Week 56 and 57

Subject: There are feathers in the bushes again

Hello all!

So, I wrote this a week ago and just found it in my drafts! I wondered why Dad said you hadn't gotten much. This week was terrible as far as numbers go, but we've had a good week. We've met a number of interesting people and the weather was terrible, but now it is absolutely beautiful. Therefore, we are happy again. We have loved being just two of us again. We miss Sis Lövgren terribly and often shed a tear or two when we put ketchup on our pasta or walk past the liver paté in the grocery store, but two is so much easier to take care of. It's been good for me and Sis Jenson to finally get to know each other. We also don't feel so self-conscious about our Swedish but have to carry a dictionary around again :)
I forgot to mention that we found a large American foods section at one of the grocery stores here (we were tipped off by a member in the ward. He's from San Jose, actually...). We bought Reese’s, Dr. Pepper, maple syrup, and black beans. I was so excited to find black beans. That's one thing I really did miss when I first got here. I also realized how much I didn't miss anything else. I don't really need to go home, actually. I'm perfectly happy here. I've even started using the deodorant. :)

Well, our week started off well with a visit to a man from Gambia who is Muslim by birth, but is seeking the truth with his grown up kids. He was a name left us by the elders, but he hasn't had time to receive visits. We went there, and he started off by talking a lot about his family and then told us that it had taken him a long time, but he'd finished the book they gave him and he thinks it's the right path to follow. Turns out he was talking about the Book of Mormon. His daughter in England has read it and he's giving one to his son as well. The funny thing was that he didn't even know who Joseph Smith was. We left him the Restoration DVD and set up a return appointment. He knows it's true but isn't in a hurry to be baptized. He said we could come once a month. We compromised with once a week if the visits were very short. :)

We met with the Rastafarian man from Barbados we met last week. Turns out he lives in the Elder's area, but he said he'd rather go to church in our ward because it was more acceptable. I'm not going to lie, I want to keep teaching him. He's awesome! He said that everyone has an inner Rastafarian, but many people are afraid to accept it. I was almost convinced to try dreadlocks when I get home :) He talked about how Isaiah 11 prophecies about the Rastafarian way of life. It was a really interesting interpretation and I'm pretty sure not exactly in keeping with what the Bible actually says. He was quoting stuff I've never read before.
We also met a guy contacting who is a member of the Exclusive Brethren. I hadn't heard of them I don't think, but their website is exclusivebrethren.com. He said there are only 400 members in Sweden. He seems to have a very strong faith in Christ, but they take the teachings of Paul about women and their role in church seriously. They have a role, he said, but they don't preach.

C is doing really well. He made a comment in the combined Sunday school yesterday at ward conference about Jesus Christ and asked me when he'd get his membership number because he really wants to pay tithing. He's so great!! He feels great and he looks great. Such a complete change is a miracle.

Well, life is good. We are rallying for the last few weeks of the transfer. We're actually both hoping we'll stay, but we'll see what happens. I hope everyone has a glorious Easter. I don't feel like I can put into words how grateful I am for this opportunity we have to dedicate a weekend to Jesus Christ and his atonement. I hope you all have an opportunity to reflect on it. Love you all!

Amy


Subject: A little sun makes all the difference

Hey all,

So there was a question about how many Swedish investigators I've had. I've actually had quite a few Swedes that I've taught, but most come from other places. C, who just got baptized, is Swedish through and through. Swedes are looking for truth too, turns out.

We had zone conference on Tuesday and it was lovely. I gave a surprise five minute talk (we do that every zone conference, but I hadn't given one yet). I had a feeling it was my turn the day before, so I was ready. I also played the piano and sang for the musical number. Elder Wood and I sang 'The Lord's Prayer'. I heard it for the first time at the MTC. It's beautiful! But the singing was a little rough because we weren't next to the piano and he got behind us, so I cut out on the high part. Oops! Surprise Elder Wood solo! I was also going to talk a little about our recent baptism and following the Spirit, but that got cut because of time. It felt a little like the Sis Maxwell show. I love that!

On Wednesday we went to eat with a part member family. The husband is Swedish and uninterested, but we started our little lesson and it turned into a 45 minute discussion about whether or not the wife could be sealed to the husband because she'd been married in the temple before to a man who didn't keep his covenants, but has since died. There seemed to be a lot of pent up bitterness about the whole thing and I kept wondering how we'd gotten in the middle of this. It worked out ok. We got the Spirit back and felt prompted to make some pretty big promises to him if he'd just try. It was cool.

It's actually been a pretty cool week. We've had some good teaches with a few people who are really positive, but just need a push to get their motivation in the right place.

This week was also a musical number week. I sang and played the piano at the double baptism the zone leaders had yesterday. I sang a Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief and Elder Rowley played the guitar. It was folksy and awesome. We were going to do a dramatic reading for one of the verses, but decided it was a little much. :) Our investigator, E, was there and said he felt a really strong, indescribable feeling when the baptisms were performed. He's our most positive investigator, but he's from Iran and might be moving back there, so he probably can't get baptized anyway, but we'll keep helping him prepare, I suppose.

Yesterday we had a lovely dinner with the Utby and Kungsbacka elders and Elder and Sister Anderson, the couple that work at the center. We felt prompted to go over and visit F, the one who got baptized a month ago. We made him an Easter basket and went to his apartment. He was alone, so we talked to him at the door. It turns out he'd been talking to his wife who wants to divorce him. We all cried together, and we wished so much we could help in some way. We took him with us to dinner and were really glad we had. We hope it cheered him up. He really respects the elders and I hope enjoys our company.

We also got a visit from the Brays!! That was surreal, but really fun. We went to a really nice Greek restaurant and Sis. Bray's re-enactment of your excited to see me hug was perfect, Mom! She did it justice. :) They came to the baptism Sunday morning and then to church and were on their way. It was perfect! Brother Bray said I have a lot of the same mannerisms as you, Mom, so I'm very pleased to know that I haven't totally lost my identity over the years. More and more I feel like I'm regressing to become a 21 year old boy. Yuck! :)

Well, that's the news this week. The weather is beautiful!!! Love you all!

Syster Maxwell

Week 55

Subject: Short note

Hey all!

This week has been wonderful. Right now I can't recall what has actually happened, but I remember Saturday perfectly well. It was an amazing day. We had a great teach in the morning with E where he said that every time he opened the Book of Mormon he got a good feeling. We then had a well-attended Swedish class with 5 priesthood holders at the center. The rules of the center are that we have to have a Melchizedek Priesthood holder here with us. We've been having a hard time getting one there, so we had all of them at once :) We thought it was highly ironic.

We then went to the sweetest baptism I've ever been to. C's son is a member of the church in Denmark and came up to baptize him. He was so happy to be there. He was so kind to him the whole time, leading him through the process. He helped him fill out the baptismal record and get changed and stay upbeat and excited. The baptismal service itself was amazing. The Spirit was so strong and everything was beautiful. I finally understand mom's experience as choir director with the angels coming and filling our mouths. Even though it wasn't the most musically pleasing musical number I've ever heard, it was one of the most beautiful. I was playing the piano for one of our zone leaders and the other 2 sisters. There was so much emotion after the baptism and C shared some words at the end and everyone was touched. I wish I could really put into words the experience. It was a wonderful day to be a missionary and I was so grateful that I could be a part of their lives. I felt that day that I really have done something special on my mission.

Sorry, I'm out of time. I love you all. Sis Lövgren left this morning. I'm really sad, but we'll see her again, hopefully.

Sys Maxwell

Week 54

Subject: Wonderfulness

Hello all!

This week was a great week filled with miracles, the Spirit, and great insights. We had our sister's training in Stockholm on Tuesday and Wednesday and then with General Conference, we had a week of uplifting experiences. We played Ultimate Frisbee for the first time this season last Monday, and it was awesome. I'm ashamed to say it took awhile for me to remember how to throw a Frisbee, but it came back fast and our team dominated.

We had a nice train ride to Stockholm and my first nap in two months. I sat beside the most talkative Swede I've ever met who cried a number of times and told me most of her life story (before my nap). She was really cool. I also realized how long it's been since I've been on a real train. The work here in Göteborg is so much faster paced than my other areas have been. I like it except for being more exhausted than usual. Sisters' training was so good. I think you had to be there, but there was a perfect mix of girliness, story telling, laughter, and good missionary work. (We might have had a hairy winter legs contest and I might have won...) My favorite part is going out with the elders to contact because we get to see a different style. They are always a lot more forward than I am. Go figure. I also want to say that I love President and Sister Anderson. The more I interact with them, the more I realize that they are perfect leaders/examples for me. They have taught me so much in the last year. I'm really grateful I've had so many opportunities to get to know them.

While we were gone, the zone leaders were contacting by the Institute Center and met one of our potential investigators on his way there. They got to know him a little bit and gave him the phone number to an Iranian member in Stockholm. They called each other and talked for 3 hours about everything!! On Saturday we had one of those miracle teaches where his questions were guided by the Spirit, and he recognized that what he was feeling was the Spirit. It's just incredible. I also was prompted to ask a member to come with us on the teaches who turned out to know him from school. Pure inspiration. He's the perfect fellowshipper.

C is also still really excited about his baptism next week. He smoked once this week, but said it was nasty. He loved Conference and had such a glow about him when we all walked home together last night. Wonderfulness!

I love this!! I hope you all remember to share the gospel with you friends just like we heard yesterday. It is possible if we just seek the opportunities and they may not come in the form we expect. I really hope I can continue to be a good example and missionary after my mission. I got really excited this last weekend about the future. It's going to be marvelous.

Love,

Amy