!!!

I only called my immediate family for mothers day, but that was all i needed to get all trunked out. yep... pretty weird with only a few weeks left.

The other day we drove through our town that we are serving in, and got a video.  Yep so here it is if you wanna watch it.  You need to download it to watch it I think... So that might take some time.  So only if you really care!
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B0M887b9aPQFYTUyNTUxOTktYWZlZS00Y2I5LWE4MjUtYjVhNDA2YmU3MTY4&hl=en


The city that we are in is so awesome!  It's beautiful.

We helped a woman move the other day.  it was kinda cool, and kinda gross.  We took a ton of garbage out of her basement and then we made a big fire from it!  that was pretty cool.

We had an awesome lesson with this 17yr old guy who the missionaries have had quite a bit of contact with.  His mom and sister and him came to church lots, but for some reason they never were baptized but he came to church this week!!  That was awesome!!  We didn't even ask him so what do you know!  We called like an hour before church started and he said he was already getting a ride from the Branch President (who by the way is wonderful.).

It's kinda weird being in a super small branch.  the BP holds alot together and the Herreys.

Anyway have a great day!!

ÄA