first week in J-köp

Dear family and friends,

I'd like to announce that I have arrived safely in Jönköping after four long train rides. I'm happy to be here! It's so pretty and the church is HUGE. Walking up to it everyday is the highlight of my life. Also we live SUPER close to it so we only walk 5 minutes to get there. There is a really cute park by our house and we like to go there to workout in the mornings and someday I'm just gonna take some time to play there for a couple minutes. The ward is great! My first day here we had like 3 different dinners and I met A TON of members who's names I completely forgot but it was way fun :) 

(yes, alex is in the ward, he's a YSA and he's super cool. we like to party)

COOL STORIES:

• I went to a baby shower my first day here in Jönköping and EVERYONE and their dog was there. It was so cool! I've never seen that kind of support from a ward before. I also learned weird little swedish childrens songs there like "Lilla Snigel" (little snail) 
• We had a YSA activity on friday and we played some beach volleyball. They have this giant lake here, and a whole bunch of volleyball courts on the beach and we played for so long. I love the YSA here! Lots of diving for the ball and lots of sand in my sweatpants but I think I want to play volleyball every week the whole time I'm here
• Andreas (from Karlskrona) was in church yesterday. I was standing there greeting people as they walked in and introducing myself to the members and then in walked Andreas and I almost ran up and gave him a hug (no worries though, I gave him a firm handshake instead) He was in town for his cousin's wedding and he wanted to go to church while he was here. So he showed up and it was so nice having a familiar face in church. 

UPLIFTING MOMENTS:

• I got to give a talk yesterday in church. Usually we are just asked to give our testimony when we first come to an area, but they called me yesterday morning and asked me to give a full on TALK in sacrament meeting. So I got up and talked about Ammon and the sons of Mosiah and I think I said most of what I needed to say. But I got to look at all the people I'd be serving for the next 6 weeks and I was able to feel comfortable. Like I could do this. Because leaving Karlskrona was probably one of the hardest things ever, and I didn't know if i will ever see them again. But like, I have been praying so hard for Heavenly Father to open my heart to these people here in Jönköping, and I know he did a little bit when I was up there. 
• We taught this great investigator of ours named Lasse. We were teaching the plan of salvation and I think I might have gotten the gift of tongues... I don't think I've ever had a lesson more led by the spirit. 

COOL PLACE: The Dala Bear. This super cute bear in Borås that's painted like a dalahäst. I thought it was just adorable

I don't have much time. We went and visited a less active family on an island and our whole P-day got eaten up so sorry this is so late! But I love you guys and think you're all the greatest! Have a great week and stay busy! Your challenge this week is to learn a new recipe. I forgot my cookbook in Karlskrona so I've been trying to get creative. Woop! 

pictures to come :) 

puss och kram,

syster janessa brink

The cutest little dalabjörn you ever did see. Also say hi to my elder friend Farnworth

the ikeas here are so high class compared to the one in Utah.

 I love this chapel! 

exploring Jönköping and finding this fun fountain in the middle. We found a hat in the fountain and sister Sandelin fished it out for me :) 

the cool hat I got from the fountain haha

 I just thought this was funny

ferry ride out to the island yesterday! so sunny and beautiful!

me and sister sandelin

   me and my elder friend Pearson having a good old time at these castle ruins

(hahaha!! I think this is really funny!!)

this is a better picture of sister sandelin and i :) we have a good time

 Loving it here in Jönköping! 

ps 

also today is my six month mark!!! I can't even believe I've been serving my mission for six whole months! I feel like it was only a few days ago that I said goodbye to all of you and walked into the MTC. It feels even shorter from the time I walked off the plane in Stockholm and saw this beautiful country for the first time. I am so happy to be a missionary and I can't even wait for the next year to come! I want to stay out here and be a missionary forever. I have learned so much about myself, about other people, about the Savior and my Heavenly Father. I will say that being a missionary is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but it is so so SO worth it, it completely makes up for the hard days. I have met some of the most amazing people here and my life has changed so much. I love you guys so much!