Alright!! So now I got Elder Clark as my companion, and we also have another 2 missionaries working in the same area and living in our appartment!! It is really great! We have an extra companionship for this one transfer, becuase we have some extra elders now. So we have alot of work to do!! It is really cool, we got 4 elders now and alot of work to do. We all gave a 5 minute talk in sacrament meeting and it was very good. we basically pleaded with the members to use us for this transfer and lets get some work done!! I'm very excited. Basically being a good missionary (effective) includes -- incredible people skills, incredible planning skills, and obedience and all the other stuff. but you guys probably dont realize how much planning and preparing we actually do. It's crazy. We can spend hours planning and calling people, setting up appointments, rides to church and activites and all sorts of other stuff. it's a pretty stressful job sometimes! but good! We really do plan and plan and plan. its cool. one thing we are going to try to do is set up more religion classes. Ive found those to be very effective and fun. It is a good chance to fairly present our church and believes. We have 20 kids, and force them to listen to the whole message for 1½ hours haha. It's really good. so hopefully we get a few of those set up. THis is the letter I wrote to President Anderson --"This week has been quite good. It feels good to work hard and continue this work that we started. Elder Langston was a really good missionary, he got alot of stuff going in this area. I'm excited I get to work hard and keep my shoulder too the wheel in the same area. It looks like Elder Lewis and Parkin are getting along and getting used to the area and preparing to get alot of work done here and find lots of people. We are preparing Familjen Gustavsson for their sons babtism. The dad and the daughter came to church this week! That was very good. Our concern this whole time was reactivating their whole family and also bringing David to the gospel. It looks like it is going to go thrugh! David didnt come to church because he was sick, but looks like he will come next week. We are trying to meet with them every week 2 times, and then get them to church. It has been pretty good so far. We basically weekly plan the whole week. There are too many variables to take the friday before, so we get the shell done on Friday during weekly planning and keep filling it in the rest of the week. We want to take Alexander Appelqvist to lunch one day, where he can hopefully be a little more open with us about why he is not babtized. I thing he really feels pressure from his family and friends and church members, and this will possibly work. Our Zone set some impressive goals yesterday. I'm very excited! We have an awesome zone. As you know last time our district did like 3x the amount of work, and I feel that everyone in the zone is ready to do it too! Everyone is ready for full speed ahead! "
My new companion is Elder Clark, as i said, he is pretty cool, he has been in sweden 10 months, and was in downtown stockholm before. pretty cool. hopefully we get along and stuff! Haha it kinda was messing with him yesterday, we were waiting for a bus for like 20 minutes and i said "oh we got to develop our fight plan!" and so i pretended like i was serious and like if a swedish gang tried to take us out, basically to see how he would react. it was pretty funny. he took me seriously, and i was pretending to be serious, but wasnt at all. this is the most chill place ever. I heard that sweden has the crime rate of provo haha. it is a very chill place. no one had any reason to do any crime. we ourselves have a pretty demanding presence. people think we are way old and stuff haha. well thanks alot everyone!!! love yall
Monday, February 9, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Feb. 4th 2009
Alright... I have alot to say. So on saturday we had interviews with President, he came to Växjö and he told us what was going to happen to us on transfers, so this is what he said, "Elder Langston has been in Kristianstad for quite some time (8 months) and so I'm having him go, but I want you to stay, And like you have requested we are going to give you an extra companionship for the month of febuary (because we will have extra missionaries in this weird transfer.)" So I'm staying in the best area ever!! It is the best branch and the best investigators. I'm sure you guys are surpised at this statement, but most of our investigators are swedish. VERY unusual in sweden. Elder Cambell who went home last transfer said it best. He was saying how on his homecoming speach, there was going to be an elder from mexico also. He didnt know what he was going to do. He was like "how do i explain what i've been doing for the past 2 years? All i've done is taught Athiests and Muslims!" It is very true, but we are somehow doing something right here because we are teaching swedes who are unbelievably humble and willing to find the truth! It's GREAT!
Well so Elder Langston, who has been my companion for the last 4 months, is going to down town stockholm. His area is about the size of south town mall. ok well it is a little bigger, but you get the point. So Elder Clark is going to be my new companion. Elder Lewis and Elder Parkin are the 2 other elders who are coming. SO It is going to be pretty crazy that I will have 3 new companions basically and am in charge of getting them familiar with the area and the investigators. I'm not sure how we are going to devide stuff. We'll see. It will be really good. This area is going to have 2 extra elders for just 1 month. So Sunday was like a farewell for Langston. Because he has been here 8 months. Everyone loves him and was super sad to hear he was going to leave. He bore his testimony and that is when he told most people, so yeah. And then everyone went up and said thanks. Then I went up and said that that he was so good it took 3 to fill his place! It was pretty funny. But true! We have a lot of sucess going on. It will be really really good. So my Birthday. Not too exciting. I woke up and was like oh yeah, it is my birthday, ok..... cool. and then just did the everything normal basically the rest of the day. not exciting, but not bad! So first off we went to church, and that was cool, but then this was pretty cool, one of my favorite families here, the Erikssons, they have 2 boys who both have bdays on Feb 1st! So we had 3 people whose birthday it was! Birthdays are not so big here, you usually just get 1 or 2 gifts and thats it! So it was pretty cool, we just ate and hung out. We took it pretty easy that day. My favorite kid is yo-na-ton, he is 5 years old and just this crazy kid! He climbs on me all the time and we had lots of fun. He is crazy crazy crazy. He cannot talk, just yell and scream. It is really funny! I got some good pictures i'll put on. He was climbing on my back and i'd go around and ask if anything was on me, like we used to do back home, well he said he was a backpack, or a giant spider and stuff and then i'd run around and stuff. it was really fun. That kid, i'm going to miss him. He cannot say his Rs. People here in Scåne dont say them very much anyway, but he doesnt say them at all. It is really funny. Ok so monday we had a appointment at the Grigers, the live right by the ocean, and it was Very cold. we went on a walk on the beach and it was freezing!! That was some really good food. And then we went to the Gustavssons, and said goodbye, and then on tuesday we went and said goodbye to Daniel Petersen, and then to the Appelqvists. That was hard for Elder Langston to say goodbye to them. They are so cool. He cried like a baby. Not joking. They are like family here! I'm serious, the branch really takes care of us! And then we went and got a bunk bed from the Brajics and said goodbye to them, and now it is wednesday and we are writing emails, and then we are going to go to the Wennerlunds, and then to the Arvidssons, and then to a meeting at the church! Elder Langston has not had much time to pack, but we did find the best invention ever. We got these vaccum bags things, where you put a bunch of cloths in this big bag and then they have this special device and you put a vaccum on it and it sucks out all the air and saves tons of space! We got SO much stuff in ½ of his suitcase! It was unbelievable. and kinda fun! Well i think that is all I have to say! Oh my trainer is training agian. for the 5th time haha! Apparently he enjoys it! whatever!
Well so Elder Langston, who has been my companion for the last 4 months, is going to down town stockholm. His area is about the size of south town mall. ok well it is a little bigger, but you get the point. So Elder Clark is going to be my new companion. Elder Lewis and Elder Parkin are the 2 other elders who are coming. SO It is going to be pretty crazy that I will have 3 new companions basically and am in charge of getting them familiar with the area and the investigators. I'm not sure how we are going to devide stuff. We'll see. It will be really good. This area is going to have 2 extra elders for just 1 month. So Sunday was like a farewell for Langston. Because he has been here 8 months. Everyone loves him and was super sad to hear he was going to leave. He bore his testimony and that is when he told most people, so yeah. And then everyone went up and said thanks. Then I went up and said that that he was so good it took 3 to fill his place! It was pretty funny. But true! We have a lot of sucess going on. It will be really really good. So my Birthday. Not too exciting. I woke up and was like oh yeah, it is my birthday, ok..... cool. and then just did the everything normal basically the rest of the day. not exciting, but not bad! So first off we went to church, and that was cool, but then this was pretty cool, one of my favorite families here, the Erikssons, they have 2 boys who both have bdays on Feb 1st! So we had 3 people whose birthday it was! Birthdays are not so big here, you usually just get 1 or 2 gifts and thats it! So it was pretty cool, we just ate and hung out. We took it pretty easy that day. My favorite kid is yo-na-ton, he is 5 years old and just this crazy kid! He climbs on me all the time and we had lots of fun. He is crazy crazy crazy. He cannot talk, just yell and scream. It is really funny! I got some good pictures i'll put on. He was climbing on my back and i'd go around and ask if anything was on me, like we used to do back home, well he said he was a backpack, or a giant spider and stuff and then i'd run around and stuff. it was really fun. That kid, i'm going to miss him. He cannot say his Rs. People here in Scåne dont say them very much anyway, but he doesnt say them at all. It is really funny. Ok so monday we had a appointment at the Grigers, the live right by the ocean, and it was Very cold. we went on a walk on the beach and it was freezing!! That was some really good food. And then we went to the Gustavssons, and said goodbye, and then on tuesday we went and said goodbye to Daniel Petersen, and then to the Appelqvists. That was hard for Elder Langston to say goodbye to them. They are so cool. He cried like a baby. Not joking. They are like family here! I'm serious, the branch really takes care of us! And then we went and got a bunk bed from the Brajics and said goodbye to them, and now it is wednesday and we are writing emails, and then we are going to go to the Wennerlunds, and then to the Arvidssons, and then to a meeting at the church! Elder Langston has not had much time to pack, but we did find the best invention ever. We got these vaccum bags things, where you put a bunch of cloths in this big bag and then they have this special device and you put a vaccum on it and it sucks out all the air and saves tons of space! We got SO much stuff in ½ of his suitcase! It was unbelievable. and kinda fun! Well i think that is all I have to say! Oh my trainer is training agian. for the 5th time haha! Apparently he enjoys it! whatever!
Monday, January 26, 2009
I doubt I can duplicate this week every in my life
We did it.
15 member present teaches.
20 total teaches.
and both really tired.
If you dont understand missionary numbers and stuff like that, just know that what we did was nearly impossible.
I learned so much this week. We set rediculous goals, basically just following the councel of the General Authority, and got others to try it too, built a team, planned very hard, worked even harder, had to be really creative, and relied heavly on the Lord. There were so many times that we said "if this whole day doesnt fall just perfectly, then there is no way we are going to get 15" Many times we were supprised with how busses just showed up, how members fell into place, and the Lord just provided. It was incredible. I've just about never been so mentally tired. We had so many teaches fall thrugh, and had to think really hard, until the Lord gave us the back up plan. One good example was at church, Jerry Appelqvist didnt come with his family. We needed 2 investigators to stay the whole time to get the teaches we needed, and Erik needed to go home after the 2nd. We couldnt do it! it was impossible! but Jerry came to the members house after church and we got a teach with him and them! It just worked out! And then to get the 15th teach, we were going to go with the Elders Quorum president and his son to a less active, and then go to our 15th teach. But we were short on time, and so our member came up with a brilliant idea of sending 2 of us to David Gustavssons house, and the other 2 (on splits) to Erika, our investigators. The teach with David Gustavsson was the 15th teach, and Erika would have been the 16th, but she wasnt home. We ended up going by our inactive friend, to get the 20th total teach. It was INCREDIBLE. I have learned so much about streching for goals and how the Lord will provide the way. I was thinking about it, and of all people on this earth, we are the ones he is going to help directly the most. When we set goals and pray about getting them, and work as hard as we can, he will do the rest. Of all people on this earth, we need it most. This week is going down in the record books. Our zone beat the all time total member teaches in recent (probably all time) Sweden Stockholm Mission History. With a total of 40. Our district got 35 of them, and our area got 15. Basically it was incredible. Our district is incredible. we are less then 1/4rd of the zone, but we get probably 80% of ALL the key indicators. We just work hard, that is it. Just do it. When we were planning on how we were going to get 15 member teaches Äldste Langston said "this is going to have to be incredible." And it was. We were on busses all day, trains and everything running by and thinking of the work 24-7. I think i dream missionary work now. What else... this week we played a game called, go thrugh every movie we could think of and name the charictors. It is really hard when you have been brainwashed (crystal clean) from the world back home. It was lots of fun though. We got stuck on a couple people. OH this was another funny experience. We have a bus driver friend, who grew up in sweden, but moved to Austrelia for 20 years and is now back. He is so cool. Well we saw him on just about every shift he had this weekend. we really got to know him well. He must think we are absolute work-a-holics. next Pday will be on Wednesday. That is kinda important.
Little update on the people we are working with: Jerry Appelqvist-- problem is he doesnt want to live the word of wisdom, but wants to get babtized Alexander Appelqvist-- we are not sure what he is waiting for but working very hard. The molment he is "ready" he said he will set a date, and I know he will follow thrugh with it. Erik-- Accepts everything, and enjoys church every week. Next time we will ask him for a babtisimal date. David Gustavsson-- We just dont want to make a less active member. He is ready, reads the book of mormon like crazy (he is 11 years old) and is in 3rd nephi. He had a possible ride to church every week. He will get babtized very soon, we are just making sure he is serious about it.
Thats it, ÄA
15 member present teaches.
20 total teaches.
and both really tired.
If you dont understand missionary numbers and stuff like that, just know that what we did was nearly impossible.
I learned so much this week. We set rediculous goals, basically just following the councel of the General Authority, and got others to try it too, built a team, planned very hard, worked even harder, had to be really creative, and relied heavly on the Lord. There were so many times that we said "if this whole day doesnt fall just perfectly, then there is no way we are going to get 15" Many times we were supprised with how busses just showed up, how members fell into place, and the Lord just provided. It was incredible. I've just about never been so mentally tired. We had so many teaches fall thrugh, and had to think really hard, until the Lord gave us the back up plan. One good example was at church, Jerry Appelqvist didnt come with his family. We needed 2 investigators to stay the whole time to get the teaches we needed, and Erik needed to go home after the 2nd. We couldnt do it! it was impossible! but Jerry came to the members house after church and we got a teach with him and them! It just worked out! And then to get the 15th teach, we were going to go with the Elders Quorum president and his son to a less active, and then go to our 15th teach. But we were short on time, and so our member came up with a brilliant idea of sending 2 of us to David Gustavssons house, and the other 2 (on splits) to Erika, our investigators. The teach with David Gustavsson was the 15th teach, and Erika would have been the 16th, but she wasnt home. We ended up going by our inactive friend, to get the 20th total teach. It was INCREDIBLE. I have learned so much about streching for goals and how the Lord will provide the way. I was thinking about it, and of all people on this earth, we are the ones he is going to help directly the most. When we set goals and pray about getting them, and work as hard as we can, he will do the rest. Of all people on this earth, we need it most. This week is going down in the record books. Our zone beat the all time total member teaches in recent (probably all time) Sweden Stockholm Mission History. With a total of 40. Our district got 35 of them, and our area got 15. Basically it was incredible. Our district is incredible. we are less then 1/4rd of the zone, but we get probably 80% of ALL the key indicators. We just work hard, that is it. Just do it. When we were planning on how we were going to get 15 member teaches Äldste Langston said "this is going to have to be incredible." And it was. We were on busses all day, trains and everything running by and thinking of the work 24-7. I think i dream missionary work now. What else... this week we played a game called, go thrugh every movie we could think of and name the charictors. It is really hard when you have been brainwashed (crystal clean) from the world back home. It was lots of fun though. We got stuck on a couple people. OH this was another funny experience. We have a bus driver friend, who grew up in sweden, but moved to Austrelia for 20 years and is now back. He is so cool. Well we saw him on just about every shift he had this weekend. we really got to know him well. He must think we are absolute work-a-holics. next Pday will be on Wednesday. That is kinda important.
Little update on the people we are working with: Jerry Appelqvist-- problem is he doesnt want to live the word of wisdom, but wants to get babtized Alexander Appelqvist-- we are not sure what he is waiting for but working very hard. The molment he is "ready" he said he will set a date, and I know he will follow thrugh with it. Erik-- Accepts everything, and enjoys church every week. Next time we will ask him for a babtisimal date. David Gustavsson-- We just dont want to make a less active member. He is ready, reads the book of mormon like crazy (he is 11 years old) and is in 3rd nephi. He had a possible ride to church every week. He will get babtized very soon, we are just making sure he is serious about it.
Thats it, ÄA
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