Easter: 3/28/16

Hi!

     This week was good, but a little crazy. On Monday we went to Stockholm. There were zone conferences this week, so a lot of companionships from the North came down early and spent P-day in Stockholm. So we spent most of the time with Elder Banks' trainer and a few other elders, and went to some of the cool views and things like that around the city. 

     There was one zone conference on Tuesday, so one companionship stayed the night with us on Monday night. Our zone conference was on Wednesday, and we had two companionships stay the night on Tuesday night for that. So that was a little crazy. We have a good-sized apartment, but it still gets a little crowded with six people.

     Zone conference went well. We talked about making a language study plan, and we also talked a lot about Christ since this week was Easter. We watched one cool video that was a silent interview about Christ. So a bunch of people were asked questions like "Do you believe in Jesus Christ?", and all there was was their facial expressions and background music. 

     On Friday we did companion exchanges with the district leader, so I spent the day in an area called Handen. We didn't have much to do since an appointment fell through, so we just walked around and contacted all day. It was technically a holiday and the weather wasn't the greatest so there weren't too many people out, but it was still fun. That night we had a member meal, and apparently the 25th of March is always waffle day, so we had waffles. The members gave us two general options for our waffles. On one side there were jams and whipped cream and berries, but they said if you don't want it so sweet, then there's also sour cream and shrimp. I wanted to try it out, so I had a waffle with sour cream, onion, and shrimp on it. It actually tasted pretty good, but it kept reminding me of the sour cream and onion pringles, haha.

     On Saturday it got all the way up to like 50 degrees! In direct sunlight it was actually warm enough that I could take off my coat. It always feels weird going around in just a white collared shirt after being so used to wearing a coat over it. I think it actually helps a bit to stand out more though, haha. People can recognize who we are quicker.

     Yesterday was Easter! It was also daylight savings. Church went well. In the evening we got to go to a pot-luck dinner that a lot of temple missionary couples were doing so that was fun. There's a guest home right next to the chapel for people visiting or working in the temple, so we ate there. There was a lot of good food.

     During zone conference there was a scripture reference that I really like. It was actually at the end of the silent interview video. It was John 11:25-26: "25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" Through Jesus Christ we can overcome physical and spiritual death. My personal interpretation of this scripture is that even though we all will die one day, we will also be resurrected, and if we follow Christ we can receive eternal life, to never die again. This is possible because of what Christ did for us. I am grateful for the Atonement and I know that Christ lives and that we will all live again.

I hope everyone has a great week! 

Elder Smith

Pictures!

1) This is a funny decoration they do a lot in Sweden. They attach fake feathers to twigs. 

2) The sign says "'Hallelujah' forbidden to ring" and our card says hallelujah on it. I actually knocked on the door to ask who they were referring to, but no one answered

3) Missionaries visiting Stockholm

4) I saw two swans swimming in the bay

Exchanges: 3/21/16

Hi!

     This week was good! On Monday we just played games in the chapel with most of the other missionaries in our zone, so that was fun. We all took this personality test that says if you are a red, white, blue, or yellow personality. I'm white, haha.

     On Wednesday we did companion exchanges with our district leader, so Elder Sweat came to my area for the day. I've known him for most of my mission so it was fun being on splits again. It was a pretty normal day otherwise though.

     On Saturday we did exchanges with the zone leaders. We switched Friday night, and I went to the zone leaders' area, Handen, with Elder Johnson. We got to their apartment that night, and realized Elder Bradshaw had the phone charger, and the phone was at 3%. So the next morning we walked through the forest (since the train didn't leave for a long time) back to Västerhaninge to get the phone charger. Then we went back to Handen and started studies. The rest of the day was mostly swing-bys. Then in the evening we had a member dinner in the smallest house I've ever seen. It was literally about 10 feet by 25 feet. It was still pretty nice inside though. Then we switched back companions.

     This week I was preparing a thought on Christ for district meeting, and I came across Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." The Atonement saves us from two kinds of death: spiritual and physical. Because of Jesus Christ, we will all resurrect and receive immortal bodies. But if we follow Him and keep His commandments, we can also receive forgiveness for our sins, and become clean and pure. I know that the Atonement is real and that Jesus Christ is our Savior.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Elder Smith

Pictures! 

1) A member told us about this road that has a great view of the ocean, so we went contacting there.

2) Me and the ocean. I really thought I was smiling more when Elder Banks took the picture, but it doesn't look like it.

3) Trees grow right out of the giant rocks

IKEA: 3/14/16

Hej!

     So last P-day everyone else was going shopping or didn't want to do much, so Elder Banks and I just went to the world's biggest IKEA. It was pretty fun. It didn't seem like it was really so super giant, until we starting the winding maze-path towards the checkout, haha. Something crazy is that I was reading in my journal the other day, and saw that I visited the world's biggest IKEA almost exactly a year ago from when I went this week. Last year I went on March 9, and this year it was on March 7. Pretty cool, and completely on accident too.

     On Tuesday we were walking around, and some kids asked us if we're pilots. I've never gotten that one before, haha. That night we played a sport called innebandy with the elders quorum.

     On Friday we had zone training. It was about how we should open up and be vulnerable so we can connect with people like Christ did, instead of being robot missionaries. It was really good. And then we watched the new Easter video for this year. After zone training we all went to a Persian buffet. It was pretty good, but it was basically just meat and rice haha. 

     This week I have seen a bunch of people from Sundsvall, my first area of my mission. It is in Norrland, which is pretty far away but last week was their temple trip. So it was pretty cool that I transferred here right as they had their temple trip. 

     Something sad that happened this week was that yesterday we dropped the phone, and the screen is now pretty much shattered. So we're going to have to get a replacement screen soon.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Elder Smith

Pictures!

1) We were at the train station and this helicopter flew in and landed in the grass nearby. A guy got out and walked away and the helicopter took off again.

2) One day it was pretty sunny, then we traveled to another part of our area and it was super foggy.

Stockholm South: 3/7/16

Hej!

     This week has been pretty good! On P-day we went to the YSA center in Gothenburg and everyone signed each others' goodbye books (kind of like how everyone signs year books but we just use notebooks). Then we went bowling! It was pretty fun, but I only got 103. 

     On Wednesday a member took us out to lunch before my train and we got kebab pizza. Then I took a train to Gothenburg, and got on another train heading to Stockholm. Everything went smoothly. I think I've gotten better at getting on and off of trains with two big suitcases haha. The zone leaders and Elder Banks met up with me at Stockholm Central station, and we took the train down to Västerhaninge. 

     Our area is Västerhaninge, a bunch of smaller towns, and then another bigger town called Nynäshamn. Since the temple is in Västerhaninge and there are a lot of members and missionaries here, a lot of people here have already heard about the Church so it can be a little tougher with contacting and tracting, so we have usually done member work in Västerhaninge and tracting kind of stuff down in Nynäshamn.

     On Thursday we had district meeting. Our zone is only two districts. We have the Gotland missionaries in our district, and since Gotland is an island that is super far away, we use skype to include them so that's something unique about our district. After district meeting we all went to lunch at a place called Curry King. It was my first time having real Indian food, I think.

     Yesterday went well. There are too many people here though, haha. There are 3 wards that share our chapel. Our ward is about 200 active members, which is about twice as much as anywhere else I've been so far in Sweden. We started church at 9 since we have to share the chapel. There were actually a couple of people that I've met in my other areas, so it was cool to see some of them again. After our church ended, there were tons of people in the hallway and foyer, so it was kind of crazy.

     This week I was reading in Hebrews, and there was a lot of stuff that I've never really payed attention to before, but that are really good. I really liked chapter 11, because it talks about faith. Paul lists off lots of miracles and other acts of faith from the scriptures, and explains that the reason these people did these things, the reason they sacrificed and suffered, was because of faith that God had prepared something better for them, that they could have eternal life. I know it's something that is joked about sometimes, but it really is important to have an eternal perspective. What is really important to us in this life? What is the goal? Eternal life is not something we can see or fully understand right now, but we need to have faith that that is what our Heavenly Father has promised us when we live righteously.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Elder Smith

Pictures!

1) Nynäshamn

2) In front of the temple! From left to right: Elder Banks, Sister Hatch, Sister Nielsen, me

3) We took a shortcut through the forest