Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Mission Flesh Press 1

Well here we are mid-way through this wonderful week and we are BUSY as ever! So a while back, President Newell felt that he, along with us and his wife would visit each of the units in Sweden (40-43) by the time I go home. Each of these will consist of a talk/testimony given by the Newells and it would either be a Fireside (during the week) or during sacrament meetings. And also it would consist of a music number (given by us two). So just this last sunday, the games began. Just this last sunday we went around to 5 different wards / branches. You know, the smart thing to do would have been to take pictures at each of these places... but I'm not! HAIGH.
We got up early sunday morning and our first stop was a ward where Elder Jorgensen had served. Immediately following we went to the Stockholm ward where we had some investigators coming so it was a little stressful but it ended up working out! Elder Jorgensen went with Thomas to pick up the investigators at the train station and I was in sacrament meeting. The saacrament rolls around, then presdient newell's talk, and then up comes mine and Elder Jorgensen's duet... was he there yet? no! So I go out of the church to see if he was coming and he was no where to be found. So I walk back in, they turn the time over to us. I walk up to the stage, syster Newell asks me "are you going to do a solo?" Seeing how they couldn't just skip the number... and I don't back down.... I got up there and sang a solo for a long 3 verses to Joseph Smith's first vision! Man that was scary! But it was fun! half way through the song he walks in with both of our investigators... it made me happy! The following meeting we a place called Jakobsberg and that ward was amazing! Half of the members came from Chile so it was really cool to see and feel like I was in Brazil! Also, I'm pretty sure I can understand spanish 90% now. My plan is to study Spanish, Portuguese and swedish while I am here because the Lord provides a way to learn really fast here! Then on the following monday we spent booking train and flight and hotel to travel around the south this week, and also prepare for Zone Conference which would happen on the FOLLOWING DAY! So we did that and woke up early the next morning for a flight to Göteborg! we were about to print out the tickets and then it machine told us that we were too late to print them out so we had to go to the service desk (ironic right?!) so we got our tickets, ran to the plane and as soon as we got in our seats, the plane was off! Thank goodness! Zone Conference went really well! It is always so good to be back in the Göteborg Zone in the summer! It reminds me of Borås! Loved it. Our message ended up being about Strengthening the church. It was a message about how as we go to the bishop... we don't say "How can we help?" thats just the attitude we have. We gave a comparison to how the bishop has so much on his plate! So we had someone hold a jug of water, and then told some bread (food), and then have a blanket over their heads (shelter), going to the temple (picture of the temple)... and then we had an elder come up and put 4 books on his hands as well. And it said "HOW" "Can" "We" "Help?" To compare to the fact that sometime the bishop doesn't really know what the missionaries could to... so to ask him that type of a question would be putting more on his plate. So throughout the mission we are putting an emphasis on home teaching and how strengthening the members by "lifting the load" would enable trust with missionaries. After that we took a train half way down to Malmö to a place called Halmstad. So that's where I am today because we have a fireside here tonight. So Elder Jorgensen and I stayed in a Hotel (classy.. i know..) last night because we would usually stay with the missionaries here... but they are sisters... so thats a no go!
Anyways... one really good thing that happened during the week is that just before we had to leave, we got to teach out investigator from Peru and she is awesome! We brought her to a Peruvian family's house and just had a great time there. Her only concern before baptism is the Word of Wisdom and so we had a Famly Home Evening with another Peruvian family and it went incredibly well! Every member of the family ad a very strong testimony of it so it was perfect!
Thank you all so much for your Love and Letters and look forward to hearing from you all! I love being here and can't wait to report to you all about this coming week! It will be exciting!
Love,
Äldste Webster

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Last Sharpening with the Andersons

Pictures and news from the Blue and Yellow!!!
Can YOU find Aldste Webster??

"The beginning of June we all met together to learn and be edified. We learned that we were prepared and sent to the Sweden Stockholm Mission for a purpose at this exact time. We are here to serve the Lord and help bring the people of Sweden into his fold."
Göteborg Sharpening, 14 June 2011

Norrland Sharpening, June 2011

Sharpening, Malmö 16 June 2011

Stockholm Sharpening June 2011

Stockholm South Sharpening, June 2011

Busy Busy

Hello my dearest family! How grateful I am to have each one of you in my life. I don't know what I would do without the love and care that each of you has had for me! I'm sorry to hear about Grandma, I found out just before sacrament meeting on sunday so it was a good time to ponder about my testimony of the Atonement and it is REAL. I had the opportunity to bear testimony with personal experience of how the Lord answers prayers! Our investigator from Peru, Steffany, told us of an experience when her Uncle had passed away and how when she prayed, got didn't give her what she wanted. But I was able to tell her sincerely on how my prayers to Heavenly Father (hoping that I could see grandma when I got home) were answered in the sense that he comforted me and told me that it was the right time and she had more work to do on the other side! I am so thankful for this Gospel. It's interesting how both of my grandma's have passed away while I have been in a foreign country. I love them both, and I am always strengthened by them knowing that they're cheering me on on the other side!

So this past week Elder Jorgensen and I have been arranging The Mission President's objective to meet all 43 units by the time we leave Sweden. He told us he wouldn't let us go until we got that done! So we have been calling every bishop and branch president in Sweden, arranging times when they won't be out of town, and getting an hour with each of the units where we will either visit them on sundays, or fireside during the week! We are about 75% done! All of July is scheduled! We will be going to Borås on July 31st so I am very excited to see the members and the converts that I love there! We also picked up the new missionaries this last week and then 2 more came on tuesday! Thomas Newell (their son) was able to fill in and go to an area for a week and be a missionary! They challenged 2 people to be baptized so that was really cool for him! The other day as we were contacting in Stockholm we ran into 2 people (at 2 different pasts of the day) that could only speak French. One man was visiting from Paris and we got his number and address so Thomas (who is going to Paris on his mission) can teach him! The next man (from Congo) who spoke French with Syster Newell and Thomas on the phone, will be meeting them at the mission home on the weekend!

On Sunday, we came to sacrament meeting where Steffany and her little sister came. She loved it because it reminded her of our church in Peru! The music was really slow (which explains why "the ward is tired" remark from our Bishop.) so that will definitely be fixed by next sunday! The investigator class was really cool because there is a new chinese convert who brought his friend to church who comes from Nanjing (the same place where Emma and Adam came from!) We also contacted a chinese family downtown so that was really cool because we called Emma and she talked to them and the family was interested because of it!

We ended up coming late to a teach with a new investigator (Joseph from Ghana) and he came late as well. Once he showed up to the YSA Center it was time for the teach with the Peruvian family! So Elder Jorgensen took the Ward Mission Leader with the family and I took Joseph into the other room! I taught him the restoration, he committed to read and pray. He told me he believed in it already. so I challenged him to baptism and he said he was excited to be baptized on August 6th and on the following day (HIS BIRTHDAY) to be confirmed. he told me that while growing up his father (a priest) would always tell him to be baptized and he always rejected it! And so he told me that now he knows the word of God better and feels ready to be baptized!

I love being in the Stockholm ward. The institute (YSA) center is an amazing place. Elder Jorgensen and I basically go up and down a main street, bring in a person to the center and teach them, and then go back up and down the street until we find another! There are so many prepared people in whatever area you are in! It's just the attitude you take with you that makes the difference!

the same night President and Syster Newell came home from Mission President's seminar, we had the Zone Leaders come to the mission home for Zone Leader Råd (council) the following day! It was amazing! We ran to a lake in the morning. Syster Newell talked about Health with Journal writing, exercising, and diet. President Newell talked about Strengthening the church and how the mission will now be giving a large focus on home Teaching and really serving the members in our ward. It is inspiring to hear the life-changing experiences that the Newells have had because of home teaching! I look forward to become a better home teacher myself. I have always looked at it as a time to share a scripture, and ask if we could help with anything. But it really is a time to help them come closer to Christ, discern needs and act upon the impressions you receive to help your families! Also, just imagining the power that will come as the missionaries, along with the members home/visit teach and discern needs and respond to their needs by charitable service.

This week has been a week of contemplation, hard work, stretching, and edifying of the Lord and I am glad to be a servant of the Lord while I am still here!

Thank you all for your love and support!

Äldste Webster

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Transition COMPLETE

Wow, there has been so much happening this week! Where to start... The baptisms of Emma and Adam! It was a success! We had 2 Chinese investigators there and 1 korean father of 3 kids. They loved the service a lot. The Korean dad texted us yesterday and asked us if we had another service that he could watch! (Of course, to ourselves we thought "if it was YOURS!") So he is very positive. President Anderson had his first and last 2 baptisms while here in Sweden in the Täby chapel on the 29th of June! But as soon as we get these very positive investigators, Elder Jorgensen and I get transferred to the Stockholm (Inner-city) Ward! We are very excited to see what will be happening there. So we found out this week officially that Elder Jorgensen and I will be spending the last 6 months of our missions as companions. To change things up the assistants now serve in a different ward! So that is a good change! We met with the Bishop because that is the number 1 stop to go to when you get transferred! And it was really positive. The ward has just gotten a new bishop and ward mission leader 3 weeks ago so we thought it was an opportune time to help them carry out their vision! At first we asked him what his Vision was and he told us that the ward was very tired... and they needed some energizing into the ward. For transfers the most energized elder in the mission was sent to the ward and he was so excited to see that there would be 4 missionaries in his ward now! He also said that he wants to put a big focus on keeping new converts active and fellowshipping the investigators. We had a feeling that he was saying that to just please us. So we continued talking and eventually the conversation led to Home Teaching and rescuing the less-active and part-member families! It went so well and the bishop is REALLY excited to see what's about to happen! As soon as President Newell got here, he has changed me so much. The family is all just so spiritual! They came with their 18 yr old son Thomas! He is amazing! The first two days they wanted to bring ALL the missionaries in from Norrland and Stockholm North and South Zones and do a little conference. So that was very neat. We had a message out Moses and Joshua and how Israel was in a period of transition... and in Joshua 1:16-17
"16And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. 17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses."
We gave a little comparison to Moses as President Anderson and Joshua as President Newell! It was pretty cool actually! He is the one that will bring us to the promised land and across the river jordan! IT was awesome!
The following day we traveled to Göteborg and right after the conference I was able to baptize Kleber Fernandes Alves from Sorocaba, SP Brazil! (I think that's where Sam's mission is) MY very first in Portuguese! It was really cool actually! My whole mission as I had tried to speak portuguese, I kept blending it with Swedish. But once the baptismal service had finished I talked to a swedish man and blended in portuguese with it! Crazy how the mind works!
After this, the following week was transfers! And it went great! Elder Stoddard (my first-born in the wilderness) is now gone from the office. But we got an Elder TAK from West Bountiful in the office with us! He knows Bryson Miles! They were in the same choir together or something so that is exciting! Also... he is a U fan! You gotta love it. Speaking of which, the Newells are BIG BYU fans so that is unfortunate but I'll forgive them in the long run! Hehe
So the first night that we had to contact the in downtown stockholm we found an AMAZING PERUVIAN family (CONGRATS to B-man for serving an amazing mission! Tell him he owes me a letter! Make sure you take pictures and record his talk or something! It will be cool to hear him!) it was a mother and three daughters VERY attached to her. So we talked to them about Families and one of the daughters told us she was getting lessons from Jehovah's Witnesses and the other two were Catholic, after we got an appointment with them we found out our mission leader is from Peru as well and the mother told us that her brother was Mormon as well! Would not be surprised if this family were to join the church! So we will meet them on saturday!

There is just so much going on, but I am loving my new area, my companion, my president and the family and the WEATHER! I am so grateful to be serving the Lord at this time! It is an exciting one! I am thankful for MY family and how much all of you mean to me and the spirit that the Lord provides testifying OF families. I have felt recently of the importance of families for the swedish people. There are so many that are broken up, and it is because of the lack of living the Gospel in their lives!
Anywho,
I love you all! Upcoming this week: President & sister Newell head to Germany for the weekend, and then Zone Leader Council and the following week is Zone Conferences. After that, President Newell wants to embark on the journey of visiting all 40+ units in Sweden BEFORE we go home. Yikes! Keeping Busy! Effectively too...

Love,
Äldste Webster