Hallå allihoppa! Yesterday and today has been the coldest day so far in -2 celcius, plus it is humid here it is even colder, but I love it!! I am cold, but its awesome! also, i have started taking 10 minute power naps everyday during our lunch break, so that really helps me and is all i need to carry on throughout the day! I guess the cold and darkness is starting to affect me.

I have to give a shout out to my Desert Hills Football team for their State Championship:  Congrats Boys! We finally made it! This isn't just a win for you, it is a win for all of us who have gone on before. Once a part of the Thunder Family, you are always apart of the Thunder Family! Im so proud! It's awesome! Way to go Landen -way to represent my number! Love you all.

As you know Sweden doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving which is sad because its such a good holiday. Its much more than sitting down and eating turkey; its about people that love each other gathering and looking back at the year to see all of the wonderful things that God has blessed them with. It helps us realize what truly matters in life rather than us focus on the temporal things. I would like to challenge all of you to really take some alone time this week and reflect specifically on this year all the blessings that God has given you. There is something about being grateful that helps you feel the spirit more abundantly in your life.

Very narrow passage - It actually has a street name

God will not bless you if you don't even thank him for all that he has given you now. If we don't recognize all that he has given, why should he give us more? When we acknowledge it and serve others, thats when he is going to give us more, bless us more. We show him our gratitude and then he multiplies and replenishes his blessings to us. It is a really cool cycle.

I read up on the Anti Nephi Lehi's who were so grateful to the Lord for saving them that they vowed to never take up arms again. It was a tangible expression of their love and commitment to the Lord. On the flipside, I also read the account of Korihor, the Anti Christ. He had so many testimonies against him and signs enough to show him that God truly existed and had all power and knowledge, yet he was ungrateful and demanded more. There you can see 2 extremes.

Locks of love: People put a lock on the bridge to seal their marriage/ love forever

A little summaries of each day of the week goes as follows:

Mån: I bought t-shirts for the family so I will be sending that package along with chocolate and swedish krowns or kronor (money) home soon.

Tis: We had our district meeting about resolving concerns in those we teach. Interestingly, just about every concern can be resolved and found through the Restoration. If ever you are stuck with someone and you have no idea why, restart the Restoration and teach for understanding. Thats really cool! We started splits, I was with M in Innerstan, while my comp and H stayed in Lidingö. They got to watch the second game of portugal v sweden (with the investigators). Sweden did not make it to the World Cup 2014 which is super sad. I wish they would have made it, but I heard that Ronaldo was just on fire!

Ons: Splits today with M was by far one of the most fun days I have had on my missions just because we had so much to do and talked to so many people. We had many people cancel on us, but because we had backup plans we didn't have to worry. However, we didn't even get to our backups because we were having so much success contacting on the Tunnelbana, especially me! I have been slacking recently on contacting so it was a really big help for me to do that and see how much fun I could have when I focused in on the person and didn't care who else was around. Immediately after one, someone asked me to sit by them so they could hear my message!!! How cool!!! I had a good time talking with my trainer about the mission and everything else. We both have a firm desire to do this work, we are completely focused on it. I take my calling seriously, I know that I represent Christ in EVERYTHING I do. 

Tors: We went contacting in Gärdet, which actually means the field. Not any real success, but it was a cool area and place. We met with a member who just recently received the Melchizedek Priesthood and his nonmember 85 year old, in great shape uncle. H played the fiol (violin) for them and had a good time.

Fre: Weekly planning and comp inventory. I need to not stress over little things that could withhold me from having the spirit which is hard but thats how a mission goes ha. Its kind of funny because we had a lot of food today-personal lunch at 1, another lunch with a less active at 2,30, ice cream and fruit at 4,30 and then full course dinner at 7!! It was out of control! Well I guess now is a good time to tell y'all that I am now 182 lbs (i started at 175) which is 82.5 kgs. But a lot of that is muscle due to Ab ripper x:) hahaha.

Ready for service

Lör: We finally played football in the morning again, and it felt so good. It really gets a lot of stress out of me, I even screamed out loud to get the full effect of being on the pitch! We did service for a family (who then invited us over for a thanksgiving dinner this week, but on sunday). We raked leaves and ate hamburgers with them! It reminded me a lot of home because I was always responsible for raking, bagging, and carrying the leaves to the compost, so I was really used to that kind of work. 

We had a few talks with some members in our ward who truly care about home and visiting teaching and helping strengthen the ward. We are so grateful for them.  After being cancelled on again, we went out in the cold near the water and knelt down in prayer to ask for comfort and peace with our work and our ward. I said it, took lots of pauses to allow the spirit to guide me into what I should say, and then just sat there after it was over. I then said a personal prayer in my heart pleading for help. I had a ever so slightly small feeling come into my heart that helped me feel peace. Nothing too big or extravagant, but that was exactly what I needed.

Sön: It was a weird schedule because Soul Nite was going on (big gathering of european and australian countries YSA's coming to Sweden for a 3 day event of socials, classes, temple, and church). We made 350 lunches for them, whew, I'm still tired from that! (I found out that I have anxiety when there are tons of people in a crowded place, along with claustrophobia. Nothing to worry about, I just think its interesting ha. I went out and got some fresh air and was fine.) We had a lesson with a family which then turned into a guitar/ukulele jam session with their son. It was a lot of fun, and the first time in a long time for him to meet with missionaries. I got to play/learn a little guitar and ukulele- sweet!  I got a haircut again, finally, it looks super Swedish!!!

I would just like to now to bear my testimony on thanksgiving and gratitude to all of you, and all the things I have been given this year. I am so grateful that I could finish off high school with good grades, I am grateful for wonderful friends who are on missions or preparing for them. I am so grateful for my family, in all the love and support they have given me over these past 19 years. I would not be where I am today without them. I am so grateful that I can be a missionary in Sweden, and serve in such a beautiful blessed land. I know I am where I am supposed to be, though I am 5,000 miles away from you, you are in my heart. 

But the thing I am most grateful for is my Savior. I am not a perfect person, nor will ever be one in this life, but through him I can overcome my shortcomings, my sins, my frustrations, and all my wrong feelings because he has suffered for them so that I can become like him. I love him with all of my heart and want to try and be like him everyday, and invite all to partake of his goodness and mercy that he has shown me. Never have I been happier than when I applied the Savior and his Atonement in my life. It has changed my life and continues to do so. I hope all of you have a wonderful time this week and reflect on what God has given you. Ha det så bra!!:)

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Äldste Johnson