Week 33, Zone Training in Stockholm, It Means the World to Me to be Out Here and Swedish Pants!

Hejsan allihoppa!!

I hope I can start my letter different at some point there has to be a good Swedish greeting that I don't know yet ;) Anyway this week has been super busy but a lot has happened!! We had to go to Stockholm again for a zone training which was really exciting after we got off the boat and before we had to get back on... I have a love hate relationship with the boat but that is ok. We were taught about the area book and how we can use planning more effectively which doesn't sound super fun but I have to say that it was really cool and we definitely learned some things that will help me for the rest of my mission. The rest of the training we got to watch Meet the Mormons which is actually a really well done movie/documentary so go see it if you haven't its super cool. I was also able to sing in the training which was cool but kind of sketchy just because I didn't really know what we were doing until the day of because Elder Featherstone is on the mainland and he accompanied me so we couldn't practice till that day but I think it went fairly well. I liked doing it anyway I hope that somebody liked listening to it haha.

The rest of the week went really well we have a baptismal date for the 28th of February!!! We went in and we had asked her before and she said she didn't feel right but we asked again and thing time she accepted!! Keep praying for her if you could because this is typically the hardest time for an investigator after they accept that invitation to be baptized but she is really cool and we actually just met her tracting to it happens! She told us that she feels the spirit whenever we come and that she feels blessed that she has been able to meet with us. That felt amazing to hear I think sometimes as missionaries we feel down and dont realize the difference that we make in peoples lives and then there are people like her that just make a comment and we remember why we love it so much and how much it has helped us in our lives and what we can do to help the people around us and sometimes that is just to have the spirit with us.

We have another investigator that had a dance thing where they were doing a traditional African dance so that was really cool to see and be a part of. It is cool to see the society and how they really are trying to integrate these other cultures because they have so many people that come to Sweden every year its amazing. We were able to touch base with a few other people that we hadnt seen in quite a while and its really cool to see the Lords hand in what we do and when we go and try to support an investigator and a friend in what they do that He will be able to help us make that time effective as well. I am super grateful for that experience.

Check out the Swedish pants!  totally swedish... haha Jag älskar er!

One other miracle that happened this week was when we went back to visit these two swedes. We had knocked on their door a few weeks ago and they said come back again... maybe... but we had appointments fall through and I just thought of that door. So we went back and they reluctantly let us in to give a short message. But as we got talking they started talking about how they have a Book of Mormon and so they showed it to us. It was really old! Their parents got it a while back and they have read a little and we were able to give them a new one with the newest translation (because Swedish changes so much) and they kept asking questions about it. I don't know how much we will be able to work with them but it was again another testament to me how much the Lord knows every single one of our situations and maybe we need a little push in the right direction here and there and it doesn't happen all ot once. The one thing that I have noticed is that people do not forget an experience they have with the missionaries. They know the last time they had one and what they said and did no matter how long ago it was and I testify that is the spirit helping them to fundera and think about it.

In the doctrine and covenants Joseph Smith talks about how we work with people and specifically for baptism for the dead in Doctrine and Covenants 128:22 and he says how we should keep going with this amazing work! How much we can benefit from the work and other people as well and everyone can rejoice together. (you should read it I only have it in Swedish and it wont mean the same in google translate). But it hit me super hard how lucky we are to have the gospel for everyone in our lives. For the people who are near and dear to us here on the Earth and those who have Gått vidare. It means the world to me to be out here and I hope you all know that I know that this is true. That the work is led by God and that He knows our thoughts hopes and what we need individually and I love that knowledge.

Har en enastående vecka vara ett ljus på bergen!!

Med Kärlek,
Äldste Israelsen

also for the pictures that is the new shaver that I got(picture requested) the other two are by the harbor and those pants.... totally swedish... haha Jag älskar er!