Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Your Denmark Missionary 06-12-10

Hey Everyone!
I hope you guys have had a great last week! Its exciting to once again be at the computer to share my experiences with you again. I have probably started my letter this way before, but I am going on 9 months as a missionary. I mean that's a long time. So my originality is getting a little thin. haha. I hope you enjoy this weeks letter! Thanks again for all your love and support! It means the world. :) So this weeks been a pretty good week!
Me and Elder Meyer had a great day on Sunday which has kind of set the mood for the week! I mean we are just so happy! So on Sunday we arrived at 8:30 in the morning. We always open the church and turn on the lights. There is also this member who has Polio (shes a way OLD member, but is just the kindest person in the world) who we let in the building. We usually talk with her for about 20 or so minutes before our Mission Leader Søren comes to meet with us. We talk to him about our investigators, maybe problems were having etc etc. He usually asks us what the ward can do better...etc, etc. Then after that meeting we go and have priesthood Meeting. There are about 15 to 20 priesthood holders in Slagelse and we hold the meeting in the Chapel. Then after that meeting we head of to Sunday school, which is also in the chapel, and have class. Man is that hard for me! Not only is it in Danish, but its all the comments and things from people that just throw me for a loop. So lets just say its a good language practice for me. I usually leave that meeting with a good 10 to 15 new words. haha. That's if I can stay awake... oops. :)
Then Sacrament Meeting finally arrives and this is were ever missionary gets really nervous. This is the meeting we try to get all the investigators too. Then if they like that meeting we encourage them to go to the rest. We had met a ton of people the previous week and invited all we could, and it turned out great! We had 6 investigators to church! It was insane! We had Tom and Christina come. Christina also invited a friend named Victoria. So that's 3. Then we had this other potential investigator named Sheena Arrive with 2 of her friends, so that's 6! Not only that, but it was also fast and testimony meeting! Which is always a great day to bring investigators because most of the current members are converts, so they always share their conversion story! Investigators just love hearing about it. It makes them feel more normal for investigating the church. The ward was just in shock! When they realized how many investigators we had, they all jumped up and wanted to bare their testimony. It was just a glorious Sunday! Then after the meeting the members were just awesome with them. They talked and said hi and were just friendly and loving! Everything turned out great!
So that Sunday as set the mood for the week. So you are probably wondering about Tom and Christina! Well let me tell you, they are doing fine! Things are still going perfect for them! Christina absolutely loved church! She thought it was amazing how we let everyone go up and share their testimony. She said to us, she hopes one day she can go up and share an experience too. I about fell out of my chair when she said that! haha. Christina is am amazing young lady as shes not even a member but is already being a missionary. She has told all her friends about us and the church and continually invites them to church. Shes planning on bringing her other siblings and more friends! So Christina is quite the golden investigator. Tom is also doing great, and is still hilarious. After fast and testimony meeting, me and him started talking and we got onto the topic of American candy and places we can find that candy in Denmark! Then this member told him of a place in Copenhagen where you can buy the American stuff. Then tom gets excited as he just misses all that American candy and peanut butter, etc etc. Then he turns to me and says, "I can feel that warm feeling (The spirit) now." haha. All through the meeting people were baring their testimonies saying they felt this spirit by this warm, comfortable feeling (which is very true). So Tom made a little joke about it, haha. Hes just a joker and I think hes really funny. Hes a great guy and he also enjoyed the meeting. He could tell people really meant what they said. He says we are a religious that lives what we preach. Then we made an appointment with them for Friday!
So Now we will jump to Friday with Tom and Christina. We met at the church and taught them about Prophets and a few of the commandments. We taught them the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity. They loved how we had a prophet and asked great questions. Then the WofW and LofC they were completely fine with. IT made perfect sense to them. Then we asked them about Baptism and asked if we could set a date with them. We told them its a day or a Goal they can work towards to, to find out if this church is true. Christina had just a huge smile on her face when we mentioned it. I could tell this is something she wanted. Tom was a little more rough but said a Goal would be a good idea. We told him that once hes baptized all his mistakes are washed away. He will have a clean slate! I could tell that meant a lot to him.So we set the date on JULY 24th!!!!! So yes, Tom and Christina both have a baptismal date. We answered many of their questions, Showed them how we baptize, showed them the baptismal font, etc etc. Then we ended our appointment and as we were leaving, Tom says, "You know, Now I am kind of excited. I didn't think I would be." So that made me feel really good inside! I am worried that I might be transferred and so is Elder Meyer and actually so is Tom and Christina and heck even the ward. Tom and Christina asked if they could write a letter to Mission President explaining how much they want us to stay, at least until their baptism. haha. Its nice that we are wanted. But In any case its just great they have a DATE. I am excited for the baptism! :)
Then on Thursday we had interviews with Mission President in a City called Roskilde. Actually this is my last interview with him before he goes him. My current mission Presidents name is President Douglass Olauson. His last day is July 1st. After that I get a new mission president named President Andersen. I am actually really excited for the new president! I think its going to be a fun little adventure. Not many missionaries get to say they had 2 mission presidents. My last interview went well, I could see he was sad and also happy. It made me think about the end of my mission, and how I am going to feel. Its just amazing to me how fast time flies.
Other than that we have been out contacting and have met quite a few new people. We have this nice younger girl named Camille that we plan on teaching on Tuesday this week. She says she as a lot of questions and when we taught her about Joseph Smith on the street she said she felt like him and wanted to know which church is true.... I didn't think scenarios like this really happened, but I guess they do. So I am excited to see how that goes. Shes bringing her sister, so hopefully they will like our message and will want to continue to investigate the church. That's some fun stuff coming up.
Then on Friday I was in this city called Amager on splits with some other missinaioes. While we were out the missionary I was with really wanted a pastry. He told me he as quite the little sweet tooth. I actually haven't been too impressed with the pastries in this part of Denmark. The bakeries are a lot better on Jutland (the part that connects to Germany). When I was in Randers the bakeries were really good, but here in Slagelse or Copenhagen they struggle. So I didn't buy any, but that missionary I was with did. So we go into this really small bakery and there is this old lady finishing up ordering. She looked around 70 and had a rain jacket on that went to her knees and an bandanna think over her head, and had a roller bag... (they are like suitcases with wheels, but the top is open and they use it to carry their groceries. Many older people have them so they don't have to carry bags as they walk or ride buses and stuff.) She put her stuff in the bag, and that misisonariy began ordering. As I was watching her leave she had a hard time keeping the door open and getting her roller bag out. So I quickly went over, without thinking and held the door for her. She turned to me and said, " Du er so Delight, tak for det" with a smile on her face. or in English "you are so wonderful, thanks for that." Then it hit me how good it felt to help her. I could tell she really appreciated it and obviously doesn't get that kind of help or kindness very often.
So my spiritual message goes with the old lady at the bakery! Just like our friend Jesus Christ did, he helped others. So my message for you is to be kind and help others. Its an easy principle and yes a little cheesy but its very true. Its so weird but I felt really happy after helping that old lady. Its amazing how good you can feel when you help others. SO that's my promise to you, that when you help others you too can feel really good inside. (OK wow, I am going for cheesy this week, haha). Not only that but its a way you can follow the example of Jesus Christ.
Thanks for everything, everybody! I sure appreciate all of you! I hope you have a wonderful week!
Love your Denmark Missionary,

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