Sweden Stockholm Mission

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

2/3 there

August 6, 2013
Valkomna Johnson Familj och vener! 

Wow, a lot has gone on this week! Ma and Pa, way to go with the Nursey calling. Sounds like you guys will be kept young through those little kids. 

Tisdag kväll: I'm really getting pretty good at ironing and doing my own laundry. However, I am a bit nervous being responsible for taking care of my cooking needs. I have it so easy here with the food so I'm wondering what it will be like once I get to Sverige. We had to say goodbye to an Elder because he had some foot pains so that was sad to see a fellow Swede have to go home. He will try to come back out. We played hackey sack during our free time and it's really fun/funny because everyone thinks it is good when they get like 4 or 5 hits in a row. I just keep quiet and let my soccer skills shine forth.

The devotional was from H. Bryan Richards and his wife. Bro talked about how we as missionaries are called the way general authorities are: by a prophet, for a full time job. Way cool! He also told us that in 1954 the MTC had the largest number of people there with 88. Now it has more than 3500 people! Ha that is such a huge difference! Preach My Gospel was designed on the other side of the veil but put together here for our time as missionaries to better serve. The authorities had discussed the mission age change for a long time, but said it wasn't time yet, but it will come. And now it has!! The apostles and the first presidency really know everything that goes on and when things need to happen in order to hasten the work. I thought that was so cool how they waited until just the right time.

Richards continued by saying Missions are going to be hard. They are, so just get over it and kick yourself out the door everyday because it will be worth it to those people you find. He also gave a really cool quote from Winston Churchill: To every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a very special think, unique to him and fitted to his talents.  What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for that which would be his finest hour.

He then applied it to missionaries "to every missionary...(same thing)”. Don't be unprepared or unworthy to be called at any time to get called to your finest hour. We watched a short clip from Elder Holland from like 30 years ago but he is just as powerful then as he is now. He said salvation isn't easy. Things that are easy are not worth the prize. The Savior asked for an easier way but understood that he needed to do what the father asked him when he said "not my will but thine be done."

Richards closed by saying that we need to have the Name of Christ not on our pockets for our nametag, but branded into our hearts. We sang the Army of Helaman song and I broke down crying during the middle of it; So powerful, what a great devotional.

I got to lead my first discussion as district leader. Brother H joined us so that was a little intimidating for my first time but it went really well. He said even though all of you (speaking to my class) have been called to serve in Sweden, you were called individually. God needs you specifically with your talents, strengths and attributes in Sweden. There are people there who are JUST for you. It is personal.

Onsdag: I got a sore throat and haven't been able to get over it yet, but it doesn't get me down or ruin my spirits. It actually gives me better energy to work harder and learn more and more. We received some coaching from Bro. B. I swear he is always there right when I need it. I get feeling so discouraged and down on myself, thinking that I will never be able to do anything and out of nowhere he comes and gives me a pat on the back and says you can do this. He is so inspired from the Lord and I am grateful for him because of that. That was my amazing moment of the day. The lord timed it perfectly as he always does.

Torsdag:  I received moms package and it was sooooooooo awesome!! I love the pics, way cool rooms for the girls! Maybe I can repaint my room when I get back? The pillowcase is amazing, everyone is so jealous!  Batman fabric and scented with perfume! and the bouncy balls are a big hit! I read the Swedish grammar book as much as I can because understanding the principles helps me so much more and it sticks in better and easier. We cleaned our classroom for inspection for Friday and got it spotless. Some of the people in my district started talking about careers and such for when they get back, I just sat there because I still have no idea. I hate when people talk about that and ask me because I don’t know yet, so don't ask me ha.

Fredag:  I got thinking about the youtube Kid President Pep talk. Weird right! But I thought about how a lot of things he says can apply to the gospel. We all have the power to change/affect people by what we do; simple acts of service like smiling at someone will change their perspective and outlook. It's so cool how you can pull things out videos and such and apply them towards the gospel, man I love it. I also was brought back to all of my great memories with my exec council where we first watched that video. I miss all of them so much, we had the best of times together!

I stumbled across the 135 section of the Doctrine and Covenants which is about the matrydom of Joseph and Hyrum at Carthage Jail. I have been there and it was amazing for me to read about that and picture in my mind exactly where everything happened. I remembered Elder Holland's testimony of The book of mormon, especially about those 2 giving up their lives because of a book. A book? Why on earth would anyone ever sacrifice their life for a book? Because they knew that it was the truth. I then proceeded to read Praise to the Man and broke down because I know Joseph Smith truly brought back the only true church and that the book of mormon is from god. He sealed his testimony with his life. It was a powerful experience for me. That was my amazing moment of the day.

I recieved letters and love how great they smell!! I know it's weird but I love it! My elders say I'm probably gonna die from affixiation...oh well haha jag skojar! In TRC we got to learn about Sweden from the people we talked to and got to bare our testimony of the book of mormon to them. Just visiting with them gets me so ancy and pumped to go there!! Dear elder got messed up so I'm not sure if i got all the right things from people, it was a mess. I took a pic with my soccer boys
I miss my Fire FC boys a lot. We always had the funniest/best times together! What's great is to know that almost all of them are on missions right now or preparing for one. How great to be on a team with everyone who shares the same values yet can still have good times.

Lördag:  Johnson bootcamp is still going on. I am going harder on them each time, but i know my elders will thank me...someday i hope! I am really happy and proud of them for doing it with me and keeping up.  I love doing role plays. I still struggle with them, but they really are so beneficial for you when you are preparing; thanks Brady! Our lesson went fantastic!! Man, such a great experience to see the spirit really work through us. In the afternoon class we practiced on another topic but it went really bad. My comp and I did not work together and became really frustrated. It was good for us to see the drastic contrast between that and the earlier lesson. No fear, we pulled the positives out of it. I had my district interviews after that and everyone seems to be doing really well!

Söndag:  It was fast sunday, and everyone said it was the worst thing but I felt like it was the best thing so far! So instead of priesthood and relief society, there was one big mission conference. We listened to one of the first recordings ever of Wilford Woodruff's testimony about Joseph Smith, it was so powerful to be linked to Joseph through that. Bro R said that we should never underestimate the power of our testimony to our grandchildren. I am grateful for my grandparents testimony because it has also strengthened mine. thanks you guys!

An investigator spoke who was baptized because she met with the missionaries here for TRC in Korean. It was actually Stephen Wade from St. George!! How cool is that! She came up and bore her testimony, and he translated it for us! I wish I could have gone down and talked to him but I had to get to a meeting. Church ended with testimonies from as many missionaries as time allowed.

We had a district meeting after that on a topic I was supposed to choose. I chose repentance, but as I was studying about it, it didn’t seem right. Right when I was about to start I had a feeling to open it up to a testimony meeting. I am so glad I did that because we all got to share our testimonies, cry a lot, and be spiritually edified. It was so touching to hear everyone's testimony and why they were here. We then had our temple relaxation walk and had a good time. We broke our fast, i really wasn't that hungry because I had been so spiritually fed already. The night devotional was Jenny Oaks Baker. She performed a lot of great music and spoke to us about the gifts of the spirit. Hers is obviously music, but she uses that to help others feel the spirit. We should all do that with the gifts we have been given,

Måndag:   We did TRC skyping with people in Sweden and asked them what it's like and just to be connected there was amazing! They were so nice and we actually understood them really well. I cannot wait to be there!! The rest of the day just goofed around and wrote some flashcards before dinner and the mail. Elder Garrard, a nord, has a crazy workout scheme and I followed him and I'm dead today! Geez!! But it was sooo worth it!

Lycka Till och Jag älskar dig!

Äldste Johnson

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