Transfer to Visby, Missionaries New to Area in Middle of Transfer and Week 16

What 4 months?!?! No one saw that coming especially me I can't believe that it has been that long. Also I am sorry for the lack of apostrophies they do not exist as far as I know on these computers so that is really sad I promise I still know how to use them!!

This week has been something we are going to need to get used to for sure. We left Örebro in the middle of a transfer to head to Visby. We had to take a 3 hour train to Stockholm and then a 3 hour ferry to the island where we were dropped off at our new appartment. We have a senior couple who have been here for about 3 months the Anyanwus. They are super cool Äldste Anyanwu is from Nigeria and Sister Anyanwu is from Denmark but they both live in Lund which is in southern Sweden. They came to the island and the stake president just said to strengthen the branch and he became the branch president. Apparently, they have been getting things resolved in the branch so that they can be ready for the missionaries to come. They have been asking for awhile which is why they had us move in the middle of the transfer instead of the end. They really have a need to be strengthened in this branch so we have a goal of baptisms and really bringing in people that will be active in the branch.

The first couple of days we met with Äldste Anyanwu for about 5 hours and he told us all about the situation and what we need to do in order to help the situation and be the strength that the branch needs to grow. It really is a call to be obedient and really try to call on all of the Lords blessings for these people because the branch is pretty close to closing. But, the Anyanwus are really good and we hope that we can do everything in our power to get the people necessary to have this branch up and running. We have a lot of plans in the works but for now we have been knocking on doors and talking with as many people as we can and unfortunately not a whole ton are interested.

We did have a man that was taught a little before and we invited him to be baptized during our first lesson with him and he accepted!! His baptism will be on the 18th of october!! Pray that it goes through!! It is crazy gorgeous on this island and I am sure it will be an adventure. The first Sunday we had 8 people there. 3 members, 1 investigator, and 4 missionaries in sacrament haha. It was probably the smallest meeting I have been to and I hope it isn't normally quite that small.

The Lord has a plan for all of us though and I know that He has a plan for this area as well. All we can do is be obedient and do our best as His servants to bring to pass what we think will help the most. Faith really is an action word and we are experiencing that in this area.

The language is coming along really well I am still not there but I don't think I will ever be quite there but it's getting better every day. It's amazing what the Lord blesses missionaries with the gift of tongues and I know it is real. There is no other way that I would even be close to this point right now if it wasn't for the help I get from my Heavenly Father every day. He has a plan for every one of us we just have to seek it out and we can find it. I love all of you have an amazing week!!!

Äldste Israelsen

dad, remember who you are and what you stand for haha