Jakobsberg Week 16 - June 4, 2018

Hejsan! 

It was pretty hot again this week, unheard of for Sweden in May! There was a huge downpour tracting last night, it was a good relief from the sun. This week has been full of great experiences, being a missionary is the best!

Zone conference was this week. It was cool to see Elder Petersen again, it was strange having him there and not being his companion! It sounds like he is doing great up in Borlänge. Zone conference  is always a boost, my favorite part was when we discused the talk that Elder Renlund gave to Sweden a few weeks ago about doubt and faith.

We ride our bikes to the Kallhäll train station each day. On Saturday,  Elder Gordon and I both lost our bike lock keys somehow so we parked our bikes and kind of made them look like they were locked up and left. We weren't really too worried about them, Kallhäll is a pretty calm place. When we got back to the station a few hours later, guess what had happened? Yep! One of the bikes (mine) was gone. We had planned on knocking doors near our apartment so I straddled the back of Elder Gordon's bike and we began to slowly make our way to the tracting area. It probably looked kind of like a circus act but it was a good way to begin talking to the people we passed. After a few minutes, we both realized that the bike was definitely not meant to be ridden by two and we took a break to say a prayer. Two members from the ward passed by and we told them what was going on and to keep their eyes out for the stolen cykel. We continued on our journey, and then all of a sudden there was a bike coming towards us with two riders on board, in similar fashion to us! I got off and started speedwalking next to what I knew was my bike, trying to calmly exoplain to the riders that they were on my bike.  Elder Gordon parked his bike and ran in front of the thieves. Eventually, we convinced them to give the stolen property back and we were on our way again! It was cool to see our prayer answered so quickly. 

On the way home last Monday, Elder Gordon and I began talking to this Swedish teenager. Somehow, we found out that he had been to the International Jamboree in Japan and that he had camped near some LDS Scouts! I don't know if he meant the LDS booth or just a troop of all LDS Scouts, but he said he thought he recognized you and Papa when I showed him a picture. Do you recognize him? There is a picture of us above. 

On the way home from an area called Sollentuna one evening, we took the wrong train and were a little late getting home. It was interesting, though, because on that train ride we were able to meet a lady that Elder Gordon gave a Book of Mormon to. She called us and wanted to meet. We met the next day and she talked about how the chapter we had asked her to read, Alma 36, had been perfect for her. I have been beginning my personal studies with spending 15 full minutes studying from the Book of Mormon, and it seems like every day I have the same experience: I read something and it is just what I need. I am thankful for the scriptures that we have today, especially the Book of Mormon, because of the guidance, comfort, and knowledge that we gain from the Holy Ghost as we read them.

Have a great week! 

Äldste Francis