candles

well.. i forgot my planner at home. so i have all but forgotten everything we even did this week. So I'll be telling stories based on the pictures on our phone. buckle up.

we taught a whole lotta new people this week. that being said, i studied a whole lotta restoration and Joseph Smith stuff. It's always good to brush up and learn more! It's been really fun going through the restoration everyday and finding new ways to teach it and keep our investigators involved. 

we taught our friend Murre and he told us that he'd read in the Book of Mormon. He said that he loved it, and that it spoke to him. 

"i read in this book," he says "that whatever you get, you should give back." 

he closes the book and puts it on the table. 

"so. I'm giving it back." 

*slides the book over to us* 

WHAT. 

we went on to explain that he actually needs to read more in the book of mormon, and that you can't read it just one day and expect to continue progressing. but he wouldn't have it. so we tried giving him a different copy of the book of mormon, this one in english. but he wouldn't have it. so. we just continued the lesson as planned and read him passages from the book of mormon. He liked the scriptures we read, but still wouldn't take the book. 

so next time we meet him we're gonna be tricky and give him photo copies of book of mormon passages that have his name all over them. then he can't give them back hahaha. Sneaky. 

trackting and swingbys and lots and lots and lots of walking this week. 

it was also alla helgons dag (all saints day) on saturday. Here in sweden they celebrate it by putting candles on graves and remembering those who have passed away. Halloween (as we have it in America) was only started here in the 90's, but this tradition of candles on graves started in the 1500's.  we went by the grave yard and looked at everything, and it was so beautiful. I remember hearing about all saints day when i was getting ready to go to the MTC and I am so grateful to have been able to see it for myself. As sister taylor and I walked through the graveyard i couldn't help but think of my swedish ancestry, and hope that somebody somewhere had put a candle on their grave that night. I was reminded of the truth that families can be together forever, even when they are currently lost to the records. we'll find them someday! 

not much else to report this week. i promise next time I email I'll bring my planner with me and then there will be more stories! 

love you all!

syster janessa brink

swedish graveyard

we were both sister brink for the day

would you like a book of mormon? JA!

all saints day

sister taylor and i dressed up as cats briefly for halloween. and i became sister wilhite for a few moments too (old missionary nametags laying around the apartment?)

super cool grave. this looks like a viking headstone

mausoleum. don't you wish we had these things in the states?

Murre bought us backlowa. it's like, some traditional middle east dessert. it didn't last long. 

all saints day candles

candles for grandmothers 

candles lining the walk way