Monday, January 2, 2012

Gott Nytt År! = Happy New Year!

New Years dinner.

The best eggnog I have ever had. Don't worry, I got the recipe. I will make it when I get home!

What Talisa saw on Skype in Sweden on Christmas day!

Wow. I can't believe that it´s now 2012. Time really goes by so fast. That is why we must always remember to live every day to the fullest.

I have made some New Years goals and most of them have to deal with missionary work. They are:

-To finish the Book of Mormon in Swedish

-To finish the Old Testament

-Live in the Now

-Support my companions to the best of my abilities

-Have more faith in the Lord

-Choose to be happy every day

-Make lasting relationships with all the people that I meet

-Do three things every day: read my scriptures, pray, and smile! (This has been my mission motto)


Well, the holidays in Sweden have been a joy. I am looking forward to next week because then I will become a trainer! Finally I will be in charge...Haha. It looks like we will leave Tuesday night and sleep over in Stockholm and then Wednesday I have a trainers meeting and I will receive my greenie. I am so excited, I can hardly wait!

I have made some good plans for Halmstad and I am excited to actually be able to put them into action. There are many areas in Halmstad that I have never been to. We are going to be tracting and contacting fools! I can't wait to go and explore.

New Years Eve we went to a member family who live about 30 mins outside of Halmstad in Öskarström. Cute little town- we have about 6 members who live out there. We had a lovely dinner with them and then spent the rest of the night playing games and eating. Haha. I felt like I was at home. We played Swedish Trivia Pursuit, which was fun until I realized that most of the questions I didn't know or understand. Oh well. Then we came home at 9:30- curfew and went to bed. At midnight we heard fireworks very loud and clear. I LOVE SWEDEN! Everyone buys fireworks and then they all light them at midnight. So, we were running around in our apartment looking out all of the windows- every where we looked there were fireworks. It was so neat and I loved it. They also had paper lantern type things like in Tangled and the whole sky was filled with them. The fireworks lasted about 30minutes. I love being able to live in another country and see all the different traditions through out the year.

The next day at church we didn´t have very many people come. In Sunday school it was Senja-the teacher, me and an older member. Very small. I am so excited to study the Book of Mormon this year in Sunday school. Senja is a really great teacher and I hope that I will be able to attend her classes. The only problem is that she teaches when I teach Primary. Maybe every once in a while I will be able to attend. I do love teaching Primary. They are my favorite little girls. I think it will be very fun for the greenie to teach Primary with me.

The past couple of weeks have been really hard weeks for missionary work. Everyone seems to be gone or does not want to talk about God. Surprise. Or my companion is too sick to go out. So, I have been reading in Jesus the Christ a lot lately and I am learning so much. I love that book. We do have some potential investigators and I am really excited about meeting with them. The Swedish lady, who we met at the doctors, and her American husband and then some of Solisa´s friends from school. We will be having lunch with them tomorrow!

Since this is Syster Kiser's last week in Sweden we have a dinner scheduled every night! Yay! We are actually going to be really busy this week with visiting members, less-actives, and some investigators. A goal that we want to help the ward with this new year is doing home and visiting teaching. I came up with the idea of focusing on Christlike attributes- Preach my Gospel chapter 6. We are going to challenge each member to pick a different Christlike attribute every month to focus on and see how they can become more like our Savior. If you can get a hold of a Preach my Gospel I challenge you all to read and study it. It really is an amazing book. Then you can see what I am trying to do every day. Chapter 6 is the best chapter.

Dad and Mom- I am so glad that you got the Christmas package.. I was getting worried. But, I will be sending another package soon. I would love it if you could send back the thumb drive that I sent you so I can put more Swedish music on it. I have made friends with many of the Elders and Elder Codling promised me that I could get all of his Swedish music when I get home. Lots of the Elders here buy hard drives and fill them up with music. Good idea. Elder Codling goes home next week. He's from Cedar Hills, Ut.

I bought myself a really neat Swedish cookbook. I love it. Today I bought the coolest hat because my head gets cold. I also got some cds and I will be sending some of them home soon. The package that I am sending really is a package for Mom and Dad. Lots of things for you. Because I love you!! Oh, and yes, I got all the packages ~ thank you! I have not gotten the Festivus letters yet. I am looking forward to it. I did get a lovely Christmas card today from both of you. I love you!

Much Love,

Your Swedish daughter- Talisa!

Sorry not so many pictures this week.

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