There's a long, pretty rad history about this girl named Tabby, who my companion baptized two months ago. She's our age, and came out of an atheist family to be the strongest member you'll ever see. She had the opportunity to go to the temple to do baptisms which was SO cool for her, but my companion wanted to be there, and he hasn't been in 14 months.. so I guess I had to tag along for the ride. :)
The Denmark temple was SO cool! Our mission leader took us over the bridge from Sweden to Denmark at about 170 kmh (the Danish temple is much closer for us down here, than the Swedish temple) - not quite sure of the acronym - followed by a rad session in the temple.. because the baptisms were too full. So I'm spiritually pumped and uplifted again throughout another week of ... missionary work.
During the week though, we hit it hard with my first Zone Conference ever! It went really well, freshed up in my Swedish hair cut and suit, and President Newell dropped some fantastic revelation throughout the day. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. Nothing too crazy though, just a lot more specific on how to work with members.
I was in several High Council, and Bishop Council meetings this week with the Stake President closely involved. It's actually really intriguing seeing this side of the church, the planning meetings and how everything gets run. Invaluable really. But with 400 less actives, somethings got to be done.
The real message of the week though can be found in 1st Thessalonians 5:11-15 - I found that scripture in response to fervent prayer about how I can best lead the zone.. best help the people around me. Then it kind of hit me that that's basically the message of life. Just be a person that adds good to the world, all the details, are exactly that. I personally, focus way too much on that and need to just embrace the Spirit of the Law, and do everything to uplift, and quit worrying. Elder Keetch is an outstanding example of that, and I feel quite lucky to be his companion.
The experience even furthered during my fast (which thanks to Elder Whitworth, may he rest in peace, showed me a talk called ''The Blessings of a Proper Fast'' has dramatically increased the spirituality and effectivness of my fasts) in which I fasted to see people as Christ sees them.. to really have Charity.. as it's been talked about frequently in the mission as the motivator behind all the good we do. Or how it should be anyway. There's an older couple going home, the Dunns, that I had the opportunity to attend their good-bye party.. and Elder Dunn said something that really struck me. (This was at the end of a really, really, really, long day) He said that he learned to love people as much as his family. To love every single person, UNCONDITIONALLY. It really stuck out to me, and while I'm far from it.. I even noticed on the ride home my appreciation for certain people grow.
We got a baptismal date with Any. A 9 year old girl in a less active - part member family who is super ready, and we're expecting it to be a really spiritual experience with the baptism and all, and her family present. It's planned for the 17th of August, so we'll see how that goes.
Otherwise we continue to work with the ward, teach new converts and less actives, and do as much as we can in this wonderful city of Malmö.
Welp, big gulps eh. See ya later!
Äldste JS Sargent
The Denmark temple was SO cool! Our mission leader took us over the bridge from Sweden to Denmark at about 170 kmh (the Danish temple is much closer for us down here, than the Swedish temple) - not quite sure of the acronym - followed by a rad session in the temple.. because the baptisms were too full. So I'm spiritually pumped and uplifted again throughout another week of ... missionary work.
During the week though, we hit it hard with my first Zone Conference ever! It went really well, freshed up in my Swedish hair cut and suit, and President Newell dropped some fantastic revelation throughout the day. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. Nothing too crazy though, just a lot more specific on how to work with members.
I was in several High Council, and Bishop Council meetings this week with the Stake President closely involved. It's actually really intriguing seeing this side of the church, the planning meetings and how everything gets run. Invaluable really. But with 400 less actives, somethings got to be done.
The real message of the week though can be found in 1st Thessalonians 5:11-15 - I found that scripture in response to fervent prayer about how I can best lead the zone.. best help the people around me. Then it kind of hit me that that's basically the message of life. Just be a person that adds good to the world, all the details, are exactly that. I personally, focus way too much on that and need to just embrace the Spirit of the Law, and do everything to uplift, and quit worrying. Elder Keetch is an outstanding example of that, and I feel quite lucky to be his companion.
The experience even furthered during my fast (which thanks to Elder Whitworth, may he rest in peace, showed me a talk called ''The Blessings of a Proper Fast'' has dramatically increased the spirituality and effectivness of my fasts) in which I fasted to see people as Christ sees them.. to really have Charity.. as it's been talked about frequently in the mission as the motivator behind all the good we do. Or how it should be anyway. There's an older couple going home, the Dunns, that I had the opportunity to attend their good-bye party.. and Elder Dunn said something that really struck me. (This was at the end of a really, really, really, long day) He said that he learned to love people as much as his family. To love every single person, UNCONDITIONALLY. It really stuck out to me, and while I'm far from it.. I even noticed on the ride home my appreciation for certain people grow.
We got a baptismal date with Any. A 9 year old girl in a less active - part member family who is super ready, and we're expecting it to be a really spiritual experience with the baptism and all, and her family present. It's planned for the 17th of August, so we'll see how that goes.
Otherwise we continue to work with the ward, teach new converts and less actives, and do as much as we can in this wonderful city of Malmö.
Welp, big gulps eh. See ya later!
Äldste JS Sargent