Dear Family and Friends!

Sounds like you are all doing so well. I am very heartbroken with what happened to my good friend Kenzie Lewis. My heart and prayers go out to her and her family. God is watching over them and things will work out -I am sure of that.

Woweee, there was just lots of stuff that happened this week. It was hot, it was cool -we got drenched one day, we met some cool people, we got cancelled, we had a firework, yes a firework, and many more things.

Euro haircut

Mån: I cleaned, cut my hair -looks totally euro ha, wrote some letters, played my uke, among other things. We then did some swingbys to set up return appointments. I bet nearly 90 % of the stuff we do is set return appointments, and set some more when we come to meet them, and set some more ha. We had family home evening with D and S. We read Pres Uchtdorfs "Continue in Patience" from a few years ago. I invite you all to go back and read that. We can find peace of mind when we go through trials in knowing that something good is waiting for us. Whether it comes in this life or the next, we don't know. But what we do know is that it will come.

Tis: July is here. Wow, that is weird. Nearly one whole year down. Almost there. You all need to do some family history. I think I am beginning to catch the spirit of Elijah. It's something that I have been praying and working for for a long time. S returned to his habit after going 6 days (because of watching the world cup.) He is not showing any desire to try anymore. We know he has felt the truth but we can't force anyone to repent.

Ons: We're using our swingby list. Though most of the people say don't come back or give me more time, that is success. It's our responsibility to take care of these children of God, though some don't want the truth...yet, we do our job and love em through it all. During our time at the church I have been practicing a lot of the piano and singing as well and I am getting a lot better. K came and said that he is getting frustrated and scared that the book of Mormon is true and that our church is the only true church. Haha what?  That's awesome.  As we left the church an immediate down pour came on us while we were biking on our broken bikes, in nice white khaki pants and no jacket...that was brutal. Hahaha,

Tors: I made cookies: not my best batch, not my worst. I was content. Lagom (that's very swedish thing. Lagom, not too much, not too little, not too bad, not too good, just right). We met with K and shared a very tender moment of testimony. I told her I know that Christ has gone through my trials and my pains and my fears with me. It is through him I am able to make it through those hard times. We then had dinner with A and had a good talk.

Fre: So, 4th of July! Happy Birthday America! God bless the USA!!!! ....and Sweden! We had a big zone conference where we met President and Sister Beckstrand!!! Wow, what can I say? They are awesome! I am so convinced they are who is needed to fill the shoes of President and Sister Newell. They have so much energy and conviction in helping this work go forward. They love Obedience!!!! YES!!! That is something that I have been praying for recently- how can I be more obedient and how can the mission be more obedient. And well, here you go. A quote from Pres Beckstrand -"the gospel is fun. It is even more fun when we are obedient." He had a miracle happen to him a couple of years ago. I wont share the personal story but many missionaries fasted for him - missionaries are the most obedient people in the world (or should be). When we missionaries are obedient, we are endowed with great power. I'm stoked to work with them. Sister Beckstrand even bore her testimony in broken Swedish, that was so bold and so powerful. They truly love this work and love the Lord.

Ford Mustang in Sweden!

We played soccer for our sports night and that was a lot of fun:) We also got one firework from a member that we lit off of our balcony hahahaha. America!

Lör: Us 4 missionaries and the branch president went down and cleaned S's apartment for 2 hours. I don't know what else we can do for him. We were doing some swingbys and we looked at the list and a certain name stuck out to me -N. Turns out, it was just what she needed. She had been having a very hard day and just needed someone to listen to her. We listening to her concerns and questions and we just boldly testified that what we have to offer will help her in every aspect of her life. We testified that we were guided to go by her place and she knew it as well. It was so cool to be able to be to be an answer to someone else's prayer. That's when you feel like a servant of God. Man that was incredible.

Sön: Fast Sunday! Those are always so good though I always get a huge headache from them ha. Its a sacrifice I'm willing to make to come closer to God. K and D made it to church. S did not so we decided to drop him. It will honestly be the best thing for him. To see for himself that he needs this. Hopefully he will come back soon. It's hard dropping people. D stayed for the Priesthood lesson. Guess what the theme was? Baptism!! 8 people were able to testify of their own baptismal experience to him and that was very powerful! Then president K was able to talk with him and help him understand more!

Oh just det, I forgot to tell you, I was asked to play the piano in sacrament meeting, so I was a little freaked out by it. I just need a little more practice. I was relieved when President K came in and played instead. Whew! Hahaha. I'll get there eventually. After church we contacted 2 older men on a bench and ended up talking with them for 40 minutes. We are going by there same time next week! We swungby a TU and turned him into a U! (potential investigator into investigator). Then we ate some good homemade stir fry by yours truly. Mmmmhm. Good stuff:)

Jag vill lämna mitt vittnesbörd om evangeliet till er. Jag vet med all mitt hjärta att den här kyrkan är sann. Jag vet att Joseph Smith var en Guds profet. Och att han återställde Jesu Kristi Evangeliet och prästadömets nycklar. Jag älskar det här verket så mycket. Jag kan inte uttrycka mina tankar om det, men det känns så underbart att vara här. I love you guys, have a great week!

Med Kärlek

Äldste N. Brock Johnson