Elder Christian Tanner - Best Week Ever!!!

Elder Christian Tanner - Looks Cold

 

AHHH! I have soo much to write!!!

Transfer Weekl!!!! Elder Millsap took the ENTIRE day to pack his few belongings in to his bag. So I just did a lot of language study and reading today. Elder BILODEAU didn't get into Halmstad until 8:55pm and Millsap didnt leave unil 9:02pm. So you could say it was a loooong day.  In the morning me an my new companion got up and I actually had companionship study and companionship planning!! It was AMAZING! I knew exactly what we were going to do that day. We went to the bus stop and bought the Sisters their bus cards. Then we took the bus out to the church where we had district meeting with the new district. The District is Bilodeau, Myself, Sister Christensen, and her new greenie Sister Hosenfeld. It was super awesome. We got on the computers I we divided up the area and I just gave everybody all the information they need to know about Halmstad. It was kinda fun being the only person who knows what Halmstad is like! Haha. We had a great lesson on setting goals. We all set really reasonable achievable goals for this week. After some "get to know you" games I showed them town. Took them to Medyas and got the best Kebab in town. After we ate there Bilodeau and I ran to the apartment to grab the ward list. Well, the sisters waited outside. As we were walking into the apartment, they started contacting. We were not even inside for 5 MINUTES. We come back out and they have 2 numbers already. Uhhh. what?? We asked Sister Christensen what she does to contact. She told us: "don't run up to someone and say 'I am a missionary from the church of jesus christ of latter day saints...' it scares them away the second they hear 'missionary' and 'church.' So what you do is, is say 'We come from the USA and we come to Sweden to talk to people on the life of meaning. What do you think the meaning of life is?' then they are already drawn into the conversation and want to answer your question." Genius! Well, after that we went to the sports hall where we play Innebandy every friday. I showed them where it was so they could come and invite investigators to Innebandy. We then walked over to the library and got their library cards for emailing. After which we just sat down on a few of the tables and looked over the ward member list and I just told them everything they need to know. While we were doing this, one of the guys that the SIsters contacted on the street about 1 hour earlier texted them and said "when can we meet and talk about life's meaning?" hahaha! They ended up meeting half an hour later... and their contact brought a friend with him! My goodness. Well, while the sisters taught their lesson, we decided we would go contacting and try out Sister Christensens way. And it WORKED! Not everybody wants to hear what we have to say, but we still get into really good conversations with some really fine people. We ended up talking to like 6 different people for like at least 10 minutes each. And as we were walking home we contacted this older woman. She accepted our book of mormon and gave us her number. A potential investigator! I absolutely LOVED contacting. I think it is fun! It forces me to use my Swedish and I get to meet a bunch of people. Not to mention it strengthens my testimony on the Atonement. Meeting soo many people and thinking "wow. that is amazing that Jesus really does love every one of us.. .and thats a lot of people to love." It really is great. So that Sisters called us and told us about their lesson. The guy who they contacted was walking home from work. He normally walks home a different way, but decided to go a different way. He didn't know why, but decided he should. Then the sisters contacted him! Awesome, huh? I was soo happy today that i was just dancing all day. I think everyone thought I was crazy...and I am... but I was so happy!

 

The next day we had to take a bus to meet Karin Bergman. But we had an hour until the bus so went our separate ways and went contacting. After that hour, we had given away another Book of Mormon. The sisters came back with a number. Of course. (for the record, I like to make a competion out of it. so when they come back with something more than us, it makes me even more competative.) We went to Karins house and they met her. She is an important member to meet because she always wants to help. She always offers her place as a place to teach investiagors. She is always willing to go on teaches and just anything we need. So I figured it best to go to her. After we visited her, we went to Innebany! We had 0 members there! Except 1 (patrick källberg) but he's inactive. So everyone there was an investigator or potential investigator. The sisters didn't play this week. But while the rest of us were playing, they started teaching Caroline (patricks sister). She is an atheist (as with everyone else in sweden). Sister Hosenfeld didn't believe in God until just a few years ago. So she could relate and apparently they gave a great lesson while the rest of us were playing. It was so awesome to see how many investigators we have, though. There is sooooo much potential. After we finished playing Caroline took the sisters home. She wouldn't let them take the bus (and its a 15 minute drive to Tylösand too...). Apparently there have been some guys who, at night, try to catch young girls and take them home. They have been trying to find out who is doing it, but they have no idea. So, thats why she drove them home. Super nice of her. Tomorrow is conference so we had to go to the store and get "CONFERENCE GODIS!" haha. We walked into a different store than usual because they were cheaper prices. And the guy we met just spoke a bunch of english to us. We talked for a bit. He comes from the middle east somewhere. He has a wife and kid and tries to make ends meet by keeping his little store open. He just talked and talked. It was awesome. He does have a different religion, muslum, i think. But he was totally just open to anything we say. He didnt want to fight anything (unlike the other guy). We were like "do you want to come to church with us sometime?" and he was like "yeah! that would be great!" and before we left he said "I am in here all the time. You can come in and talk when ever you want as long as i dont have customers." We were like YES! So we are definetly going to go back there and talk with him.

 Since we are suppose to do weekly planning on friday nights but we have Innebandy, we do weekly planning on saturday. Weekly planning takes like 3 hours to do. While we weekly planned, we made Chili and Cinnamon Rolls (just perfect too, because that what we do at home on conference!). It was SOO good! We spent hours going over what we want to do and making calls and cooking. It was really fun actually. Conference started at 6. About 4:00 we went out and decided to place a Book of Mormon. We made a goal that everyday we are going to give away one Mormons Bok. Well, we go out contacting and we aren't getting much. So we decided to go to the Svenska Kyrkan (Swedish Church). Don't ask me why! But we did! We walk in, and this kid that is 17 years old walks up to us. He asked if we wanted to go into the tower. So we were like "sure." Turns out, this kid is investigating different religions right now. He said he read the Book of Mormon and agrees with much of it. Its kinda funny. They part he does agree with is that Christ also came to the Americas. Perfect! But what he does not agree with, is that fact that Lehi and his sons and such could sail across the ocean. He doesn't think that the technology existed back then to do such a thing. We asked him if he had ever been to one of our church meetings. He said he had, but had been wanting to go to one again. So we invited him to come to our church any sunday at 10:00. We have him a passalong card and said he can call anytime we want. I would like to go talk with him again and get his number. But it was awesome! We have 3 potential investigators in 3 days. Thats what I like about Bilodeau. He is pretty laid back but will ACTUALLY WANT to go out and do something. So, its been great. We went up to the church and enjoyed an amazing Saturday morning conference session. I really enjoyed it. And Tony, our investigator, came! It was pretty neat. 

Sunday! Conference, Conference, Conference! Three session today! Whewwhooo! Love conference!! :) First we went to Priesthood session in the morning. It was really really good! I loved it! I had the thought, though. I know if you just keep inviting Greg back to family activites, and church activities, he will find the truth again. Just invite him to EVERTHING. He will find it. He just needs to know that he is loved by many. And I believe he will open up and find te truthfulness again. Dont forget our brother, son and uncle. Anyway, that ended at 1:00. Sister Lindahl brough lunch for us missionaries and such. Saturday afternoon session started at 2:00. Remember the two guys the sisters taught a few days ago? They came to this session of conference. It was pretty neat. I don't think they thought too much of it, but they said they enjoyed it. After another wonderful session, we went out contacting for 2 hours. Bilodeau and I talked to everyone we could and got NOTHING! The sisters came out half an hour after us, and got back at the same time as us, and got 2 numbers and 2 addresses. UGH! It's awesome and all, but they kicked our BUTTS!!!!!! Lets he honest here, the sisters are REALLY being blessed, or Sister Christensen knows what she's doing 200% of the time... or both. With these Sisters here, we are going to tear it up here. I really really feel it. By the way, was I right or was I right when I said Halmstad needs Sisters? Geez. Haha. We wached another session of conference and JEFFERY R. HOLLAND DESTROYS AGAIN! Haha. He gives such amazing talks. I love hearing him. But really every single talk was just amazing. We went back to the bus stop and waited for the bus. Then we went back to the appartment and went to bed! Long week but like I say BEST WEEK EVER!

Autumn in Sweden

 

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