I love Sweden!

Exploring more of Stockholm.

District meeting in Sodertaljie.

A picture is worth a thousand words, right?

At the Fashion Power exhibit in the Nordiska Musset (Nordic Museum) in Stockholm.

A cool art exhibit at the library in Sodertaljie.

Varm Korv Boogie

Picking Blueberries!

Eating at Max Burgers in Stockholm.

This instrument is called a Nyckelharpa. And no, I don't know how to play it!

Hej! First off... Kamalei is getting married!?? That is super rad and I want to hear all about it. Holy cow. When is the big day?Congrats!! Also, thanks for all the sweet pictures from Alex and Lynn's wedding. Everyone looks amazing and it looks like it was a wonderful day. NIce work everyone.

This past week was AMAZING! My faith grew so much. Let's see... the week started off with a very rushed p-day in Stockholm. We decided at the last minute that we would go. It was so fun! Last time I was there I walked by a cool looking museum that had the words "Fashion Power". That caught my attention right away. Ha ha. It was called the Nordiska Musset (museum). So, Syster Ridl, Syster Detinne-Cassel, and I went while our companions played american football with the Elders. I dont think I will ever pick that option. I'm not a big football fan. Anyway, Stockholm was just as pretty as ever, we walked around for a bit and then went to that cool museum. It had a fashion exhibit, a men in bathing suits exhibit, and a cool swedish tradition exhibit. I really enjoyed all of them.

The next day we went out picking berries in the forest! It was so cool. We went with an older man who is a member and we brought one of our investigators. We all had a really good time and enjoyed picking berries for free in the forest. After that we went back to the members house and ate the berries with sugar and milk. So yummy! People here love nature and are so into eating natural stuff. I am liking it. Plus, my companion Syster Dabb loves anything healthy. Ha ha. So, we eat a lot of veggies and fruit. Yum. Guess what!? I actually made us rhubarb pie from memory. I helped make it once in Orebro at Jaana's and because of her I made it here for my companions and it turned out really good! Yes! I can cook.

One day we were contacting people on the street and I had the feeling that we should go back to a certain ice cream stand (not because I wanted ice cream) but because of the Spirit. Lo and behold the lady who was running the stand could understand everything I said in Swedish! And then, luckily, she could speak English too. She said she would love to start reading the Book of Mormon. So we gave her one and got her phone number and we will be calling her tomorrow. Listening to the Holy Ghost works. Every day I am learning more ways of how to be a better missionary and I am so grateful for that. Almost every day we do something called Power Hour, which is where we go out on the town and contact as many people as we can. With three people we split up. It is crazy to see how much I can actually understand. And people can actually understand me! Syster Ridl and I went out by ourselves and contacted a couple of people. I will admit I didn't understand all of their answers, but boy did I ever pretend. I guess I am a really good actor.

Another cool story: While we were tracting this week Syster Ridl and I decided that we wanted to try it all by ourselves without the help of Syster Dabb. So, I mustered up all the courage I had and rang the doorbell. A red headed girl answered and she looked about our age. We introduced ourselves and then starting talking about how we have a Prophet on the earth today. She was really nice and she let us say everything we had to say and then said she didn't really believe in God. But, we did get her thinking about God and if He exisits. Which he does! The work here in Sweden is hard, many people don't believe in God. So we are starting at ground zero. I am starting to really like contacting and tracting. Which is crazy because it is so nerve racking!

Okay - the coolest missionary moment ever happened this week! It was Wednesday evening and we had a lesson set up to meet with our invesitgator who is getting baptized this Sunday!! He has been struggling with the word of wisdom and how to quit smoking. So we decided we would concentrate a little more on that and try to help him. We had a less-active lady, a 19 year old guy who is a member, and our investigator at the lesson. Both the lady and the young member have struggled with smoking. It was an amazing night. The Spirit was so strong. I started off the lesson with a story we found on LDS.org telling about a 19 year old guy who had struggled with smoking and didn't think that he could go on a mission because of it. Which was amazing because we didn't plan on the 19 year old member guy being at the lesson. He had texted us a couple of hours before and asked if he could come and help us. Of course we said YES! When we were all reading the story you could tell that it really hit him and that he wanted to actually go on a mission. So, because of that night we are now working with him to get him on a mission. The coolest part of the lesson was when we went outside and dug a hole in the ground to bury our problems. Just like the Anti-Nephi-Lehies did in Alma 23:7. They buried their weapons deep into the ground. We all wrote something that we struggle with on a piece of paper and threw them in the hole and buried them. We now have an amazing support group set up to help our investigator and the 19 year old guy quit smoking. Plus the less-active lady said that she would start coming to church and reading her scriptures again! It was truly the best missionary moment ever. I am happy.

Well, the time has come that I must go on with the work. I love you all and thank you for your support and prayers!

Love, Talisa!
Aka; Syster Vistaunet

SHORT.

Hello everyone!

I am so sorry but this week we are in a rush because we are heading to Stockholm for p-day! We decided this about an hour ago and have been rushing like crazy to get everything done. Wow.. stressed. Our train leaves in 20 minutes! Ah.. this week was good and hard. That is what missionary work is all about. I will write you a real letter on the train ride to Stockholm today.

Alex and Lynns wedding!!! I was thinking about them all day on Saturday! They looked so great in the photo you sent and I can't wait to see more pictures! And Congrats to Alex Probert and her mission call!!! That is so rad! You will love it Alex! I am so happy that I decided to come on a mission.

This week was great with our investigator who is getting baptized! We taught the ten commandments and word of wisdom and law of chasity and he said he would follow them all. We can see his life changing so much, right before our eyes. I love the gospel and I know it's true. He actually gave us his cigarettes and lighter! It was a very amazing missionary moment. He will be getting baptized the end of July! We are very excited and the work is moving forward.

We have found that all three of us love to sing and we actually sound pretty good together so we have been singing at some old folks homes to some invesitagtors and members. It is lovely.

Something that I started in the MTC was writing down a miracle a day and it is amazing to look back at those miracles and see how blessed I have been. Look for a miracle a day and you will be amazed at what happens. It has changed my life to be able to see the good and focus on the good rather than the bad. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and me. I have felt His love many times.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!! And I will send pictures next week.. no time. Sorry.

Love, Talisa!

My new town — Norrkoping, Sweden

Me & my two new companions!

View from our 9th floor apartment

Church in Norrkoping, Sweden! (My new city)

Great family in the Orebro Ward.

Swedish Friend

Orebro, Sweden

Big Bunny in Orebro

2nd transfer- Norrkoping!

Howdy!

So, this has been quite the crazy week! Oh my goodness. I started off the week thinking that I would be staying in Orebro so I was making sure that I really knew everything for my next companion.. and then bam! I am moving. So, my first week in Norrkoping has been crazy and very busy. We have met so many people and I can tell that I am really going to LOVE this city. The ward here is wonderful and it is like one big family. There are about thirty children in the primary! Awesome. We actually have three middags... dinners... in a row. Syster Dabb set that up very nicely.

Transfers. Life as a missionary is so exciting you never know where you will be going and who will be your next companion. I have two companions again! Syster Dabb is from Utah and Syster Ridl is from Montana. It is going to be a crazy transfer because Syster Dabb is the trainer and me in the middle and Syster Ridl is the greenie. It is going to be a good transfer though. We all get along really well and are all really easy going. Which is lovely. The day of transfers was fun and I am feeling much more confident. I loved talking to all the other missionaries on transfer day. Syster Gotberg and I went and ate lunch in Stockholm with one of her past Swedish companions. It was really cool. Then I said my goodbyes to Syster Gotberg. That was sad. I am going to miss that girl. I am so glad to hear that you guys went to her homecoming.. that is rad. She was excited to meet you guys and wanted to get some music from you dad. Haha.

So, our train ride was 2 hours to Norrkoping and it was super pretty. Once we got here we dropped our bags off and we went to a middag! Which means dinner. We went to a members home and had tacos. Yum. They were super nice and had four little boys. Then we went to the church and taught an investigator. Leaving orebro was really hard and I really miss the investigators that I had there, but I do know that everything happens for a reason. The Lord knows us so well and He will never leave us alone. The Elders who are now in Orebro are there for a reason and may be able to help those investigators in a way I never could have. Anyway...we had two investigators come to church on Sunday. Man, I LOVE having investigators in church. My testimony has grown so much. Last Saturday we played innebandy, which is a cool Swedish sport, kind of like hockey, just inside a gym and with a little ball. It was way fun!! We also had an investigator come. I am loving all the people that I am meeting.

In fact right now, as I am typing this up, my companion Syster Dabb is talking to a Chinese man about the church. Missionary work is something we can always do. I love her and her example. Wow. My brain is everywhere right now. I am so sorry - this may be hard to read. Haha.

Last Friday we went out contacting and got three numbers and have appointments with them next Tuesday. Contacting is something I really get scared to do. But, on Friday I totally felt the Lord's help. Having a greenie here really makes me realize how much I learned my last transfer. And how much I have to step it up. My Swedish is totally coming!! Ever since being here, in this new city, I have felt a new energy for wanting to speak Swedish. Which is just what I needed. I have finally found my passion for wanting to speak. I can tell that this transfer is going to really push me out of my comfort zone. But, that is the best way to learn.

I LOVE you all! And thank you for all the letters. Please keep them coming. Enjoy the summer!

Love, Talisa!
Syster Vistaunet


Happy Birthday to Joe, Rosey Bassett, Vicki, the Paulos Twins, and Traci!! And Happy Wedding to Alex and Lynn!! Someone send me an invitation. I am dying to see it. I love you and wish you both the best of luck. I am really really sad that I am missing your wedding.. but I know that I am here for a reason. Have fun!

Pictures...

Picture hanging in the sister's apartment in Uppsala! Ahhh....


Some cute American girls and I on the 4th of July...notice our red, white and blue!!

Biking through the woods on a Beach Crusier + Transfers!

A wonderful family in our ward in Orebro!
Pretty lake in Nora. We go there every weekto teach. Very pretty place.
Awesome museum in Stockholm. It's a boat that sunk and was preserved. Very cool.


Hello again!

Welp, this has been a CRAZY day. Oh, man. My companion is going home this week and I am leaving Örebro tomorrow!!! I really didn´t think I would be leaving this city... so I didn´t really say goodbye to anyone. Which made me sad. So, today we went around to our investigators and members to say goodbye. And tonight we are playing american football with the YSA´s to say goodbye after one last member dinner at 6pm.

I found out today that mission transfers are a very exciting time. At 7am this morning we got the call from the new Mission President and he said that I would be going to Halmsted with Sister Kaiser. Crazy! That was my first thought.. then I found out I would be in a threesome with her and a brand new missionary! Then, 5 hours later I get another call telling me that I am now going to Norrköping with Sister Dabb and still a brand new missionary. I am WAY excited. I really like having two companions!! Plus, everyone here has told me that my Swedish is getting alot better. I have even had conversations with people in the ward without Syster Gotberg. Crazy how you just need time with a language. I am feeling really good after all the crazy changes.

Last week was really very lovely. Friday we traveled to Stockholm to meet the new Mission President! It was super rad. Three zones got together and met him and his wife. They both told me hello from my parents and how cool it was to meet them. They are amazing and I am really excited to have them here. After hearing them both talk and telling their life story, I became very grateful for the sacrifices they are giving up to be here. The Lord really does love us and he will ask a lot of those who are willing to act upon His calling. Since we had the meeting with the Mission President so late we got to have a SLEEP OVER with six other sisters in Uppsala! It was very fun and we got to their apartment at 11:30pm. We hardly got any sleep. We all woke up in the morning and made swedish pancakes and bacon. Yum. Then we headed back to our areas. It all happened so fast. I still feel like I hardly know anyone. But, I am not the new missionary anymore! Cool.

Then on Sunday the Bishop gave a lesson in church on being active and doing things. Do it. Do it right. Do it right NOW. That was his main message. The longer I am here serving the Lord the more apparent His love is for me and every one of His children. I am so grateful for the amazing experience I have right now to be in Sweden. By the next transfer I will be speaking a lot more swedish! Which makes me excited. Ya, I am excited. No more english! Haha. We also gave the sunday school lesson... in english. Haha.

I LOVE you all!!!! Be good and enjoy yourself. It´s later than you think.

Love, Talisa!

Aka: Syster Vistaunet