Wish me luck, and we'll see what happens!

I love my new area! As well as my new companion! He is really awesome! When I got here he was super sick though... so we were not able to do too much! He had the hand-foot-mouth disease... in his mouth! It was gross... looked like a zombie.. white stuff, blisters... blood oozing, it was great! He could hardly eat... he is doing better now.. managing Pringles, so that is a lot better!   Soon, he will be eating like a runner again!

 

It is not too cold here yet... It is still light jackets and possibly a sweater! I should be doing great all my time here... I don't think the worst of winter comes until after December... I will tell everyone Hi for ''Elder Carmack'', and I really am looking forward to my time here! Like you said, I have always wanted to come here!!!

Surströmmings

This upcoming Friday, in the ward, we are having a Surströmmings Fest, so I will be able to finally try the legendary fish!    It was really funny. Some of the people in the ward were telling us how good it was, and others when they heard we were going said, ''Good luck!'' and started laughing! I am exited... another member said it tastes really good, just smells horrible! I was personally surprised they are going to have the party inside the church! I have heard you can smell it for weeks after! So, wish me luck, and we'll see what happens!
 

I love the work as a missionary. It is just so much fun, and so rewarding! Just this week we were going by some of our possible investigators... and no one was home.. so, we knocked some doors! And, found someone to teach! It was quite incredible really! So, we were knocking,... and it was not raining, it was sunny, but cold! We got to one door in the apartment complex... knocked, and waited. Soon, a woman answered. My companion began speaking, introducing us as missionaries... she stopped us in halting Swedish... ''I .. little ...Swedish speak'' (you get the picture). ''I speak French.'' Uh-oh...    That means I get to talk!    So, I introduced us, and she says come in! We went in, talked a bit, and she was super nice, patient with my French, and wants to learn more! We will be going back later this week to teach her more of the gospel. I will be studying much more about how to speak, and the lesson outlines... but it went really well the first time, and I know what I need to work on!

The Lord really does qualify those He calls, and He calls on all who are willing! So, be willing, and, when you are willing, ask for a chance, pray! And I will promise you that you will be given chances, so make sure you are ready when you ask! Prayers to serve, to be a missionary are often the quickest answered! Try it! Have a great week everyone, love you all and looking forward to hearing from you all!

Love you!

Äldste Maxwell

I will be able to use my French very soon!

I got called by president this week! I will be able to use my French very soon! I am getting transferred to Luleå this Wednesday! Up in Luleå is the investigator I got to teach with president, and a bunch of other french speaking people! I get to go north!!! Last three months, and I finally make the trip up there! I am moving this Wednesday on a plane from Arlanda kl 12.20... kinda problematic... I have to loose some weight! (Baggage, not me!)  Elder Day is going to be my companion!   Anyways, I am super excited! 

I really like the lesson that you taught to the Young Women and the power that the mind really has, and how hard it is to control thoughts instead of controlling actions. Thoughts also have so much more influence on who we are and what we do than we ever can imagine! And the effect that the "Motherlode" (to die for chocolate cake from the Claim Jumper restaurant) has even across the whole United States! I am personally impressed just that you remembered it and used that as your ''distraction''!

There really is so much that Satan uses against us... Everyday there are hundreds if not thousands of different temptations. Many are not going to effect us, but others are centered on our weakness, targeting anything that might give Satan a greater chance. Cool thing though, he can never get to us if we don't put down our armor! We went to teach a less-active member, and he talked about how he is reading in Job, and that Job was strong, and lasted through all of those challenges. He had his armor and he never let it down!!!! So, while running through the gauntlet of life, don't take off your armor! We will always make it then! And so, do the simple things, pick up your shield, read your scriptures, say your prayers, put on your breastplate, etc! You become an unstoppable follower of Christ! I love being a missionary, love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,
Äldste Maxwell

I know God loves me.

Today I tried a recipe that I found in a newspaper recently. It was a Carrot Cyan Orange soup, and it was actually really good! I was quite impressed! Plus, it used up all of the carrots we had leftover... perfect!

Our week here was really good, we were kept very busy with other events... Namely a baptism for one of our investigators! It was awesome! This investigator has been an investigator for a very long time... 3 years actually! We, for a time, had a hard time getting a hold of him because of problems with family, death threats, and such... but everything calmed down, he came to church, we got a hold of him and set up a time to meet, and then when we met, set a time for the baptism... 3 days later! It was incredible... though didn't work out as well as it could have. There was very poor communication so just very poor attendance to the baptism. He is an incredible man from Mongolia, and very prepared, very humble. I am excited to continue to teach him, and help him progress to being sealed in the temple as a family a year from now! That is going to be incredible!

Love is truly the key to success in life, and a success in becoming like our Savior. the only way that we are going to forget ourselves and serve others is if we love them! Plus, investigators, or just people in general, really can tell the difference when you care about them or when you are just going through the motions. It really makes the difference! I am glad that you were able to be there for the family you were helping Mother! As you said, even knowing there is the quiet place we can go to take a break, to relax, and just calm down from the hectic chaos of the world - just knowing there is a calm place we can turn will help us through the challenges. I enjoy the quiet corners, the closets, or just still places that I can go to and just think, pray, and release the pressures of daily life. I know that God is there, that He is already waiting for me to come, and He is just happy to see me! I can't wait to go and give Him a big hug, that will be the day! But, until then, He is there, and He really does love us. I know that is true! I know God loves me.

 I am glad that I get to tell others that too! I love being a missionary!

Love you all!
Äldste Maxwell

People are ready. Are you?

I am doing great, really!  This week has been interesting, it rained a bit in the beginning of the week, so people started hiding.... we still got to talk to some, just not as many as usual! 

Thursday we had our Zone Conference, and Elder Kearon was there, he was incredible! He was funny, very nice, and he listened to us while still teaching and helping us grow!  It just made me want to get out and to do more!  I love that man!  I mean, last year was good with Elder Caussé, but this year was super awesome!!!! He focused on our need to always have a prayer in our heart, to always have an open communication with our Father in Heaven.  And, he also made it personal, he told us we would have things pop into our minds, that we needed to write down something that we were going to do to be better, and DO IT!  It was really really good.  Then, this Sunday while at church we had a new investigator show up!  We taught him, he was super positive, and we have a baptismal date with him for a week from this Saturday!  So, Hålla tummarna! Fast Sundays are always the best!  It is just incredible! 

The languages are coming along good... Struggling a little in Persian and Arabic right now, but that is not too bad... ha ha... Lets see... Добро утро! (Dobro utro, right Christian? =S )  Really though, Swedish is doing great, and I keep running into French people now!  There have been two French girls that I have gotten talk to this week, I don't know how or why!  But, it seems that I am to speak more French!  Fun, fun, fun! 

Christian, keep it up and have fun!  Do everything you are asked to do!  And, when your trainer gives you chances to get better, to learn, take them!  Don't be afraid of anything! Those were some of the things I have learned!  And, have fun at the game!  Talk to everyone you can while you are there!  You never know who the next person will be!  (You can read Christian's mission blog at: servinginbulgaria.blogspot.com)


The Lord is preparing people all around us every day, people are ready.  Are you?  That is a question I ask myself quite a bit, because it helps me to find where I can be better, and how I can improve.  I know that as I try to help others, forget myself and get to work that I will be shaped to be who the Lord needs.  I know that the point is to forget myself.  And then, I know I will find myself and I will find Joy.  Sometimes it seems backwards, follow commandments to be free?  Forget myself?  Plus, it is hard!  But I know that it is true.  I know that it works.  Sometimes I have learned the hard way, making a mistake, and paying for it.  I know the Lord strengthens and is waiting to lift us up.  The Lord will always qualify him whom He has called.  I hope that I am open and ready to be.  I love being a missionary.  I love the Lord and I know that this is His church. 

Love you all, have a great week!
Äldste Maxwell