Hello! Another week is gone!
It warmed up a little this week, we'll see what happens in the coming days! I'm not quite sure how Autumn is already here and well on it's way. The weather reminds me of the days in Boden last year... Time has truly gone too quickly over the past 15 months!
Elder Hansen and I had some great experiences with unplanned service opportunities this week! The first one was on Friday. We biked past three little kids raking leaves and decided to help. Their dad came out after a few minutes and seemed a little confused at first. We ended up having the coolest conversation with him. He said that he was 100% never going to become a Christian at the beginning of the samtal but by the end it was 99.99%! Swedes are such wonderful people, this dad decided to stop his high paying job at Coca-Cola to become a fireman and do something he felt was a service to society. He is also very involved with Scouterna (Swedish Scouts) and was happy to hear that both Elder Hansen and I are Boy Scouts as well! He is closer to becoming Christian than he thinks.
I love having conversations with people and helping them come even just a little closer to seeing the truth in our special message. The second unplanned service opportunity was on Saturday, Elder Hansen saw a couple shoveling dirt in their backyard and we offered to help. We both came out pretty clean, shoveling with a shirt and tie was actually quite doable! We also had a good conversation with the husband. I think that we'll try to keep our eyes peeled for some more opportunities to serve, it's a great way to start up conversations!
I think I've said this a few times before, but it's worth mentioning one more time: Sacrament meeting is a huge source of strength for me! I have found greater meaning in partaking of the Sacrament over the past few months, and I loved hearing members yesterday bear their testimonies and share their experiences with the Gospel. I come away from church feeling better about the coming week, about my own testimony, and eager to share the Gospel.
Here are a few miscellaneous happenings from the week that aren't quite big enough for their own paragraph:
- I saw a Hummer for the first time in a long time! It's always nice to see things that remind me of the USA. We had a great talk with the driver, his wife, and his daughter. They said that we were trevliga!
- I talked to an old, old man on the bus. I quickly realized that he couldn't speak Swedish but he seemed happy to talk anyways. At the end of the bus ride, Elder Hansen and I got off and he did, too, and kissed us on the head before saying goodbye.
- I'm pretty sure that all Church members in Sweden are related somehow. At some point in the conversation during the past 10 member meals, the members have listed off who they're related to in the ward and how.
I was able to finish listening to the rest of General Conference this week, and oh my was it amazing. Before conference, I had written down specific questions I had about a number of things and I was amazed when listening to Elder Robert C. Gay's talk titled "Taking Upon Ourselves the Name of Jesus Christ" because several of my questions were answered in a row as he spoke! We've probably all heard it before, "write down your questions before General Conference! They will be answered!" and I think I'll just add my testimony to the truth of that!
Ha en underbar vecka!
Äldste Francis
Not a ton of pictures this week... One is of the mailbox to our house. We realized that the house on the mailbox is a painting of our house! Another picture is of a Pinewood Derby kit. We saw it on the counter at a member meal. The Church here hasn't been partners with Cub Scouts for a few years now but I guess some traditions are just too good to give up! Another picture is of Elder Hansen and I at district council over the computer. Our only companionship photo from the week. The final picture is of my wonderful siblings and I, it was taken over a year ago!?! I included it because I often show it to people we talk to, it's a great visual aid :)
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