So here it is. I'm sure she doesn't know how much this letter has helped me:
Hej Hej!
Well it has been really quite a good week! I don't even know where to start!
This week I really made a goal to do all that I could to follow the spirit in everything that I did, and so I prayed alot, I prayed before I got on any tram or bus that I would know who to sit by, I prayed before every lesson, just as we were on our way there... Now don't get me wrong I prayed alot for guidance before this week, but this week I made a special effort to focus on it, and as a result I don't think I've ever felt so guided on my mission! It was amazing! So here are my experiences!
On one tram I got onto I was sitting next to a man probably in his thirties and so I contacted him praying that I would know what to say, and we got talking and it turns out his wife is from Manila Philippines! And I was like no way! my boy friend lives there! And then we got talking and I asked if his wife was religious because I had a book in Tagalog about Jesus Christ! Had he said she was and invited me over for coffee haha, I told him that we would love to come, but that we don't drink coffee so saft (a swedish juice) would be great! So we went yesterday! They are such a cute couple! And it was really cool getting to hear about the Philippines! She's a strong Catholic so I don't know if she will be open to learning now, but we are planting seeds and they said we are welcome to come back! :)
We got a referral from the office so I called the man and he said he wanted a BoM but was very persistent that he did not want to meet with us, just get the book and read for himself... He wanted me to just mail it haha, but I finally got him to agree to just meet us in town so that we could give him the Book. Well stuff happened and we ended up not making it and then it turns out that he had completely forgotten so he called to apologize and then he said that he had been doing alot of thinking that day and soul searching and that he didn't feel like he needed the book anymore... And my first thought was OH NO! Satan has gotten to him!!!!! SO I was just trying to figure out what I could do to not lose him! Well there is a promise in the Scriptures that states that we will be given what we need to say in those moments, and for the first time I felt that promise fulfilled very strongly! I had know idea what to say, but somehow I just started talking... I asked him how he had heard of the church in the first place and he said that he has been searching for something his whole life and has been trying to find truth and answers and so he had researched alot of churches and had read about the BoM, and then he asked me the golden question: "So how have you come to know your beliefs are true?" And the thought just came to my head 'TESTIFY!!!!!!!! as much as possible!' So I just started to testify of how I know the things I know are true and the power of prayer and the ability everyone has to pray and know truth and how the BoM gives us the rest of the truth and that everyone needs to read it to know and that that is why I am here so that people like him who are searching can find those answers! And when I was done all he said was "you sound like a very interesting person, do you have more time that we could discuss over the phone?" Which I didn't then so I called back a little later and basically taught the whole first discussion and by the end he wanted to meet so we could talk more! So we will be meeting this week! Which is awesome because originally all he wanted was to get the book and now we get to meet and teach him!!!! It was awesome!!!
On Sunday I played if you could hie to Kolob... Its a very hard arrangement if you remember. Well I just did not have much time to practice all week and saturday night we were at the institute waiting for an investigator and a member was there with us, Karine (She is from Brazil and is here as an au pair and she is very shy and has a hard time making friends I've noticed, so we have tried to get her out helping us with missionary work because she loves to do that) well we had about 20 minutes and so I decided to take that opportunity to practice for the next day because I really was having a hard time getting through the end of that piece... Well I started playing and the thought came to me that I should spend that time talking to Karine with sis M instead... but I resisted because I really needed to practice and that was my last chance, but the feeling just got stronger to not spend that time playing but to got share a spiritual thought with Karine... so I hesitantly stopped, but was reassured with a feeling of peace that if I spent my time now doing the Lords work that the Lord would help me play better the next day... So I went back and we shared our favorite scriptures with her about the strength Christ can give us, and then she just opened up. She's been having a really hard time to the point where the day before she had been crying alot. :( And then on top of that she hates how shy she is, and that she only feels comfortably with us missionaries and that the language barrier doesn't help either... And so we were able to comfort her a little and we are going to help her with Swedish. And I realized that one of my strengths is the fact that I am not shy at all, I'll talk to anyone! And so I made a deal with her that when we were at activities that if she was having a hard time talking to anyone, then she could stick with me and I could help her get talking to someone and then I could kinda drift away so she could continue talking! And she really liked that idea!
I am so thankful I was able to give up piano at that moment to do the work of the Lord. He loves his daughters and counts our tears and he needed us there for her that evening :) I didn't get to practice that night, but on Sunday I played it better than any of the times I had practiced, in fact it was flawless and I know that was because the Lord holds his promises and he assured my playing to go well because I had sacrificed my practice for him! It gives me so much hope for when I get home and need to catch up on soooo much with piano, I know that if I continue to give my time to the Lord, everything will be fine with piano in the future!
So this week really has been a testimony to me of guidance we can receive when we earnestly seek for it! I am so thankful I have been able to be a tool in the Lords hands and hope to continue to be a diligent worker and follower of the spirit for the rest of my life really!
Wow this email is sooooo long! But one more thing! We got another referral from the office! His name is Anton and he is 25 and had met missionaries years ago when he did a project about religion at his school! He really wants to change his life and is completely ready for the gospel! We met with him last week and he is the by far the most humble sincere person I have ever taught! He has already ready almost the whole first book of Nephi since thursday and he came to church on Sunday and the ward members just took him in! He loved church and said it felt like home!!! He is soooo great! Wow I feel so blessed to be the missionary that gets to teach him!
President called this week and said that I will be training one more sister here in Göteborg!!!! so I will never be transferred again! Its a weird feeling, but I am so grateful I get to stay! Sis M will be training a new sister In Västerhaninge, which is one of the best areas ever!!! so she is excited to go there! The new missionaries come March 5!
Well I hope you have a great week!
Love you all!
I have said it a million times and I will say it a million times more: MISSIONS ARE THE BEST!!!
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