Hejsa men kære familie og venner!
Jeg håber i alle sammen har det helt utrolig! Jeg kan forstille i har haft en dejlig uge. Jeg faktisk har også haft en utrolig uge! Jeg har så mange ting for at fortalle jer, men jeg tror jeg skal gør det på engelsk. Jeg er ikke helt sikkert hvorfor jeg skriver en afsnit af min brev på dansk, men jeg gør det alligevel.
Hey everyone! Its good to be with you again to tell you about my week. So before I came to the computer to email we decided to take a quick detour to the local grocery store called "Super Best" to buy breakfast. We don't really have much in the apartment currently in regards to food. That's another task of my millions of things to do this week! haha. So we went in and to my wondrous surprise they had fresh danish strawberries! I didn't even know it was strawberry season yet in Denmark. So i grabbed a carton of those and continued my adventure through super best. Then i find myself in front of a huge wall of drinks, what to choose, what to choose. Then to my wondrous eyes and happiness I see a small 1 liter container of.... dun dun dun! TROPICANA ORANGE JUICE! Is that not a miracle or what? That's an American brand! So I snatched that container up and headed to the check out stands and purchased it! What a glorious find. I was very happy. One of Gods tender mercies. Then as I was opening the container I realized that it was packaged in France. So the orange juice came from France and not Florida. It was sad and maybe a let down, but it still tasted good. However there was a little magic missing from that juice.... magic only Florida has. So here I am now with a carton of strawberries and my Europe imitated Florida orange juice. Life does not get any better! :)
Well my week was actually really amazing. It was just a really fast week. I cant really believe all that has happened. However It was a marvelous week full of Gods great mercies and miracles. How grateful I am for my Heavenly Father. He really has a masterful plan and he really does care about each and everyone of us. I know it may sound silly sometimes to believe in him. To most danish people, believing in God is like believing in Santa Claus. However one thing that I have learned more than anything on my mission is that GOD really is there. He is very much involved in our lives and very much aware of who we are. I cant shake that belief. Everything we have and everything we are is because of our Heavenly Father. Some believe it was just an accident we are here. Others say there is nothing... were just here. How can those thoughts even exist when His miracles and mercies are all over us? How can people really deny the existence of a God? How can others not see the reality of his miracles? I don't understand it. I look around this crazy world, and crazy it might be, but its part of His plan. Its ups and downs, its part of his plan. Why does God let bad things happen? Why does God allow us to be sad or miserable? Answer: Because he loves us. Because with that sad, comes one day happiness. With that misery comes one day comfort. Why is this world the way it is? Because it was designed to be this way. I feel more than ever the reality of who God is, and gain a greater Love for him every day. I know he is real, and I know he is with each and everyone of us. That's the miracle I had this week with my investigators. I realized that God is with them and hes taking care of them. But let me tell you my week from the beginning.
We started off with another p-day.It was not the most exciting p-day ever, but it was a good one nonetheless. We decided to go around the city to take pictures of all the places we have been. We feel that at transfers I am leaving. I am sad, but I feel that my time in Århus is coming to an end.Its been weird but I really feel that the lord is helping me let go. I have really grown a huge love for this area and its people. However I am looking forward to the many more adventures the Lord has in store for me.
Then on Tuesday we had a Zone Conference in Århus. It was kind of a mess as the building had the carpets cleaned all day Monday. So we came into the building and they were just starting to clean the carpet on the floor below.So we had wet carpet and a wet dog smell in the building. haha. However we opened the windows and got everything set up. It was a great conference and I really learned a lot. President Andersen is just an incredible mission president. I could listen to him for hours as he teaches us about the gospel. It hurts my brain on how much I do not understand in regards to the gospel. There is so much to learn and its incredible. Then for our zone leader and assistants trainings they did something a little different, where we split up according to our districts to be trained. That was a lot of fun as we had a lot more interaction in our trainings, then just to sit down as a large group and be bored. So it really was a great, great day.
Then that evening we had a great appointment with Nicole. She is still doing well, and is understanding more and more as we teach her the new members lessons. I am amazed how well she is doing. Step by step shes becoming better and It gladdens my heart. We had a great lesson on repentance again. Its been a hot topic with her. The atonement is a very complicated thing, but I think she understood it a lot better this time. She said shes facing some issues, and I looked at her and said, "We all are." She smiled and knew that it was true. Kort sagt, shes doing great and I am proud.
Then on Wednesday I had a leadership training in Århus with President Andersen, Zone leaders, Assistants, and all the other district leaders. Elder Pfeil my companion headed up to contact and work in Århus that day with one of his MTC companions. So 2 new missionaries contacting on their own around Århus. They had a great time and a great experience. It was nice I think for them to be away from their trainers. The leadership meeting was AMAZING! I learned a lot again, and it was great. Had a good chat with President Andersen, also, and lets just say he has some big plans for Århus. I am sad I wont be apart of them as I kind of got the hint from him, that I am transferring. haha. Nonetheless he has taken all my comments in regards to arhus seriously and is using them. That made me feel good inside. Then during this meeting a got a call from Naja, the lady from Greenland. I left the meeting as I felt very prompted to take the call. So I answered and we ended up having a 45 min discussion on the phone. It came down to it that her family and friends told her that if she joins the church, they will reject her. That was really scary and hard on Naja, as she feels the Church is true and wants to be a part of it, but also wants her family. I talked to her and comforted her and share how in my family history I had a relative that lived in Switzerland, who after joining the church lost his job and in a way was rejected from his family and friends. However over time they realized that the gospel made him a better person, and the issue was resolved. I told her that God really has a plan and he will take care of us for doing whats right. I then made an appointment for Friday. She felt better after talking and looked forward to the appointment.
Our tours were also a huge success. We had a member bring a friend and this friend was very positive, and were pretty sure we can get him as a real investigator soon. We also gave president Andersen a tour and he was very impressed. He loves that interaction it gives to the members and how it opens up our church buildings to be used for others to see. He plans on sending our idea to the area presidency. President Andersen also gave us a few ideas on how to improve it, so were excited to implement these changes. :)
Then on Friday we met with Naja at the church. That was a miracle as she now knows where the church is. We gave her a tour and she had a good experience. She said she felt peace inside the building. So we sat down and talked and to in short, she told us shes going to follow God and not people and join the church anyways, along with her daughter. She said her concern over the Book of Mormon is gone, as it hit her the other day while she was reading that the Book of Mormon is not the bible. Its more scripture that goes along with the bible. I have tried teaching Naja that 100 times, but it finally clicked for her. Then she looked me in the eye and said, I want to be baptized! I was so happy and could see she was committed! so we set it for April 9th at 1:00PM! Shes way excited! She said she could feel the spirit and knew it was the right thing to do. I smiled. and knew God really had been taking care of Naja, and I also knew God was listening and answering my prayers. To make my joy even more sweet the lord answered my prayers in that I could get another baptism before I left Århus. Its happening on the 9th, but I hope I will be able to manage to stay and transfer right after the baptism. Its another one of Gods tender mercies.
Sunday was also another incredible day! We had all 3 of our baptismal dates in church. Naja and Ulle showed up on time and had a great experience in church. Ami also showed up with her mom and less active brother, who they also had a great time. Sacrament meeting was amazing as President Anderson spoke along with is wife. He always does an amazing job. I was very glad, as I actually had my investigators there to benefit it from it. President Andersen also taught in a combined relief society and priesthood meeting, which Naja joined. The topic was on missionary work and that's Najas favorite part about our church. She cant wait to serve a mission one day! During this Ulle was in Primary having a great time with another 11 year old in the ward. She said she loved primary. that made me happy. The members also did a great job welcoming in everyone. We announced Najas baptism and it went very well. The ward is all very excited as we had 3 baptisms in April! :) YEA! Naja took church well and she just knew it was right. Church was everything she needed. Another one of Gods tender mercies. :)
Then that night we met with Ami, with her non-member dad, and less active brother. It was a great lesson and it was on the plan of salvation and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We had to combine them as were running out of time to get all the discussions in. It was a great discussion and everyone participated even the non-member dad. I think we caught his attention with the whole plan of salvation. Short said, it was a great lesson, spirit was powerful, and the gospel is started to truly bless this little family. They have been so focused on other things in their lives, that church was put to the side, but now its starting to entire there hearts again, and its wonderful.
Well I think this is a very long letter! Wow! I had so much to say, and in all reality I could probably write even more. However I am on a time frame as are you! haha. I wish you the very best week! I sure love and appreciate all of you! Take Care!
Din Danske Missionær,
Med Kærlig Hilsen,
Ældste Skyler Hardy
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