Monday, March 30, 2009

This is a dinner we made. Pasta and meatballs and salad with RANCH!!! and my water jug etc.


This is me and President and Sister Anderson. They are my favorite people ever. They really feel like my family away from home. They are such good people and really get the big picture. It just feels good to be in their presence.

Me and my MTC group in stockholm the very first day. Stockholm is a beautiful city.


This is Jonathan, he is SO funny! He always jumps on my back and i pretend that he isnt there and go ask people what is on me. it is SO funny. That kid is crazy. he has 2 volumes, scream and yell.



March 30th 2009

Hello Everyone! This week was pretty good. I was on splits with Elder Dees from my MTC group for almost 2 days and that was pretty fun. I love Kristianstad and I dont want to leave. I dont even like to leave on splits! Except to Karlskrona, which I want to do sometime! I've never slept over there. Confrence is going to be very good. We are going to watch it at the chapel in Kristianstad. In times of confrence over my whole mission ½ of them will have been in Kristianstad! Cool huh? I think we get 3 sessions... but i'm not sure. I like to listen in swedish, but we will see. Other announcments... are not good. Our investigators are not doing so good. and it is frustrating! Erica said that she needs to wait and take a step back and see if this is right, and she didnt come to church and said that she will call us on thursday. Not good. And her friends have been pretty hard on her, saying that she always jumps into the craziest stuff asap, and also have given her a little taste of all the anti stuff. That is not cool. But we fired back with having one of her member friends who lives in NYC give her a call, and he said that it was very good. My cousin Ty is going to get his mission call this wednesday it looks like! I'm very excited! I hope it says sweden! We need one more awesome missionary here to convert this godless nation! Look at this.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion of all the nations a missionary can possibly serve now, it looks like I'm in the middle of ....... you can be creative. And rumor has it that Skåne is the most nonreligious part of sweden, and I'm in the capital of Skåne! haha. Well we still work hard and drive just like normal. It's just a fact most people dont quite see when they think of a missionary in sweden. It is not quite what I expected. The truth though is that sweden does have alot of religious people, but i'd say 60% to 70% are Islamic. There is alot of immigrants here and they are pretty awesome people. We talked to 2 guys from Iraq this weekend and they were really cool. We were actually in an english class and he asked me what I think about the war in Iraq, and i gave him the PR missionary response and he said, well I'm glad that america came, and so is most people in Iraq. He said that a poll of bagdad said that 70% were pro-usa. That was pretty cool to hear! It kinda felt good to hear from an Iraqi that. Sweden is very pro-Palistine and anti-war and everything, so it was good to hear a Pro-USA statement, or another opinion then the typical swedish. (we hear their opinions ALOT) Well sounds like i've vented enough of missionary life and pressure for you guys, its been fun, and I added some pictures! the boy is named Jonathan, but in swedish it is said, yo-na-toan. He is SO funny! he is wearing my jacket at church last week. That kid is so funny. Usually he jumps on my back and stuff at church. It is pretty fun! He is such a funny kid. He reminds me of all my little cousins. He has 1 voice, and that is a scream, and 2 volumes- loud and really loud. its pretty funny! Even when he talks quiet it is really a scream voice/attitude. That is me and President and Sister Anderson, when I first got to sweden! That is me and my MTC group in stockholm the very first day.

Monday, March 23, 2009

March 23rd 2009

Hello Everyone!
 
This week was kinda cool.... not really.  We were sick for a few days, just with a cold but it does do a lot of damage to time and amount of stuff we can do.  So that was not fun.  We are told that if we get sick, to take it easy and just camp it out-- it is way more effective to kill a few days, instead of dragging it out and just getting sicker and sicker. 
 
We had interviews with President Anderson this week.  He is so awesome!  He came to our district meeting, my companion is the district leader, and it was his first time.  He did good though.  President is so awesome.  I really like him.  He just makes me feel warm inside and good about myself whenever I talk to him.  I really look up to him. 
 
Other news... My cousin Tyler is going to get his call soon!  I'm very excited for him!  I have some suggestions for all future missionaries.  GO ON A MISSION!!!  sometimes it is hard, but SO worth it.  It is the best thing I could be doing right now.  Even though I'm not a fan of this nation, I don't think I'd want to be anywhere else right now. 
 
Alexander said that he would know by April 6th if he is going to get baptized or not.  That is a good start.  he is really wishywashy and wont tell us stuff directly so we kinda have to really be upfront with him to get info out of him.  but it is a good start. 
 
Erica came to church and it was so good!  I was kinda worried though because some of the members were almost fighting over her.  It was kinda not good.  Jolanka Appelqvist invited her home after church, but she was already going to go with the Erikssons and so it was all crazy.  I love Jolanka to death, but she has got to realize where to draw the line sometimes.  Problems i never thought I'd have.
 
This next week is super busy.  We have so much to do, and it has been packed with appointments for a long time.  WE HAVE LOTS TO DO!  that is a great problem!  missionaries in sweden usually run into the opposite-- having nothing to do.... for a few months... to 2 years can really get to you.  I have not really had to deal with that on my mission so that is great! 
 
Count your blessings!
 
Honestly right now it is pretty hard to get along with my companion... things are just tough.  We have completly diffrent ways of expressing ourselves and interpreting what other people say.  I'm more of a not serious guy... usually, pretty sarkastic, and he is super literal and serious.  its kinda rediculous.  but we are working on it and getting thrugh!  I've learned altleast with him i have to be REALLY careful how i say things, and if i should say things at all.  See that is some stuff you learn on a mission!  Ya learn how to deal with all sorts of diffrnet types of people and communication and things like that.  Its hard now, but I know it will really help me.
 
Love everyone lots!  Miss you guys!
 
ÄA

--
Äldste Riley Adamson
Box 2087
183 02 Täby
Sweden

elder.riley.j.adamson@gmail.com
rileyadamson.blogspot.com



Monday, March 16, 2009

March 16th 2009

Alright...

This week was pretty short so not much to report.

I did put a video on this... here it is....

Short updates on investigators. Alexander told us his problem-- he doesn't want to go on a mission, and thought that if you become a member it is a rule that you must go on a mission. So that was pretty easy to explain. I told him about my dad and that he never went but still was an awesome person. I think he understands now. It was good. He talked with the mission leader and got his side of the view. Everything went really good.

Erica is on her way home today I believe, so we are going to meet with her tomorrow sometime and that will be really good. I'm really excited for her. We told Birgitta Wennerlund, who is a supermember here about her and she said that was just like her when she meet the missionaries. Knew it was true within a few days and got baptized a few weeks later! The members here are awesome. I really love them. They are so cool. Jonathan, the crazy 5 yearold is the best ever. It is so funny to tease him and play with him. I'm sure the members think I'm just a kid still. I told my grandma in an email that I hope the mission doesnt kill the kid in me. We'll see! Sure hope it doesn't!

Other then that I don't have much to say. Life is good. My companion is pretty cool. Oh yeah he is now the District Leader so we go on splits alot. That will be kinda fun. I don't really like leaving my area so we'll see what we can work out. I want to go to Karlskrona though. I have not seen their appartment and I think it will be pretty exciting. Elder Dixon down there is my favorite. He is really cool. It is so interesting how missionary life is. It is completely diffrent from anything else I'm sure. We have our own culture and stupid jokes and stuff. No wonder RMs are so weird.

Love ya'll lots!

ÄA

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

March 11th 2009

Alright so we got transfer calls on tuesday morning and it was pretty intense!! There was 4 elders in our appartment and i've been here for 5 months now, and we knew that only 2 elders were staying. Kstad 2 was going to get closed. So President said that he wanted ME and my compaion to stay!!! I beat them all out!! I knew i could do it! It was the best feeling eever!!! I was so excited. The second he said that i was staying I stood up and did a fistpump and yelled yes. I think he was a little thrown back. well I was very excited!! It was the best thing ever!!! this is my letter to President Anderson this week "I am so excited for these next 2 months! We have alot to do! It is going to be so good. I knew that if i left the work would go on, but maybe some people would get lost along the way or something, but this definately is going to be good.

I'm very excited for the next transfer. I feel that was right. I'm very excited for Erica, our baptisimal canidate. She is so awesome. I'm not sure if i told you about how we got the baptisimal date or what, but it was so awesome. We went in and talked about chruch, because she went just a few days before, She loved it. It was really good. Then on tuesday we went by and that is when we talked about that and the we decided we needed to teach about the Law of Chastity. We decided to intro with our bodies are a temple and we need to respect them and then had her read out of Preach my Gospel what it says about it. And after she was done reading that she said yeah that is "självklart" and she already lives it! That was just about the best feeling ever. And then after that we asked her if she and found out if the book of mormon is true, and she said YES, and we asked her if she wanted to be baptized! She said yes!! we pulled out the little calander in the phone and told her that most people get baptized on a saturday and recieved the Holy Ghost the next day. She picked out the 28th! even thought that was in like 3 weeks she said that felt right for her! It was the best feeling ever. I could barely hold it in. After we left we could barely hold it in, and then we let loose once we were far enough away. It felt so good. She is the best investgator ever. Currently she is on a trip in norland skiing, and we told her to read in the BoM and in a liahona we gave her. IW are actually suppose to call her today and see how it is going. She is going to come back on monday, and we already have 3 appointments set for next week. It is just the best ever. I've never seen of or heard of someone more spiritually prepared and WILLING to follow the spirit. I've been so impressed with her. You can tell who she is. She is really going to be a strong member her whole life. It's been an amazing experience. We went by her another time with a young woman in the ward last week before she left and talked about how everyone is a child of God. She said she had problems with anorexia before and we explained our point of view on that and why we know that it comes donw to we are children of God. Then we read about tithing and she said again that is obvious and is willing to live that. it was so awesome. We also met with Alexander Appelqvist and figured out his problem. Hopefully the real problem. He said that he feels pressure that it is a commandment that you have to go on a mission and that the members of the branch are kinda pressuring him. He said he honestly doesnt want to go on a mission, and we explained that that is ok for him and it is not a commandment if you do not want to. We said it is a commandment to get baptised but not to go on a mission. Hopefully he understands. We are going to try to get a baptisimal date with him too, probably the same day as Erica if all goes good. Hopefully it does. I really hope he keeps being honest with us. He held in his problem for so long and I dont know why. We're working on it though.

We have so many appointments set up here. So much to do. I'm very excited for it. It is going to be a great transfer. Although me and Elder Clark dont get along perfectly like me and Elder Langston did, we still are doing good. I think this will be one of the best transfers ever. I honestly love this branch down here and this area. I'm so glad i got to stay because it takes time to grow that love and appreciation for an area, and the other elders didnt quite have that yet. I guess i didnt have enough time to pass along the success here! Thats what i plan on doing this transfer!" So hopefully that was enough information on everything.

Other things people have asked about. The protests here against Israel are so rediculous! this is what I wrote my grandpa..."The riots going on are no big deal, i havent even heard much about them. I think it is pretty rediculous. Whatever. I wanted to make a big sign that says "Sweden, Your opinion doesnt matter." We wernt serious but sweden is so small and they have no say in the big picture, unless the are willing to send their whole army, all their 10,000 soldiers theyve got to go fight for the palistinians. Whatever. I think it is all rediculous."Swedes are pretty wimpy honestly. I have no idea why the try protesting. I think it is rediculus, why dont they worry about themsleves and just take it easy, fight something that is wrong in their own country, unless you are seriously going to send an army to fix something in another nation just take it easy, jews are people too you know. In all honesty swedes are pretty racist. They have ALOT of immigrants here and the swedes treat them bad and make fun of them. I just think the whole thing is stupid. I think the USA has made it a bigger deal, i've only heard a little about the riots and stuff. It is nothing big. I've seen like 2 people waving a palistine flag and and saying anti stuff one time in the city, and i thought it was halarious. But that is about it. Well i dont have any more time! and i think that is all!! We are going to go to the Wennerlunds and eat lunch and then go home and have the rest of p-day and then we have another memeber dinner with a eternal investigator. Pretty awesome!!

Oh i forgot i've been doing the rubiks cube, my fastest time is 1.06.1 thats right. one minute and six.1 seconds.

Hejdå!

ÄA

Monday, March 2, 2009

March 2nd 2009

Yeah donny sent me a picture of it. it was good. I liked it. I dontever really want to go home... yeah... it will be hard when i get homebut it.
Yeah the baptism was really good! Are you still incharge of thosethings. that was cool. i think of you whenever anyone talks aboutprep for baptism. That sounds like you guys are having fun at st.george. I miss that place. I talk about it all the time.
This week was actually really good. we got some pretty impressivenumbers and got alot done. We had just about one of the coolestexperiences this week. Our investigator Erica meet with Jolanka andit was WAY good. So then after we meet with her again and she saidshe would come to church. We figured out a ride for here and it wasSO good. She really enjoyed it. I think you would like her lots mom. She is 28 loves to do yoga and meditated and stuff like that-- she iskinda a tree-hugger but WAY cool. She is SO open. Definately themost open swede i've ever meet. she went to church and it was socool. She really liked it and everyone was super friendly.
she sent me a text after said "hjärtligt tack för att ni tog med migtill kyrkan! God Bless U! -erica" Translates to "many thanks toyou took me to church! God Bless U! -Erica"pretty much the best thing ever.
I didnt even say anything about the baptism yet! It was super good.David did perfect. I did pretty good too. Only took 1 time to get itdone. that was good. He bore his testimony after and it was good! Ireally like that kid. I hope he keeps coming, and his family keepscoming too. They are on the path to becomeing fully active. I'd justbe so happy for them!!!
We teach english classes to high schools and then ask them at the endin a survey if they want to meet us and talk about religion. We justgot out of 1 and a few people were interested... Hopefully they arereally interested in religion.... that is hard to find here. But yeahI think it will be good. The best part is we never tell them we canspeak english and so they are quiet and sometimes say things theythink we understand. its funny.
Hey mom you can just send this one out to everyone. that'd be fine. Idont "orka" to write another one addressed to everyone.
Zones confrence was pretty good. we had that this week.
Transfers is coming up soon. NEXT WEDNESDAY IS PDAY and that is whenwe write. so expect it to be a little later.
I HOPE SO BAD I COULD STAY IN KRISTIANSTAD!!!!!!!!!
but i'm pretty sure my time is up and hopefully i passed on enoughinfo and stuff to the other elders that they can pick off where weleft off. Sense i've been here we have seen a TON of progress. It'sbeen so good.
Someone told me that i sound very serious in these emails.... so i'lltry to say something unserious everyonce in a while.....
love ya'll lotsI attached pictures of the baptism!
ÄA