Riktigt Mors Dag

Tjaba Grabbar!

Man, what a week for you guys back at home! My heart aches for Stacy that she was so sick that she couldn't go on her grad trip. Baby Lia is sure looking great! She is so cute!! I love how Carter and Brody pray for me, that's so awesome. Well this week was quite warm, but I'm already gaining my skin color back. Someone asked me this week if I was Hispanic:) I might bet a little whiter during the winter, but by the time I come home, you won't even notice that I was ever white before. Sorry to disappoint some of you (Brady) ha! Most every morning this week we went outside next door to the field to workout and play some soccer (T Wilk gave me some pointers on what I could do to train for soccer), so that was a lot of fun.

Deer in the hills

Mån: After emailing we headed back home to have crepes for brunch. Yes, I am enjoying brunch more and more now -it's hip. We did some cleaning, some sleeping, some writing, some playing uke amongst other things. We came to the church to meet with 3 people and all 3 of them blåsted us. It's been a while since I have had a full schedule blåst day. It was humbling though, I can't stay in a routine. God is telling me I need to stay on my toes at all times, have backup plans, and be able to think quickly and effectively. We spent the night going out to contact and swingby some people.

Tis: We had a good lesson with B about the Law of Chastity. I just want to say it was one of the funniest lessons I have ever had. It wasn't awkward, it was just super funny. I can't explain it. B is just very straightforward and tells you how it is, which is awesome. We've really grown into a great relationship with him. He knows he can't rely on us for everything, especially after he is baptized. He wants this so much, and knows its his decision, not us forcing him to do anything.

We met up with J to talk about släktforskning -family history. I read my favorite scripture about it from D&C 128:15 where it says we without them (the dead) cannot be made perfect, neither they without us can be made perfect. There comes a special bond, a thinning of the veil, when you are doing family history work. J is excited for that, and we are excited for her. We have also asked her to pray about someone she could invite to listen to us! She has been working on it, and will let us know soon! We met S and SURPRISE!! He cut his hair!!!! What????  It looks really good now! I believe that the spirit was/has been working in him to change him physically.

Ons: We had to send back in our old phones to the mission, and we hadn't got all of the contacts out of that. So I wrote down all 178 contacts by name and number and when I got to the church, I rewrote all 178 names and numbers. Whew! We found a lot of people who have moved so we can refer them to other missionaries; and then some new people we have never even heard of, so we will try them out! We had to drop someone. It's sad, but sometimes you gotta drop some people to find the chosen. K -a new investigator, came over to the church and we went over the Introduction to the Book of Mormon.

We shared some of our favorite scriptures from it and he seemed to really enjoy it. He said that he would rather read the BoM which has only been translated once, than read the bible that has been translated into so many books and times and many things have been lost! Wow!

We then went to help B move some more things and have dinner. She is working toward the temple and the patriarchal blessing. We met up with the other missionaries to start exchanges: Me with Elder B in his area, and the other 2 in mine. We got to bastu:) sauna because they have one in their apartment building.

Tors: Elder B and I had a good day. I showed him the computer work that I am doing to keep things updated and helpful for future missionaries so that he could do that for his area as well. We got some Swedish Mors dag cards (Sweden's Mother's day was yesterday), wrote in them and then sent them on their way to our lovely mothers in america. We did some tracting on some homes -it was so nice to get away from all of the apartment complexes. We got the door slammed on us, people swearing at us and cursing us, and ignoring us, but such is the life of a missionary. It is only a testimony to me that this is true when people do those types of things to us. We did however find a family! That was really cool. They didn't really have time right then to meet, but accepted our Book of Mormon and invited us to come back again. We taught an old investigator who dropped off the map for some time. He says he still wants to be baptized.

Caramel is called Kola- that's what I got!

We had been out tracting and contacting all day and we felt like we could use a boost so we ate a nice big hamburger and went to this really famous ice cream place called, Slagsta Glas! Boy, that was nice. I think it was my first time on the whole mission that I went out for some ice cream. Good times.

Fre: We went to Södertälje for zone training and a training from Sister N.  It was a mixture of reprimanding and refocusing and was needed. The zone leaders told us that we are going to do a contacting competition with a prize. I believe you should contact and do missionary work for the joy of helping out in the Lord's work but maybe a prize will motivate and unify us.  We made it back to sports night but not a lot of people came. It was kind of sad.

Lör: We had a great lesson with D.  He said he hopes what we teach is true. From that we were able to testify to him that that hope he has is the first step of faith. The faith to find out the truth. A big light turned on in his head when we said that. He heard that we were giving talks in church and he wanted to come support us! Met with B -talked about tithing and fast offerings. We met K again and it was a complete turn around. He didn't want to read the BoM, he was saying all sorts of things about Joseph Smith. He believes things he reads on the internet and doesn't like us trying to explain the truth. So that was frustrating ha. We didn't even realize it, but we were at the church pretty much the whole day and this day was a celebration/parade for something we don't believe in so it was really good that we were in the church the whole time avoiding all of that. God was guiding us to stay there the whole day to avoid running into trouble. 

Sön: RIKTIGT MORS DAG! Whoo! And guess who got to speak in church, both of us! B and 2 daughters were able to come to church along with D! S didn't make it but we swungby his place later. We gave all of the women flowers as gifts. During 2nd hour, we taught B the Word of Wisdom but he doesn't drink, smoke, or do drugs. Good on ya mate! We explained once he's baptized he needs to keep his body a temple. He had an experience where he was defending us and telling someone that we are not forcing him to do anything, it's all his desire and his choice. That was really cool to hear! We went down to Strängnäs after our weekly visit with H where we visited M. We played with some Hot Wheelz -man that was nostalgic, as well as read 2 Nephi 2 together. I gave him a challenge -spirit guiding me, that he could read the whole book of Mormon by the time I go home from my mission. He said he would really like to do that. I'm gonna keep in contact with him and hold him to that! 

We actually saw N as well -couldn't meet, but that was great just to see her!  We are just praying that she will be able to make things work. We swungby S to talk about his baptism, that he needs to come to church 2 times minimum before. So we set his date back. He said now that Sweden is out of hockey world series and the world cup for soccer, he has no excuse staying home to watch tv on sundays hahaha. Good! We stopped by D's where she showed us how to make tortillas! So now I know! Nice!

As I said, yesterday was Swedish Mother's Day. I was privileged to talk in church about mothers, as well as "what motivated me to serve a mission" and "what motivates me to do missionary work".  I only had like 5 notes on what I wanted to mention, and I didn't even get to 2 of them because the spirit was guiding me. I began by thanking all of the mothers in all the world. They truly have a wonderful calling. They walk with God. They are entrusted to nurture and care for their children and raise them up, teaching them to trust in God. Alma 56:47-48 talks about the 2,000 stripling warriors and what they thought of their mothers. "Their mothers had taught them that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them...We do not doubt our mothers knew it." I shared some experiences that have confirmed to me that I know my mother knew it. Such a time came the day I had received my mission call. I found out that same day that I was not going to be a captain of my soccer team, something that I had worked for and had dreamed about. I was so angry, hurt and sad. I came home frustrated and not wanting to talk to anyone. I remember so clearly mom coming down to comfort me. She told me that I needed to pray about it. I prayed so hard for understanding and for help, that I could change my attitude and open my mission call and know that it is where I was needed. I came upstairs to my mom's room and didn't say a word. She just knew. I knew that she knew. I gave her a big hug and she told me that God doesn't need me to be a captain, he needs me to be His servant now. I do not doubt my mother knew it. I know she walks with God. And as soon as I opened my call to Sweden, I knew it was where I was needed. I know I am supposed to be here. I am here to show my mother that she has raised me into a humble servant of the Lord, and as well show the Lord how much I appreciate him and my mother for all that they have done for me. Needless to say, there were many tears coming from my eyes. I'm still a very emotional guy. But on this Swedish Mothers Day, I just would like to say Jag Älskar Dig Mama -I love you mama.

I love this work. I know it's true. Have a great week, I love you all!

Med kärlek

Äldste Johnson