It is changing colors here, leaves are falling, it is getting really cold really fast and the sun does not stay up very long... though I really doubt that it is a beautiful here as in New York right now. Not that Sweden isn't pretty, it really is! It is just not filled with so many trees that are changing and not at the same time either! It was supposed to be at freezing last night.... I wouldn't know, I was asleep! I do miss a good soup, especially your soups... they were really, really good... I miss having a good kitchen, a good assortment of ingredients and the time to make good food!
Oh, that reminded me! We found Ben and Jerry's on sale and so we got some... I got "Phish Food" just for you!!! I also enjoyed it! Sorry, I don't think it would have worked out too well if I had tried to share....
My week was really good. We had Zone conference on Tuesday, I learned a lot of things that I was able to change in how I do the work and I feel like I am starting to do better every day! It is really cool. I got to go to Stockholm again today for football...one last hurrah at least before the snow comes... then we will play in the snow! Less often and less intense, I am sure! And then, as we were leaving, I got my package! Yea!
Joseph, the ward mission leader, is incredible. He is a really good teacher and understands how to help people understand. I really love being able to teach people with him every once in a while! It is really cool.
"Transfers" died. We do not have official transfer days anymore... so, I can be transfered at any time. There will still be transfers when new missionaries come to the mission, but there are also transfers in between when President Newell feels inspired to move someone. So, new missionaries come about every 9 weeks... usually, I heard that one is coming next week... a Finn. It is super cool...more exciting, though a lot harder to plan for! I have been here for 6 weeks, so we have another three before big changes will happen.
Teaching is great... I had several teaches in Swedish that went incredibly well! I really felt the spirit, was lead in what I should say, and I feel like I was able to touch the hearts of those who I talked to. I am getting better at my fluency and working on my vocabulary and pronunciation every day. I love Swedish, it is a great language. I love being lead to people, and to what I need to say to help people be able to understand the beauty and truthfulness of the plan that our Father in Heaven has for us. I love feeling the spirit bear witness to those that we teach, and seeing them speechless and even in tears because of the spirit that testifies to their very spirit.
I know this is the true church, there is none other. I know that the plan that we have is a guide to happiness in both this life on Earth and in the life to come. Our Father in Heaven loves every single one of us so much and will do all that He can to help! I love teaching, I love learning, I love the Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ and that I can be better because He is willing to take my sins so that I can be clean! I love that! There is nothing more sweet or desirable, as said in the tree of life vision. This I know, and it is what I teach.
I love you all, have a great week!!!
Love,
Aldste Maxwell
Monday, October 17, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Unfathomable!
I can't believe that it is already October and that it is already the second week! That is unfathomable! The time really does fly and i don't think I like it too much right now, I want a little more time here!!!
Everyone is getting sick right now! It is insane, there were about six people who were sick Sunday (and in a small branch that is HUGE!) ... Elder Kundis started getting it a little, i am doing all that I can to avoid it, so yeah. I remember when everyone in the family was getting the stomach flu, that was bad, but I made it through without getting sick! I love grape juice!!!
Jonathan is really growing up fast, i can't really see him passing the sacrament, but at the same time I can! It probably doesn't help that the past two weeks Karl-Arne has passed it here. He is about 90 ... almost blind and deaf. Great guy! Jonathan will do a great job and he is going to be a great geakon. Ha Ha! I am going to miss it!
Since when was I old enough to be turning 20? It is really hard to get my mind around it too! Elder Kundis' b-day is 10 days before mine! I think we are going to have some party as a district! It is going to be great! He is turning 21. He is really old! he he
I love it when we are in the right place at the right time. I love seeing how our Father in heaven really does put people in the places where we are to help us or to help them. Just this morning as I was doing my studies, I began reading in the Liahona, the article that I started reading was a good article but it was incredible for me because it was an answer to my prayers. I had studied earlier in my mission about the topic of the article and voiced my findings but my companion disagreed. I decided to be quiet about it and dried to share it later with another companion, again, not accepted. Then, as I was reading, the general authority said exactly the same thing that I had found in my studies! I am glad that I was able to find my answer, to know that I was correct and not making up false doctrine while I studied.
I am thankful for the Lord's guidance, comfort and love for all his children. I know that it is not important that I was right, but it is good to be reassured that I do know what I am doing when I study, that the answers I find are from my Father in Heaven and that I can know that I am lead by the Spirit to find truth.
I love this work and the opportunity it gives me to expand my knowledge, to grow as a missionary, to become who the Lord wants me to be for the rest of my life! I love being able to listen to the prophets of our day, to seek learning and guidance from God to what I need to be focusing on, and how I need to be improving. I love being able to serve in whatever area I am called, to know that I am needed here and that this is where i am supposed to be right now. I love the knowledge that I have, that I am called to share it with those that are seeking, and to bring them to Christ. I know as Ammon says in Alma 26, that I am nothing. I boast not of myself, but of my God and the mighty power that is His to deliverance of all mankind from the pains and suffering of death and sin. I know the church is true. I know I am doing what I need to right now, and I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!
Love you all!
Aldste Maxwell
Everyone is getting sick right now! It is insane, there were about six people who were sick Sunday (and in a small branch that is HUGE!) ... Elder Kundis started getting it a little, i am doing all that I can to avoid it, so yeah. I remember when everyone in the family was getting the stomach flu, that was bad, but I made it through without getting sick! I love grape juice!!!
Jonathan is really growing up fast, i can't really see him passing the sacrament, but at the same time I can! It probably doesn't help that the past two weeks Karl-Arne has passed it here. He is about 90 ... almost blind and deaf. Great guy! Jonathan will do a great job and he is going to be a great geakon. Ha Ha! I am going to miss it!
Since when was I old enough to be turning 20? It is really hard to get my mind around it too! Elder Kundis' b-day is 10 days before mine! I think we are going to have some party as a district! It is going to be great! He is turning 21. He is really old! he he
I love it when we are in the right place at the right time. I love seeing how our Father in heaven really does put people in the places where we are to help us or to help them. Just this morning as I was doing my studies, I began reading in the Liahona, the article that I started reading was a good article but it was incredible for me because it was an answer to my prayers. I had studied earlier in my mission about the topic of the article and voiced my findings but my companion disagreed. I decided to be quiet about it and dried to share it later with another companion, again, not accepted. Then, as I was reading, the general authority said exactly the same thing that I had found in my studies! I am glad that I was able to find my answer, to know that I was correct and not making up false doctrine while I studied.
I am thankful for the Lord's guidance, comfort and love for all his children. I know that it is not important that I was right, but it is good to be reassured that I do know what I am doing when I study, that the answers I find are from my Father in Heaven and that I can know that I am lead by the Spirit to find truth.
I love this work and the opportunity it gives me to expand my knowledge, to grow as a missionary, to become who the Lord wants me to be for the rest of my life! I love being able to listen to the prophets of our day, to seek learning and guidance from God to what I need to be focusing on, and how I need to be improving. I love being able to serve in whatever area I am called, to know that I am needed here and that this is where i am supposed to be right now. I love the knowledge that I have, that I am called to share it with those that are seeking, and to bring them to Christ. I know as Ammon says in Alma 26, that I am nothing. I boast not of myself, but of my God and the mighty power that is His to deliverance of all mankind from the pains and suffering of death and sin. I know the church is true. I know I am doing what I need to right now, and I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!
Love you all!
Aldste Maxwell
Monday, October 3, 2011
Absolutely loved Conference!
I have absolutely loved conference. It has really been the boost that I was looking for and full of answers to questions that I have had about what I need to be doing as a missionary, what I am, Who I need to become, and really what is the point? I love how when I listen, many of the talks and subjects become for me. I like how they talk to me and that the Lord, through His spirit can send me personal messages through the general talks. It is absolutely incredible! I do have to say that I missed being home, missed all of the incredible food and the comfortable chairs. It is kind of funny, conference made me a little homesick! (not in a bad way I promise, just really good memories!)
I went on splits with Elder Kundis at the beginning of my mission but I never thought I would be companions with him, I am glad that I am! He is really fun to be with, funny and full of life! It is really funny, almost everyone that I have been companions with I have known from my first transfer in Sweden! So far anyways! We will see how long this pattern can continue. I am excited, as usual, to see what will happen next!
No big stories like last week... We had a bike stolen this week, so most of our travels have been by bus. I was quite sad to see that we are now short one bike, especially since it was the newer of the two bikes that was stolen. (less than 4 months old! The last missionaries here also had a bike stolen.) We are going to get a new bike soon and we will make sure we lock them to something so someone can't come and pick them up and run off with it! They would have to literally pick them up because we do lock them so they can't be ridden or tires stolen off them. But that was not enough! So, extra precautions and fill out the guarantee no-steal paperwork, and we should be good!
We got to teach a less active member this week with some of the members, when we went over, it was us, two active members, a less active, her sambo (boyfriend) and a neighbor non-member who was interested in learning about the church! It was an incredible teach! The members are incredible, the less active taught the neighbor all about Joseph Smith and bore her testimony of him and the Book of Mormon. It was incredible to see how well it all went. I know that the spirit was there leading us and helping us to be able to do the Lord's work and bring people to Christ. We gave the neighbor a Book of Mormon and she was very excited to get it. We are meeting with them all again next week! Oh, and the less active and her non-member boyfriend both came to two sessions of conference. I am excited to continue to teach them. I love being able to teach and to help people to come nearer Christ, their Savior. To learn of his love and the plan he has for each and every one of us.
Det är helt underbart för mig att jag kan komma till Konferens för att lyssna till Guds sann profet på jorden idag. Han är verkligen Guds profet och jag vet att de ord som han talar är Guds orden till oss. Vi lever i en värld av mycket prövningar och behöver den tröst som kommer till oss genom Jesu Kristi försoning. Satan vill att vi vara rädd. Han gör allt i hans kraft för att stoppa oss. Den är orsaken att jag är så tacksamma att jag får lyssna till profeten. Jag vet att han kan se de saker som vi måste undvika. Han talar till Gud för oss, han vill att vi kan bli så lycklig som möjligt, han verkligen älskar var och en av oss. Jag vet att Gud lever, han har en plan för oss att vi kan ta del av hans rike och bo hos honom. Jag är en Guds lilla barn vi alla är Guds barn. Han älskar mig lika han älskar alla sina barn.
Have a great week, I hope that everything goes well! I honestly have no idea how I made it through the second meal last week, but I know that God can and does work miracles every day!
Love you all!
Aldste Maxwell
I went on splits with Elder Kundis at the beginning of my mission but I never thought I would be companions with him, I am glad that I am! He is really fun to be with, funny and full of life! It is really funny, almost everyone that I have been companions with I have known from my first transfer in Sweden! So far anyways! We will see how long this pattern can continue. I am excited, as usual, to see what will happen next!
No big stories like last week... We had a bike stolen this week, so most of our travels have been by bus. I was quite sad to see that we are now short one bike, especially since it was the newer of the two bikes that was stolen. (less than 4 months old! The last missionaries here also had a bike stolen.) We are going to get a new bike soon and we will make sure we lock them to something so someone can't come and pick them up and run off with it! They would have to literally pick them up because we do lock them so they can't be ridden or tires stolen off them. But that was not enough! So, extra precautions and fill out the guarantee no-steal paperwork, and we should be good!
We got to teach a less active member this week with some of the members, when we went over, it was us, two active members, a less active, her sambo (boyfriend) and a neighbor non-member who was interested in learning about the church! It was an incredible teach! The members are incredible, the less active taught the neighbor all about Joseph Smith and bore her testimony of him and the Book of Mormon. It was incredible to see how well it all went. I know that the spirit was there leading us and helping us to be able to do the Lord's work and bring people to Christ. We gave the neighbor a Book of Mormon and she was very excited to get it. We are meeting with them all again next week! Oh, and the less active and her non-member boyfriend both came to two sessions of conference. I am excited to continue to teach them. I love being able to teach and to help people to come nearer Christ, their Savior. To learn of his love and the plan he has for each and every one of us.
Det är helt underbart för mig att jag kan komma till Konferens för att lyssna till Guds sann profet på jorden idag. Han är verkligen Guds profet och jag vet att de ord som han talar är Guds orden till oss. Vi lever i en värld av mycket prövningar och behöver den tröst som kommer till oss genom Jesu Kristi försoning. Satan vill att vi vara rädd. Han gör allt i hans kraft för att stoppa oss. Den är orsaken att jag är så tacksamma att jag får lyssna till profeten. Jag vet att han kan se de saker som vi måste undvika. Han talar till Gud för oss, han vill att vi kan bli så lycklig som möjligt, han verkligen älskar var och en av oss. Jag vet att Gud lever, han har en plan för oss att vi kan ta del av hans rike och bo hos honom. Jag är en Guds lilla barn vi alla är Guds barn. Han älskar mig lika han älskar alla sina barn.
Have a great week, I hope that everything goes well! I honestly have no idea how I made it through the second meal last week, but I know that God can and does work miracles every day!
Love you all!
Aldste Maxwell
Monday, September 26, 2011
Well fed!
This week I did have several interesting food experiences. First, we went to a member's house for a dinner and she had a huge pot on the table, and a couple more on the counters and such. She had made some chili, rice and boiled eggs and had a ton of bread out so we could make some "sandwiches" (sandwiches are really different in Sweden). The food was really good, and I was full, but then she took my bowl and filled it again! With more than 3 times what she had eaten! It was crazy. Well, I made my way through that, and was ready to roll over and die when she brought out dessert! And, even then she made me take seconds!! I am going to be very honest.... Never, never have I wanted to throw up so bad! But, I kept it in because I wanted to show my companion it was possible.. but that was horrible... I am still (two days later!) not hungry! And of course, later that night we went over to another member's house (2 hours later) and guess what! They were preparing food for us!! I honestly about died.
The next day we went to another members house and I got to have sil! (Pickled herring) and to my utter surprise, actually enjoyed it! And, when I get home, all of you will get to have some too! Oh, and I also had some torr kott (Reindeer jurky) which was also very good!
Last week we played football, it was so much fun! I got to run a lot and it felt so good. I really miss running and all of that, but it will come back! I impressed everyone by chasing down Elder Cluff when everyone else gave up, and he had a 20 yard lead!!! It was great, no one thought that I could run that fast. Surprise!
They do not have any satelite here so we would usually travel to Norrkoping, but instead the branch is having it projected on Sunday (Saturday sessions) from the internet. The rest we will watch when we get some extra time... like p-day and, well, yeah!
I love being able to teach and help people to come closer to Christ! This week we have mostly been with the members and leave them a message and try to get them to help us to find people to teach! It is also starting to work, which is great! I love it when missionary work really happens! I have noticed such a big change in myself since I have gone out on my mission and I can't wait to see what life is like when I get back, how much smarter I can be and what my life is then like! I love being here and being able to help people to grow!
Thank you for all that you do for me and for the great support! I love you all and hope that you all have an incredible week! You are the best! I am doing what I can to be the person that I am supposed to be, to follow the Lords direction and serve with all of my heart! I love the work!!!
The next day we went to another members house and I got to have sil! (Pickled herring) and to my utter surprise, actually enjoyed it! And, when I get home, all of you will get to have some too! Oh, and I also had some torr kott (Reindeer jurky) which was also very good!
Last week we played football, it was so much fun! I got to run a lot and it felt so good. I really miss running and all of that, but it will come back! I impressed everyone by chasing down Elder Cluff when everyone else gave up, and he had a 20 yard lead!!! It was great, no one thought that I could run that fast. Surprise!
They do not have any satelite here so we would usually travel to Norrkoping, but instead the branch is having it projected on Sunday (Saturday sessions) from the internet. The rest we will watch when we get some extra time... like p-day and, well, yeah!
I love being able to teach and help people to come closer to Christ! This week we have mostly been with the members and leave them a message and try to get them to help us to find people to teach! It is also starting to work, which is great! I love it when missionary work really happens! I have noticed such a big change in myself since I have gone out on my mission and I can't wait to see what life is like when I get back, how much smarter I can be and what my life is then like! I love being here and being able to help people to grow!
Thank you for all that you do for me and for the great support! I love you all and hope that you all have an incredible week! You are the best! I am doing what I can to be the person that I am supposed to be, to follow the Lords direction and serve with all of my heart! I love the work!!!
Monday, September 19, 2011
This week has been amazing!
This week has been amazing, we have been staying very busy and talking to people... It was mostly tracting and contacting, and some teaching, we really want to spend most of the time teaching, but we need investigators to be able to do that, so out we went to find! It is not as nice as teaching, and not as effective as it should be... but we have to find somehow!
Overall, it is going very well. I do have most of the ward members' names down now. We have visited many of them and are continuing to visit and get to know all of the others. It is a lot of fun.
Yesterday we got to go into Primary because they were having a lesson on missionary work. They told us we would be teaching about an hour before... someone forgot to call us! But it went really well, and I am starting to have a lot of little friends again! I got a couple pictures from them after church! One was a picture of missionaries and the other was a picture of Kasper (that is his name) picking plums to share with Jesus! It was adorable!
It is great being able to get to know the mission president and everything that he does. They are incredible people and are really fun to get to know and always have such a great spirit with and around them! I love them too, and all the missionaries, and the work!
Story: Last night as we were tracting again, and going door to door and talking to anyone who would open the door, we were having no success at all. We hadn't had any the whole week! It was getting late and we were just going door to door, knocking, waiting, and moving on to the next, with several uninterested people and a couple nice people who listened but were not interested. And, as the stories usually go... it started to rain! We began another trap (staircase with apartments) and we knocked on a door that looked exactly like all other doors. A man opened it and my first thought was, "oh-no...". He was bigger, looked like he was from the middle east and had a winter vest, beret, shorts and flip-flops on. Plus, he was smoking. As we started to talk, he was really receptive, kind and interested! He let us in, and we began to talk. He asked a lot of good questions, we taught about the Book of Mormon and he wanted one! We set a time to come back later this week and he was super excited! It is cool how things like that happen. It is always the same too, we are tested, then blessed! I am excited to teach him and to find more just like him as well.
Well, I have to go... going to Stockholm for sports!
Love you all, have a great week and keep it up!
Aldste Maxwell
Overall, it is going very well. I do have most of the ward members' names down now. We have visited many of them and are continuing to visit and get to know all of the others. It is a lot of fun.
Yesterday we got to go into Primary because they were having a lesson on missionary work. They told us we would be teaching about an hour before... someone forgot to call us! But it went really well, and I am starting to have a lot of little friends again! I got a couple pictures from them after church! One was a picture of missionaries and the other was a picture of Kasper (that is his name) picking plums to share with Jesus! It was adorable!
It is great being able to get to know the mission president and everything that he does. They are incredible people and are really fun to get to know and always have such a great spirit with and around them! I love them too, and all the missionaries, and the work!
Story: Last night as we were tracting again, and going door to door and talking to anyone who would open the door, we were having no success at all. We hadn't had any the whole week! It was getting late and we were just going door to door, knocking, waiting, and moving on to the next, with several uninterested people and a couple nice people who listened but were not interested. And, as the stories usually go... it started to rain! We began another trap (staircase with apartments) and we knocked on a door that looked exactly like all other doors. A man opened it and my first thought was, "oh-no...". He was bigger, looked like he was from the middle east and had a winter vest, beret, shorts and flip-flops on. Plus, he was smoking. As we started to talk, he was really receptive, kind and interested! He let us in, and we began to talk. He asked a lot of good questions, we taught about the Book of Mormon and he wanted one! We set a time to come back later this week and he was super excited! It is cool how things like that happen. It is always the same too, we are tested, then blessed! I am excited to teach him and to find more just like him as well.
Well, I have to go... going to Stockholm for sports!
Love you all, have a great week and keep it up!
Aldste Maxwell
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Work is Great!
The work is going great! I love serving with Elder Kundis, he is a great guy, and wants to be effective in our work! I have had a great time with him so far. We are beginning to get to know the area really well and we are finding our investigators, teaching and looking forward to baptism here in Linkoping!
Sunday, yesterday, was great. We had Branch Conference and there were about 15 people from the stake who came to talk to us. It was great to have our little chapel filled! I am so excited for the future of this branch! Almost every talk was about making Linkoping a ward, that we are ready, and what we need to be doing to make it happen. The best part was that I have been having the feeling that Linkoping is ready, the Elders before us said that as they were leaving, and the branch president as well as all of the ward leadership is focus on growth! It is incredible!
I am loving Linkoping and loving the branch. I am getting more confident again with my Swedish and trying to not rely too much on my companion. I am trying to become more confident, to continue to learn and to grow. I am excited to be in a smaller branch because i get to know all the members personally and I will get a lot of Swedish practice. I will also get to really take part in the work of finding, teaching and baptizing that is going to be happening!
I am loving being on a bike because I feel healthier and I am getting into better shape. It is also really nice to be out in the fresh air, not stuck on the dirty, worn down buses or waiting at bus stops with all of the smokers, though that was always a good place to start some conversations. Overall, I am having a great time and I am loving the experience and growth. It is so much fun being a missionary!
I love being a missionary and there are so many blessings that come with it! I love studying the scriptures, the meaning that it has now! I know that the scriptures are full of light and knowledge for us. I am learning that many of the deepest and most rich of all doctrines are based in the simple truths, the Atonement, the Love of God, and His Plan for all us us. I know this church is true, I know that my Father in Heaven loves me very much and wants me to be as happy as possible. I want to help others to see that, that is why I am here in Sweden after all!
Love,
Aldste Maxwell
Sunday, yesterday, was great. We had Branch Conference and there were about 15 people from the stake who came to talk to us. It was great to have our little chapel filled! I am so excited for the future of this branch! Almost every talk was about making Linkoping a ward, that we are ready, and what we need to be doing to make it happen. The best part was that I have been having the feeling that Linkoping is ready, the Elders before us said that as they were leaving, and the branch president as well as all of the ward leadership is focus on growth! It is incredible!
I am loving Linkoping and loving the branch. I am getting more confident again with my Swedish and trying to not rely too much on my companion. I am trying to become more confident, to continue to learn and to grow. I am excited to be in a smaller branch because i get to know all the members personally and I will get a lot of Swedish practice. I will also get to really take part in the work of finding, teaching and baptizing that is going to be happening!
I am loving being on a bike because I feel healthier and I am getting into better shape. It is also really nice to be out in the fresh air, not stuck on the dirty, worn down buses or waiting at bus stops with all of the smokers, though that was always a good place to start some conversations. Overall, I am having a great time and I am loving the experience and growth. It is so much fun being a missionary!
I love being a missionary and there are so many blessings that come with it! I love studying the scriptures, the meaning that it has now! I know that the scriptures are full of light and knowledge for us. I am learning that many of the deepest and most rich of all doctrines are based in the simple truths, the Atonement, the Love of God, and His Plan for all us us. I know this church is true, I know that my Father in Heaven loves me very much and wants me to be as happy as possible. I want to help others to see that, that is why I am here in Sweden after all!
Love,
Aldste Maxwell
Monday, September 5, 2011
Welcome to Linkoping!
Well, the new area is great so far! It is great to be able to have a change of scenery and people. I am starting to get to know a bit of it, though Elder Kundis and I have a lot more exploring to do before the city will be fully usable. Ha ha! We are both new here, so it is a lot of fun! I can tell you that we have already been blessed - we haven't gotten lost yet! And we are on bikes! I love the bikes, one speed, old and no shocks at all!! It is great, I have really enjoyed the new challenge and opportunity to work out.
I really enjoyed getting to know the branch, though we had to leave right after the closing prayer to get on a train to go to Stockholm for a music concert to sing! It was a crazy day. We got back this afternoon. I did get to get up and introduce myself and bear my testimony at church yesterday. I am still terrified and get nervous when I have to get in front of people! It is hard... the sad part was that this is a small branch again, so there is not the same excuse! There were probably about 20 people yesterday, most of which are older, but there were also a lot of youth in younger families which brought a lot more umph and life into the branch. This week we had a full three hour block, supposedly this was the first week that they have had a full three hour block. Linkoping is bigger than my last areas, by quite a bit, though the branch is smaller. I love the branch and the opportunity this will be to learn and to grow. We get to translate the meeting/class into English for some of the members who are still trying to learn Swedish / only speak English! It is going to be an incredible transfer!
My companion, Elder Kundis, is great. I love Elder Kundis! He was in my district when I arrived in Sweden! Now I get to be his companion and learn from him about the work! I am excited to see and learn more about him. He is from Great Falls, Montana, going to BYU, has a great singing voice, can play piano and guitar both pretty well and is great at Swedish! He is basically just awesome. He is a lot of fun and there never is a boring moment with him around. I will update more as I learn more! Oh, and he has a blog too!
I love the new mission president and the opportunity I have to learn about another person and to learn about the traits and characteristics that he has which I can learn and use to be a better person and missionary! I am excited to be able to see him more, to learn and be diligent!
The new branch and area is incredible! We are working on finding out who our investigators are and who the missionaries were working with. They did not keep any records here since the beginning of this year! It is going to be interesting and a new start almost! It is going to be a lot of work, but at the same time there is a lot that is ready to happen, and in some ways this could be a really, really good turn of events! I just need to roll up my sleeves and get to work!
Have an amazing week, have fun and don't forget to smile!
Love you!
Aldste Maxwell
I really enjoyed getting to know the branch, though we had to leave right after the closing prayer to get on a train to go to Stockholm for a music concert to sing! It was a crazy day. We got back this afternoon. I did get to get up and introduce myself and bear my testimony at church yesterday. I am still terrified and get nervous when I have to get in front of people! It is hard... the sad part was that this is a small branch again, so there is not the same excuse! There were probably about 20 people yesterday, most of which are older, but there were also a lot of youth in younger families which brought a lot more umph and life into the branch. This week we had a full three hour block, supposedly this was the first week that they have had a full three hour block. Linkoping is bigger than my last areas, by quite a bit, though the branch is smaller. I love the branch and the opportunity this will be to learn and to grow. We get to translate the meeting/class into English for some of the members who are still trying to learn Swedish / only speak English! It is going to be an incredible transfer!
My companion, Elder Kundis, is great. I love Elder Kundis! He was in my district when I arrived in Sweden! Now I get to be his companion and learn from him about the work! I am excited to see and learn more about him. He is from Great Falls, Montana, going to BYU, has a great singing voice, can play piano and guitar both pretty well and is great at Swedish! He is basically just awesome. He is a lot of fun and there never is a boring moment with him around. I will update more as I learn more! Oh, and he has a blog too!
I love the new mission president and the opportunity I have to learn about another person and to learn about the traits and characteristics that he has which I can learn and use to be a better person and missionary! I am excited to be able to see him more, to learn and be diligent!
The new branch and area is incredible! We are working on finding out who our investigators are and who the missionaries were working with. They did not keep any records here since the beginning of this year! It is going to be interesting and a new start almost! It is going to be a lot of work, but at the same time there is a lot that is ready to happen, and in some ways this could be a really, really good turn of events! I just need to roll up my sleeves and get to work!
Have an amazing week, have fun and don't forget to smile!
Love you!
Aldste Maxwell
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