Splits with the Elders

Hello!

Sorry not so many pictures this week. It has been a very eventful week. The first picture is what I actually wore on Halloween day. This past Saturday night the Swedes celebrated All Saints Day and for that they put candles in the cemeteries. Almost every grave had a light on it. It was an amazing sight. The pictures really don't do it justice. I felt very at peace.

So, zone leader road was amazing!! I have really missed the chance to have more of a leadership role and being at zone leader road made me feel very involved. The Sweden Stockholm mission has the best leaders right now. President and Syster Newell are amazing people and they really know how to get work done. They have a huge love for the Lord and his work. The conference was mostly based on finding work and how to get the missionaries excited about finding work. Because, let's face it, finding work is the least fun work as a missionary. But it is a very necessary work. The thing that I got most out of the conference was how important it is to be sharing ideas with other missionaries and we should always be sharing success stories. We have to always be uplifting those around us. You never know who is in need of some happiness.

After the conference was over Syster Kiser and I got to stay the night at the mission home with Syster Newell. But, we first got to go on splits with some Elders for about 3 hours. I went out with Elder Bush and Elder Bloomfield- the AP's. It was one of my favorite nights I have had on my mission! We first went out tracting in a fancy neighborhood in Stockholm. I had never been out with just Elders and I had never tracted houses before, so everything was a new experience for me and I enjoyed every second of it. Whoever had the "Power Stick", meaning the Book of Mormon, would be the one who started talking. It worked really well and I loved being with these Elders. I strongly believe that they are two of the best elders in the whole mission. Elder Bush was actually my past zone leader in Göteborg. I really learned a lot from those Elders. Then we headed to the subway station to do some contacting there. I met some really cool people while on the tram. I was amazed at how much Swedish I could actually speak. Elder Bloomfield is an amazing contactor! He becomes the person's friend right off the bat and then bringing up the gospel is easy because they usually ask him where he is from. And bam! I have found out that I learn best from watching others and I learned a lot that night.

The next morning we headed to the airport and flew to Göteborg and from there we took a train home. It felt so weird to go on a plane. Once we landed in Göteborg we had about an hour to go to the Center and see the Sisters!! I was so happy to see Syster Juker and Syster Jenson again! I really miss them and they miss me. It was a fun reunion. The best part was that they had a teach set up with one of our investigators and I got to be there! He is preparing for baptism and we also had one of my favorite members there too. It was an amazing experience and I was grateful for that opportunity.

Then for district meeting on Thursday, President Newell and Elder Bracken came. We traveled down to Helingsborg and ate lunch with them. It was really cool to be able to spend time with the President. He is an amazing man and always has a great story to tell. I have been told by other missionaries that he really likes, trusts, and respects me. It is always nice to hear that. The focus of the meeting was on patience. Elder Wood did a great job of getting the point across that our prayers are always answered, just not always answered in the way we would like or the timing we would like.

The mission has a goal right now of baptizing 60 people by Christmas. That means each area in the mission will need to baptize one person. That is very do-able. We have been working with a lot of less actives here and when we go and visit I make a point of always asking for referrals. Because of that we have gotten some referrals! We received a referral by a less active member who said her friend has been reading the Book of Mormon every day for the past couple of months and has been listening to conference talks on Sunday because she can't make it to church because she lives so far away. But, she supposedly got a new house or job or something that will make it easier for her to come to church! We have a meeting set up with her this Friday with the less active member. We plan to commit her to baptism. Miracles are taking place and every day I am seeing more and more of the Lords hands in my life. This past Sunday we held a mission wide fast for these 60 people and we have already seen miracles happen. One of our investigators, who has some crazy questions, actually went to church in Mamlö this past weekend because he was down there. AMAZING.

Life is what you make it, so let's make it good! I am very grateful for the Elders and all the support I feel from them.

I am also very thankful for all of my dear friends who have written me. Thank you! It was really fun to see all the Halloween pictures from home. I love seeing all of my friends babies. Cute!

Love, Talisa!

Aka: Syster Vistaunet

P.s. Denmark temple here I come! On Saturday we are leaving here bright and early to go with the ward and spend the day in Denmark and go to the temple. I am very excited to go to Denmark, but I am more excited to get to go to the temple. Please go to the temple as much as you can. It is a beautiful place where you can really feel the love of our Savior through the Holy Ghost.