Hello to my friends in the 801 and all around the world. It's P-Day
and it's emailing time and I've got some exciting stories to tell you about
Sverige and missionary life :)
Last P-day we decided we wanted to do something really fun. We had a bag of
stale old cookies so we went to go and feed some ducks! It lasted about 8
seconds though. Sister Allred threw in a cookie and the ducks ate it. And then
she threw in the bag accidentally. So it was over pretty quick. We also went and
toured the local battery/artillary fortress thing. It was super cool but also it
was really REALLY cold that day so we weren't there for too long!
We went to Diana on Tuesday. Everytime I go over there I get more and more
humble. She shared with us that she had just found out she wouldn't be able to
have children anymore and my heart broke. She got a facetime call while we were
there from her sister in law in Croatia. She said that she had been meeting with
mormon missionaries there. And she had been praying that we would be sent to
Diana to teach her as well. And then it hit me. We were sent there on a prayer.
And not just one prayer but several. From Diana, from her sister in law, from my
parents, from Sister Allred's parents, and the list goes on and on. It was
literally a miracle that we found her.
Later that night we had activities at the church, but the elders were gone
(Äldste Simonson got transfered to Utby and Äldste Silvennoinen was traveling up
to stockholm to get a new greenie) so it was just us, Christian and Tony. It was
good though because we got to know Christian better and better! He's the coolest
person in the world and he speaks like 6 languages. And he downloaded the Gospel
Library app so he could read from the manuel we use on sunday for Gospel
Principles class. He is THE COOLEST.
*CONTACTING TIP: when contacting a group of teenage boys always begin with,
"hej, vi kommer ifån USA" and they'll listen to everything you say to them.
Swedes like Americans.
On Wednesday we taught Christian the Plan of Salvation. He had lots of
great questions about it and then brought up concerns about our church. He's
really been researching and went online and found stuff about polygamy and how
we believe we can become our own gods (...?) so we clarified everything for him
and he was good. I love that he feels confident in us and will ask us about
these things instead of just taking what the internet says as truth. He's so
solid.
We went tracting and met this 7th day Adventist who has read the entire
book of mormon and said he really liked our religion but knew it wasn't true
because and I quote, "Jesus said the word 'chickens' in the book of mormon and
chickens couldn't have possibly lived back then." Ummm. Kay. The prize for the
world's saddest excuse goes to this man. His conversion is hinging on chickens.
He's a single guy so we can't teach him at his home without a member (missionary
rules are fun) so we gave him to the elders.
We FINALLY went and taught Ereling this week!!! We brought Andreas, a new
convert and our branch missionary. We decided we wanted to focus on personal
prayers with Ereling because he's still saying the Lord's prayer, and won't get
answers unless he starts having a personal relationship with God. Andreas shared
his conversion story and then Ereling got into it and started trying to dissect
it. Ereling comes off as argumenative but he just really wants to understand
every aspect of things. So he's picking apart Andreas's testimony and Sister
Allred jumps in and is like, "Ereling. We are talking about prayer. We could sit
here all day and give you scriptural evidence as to why this is all true and
debate and discuss but the only way you could ever really know for yourself is
if you pray. Do you believe you can get answers to your prayers?" and he was
like "...yeah." and he calmed down on the personal attacks and we finished
reading the chapter. And at the end I got to explain to him that we have our
church because of a prayer. Joseph Smith prayed to know the truth. We have the
Book of Mormon because Enos prayed in verse 13 that the record would be
protected. And it was. And the only reason I was there is because I have prayed
and I know. Nobody can know spiritual things without prayer. So we gave him a
hard invitation to pray in his own words. And to come to church.
Andreas wasn't even shaken up after the lesson. He knows this church is
true and his testimony can't be shaken. He is the greatest. I love working with
Andreas!
We got a text from a random phone number that night. It was Diana borrowing
the neighbor's phone. She said that her family was out of money and her son was
going to be having surgery and her children had nothing to eat. That's when I
felt completely over my head. But we've been able to talk to the Branch about
it, and we are going to use some fast offering money to buy them some groceries
for the rest of this month. I am so grateful that we have that resource.
Genorous fast offering donations CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES. What a blessing to be
able to help her and her family through faithful member's donations.
At district meeting I got to see Syster Adamson, my old comp from the MTC!
She finally got her visa and was able to come here from Chicago. We're now in
the same district and I'm so happy!!! I also got to meet my new "half-brother"
(mission families are confusing and one day maybe I'll explain it all) Äldste
Purkey. He's from Michigan and he's straight from the MTC. Feels good not being
the greenest greenie.
Paulina called us while we were at District meeting and said she needed to
meet with us ASAP. Which is weird because she has never had any time for us
before. So we get home to Karlskrona and meet her at her apartment and I'm
hoping she's finally read the book of mormon and has a testimony and really
wants to come to church. But she didn't. Instead she decided to chew us out for
having a big empty chapel and not opening it at night for beggars to sleep in. I
was kind of floored. Because if she had listened to anything the missionaries
have told her these last 5 months she's know that the church is a dedicated
chapel and we can't have people living in it. I only said maybe 10 words that
whole visit. But I was really mad. I shouldn't have been but I was. And I'm not
going to get into my huge whole rant about it but basically that night I read
the scriptures to calm myself down and the sermon on the mount is what put it
all in perspective for me. Matt 5.44-48 to pray for those who despitefully use
you and bless those that curse you because God makes the sun rise on both the
good and the bad. We're both daughters of God. And I have no reason to think
that I am superior to her in any way.
The next day we woke up feeling sick. But we went out and did some family
history contacting and then went to Diana to teach her about preisthood
blessings. We told her that it could give her comfort and peace and we asked her
if she would like a blessing from the elders. And she got quiet for a long time.
And then she said no. And I was really sad because I didn't understand why she
wouldn't want a blessing when she knew it could help her. She texted us later
and told us that because her husband is a muslim she couldn't have other men in
her house. She wanted the blessing, but couldn't recieve it because of the
Muslim beliefs and traditions. While we were there I asked her about the book of
mormon and if she'd prayed to know it was true. She just looked at us and said,
"I know it's true. It's the word of God. I know when I read it." I love her
faith. That's totally one of her spiritual gifts. She has the most incredible
faith I've ever seen, and I want to be like her someday.
On Saturday we were still feeling pretty sick but we got out and went to
brunch at Pres. Jusinski's house. We shared D&C 6 with them, one of the last
verses that basically says, "fear not little flock, though earth and hell
combine against you they cannot succeed." and we talked about how our branch is
like a little flock, but we have Christ on our side and we will be okay through
whatever happens.
Yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting. In Swedish. I was pretty
nervous but I think it went pretty well. I talked about faith and family history
and doing our part to exercise our faith in the best way we can. Christian came
to church and so did Paulina. We translated for both of them and then we taught
the youth sunday school class about the plan of salvation while the Elders
taught Gospel Principles. Apparently that was the best lesson the youth have
ever had so I feel pretty cool. After church Sister Allred looked dead. She is
much worse than I am. So I decided she needed a sick day (she wants so bad to be
super missionary, but if she's not going to stand up for her health someone has
to) so we went back to the apartment and she slept for like 3 hours while I did
the dishes and cleaned the apartment and talked to ward members and the zone
leaders about our investigators.
We had family phone evening last night with the zone and they asked all of
us to come up with a hashtag with the best advice we have from our missions (so
trendy. so 21st century). Mine was #chileanwomenarecrazy. Because they are. But
it's so much fun working with chilean women. I would take all the crazy in the
world from them :)
I have officially been out on my mission for 3 months now. TIME FLIES SO
FAST!!! I love being a missionary! I love having investigators that are eager to
learn and want to hear what we say and change their lives! I am so excited for
everything that will be happening these next few weeks here in Karlskrona. I'll
be sure to keep all of you up to date :) Keep it real and ha det så bra!!! Ni är
BÄSTA!!!
Kärlek,
Syster Janessa Brink
my dorky picture from the marina haha
hanging out by the cannons. BOOM.
not many pictures this week cuz we were sick :(
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