Hello again!
What a week. What a fast week!
Surströmming! I ate it! It was at the annual branch Surströmming fest! Surströmming is fermented herring, a Swedish delicacy. I had heard from other people that it smells really bad, and it does! Elder Harris and I walked into the church and had a little moment of shock! Ward parties in America don't usually have a smell... The surströmming tasted like super salty fish. It wasn't terrible but I don't think I will add it to my missionary diet! The fest was really fun. Quite a few people brought nonmember friends and I got to know some of the members in the branch a lot better!
Also, I had splits for the first time! Elder Barker came up to Boden from Skellefteå and Elder Harris went down to Skellefteå. Elder Barker is from Bountiful, Utah. He is in my district and is training Elder Callor, a friend from Kaysville and from the MTC! I really enjoyed being companions with another missionary for a day. One thing that Elder Barker did really well is testify every time we contacted people. Elder Harris and I had been doing that sometimes but we need to do it every time we talk! It is true that two people witnessing of a truth makes it so powerful! I hope that the people we talk to can feel the truth of our message like we can!
We had district meeting in Skellefteå after that and were able to see the cool chapel made from a house there (picture above, font below).
Sundays are always so great! I blessed the water for the Sacrament in Swedish for the first time. Saying the prayer in a different language was definitely intimidating but it reminded me that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the whole world! He didn't die just for the English speakers, he died for everyone! He loves us all.
After Sacrament, I was able to go to the investigator/new member class. President Robert Nässlund, one of the members in the branch and counselor in the district presidency, taught the class. He taught so many Gospel truths so simply and with great power! One of my favorite parts of what President Nässlund said was when he talked about becoming like Jesus Christ. He talked about how we have to push out the natural man and replace it with something better, we have to overcome our natural laziness and change for the better! I think that his lesson was so powerful to me because of the investigators there. There is a Chinese couple who just walked into church one Sunday and said that they would like to come now! They have been learning about the church for a few years in China and just came on their own! One of the investigators there was Fabian, an 18 year old Swede that Elder Harris and I teach. There is no way the people listening to President Nässlund could have not felt the Spirit! I hope that someday I can teach and testify like he did.
Elder Harris and I have been trying to work with less active members more. One of the families that we have visited is the Roden family! The mother is from Brazil and has such a great testimony, but the father is from Sweden and says he doesn't believe in God. We have visited them twice and hope that we can continue to build a friendship with them.
I hope that all is well with all of you! Vi ses!
Äldste Francis
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